Fabrication method and apparatus for antenna structures in wireless communications devices

• US 20020149521A1
• Filed: 04/16/2002
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SkyCross, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SkyCross, Inc.
• Inventors: Caimi, Frank M., Hendler, Jason M., Greer, Kerry L., Thursby, Michael H., Asbury, Floyd A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,842,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/700MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• 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

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.

Claims

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.

2. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the radiating/receiving element and the meanderline element are formed on the substrate when the substrate is in a planar shape, and wherein the substrate is formable into a three dimensional shape.

3. The antenna of claim 2 wherein the antenna is formable into a three dimensional shape by folding regions of the substrate with respect to other regions of the substrate.

4. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the material of the substrate is a thermoplastic material, and wherein the radiating/receiving element and the meanderline element are formed on the substrate when the substrate is in a planar shape, and wherein the substrate is later formed into a three dimensional shape by thermoshaping over a mandrel having the desired three dimensional shape.

5. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the meanderline element is a slow wave structure.

6. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the radiating/receiving element and the meanderline element are formed by printing conductive material on the substrate.

7. The antenna of claim 6 wherein the conductive material is selected from among conductive ink, conductive paint, conductive paste, and conductive toner.

8. The antenna of claim 6 wherein the conductive material comprises conductive particles selected from among silver, precious metals, copper, gold, platinum, nickel, aluminum, graphite, carbon, carbon/silver blend, and silver/silver chloride.

9. The antenna of claim 8 wherein the conductive particles comprise conductive flakes.

10. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the antenna is operated in conjunction with a wireless receiving or transmitting device, and wherein the radiating/receiving element and the meanderline element are formed on the substrate when the substrate is in a planar shape, and wherein the substrate is later formed into a shape to fit within the wireless device.

11. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the antenna is conformable into a desired shape.

12. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the meanderline element comprises a plurality of periodic conductive trace segments interconnected to form a continuous electrical conductor.

13. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the material of the substrate is selected from among mylar, kapton, polyimide, polyethyline, polyvinyl chloride, polyester, polycarbonate, polystyrene and plastic.

14. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the antenna is operated in conjunction with a wireless device for transmitting and/or receiving electromagnetic signals, and wherein the wireless device comprises electronic circuit elements housed within an enclosure, and wherein the substrate is selected from among an interior surface of the enclosure or a surface of an electronic circuit element.

15. The antenna of claim 14 wherein the radiating/receiving element and the meanderline element are formed on the substrate when the substrate is in a planar shape, and wherein the substrate is later formed to fit within the enclosure.

16. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the antenna is operated in conjunction with a wireless device for transmitting and/or receiving electromagnetic signals, and wherein the wireless device comprises electronic circuit elements housed within an enclosure, and wherein the substrate is an interior surface of the enclosure, such that the antenna is formed on an interior surface of the enclosure.

17. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a multi-layer substrate, and wherein one or more radiating/receiving elements are formed on one or more layers of said multi-layer substrate.

18. The antenna of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a multi-layer substrate, and one or more meanderline elements are formed on one or more layers of said multi-layer substrate.

20. The antenna of claim 19 wherein each one of the plurality of meanderline elements is responsive to differently phased versions of an input signal when the antenna is operative in a transmit mode.

21. The antenna of claim 19 including a plurality of signal input terminals, wherein each one of said plurality of signal input terminals is connected to a meanderline element and is responsive to a different input signal for transmitting by the antenna.

22. The three dimensional antenna of claim 19 wherein the substrate is in the shape of a cube, and wherein the plurality of meanderline elements comprises four meanderline elements disposed on the top surface of the cube, and wherein the plurality of radiating/receiving elements comprises four radiating/receiving elements, and wherein each one of the four radiating/receiving elements is disposed a surface of the cube.

23. The three dimensional antenna of claim 22 wherein the four radiating/receiving elements and the four meanderline elements are formed on the substrate when the substrate is in a substantially plainer configuration, and wherein the four corner regions of the substrate are removed and the substrate is then folded into a.

25. The antenna of claim 24 wherein the at least two meanderline elements comprise a first and a second meanderline element, and wherein a second terminal of the first meanderline element is responsive to a signal when the antenna is operating in a transmit mode and provides a signal when the antenna is operating in a receive mode.

26. The antenna of claim 25 further comprising a ground plane disposed on the first surface of the substrate, wherein a second terminal of the second meanderline element is connected to said ground plane.

27. The antenna of claim 24 wherein the substrate is formable after the at least two meanderline elements and the radiating/receiving element have been formed thereon.

28. The antenna of claim 24 wherein the at least two meanderline elements and the radiating/receiving element are formed by printing conductive material on the substrate.

30. The process of claim 29 wherein the conductive material is selected from among conductive ink, conductive paste, conductive paint and conductive toner.

19. An antenna having a three dimensional shape having a plurality of surfaces, comprising:

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.

24. An antenna comprising:

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.

29. A process for forming an antenna on a non-conductive substrate, comprising:

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.