Card type wireless device, antenna coil, and method for manufacturing communication module

• US 7,545,336 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Naito, Hiromichi
• Primary Examiner(s): MANCUSO, HUEDUNG XUAN CAO
• Application Number:
  US11/406,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20060267853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 343/788, 343/895, 343/702, 343866-867, 343741-742
• US Class Current: 343/788
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• 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 7/08 Ferrite rod or like elongated core

Abstract

An antenna coil includes: an air-core type flat coil body; and a coil support member disposed between the coil body and a substrate so that the coil body is supported on a surface of the substrate. The thickness of the coil body is smaller than a radius of a circle, an area of which is equal to an area of a region surrounded with an outline of a projected coil body, the projected coil body provided by projecting the coil body on a projection plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the coil body. The coil support member is made of resin hardened soft magnetic material.

Claims

1. An antenna coil comprising:

an air-core type flat coil body having a thickness in an axial direction of the coil body; and

a coil support member disposed between the coil body and a substrate as a mounting object of the antenna coil so that the coil body is supported on a surface of the substrate,

wherein the thickness of the coil body is smaller than a radius of a circle, an area of which is equal to an area of a region surrounded with an outline of a projected coil body, the projected coil body provided by projecting the coil body on a projection plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the coil body, and the coil support member is made of resin hardened soft magnetic material; and

wherein the coil support member is a coil case having a coil accommodation space for accommodating the coil body therein,

the coil case includes a ring shaped body corresponding to the coil body, and

the coil case has a part, which is made of the resin hardened soft magnetic material.

2. The antenna coil according to claim 1, wherein the resin hardened soft magnetic material is made of soft ferrite powder.

3. The antenna coil according to claim 1, wherein

the coil support member includes a ring portion disposed along with a circumferential direction of the coil body, and the ring portion is made of the resin hardened soft magnetic material.

4. The antenna coil according to claim 1, wherein

the coil accommodation space is a groove with an opening, which is disposed on one side of the coil case in the axial direction,

the ring shaped body of the coil case includes a bottom,

the bottom of the coil case is made of the resin hardened soft magnetic material, and

the bottom of the coil case corresponds to a circumference of the coil body having a ring shape.

5. The antenna coil according to claim 4, wherein

the ring shaped body of the coil case further includes a pair of sidewalls, and

each sidewall is disposed on one edge of the bottom of the coil case so that the sidewalls and the bottom are integrally made of the resin hardened soft magnetic material.

6. The antenna coil according to claim 3, wherein

the coil support member is a coil case having a coil accommodation space for accommodating the coil body therein,

the coil case includes a ring shaped body corresponding to the coil body,

the coil accommodation space is a groove with an opening, which is disposed on one side of the coil case in the axial direction,

the ring shaped body of the coil case includes a bottom,

the bottom of the coil case corresponds to a circumference of the coil body having a ring shape,

the coil support member further includes a coil support ring, which is separated from the coil case,

the coil support ring is disposed on the bottom of the coil case so that the coil support ring is disposed between the coil case and the coil body, and

the coil support ring is made of the resin hardened soft magnetic material.

7. The antenna coil according to claim 4, further comprising:

a reinforcing frame made of material having a Young'"'"'s modulus larger than that of the resin hardened soft magnetic material of the coil case,

wherein the reinforcing frame is disposed on the bottom of the coil case.

8. The antenna coil according to claim 5, further comprising:

a reinforcing frame made of material having a Young'"'"'s modulus larger than that of the resin hardened soft magnetic material of the coil case,

wherein the reinforcing frame is disposed on the bottom and at least one of the sidewalls of the coil case.

9. The antenna coil according to claim 3, wherein

the coil support member covers the region surrounded with the outline of the projected coil body, and

the coil support member is made of a sheet of the resin hardened soft magnetic material.

