Patent Application
20240258702
This application is based upon and claims benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-011973, filed on Jan. 30, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to an inverted L antenna and an antenna device.
In recent years, various types of antennas have been developed. The above antennas include, for example, an inverted L antenna as disclosed in JP 2013-17034.
However, a general inverted L antenna has a structure that stands by itself on a substrate with a single support point interposed therebetween, and therefore lacks stability. In a case where the inverted L antenna has such a structure, there is a probability that the inverted L antenna falls down due to an impact or the like during a manufacturing process or after shipping of a product, and stops functioning.
The present invention has been made in light of the above problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an inverted L antenna that can be more stably arranged on a substrate.
To solve the above described problem, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inverted L antenna arranged on a substrate, the inverted L antenna comprising: a parallel part arranged in substantially parallel to the substrate; a power feeding point contact part extended from the parallel part substantially perpendicularly to the parallel part; and a leg part formed separately from the power feeding point contact part, and extended from the parallel part substantially perpendicularly to the parallel part, wherein a contact portion of the leg part and the substrate is electrically insulated.
To solve the above described problem, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an antenna device comprising: a substrate; and an inverted L antenna arranged on a substrate, wherein the inverted L antenna includes: a parallel part arranged in substantially parallel to the substrate; a power feeding point contact part extended from the parallel part substantially perpendicularly to the parallel part; and a leg part formed separately from the power feeding point contact part, and extended from the parallel part substantially perpendicularly to the parallel part, and a contact portion of the leg part and the substrate is electrically insulated.
As described above, the present invention can provide an inverted L antenna that can be more stably arranged on a substrate.
Hereinafter, referring to the appended drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. It should be noted that, in this specification and the appended drawings, structural elements that have substantially the same function and structure are denoted with the same reference numerals, and repeated explanation thereof is omitted.
Furthermore, the same types of a plurality of existing components will be distinguished and described by assigning alphabets to ends of reference numerals in this description and the drawings in some cases. On the other hand, in a case where the same types of the plurality of existing components do not need to be distinguished, the above alphabets will be omitted, and common description will be made on all of the same types of the plurality of existing components in some cases.
First, shape examples of an inverted L antenna 110 included in an antenna device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
The inverted L antenna 110 according to the present embodiment transmits and receives wireless signals that conform to specific communication standards.
The inverted L antenna according to the present embodiment may be formed by one or a plurality of metal plates.
An example of the specific communication standards according to the present embodiment includes Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) wireless communication.
On the other hand, the specific communication standards according to the present embodiment are not limited to the above example. Arbitrary communication standards may be adopted for the specific communication standards according to the present embodiment.
Furthermore, the inverted L antenna 110 according to the present embodiment has been conceived focusing on more stably arranging the inverted L antenna 110 on a substrate 150, and has a characteristic shape described later.
The inverted L antenna 110 according to the present embodiment includes a parallel part 112, a power feeding point contact part 114, and a leg part 116.
The parallel part 112 according to the present embodiment may be a flat plate component that is not in contact with the substrate 150. The parallel part 112 according to the present embodiment may be arranged, for example, in substantially parallel to the substrate 150.
The power feeding point contact part 114 according to the present embodiment is extended from the parallel part 112 substantially perpendicularly to the parallel part 112, and has the lower end that is in contact with a power feeding point 170 arranged on the substrate 150.
The leg part 116 according to the present embodiment is formed separately from the power feeding point contact part 114, and is extended from the parallel part 112 substantially perpendicularly to the parallel part 112.
Furthermore, one of features is that a contact portion of the leg part 116 and the substrate 150 according to the present embodiment is electrically insulated.
According to the above feature, it is possible to transmit and receive wireless signals that conform to the specific communication standards while more stably arranging the inverted L antenna 110 on the substrate 150.
Furthermore, the inverted L antenna 110 according to the present embodiment is formed such that an antenna length defined by the lengths of the parallel part 112, the power feeding point contact part 114, and the leg part 116 is approximately ΒΌ of a wavelength of a wireless signal that conforms to the specific communication standards.
Hereinafter, the shape examples of the inverted L antenna 110 according to the present embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to each of
An inverted L antenna 110A illustrated in
The power feeding point contact part 114A has the lower end that is in contact with the power feeding point 170 (indicated by a diagonal line pattern) arranged on the substrate 150.
