Metamaterial Antenna with Mechanical Connection

• US 20110095964A1
• Filed: 10/22/2009
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Electronics Services GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Rayspan Corporation
• Inventors: Gummalla, Ajay, Pathak, Vaneet
• Granted Patent: US 8,698,700 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/909
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• 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 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/0086 said selective devices having materials with a synthesized negative refractive index, e.g. metamaterials or left-handed materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

Metamaterial antenna devices having one or more mechanical connection units made of electrically conductive materials to provide both mechanical engagement and electrical conduction for the antenna devices.

Claims

1. A metamaterial antenna device comprising:

a substrate structure;

one or more metallization layers supported by the substrate structure and structured to include a ground electrode which is formed in one of the one or more metallization layers, and a plurality of electrically conductive parts formed in at least one of the one or more metallization layers; and

one or more connecting units, each mechanically engaging parts of the substrate structure or the substrate structure to a device enclosure and electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrically conductive parts,

wherein the plurality of electrically conductive parts, the one or more connecting units, and at least part of the substrate structure are configured to form a composite left and right handed (CRLH) metamaterial antenna structure that exhibits a plurality of frequency resonances associated with an antenna signal.

2. The antenna device as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductive parts comprise:

a cell patch;

a feed line having a distal end close to and capacitively coupled to the cell patch and a proximal end coupled to a feed port for directing the antenna signal to and from the cell patch; and

a via line coupling the cell patch to the ground electrode.

3. The antenna device as in claim 2, wherein

the one or more connecting units include a first connecting unit which electrically couples to the cell patch.

4. The antenna device as in claim 2, wherein

the one or more connecting units include a first connecting unit which electrically couples to a distal end portion of the feed line.

5. The antenna device as in claim 2, wherein

a distal end portion of the feed line is modified to form a launch pad to modify capacitive coupling.

6. The antenna device as in claim 5, wherein

the one or more connecting units include a first connecting unit which electrically couples to the launch pad.

7. The antenna device as in claim 2, wherein

the one or more connecting units include a first connecting unit which electrically couples to the via line.

8. The antenna device as in claim 2, wherein

the feed line includes a conductive line attachment.

9. The antenna device as in claim 8, wherein

the one or more connecting units include a first connecting unit which electrically couples to the conductive line attachment.

10. The antenna device as in claim 8, wherein

the conductive line attachment is structured to have a meander line shape, a planar spiral shape, a zigzag line shape, a vertical spiral shape, or a combination of different shapes.

11. The antenna device as in claim 10, wherein

the conductive line attachment includes a plurality of first segments in a first metallization layer, a plurality of second segments in a second metallization layer, and a plurality of vias formed between the first and second metallization layers and connecting the first and second segments at multiple locations, wherein

the first segments, the second segments, and the vias are configured to form the vertical spiral shape.

12. The antenna device as in claim 10, wherein

the conductive line attachment includes a plurality of first segments in a first metallization layer, a plurality of second segments in a second metallization layer, one of the one or more connecting units electrically coupling one of the first segments and one of the second segments at one location, and a plurality of vias formed between the first and second metallization layers and connecting the first and second segments at multiple locations other than the one location, and wherein

the first segments, the second segments, the one of the one or more connecting units, and the vias are configured to form the vertical spiral shape.

13. The antenna device as in claim 10, wherein

the conductive line attachment includes a plurality of first segments in a first metallization layer, a plurality of second segments in a second metallization layer, first one of the one or more connecting units electrically coupling one of the first segments and one of the second segments at a first location, second one of the one or more connecting units electrically coupling one of the first segments and one of the second segments at a second location, and a plurality of vias formed between the first and second metallization layers and connecting the first and second segments at multiple locations other than the first and second locations, and wherein

the first segments, the second segments, the first one of the one or more connecting units, the second one of the one or more connecting units, and the vias are configured to form the vertical spiral shape.

14. The antenna device as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductive parts comprise:

a cell patch formed in a first metallization layer;

a feed line having a distal end close to and capacitively coupled to the cell patch and a proximal end coupled to a feed port for directing the antenna signal to and from the cell patch;

a via line formed in a second metallization layer and coupled to the ground electrode; and

a via formed between the first metallization layer and the second metallization layer and coupling the cell patch and the via line.

15. The antenna device as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductive parts comprise:

a cell patch formed in a first metallization layer;

a feed line having a distal end close to and capacitively coupled to the cell patch and a proximal end coupled to a feed port for directing the antenna signal to and from the cell patch; and

a via line formed in a second metallization layer and coupled to the ground electrode, and wherein

the one or more connecting units includes a first connecting unit which electrically couples the cell patch and the via line.

16. The antennas device as in claim 1, wherein the one or more connecting units include a first connecting unit which comprises:

a screw, made of an electrically conductive screw material, mechanically engaged with the device enclosure; and

a screw boss, made of an electrically conductive screw boss material, mechanically engaging the screw, the device enclosure and the substrate structure and electrically coupling to the screw and to the at least one of the plurality of conductive parts.

17. The antenna device as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductive parts comprise:

a plurality of cell patches;

a feed line having a distal end close to and capacitively coupled to one or more of the plurality of cell patches and a proximal end coupled to a feed port for directing the antenna signal to and from the one or more of the plurality of cell patches; and

a plurality of via lines coupling the plurality of cell patches respectively to the ground electrode.

18. The antenna device as in claim 17, wherein

the one or more connecting units include a first connecting unit coupled to one of the cell patches, and a second connecting unit coupled to another one of the cell patches.

19. The antenna device as in claim 17, wherein

the one or more connecting units include a first connecting unit coupled to one of the via lines, and a second connecting unit coupled to another one of the via lines.

20. A metamaterial antenna device, comprising:

a device enclosure;

a substrate structure residing inside the device enclosure;

a ground electrode supported by the substrate structure;

a plurality of electrically conductive parts supported by the substrate structure; and

a mechanical connector, made of an electrically conductive material, mechanically engaging the substrate structure to the device enclosure and electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of electrically conductive parts,

wherein the mechanical connector, the ground electrode, at least part of the substrate structure and the plurality of electrically conductive parts are configured to form a composite left and right handed (CRLH) metamaterial antenna structure that exhibits one or more frequency resonances associated with an antenna signal.

21. The antenna device as in claim 20, wherein the electrically conductive parts and the ground electrode are formed on a single surface of the substrate structure.

22. The antenna device as in claim 20, wherein the electrically conductive parts and the ground electrode are formed on two or more surfaces of the substrate structure.