Systems and methods to secure transponders within rfid tags without potting elements

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for RFID (radio frequency identifier) tags with transponders secured within housings without potting elements using one or more components located at edges of cavities for the housings. For certain embodiments, an RFID transponder is positioned within a cavity formed in a housing for an RFID tag, and regions at the edge of the cavity are deformed using heat treatment to secure the RFID transponder within the housing. For certain embodiments, click pins are used to secure the RFID transponder within the housing. Once secured, an adhesive is used to attach the resulting RFID tag to the surface of an object. Preferably, the adhesive fills at least a portion of the cavity surrounding the RFID transponder during this attachment process. Tamper resistant solutions are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An assembly, comprising:
 an object having a surface; and   a radio frequency identifier (RFID) tag attached to the surface of the object, the RFID tag comprising:
 a housing having a bottom surface and a cavity within the bottom surface; 
 an RFID transponder positioned within the cavity; 
 one or more components located at an edge of the cavity to secure the RFID transponder within the cavity, wherein the one or more components comprise one or more heat-treated regions at the edge of the cavity, the heat-treated regions being deformed to secure the RFID transponder within the cavity; and 
 an adhesive positioned between the bottom surface of the housing and the surface of the object to attach the housing to the surface of the object. 
   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive fills at least a portion of the cavity surrounding the RFID transponder. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises at least one of a plastic material or a ceramic material. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the RFID transponder comprises at least one of an encapsulated RFID transponder or a non-encapsulated RFID transponder. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the RFID transponder is secured within the cavity without a potting element. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the object comprises a cylinder. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the cylinder comprises a LPG cylinder. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more heat-treated regions comprise circular regions. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive bonds more strongly to a material of the object than to a material of the housing. 
     
     
         10 . A radio frequency identifier (RFID) tag, comprising:
 a housing having a bottom surface and a cavity within the bottom surface;   an RFID transponder positioned within the cavity; and   one or more components located at an edge of the cavity to secure the RFID transponder within the cavity, wherein the one or more components comprise a plurality of heat-treated regions at the edge of the cavity, the heat-treated regions being deformed to secure the RFID transponder within the cavity.   
     
     
         11 . The RFID tag of  claim 10 , wherein the heat-treated regions comprise four or more heat-treated regions. 
     
     
         12 . The RFID tag of  claim 11 , wherein the heat-treated regions are circular regions formed with a heating rod applied against the edge of the cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The RFID tag of  claim 10 , wherein the RFID transponder comprises at least one of an encapsulated RFID transponder or a non-encapsulated RFID transponder. 
     
     
         14 . The RFID tag of  claim 10 , further comprising an adhesive that fills at least a portion of the cavity surrounding the RFID transponder. 
     
     
         15 . The RFID tag of  claim 14 , wherein the adhesive is further positioned between the bottom surface of the housing and a surface of an object to attach the housing to the surface of the object. 
     
     
         16 . A method, comprising:
 providing a housing having a bottom surface and a cavity within the bottom surface;   positioning an RFID transponder within the cavity; and   securing the RFID transponder within the cavity by deforming a plurality of regions at an edge of the cavity with heat treatment;   wherein the housing and the secured RFID transponder provide an RFID tag.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the securing comprises securing the RFID transponder within the cavity without a potting element. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the securing comprises deforming four or more regions with the heat treatment by pressing a heating rod against the edge of the cavity to deform circular regions. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising attaching the RFID tag to a surface by applying an adhesive to the bottom surface of the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising attaching the RFID tag to the surface by applying the adhesive such that at least a portion of the cavity around the RFID transponder is filled with the adhesive.