FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to anti-counterfeiting tag structures, and more particularly, to an anti-counterfeiting RFID tag structure integrated into a bottle closure and/or capsule, so as to assist in the prevention and detection of tampering and counterfeiting events.

BACKGROUND

There are many industries that require the use of anti-counterfeiting tags to provide an increased level of confidence to both consumers and sellers that the contents of a particular package or container is intact and has not been tampered with. A simple use of such an approach is a paper label that is places over a section of a bottle screw cap, covering both a portion of the removable cap as well as a section of a ring portion that that attached below the removable cap. When the cap is removed it breaks away from the ring portion and the paper label overing the two also breaks. It is then evident by the destroyed/damaged paper label that the cap has been removed and thus potentially the content of the bottle may have been tampered with. A problem with paper seals is that they may easily be recreated, and a fresh paper seal placed over the cap so that it may appear as it has not been removed.

RFID tags integrated into closure members has proved successful. The RFID device may contain information specific to the contents of the container and/or the container history. The RFID has an identifier integrated circuit (IC) and an antenna portion and may transmit information on low frequency, high frequency or UHF, depending on the type of RFID tag used. RFID tags can be passive, working by using the electromagnetic energy transmitted from an RFID reader to transmit information stored within.

An RFID can be incorporated into or onto a plastic closure member, such as a plastic capsule covering a cork or screw closure, and a portion of the antenna may extend along a path that extends down the skirt of the plastic capsule. Removal of the cork or screw cap results in the antenna extending down the skirt of the capsule being broken which can either result in the antenna no longer functions and a defective RFID tag registering upon an attempt to read by the RFID reader, or alternatively the RFID and can transmit, once activated by the RFID reader information regarding the integrity of the cap to the RFID reader.

However, whilst readily compatible with plastic capsules, the use of RFID with metal capsules results in issues relating to the shielding properties of the metal that deceases or prevents a signal from being transmitted from the RFID tag as the antenna operates on the basis of electromagnetic fields. One possible solution has been to position the RFID tag antenna on an upper surface of the metal capsule so that the metal does not shield the antenna. In such a position however, the antenna is susceptible to inadvertent damage either during transport or product handling which can render the RFID inoperable.

In addition, the positioning of the antenna portion on top of the metallic capsule can result in a capsule having an unclean look with a hump or protuberance on the upper surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect, the present invention provides a product security capsule for a container including a capsule body having a cap portion and a neck portion and at least one joint portion, wherein there is a gap between the cap portion and a neck portion, the joint portion crossing over the gap and coupled to both the cap portion and the neck portion, a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip, a conductive loop located on an outer surface of the capsule and operatively connected to a RFID chip, the conductive loop having a cap portion, a joint portion, and a neck portion.

In embodiments, the conductive loop may comprise an antenna.

In embodiments, the RFID chip is integrated into the cap portion.

In embodiments, the RFID chip is integrated into the cap portion and disposed between a plurality of cap layers.

In embodiments, the RFID chip is integrated into neck portion.

In embodiments, the conductive loop is frangible. In embodiments, the conductive loop joint portion is frangible.

In embodiments, the conductive loop is constructed from graphene.

In embodiments, the conductive loop is constructed from graphene paper.

In embodiments, the conductive loop is screen printed onto the capsule body.

In embodiments, the container is a wine bottle.

In embodiments, the product security capsule is a screw cap closure. In preference, the cap portion of the screw cap closure is threaded.

In embodiments, rotation of the cap portion of the screw cap closure operatively detaches the antenna cap portion from the conductive loop neck portion.

In embodiments, the RFID is a passive RFID.

In embodiments, rotation of the cap portion of the screw cap closure operatively detaches the conductive loop cap portion from the conductive loop portion damaging the passive RFID.

In embodiments, rotation of the cap portion of the screw cap closure operatively detaches the conductive loop cap portion from the conductive loop portion causing the RFID to record, be partially disabled or to be completely disabled.

In embodiments, the antenna is embedded into the capsule body.

In embodiments, the antenna is layered onto an outer surface of the capsule. In preference, the antenna is layered onto an inner surface of the capsule.

In preference, the antenna is disposed between the inner surface of the capsule and an outer surface of the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure l is a figure of a product security capsule of the present invention as applied to a bottle;

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the RFID chip and antenna configuration;

Figure 3 is the view of figure 1 with the product security capsule shown in broken lines to show its location within the cap portion.

