WO2008115022A1

WO2008115022A1 - Antenna for radio frequency identification and method of manufacturing the same

Info

Publication number: WO2008115022A1
Application number: PCT/KR2008/001586
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yong-Pil Kim
Original assignee: Yong-Pil Kim
Priority date: 2007-03-22
Filing date: 2008-03-21
Publication date: 2008-09-25

Abstract

Disclosed herein are an RFID antenna and a method of manufacturing the same. The antenna includes a thin-film board, and an antenna part having a loop pattern, which is formed by etching a conductive metal film layered on the first surface of the thin-film board or by printing conductive ink on the first surface of the thin-film board. The antenna part includes a loop portion, a first terminal portion, which is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion, and a second terminal portion, which is formed to protrude inside from the loop portion. The thin-film board includes a cut portion, which is formed by cutting part of the circumference of the second terminal portion. The second terminal portion is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion by folding the cut portion in the direction of the second surface of the thin-film board.

Description

ANTENNA FOR RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) antenna, which is used for RFID systems, which are mounted in devices having limited space, such as mobile communication terminals, and to a method of manufacturing the RFID antenna and, more particularly, to an RFID antenna and a method of manufacturing the RFID antenna having a simplified manufacturing process and reduced manufacturing costs. Background Art

[2] As is well known, a smart card, in which an Integrated Circuit (IC) chip having a storage function, an operational function and a security function is mounted, is widely used to record information or to establish one's identity, or is used as a payment means, such as electronic cash, a credit card or an electronic passbook, in almost all fields in the information and communication-based society, such as finance, communication, education, administration and transportation.

[3] Such smart cards are classified into various types according to various classification criteria. As is well known, smart cards may be classified into a contact smart card, a contactless smart card and a combination-type smart card according to the method of reading data.

[4] Traditionally, smart cards are generally mounted in plastic cards, such as credit cards or transportation cards. However, as the fields of application of the smart cards have broadened and as various mobile communication terminals, of which mobile phones are representative, have become one of the necessities of life, the smart cards have been developed in such a way that they are mounted in mobile communication terminals, rather than being mounted in plastic cards.

[5] As a representative example of a smart card that is applied to a mobile communication terminal, a contactless smart card (or a combination-type card, that is, a combi card) is mounted in a mobile phone, thus enabling the mobile phone to be used for various purposes, such as prepaid or credit-based transportation fare payment, credit payment, electronic passbooks, royalty management and identification, for example, using 13.56 D contactless wireless communication with card readers.

[6] Recently, in addition to technology for mounting a mobile communication terminal in a smart card (contactless smart card or combi card) having contactless functions, technology for mounting an RFID reader, which can read information recorded on RFID tags, in a mobile communication terminal and making use of the mobile communication terminal in order to read the RFID tags has also been proposed.

[7] As an RFID system is integrated with a mobile communication terminal, it is required to dispose an RFID system in the mobile communication terminal having RFID functions, in addition to the dedicated mobile communication terminal circuits of the mobile communication terminal.

[8] Generally, in the above-described RFID mobile communication terminal, an IC chip is mounted in the main body of the mobile communication terminal, and an RFID antenna is mounted in a battery, which is detachably mounted in the main body of the mobile communication terminal.

[9] When the RFID antenna is arranged in a mobile communication terminal, such as a mobile phone, it is necessary to minimize the influence that an electromagnetic wave shielding device, which is applied to the mobile communication terminal, has on the wireless communication of the RFID antenna in order to mitigate the risk of electromagnetic radiation. In addition, due to the limitation of design space, resulting from the trend toward compact mobile communication terminals, the optimal location of the RFID antenna is determined such that the RFID antenna is mounted in a battery.

[10] In the case of a plastic card, such as a credit card or a transportation card, in which an RFID system is mounted, no element that impedes the induced electromotive force of an antenna exists in the plastic card, so that the RFID antenna can be manufactured merely by winding a copper coil several turns to form a loop pattern in order to achieve desired antenna characteristics. For this reason, the RFID antenna can be easily designed (this RFID antenna is generally called a 'loop antenna' because desired antenna characteristics can be achieved by winding a copper coil several turns to form a loop pattern).

[11] Furthermore, when the RFID antenna is mounted in the battery of a mobile communication terminal, there is not sufficient space to dispose the antenna in the battery, so a problem occurs in that the size of the battery is increased if the antenna is designed using a copper coil, as in a transportation card or a credit card. Accordingly, in order to decrease the occupied volume and to increase the reliability of products, in reality, RFID antennas, which are used for mobile communication terminals, are designed in such a way as to etch a thin copper film, which is layered on a board, to form a loop pattern.

[12] FIG. 17 is a schematic view showing the front and rear surface of an illustrative conventional RFID antenna, which is applied to mobile phone batteries.

[13] As shown in the drawing, the conventional RFID antenna 100 is configured such that antenna parts 120 are designed using a method of etching copper films 101 (each of which has a thickness of, for example, about 35 D), which are respectively layered on the front and rear surfaces of a polyimide thin-film board 110 (having, for example, a thickness of about 25 D), to form loop patterns, a loop portion 121 and a first terminal portion 122 are formed on one side surface of the thin-film board 110, a second terminal portion 123 is formed on the other side surface of the thin-film board 110, via holes 111 are formed in the thin-film board 110, and the via holes 111 are plated with copper, thus electrically connecting one end of the loop portion 121 and one end of the second terminal portion 123, which are located on different surfaces from each other.

[14] A conventional method of manufacturing the RFID antenna 100 of FIG. 17 is briefly described with reference to FIG. 18 below.

[15] As shown in the drawing, the conventional RFID antenna 100 is manufactured according to the steps of:

[16] forming the via holes 111 (B of FIG. 18) at locations which correspond to connection points between the loop portion 121 and the second terminal portion 123 with respect to the polyimide thin-film board 110, on the respective front and rear surfaces of which copper films 101 are layered (A of FIG. 18);

[17] electrically connecting the loop portion 121 and the second terminal portion 123, which are located on the respective front and rear surfaces of the thin-film board 110 and are electrically isolated from each other, by plating the via holes 111 with copper 112 (C of FIG. 18);

[18] forming the loop portion 121 and the first terminal portion 122 on the front surface of the thin-film board 110 and forming the second terminal portion 123 on the rear surface of the thin-film board 110, through a process of exposing, developing and etching the copper films 101 of the front and rear surface of the thin-film board 110 using a photoresist so as to correspond to the respective patterns of the antenna parts 120 (D of FIG.18); and

[19] forming terminals 122a and 123a on the first terminal portion 122 and the second terminal portion 123, and removing the unnecessary portions of the formed antenna 100 through a pressing process, after applying (layering) polyimide cover sheets 130 (each of which has a thickness of, for example, 12.5D) to (on) the respective front and rear surfaces of the thin-film board 110, on which the antenna parts 120 are formed (E of FIG. 18).

[20] In the conventional RFID antenna 100, described above, a plurality of RFID antennas 100 is manufactured at one time by simultaneously forming the plurality of antennas 100 on a large-sized thin-film board 110 having a sheet shape, on which the plurality of RFID antennas can be designed, and finally performing a pressing and cutting process to conform to the contour of individual antenna parts 120.

[21] In the case of a material (single-sided copper film) in which a copper film 101 is layered on only one surface of thin-film board 110 when the conventional RFID antenna 100 is manufactured, a short circuit occurs because the loop portion 121 and the second terminal portion 123 are crossed when the second terminal portion 123 is pulled out of the loop portion 121. In order to prevent such a short circuit from occurring, a material (a two-sided copper film material) in which the copper films 101 are respectively layered on the front and rear surfaces of the thin-film board 110 must necessarily be used.

[22] The conventional RFID antenna 100, described above, has the following problems in relation to the method thereof:

[23] First, the two-sided copper film material must necessarily be used in order to prevent the occurrence of a short circuit, attributable to the unavoidable cross wiring of the second terminal portion 123 and the loop portion 121, and, in addition, difficult processes, such as a via hole-forming process and a plating process, cannot be avoided, and thus an increase in the manufacturing costs results.

[24] Second, the expensive two-sided copper film material in which copper films 101 are layered on respective surfaces of the thin-film board 110 must necessarily be used to form the antenna parts 120 having loop patterns, and thus an increase in the manufacturing costs results.

[25] Third, most of the copper films that are layered on the respective surfaces of the thin-film board, excluding the antenna parts 120, are thrown away in the etching process, and thus an increase in the waste water treatment costs, as well as resource waste and environmental pollution, is caused.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[26] Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the problems afflicting the application of conventional RFID antennas having loop patterns in the limited space of devices such as mobile communication terminals, and an object of the present invention is to provide an RFID antenna and a method of manufacturing the RFID antenna, which can reduce the manufacturing costs by simplifying the manufacturing process, and can minimize resource waste and environmental pollution. Technical Solution

[27] An RFID antenna according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes a thin-film board, and an antenna part having a loop pattern, which is continuously formed without any disconnection by etching a conductive metal film layered on one surface(the first surface) of the thin-film board or by printing conductive ink on the first surface of the thin-film board.

[28] In the RFID antenna of the first embodiment, the antenna part includes a loop portion, a first terminal portion, which is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion so as not to cross the loop portion, and a second terminal portion, which is formed to protrude inside from the loop portion so as not to cross the loop portion.

[29] In the RFID antenna of the first embodiment, the thin-film board includes a cut portion, which is formed by cutting part of a circumference of the second terminal portion, the second terminal portion being formed to protrude outside from the loop portion without forming a short circuit with the loop portion by folding the cut portion in the direction of the remainig surface(the second surface) of the thin-film board, on which no conductive metal film or no conductive ink exists.

