DE20110222U1 - Label with an electronic circuit - Google Patents

Description

Schreiner GmbH & Co KG

Label with an electronic circuit

The invention relates to a label with an electronic circuit and an at least partially adhesive underside, by means of which it can be attached to an object.

Labels of this type are well known. They have the property that they can be detected by electromagnetic radiation in the radio frequency range and can exchange data with a remote transmitter/receiver. Labels of this type are often used for theft protection or in logistics.

US Patent 5,644,295 discloses a label that contains a conductor track that is destroyed when the label is removed. The change in the line resistance is detected and can be used to trigger an alarm.

From WO 00/45332 it is known to electrically monitor the status of an antenna of a contactless chip card. If the slightest manipulation is detected, the transponder switches to an operating state in which all data on the chip is deleted in order to prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access to the data.

The invention is based on the object of further developing a label of the type mentioned at the beginning in such a way that it additionally protects against the relabeling of goods and in this way guarantees the legal label-goods association as reliably as possible.

This object is achieved in the case of a label mentioned at the outset in that the electronic circuit is arranged on the underside of the label and that the electronic circuit has an adhesive region in which it is adhesive on its side facing away from the top of the label.

The solution according to the invention ensures that the electronic circuit or a part thereof remains permanently connected to the object to which the label has been attached. If the label is subsequently separated from the original object - possibly with dishonest intent - the electronic circuit remains on the object within the adhesive area, so that the detached label either has no electronic circuit or only a part of it that is no longer functional. If the object labeled in this way is subjected to an automatic electronic authenticity check, it is immediately apparent that the electronic circuit cannot respond properly to the query of the control device. The object that has been marked with the label in an unlawful manner can thus be easily detected and separated out.

The electronic circuit can comprise an antenna, which is preferably a printed antenna. For this purpose, an electrically conductive strip can be printed on the underside of the label, for example using a screen printing process.

Furthermore, the electronic circuit can also comprise a chip component that is capable of storing information and emitting response signals to corresponding electromagnetic interrogation signals.

Advantageously, the electronic circuit is a transponder circuit.

The chip component can preferably be connected to the antenna via a conductive adhesive. In this way, both the electrical contact and the mechanical fastening are realized.
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The label can consist of a single self-adhesive material web. Preferably, however, a label made of two material layers is used, namely an upper material layer and a carrier layer connected to the upper material layer. The electronic circuit can preferably be arranged on the carrier layer, which in a sense defines the underside of the label.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the electronic circuit is coated with adhesive on its entire exposed outer surface so that an adhesion area is formed there. Consequently, when the label according to the invention is freed from its protective film

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or is peeled off from an adhesive-repellent carrier film, the electronic circuit is exposed on the underside of the label and, when the label is applied to an object, is firmly and permanently bonded to the object due to its adhesive properties.

According to a preferred embodiment, the area of the firm and permanent connection (hereinafter referred to as the adhesive area) extends over the entire electronic circuit. When the label is torn off the original object, the entire electronic circuit remains on the object, so that the label loses its electromagnetic transponder property.

However, according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the adhesive area of the electronic circuit extends over only part of the antenna. This means that when the label is removed from the original object, only part of the antenna remains on the original object. This renders the antenna unusable and neither the removed label nor the object to which it was attached has a functional electronic circuit that would enable it to pass an authenticity check.

According to a further advantageous variant of the invention, the adhesive area of the electronic circuit extends over the chip component. If the label is (unfairly) removed, the electronic circuit is separated into antenna and chip component, so that both parts become inoperable.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the adhesive area of the electronic circuit extends over approximately half of the chip component. The chip component therefore adheres with one part to the object to which the label has been applied and with the remaining part to the label. When the label is removed, the chip component breaks into two parts, thus ensuring that the electronic circuit is absolutely safely destroyed.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the adhesive area extends over a conductor bridge made of conductive adhesive. Such a conductor bridge can be arranged, for example, in the antenna or in another connecting conductor of the electronic circuit. When the label is removed from an object to which it has been attached, the conductor bridge remains on the object and as a result

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This disrupts the function of the electronic circuit remaining on the label.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that in the respective adhesive area or at least in a part thereof, suitable measures are taken to ensure that only a relatively easily detachable connection is made between the electronic circuit and the underside of the label. In this way, it is ensured that when the label is separated, the adhesive area of the electronic circuit remains securely on the object and cannot be torn away by the label being pulled away. Such a low adhesion between the electronic circuit and the underside of the label can be achieved, for example, by using an adhesive with low adhesive strength or an anti-adhesive agent in the area mentioned.

The invention is explained in more detail below using some schematically illustrated embodiments. For reasons of clarity, the drawings are not to scale; rather, the layer thicknesses are shown greatly enlarged in relation to the rest of the c labels. It shows:

Figure 1: A cross-section of a first embodiment of the label according to the invention;

Figure 2: The label from Figure 1 stuck on an object;

Figure 3: A cross-section of a second embodiment of the label according to the invention;

Figure 4: A cross-section of a third embodiment of the label according to the invention;

Figure 5: A perspective view of a label according to the invention according to a fourth embodiment, which has been partially peeled off an object to which it had previously been adhered.

Figure 6: A perspective view of a label according to the second embodiment shown in cross section in Figure 3, wherein the label has been partially peeled off an object.

