Circularly polarized wave antenna made of sheet metal with high reliability

• US 20050099340A1
• Filed: 11/09/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Tomotaka
• Granted Patent: US 7,075,486 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3233 particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0428 radiating a circular polarised wave
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0442 with particular tuning means

Abstract

An antenna device includes a radiating conductor plate made of a metal sheet having an outer appearance of a substantially square shape and arranged on a ground conductor with a predetermined distance therefrom; a feed pin extending from a feeding point of the radiating conductor plate and connected to a feeding circuit; and leg pieces extending from four points of an outer circumferential edge of the radiating conductor plate to support the radiating conductor plate in a state insulated from the ground conductor. The four leg pieces are offset by predetermined distances from midpoints of respective sides of the radiating conductor plate, thereby forming degenerative separating elements. As a result, the antenna device 10 can be operated as a circularly polarized wave antenna.

Claims

1. A circularly polarized wave antenna is comprised of:

a radiating conductor plate made of a metal sheet which has an outer appearance of a substantially regular polygonal or circular shape and is arranged on a ground conductor with a predetermined distance therefrom;

a feed pin extending from a feeding point of the radiating conductor plate and connected to a feeding circuit; and

leg pieces extending from four points of the radiating conductor plate for supporting the radiating conductor plate in a state insulated from the ground conductor,

wherein the four leg pieces are comprised of first and second leg pieces brought relatively close to each other, and third and fourth leg pieces brought relatively close to each other, and

wherein, the first and second leg pieces are arranged substantially in line symmetry with respect to one straight line of two straight lines passing through the center of the radiating conductor plate orthogonal to each other, and the third and fourth leg pieces are arranged substantially in line symmetry with respect to the one straight line,

the first and third leg pieces are arranged substantially in line symmetry with respect to the other straight line, and the second and fourth leg pieces are arranged substantially in line symmetry with respect to the other straight line, and

a straight line connecting the feeding point and the center of the radiating conductor plate forms an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to both of the two straight lines.

2. The circularly polarized wave antenna according to claim 1, wherein the radiating conductor plate has an outer appearance of a substantially square shape whose two diagonal lines correspond to the two straight lines.

3. The circularly polarized wave antenna according to claim 1, wherein the four leg pieces extend respectively from an inside of cutouts cut out from an outer circumferential edge of the radiating conductor plate toward the center.

4. The circularly polarized wave antenna according to claim 1, wherein a capacitor is attached to tips of the four leg pieces.

5. The circularly polarized wave antenna according to claim 4, wherein the capacitor is composed of a dielectric substrate whose top face is provided at four points with soldering lands and whose bottom face is provided with an earth electrode, and the capacitor is placed on the ground conductor to solder the tips of the four leg pieces onto the corresponding soldering lands.