[30] A method of manufacturing the RFID antenna according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of: forming an antenna part having a loop pattern, which is formed by etching a conductive metal film layered on the first surface of a thin-film board or by printing conductive ink on the first surface of the thin-film board, and which is continuously formed without any disconnection, the antenna part comprising a loop portion, a first terminal portion, which is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion so as not to cross the loop portion, and a second terminal portion, which is formed to protrude inside from the loop portion so as not to cross the loop portion; causing the second terminal portion to protrude outside from the loop portion without forming a short circuit with the loop portion by folding a cut portion, which is formed by cutting the thin-film board along part of a circumference of the second terminal portion, in the direction of the second surface of the thin-film board, on which no conductive metal film and no conductive ink exists; and applying cover sheets to respective surfaces of the thin-film board, on which the antenna part is formed.

[31] Preferably, a method of manufacturing an RFID antenna according to a second embodiment of the present invention further includes a terminal exposing hole forming step, in addition to the steps of the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of the first embodiment. The terminal exposing hole forming step in the second embodiment is a step of forming terminal exposing holes in the thin-film board and the cover sheets at locations that correspond to a terminal of the first terminal portion and a terminal of the second terminal portion, so that the conductive metal film or conductive ink of the first terminal portion and the conductive metal film or conductive ink of the second terminal portion are exposed, before the conductive metal film is layered on the first surface of the thin-film board, before the conductive ink is printed on the first surface of the thin-film board, or before the cover sheets are applied to the respective surfaces of the thin-film board.

[32] Preferably, the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna according to the second embodiment of the present invention further includes a terminal connection hole forming step.

[33] The terminal connection hole forming step in the second embodiment is a step of forming a terminal connection hole in the thin-film board at a location that corresponds to a folding line of the cut portion so that the conductive metal film or conductive ink of the second terminal portion in a portion of the folding line is electrically connected over a predetermined area, before the conductive metal film is layered on the thin-film board or before the conductive ink is printed on the first surface of the thin-film board.

[34] A method of manufacturing an RFID antenna according to a third embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of: forming one portion of an antenna part having a loop pattern, which is formed by etching a conductive metal film layered on the first surface of a thin-film board or by printing conductive ink on the first surface of the thin-film board, the antenna part comprising a loop portion, and a first terminal portion, which is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion so as not to cross the loop portion; forming a second terminal portion, that is, a remaining portion of the antenna part, by layering the conductive metal film on the second surface of the thin- film board or printing the conductive ink on the second surface of the thin-film board, so that one end thereof is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion while being electrically connected with one end of the loop portion over a predetermined area by overlapping with the end of the loop portion to a predetermined distance; and applying cover sheets to respective surfaces of the thin-film board on which the antenna part is formed.

[35] The method of manufacturing the RFID antenna according to the third embodiment of the present invention includes a step of forming a terminal connection hole in the thin-film board at a location that corresponds to an location at which the end of the loop portion and the end of the second terminal portion overlap each other so that the end of the loop portion and the end of the second terminal portion are electrically connected to each other over a predetermined area, before the conductive metal film is layered on the thin-film board or before the conductive ink is printed on the thin-film board.

[36] Preferably, the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna according to the third embodiment of the present invention further includes a terminal exposing hole forming step. The terminal exposing hole forming step in the third embodiment is a step of, at the step of forming the terminal connection hole, forming terminal exposing holes in the thin-film board and the cover sheets at locations that correspond to a terminal of the first terminal portion and a terminal of the second terminal portion so that the conductive metal film or conductive ink of the first terminal portion and the conductive metal film or conductive ink of the second terminal portion are exposed.

[37] A method of manufacturing an RFID antenna according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of: forming an antenna part having a loop pattern, which is formed by etching a conductive metal film layered on the first surface of a thin-film board or by printing conductive ink on the first surface of the thin-film board and which is continuously formed without any disconnection, the antenna part comprising a loop portion, a first terminal portion, which is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion so as not to cross the loop portion, and a second terminal portion, which is formed to protrude inside from the loop portion so as not to cross the loop portion); attaching at least one insulating sheet to the second terminal portion or the loop portion of a portion that corresponds to the second terminal portion so that the second terminal portion and the loop portion, which crosses the second terminal portion, are not short-circuited, when the second terminal portion, which is located inside the loop portion, protrudes outside from the loop portion; causing the second terminal portion to protrude outside from the loop portion without forming a short circuit with the loop portion by folding a cut portion, which is formed by cutting the thin-film board along part of a circumference of the second terminal portion, in the direction of the first surface of the thin-film board, on which the conductive metal film or the conductive ink exists; and applying a cover sheet to the thin-film board, on which the antenna part is formed.

[38] Preferably, the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention further includes a terminal exposing hole forming step. The terminal exposing hole forming step in the fourth embodiment is a step of forming terminal exposing holes in the thin-film board and the cover sheet at locations that correspond to a terminal of the first terminal portion and a terminal of the second terminal portion so that the conductive metal film or conductive ink of the first terminal portion and the conductive metal film or conductive ink of the second terminal portion are exposed, before the conductive metal film is layered on the first surface of the thin-film board, before the conductive ink is printed on the first surface of the thin-film board, or before the cover sheet is applied to the thin-film board.

[39] Preferably, the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention further includes a terminal connection hole forming step. The terminal connection hole forming step in the fourth embodiment is a step of forming a terminal connection hole in the insulating sheet at a location that corresponds to a folding line of the cut portion so that the conductive metal film or conductive ink of the second terminal portion in a portion of the folding line is electrically connected over a predetermined area, before the insulating sheet is attached thereto when the insulating sheet is attached to a connection location between one end of the loop portion and one end of the second terminal portion.

[40] A method of manufacturing an RFID antenna according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of: forming one portion of an antenna part having a loop pattern, which is formed by etching a conductive metal film layered on the first surface of a thin-film board or by printing conductive ink on the first surface of the thin-film board, the antenna part comprising a loop portion, and a first terminal portion, which is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion so as not to cross the loop portion; forming a second terminal portion, that is, a remaining portion of the antenna part, by layering the conductive metal film on the first surface of the thin-film board or printing the conductive ink on the first surface of the thin-film board, so that one end thereof is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion while being electrically connected with one end of the loop portion over a predetermined area by overlapping with the end of the loop portion to a predetermined distance; attaching at least one insulating sheet between the loop portion and the second terminal portion in a path along which the second terminal portion protrudes outside from the loop portion, and causing the second terminal portion to protrude outside from the loop portion without forming a short circuit with the loop portion, before the second terminal portion is connected to the loop portion; and applying a cover sheet to the thin-film board, on which the antenna part is formed.

[41] The method of manufacturing the RFID antenna according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention includes a step of forming terminal exposing holes in the thin- film board and the cover sheet at locations that correspond to a terminal of the first terminal portion and a terminal of the second terminal portion so that the conductive metal film or conductive ink of the first terminal portion and the conductive metal film or conductive ink of the second terminal portion are exposed, before the conductive metal film is layered on the first surface of the thin-film board, before the conductive ink is printed on the first surface of the thin-film board, or before the cover sheet is applied to the thin-film board.

[42] Preferably, the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention further includes a terminal connection hole forming step. The terminal connection hole forming step in the fifth embodiment is a step of forming a terminal connection hole in the insulating sheet at a location that corresponds to a location at which the end of the loop portion and one end of the second terminal portion overlap each other so that the end of the loop portion and the end of the second terminal portion are electrically connected to each other over a predetermined area, before the insulating sheet is attached thereto when the insulating sheet is attached to the end of the loop portion.

Advantageous Effects

[43] As described above, the RFID antenna and the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna according to the present invention can achieve the following effects: [44] First, in relation to the RFID antenna in which a loop pattern is formed by etching the conductive metal film layered on the thin-film board, the cut portion is used, so that the loop pattern can be easily formed without the use of a via hole-forming process or a plating process and without forming a short circuit while using inexpensive material in which the conductive metal film is layered on only one surface of the thin-film board, rather than being layered on both surfaces of the thin-film board, thus providing an RFID antenna, the manufacturing costs of which are relatively low and which can minimize resource waste and environmental pollution.

[45] Second, in relation to the RFID antenna in which a loop pattern is formed by printing conductive ink on the thin-film board, the cut portion is used, so that the conductive ink is printed on only one surface of the thin-film board to form the loop pattern without any electrical disconnection and, thus, the loop pattern can be easily formed without the use of a via hole-forming process or a plating process and without forming a short circuit, thus providing an RFID antenna, the manufacturing costs of which are relatively low and which can minimize resource waste and environmental pollution.

[46] Third, terminal exposing holes are formed in advance in the thin-film board and the cover sheet, and thus the inconvenience in which portions of the thin-film board and the cover sheet that are layered on the ends of the first and second terminal portions, must be removed again can be obviated.

[47] Fourth, the terminal connection hole is formed in advance in the thin-film board, and thus the short circuit of the second terminal portion, attributable to the folding of the cut portion, can be prevented.

[48] Fifth, the jig holes are formed in advance in the thin-film board, and thus the location of the second terminal portion can be accurately set when the cut portion is folded.

