Detection of seal integrity on products using RFID

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10565411-B2
Application number	US-201816225787-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2018
Priority date	Dec 29, 2017
Publication date	Feb 18, 2020
Grant date	Feb 18, 2020

Abstract

A system and method for determining and communicating the status of a sealable container. The system comprises a seal status detection component that is positioned adjacent to or on a lid comprising a deflectable component. The lid engages the sealable container to form a seal. The seal status detection component moves between a first state of operation where there is a gap between the seal status detection component and the deflectable component of the lid, and a second state of operation where the seal status detection component is adjacent to or in contact with the deflectable component of the lid. The seal status detection component has a first frequency response to interrogation by a reader when the seal is intact, and a second frequency response when the seal is broken.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for detecting a status of a seal comprising:
a container;
a lid configured to engage the container to form the seal between the lid and the container;
a seal status detection component positioned adjacent to the lid for indicating and communicating the status of the seal;
the seal status detection component comprise a RFID tag that is positioned over the lid;
enabling an operation of the RFID tag when the lid is inwardly deflected, as when an interior of the container is in a vacuum state;
when the seal of the container is broken and the interior of the container is no longer in the vacuum state, the lid will un-deflect, or pop up, and come into proximity or contact with the RFID tag, thereby disabling the operation of the RFID tag;
the enabling and disabling operation of the RFID tag read by a RFID reader.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lid comprises a deflectable component movable between a first orientation and a second orientation.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first orientation is an inward deflection created when the container is sealed and an interior of the container is in a vacuum state.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the second orientation is an outward deflection created when the seal is not intact.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the seal status detection component is disposed over the deflectable component.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the seal status detection component is operable when the deflectable component is in the first orientation.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein the seal status detection component is inhibited when the deflectable component is in the second orientation.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the seal status detection component moves between a first state of operation when the seal is intact and a second state of operation when the seal is not intact.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the seal status detection component moves between a first identity having a first frequency response when the seal is intact and a second identity having a second frequency response when the seal is not intact.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lid is comprised of a conductive metal or a dielectric material.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the seal detection status component uses near field communication to communicate the status of the seal.

Assignees

• Avery Dennison Retail Information Services Llc

Inventors

• Forster Ian J

Classifications

• B65D2203/10

  Transponders · CPC title

• G06K19/07758

  arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag · CPC title

• B65D79/02

  Arrangements or devices for indicating incorrect storage or transport ({B65D79/005 takes precedence } ; measuring devices G01) · CPC title

• G06K19/0723

  the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs · CPC title

• G06K7/10386 Primary

  the interrogation device being of the portable or hand-handheld type, e.g. incorporated in ubiquitous hand-held devices such as PDA or mobile phone, or in the form of a portable dedicated RFID reader · CPC title