Stamped Antenna and Method of Manufacturing

• US 20140259638A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AK Stamping Company Inc.
• Original Assignee: AK Stamping Company Inc.
• Inventors: Kurz, Arthur, Andrews, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,252,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/600
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07718 the record carrier being manufactured in a continuous process, e.g. using endless rolls
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07783 the coil being planar
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 11/001 Manufacturing waveguides or transmission lines of the waveguide type
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/00 Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas arrangements for varying orientation of directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2208 associated with components used in interrogation type services, i.e. in systems for information exchange between an interrogator/reader and a tag/transponder, e.g. in Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] systems methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns G06K7/00; record carrier for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• 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 9/00 Electrically-short antennas having dimensions not more than twice the operating wavelength and consisting of conductive active radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 Composite web or sheet

Abstract

A stamped antenna and a method of manufacturing includes providing a sheet of metallic material for a first partial stamping. The first partial stamping forms an antenna including traces, contacts, carriers connected to the traces, and tie-bars between the traces. A pressure sensitive adhesive is then bonded to the traces of the antenna. A second complete stamping is then performed on the antenna, including pressure sensitive adhesive, to remove the carriers and tie-bars. An intermediate product for the manufacture of an antenna includes a pressure sensitive adhesive, one or more stamped traces bonded with the pressure sensitive adhesive, and at least one tie-bar connected between the one or more traces supports the one or more traces.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an antenna, comprising:

providing a sheet of metallic material;

performing a first stamping of the sheet of metallic material to form at least one antenna, the at least one antenna including traces, contacts, a carrier connected to the traces, and at least one tie-bar connected between the traces;

bonding a pressure sensitive adhesive to the traces of the at least one antenna; and

performing a second stamping of the at least one antenna and the pressure sensitive adhesive to remove the at least one carrier and the at least one tie-bar connected to the traces.

2. The method of manufacturing an antenna of claim 1, wherein the first stamping forms more than one antenna as a group connected by at least one tie-bar or the carrier.

3. The method of manufacturing an antenna of claim 2, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive pad having more than one pressure sensitive adhesive area.

4. The method of manufacturing an antenna of claim 3, wherein the more than one antenna are separated from one another after the second stamping.

5. The method of manufacturing an antenna of claim 1, wherein the carrier includes at least one pilot hole and the pressure sensitive adhesive includes at least one die cut hole.

6. The method of manufacturing an antenna of claim 5, further comprising:

placing the antenna stamped for a first time on a fixture having at least one fixture pin, the fixture pin being inserted through the at least one pilot hole;

placing the pressure sensitive adhesive on the fixture, the fixture pin being inserted through the at least one die cut hole;

wherein the fixture pin aligns the first stamped antenna and the pressure sensitive adhesive such that an adhesive region of the pressure sensitive adhesive is positioned on the traces of the antenna.

7. The method of manufacturing an antenna of claim 6, wherein the fixture is a pallet.

8. The method of manufacturing an antenna of claim 1, wherein the sheet of metallic material is copper.

9. The method of manufacturing an antenna of claim 1, wherein the at least one antenna is a near field communication antenna.

10. The method of manufacturing an antenna of claim 1, wherein the at least one antenna is a radio frequency identification antenna.

11. The method of manufacturing an antenna of claim 1, wherein the at least one antenna is an antenna used for inductive charging.

12. The method of manufacturing an antenna of claim 1, further comprising:

bonding a ferrite shield to the at least one antenna stamped for a second time.

13. The method of manufacturing an antenna of claim 12, wherein the carrier includes a pilot hole, the pressure sensitive adhesive includes a first and a second die cut hole, and the ferrite shield includes a pilot hole.

14. The method of manufacturing an antenna of claim 13, further comprising:

placing the antenna stamped for a first time on a first fixture having at least one fixture pin, the fixture pin being inserted through the pilot hole;

placing the pressure sensitive adhesive on the first fixture, the fixture pin being inserted through the first die cut hole;

wherein the fixture pin aligns the first stamped antenna and the pressure sensitive adhesive such that an adhesive region of the pressure sensitive adhesive is positioned on the traces of the antenna.

15. The method of manufacturing an antenna of claim 14, wherein the first fixture is a pallet.

16. The method of manufacturing an antenna of claim 12, further comprising:

placing the antenna stamped for a second time on a second fixture;

placing the ferrite shield on a third fixture;

bonding an adhesive to the antenna and removing the antenna from the second fixture;

placing the adhesive and the antenna on the third fixture such that the antenna is placed on the ferrite shield; and

bonding the adhesive to the ferrite shield;

wherein the antenna is positioned between the adhesive and the ferrite shield.

17. The method of manufacturing an antenna of claim 16, wherein the second fixture and the third fixture are pallets.

18. An intermediate product for the manufacture of an antenna, comprising:

a pressure sensitive adhesive;

one or more stamped traces bonded with the pressure sensitive adhesive; and

at least one tie-bar connected between the one or more traces;

wherein the at least one tie-bar supports the one or more traces.

19. The intermediate product of claim 18, wherein the one or more traces are stamped from a sheet of copper.

20. The method of manufacturing an antenna of claim 18, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive pad having more than one pressure sensitive adhesive area.