[49] Sixth, only the loop portion and the first terminal portion are formed by etching the conductive metal film on one surface of the thin-film board or by printing the conductive ink thereon, the second terminal portion is formed by layering the conductive metal film on the other surface of the thin-film board or by printing the conductive ink thereon, and the end of the loop portion and the end of the second terminal portion are electrically connected to the loop portion via the terminal connection hole, which is formed in advance in the thin-film board, so that the loop pattern can be formed without the use of any expensive thin-film board, on the respective surfaces of which conductive metal films are layered, and without the use of a via hole-forming process or a plating process, thus providing an RFID antenna, the manufacturing costs of which are relatively low and which can minimize resource waste and environmental pollution.

[50] Seventh, a material, in which the conductive metal is layered on only one surface of the thin-film board, rather than being layered on both surfaces of the thin-film board, is used, and a short circuit between the loop portion and the second terminal portion is prevented from occurring using the cut portion and the insulating sheet, so that the loop pattern can be formed without the use of any expensive thin-film board, on the respective surfaces of which conductive metal films are layered, and without the use of a via hole-forming process or a plating process, thus providing an RFID antenna, the manufacturing costs of which are relatively low and which can minimize resource waste and environmental pollution.

[51] Eighth, the antenna part is formed on only one surface of the thin-film board, the loop portion and the first terminal portion are first formed by etching the conductive metal film or by printing the conductive ink, and the second terminal portion is separately formed by layering the conductive metal film or by printing the conductive ink after attaching the insulating sheet attached thereto so that no short circuit occurs, and is then electrically connected to the loop portion, so that the loop pattern can be formed without the use of any expensive thin-film board, on the respective surfaces of which conductive metal films are layered, and without the use of a via hole-forming process or a plating process, thus providing an RFID antenna, the manufacturing costs of which are relatively low and which can minimize resource waste and environmental pollution. Brief Description of the Drawings

[52] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the front and rear surfaces of an illustrative

RFID antenna according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[53] FIGS. 2 and 3 are process views illustrating an illustrative method of manufacturing the RFID antenna according to the first embodiment;

[54] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the front and rear surfaces of an illustrative

RFID antenna according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[55] FIGS. 5 to 7 are process views illustrating a method of manufacturing the illustrative RFID antenna according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

[56] FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing the front and rear surfaces of an illustrative

RFID antenna according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

[57] FIGS. 9 and 10 are process views illustrating a method of manufacturing the illustrative RFID antenna according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

[58] FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing the front and rear surfaces of an illustrative

RFID antenna according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[59] FIGS. 12 and 13 are process views illustrating a method of manufacturing the illustrative RFID antenna according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[60] FIG. 14 is a schematic view showing the front and rear surfaces of an illustrative RFID antenna according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

[61] FIGS. 15 and 16 are process views illustrating a method of manufacturing the illustrative RFID antenna according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention;

[62] FIG. 17 is a schematic view showing the front and rear surface of an illustrative conventional RFID antenna, which is applied to mobile phone batteries; and

[63] FIG. 18 is a view illustrating a conventional method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of FIG. 17. Mode for the Invention

[64] RFID antennas and methods of manufacturing the RFID antennas according to the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings below. The following embodiments are intended only to illustrate the RFID antennas and the methods of manufacturing the same, rather than being intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[65] Each of the RFID antennas 1 according to the present invention, which will be described below, is an RFID antenna having a loop pattern, which can realize, for example, predetermined contactless functions (for example, prepaid or credit-based transportation fare payment, credit payment, electronic passbooks, royalty management, identification), which are provided in an IC chip, using local area wireless communication based on a frequency of 13.56 D in the state in which it is mounted in a battery or the like of a mobile communication terminal, for example, a mobile phone, and is electrically connected with the IC chip, which is mounted in the main body of the mobile communication terminal.

[66]

[67] First embodiment

[68] An RFID antenna according to a first embodiment of the present invention and a method of manufacturing the same are described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

[69] As shown in FIG. 1, the RFID antenna 1 of the present embodiment has a basic structure in which an antenna part 20 having a loop pattern is designed on a thin-film board 10 (having a thickness of, for example, about 25 D), which is made of polyimide or the like, in the same manner as in a conventional RFID antenna.

[70] According to one feature of the RFID antenna 1 of the present embodiment, a conductive metal film 2 (having, for example, a thickness of about 35 D), which is represented by a copper film, is layered on only one surface (surface in A of FIG. 1) of a thin-film board 10, rather than being layered on both surfaces of the thin-film board 10. The antenna part 20 having a loop pattern is formed by etching the layered conductive metal film 2.

[71] According to the feature of the RFID antenna 1 of the present embodiment, the antenna part 20 includes a loop portion 21, which is wound a plural number of times, a first terminal portion 22, which is formed to protrude outside from one end of the loop portion 21 so as not to cross the loop portion 21, and a second terminal portion 23, which is formed to protrude from the other end of the loop portion 21 to a space 21a in the loop portion 21 (a space that is surrounded by the loop portion) so as not to cross the loop portion 21.

[72] In the conventional RFID antenna, which has been described with reference to

FIGS. 17 and 18, the second terminal portion is isolated from the loop portion and the first terminal portion, so that the second terminal portion is electrically connected with the loop portion via the via holes using plating. In contrast, in the RFID antenna 1 of the first embodiment, the entire antenna part 20, which is constructed using the loop portion 21, the first terminal portion 22 and the second terminal portion 23, forms a continuous line without being electrically disconnected.

[73] According to another feature of the RFID antenna 1 of the present embodiment, the thin-film board 10 is provided with a cut portion 11, which is formed by cutting part of the circumference of the second terminal portion 23. The cut portion 11 is formed around the second terminal portion 23 so as not to disconnect the conductive metal film 2 of the antenna part 20. In the embodiment, shown in the drawings, an example in which the three planes of a thin-film board 10, excluding a portion in which the second terminal portion 23 is connected with the loop portion 21, are cut to have a U shape is shown.

[74] The cut portion 11 is folded in the direction of the other surface (surface in B of

FIG. 1) of the thin-film board 10, on which the conductive metal film 2 is not layered, and thus the second terminal portion 23 protrudes outside the loop portion 21 without forming a short circuit with the loop portion 21.

[75] In the embodiment, shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, when the cut portion 11 is folded, the second terminal portion 23 is spaced apart from the first terminal portion 22 by a predetermined distance and is disposed parallel thereto while the two-layered thin-film board 10 is interposed therebetween (D of FIG. 3).

[76] According to the above-described structure of the RFID antenna 1 of the present embodiment, the conductive metal film 2, which is used to form the antenna part 20, is layered on only the first surface of the thin-film board 10, and is connected without causing any disconnection, so that it is not necessary to use the conventional material, in which conductive metal films 2 are layered on the respective surfaces of the thin- film board 10, and it is not also necessary to use the via hole-forming process and the plating process in order to connect the disconnected antenna parts to each other.

[77] The method of manufacturing the illustrative RFID antenna 1 of the present embodiment is described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 below. [78] A first step in the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna 1 of the first embodiment is a step of forming the antenna part 20 having a loop pattern by etching the conductive metal film 2 of the thin-film board 10 (A of FIG. 2), on only the first surface of which the conductive metal film 2 is layered (B of FIG. 2).

[79] As described above, the antenna part 20 includes a loop portion 21, a first terminal portion 22, which is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion 21 so as not to cross the loop portion 21, and a second terminal portion 23, which protrudes to a space 21a in the loop portion 21 so as not to cross the loop portion 21. This entire antenna part 20 is continuously formed without being electrically disconnected.

[80] The process of forming the antenna part 20, having a loop pattern, by exposing and etching the conductive metal film 2, which is layered on the first surface of the thin- film board 10, may be performed using general Flexible Printed Circuit Board manufacturing technology, which is well known in the related art, in a manner suitable for the present invention.

[81] A second step in the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of the first embodiment is a step of forming the second terminal portion 23 to protrude outside from the loop portion 21 without forming a short circuit with the loop portion 21 (D of FIG. 3) by cutting the thin-film board 10 along part of the circumference of the second terminal portion 23 (C of FIG. 2), and folding the cut portion 11 in the direction of the surface on which the conductive metal film 2 is not layered (in the direction of the other surface of the thin-film board). In C of FIG. 2, the folding line of the cut portion 11 is indicated by a dotted line.

[82] In the case where the antenna having a loop pattern is formed in a two-dimensional plane, one end of the loop portion 21 (that is, the first terminal portion 22) must be located outside the loop portion 21, whereas the other end of the loop portion 21 (that is, the second terminal portion 23) must be located in the space 21a in the loop portion 21. Accordingly, in the present step, the second terminal portion 23 is folded and layered in the direction of the other surface of the thin-film board 10, on which the conductive metal film 2 is not layered, and thus the second terminal portion 23 in the loop portion 21 can be pulled out of the loop portion 21 without forming a short circuit with the loop portion 21.

[83] A third step in the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of the first embodiment is a step of protecting the antenna part 20 by applying (layering) cover sheets 30 (each of which has a thickness of, for example, about 12.5 D), which are made of, for example, polyimide material, on the respective surface of the thin-film board, on which the antenna part 20 is formed 10 (E of FIG. 3).

[84] In the present embodiment and the following embodiments, layering the cover sheets 30 (cover layers) includes not only coating and bonding sheets, which are made of material, such as polyimide, on and to the thin-film board 10, but also forming final thin protection sheets by applying insulating liquid material, which can protect the antenna part 20, on the thin-film board 10 and curing it. The present step may also be performed using general coating technology, which is well known in the related art, in a manner suitable for the present invention. [85] After the cover sheets 30 are applied, the final RFID antenna 1 of the present embodiment is completed by forming respective terminals 22a and 23 a on the first terminal portion 22 and the second terminal portion 23, and cutting the thin-film board

10 to conform to the outer contour of the antenna part 20 (F of FIG. 3).