10. A method for manufacturing a communication module having an antenna coil and a transmitting/receiving circuit, which are mounted on a substrate, wherein the antenna coil is connected to the transmitting/receiving circuit, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning a coil side terminal of the antenna coil together with a solder member for connecting between a substrate side terminal of the substrate and the coil side terminal of the antenna coil; and

heating the substrate together with the antenna coil in a solder reflow furnace so that the solder member is melted and soldered between the coil side terminal and the substrate side terminal,

wherein the antenna coil further includes;

an air-core type flat coil body having a thickness in an axial direction of the coil body; and

a coil support member disposed between the coil body and a substrate as a mounting object of the antenna coil so that the coil body is supported on a surface of the substrate,

the thickness of the coil body is smaller than a radius of a circle, an area of which is equal to an area of a region surrounded with an outline of a projected coil body, the projected coil body provided by projecting the coil body on a projection plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the coil body,

the coil support member is a coil case having a coil accommodation space for accommodating the coil body therein,

the coil case includes a ring shaped body corresponding to the coil body, and

the coil case includes a part, which is made of the resin hardened soft magnetic material.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein

the coil accommodation space is a groove with an opening, which is disposed on one side of the coil case in the axial direction,

the ring shaped body of the coil case includes a bottom,

the bottom of the coil case is made of the resin hardened soft magnetic material, and

the bottom of the coil case corresponds to a circumference of the coil body having a ring shape.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the ring shaped body of the coil case further includes a pair of sidewalls, and

each sidewall is disposed on one edge of the bottom of the coil case so that the sidewalls and the bottom are integrally made of the resin hardened soft magnetic material.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

a reinforcing frame made of material having a Young'"'"'s modulus larger than that of the resin hardened soft magnetic material of the coil case,

wherein the reinforcing frame is disposed on the bottom of the coil case.

14. A card type wireless device comprising:

a communication module having an antenna coil, a transmitting/receiving circuit connecting to the antenna coil, and a substrate; and

a card type casing, wherein the antenna coil includes;

an air-core type flat coil body having a thickness in an axial direction of the coil body; and

a coil support member disposed between the coil body and a substrate as a mounting object of the antenna coil so that the coil body is supported on a surface of the substrate,

the thickness of the coil body is smaller than a radius of a circle, an area of which is equal to an area of a region surrounded with an outline of a projected coil body, the projected coil body provided by projecting the coil body on a projection plane perpendicular to an axial direction of the coil body,

the coil support member is made of resin hardened soft magnetic material,

the coil body includes an axis, which coincides with a normal line of the substrate, and

the card type casing accommodates the communication module in such a manner that a thickness direction of the substrate coincides with a thickness direction of the card type casing.

15. The card type wireless device according to claim 14, wherein

the resin hardened soft magnetic material is made of soft ferrite powder.

16. The card type wireless device according to claim 14, wherein

the coil support member includes a ring portion disposed along with a circumferential direction of the coil body, and

the ring portion is made of the resin hardened soft magnetic material.

17. The card type wireless device according to claim 14, wherein

the coil support member is a coil case having a coil accommodation space for accommodating the coil body therein,

the coil case includes a ring shaped body corresponding to the coil body, and

the coil case includes a part, which is made of the resin hardened soft magnetic material.

18. The card type wireless device according to claim 17, wherein

the coil accommodation space is a groove with an opening, which is disposed on one side of the coil case in the axial direction,

the ring shaped body of the coil case includes a bottom,

the bottom of the coil case is made of the resin hardened soft magnetic material, and

the bottom of the coil case corresponds to a circumference of the coil body having a ring shape.

19. The card type wireless device according to claim 18, wherein

the ring shaped body of the coil case further includes a pair of sidewalls, and

each sidewall is disposed on one edge of the bottom of the coil case so that the sidewalls and the bottom are integrally made of the resin hardened soft magnetic material.

20. The card type wireless device according to claim 18, further comprising:

a reinforcing frame made of material having a Young'"'"'s modulus larger than that of the resin hardened soft magnetic material of the coil case,

wherein the reinforcing frame is disposed on the bottom of the coil case.

21. The card type wireless device according to claim 19, further comprising:

a reinforcing frame made of material having a Young'"'"'s modulus larger than that of the resin hardened soft magnetic material of the coil case,

wherein the reinforcing frame is disposed on the bottom and at least one of the sidewalls of the coil case.

22. The card type wireless device according to claim 16, wherein

the coil support member covers the region surrounded with the outline of the projected coil body, and

the coil support member is made of a sheet of the resin hardened soft magnetic material.