Patent Application
20070205950
The following relates to an antenna assembly for use in wireless communication.
A detailed description and accompanying drawing are set forth below.
With reference to
Many of these communication systems, whether they include a transmitter, receiver, or transceiver, may be designed to operate in multiple frequency bands. As a result, such communication systems may utilize multiple antennas for transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals in such multiple frequency bands.
Where multiple antennas are utilized, the antennas must be placed one at a time on a circuit board during assembly or manufacture of the wireless system. As a result, each of the individual antennas must be designed to be stable enough to prevent rocking or falling over during the process of attachment of the antenna to the circuit board.
Moreover, individual attachment of multiple antennas to the circuit board also increases assembly time and cost, and creates potential problems associated with handling, placement and stability of the antennas prior to attachment to the circuit board. Still further, space on the circuit board is limited, and individual attachment of multiple antennas to the board decreases the ability to place the antennas in close proximity and conserve board space.
Thus, there exists a need for an antenna assembly for use in a wireless communication system, such as for automotive applications including RKE, TPM, remote control of GDO systems, vehicle immobilization, voice activated controls, and the like, that overcomes these problems. Such an assembly would allow for multiple antennas to be placed substantially simultaneously on a circuit board during assembly or manufacture of the wireless system. Such an assembly would thereby decrease assembly time and cost, ease handling of the antennas prior to attachment to the circuit board, and allow for high density placement of the multiple antennas on the circuit board.
Referring now more specifically to
As seen in
Referring still to
The antennas (12, 14, 16) may be ganged together by the ganging member (18) according to any insert molding process well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Alternatively, the antennas (12, 14, 16) may be ganged together by the ganging member (18) according to any potting process well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Once again, in such processes, the ganging member (18) may encapsulate the antennas (12, 14, 16), although encapsulation is not required.
Referring now to
In contrast to the antennas (12, 14, 16), which are comprised of a conductive material, the ganging member (18) is comprised of a non-conductive material. As a result, the ganging member (18) does not interfere with the transmission and/or reception of wireless signals by the antennas (12, 14, 16). It should also be noted that the antennas (12, 14, 16) may be ganged together by ganging member (18) at any distance from each other sufficient to allow for proper operation of the antennas (12, 14, 16) in a wireless communication system. In that regard, the dimensions between the individual antennas (12, 14, 16) in the antenna assembly (10) need not be the same.
As a result of the antennas (12, 14, 16) being ganged together by ganging member (18), the antenna assembly (10) may be attached to or installed on a circuit board as a unit. That is, by ganging the antennas (12, 14, 16) together, the ganging member (18) facilitates substantially simultaneous connection of the antennas (12, 14, 16) to a circuit board. Still further, the antenna assembly (10) also provides for high density placement of the antennas (12, 14, 16) on a circuit board. That is, by ganging the antennas (12, 14, 16) together, the ganging member (18) facilitates high density placement of the antennas on a circuit board.
In that regard, referring again to
From the foregoing it can be seen that the antenna assembly (10) overcomes the problems described above concerning individual attachment of multiple antennas to the circuit board including increased assembly time and cost, handling, placement and stability of individual antennas prior to attachment to a circuit board, and the inability to place individual antennas in close proximity on a circuit board. More particularly, the antenna assembly (10) may be used in any wireless communication system, including such systems in automotive applications such as RKE, TPM, remote control of GDO systems, vehicle immobilization, voice activated controls, and the like. The antenna assembly (10) allows for multiple antennas (12, 14, 16) to be placed substantially simultaneously on a circuit board (24) during assembly or manufacture of the wireless system. The antenna assembly (10) thereby decreases assembly time and cost, eases handling of the antennas (12, 14, 16) prior to attachment to a circuit board (24), and allows for high density placement of the antennas (12, 14, 16) on a circuit board (24).
While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