[86] The terminals 22a and 23a are terminals that are used to connect the RFID antenna

1 of the present invention, for example, to a battery protection circuit when the RFID antenna 1 is mounted to the battery of a mobile communication terminal, such as a mobile phone. As a result, when the battery is mounted in the main body of the mobile communication terminal, the terminals 22a and 23a are electrically connected to an IC chip, which is located in the main body of the mobile communication terminal. These terminals 22a and 23 a are formed so as to be connected with another circuit by plating the ends of the first and second terminal portions 22 and 23 with tin/copper or gold.

[87] In the above-described RFID antenna 1 of the present embodiment, a plurality of

RFID antennas is typically manufactured at one time by simultaneously forming the plurality of antennas on a large-sized thin-film board 10 and finally pressing and cutting individual antenna parts 20. In the embodiment, shown in the drawings, a process of designing and manufacturing only a single RFID antenna is shown.

[88] In the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of the present embodiment, the step of forming and folding the cut portion 11 and the step of applying (layering) the cover sheets 30 thereto (thereon) are included. Accordingly, when the cover sheets 30 are layered, it is preferred that the cut portion 11 be deeply folded in the direction of the other surface of the thin-film board 10 in the state in which the first terminal portion 22 and the second terminal portion 23 are disposed parallel to each other at appropriate locations.

[89] For this purpose, as shown in C to E of FIGS, 2 and 3, at the step of forming the cut portion 11, small protrusions 1 Ia are formed on respective side portions of the cut portion 11, cut lines 12 are formed in the thin-film board 10 at locations that correspond to the locations of the protrusions 1 Ia in the state in which the cut portion

11 is folded, and the protrusions 1 Ia of the cut portion 11 are inserted into the cut lines 12, and thus the cut portion 11 can be fastened to the thin-film board 10 in the folded state.

[90] Although an example in which the protrusions 1 Ia are formed on the respective side portions of the cut portion 11 is shown in the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto. All of the protrusions 11a and the cut lines 12 are removed through a subsequent cutting process, and thus no protrusion or cut line remains on or in the RFID antenna 1 of the present invention, which is finally manufactured (F of FIG. 3).

[91] Although the cut portion 11, including the protrusions 11a, shown in FIG. 1, is a trace of the cut portion 11 which is perforated and remains in the thin-film board 10 after the cut portion 11 is folded, rather than an actual cut portion, reference numeral 11 is assigned thereto for ease of description.

[92] In FIG. 1, only the upper and lower cover sheets 30 remain in the state in which the thin-film board 10 of the portion, which is represented by the cut portion 11, is removed.

[93] Although the above-described method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of the present embodiment has been chiefly described based on the features of the present invention, some additional steps may be included in the process of manufacturing the RFID antenna, to which the present invention is applied. Such additional steps are not directly related to the present invention, and thus the descriptions thereof are omitted.

[94] The RFID antenna having a loop pattern is formed only using the above-described method of etching the conductive metal film of the thin-film board, which is currently used as a common method, but may be formed using a method of directly printing conductive ink, such as nano silver ink, on the surface of a thin-film board to form the loop pattern.

[95] The problem that must be solved in order to prevent a short circuit from occurring when the second terminal portion is pulled out of the loop portion because the loop portion and the second terminal portion cross, which has been described with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18, is also relevant to RFID antennas using the conductive ink printing method in the same manner.

[96] Accordingly, even when the loop pattern is printed using the conductive ink printing method, complicated processes (a via hole-forming process and a plating process) must be performed in order to connect the loop portion and the second terminal portion to each other without forming a short circuit after printing is performed such that the second terminal portion is isolated from the loop portion.

[97] The construction of an RFID antenna, to which the conductive ink 2 is applied, is substantially the same as that of the antenna 1 of the present embodiment except that the antenna part 20, having a loop pattern, is formed by directly printing the conductive ink 2 on one surface of the thin-film board 20, rather than by etching the conductive metal film 2, and thus a brief description thereof is made below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 without appending separate drawings and, in addition, the conductive ink and the conductive metal film are described using the same reference numeral '2.' [98] The RFID antenna 1, to which the conductive ink is applied, is formed in such a way that the antenna part 20 having a loop pattern is continuously formed without any disconnection by printing the conductive ink 2 on one surface of the thin-film board 10.

[99] The antenna part 20 of the RFID antenna 1, to which the conductive ink is applied, also includes a loop portion 21, a first terminal portion 22, which is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion 21 so as not to cross the loop portion 21, and a second terminal portion 23, which is formed to protrude inside from the loop portion 21 so as not to cross the loop portion 21.

[100] A cut portion 11 is formed in a portion of the thin-film board 10 surrounding the second terminal portion 23. The cut portion 11 is folded in the direction of the other surface of the thin-film board 10, on which no conductive ink exists, and thus the second terminal portion 23 protrudes outside a space 21a in the loop portion 21 without forming a short circuit with the loop portion 21.

[101] A method of manufacturing the RFID antenna 1, to which the conductive ink is applied, includes the steps of:

[102] forming an antenna part 20 having a loop pattern, which is continuously formed without any disconnection by printing conductive ink 2 on one surface of a thin-film board 10, and which comprises a loop portion 21, a first terminal portion 22, which is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion 21 so as not to cross the loop portion 21, and a second terminal portion 23, which is formed to protrude inside from the loop portion 21 so as not to cross the loop portion 21; causing the second terminal portion 23 to protrude outside from the loop portion 21 without forming a short circuit with the loop portion 21 by cutting the thin-film board 10 along part of the circumference of the second terminal portion 23 to form a cut portion 11, and folding the cut portion 11 in the direction of the other surface of the thin-film board 10, on which no conductive ink 2 exists; and applying a cover sheet 30 to the respective surfaces of the thin-film board 10, on which the antenna part 20 is formed.

[103] According to the RFID antenna 1, to which the conductive ink 2 is applied, and the method of manufacturing the same, the entire antenna part 20 is continuously formed without any disconnection by printing the conductive ink 2 on one surface of the thin- film board 10, so that it is not necessary to separately perform the complicated processes in order to connect the loop portion and the second terminal portion to each other without forming a short circuit after printing is performed such that the second t erminal portion and the loop portion are isolated.

[104]

[105] Second embodiment

[106] The above-described RFID antenna of the first embodiment has a structure in which the conductive metal film 2 or conductive ink 2 of the first terminal portion 22 is layered on the first surface of the thin-film board 10, the conductive metal film 2 or conductive ink 2 of the second terminal portion 23 is layered on the second surface of the thin-film board 10, and the cover sheets 30 are layered on the respective surfaces, so that it is required to remove the thin-film board 10 and the cover sheet 30, which are layered on the ends of the first and second terminal portions 22 and 23, in order to form the terminals 22a and 23a on the respective ends of the first and second terminal portions 22 and 23. The present embodiment enables the terminals 22a and 23 a to be easily formed by improving the above-described method of manufacturing the antenna of the first embodiment.

[107] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of the present embodiment is characterized in that a step of forming terminal exposing holes, a step of forming a terminal connection hole, and a step of forming jig holes are added to the method of manufacturing the antennal of the first embodiment. The remaining steps, other than these additional steps, are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment.

[108] The method of manufacturing the RFID antenna the present embodiment, except for the additional steps, is briefly described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7 below, including the step of forming terminal exposing holes.

[109] The method includes the steps of:

[110] forming the antenna part 20 having a loop pattern, illustrated in FIG. 4, by etching the conductive metal film 2 of the thin-film board 10 (B of FIG. 5), on only the first surface of which the conductive metal film 2 is layered (C of FIG. 5);

[111] causing the second terminal portion 23 to protrude outside from the loop portion 21 without forming a short circuit with the loop portion 21 by cutting the thin-film board 10 along part of the circumference of the second terminal portion 23 to form a cut portion 11 (D of FIG. 6) and folding the cut portion 11 in the direction of the surface on which the conductive metal film 2 is not layered (in the direction of the second surface of the thin-film board) (E of FIG. 6);

[112] protecting the antenna part 20 by applying (layering) cover sheets 30 (each of which has a thickness of, for example, about 12.5 D), which are made of a material, for example, polyimide, to (on) the respective surfaces of the thin-film board 10, on which the antenna part 20 is formed (F of FIG. 7); and

[113] forming the terminals 22a and 23a on the respective first and second terminal portions 22 and 23, and completing a final RFID antenna by cutting the thin-film board 10 to conform to the outer contour of the antenna part 20 after the cover sheets 30 are applied thereto (G of FIG. 7). (Hereinafter, the steps of the second and subsequent embodiments that are substantially the same as those as the first embodiment are called 'basic steps.')

[114] The 'basic steps' of the second embodiment may also be applied to a method of manufacturing the RFID antenna by printing conductive ink 2 on the first surface of the thin-film board 10 to form the antenna part 20 having a loop pattern, so as to coincide with the use of the conductive ink 2 without any change, as in the first embodiment.

[115]

[116] 1. Step of forming terminal exposing holes

[117] The step of forming terminal exposing holes 13 and 31, which is one feature of the present embodiment, is described below with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7. The step of forming terminal exposing holes is a step that is performed in advance prior to the above-described 'basic steps.'