Figure 4a is an exploded side view of an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4b is a perspective view of Figure 4a;

Figure 5a is a exploded side view of an further embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5b is a perspective view of figure 5a;

Figure 6 is a close up view of the RFID and antenna section of the embodiment in figure 5 a;

Figure 7 is a close up view of the connection between the conductive loop and RFID circuit;

Figure 8 is a view showing the position of the cover over the RFID antenna Figure 9 is a perspective view of an assembled capsule

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to figures 1,2 and 3, there is a product security capsule 10 for a container 12 having and anti-counterfeit function in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention that includes a capsule body 15 and an RFID tag 50. The capsule body 15 has a cap portion 20, at least one joint portion 25 and a neck portion 30. There is an interval or gap 26 between the cap portion 20 and the at least one joint portion 25, and the joint portion 25 crosses through the interval/gap 26 so as to couple the cap portion 20 to the neck portion 30. The RFID tag 50 has an antenna 70 and a chip/integrated circuit (IC) portion 71 that is operatively and functionally electrically connected with the antenna 70. The antenna 70 has an antenna cap portion 70a, an antenna joint portion 70b and an antenna neck portion 70c.

In the present embodiment, the in the embodiment shown, the chip/integrated circuit (IC) portion 71 is disposed between a plurality of internal cap layers 80 that may be made from expanded polyethylene (EPE), polyethylene (PE), a metal, such as aluminium, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to provide a suitable environment to house the chip/integrated circuit (IC) portion 71 so as to effectively seal it from interaction with the contents of the container as well as to provide a protective environment.

The RFID tag 50 can have the antenna portion 70 made from graphene, or other suitable material, which provides reliable frangible antenna functionality in a thin discrete configuration. For example, in certain embodiments that antenna 70 can be made by screen printing a material such as graphene on to the capsule prior to the capsule being placed over the neck of the container. The antenna may be located between layers of capsule material, embedded between and inner and outer capsule surface. Alternatively, the antenna may be located on either the outer capsule surface, inner capsule surface or a combination of both. In other embodiments there may be more than one antenna operatively connected to a single RFID tag 50.

Such a configuration of a product security capsule 10 for a container 12 can then be applied in the usual manner by press fitting over a bottle neck, either a Stelvin® type closure finish where there are threads moulded onto the neck of the bottle or alternatively over a standard wine bottle finish having a finish with a ring. The latter being able to be applied to bottles suitable for receiving cork closures and the antenna 70 traverses the ring portion section of the finish.

The RFID tag 50 is capable of storing date unique to the bottle and/or its contents such as place of manufacture, provenance, location of manufacture, label data and other data as required. By use of an RFID reader the data stored on the RFID can be read passively through the antenna 70.

Referring to figure 3, the antenna 70, with the antenna cap portion 70a, an antenna joint portion 70b and an antenna neck portion 70c, is shown. The antenna joint portion 70b passes over the joint portion 25. Any attempt to rotate the cap portion 20 or remove the product security capsule 10 from the bottle will result in the connection between the antenna cap portion 70a and the antenna neck portion 70c breaking thus resulting in a deactivation of the antenna A user operating an RFID reading device will then be able to detect if there has been an attempt to access the contents of the bottle by the lack of RFID signal due to the lack of functioning RFID or causing in a disablement or partial disablement of the functionality of the RFID. This may also include the RFID recording the detachment event.

In the application of the product security capsule 10 from a bottle having a ring finish, the antenna 70 will break when the capsule is cut to remove the cap section or pulled from the bottle, thus resulting in a deactivation of the antenna 70.

Figure 4A and 4B shows another embodiment 40 of the invention where the radio frequency identification (RFID) chip 42 with antenna 43 and the conductive loop 44 are formed together in a single assembly and inserted behind the capsule body 41 so that it would be located between the capsule body 41 and an outer surface of a neck of a bottle an inner wall when the capsule body is applied to a bottle. The radio frequency identification (RFID) chip 42 and antenna 43 would be positioned above the cap 45 that is used to hold the liner 46 in place on an opening of the bottle to help seal the contents within the bottle.

