Internal antenna device

• US 20070115191A1
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Honda Lock
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Honda Lock
• Inventors: Kawano, Hitoshi, Hashiguchi, Kenji, Kuriyama, Kazuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,548,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/713
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/78 as part of a hands-free locking or unlocking operation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3241 particular used in keyless entry systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3283 side-mounted antennas, e.g. bumper-mounted, door-mounted mounted on windscreens H01Q1/1271

Abstract

Provided is an internal antenna device in such a form as a door handle for a smart entry system and an electronic key that can provide a metallic appearance similar to that of a metallic plating while avoiding a loss in the antenna output and ensuring a stable communication. A metallic thin film is deposited on a surface of an outer cover (9) that receives an antenna of the internal antenna device by sputtering. Cr (chromium) may be selected for the sputtering target, and the film thickness may be in the range of 0.05 μm to 0.20 μm to produce the appearance of a metallic surface. A double layer structure may be used by forming a coating consisting of acrylic urethane paint and having a thickness of 5 μm to 50 μm on the metallic film (16) to protect the metallic film (16) on the surface of the outer cover (9).

Claims

1. An internal antenna device comprising an antenna for communication with an external device and an outer shell member receiving the antenna, characterized by that:

a metallic thin film having a thickness of 0.05 μ

m and 0.20 μ

m is deposited on a surface of the outer shell member.

2. The internal antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the metallic thin film is deposited by sputtering.

3. The internal antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the outer shell member is an outer shell member of a vehicle door handle.

4. The internal antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the outer shell member is a casing of an electronic vehicle key.

5. The internal antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the metallic thin film comprises chromium.