[118] As shown in FIG. 5, the step of forming terminal exposing holes is a step of forming terminal exposing holes 13 and 31 in the thin-film board 10 and the cover sheet 30 at locations that correspond to the respective ends of the first and second terminal portions 22 and 23 to have a size such that the terminals 22a and 23 a can be formed on the respective ends of the first and second terminal portions 22 and 23, before the conductive metal film 2 is layered on the first surface of the thin-film board 10, before the conductive ink 2 is printed on the first surface of the thin-film board 10, or before the cover sheets 30 are applied to the respective surfaces of the thin-film board 10.

[119] In the embodiment, shown in the drawings, the terminal exposing holes 13 of the thin-film board 10 are formed such that a total of four terminal exposing holes is formed by forming two terminal exposing holes in the cut portion 11 at locations that correspond to those of the respective terminals 22a and 23a of the first and second terminal portions 22 and 23, and forming two terminal exposing holes in locations at which two terminal exposing holes 13, which are formed in the cut portion 11, overlap each other when the cut portion 11 is folded.

[120] The terminal exposing holes 31 in the two upper and lower cover sheets 30 are formed such that two terminal exposing holes are formed in each of the locations that correspond to those of the respective terminals of the first and second terminal portions.

[121] As described above, the terminal exposing holes 13 and 31 are formed in advance in the thin-film board 10 and the cover sheets 30, and thus no thin-film board 10 and no cover sheet 30 are layered on both surfaces of portions that correspond to each of the terminals 22a and 23a (the ends of the first and second terminal portions) thanks to the terminal exposing holes 13 and 31.

[122] Accordingly, even when the thin-film board 10 and the cover sheet 30 in the portions that correspond to the terminals 22a and 23 a are not removed through a separate process, the terminals 22a and 23a are exposed through the terminal exposing holes 13 and 31, so that the work of forming the terminals 22a and 23a, which facilitates soldering and handling, in the respective ends of the first and second terminal portion 22 and 23 can be very easily conducted.

[123] Furthermore, in FIGS. 5 and 7, an example in which the terminal exposing holes 13 and 31 are formed in the thin-film board 10 and the cover sheets 30 at locations that correspond to the ends of the first and second terminal portions 22 and 23 so that all of the front and rear surfaces of the ends of the first and second terminal portions 22 and 23 are exposed is shown. Although it is not preferable, the case where only one of the terminals 22a and 23a is exposed by forming terminal exposing holes 13 and 31 in the location in which only one of the ends of the first and second terminal portions 22 and 23 is exposed is not excluded.

[124] Although the cut portion 11, the protrusions 11a and cut lines 12, which are formed in and on the thin-film board 10, may be formed through the step of forming the cut portion 11, it is preferred that all of the cut portion 11, protrusions 11a and cut lines 12 be formed in a single step in order to reduce the number of steps when the terminal exposing holes 13 are formed in the thin-film board 10.

[125]

[126] 2. Step of forming a terminal connection hole

[127] The method of manufacturing the antenna of the present embodiment is a process of causing the second terminal portion 23 to protrude outside from the loop portion 21 without forming a short circuit with the loop portion 21 by folding the cut portion 11. The second terminal portion 23 is bent at the location of a folding line 14, so that the conductive metal film 2 or the conductive ink 2 may be short-circuited in the bent portion.

[128] In order to prevent this problem from occurring, before the conductive metal film 2 is layered on the thin-film board 10, or before the conductive ink 2 is printed on the first surface of the thin-film board 10, the terminal connection hole 15 may be preferably formed in the thin-film board 10 at a location that corresponds to that of the folding line 14 of the second terminal portion 23, so that the conductive metal film 2 or conductive ink 2 of the second terminal portion 23 in the portion of the folding line 14 is electrically connected over a predetermined area when the above-described terminal exposing holes 13 are formed. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, one terminal connection hole 15 is formed in the thin-film board 10 at the location at which the terminal connection hole and the folding line 14 overlap each other.

[129] The terminal connection hole 15 is formed in advance in the thin-film board 10 as shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, and thus the conductive metal film 2 or conductive ink 2 of the second terminal portion 23 in the portion of the folding line 14 is electrically connected in the terminal connection hole 15 over the predetermined area by the folding when the cut portion 11 is folded. Accordingly, the second terminal portion 23 can be protected from being short-circuited at the folding line 14.

[130]

[131] 3. Step of forming jig holes

[132] The method of forming the protrusions 11a and the cut lines 12 has been described above in order to accurately fold the cut portion 11 folded on the second surface of the thin-film board 10 in the state in which the first terminal portion 22 and the second terminal portion 23 are disposed parallel to each other at an appropriate location when the cover sheets 30 are layered. As another method of appropriately disposing the first terminal portion 22 and the second terminal portion 23 parallel to each other, a step of forming jig holes 16 may be performed when the terminal exposing holes 13 are formed in the thin-film board 10.

[133] The jig holes 16 are holes into which jigs (for example, pins) for accurately disposing the folded second terminal portion 23 are inserted. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, two jig holes are formed in the thin-film board 10 at locations close to the terminal exposing holes 13 in the second terminal portion 23. In this case, one jig hole 16 is formed in the cut portion 11, and the other jig hole is formed in the thin-film board at the location at which the jig hole 16 in the cut portion 11 is superimposed when the cut portion 11 is folded.

[134] The jig holes 16 are formed in advance in the thin-film board 10. Accordingly, in the case where jigs, such as pins, inserted into the respective jig holes 16, the locations of which coincide with each other, when the cut portion 11 is folded, the first and second terminal portions 22 and 23 can be accurately disposed. All of the jig holes 16 are removed through a subsequent cutting process, and thus no jig hole ultimately remains in the manufactured RFID antenna 1.

[135]

[136] Third embodiment

[137] The method of manufacturing the antenna of the second embodiment necessarily requires the step of forming and folding the cut portion 11. A method of manufacturing an RFID antenna according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in which the step of forming the cut portion is not included, is described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10 below. When the present embodiment is described, description of details that are the same as those of the first and second embodiment is omitted.

[138] Although, in the present embodiment as well, a first step of forming a terminal connection hole 15 in a thin-film board 10 is performed prior to other steps, it is necessary to understand subsequent steps before the reason for forming the terminal connection hole 15 is given. Thus, subsequent steps are first described below before the step of forming the terminal connection hole 15 is described.

[139] A second step in the method of manufacturing the antenna of the present embodiment is a step of forming a portion of an antenna part 20 having a loop pattern, which is formed by etching the conductive metal film 2 of a thin-film board 10 (B of FIG. 8), on one surface of which the conductive metal film 2 is layered, or by printing conductive ink 2 on the first surface of the thin-film board 10 (C of FIG. 9). The antenna part 20 includes a loop portion 21, and a first terminal portion 22, which is formed to protrude outside the loop portion 21 so as not to cross the loop portion 21.

[140] The present embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that, in the second embodiment, the entire antenna part 20 is formed on the first surface of the thin-film board 10 through a single process using the conductive metal film 2 or the conductive ink 2, but, in the present embodiment, only the loop portion 21 and the first terminal portion 22 are first formed on the first surface of the thin-film board 10 using the conductive metal film 2 or the conductive ink 2, and then a second terminal portion 23 is formed on the second surface of the thin-film board 10 using a separate process. Since other details in the present step in the third embodiment are substantially the same as those in the second embodiment, the detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

[141] A third step in the present embodiment is a step of forming the second terminal portion 23, which is not formed at the second step (D of FIG. 10). In the present step, the second terminal portion 23 is formed by layering the conductive metal film 2 on the second surface of the thin-film board 10, or printing the conductive ink 2 on the second surface of the thin-film board 10, rather than on the first surface of the thin-film board 10, on which the first terminal portion 22 is formed, so as to have a shape that corresponds to that of the second terminal portion 23.

[142] In an example in which the conductive metal film 2 is employed, the loop portion

21 and the first terminal portion 22 are formed by etching the conductive metal film 2, whereas the second terminal portion 23 is formed merely by layering and attaching the conductive metal film 2, having a shape that corresponds to that of the second terminal portion 23, rather than by etching.

[143] In this case, the second terminal portion 23 protrudes outside a space 21a in the loop portion 21 in the state in which one end 23b of the second terminal portion 23 and one end 21b of the loop portion 21 overlap each other by a predetermined distance and is thus electrically connected over a predetermined area. The electrical connection between the end 23b of the second terminal portion 23 and the end 21b of the loop portion 21 will be described later in conjunction with the first step of forming the terminal connection hole 15.

[144] A fourth step in the present embodiment is a step of layering cover sheets 30 on the respective surfaces of the thin-film board 10, on which the antenna part 20 is formed (E of FIG. 10). A final RFID antenna is completed by cutting the thin-film board 10 to conform to the outer contour of the antenna part 20 after the cover sheets 30 are layered (F of FIG. 10). Reference is to be made to the first and second embodiments with respect to the process pertaining to the cover sheets 30.

[145] The first step in the present embodiment, which will be described later, is similar to the step of forming the terminal connection hole 15 in the second embodiment. Here, the terminal connection hole 15 in the second embodiment is used to prevent a short circuit from occurring, whereas the terminal connection hole 15 in the present embodiment is used to electrically connect the loop portion 21 with the second terminal portion 23.

[146] That is, at the first step in the present embodiment, before the conductive metal film

2 is layered on the thin-film board 10 or the conductive ink 2 is printed on the thin-film board 10, the terminal connection hole 15 is formed in advance in the thin-film board 10 at a location that corresponds to the location (electrical connection portion) at which the end 21b of the loop portion 21 and the end 23b of the second terminal portion 23 overlap each other so that the end 23b of the second terminal portion 23 and the end 21b of the loop portion 21 are electrically connected over a predetermined area (A of FIG. 9).