Note that the shapes of the power feeding point contact part 114 illustrated in
Furthermore, the shape of the power feeding point 170 illustrated in
The leg part 116A has the lower end that is in contact with the substrate 150. One of the features of the antenna device 10 according to the present embodiment is that a GND 160 (indicated by a dot pattern) is not arranged at a contact portion of the leg part 116A and the substrate 150 as illustrated in
That is, the contact portion of the leg part 116A and the substrate 150 according to the present embodiment is electrically insulated.
According to the above configuration, it is possible to transmit and receive wireless signals that conform to the specific communication standards while more stably arranging the inverted L antenna 110A on the substrate 150.
Note that the contact portion of the lower end of the leg part 116A and the substrate 150 may be bent as illustrated in
Note that the above bending structure may be also formed at the lower end of the power feeding point contact part 114A.
The inverted L antenna 110A according to the present embodiment can be manufactured at low cost by press-machining one metal plate.
Next, the shape of an inverted L antenna 110B according to the present embodiment will be described with reference
The inverted L antenna 110B illustrated in
The two leg parts 116B have the lower ends that are in contact with the substrate 150. Contact portions of the leg parts 116B and the substrate 150 according to the present embodiment are electrically insulated.
According to the above configuration, it is possible to transmit and receive wireless signals that conform to the specific communication standards while more stably arranging the inverted L antenna 110B on the substrate 150.
Furthermore, the inverted L antenna 110B according to the present embodiment is supported on the substrate 150 by three support points (the power feeding point contact part 114B and the two leg parts 116B), so that an effect that stability increases is expected. Note that the above-described bending structure may be formed at the lower end of the leg part 116B.
Note that the inverted L antenna 110B according to the present embodiment can be manufactured at low cost by press-machining one metal plate.
Next, the shape of an inverted L antenna 110C according to the present embodiment will be described with reference
The inverted L antenna 110C illustrated in
The two leg parts 116C have the lower ends that are in contact with the substrate 150. Contact portions of the leg part 116C and the substrate 150 according to the present embodiment are electrically insulated.
According to the above configuration, it is possible to transmit and receive wireless signals that conform to the specific communication standards while more stably arranging the inverted L antenna 110C on the substrate 150.
Furthermore, the inverted L antenna 110C according to the present embodiment is supported on the substrate 150 by three support points (the power feeding point contact part 114C and the two leg parts 116C), so that an effect that stability increases is expected. Note that the above-described bending structure may be formed at the lower end of the leg part 116C.
The inverted L antenna 110C according to the present embodiment can be manufactured at low cost by press-machining one metal plate.
Next, the shape of an inverted L antenna 110D according to the present embodiment will be described with reference
In the inverted L antenna 110D illustrated in
The leg part 116D has the lower end that is in contact with the substrate 150. A contact portion of the leg part 116D and the substrate 150 according to the present embodiment is electrically insulated. Note that the above-described bending structure may be formed at the lower end of the leg part 116D.
According to the above configuration, it is possible to transmit and receive wireless signals that conform to the specific communication standards while more stably arranging the inverted L antenna 110D on the substrate 150.
Note that the inverted L antenna 110D according to the present embodiment can be manufactured at low cost by press-machining one metal plate.
Next, the shape of an inverted L antenna 110E according to the present embodiment will be described with reference
In the inverted L antenna 110E illustrated in
The two leg parts 116E have the lower ends that are in contact with the substrate 150. Contact portions of the leg part 116E and the substrate 150 according to the present embodiment are electrically insulated. Note that the above-described bending structure may be formed at the lower end of the leg part 116E.
According to the above configuration, it is possible to transmit and receive wireless signals that conform to the specific communication standards while more stably arranging the inverted L antenna 110E on the substrate 150.
The inverted L antenna 110 according to the present embodiment has been basically described above. Next, the modified examples of the inverted L antenna 110 according to the present embodiment will be described.
Note that, although description on the following modified examples will adopt the inverted L antenna 110A as a main example, the inverted L antennas 110B to 110E can be also modified likewise.
As illustrated at the upper part in
Furthermore, as illustrated at the middle part in
In this case, there is an advantage that it is easy to form a fillet at a time of fixing using a conductive adhesive such as a solder, and, moreover, it is easy to check the formed fillet.