Figures 5 to 10 show an embodiment of the invention 80 where the radio frequency identification (RFID) chip 82 is formed separately to the conductive loop 84, which is formed on the body of the capsule 81. The chip 82 and the conductive loop 84 enter in electrical contact when pressed against each other when the capsule 8 lis applied to the vessel. The electrical contact can be facilitated by a conductive ink, such as an ink containing a conductive material, such as graphite or silver, conductive polymeric material, or other suitable nanoparticles that are electrically conductive. An example of a conductive ink is PE410 by DuPont.

Referring to Fig 5 A and 5B, the capsule 81 has an upper section 85, that fs a closure element the cap 95, with an opening 86 and a lower section (skirt or neck portion) 90 that covers a neck of a bottle, a closure element 95 being made from a metallic foil material, for example aluminium, having an internal screw thread for mating with an external screw thread on a neck of a container or vessel, a sealing element or liner 100, which is held in place against an opening of the container or vessel and provides a seal to prevent the escape of material from within the vessel when the closure element 95 is fastened to the vessel. The RFID chip (IC) 82 has an antenna portion 105 located on an upper surface 110 of the closure element 95 which can be seen in figure 5, with the integrated circuit 115 wired to it. There is also an outer section of circuit 120 that has two sections, 120a and 120b that extends substantially about a portion of the upper surface of the closure element 95, terminating at ends 121a and 121b respectively. When located under a capsule 81, at least a portion of the antenna 105 aligns with the opening 86 of the capsule 81 and the two outer sections 120a and 120b are at least partially visible in that they are not fully covered by the inner rim 88 of the opening 86 of the capsule 81.

The capsule 81 has an outer surface 87 with a conductive loop 129 being two conductive tracks 130a and 130b, also referred to as conductive loop cap portions, that pass down a length of an upper section 85, or cap portion, of the capsule 81. The conductive tracks 130a and 130b narrow at 135a and 135b, also referred to as conductive loop joint portions, as they travel over a break line 140 on the capsule 81. The break line 140 being a line of weakness in the capsule 81, which upon rotation of the upper section 85 of the capsule 81 results in a separation of the upper section 85 and lower section 90. The narrow sections 135a and 135b can be placed over the joint portions 145 between the upper section 85 and lower section 90, this prevents accidental damage of the narrow sections 135a and 135b which may be vulnerable to accidental breaking if passing over the gap 145 in the break line 140.

After spanning the break line 140, the conductive tracks 130a and 130b then join together via the joining section 155, also referred to as conductive loop neck portion, to form the conductive loop.

The conductive loop conductive tracks 135a and 135b may be made of any suitable electrically conductive material, for example a suitably conductive thin metal foil material adhered or laminated onto the outer surface 87 of the capsule 81. In other embodiments the conductive loop 129 can be printed onto the outer surface of 87 of the capsule 81 using a suitable conductive ink, for example DuPont PE410, which utilise silver, PEDOT:PSS (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate) a conductive organic thermo electric material, inkjet printable graphene ink (for example 2.4 wt. % (solid (graphene and ethyl cellulose) in cyclohexanone/terpineol). The conductive loop 129, including the conductive tracks, can be made as a separate part that is applied to the outer surface 87 of the capsule 81 prior to any programming of the IC of the RFID. Alternatively, the conductive loop 129, including the conductive tracks, can be applied to the outer surface 87 after programming of the IC has been completed.

The outer section of circuit 120 that has two sections, 120a and 120b can be operatively connected to the section 135a and 135b of the conductive loop 129 by application of a electrically conductive material, for example an electrically conductive adhesive, at locations 150a, joining to 120a and 150b, joining to 120b. in this way the conducting loop 129 is electrically connected to the RFID. Figure 6 shown an exploded view of the present invention.

The RFID and antenna 105 can then be covered using a suitable cover 160 held in place using a compatible adhesive or similar, as shown in figure 9, so that the RFID is disposed between a number of layers, to produce the covered capsule as shown in figure 10. The antenna 105 is thus protected from accidental impact damage and as at least a portion of the antenna is aligned with the opening 86 of the capsule 81 attenuation of signal being transmitted from the antenna is minimised. The conductive loop 129 can also be covered by a suitable covering material, such as paint to conceal both the presence and location of the conductive loop.

When the cap 95 is rotated to open, the frangible narrow sections 135a and 135b of the conductive loop 129 break, as does the joint portions 145 between the cap 95 and the skirt (neck portion) 90, and the break can be determined by the RFID chip and transmits to an RFID reader than the integrity of the security capsule has been compromised.