[147] The terminal connection hole 15 is formed in advance in the thin-film board 10, as shown in FIG. 9, and thus the loop portion 21, which is formed on the first surface of the thin-film board 10, and the second terminal portion 23, which is formed on the second surface of the thin-film board 10, are electrically connected to each other via the terminal connection hole 15, which is an overlapping portion, over a predetermined area at the second and third steps. Accordingly, it is not necessary to use complicated processes, such as a process of layering the conductive metal film 2 on the entire second surface of the thin-film board 10 and etching the layered conductive metal film 2 to form the second terminal portion 23, a via hole-forming process for connecting the isolated second terminal portion 23, and a plating process, as in the conventional technology.

[148] Preferably, in the first step in the present embodiment, it is apparent that a process of forming the terminal exposing holes 13 and 31, which is described in the second embodiment, may be also applied thereto. When the process of forming the terminal exposing holes 13 and 31 is applied to the present embodiment, the present embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that thee is no cut portion 11 in the present embodiment, and thus it is not necessary to form the terminal exposing holes 13, which exist in the cut portion 11 in the second embodiment.

[149] [150] Fourth embodiment

[151] A method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of the present embodiment is a modification of the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of the first embodiment.

[152] As shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, in the RFID antenna 1, which is manufactured according to the present embodiment, a conductive metal film 2 (having, for example, a thickness of about 35 D), which is represented by a copper film, is layered on only one surface (surface in A of FIG. 11) of the thin-film board 10, and the conductive metal film 2 is formed into an antenna part 20, having a loop pattern, through an etching process.

[153] In the same manner as in the first embodiment, the antenna part 20 includes a loop portion 21, a first terminal portion 22, which is formed to protrude from one end of the loop portion 21 outside a space 21a in the loop portion 21 so as not to cross the loop portion 21, and a second terminal portion 23, which is formed to protrude from the other end of the loop portion 21 towards the space in the loop portion 21 so as not to cross the loop portion 21.

[154] Furthermore, in the same manner as in the first embodiment, the thin-film board 10 in the present embodiment is provided with a cut portion 11 which is formed by cutting part of the circumference of the second terminal portion 23.

[155] The cut portion 11 in the first embodiment is folded in the direction of the second surface (surface in B of FIG. 1) of the thin-film board 10, on which no conductive metal film 2 is layered, whereas the cut portion 11 in the present embodiment is folded in the direction of the first surface (surface in A of FIG. 11) of the thin-film board 10, on which the conductive metal film 2 is layered.

[156] As described above, when an antenna having a loop pattern is formed in a two- dimensional plane, one end of the loop portion 21 (that is, the first terminal portion 22) must be located outside the loop portion 21, whereas the other end (that is, the second terminal portion 23) must be located inside the loop portion 21. When the cut portion 11 is folded in the direction of the first surface of the thin-film board 10, on which the conductive metal film 2 is formed, to pull the second terminal portion 23, which is located in the loop portion 21, out of the loop portion 21, the second terminal portion 23 must cross the loop portion 21. For this reason, an electrical short circuit occurs between the second terminal portion 23 and the loop portion 21.

[157] The method of manufacturing the antenna of the present embodiment is characterized in that an insulating sheet 40 is attached between the second terminal portion 23 and the loop portion 21, which crosses the second portion 23, before the second terminal portion 23, which is located in the space in the loop portion 21, is protruded outside from the loop portion 21 by folding the cut portion 11, thus preventing the second terminal portion 23 and the loop portion 21 from being short-circuited. [158] Although, in the embodiment shown in the drawings, an example in which the insulating sheet 40 is attached (layered) to (on) the entire first surface of the thin-film board 10, on which the conductive metal film 2 is layered, is shown, the insulating sheet 40 may be attached such that it covers at least the second terminal portion 23 and a portion of the loop portion 21 that comes into contact with the second terminal portion 23. In this case, it is not necessary for the second terminal portion 23 to come into direct contact with the loop portion 21.

[159] As a result, when the insulating sheet 40 is used, the second terminal portion 23 protrudes outside from the loop portion 21 without forming a short circuit with the loop portion 21.

[160] An insulating film, which can be disposed between the second terminal portion 23 and the loop portion 21 to prevent a short circuit from occurring, may be used as the insulating sheet 40. The insulating sheet 40 may be made of, for example, polyimide material, and may be ultimately formed by selectively applying various types of insulating liquid materials and curing them. The above-described construction of the insulating sheet 40 is the same as those of other embodiments as well as the present embodiment.

[161] According to the above-described featured structure of the RFID antenna 1, which is manufactured according to the fourth embodiment, the conductive metal film 2, which is used to form the antenna part 20, is layered on only the first surface of the thin-film board 10, and is connected without causing any disconnection, so that it is not necessary to use the conventional material, in which conductive metal films 2 are layered on the respective surfaces of the thin-film board 10, and neither is it necessary to use the via hole-forming process and the plating process in order to connect the isolated antenna parts to each other.

[162] The method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of the fourth embodiment is described below with reference to FIGS. 12 to 13, except for the step (first step) of forming the terminal exposing holes, which can be selectively used.

[163] A second step in the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of the present embodiment is a step of forming an antenna part 20 having a loop pattern, which is formed without any disconnection by etching the conductive metal film 2 of the thin- film board 10 (B of FIG. 12), on only one surface of which the conductive metal film 2 is layered (C of FIG. 12). The antenna part 20, illustrated in FIG. 11, includes a loop portion 21, and a first terminal portion 22, which is formed to protrude outside from a loop portion 21 so as not to cross the loop portion 21, and a second terminal portion 23, which is formed to protrude inside from the loop portion 21 so as not to cross the loop portion 21.

[164] A third step in the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of the present embodiment is a step of attaching an insulating sheet 40 to the first surface of the thin- film board 10, on which the antenna part 20 is formed, thus electrically insulating the second terminal portion 23 from the loop portion 21 in a portion that comes into contact with the second terminal portion using the insulating sheet 40 (D of FIG. 12).

[165] A fourth step in the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of the present embodiment is a step of causing the second terminal portion 23 to protrude outside from the loop portion 21 by cutting the thin-film board 10 along part of the circumference of the second terminal portion 23 (E of FIG. 13) and folding the cut portion 11 in the surface of the thin-film board 10, on which the conductive metal film 2 is layered (F of FIG. 13). In this case, the second terminal portion 23 is not short- circuited with the loop portion 21 thanks to the insulating sheet 40.

[166] In the embodiment in which the insulating sheet 40 is attached to the entire first surface of the thin-film board 10, as shown in the drawings, the cut portion 11 is formed in both the thin-film board 10 and the insulating sheet 40.

[167] A fifth step in the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of the present embodiment is a step of protecting the antenna part 20 by applying (layering) at least one cover sheet 30 (having, for example, a thickness of about 12.5 D), which is made of, for example, polyimide material, to (on) the first surface of the thin-film board 10, on which the antenna part 20 is formed (G of FIG. 13).

[168] Although an example in which the cover sheets 30 are layered on the respective surfaces of the thin-film board 10 is shown in FIG. 13, the antenna part 20 is formed on only the first surface of the thin-film board 10, but no antenna part 20 exists on the second surface of the thin-film board 10 in the present embodiment. Accordingly, there is substantially no problem pertaining to the protection of the antenna part 20 even though a cover sheet 30 is layered on only the first surface of the thin-film board 10 but no cover sheet 30 is layered on the second surface of the thin-film board 10.

[169] The protrusions 11a and the cut lines 12, which are described in the first embodiment, may also be applied to the present embodiment.

[170] After the cover sheet 30 is formed, terminals 22a and 23a are formed on the respective first and second terminal portions 22 and 23, and a final RFID antenna is completed (H of FIG. 13) by cutting the thin-film board 10 to conform to the outer contour of the antenna part 20.

[171] The method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of the present embodiment, which employs the conductive metal film 2, may also be applied to the RFID antenna in which the loop pattern is formed by printing the conductive ink 2 on the thin-film board 10 without any change.

[172] The step (first step) of forming the terminal exposing holes, which is described in the second embodiment, may also be applied to the method of manufacturing the antenna of the fourth embodiment. In the present embodiment, the step of forming the terminal exposing holes is a step that is performed in advance prior to the above- described second to fifth steps, and enables the terminals 22a and 23a to be more conveniently and productively formed when a final RFID antenna is completed by forming the terminals 22a and 23 a after the fifth step is performed.

[173] In the present embodiment, the step of forming the terminal exposing holes is a step of forming terminal exposing holes 13, 31 and 41 in the thin-film board 10, the cover sheet 30 and the insulating sheet 40 at locations that correspond to the respective ends of the first and second terminal portions 22 and 23 to have a size such that the terminals 22a and 23a can be formed on the respective ends of the first and second terminal portions 22 and 23, before the conductive metal film 2 is layered on the first surface of the thin-film board 10, before the conductive ink 2 is printed on the first surface of the thin-film board 10, before the cover sheet 40 is applied to the thin-film board 10, or before the insulating sheet 40 is attached in an example in which the insulating sheet 40 is attached up to locations that correspond to those of the terminals 22a and 23a, as shown in FIG. 12.

[174] In the embodiment, shown in the drawings, the terminal exposing holes 13 in the thin-film board 10 are formed such that a total of four terminal exposing holes is formed by forming two terminal exposing holes in the cut portion 11 at locations that correspond to those of the respective terminals 22a and 23a of the first and second terminal portions 22 and 23, and forming two terminal exposing holes at locations that are superimposed over the two terminal exposing holes 13, which are formed in the cut portion 11, when the cut portion 11 is folded.

