JP2004264288A - Structure for fixing antenna, and radio wave correction clock using it - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve problems in a conventional antenna fixing method which uses a screw or an adhesive to fix an antenna that the antenna cannot be disassembled in case of a failure because of the fixation by the adhesive, and the fixation by the screw has a bad influence on the performance of the antenna. <P>SOLUTION: In electronic equipment provided with a built-in antenna, a part of the antenna 30 is fixed so as to be put between a base 1 that is an essential member for framing the electronic equipment and a circuit board 2 to be fixed to the base. Accordingly, the antenna 30 can be disassembled, the performance of the antenna is never badly influenced, and a special part is dispensed with. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device having a function of transmitting or receiving a radio wave, in a case where an antenna is built in the main body of the electronic device, a structure in which the antenna is fixed inside the main body of the electronic device, and the structure is used. Radio-controlled watch that was.

  Hereinafter, a conventional technique will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is an exploded view illustrating a case where both ends of the antenna are fixed with screws, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory view illustrating a case where the antenna is fixed to a circuit board with an adhesive.

  In FIG. 4, a base 41, which is a main member that fixes various components of the electronic device and serves as a skeleton of the electronic device, is made of resin so as not to hinder transmission and reception of radio waves. Concave portions 413 and 414 for receiving both ends are provided, and bushes 415 and 416 are pushed in from below the concave portions 413 and 414 in the drawing.

  The bushes 415 and 416 have a female screw which engages with the male screws 417 and 418, and is for securing the fixing force of the screw fixing the antenna 43.

  In FIG. 4, a circuit board 42 is already fixed to the base 41, and the antenna 43 is incorporated into the base 41 from above in the figure. At this time, both ends of the core member 431 and the recesses 413 and 414 are loosely engaged to regulate the position of the antenna 43 in the plane in the drawing.

  The male screws 417 and 418 are fastened to the bushes 415 and 416 through resin washers 435 and 436 through holes 433 and 434 at both ends of the core member 431 to fix the antenna 43 to the base 41. The male screws 417 and 418 regulate the position of the antenna 43 in the vertical direction in the figure, and the washers 435 and 436 prevent the core member 431 from being damaged by the tightening force of the male screws 417 and 418.

  The above-described structure in which the antenna is fixed with screws is used in a wristwatch that receives a standard radio wave and automatically adjusts the time. (For example, see Non-Patent Document 1)

  In FIG. 5, the antenna 53 has both ends of a core member 531 adhered to the circuit board 52 with adhesives 523 and 524 to fix the antenna 53 to the circuit board 52. By fixing the circuit board 52 to the base 51, the position of the antenna 53 is regulated.

  The structure in which the antenna is directly bonded and fixed to the circuit board is widely used. (For example, see Patent Document 2)

  In addition, as a structure for fixing the antenna, there is also a structure in which an antenna disposed on the side of the circuit board is sandwiched by two members at the same time as the circuit board. (For example, see Patent Document 1)

Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 6-25792 (page 2, FIG. 1) Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 6-25792 (page 2, FIG. 6) “BestGear” Tokuma Shoten Publishing, Vol. 9, No. 8, No. 95, September 20, 2002, p. 132

  However, in the conventional structure in which the antenna 43 is fixed with screws as shown in FIG. 4, a metal member is provided at both ends of the core member 431 which is an important part for transmitting or receiving radio waves. The arrangement of the male screws 417 and 418 and the bushes 415 and 416 adversely affects the performance of the antenna 43.

  In addition, it is necessary to provide the holes 433 and 434 at both ends of the core member 431, which also has a bad influence on the performance of the antenna 43, and also requires that the core member 431 be drilled. Further, in the work of assembling the antenna 43, if the screws are excessively tightened, there is a possibility that the core member 431 may be broken.

  In the conventional structure in which the antenna 53 is bonded and fixed as shown in FIG. 5, when a failure occurs in either the antenna 53 or the circuit board 52, the antenna 53 and the circuit board 52 are extremely disassembled. Difficult.

  Further, there is an example in which the antenna is sandwiched between two members in order to fix the antenna, but a second member for fixing the antenna is required.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problem that fixing by screws has a bad influence on antenna performance and requires processing of holes, and that it is difficult to disassemble by fixing by bonding, without adding special parts. And a structure for fixing the antenna. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a radio-controlled timepiece using a structure for fixing the antenna.

