All-around vehicle antenna apparatus

• US 6,292,149 B1
• Filed: 08/12/1998
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harada Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Harada Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: Saito, Masatoshi, Tachihara, Hiroyuki, Endo, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Shih-Chao
• Application Number:
  US09/132,655
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 343/711, 343/712, 343/713, 343/767, 343/768, 343/770
• US Class Current: 343/713
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1278 in association with heating wires or layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/16 Folded slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements

Abstract

In an all-around vehicle antenna apparatus according to the present invention, a window frame of a vehicle window is made of metal, a thin-film conductor is formed on the surface of a translucent member (e.g., glass) of the vehicle window to form a slot between the window frame and thin-film conductor, and the slot functions as a slot antenna element. A plurality of thin-film conductor pieces are arranged such that at least part of the pieces is inserted into the slot so as to have a specific relationship with the slot antenna element, and thus the thin-film conductor pieces serve as a plural-wave-receivable antenna element adapted to a specific frequency.

Claims

1. An all-around vehicle antenna apparatus comprising:

a vehicle window having a metal window frame in which a translucent member is fitted;

a defogger for defogging the vehicle window, the defogger being provided on the translucent member of the vehicle window with a gap serving as a slot having a width between an outer circumference of the defogger and an inner circumference of the metal window frame;

first means for causing the slot to function as a slot antenna element;

a plurality of thin-film conductor pieces arranged in such a manner that at least part of each conductor piece is inserted into the slot;

second means for causing the plurality of thin-film conductor pieces to function as plural-wave-receivable antenna elements having a specific relationship with the slot antenna element and excited in response to radio waves of plural specific frequencies; and

a straight, belt-shaped thin-film conductor formed between an upper side of the defogger and an upper side of the metal window frame and in parallel with the upper side of the metal window frame wherein the straight, belt-shaped thin-film conductor includes a plurality of small-sized slot antenna elements excited in response to a radio wave having a specific frequency.

2. The all-around vehicle antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second means feeds power to the plurality of thin-film conductor pieces when the second means is electrically connected to the defogger, and connects a specific one or some of the thin-film conductor pieces to a corresponding transmit/receive set.

3. The all-around vehicle antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plural-wave-receivable antenna elements include an FM antenna element having a plurality of channels, a TV antenna element having a plurality of channels, a key-less door lock/unlock antenna element, and an AM antenna element.

4. The all-around vehicle antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the slot includes a thin-film conductor piece for impedance-matching of the slot antenna element.

5. The all-around vehicle antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of small-sized slot antenna elements include at least a portable telephone antenna element and a GPS antenna element.

6. An all-around vehicle antenna apparatus comprising:

a vehicle window having a metal window frame in which a translucent member is fitted;

a defogger for defogging the vehicle window, the defogger being provided on the translucent member of the vehicle window with a gap serving as a slot having a width between an outer circumference of the defogger and an inner circumference of the metal window frame;

first means for causing the slot to function as a slot antenna element;

a plurality of thin-film conductor pieces arranged in such a manner that at least part of each conductor piece is inserted into the slot;

second means for causing the plurality of thin-film conductor pieces to function as plural-wave-receivable antenna elements having a specific relationship with the slot antenna element and excited in response to radio waves of plural specific frequencies; and

a straight, belt-shaped thin-film conductor formed between an upper side of the defogger and an upper side of the metal window frame and in parallel with the upper side of the metal window frame wherein the straight, belt-shaped thin-film conductor includes an auxiliary device having at least an amplifier circuit.