[175] The terminal exposing holes 31 in the cover sheet 30 are formed in the locations that correspond to those of the first and second terminal portions. The terminal exposing holes 41 in the insulating sheet 40 are formed such that a total of four terminal exposing holes is formed by forming two terminal exposing holes in the cut portion 11 and forming two terminal exposing holes in locations at which the two terminal exposing holes 41, which are formed in the cut portion 11, overlap each other. Here, in the case where the insulating sheet 40 is not attached up to locations that correspond to those of the terminals 22a and 23a, it is not necessary to form the terminal exposing holes 41 in the insulating sheet 40.

[176] As described above, the terminal exposing holes 13, 31 and 41 are formed in advance in the thin-film board 10 and the cover sheet 30. Accordingly, in a subsequent step, no thin-film board 10, cover sheet 30 or insulating sheet 40 is layered on the portions (the ends of the first and second terminal portions) that correspond to the terminals 22a and 23a thanks to the terminal exposing holes 13, 31 and 41, so that the terminals 22a and 23a are exposed through the terminal exposing holes 13, 31 and 41 even though the thin-film board 10, the cover sheet 30 and the insulating sheet 40 are removed through a separate process, with the result that the work of forming the terminals 22a and 23a on the respective ends of the first and second terminal portions 22 and 23 (plating work) can be easily conducted.

[177] Although the cut portion 11, the protrusions 1 Ia and the cut lines 12, which are formed in the thin-film board 10, may be formed at the fourth step of forming the cut portion 11, it is preferred that both the cut portion 11, protrusions 11a and the cut lines 12 be formed in a single step when the terminal exposing holes 13 are formed in the thin-film board 10 at the first step in order to reduce the number of steps. Here, in the case where it is necessary to apply the insulating sheet 40 to the entire surface of thin- film board 10 and to form the cut portion 11 in the insulating sheet 40, the cut portion 11 or the like, which is formed in the insulating sheet 40, may also be formed when the terminal exposing holes 41 are formed.

[178] Furthermore, the step of forming the terminal connection hole, which is applied to the second embodiment, may also be included in the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of the present embodiment. That is, in the case where the insulating sheet 40 is attached up to the location at which the end 21b of the loop portion 21 and the end 23b of the second terminal portion 23 are connected, the terminal connection hole 42 may be formed in the insulating sheet 40 at a location that corresponds to that of the folding line 14 of the second terminal portion 23, so that the conductive metal film 2 or conductive ink 2 of the second terminal portion 23 in the portion of the folding line 14 is electrically connected over a predetermined area, when the above- described terminal exposing holes 13 and 41 are formed before the insulating sheet 40 is attached in order to alleviate the concern about electrical disconnection, which was described in connection with the second embodiment. In the embodiment, shown in the drawings, one terminal connection hole 42 is formed in the insulating sheet 40 at the location of the folding line 14.

[179] Here, it is not necessary to form the terminal connection hole 42 in the insulating sheet 40 in the case where the insulating sheet 40 is not attached up to a location that corresponds to that of the folding line 14. Furthermore, in the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of the present embodiment, the thin-film board 10 and the cover sheet 30 do not impede electrical connection between the loop portion 21 and the second terminal portion 23, so that it is not necessary to form the terminal connection hole.

[180] Furthermore, the step of forming the jig holes may be included in the method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of the present embodiment, which is applied to the second embodiment. In the embodiment, shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, two jig holes 16 are formed in the thin-film board 10 at locations closest to the terminal exposing holes 13 in the second terminal portion 23. In this case, one jig hole 16 is formed in the cut portion 11, and the other jig hole 16 is formed at the precise location over which the jig hole 16 in the cut portion 11 is superimposed when the cut portion 11 is folded. In the case where the insulating sheet 40 is attached up to the locations of the jig holes 14, jig holes 43, which correspond to the jig holes 16 in the thin-film board 10, are formed in the insulating sheet 40.

[181]

[182] Fifth embodiment

[183] The method of manufacturing the RFID antenna of the fourth embodiment is an embodiment to which the step of forming and folding the cut portion 11 is necessarily applied. A method of manufacturing an RFID antenna according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, from which the step of forming the cut portion is obviated, is described with reference to FIGS. 14 to 16 below. When the present embodiment is described, the description of constructions the same as those of the previous embodiment are omitted.

[184] Although, in the present embodiment as well, a first step of forming terminal exposing holes 13, 31 and 41 in a thin-film board 10 is first performed, it is necessary to understand subsequent steps before the reason for forming the terminal exposing holes is described. Thus, subsequent steps are first described before the step of forming the terminal exposing holes is described.

[185] A second step in the fifth embodiment is a step of forming a portion of an antenna part 20 having a loop pattern, which is formed by etching the conductive metal film 2 of a thin-film board 10 (B of FIG. 15), on one surface of which the conductive metal film 2 is layered, or by printing conductive ink 2 on the first surface of the thin-film board 10 (C of FIG. 15). The antenna part 20 includes a loop portion 21, and a first terminal portion 22, which is formed to protrude outside the loop portion 21 so as not to cross the loop portion 21.

[186] The second step in the present embodiment differs from the second step in the fourth embodiment in that, in the fourth embodiment, the entire antenna part 20 is formed on the first surface of the thin-film board 10 through a single process using the conductive metal film 2 or the conductive ink 2, but, in the present embodiment, only the loop portion 21 and the first terminal portion 22 are first formed on the first surface of the thin-film board 10 using the conductive metal film 2 or the conductive ink 2, and then a second terminal portion 23 is formed on the first surface of the thin-film board 10 using a separate process.

[187] A third step in the present embodiment is a step that is performed before the second terminal portion 23 is formed at a fourth step, and enables the second terminal portion 23 to protrude outside from the loop portion 21 without forming a short circuit with the loop portion 21 by attaching at least one insulating sheet 40 to the second terminal portion 23 or the loop portion 21 in the portion that corresponds to the second terminal portion 23, so that the second terminal portion 23 is not short-circuited with the loop portion 21, which crosses the second terminal portion 23 (D of FIG. 15). Since the attachment and operation of the insulating sheet 40 are substantially the same as those of the fourth embodiment, the descriptions thereof are omitted.

[188] The fourth step in the present embodiment is a step of forming the second terminal portion 23, which is not formed at the second step (E of FIG. 16). In the present step, the second terminal portion 23 is formed by layering a conductive metal film 2, having a shape that corresponds to that of the second terminal portion 23, on the first surface of the thin-film board 10, on which the loop portion 21 and the first terminal portion 22 are formed, or by printing the conductive ink 2 thereon. In the present embodiment as well, the short circuit between the second terminal portion 23 and the loop portion 21 is prevented by the insulating sheet 40.

[189] In an example in which the conductive metal film 2 is employed, the loop portion

21 and the first terminal portion 22 are formed by etching the conductive metal film 2, whereas the second terminal portion 23 is formed by merely layering and attaching the conductive metal film 2, having a shape that corresponds to that of the second terminal portion 23, rather than by etching.

[190] In this case, the second terminal portion 23 protrudes outside from the loop portion

21 in the state in which one end 23b of the second terminal portion 23 and one end 21b of the loop portion 21 overlap each other by a predetermined distance and is thus electrically connected over a predetermined area.

[191] A fifth step in the present embodiment is a step of protecting the antenna part 20 by layering a cover sheet 30 on the thin-film board 10, on which the antenna part 20 is formed (F of FIG. 16). After the cover sheet 30 is layered, a final RFID antenna is completed by cutting the thin-film board 10 to conform to the outer contour of the antenna part 20 (G of FIG. 16).

[192] The first step in the present embodiment is the same as the step of forming the terminal exposing holes 13 in the fourth embodiment (A of FIG. 15). As shown in the drawings, the terminal exposing holes 13, 31 and 41 are formed in the thin-film board 10, the cover sheet 30 and the insulating sheet 40. When the step of forming the terminal exposing holes 13, 31 and 41 is applied to the present embodiment, the present embodiment differs from the fourth embodiment in that there is no cut portion 11 in the present embodiment and, thus, it is not necessary to form the terminal exposing holes 13 and 41, which are formed in the cut portion 11 in the fourth embodiment.

[193] Here, in the present embodiment as well, it is not necessary to form the terminal exposing holes 41 in the insulating sheet 40 in the case where the insulating sheet 40 is not attached up to the locations that correspond to those of the terminals 22a and 23 a.

[194] Furthermore, in the case where the insulating sheet 40 is attached up to the end 21b of the loop portion 21, the terminal connection hole 42 is formed in the insulating sheet 40 at a location that corresponds to the location (electrical connection portion) at which the end 21b of the loop portion 21 and the end 23b of the second terminal portion 23 overlap each other, so that the end 23b of the second terminal portion 23 is electrically connected with the end 21b of the loop portion 21 over a predetermined area, before the insulating sheet 40 is attached (A of FIG. 15).

[195] The terminal connection hole 42 is formed in advance in the insulating sheet 40, and thus the loop portion 21, which is formed on the first surface of the thin-film board 10, and the second terminal portion 23 are electrically connected to each other via the terminal connection hole 42, which is the overlapping portion, over a predetermined area at the second and fourth steps. Accordingly, it is not necessary to use complicated processes, such as a process of layering the conductive metal film 2 on the entire second surface of the thin-film board 10 and etching the layered conductive metal film 2 in order to form the second terminal portion 23, a via hole-forming process for connecting the isolated second terminal portion 23, and a plating process, as in the conventional technology.

