Fabrication method and apparatus for antenna structures in wireless communications devices
First Claim
1. An antenna comprising:
- a non-conducting substrate;
a radiating/receiving element formed on said substrate;
a meanderline element formed on said substrate and electrically connected to said radiating/receiving element; and
wherein said meanderline element has an effective electrical length greater than the physical length thereof.
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Abstract
There is disclosed a meanderline loaded antenna formed by applying a conductive ink or other conductive material to a flexible substrate. The substrate is then shaped by removing regions and folding other regions along perforated or scored lines to fit the antenna within the available space of a wireless device. In lieu of folding regions of a planar substrate to form a three-dimensional structure, the substrate can be vacuum formed over a mandrel after the antenna elements have been formed thereon. The antenna can also be formed by printing on existing enclosure surfaces of a wireless device or on the surfaces of components within the device. Thus the advantages offered by a meanderline antenna where the effective electrical length is greater than the actual physical length are achieved in conjunction with a space-saving physical structure for the antenna.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An antenna comprising:
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a non-conducting substrate;
a radiating/receiving element formed on said substrate;
a meanderline element formed on said substrate and electrically connected to said radiating/receiving element; and
wherein said meanderline element has an effective electrical length greater than the physical length thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30)
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19. An antenna having a three dimensional shape having a plurality of surfaces, comprising:
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a non-conducting substrate in the three dimensional shape;
a plurality of meanderline elements disposed on at least one surface of said substrate;
a plurality of radiating/receiving elements disposed on one at least one surface of said substrate, wherein each one of said plurality of radiating/receiving elements is connected to one of said plurality of meanderline elements.
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24. An antenna comprising:
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a non-conducting substrate having first and second surfaces;
at least two meanderline elements disposed on the first surface of said substrate;
a radiating/receiving element disposed on the second surface of said substrate and having first and second terminals;
wherein a first terminal of at least a first one of said at least two meanderline elements is electrically connected to said first terminal of said radiating/receiving element by a first conductive plug passing through said substrate; and
wherein a first terminal of at least a second one of said at least two meanderline elements is electrically connected to said second terminal of said radiating/receiving element by a second conductive plug passing through said substrate.
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29. A process for forming an antenna on a non-conductive substrate, comprising:
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applying conductive material on the substrate to form at least one radiating/receiving element;
applying conductive material on the substrate to form at least one meanderline element, wherein said meanderline element is electrically connected to said radiating/receiving element; and
forming the substrate into a desired shape.
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Specification