Antenna device for vehicles and vehicle antenna system and communication system using the antenna device

• US 6,965,352 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2004
• Issued: 11/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyajima, Akio, Maeda, Tsutomu, Inoue, Takefumi, Ohara, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoang V.
• Application Number:
  US10/794,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20040201536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 343/788, 343/787, 343/711, 343/713
• US Class Current: 343/788
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1261 with antennae
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3241 particular used in keyless entry systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3266 using the mirror of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/08 Ferrite rod or like elongated core

Abstract

An antenna device for installation on vehicles, which antenna device including a core made of a magnetic material, a holding portion provided by a dielectric film sheet wound around the core, a coil formed with a linear conductor wound around the holding portion, a case made of a dielectric resin material for housing the core, the holding portion and the coil, and a flexible dielectric resin filling the space within the case excluding the core, the holding portion and the coil.

Claims

1. An antenna device for installation on vehicles for receiving electromagnetic waves airing between the vehicle and the outside comprising

a core made of a magnetic material;

a holding portion film sheet made of dielectric material wound around the core;

a coil formed with a linear conductor wound around the outer surface of the holding portion;

a case made of a dielectric resin material for housing the core, the holding portion, and the coil; and

a dielectric resin filling the space within the case excluding the core, the holding portion, and the coil.

2. The vehicle antenna device of claim 1, wherein

the core is disposed with a certain specific gap from the outer surface of the case.

3. The vehicle antenna device of claim 1,

further provided with a directivity of electromagnetic wave by changing a cross section area of at least either left or right and vicinity of the core of the antenna device.

4. The vehicle antenna device of claim 1, wherein

thickness of the holding portion is not more than 1 mm.

5. A communication system comprising

a vehicle antenna device for transmitting electromagnetic waves to the outside of vehicles or receiving electromagnetic waves coming from outside the vehicle, which antenna device comprising

a core made of a magnetic material,

a holding portion film sheet made of dielectric material wound around the core;

a coil formed with a linear conductor wound around the outer surface of the holding portion;

a case made of a dielectric resin material for housing the core, the holding portion, and the coil; and

a dielectric resin filling the space within the case excluding the core, the holding portion, and the coil;

wherein the vehicle antenna device is disposed within a vehicle mirror at a location close to the vehicle mirror'"'"'s installation premises which is used for installing the mirror on a vehicle body.

6. A vehicle antenna system comprising

a vehicle antenna device which is comprising at least a core made of a magnetic material and a coil wound around the outer surface of the core;

and

a mirror portion composed of a movable portion installed on a vehicle mirror and a fixing portion for fixing the movable portion fold-away;

wherein

the antenna device is housed within the fixing portion of the mirror portion.

7. The vehicle antenna system of claim 6, further provided with a conductive metal plate disposed between the fixing portion at the vehicle side and the vehicle antenna device.

8. A communication system for conducting communication with a third party via a vehicle antenna system which contains a vehicle antenna device formed of at least a core made of a magnetic material and a coil wound around the core;

and

a mirror portion composed of a movable portion installed on a vehicle mirror and a fixing portion for fixing the movable portion fold-away;

wherein the antenna device is housed within the fixing portion of the mirror portion.