Antenna apparatus having a simplified structure

• US 20020018026A1
• Filed: 08/02/2001
• Published: 02/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd. (Minebea Mitsumi, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd. (Minebea Mitsumi, Inc.)
• Inventors: Noro, Junichi
• Granted Patent: US 6,538,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/895
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/362 for broadside radiating helical antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 11/08 Helical antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/20 Two collinear substantially straight active elements; Substantially straight single active elements H01Q9/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/32 Vertical arrangement of element H01Q9/40 takes precedence

Abstract

In an antenna apparatus, a first antenna and a second antenna for receiving radio waves different from each other are mounted to a single case or a single substrate. The first and the second antennas are connected through a common cable to a receiver body. The first antenna is a helical antenna and comprises an insulating cylindrical bobbin, a plurality of wires helically wound around the insulating cylindrical bobbin, and a ring-shaped insulating wire holder for fixing the wires to the insulating cylindrical bobbin. The second antenna is a monopole antenna and can be arranged inside the insulating cylindrical bobbin. The insulating cylindrical bobbin comprises a hollow center member having a center axis coincident with a center axis thereof so that the center axis of the monopole antenna is coincident with that of the helical antenna, and a rib supporting the hollow cylindrical member. The antenna apparatus has a top cover covering the antennas and provided with a protrusion for inhibiting the rotation of the ring-shaped insulating wire holder.

Claims

1. An antenna apparatus comprising a plurality of antennas for receiving, as reception signals, radio waves different from one another in frequency and connected to a receiver body, said antenna apparatus further comprising:

a single case or a single substrate to which said antennas are mounted; and

a single cable for transmitting to said receiver body a combined reception signal obtained by combining said reception signals received by said antennas.

2. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said case or said substrate is provided with a plurality of low-noise amplifiers corresponding to said antennas, respectively.

3. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said case or said substrate is provided with shield covers corresponding to said antennas, respectively.

4. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said case or said substrate is provided with a shield cover in common to said antennas.

5. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a top cover covering all of said antennas.

6. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said antennas is a helical antenna.

7. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said helical antenna comprises:

an insulating cylindrical bobbin;

a wire member helically wound around an outer peripheral surface of said cylindrical bobbin; and

a plurality of ring-shaped insulating wire holders fitted to said cylindrical bobbin to fix said wire member to said cylindrical bobbin.

8. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said wire member comprises a plurality of wires.

9. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of said wire holders has a notch for engaging said wire member.

10. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least an uppermost one of said wire holders is fixed in position with respect to said cylindrical bobbin under frictional force.

11. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a top cover covering all of said antennas, said uppermost wire holder having a recess or a cut formed at its outer periphery, wherein:

said top cover has a protrusion to be engaged with said recess or said cut to inhibit the rotation of said uppermost wire holder in a circumferential direction.

12. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least a part of said top cover where said helical antenna is accommodated has a cylindrical shape, said protrusion being formed on an inner peripheral surface of said cylindrical shape to extend in a lengthwise direction.

13. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein a lowermost one of said wire holders is integrally formed with said bobbin.

14. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

each of said antennas has a boss pin formed at its lower end;

said boss pin being inserted into a hole formed in said case or said substrate and fused to said case or said substrate.

15. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said antennas include a helical antenna and a monopole antenna;

said helical antenna having a cylindrical bobbin;

said monopole antenna being arranged inside said cylindrical bobbin.

16. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said cylindrical bobbin comprises:

an outer cylindrical member;

a hollow center member having a center axis coincident with that of said outer cylindrical member and adapted to insert said monopole antenna; and

three or more ribs radially extending from said center member to said outer cylindrical member to connect said center member and said outer cylindrical member to each other;

said outer cylindrical member, said center member, and said rib being integrally formed with one another.

17. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein each of said outer cylindrical member, said center member, and said rib is made of a resin material.

18. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said center member extends from one end to the other end of said outer cylindrical member.

19. An antenna apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said center member is shorter in length than said outer cylindrical member.

20. A method of producing an antenna apparatus comprising a helical antenna, said method comprising the steps of:

arranging a plurality of wires on an outer peripheral surface of an insulating cylindrical member in its lengthwise direction;

fitting a ring-shaped insulating wire holder to said insulating cylindrical member so as to hold said wire; and

rotating said ring-shaped insulating wire holder in a circumferential direction of said insulating cylindrical member by a predetermined angle.

21. A method of producing an antenna apparatus comprising an antenna, said method comprising the steps of:

inserting a boss pin formed at a lower end of said antenna into a hole formed in a substrate; and

heating said boss pin to fuse said boss pin to said substrate.