Vehicle sun visor with radio antenna

• US 6,236,373 B1
• Filed: 09/15/1999
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Humentech 21 Company
• Original Assignee: Humentech 21 Company
• Inventors: Park, Young Man
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Hoanganh
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, TUYET THI
• Application Number:
  US09/395,973
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: H01/Q.132, 343/806, 343/713, 343/712, 343/711, 343/700.MS
• US Class Current: 343/713
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3291 mounted in or on other locations inside the vehicle or vehicle body
• 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 9/40 Element having extended radiating surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength

Abstract

A vehicle sun visor, provided with a radio absorptive conductor acting as a radio antenna, is disclosed. The vehicle sun visor, having a panel shape, is installed on the front portion of the interior ceiling within the passenger compartment of a car. The radio absorptive conductor, acting as a radio antenna, is installed on one surface of the sun visor while forming an arrangement suitable for effectively receiving radio waves. The above conductor is also electrically connected to the antenna terminal of an onboard radio system of the car. An input radio wave amplifying unit is mounted on the electric path between the conductor and the antenna terminal of the radio system. The above unit is used for filtering, amplifying and buffering the radio waves received by the conductor. In the present invention, the conductor may be formed by cutting a conductive thin plate into a desirably arranged line through a pressing process. It is also possible to attach the conductor to the surface of the sun visor using an adhesive or a blowing agent. In another embodiment, the conductor is also integrated with the sun visor while being inserted into the visor during an injection molding process of forming the sun visor using a plastic material.

Claims

1. A vehicle sun visor having a panel shape and being installed on a front portion of an interior ceiling within a passenger compartment of a car, further comprising:

a radio absorptive conductor installed on a surface of said sun visor while forming an arrangement suitable for effectively receiving radio waves, said conductor being electrically connected to an antenna terminal of an onboard radio system of the car, and acting as a radio antenna; and

said conductor is integrated with the sun visor while being inserted into the sun visor during an injection molding process of forming the sun visor using a plastic material.

2. The vehicle sun visor according to claim 1, further comprising:

an input radio wave amplifying unit mounted on an electric path between the conductor and the antenna terminal of the radio system and used for filtering, amplifying and buffering the radio waves received by the conductor.

3. The vehicle sun visor according to claim 1, wherein said conductor is formed by cutting a conductive thin plate into a desirable arranged line through a pressing process.

4. The vehicle sun visor according to claim 1, wherein said conductor is attached to a separate member assembled with said sun visor.