Circuit module

• US 20020027531A1
• Filed: 07/25/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Original Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Inventors: Letkomiller, Joseph Michael, Pollack, Richard Stephen, Brown, Robert Walter
• Granted Patent: US 6,388,636 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/895
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2241 used in or for vehicle tyres
• 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 9/27 Spiral antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/72 Circuits or components for simulating antennas, e.g. dummy antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/183 Components mounted in and supported by recessed areas of the printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4611 by laminating two or more circuit boards H05K3/4652 takes precedence

Abstract

Circuit modules having one, two or three double-sided printed circuit boards (PCBs). Each PCB can have coils formed as spiral traces on both sides thereof. The coils can all be connected together, in series or in parallel, to function as a coil antenna. Alternatively, selected ones of the spiral traces can be connected to function as one winding of a transformer, the other coils functioning as another winding of the transformer and connected to an external antenna. Electronic components can be mounted to a lower one of the PCBs, and in embodiments having two or three PCBs, the PCB overlying the lower PCB has a central opening to accommodate the electronic components. A ferrite rod antenna may be disposed in the opening, aligned parallel to the PCBs, to provide a dual-directional antenna system.

Claims

1. A circuit module comprising:

a first printed circuit board having a first surface and a second surface;

electronic components mounted to the first surface of the first printed circuit board;

characterized by;

a first long conductive trace disposed on the first surface of the first printed circuit board, said first long conductive trace having two ends; and

a second long conductive trace disposed on the second surface of the first printed circuit board, said second long conductive trace having two ends;

wherein;

the second long conductive trace is connected in series or in parallel with the first long conductive trace; and

each of the first and second long conductive traces forms a portion of a coil which is connected to selected ones of the electronic components.

2. Circuit module, according to claim 1, characterized by:

a second printed circuit board having a first surface and a second surface;

a third long conductive trace (230, 330) disposed on the first surface of the second printed circuit board, said third long conductive trace having two ends;

wherein;

the third long conductive trace is connected in series or in parallel with the first and second long conductive traces; and

each of the first, second and third long conductive traces forms a portion of a coil which is connected to selected ones of the electronic components.

3. Circuit module, according to claim 2, characterized in that:

the second printed circuit board is in the form of a ring, having an opening; and

the opening forms a cavity for containing the electronic components.

4. Circuit module, according to claim 2, characterized by:

a third printed circuit board, positioned on the opposite side of the second printed circuit board as the first printed circuit board, having a first surface and a second surface;

a fourth long conductive trace disposed on the first surface of the third printed circuit board, said fourth long conductive trace having two ends;

wherein;

the fourth long conductive trace is connected in series or in parallel with the first, second and third long conductive traces; and

each of the first, second, third and fourth long conductive traces forms a portion of a coil which is connected to selected ones of the electronic components.

5. Circuit module, according to claim 1, characterized by:

a second printed circuit board having a first surface and a second surface;

a third long conductive trace disposed on the first surface of the second printed circuit board, said third long conductive trace having two ends;

wherein;

a coil formed by the connected first and second long conductive traces functions as a first winding of a transformer; and

the third long conductive trace functions as a second winding of the transformer.

6. Circuit module, according to claim 5, characterized in that:

the second printed circuit board is in the form of a ring, having an opening; and

the opening forms a cavity for containing the electronic components.

7. Circuit module, according to claim 5, characterized by:

an antenna connected to the third long conductive trace.

8. Circuit module, according to claim 7, characterized in that:

the circuit module is an RF transponder; and

the antenna is disposed circumferentially around an inner surface of a pneumatic tire.

9. Circuit module, according to claim 7, characterized in that:

the second printed circuit board is in the form of a ring having an opening;

where

the opening forms a cavity for containing the electronic components.

10. Circuit module, according to claim 5, characterized by:

a third printed circuit board disposed between the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board.

11. Circuit module, according to claim 10, characterized in that:

the third printed circuit board is in the form of a ring having an opening; and

the opening forms a cavity for containing the electronic components.

12. Circuit module, according to claim 5, characterized by:

a fourth long conductive trace disposed on the second surface of the second printed circuit board, said fourth long conductive trace having two ends;

wherein;

the fourth long conductive trace is connected in series or in parallel with the third long conductive trace;

a coil formed by the connected first and second long conductive traces functions as a first winding of a transformer; and

a coil formed by the connected third and fourth long conductive traces functions as a second winding of the transformer.

13. Circuit module, according to claim 12, characterized by:

a third printed circuit board disposed between the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board.

14. Circuit module, according to claim 13, characterized in that:

the third printed circuit board is in the form of a ring having an opening; and

the opening forms a cavity for containing the electronic components.

15. Circuit module, according to claim 14, characterized by:

an antenna connected to the coil formed by the connected third and fourth long conductive traces.

16. Circuit module, according to claim 1, characterized in that:

a second printed circuit board is in the form of a ring, having an opening;

a third printed circuit board having a first surface and a second surface;

a third long conductive trace disposed on the first surface of the third printed circuit board, said third long conductive trace having two ends;

a fourth long conductive trace disposed on the second surface of the third printed circuit board, said fourth long conductive trace having two ends;

wherein;

the second printed circuit board is positioned between the first surface of the first printed circuit board and the second surface of the third printed circuit board with the opening in the second printed circuit board forming a cavity for containing the electronic components;

the ends of the first, second, third and fourth long conductive traces are connected to each other in series or in parallel; and

each of the first, second, third and fourth long conductive traces forms a portion of a coil which is connected to selected ones of the electronic components.

17. Circuit module, according to claim 16, characterized by:

a ferrite antenna (410) comprising a coil of wire wound about a ferrite rod disposed within the cavity formed by the opening in the second printed circuit board.

18. Circuit module, according to claim 17, characterized by:

the ferrite rod being oriented so that its axis is parallel to the first surface of the second printed circuit board.

20. An RF transponder, according to claim 19, characterized in that:

the molding material is selected from the group consisting of essentially Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) rubber, butyl rubber, synthetic rubber, natural rubber, neoprene and mixtures thereof.

19. An RF transponder circuit module comprising at least one printed circuit board (102) with electronic components on a surface thereof, characterized by:

an antenna coil comprised of a long conductive trace on at least one surface of the at least one printed circuit board; and

a molding material disposed on all external surfaces of the circuit module.