On the other hand, the power feeding point contact part 114A and the leg part 116A according to the present embodiment may not have the bending structures as illustrated at the lower part in
Even in this case, the inverted L antenna 110A can stand by itself on the substrate 150 by being fixed using a conductive adhesive such as a solder.
Furthermore, the inverted L antenna 110A may include opening parts 210A in the vicinity just above the contact portion of the leg part 116A and the substrate 150.
The inverted L antenna 110A is formed using a metal material, and therefore has high thermal conductivity. Hence, when fixing is performed using a conductive adhesive such as a solder, heat tends to escape upward.
However, in a case where the opening parts 210 are formed in the vicinity just above the contact portion of the leg part 116A and the substrate 150 as illustrated in
Next, a modified example where an antenna length is secured will be described.
To secure the antenna length of interest, the inverted L antenna 110A according to the present embodiment may have a structure such as slits 220A for causing a current to detour.
As illustrated in
In a case where the inverted L antenna 110A includes the slits 220A as illustrated in
Note that, although
The slits 220A according to the present embodiment may be formed in opposing two directions as illustrated at, for example, the upper part and the lower part in
Furthermore, structures that are formed in the inverted L antenna 110A and cause a current to detour are not limited to the slits 220A. The structures may be the opening parts 210A.
As illustrated in
In a case where the inverted L antenna 110A includes the opening parts 210A as illustrated in
The slits 220A and the opening parts 210A that are the structures for causing a current to detour have been described above. Formation patterns of the slits 220A and the opening parts 210A may be designed as appropriate according to an antenna length of interest, the size of the inverted L antenna 110A, and the like.
The modified example where the antenna length is secured has been described above. Next, a modified example on the shape of the power feeding point contact part 114A will be described.
The power feeding point contact part 114A of the inverted L antenna 110A according to the present embodiment may be formed such that a width W2 of the lower end that is in contact with the power feeding point 170 is shorter than a width W1 of the upper end.
According to the above shape, it is possible to obtain an effect that it is easy to perform impedance matching.
In this regard, in a case where impedance matching can be performed by other means, the width W2 of the lower end may be approximately the same as the width W1 of the upper end as illustrated at the right end of the lower part in
Next, a modified example in a case where the inverted L antenna 110A according to the present embodiment includes stabs 240A will be described.
As illustrated in
As illustrated at the upper part in
The stabs 240A formed as described above can cause a current to further flow in the direction perpendicular to the direction that connects the power feeding point contact part 114A and the leg part 116A, and consequently can cause the inverted L antenna 110A to function as a circularly polarized antenna.
Alternatively, as illustrated at the lower part in
Furthermore, the stab 240A may be bent at, for example, a portion indicated by a two-dot-dash line in
The stabs 240A according to the present embodiment can efficiently adjust a polarized wave and the antenna length.
Next, a mold structure according to the present embodiment will be described.
As illustrated at the upper part in
Alternatively, as illustrated at the lower part in
This mold structure that uses the insulation material 250 can effectively prevent change of the shape of the inverted L antenna 110A.
Next, a modified example in a case where the inverted L antenna 110A according to the present embodiment includes support parts 260A will be described.
The support parts 260A according to the present embodiment are components that support the inverted L antenna 110A to stand by itself on the substrate 150.
As illustrated in
The support parts 260A according to the present embodiment enable the inverted L antenna 110A to more stably stand by itself on the substrate 150.
Next, a modified example of the metal plate according to the present embodiment will be described.
The case where the inverted L antenna 110A according to the present embodiment is formed by one metal plate has been mainly described above.
On the other hand, the inverted L antenna 110A according to the present embodiment may be formed by a plurality of metal plates.
As illustrated in
While a region between the metal plate 110A1 and the metal plate 110A2 is not directly conducted, the region operates as a capacitor, so that it is possible to perform conduction at a high frequency, and it is also possible to implement an antenna function of the inverted L antenna 110A.
Note that, for example, the insulation material 250 may be filled in the region between the metal plate 110A1 and the metal plate 110A2 as illustrated in
In this case, it is possible to more stably keep the shape (structure) of the inverted L antenna 110A.
Heretofore, preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the appended drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto. It is obvious that a person skilled in the art can arrive at various alterations and modifications within the scope of the technical ideas defined in the claims, and it should be naturally understood that such alterations and modifications are also encompassed by the technical scope of the present invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-011973 | Jan 2023 | JP | national |