Claims

[1] A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) antenna, comprising a thin-film board

(10), and an antenna part (20) having a loop pattern, which is continuously formed without any disconnection by etching a conductive metal film (2) layered on the first surface of the thin-film board (10) or by printing conductive ink (2) on the first surface of the thin-film board (10), wherein: the antenna part (20) comprises a loop portion (21), a first terminal portion (22), which is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion (21) so as not to cross the loop portion (21), and a second terminal portion (23), which is formed to protrude inside from the loop portion (21) so as not to cross the loop portion (21); and the thin-film board (10) comprises a cut portion (11), which is formed by cutting part of a circumference of the second terminal portion (23), the second terminal portion (23) being formed to protrude outside from the loop portion (21) without forming a short circuit with the loop portion (21) by folding the cut portion (11) in a direction of the second surface of the thin-film board (10), on which no conductive metal film (2) or no conductive ink (2) exists.

[2] A method of manufacturing an RFID antenna, comprising the steps of: forming an antenna part (20) having a loop pattern, which is formed by etching a conductive metal film (2) layered on the first surface of a thin-film board (10) or by printing conductive ink (2) on the first surface of the thin-film board (20), and which is continuously formed without any disconnection, the antenna part (20) comprising a loop portion (21), a first terminal portion (22), which is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion (21) so as not to cross the loop portion (21), and a second terminal portion (23), which is formed to protrude inside from the loop portion (21) so as not to cross the loop portion (21); causing the second terminal portion (23) to protrude outside from the loop portion (21) without forming a short circuit with the loop portion (21) by folding a cut portion (11), which is formed by cutting the thin-film board (10) along part of a circumference of the second terminal portion (23), in a direction of the second surface of the thin-film board (10), on which no conductive metal film (2) and no conductive ink (2) exists; and applying cover sheets (30) to respective surfaces of the thin-film board (10), on which the antenna part (20) is formed.

[3] The method according to claim 2, further comprising a step of forming terminal exposing holes (13, 31) in the thin-film board (10) and the cover sheets (30) at locations that correspond to a terminal (22a) of the first terminal portion (22) and a terminal (23a) of the second terminal portion (23), so that the conductive metal film (2) or conductive ink (2) of the first terminal portion (22) and the conductive metal film (2) or conductive ink (2) of the second terminal portion (23) are exposed, before the conductive metal film (2) is layered on the first surface of the thin-film board (10), before the conductive ink (2) is printed on the first surface of the thin-film board (10), or before the cover sheets (30) are applied to the respective surfaces of the thin-film board (10).

[4] The method according to claim 3, further comprising a step of forming a terminal connection hole (15) in the thin-film board (10) at a location that corresponds to a folding line (14) of the cut portion (11) so that the conductive metal film (2) or conductive ink (2) of the second terminal portion (23) in a portion of the folding line (14) is electrically connected over a predetermined area, before the conductive metal film (2) is layered on the thin-film board (10) or before the conductive ink (2) is printed on the first surface of the thin-film board (10).

[5] A method of manufacturing an RFID antenna, comprising the steps of: forming one portion of an antenna part (20) having a loop pattern, which is formed by etching a conductive metal film (2) layered on the first surface of a thin-film board (10) or by printing conductive ink (2) on the first surface of the thin-film board (20), the antenna part (20) comprising a loop portion (21), and a first terminal portion (22), which is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion (21) so as not to cross the loop portion (21); forming a second terminal portion (23), that is, a remaining portion of the antenna part (20), by layering the conductive metal film (2) on the second surface of the thin-film board (10) or printing the conductive ink (2) on the second surface of the thin-film board (10), so that one end (23b) thereof is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion (21) while being electrically connected with one end (21b) of the loop portion 21 over a predetermined area by overlapping with the end (21b) of the loop portion (21) to a predetermined distance; applying cover sheets (30) to respective surfaces of the thin-film board (10) on which the antenna part (20) is formed; forming a terminal connection hole (15) in the thin-film board (10) at a location that corresponds to an location at which the end (21b) of the loop portion (21) and the end (23b) of the second terminal portion (23) overlap each other so that the end (21b) of the loop portion (21) and the end (23b) of the second terminal portion (23) are electrically connected to each other over a predetermined area, before the conductive metal film (2) is layered on the thin-film board (10) or before the conductive ink (2) is printed on the thin-film board (10). [6] The method according to claim 5, further comprising a step of, at the step of forming the terminal connection hole (15), forming terminal exposing holes (13, 31) in the thin-film board (10) and the cover sheets (30) at locations that correspond to a terminal (22a) of the first terminal portion (22) and a terminal (23a) of the second terminal portion (23) so that the conductive metal film (2) or conductive ink (2) of the first terminal portion (22) and the conductive metal film (2) or conductive ink (2) of the second terminal portion (23) are exposed.

[7] A method of manufacturing an RFID antenna, comprising the steps of: forming an antenna part (20) having a loop pattern, which is formed by etching a conductive metal film (2) layered on the first surface of a thin-film board (10) or by printing conductive ink (2) on the first surface of the thin-film board (20) and which is continuously formed without any disconnection, the antenna part (20) comprising a loop portion (21), a first terminal portion (22), which is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion (21) so as not to cross the loop portion (21), and a second terminal portion (23), which is formed to protrude inside from the loop portion (21) so as not to cross the loop portion (21); attaching at least one insulating sheet (40) to the second terminal portion (23) or the loop portion (21) of a portion that corresponds to the second terminal portion (23) so that the second terminal portion (23) and the loop portion (21), which crosses the second terminal portion (23), are not short-circuited, when the second terminal portion (23), which is located inside the loop portion (21), protrudes outside from the loop portion (21); causing the second terminal portion (23) to protrude outside from the loop portion (21) without forming a short circuit with the loop portion (21) by folding a cut portion (11), which is formed by cutting the thin-film board (10) along part of a circumference of the second terminal portion (23), in a direction of the first surface of the thin-film board (10), on which the conductive metal film (2) or the conductive ink (2) exists; and applying a cover sheet (30) to the thin-film board (10), on which the antenna part (20) is formed.

[8] The method according to claim 7, further comprising a step of forming terminal exposing holes (13, 31) in the thin-film board (10) and the cover sheet (30) at locations that correspond to a terminal (22a) of the first terminal portion (22) and a terminal (23a) of the second terminal portion (23) so that the conductive metal film (2) or conductive ink (2) of the first terminal portion (22) and the conductive metal film (2) or conductive ink (2) of the second terminal portion (23) are exposed, before the conductive metal film (2) is layered on the first surface of the thin-film board (10), before the conductive ink (2) is printed on the first surface of the thin-film board (10), or before the cover sheet (30) is applied to the thin- film board (10).

[9] The method according to claim 7, further comprising, when the insulating sheet

(40) is attached to a connection location between one end (21b) of the loop portion (21) and one end (23b) of the second terminal portion (23), a step of forming a terminal connection hole (42) in the insulating sheet (40) at a location that corresponds to a folding line (14) of the cut portion (11) so that the conductive metal film (2) or conductive ink (2) of the second terminal portion (23) in a portion of the folding line (14) is electrically connected over a predetermined area, before the insulating sheet (40) is attached thereto.

[10] A method of manufacturing an RFID antenna, comprising: forming one portion of an antenna part (20) having a loop pattern, which is formed by etching a conductive metal film (2) layered on the first surface of a thin-film board (10) or by printing conductive ink (2) on the first surface of the thin-film board (20), the antenna part (20) comprising a loop portion (21), and a first terminal portion (22), which is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion (21) so as not to cross the loop portion (21); forming a second terminal portion (23), that is, a remaining portion of the antenna part (20), by layering the conductive metal film (2) on the first surface of the thin-film board (10) or printing the conductive ink (2) on the first surface of the thin-film board (10), so that one end (23b) thereof is formed to protrude outside from the loop portion (21) while being electrically connected with one end (21b) of the loop portion (21) over a predetermined area by overlapping with the end (21b) of the loop portion (21) to a predetermined distance; attaching at least one insulating sheet (40) between the loop portion (21) and the second terminal portion (23) in a path along which the second terminal portion (23) protrudes outside from the loop portion (21), and causing the second terminal portion (23) to protrude outside from the loop portion (21) without forming a short circuit with the loop portion (21), before the second terminal portion (23) is connected to the loop portion (21); applying a cover sheet (30) to the thin-film board (10), on which the antenna part (20) is formed; and forming terminal exposing holes (13, 31) in the thin-film board (10) and the cover sheet (30) at locations that correspond to a terminal (22a) of the first terminal portion (22) and a terminal (23a) of the second terminal portion (23) so that the conductive metal film (2) or conductive ink (2) of the first terminal portion (22) and the conductive metal film (2) or conductive ink (2) of the second terminal portion (23) are exposed, before the conductive metal film (2) is layered on the first surface of the thin-film board (10), before the conductive ink (2) is printed on the first surface of the thin-film board (10), or before the cover sheet (30) is applied to the thin-film board (10).

[11] The method according to claim 10, further comprising, when the insulating sheet

(40) is attached to the end (21b) of the loop portion (21), a step of forming a terminal connection hole (42) in the insulating sheet (40) at a location that corresponds to a location at which the end (21b) of the loop portion (21) and one end (23b) of the second terminal portion (23) overlap each other so that the end (21b) of the loop portion (21) and the end (23b) of the second terminal portion (23) are electrically connected to each other over a predetermined area, before the insulating sheet (40) is attached thereto.