ANTENNA, ANTENNA UNIT, AND COMMUNICATION DEVICE USING THEM

• US 20110050535A1
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sovereign Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: FUJIMURA, Munenori, YAMAGUCHI, Shuichiro, NAKAMURA, Kouichi
• Granted Patent: US 9,153,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/870
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 11/105 using a dielectric support
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/06 with core of ferromagnetic material H01Q7/02 takes precedence

Abstract

An antenna has a base substrate 3, a coil 30 formed from a conductor 4 wound around the base substrate 3, and a plurality of terminals 5 connected to the conductor 4. Uncovered base substrate portions 31 where the conductor is absent are formed on the base substrate 3 except the start and end of turns of the coil 30. The terminals 5 are provided on respective sides of the coil 30 parallel to a coil axis and on the uncovered base substrate portions 31.

Claims

1. An antenna comprising:

a base substrate;

a coil formed from a conductor wound around the base substrate; and

a plurality of terminals connected to the conductor,

wherein an uncovered base substrate portion where the conductor is absent is formed on the base substrate except a start and end of turns of the coil; and

the terminals are provided on respective sides of the coil parallel to a coil axis and on the uncovered base substrate portion.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein number of turns of the coil of the antenna is larger than an integral multiple by substantially one-half of the turn.

3. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the uncovered base substrate portion is formed on each end of the base substrate.

4. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of terminals that are connected to the coil are on the single uncovered base substrate portion.

5. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the terminals each are provided at substantial four corners of the coil, and the conductor is connected to the terminals, among the four terminals, placed on both sides of the base substrate with its coil axis interposed therebetween.

6. The antenna according to claim 5, wherein an imaginary straight line passing through two terminals connected to the conductor is substantially parallel to a winding direction of the coil.

7. The antenna according to claim 5, wherein an imaginary straight line passing through two terminals connected to the conductor is substantially parallel to a diagonal line of the base substrate.

8. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of terminals connected to the conductor are placed on both sides of the base substrate with its coil axis interposed therebetween, and an imaginary straight line passing through the two terminals connected to the conductor is substantially parallel to a winding direction of the coil.

9. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of terminals connected to the conductor are placed on both sides of the base substrate with its coil axis interposed therebetween, and an imaginary straight line passing through the two terminals connected to the conductor is substantially parallel to a diagonal line of the base substrate.

10. An antenna unit comprising:

the antenna defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the uncovered base substrate portions is situated outside of an outer periphery of the metallic element on which the antenna is mounted.

11. The antenna unit according to claim 10, wherein the coil is arranged such that a winding direction of the coil becomes parallel to ends of the metallic element.

12. The antenna unit according to claim 10, wherein the coil is arranged such that a winding direction of the coil becomes parallel to flow of an electric current running over the metallic element.

13. The antenna unit according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of terminals each are provided substantially at four corners of the coil;

and, of the four terminals, two pairs of terminals, each of which consists of two terminals placed in vicinity of two corners situated along one side of the base substrate, each are joined together by means of respective joints provided along the respective sides of the base substrate.

14. The antenna unit according to claim 13, wherein the terminals act as fixing portions when the antenna unit is mounted.

15. The antenna unit according to claim 13, wherein the joints extend substantially parallel to the coil axis of the base substrate.