Tire tracking RFID label
Identification labels and their incorporation in rubber-based articles are described. The labels include RFID components and can be incorporated in tires. The labels can withstand the relatively harsh conditions associated with vulcanization.
1. A labeled rubber-based article comprising a rubber-based article; a label including at least one face layer; optionally, at least one primer layer; at least one adhesive layer; and at least one RFID component; wherein the adhesive layer, wherein the face layer comprises a woven material, wherein upon contact between the adhesive layer and a green rubber-based article, and subsequent vulcanization of the rubber-based article, the adhesive crosslinks with the rubber to thereby form a permanent bond between the label and the rubber-based article; and wherein the label is affixed to the article.
2. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the face layer can withstand cold vulcanization without face layer degradation without face layer degradation.
3. The labeled article of claim 2 wherein the face layer includes materials having melting points greater than 90° C.
4. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the face layer can withstand warm vulcanization without face layer degradation without face layer degradation.
5. The labeled article of claim 4 wherein the face layer includes materials having melting points greater than 170° C.
6. The labeled article of claim 1 , wherein the face layer comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyamides (PA), polyimides (PI), cotton, paper, fiberglass, synthetic textiles, and combinations thereof.
7. The labeled article of claim 1 , wherein the face layer further comprises one or more non-woven materials, film materials, or combinations thereof.
8. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the label comprises at least one primer layer disposed on the face layer.
9. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the label is free of a primer layer.
10. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the adhesive comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of unsaturated rubber, an acrylic adhesive, a rubber-based adhesive, and combinations thereof.
11. The labeled article of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive comprises unsaturated rubber.
12. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the adhesive is a heat-activated adhesive.
13. The labeled article of claim 12 wherein the heat-activated adhesive has a heat activation temperature within a range of from 90° C. to 170° C.
14. The labeled article of claim 12 wherein the heat-activated adhesive has a heat activation temperature greater than 170° C.
15. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the adhesive is a multiphase adhesive.
16. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the adhesive is a multistage adhesive.
17. The labeled article of claim 13 wherein the multistage adhesive exhibits pressure sensitive adhesive characteristics at a first stage.
18. The labeled article of claim 17 wherein the multistage adhesive exhibits permanent adhesive characteristics at a second stage.
19. The labeled article of claim 16 wherein the multistage adhesive transitions from the first stage to the second stage upon heating or exposure to radiation.
20. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the RFID component includes a passive RFID device.
21. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the RFID component comprises a semi-passive RFID device.
22. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the RFID component comprises an active RFID device.
23. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the RFID component includes an antenna.
24. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the label includes two primer layers both disposed between the face layer and the adhesive layer.
25. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer is disposed between the primer layer and the RFID component.
26. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the RFID component is disposed between the face layer and the adhesive layer.
27. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the RFID component is disposed between the face layer and the primer layer.
28. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the RFID component is disposed between the primer layer and the adhesive layer.
29. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the label comprises two face layers, and the RFID component is disposed between the two face layers.
30. The labeled article of claim 29 wherein the RFID component is disposed between a face layer and an adhesive layer.
31. The labeled article of claim 29 wherein the label also comprises two adhesive layers, the RFID component is disposed between the two adhesive layers.
32. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the label comprises two adhesive layers and two primer layers one of which is adjacent to a first layer of adhesive.
33. The labeled article of claim 32 wherein the RFID component is disposed between a layer of primer and a second layer of adhesive.
34. The labeled article of claim 32 wherein label includes at least one release liner and the RFID component is disposed between an adhesive layer and the release liner.
35. The labeled article of claim 1 wherein the article is a tire.
36. The labeled article of claim 35 wherein the label is affixed to a sidewall of the tire.
37. The labeled article of claim 36 wherein the label is affixed to an exterior face of the sidewall.
38. The labeled article of claim 35 wherein the label is affixed to an interior face of the sidewall.
39. The labeled article of claim 35 wherein the label is embedded within the tire.
40. A method of identifying a rubber-based article, the method comprising: providing a rubber-based article; providing a label including at least one face layer comprising a woven material, optionally at least one primer layer, at least one adhesive layer, and at least one RFID component; and contacting the adhesive layer and a green rubber-based article; and vulcanizing the rubber-based article, wherein during vulcanizing, the adhesive layer crosslinks with the rubber to thereby form a permanent bond between the label and the rubber-based article, thereby affixing the label with the rubber-based article.
41. The method of claim 40 , wherein the face layer comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyamides (PA), polyimides (PI), cotton, paper, fiberglass, synthetic textiles, and combinations thereof.
42. The method of claim 40 , wherein the face layer further comprises one or more non-woven materials, film materials, or combinations thereof.
43. The method of claim 40 wherein the adhesive comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of unsaturated rubber, an acrylic adhesive, a rubber-based adhesive, and combinations thereof.
44. The method of claim 40 , wherein the adhesive comprises unsaturated rubber.
45. The method of claim 40 wherein the affixing includes adhering the label to the rubber-based article.
46. The method of claim 40 wherein the affixing includes embedding the label within the rubber-based article.
47. The method of claim 40 further comprising vulcanizing the rubber-based article.
48. The method of claim 47 wherein the affixing is performed prior to the vulcanizing.
49. The method of claim 40 wherein the RFID component includes a passive RFID device.
50. The method of claim 40 wherein the RFID component comprises a semi-passive RFID device.
51. The method of claim 40 wherein the RFID component comprises an active RFID device.
52. The method of claim 40 wherein the RFID component includes an antenna.
53. The method of claim 40 wherein the rubber-based article is a tire.
54. The method of claim 40 wherein the RFID component includes an identifier, the method comprising: using an RFID reader, reading the label affixed with the rubber-based article to thereby obtain the identifier.