Wrist-type wireless instrument and antenna apparatus

• US 5,589,840 A
• Filed: 05/24/1995
• Issued: 12/31/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Fujisawa, Teruhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Hoanganh T.
• Application Number:
  US08/449,482
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 343/718, 343/702, 343/767, 343/768, 343/866, 343/867, 343/873, 340/573, 340/539, 340/568, 340/693
• US Class Current: 343/718
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/273 Adaptation for carrying or wearing by persons or animals

Abstract

A wrist-type wireless instrument equipped with an antenna body that is formed on a wrist band is disclosed. The wireless instrument provides a simple compact arrangement within the wireless instrument casing and provides a large antenna gain. The wireless instrument is equipped with first and second wrist band members 21a and 21b respectively connected to each side of a wireless instrument casing 20 containing a wireless instrument circuit. A conductive plate 24 is fixed to the first and second wrist band members 21a and 21b. A slot 25 is formed in the conductive plate 24 so as to extend in the length dimension of the band. A capacitive element 26 is loaded across two divided sections of the conductive plate 24 that are defined by the slot 25, at a position substantially in the middle portion with respect to the length dimension of the conductive plate 24.

Claims

1. A wrist-type wireless instrument comprising:

a casing containing a circuit board;

a wrist band connected to said casing, said casing and said wrist band defining a loop when said instrument is in use;

a conductive plate having a slot and disposed within said casing and said wrist band, said conductive plate configured and disposed so as to function as a slot antenna; and

a capacitive element electrically connected to opposing portions of said conductive plate, said opposing portions being separated by said slot;

wherein said circuit board is arranged so as to be disposed on an inner side of said loop and so as to function as an antenna reflector when said instrument is in use, and wherein said capacitive element is disposed near an approximately central portion of said circuit board.

2. A wrist-type wireless instrument according to claim 1, wherein said capacitive element is comprised of two varactor diodes connected in series.

3. A wrist-type wireless instrument according to claim 1, wherein:

said wrist band comprises first and second band members, said first and second band members being attached to opposite lateral sides of said casing;

said conductive plate comprises first and second plate members, said first and second plate members being disposed within said first and second band members, respectively, said first and second plate members each being divided into upper and lower plate member portions by a slot extending longitudinally from one end of the respective plate member, disposed at or near said casing, to an opposite, free end of the respective plate member;

said casing comprises a first electrical pathway by which the upper portions of said first and second plate members are electrically connected to each other, and a second electrical pathway by which the lower portions of said first and second plate members are electrically connected to each other; and

wherein said capacitive element is electrically connected between said first and second electrical pathways.

4. A wrist-type wireless instrument according to claim 3, wherein said capacitive element is disposed between the circuit board and a display element for displaying information to a user of the wrist-type wireless instrument.

5. A wrist-type wireless instrument according to claim 3, wherein said capacitive element is mounted on a surface of the circuit board.

6. A wrist-type wireless instrument according to claim 3, wherein said capacitive element is comprised of two varactor diodes connected in series.

7. A wrist-type wireless instrument according to claim 1, wherein said conductive plate is configured and disposed so as to function simultaneously as a slot antenna and as a loop antenna.

8. An antenna apparatus for use in a wrist-type wireless instrument, comprising:

a casing containing a circuit board;

a wrist band connected to either side of said casing;

a conductive plate having a slot and disposed within said casing and within said wrist band; and

a capacitive element electrically connected between opposing sections of said conductive plate, said opposing sections being separated by the slot;

wherein said circuit board is disposed on an inner side of a loop formed by said casing and said wrist band when said instrument is in use, said circuit board being located at an approximately central position along the length of said wrist band, and wherein the capacitive element is disposed near an approximately central portion of said circuit board;

said conductive plate functioning as a slot antenna and said circuit board functioning as an antenna reflector.