Antenna device and communication apparatus

• US 9,812,766 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2015
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: Kato, Noboru
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong, Dieu H
• Application Number:
  US14/855,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20160006108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/06 with core of ferromagnetic material H01Q7/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/08 Ferrite rod or like elongated core
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/04 including near field communication means, e.g. RFID

Abstract

A planar conductor including a cutout that penetrates in a thickness direction and extends from an outer edge portion toward an inner side, a coil antenna magnetically coupling with the planar conductor by a magnetic flux passing through the cutout, and a fit-in member filled into at least a portion of the cutout and including a metal oxide film provided on at least a side surface portion thereof which is in contact with the planar conductor, are included. Thus, an antenna device which does not impair appearance while maintaining strength by using a metal casing, and a communication apparatus including the antenna device, are provided.

Claims

1. An antenna device comprising:

a metal casing including a cutout portion penetrating in a thickness direction and extending from an outer edge portion toward an inner side;

a coil antenna magnetically coupling with the metal casing by a magnetic flux passing through the cutout portion; and

a conductive member provided in a portion or an entirety of the cutout portion and including an insulating thin film provided on at least a portion thereof which is in contact with the metal casing;

wherein

when seen in a plan view of the conductive member, the coil antenna includes a portion that does not overlap the conductive member.

2. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the conductive member is made of a same material as that of the metal casing.

3. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein

the cutout portion includes an opening and a slit connecting the opening and the outer edge portion;

and

the conductive member is provided in the slit.

4. The antenna device according to claim 3, wherein

the coil antenna includes a coil conductor provided on or in an insulator layer;

and

the coil conductor includes a coil opening located a position at which the coil opening overlaps at least a portion of the opening in a plan view.

5. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein

the coil antenna has a multilayer structure in which a plurality of insulator layers each including a coil conductor provided thereon are laminated;

and

the coil opening faces the cutout portion.

6. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna device is a reader/writer antenna device capable of being used in an NFC system.

7. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the metal casing including the cutout portion defines a planar conductor of the antenna device.

8. The antenna device according to claim 7, wherein the planar conductor includes an opening.

9. The antenna device according to claim 8, wherein the coil antenna has a coil opening larger than the opening in the planar conductor and the coil opening overlaps or falls within the opening in the planar conductor.

10. The antenna device according to claim 8, wherein a lens of a camera is disposed so as to be optically exposed from the opening in the planar conductor.

11. The antenna device according to claim 7, wherein a color of the conductive member and the insulating thin film is the same or substantially the same as a color of the planar conductor.

12. The antenna device according to claim 7, wherein a non-isolated gap having a size equivalent to a thickness of the insulating thin film is provided between the planar conductor and the conductive member.

13. The antenna device according to claim 7, wherein the planar conductor defines and functions as a radiation plate of the antenna device.

14. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the cutout portion is rectangular or substantially rectangular cutout portion.

15. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the insulating thin film is a metal oxide film.

16. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the conductive member is made of aluminum and the insulating thin film is made of aluminum oxide.

17. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the coil antenna is defined by a rectangular or substantially rectangular helical-shaped conductor pattern provided on one surface of an insulator base material.

18. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein a ferrite magnet material is provided at a back side of the coil antenna, and the ferrite magnet material includes an opening that has a same size or substantially a same size as the coil opening.

19. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the coil antenna includes a magnetic core which is an insulator layer, and a coil conductor defined by a pattern which is wound around the magnetic core, and the coil conductor is one of a conductive wire wound around the magnetic core and a conductor pattern in a multilayer body including a magnetic layer.

20. A communication apparatus comprising an antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the metal casing defines an exterior of the communication apparatus.