APPLIANCE INCLUDING AN ANTENNA USING A PORTION OF APPLIANCE AS A GROUND PLANE

• US 20170187091A1
• Filed: 12/29/2015
• Published: 06/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Bruin-Slot, Zachary J., Acker, Rachael, Gary, JR., Wyndham F., Mundy, David W.
• Granted Patent: US 11,777,190 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/085 on baking ovens
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• 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 1/48 Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6414 Aspects relating to the door of the microwave heating apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6447 Method of operation or details of the microwave heating apparatus related to the use of detectors or sensors

Abstract

An appliance, such as an oven, includes a housing having an internal compartment and an RF antenna. At least a portion of the housing comprises an electrically conductive portion. The antenna includes an active component and a connection to the electrically conductive portion, which serves as a ground plane of the antenna. The housing may include a door assembly having a window that includes the electrically conductive portion in the form of a transparent conductive layer. The door assembly may be detachable and the connection to the antenna may be made by way of capacitive coupling. In an alternative arrangement, the housing includes a light fixture for illuminating the internal compartment, wherein the active component of the antenna is disposed in the light fixture.

Claims

1. An appliance comprising:

a housing including an internal compartment, wherein at least a portion of the housing comprises an electrically conductive portion; and

an antenna for at least one of receiving RF signals and transmitting RF signals, wherein the antenna comprises an active component and a connection to said electrically conductive portion such that said electrically conductive portion serves as a ground plane of said antenna.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein said housing further comprises a door assembly having a closed position and an open position for allowing user ingress into said internal compartment, said door assembly including a window for allowing viewing of the internal compartment from outside the internal compartment, said window including said electrically conductive portion in the form of at least one transparent conductive layer.

3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein said housing comprises a light fixture for illuminating said internal compartment, wherein said active component of said antenna is disposed in said light fixture.

4. The appliance of claim 1 and further comprising:

a coaxial cable having a center pin and a metal sheath surrounding the center pin; and

a conductive plate electrically coupled to said center pin;

wherein said housing further comprises a door frame and a door assembly detachably mounted to said door frame and having a closed position and an open position for allowing user ingress into said internal compartment,

wherein said active component of said antenna is disposed at said door assembly, and

wherein said conductive plate is mounted to said door frame and is spaced apart but proximate to said door assembly when said door assembly is in the closed position such that said conductive plate is capacitively coupled to said active component of said antenna when said door assembly is in the closed position.

5. The appliance of claim 4, wherein said door assembly includes a metal skin that is capacitively coupled to said conductive plate when said door assembly is in the closed position, and wherein said metal skin serves as an active component of said antenna.

6. The appliance of claim 4, wherein said door assembly includes a window for allowing viewing of the internal compartment from outside the internal compartment, said window including a glass substrate having an interior surface, wherein said antenna is a patch antenna and said active component of said antenna comprises a transparent metallic layer disposed on said interior surface of said glass substrate, and wherein said transparent metallic layer is capacitively coupled to said conductive plate when said door assembly is in the closed position.

7. The appliance of claim 1, wherein said appliance is an oven.

8. An appliance comprising:

a housing including an internal compartment;

a door assembly having a closed position and an open position for allowing user ingress into said internal compartment;

a window provided in said door assembly for allowing viewing of the internal compartment from outside the compartment, said window including at least one transparent conductive layer; and

an antenna for at least one of receiving RF signals and transmitting RF signals, wherein said antenna comprises an active component and a connection to said at least one transparent conductive layer such that said at least one transparent conductive layer serves as a ground plane of said antenna.

9. The appliance of claim 8, wherein said at least one transparent conductive layer is a layer of tin oxide.

10. The appliance of claim 8, wherein said window comprises:

an interior glass substrate having an interior surface facing said internal compartment and an exterior surface;

an exterior glass substrate having an interior surface facing said exterior surface of said interior glass substrate and an exterior surface; and

an insulated window pack comprising a first glass sheet and a second glass sheet disposed between said interior glass substrate and said exterior glass substrate, said first glass sheet disposed between said second glass sheet and said interior glass substrate, said first glass sheet having an interior surface and an exterior surface, said second glass sheet having an interior surface and an exterior surface,

wherein said at least one transparent conductive layer is disposed on a surface of one of said interior glass substrate, said exterior glass substrate, said first glass sheet and said second glass sheet.

11. The appliance of claim 10 and further comprising a coaxial cable having a center pin and a metal sheath surrounding the center pin for electrically coupling to said antenna, wherein said metal sheath is electrically coupled to said at least one transparent conductive layer, said door assembly includes a metal skin surrounding said window on said door assembly, and wherein said center pin is connected to said metal skin such that said metal skin acts as said active component of said antenna.

12. The appliance of claim 10, wherein said active component of said antenna comprises a separate metal conductor mounted to said door assembly.

13. The appliance of claim 10, wherein said active component of said antenna comprises a thin conductive substance printed on one of said interior surface of said exterior glass substrate and said interior surface of said interior glass substrate.

14. The appliance of claim 10, wherein said antenna is a patch antenna and said active component of said antenna comprises a transparent conductive layer disposed on said interior surface of said interior glass substrate.

15. The appliance of claim 8 and further comprising:

a coaxial cable having a center pin and a metal sheath surrounding the metal pin; and

a conductive plate electrically coupled to said center pin;

wherein said housing further comprises a door frame, said door assembly detachably mounted to said door frame,

wherein said active component of said antenna is disposed at said door assembly, and

wherein said conductive plate is mounted to said door frame and is spaced apart but proximate to said door assembly when said door assembly is in the closed position such that said conductive plate is capacitively coupled to said active component of said antenna when said door assembly is in the closed position.

16. An appliance comprising:

a housing including an internal compartment, wherein at least a portion of the housing comprises an electrically conductive portion, wherein said housing comprises a light fixture for illuminating said internal compartment; and

an antenna for at least one of receiving RF signals and transmitting RF signals, wherein the antenna comprises an active component and a connection to said electrically conductive portion such that said electrically conductive portion serves as a ground plane of said antenna,

wherein said active component of said antenna is disposed in said light fixture.

17. The appliance of claim 16, wherein said light fixture comprises an enclosure having at least one metal wall comprising said electrically conductive portion, wherein said at least one metal wall serves as said ground plane of said antenna.

18. The appliance of claim 16, wherein said light fixture includes a transparent cover and wherein said active component of said antenna is disposed on a surface of said transparent cover.

19. The appliance of claim 18, wherein said active component of said antenna is disposed on a surface of said transparent cover that faces said internal compartment, wherein said transparent cover includes a transparent conductive coating on an opposite surface, and wherein said electrically conductive portion is said transparent conductive coating such that said transparent conductive coating constitutes said ground plane of said antenna.

20. The appliance of claim 16, wherein said housing further comprises an interior wall defining a portion of said internal compartment, wherein said light fixture is mounted to said interior wall, and wherein said interior wall comprises said electrically conductive portion constituting said ground plane of said antenna.