The label 1 shown in Figure 1 has a top material layer 6, which can consist of paper or plastic. On the side of the top material web 6 shown at the top in Figure 1 (hereinafter referred to as the "top side"), an information print 10 is arranged, which is made up of four

black lines. The upper material layer 6 is provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 11 on its side opposite the printed upper side, via which it is connected to a carrier layer 7. An electronic circuit is arranged on the free side of the carrier layer 7 (hereinafter referred to as the "underside"), which comprises an antenna 2 and a chip component 3. For reasons of clarity, only a single turn of the antenna 2 is shown. Of course, such antennas usually consist of several turns arranged in a spiral. The chip component 3 is electrically and mechanically connected to two contact electrodes 12 and 13. A conductive adhesive 5 was used to produce the electrical and mechanical connection.

"* 0 The underside of the label, including the electronic circuit arranged on the underside, is coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive mass 14. The composite label constructed in the manner described is located on an adhesive-repellent carrier web 15, which protects the adhesive layer 14 from unwanted contact with other objects.

^ Figure 2 shows the label from Figure 1, which is already connected to an object 8 (instead of the adhesive-repellent carrier web 15). In order to place the label on an object, the label is removed from the adhesive-repellent carrier web 15 either manually or automatically in a known manner and connected to an object 8, onto which it is pressed so that a firm connection with the object is achieved. Due to the effect of the pressure-sensitive adhesive mass 14, not only the label 1, but also in particular its electronic circuit 2, 3 adheres firmly to the object. When the label is removed, the entire electronic circuit therefore remains on the object, so that the removed label has no electronic circuit by which it could still be identified as the original label.

Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the label according to the invention. As can be seen from a comparison of the figures described so far, the structure of the label is very similar to the structure of the label shown in Figure 1, which is why the description is limited to the existing differences from Figure 1 in order to avoid repetition. In contrast to the label in Figure 1, the part of the chip component 3 on the right shown in Figure 3 is not covered by the adhesive mass 14 and thus does not form a firm connection with the object 8 to which the label 1 has been glued. The same applies to the antenna 2. However, the remaining underside 4 of the label 1 is firmly connected to the object 8, similar to Figure 2. In other words: the adhesive area of the electronic circuit 2, 3 only covers part of the chip component 3.

In the third embodiment shown in Figure 4, the adhesive region of the electronic circuit 2, 3 extends exclusively to the region of the chip component 3, while the antenna regions 2 are kept free of pressure-sensitive adhesive mass 14.

Figure 5 shows a further embodiment in perspective view, in which only one conductor bridge 9 belongs to the adhesive area of the electronic circuit 2, 3, while the rest of the electronic circuit 2, 3 is designed to be non-adhesive on its underside. When the composite label is removed from an object 8, only the conductor bridge 9, which in reality can be very small and inconspicuous, remains on the object, so that the rest of the circuit that goes along with the composite label 1 loses its functionality.

Figure 6 shows a perspective schematic representation of how the label from Figure 3 behaves when it is torn off an object 8 to which it is attached. Since the areas of the antenna 2 do not belong to the adhesive area of the electronic circuit, i.e. are free of adhesive mass 14 on their underside, the antenna 2 remains connected to the carrier web 7. The same applies to that part of the chip component 3 which is free of pressure-sensitive adhesive on its underside. However, since the remaining part of the chip component 3 belongs to the adhesive area of the electronic circuit, i.e. is self-adhesive on its underside, the second area remains firmly connected to the object and the chip component 3 breaks into two parts approximately along the boundary line between the adhesive area and the non-adhesive area, so that the function of the electronic circuit is definitely destroyed.

In the embodiments described above, it can be provided that in the adhesion areas of the electronic circuit only a weak connection is ensured between the electronic circuit and the carrier layer 7, so that the separation of the electronic circuit into two non-functional parts described above is reliably ensured.

Claims (13)

1. Label ( 1 ) with an electronic circuit ( 2 , 3 ) and an at least partially adhesive underside ( 4 ), by means of which it can be fastened to an object ( 8 ), characterized in that the electronic circuit ( 2 , 3 ) is arranged on the underside ( 4 ) and that the electronic circuit ( 2 , 3 ) has an adhesive region in which it is adhesive on its side facing away from the top of the label. 2. Label according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic circuit ( 2 , 3 ) comprises an antenna ( 2 ). 3. Label according to claim 2, characterized in that the antenna ( 2 ) is a printed antenna ( 2 ). 4. Label according to one of the preceding claims, that the electronic circuit ( 2 , 3 ) comprises a chip component ( 3 ). 5. Label according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electronic circuit ( 2 , 3 ) is a transponder circuit. 6. Label according to claim 4, characterized in that the chip component ( 3 ) is connected to the antenna ( 2 ) via a conductive adhesive ( 5 ). 7. Label according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the label has an upper material layer ( 6 ) and a carrier layer ( 7 ) connected to the upper material layer ( 6 ) which defines the underside of the label. 8. Label according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adhesive region of the electronic circuit extends over the entire electronic circuit ( 2 , 3 ). 9. Label according to one of claims 1-7, characterized in that the adhesive region of the electronic circuit ( 2 , 3 ) extends over a part of the antenna ( 2 ). 10. Label according to one of claims 1-7, characterized in that the adhesive region of the electronic circuit ( 2 , 3 ) extends over the chip component ( 3 ). 11. Label according to one of claims 1-7, characterized in that the adhesive region of the electronic circuit ( 2 , 3 ) extends over approximately half of the chip component ( 3 ). 12. Label according to one of claims 1-7, characterized in that the adhesive region of the electronic circuit ( 2 , 3 ) extends over a conductor bridge ( 9 ) made of conductive adhesive. 13. Label according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electronic circuit ( 2 , 3 ) is attached to the underside ( 4 ) in at least a part of the adhesive area with reduced adhesive force.