  In order to achieve the above object, a structure for fixing an antenna according to the present invention includes, in an electronic device having a function of transmitting or receiving a radio wave, an antenna built in a main body of the electronic device, and various components of the electronic device. The base, which is a main member that is fixed and forms a skeleton of the electronic device, has a portion that engages with each other, and the antenna is attached to the base at the engaging portion, so that the antenna is attached to the base. The position in a plane is regulated, and the position in the direction perpendicular to the plane is regulated by sandwiching the antenna between a fixed member, which is a separate member from the base, and the base. It is characterized by doing.

  According to the structure for fixing the antenna of the present invention, the regulation of the position of the antenna in the plane is regulated by a portion where the base and the antenna are engaged with each other, and the regulation of the vertical position of the antenna is regulated by the base and the fixing member. Since the antenna can be regulated by being sandwiched between the antenna and the antenna, there is no need to fix the antenna with screws or the like, and the antenna can be easily removed, the performance is excellent, the workability of the antenna is good, and the cost can be reduced.

  Further, the fixing member is a circuit board on which an electronic circuit is mounted, and when fixing the circuit board to the base, a part of the antenna is sandwiched between the part of the circuit board and the base. It is characterized in that the position is regulated by this.

As a result, the antenna can be fixed by sandwiching the antenna between the circuit board and the base, so that an additional member for fixing the antenna is unnecessary, and the antenna has a small number of parts, is easy to assemble, is easy to disassemble, and can be downsized. A fixing structure can be provided.

  Further, a connection member for electrically connecting the antenna and the electronic circuit on the circuit board is provided at a portion where the circuit board overlaps the antenna in a plane.

  As a result, a connection member can be provided at a portion where the circuit board and the antenna are overlapped in a plane so that the antenna can be electrically connected. Can be provided.

  Further, the antenna is electrically connected to the electronic circuit on the circuit board by a conductive member extending to a position away from the antenna.

  As a result, the electronic circuit can be electrically connected at a position distant from the antenna, so that the degree of freedom in the electrical connection position between the antenna and the circuit board is increased, the layout restriction of each component is reduced, and the layout is optimized. A structure for fixing the antenna can be provided.

  Further, the conductive member extending to a position distant from the antenna is made of a flexible material.

  As a result, the antenna and the electronic circuit can be electrically connected by a flexible conductive member, which can absorb dimensional errors and assembly errors of the base that fixes the antenna and the circuit board, and also fixes the antenna that is strong against impact. Can be provided.

  Further, the antenna has a core member made of a magnetic material, an insulating member covering a part of the core member, and a winding part formed by winding the core member and the insulating member with a conductive wire. The insulating member includes a substantially convex support portion protruding from the surface, and the fixing member sandwiches and presses the antenna together with the base via the support portion, and positions the antenna in a direction perpendicular to a plane. It is characterized by regulation.

  With this, the antenna can be sandwiched between the fixing member and the base via the supporting portion and the vertical position can be regulated, so that it is not necessary to fix the antenna with screws or the like, and the antenna can be easily removed and the performance is excellent, and In addition, it is possible to provide a structure for fixing an antenna with good antenna workability and low cost.

  Further, the insulating member covers one surface of the core member or both surfaces forming a pair, and the support portion is provided on at least one surface of the insulating member.

  Thereby, since the core member is covered with the insulating member, the core member and the winding portion are electrically insulated, and the impact resistance of the core member is improved.

  Further, the support portion is made of an elastic resin material and has an integral structure with the insulating member.

  Thereby, since the supporting portion has elasticity, the shock resistance of the antenna is improved, and a structure for fixing the antenna that absorbs dimensional errors and assembly errors of the antenna, the base, the fixing member, and the like can be provided.

  Further, the fixing member is a part of an exterior covering the electronic device.

As a result, since the fixing member that sandwiches the antenna is a part of the exterior, a separate member for fixing the antenna is unnecessary, and the antenna has a small number of parts, is easy to assemble, is easy to disassemble, and can be downsized. A fixing structure can be provided.

  The radio-controlled timepiece of the present invention is characterized in that the antenna is sandwiched and fixed between the base and the fixing member using a structure for fixing the antenna.

  According to the radio-controlled timepiece of the present invention, it is not necessary to fix the antenna with screws or the like, so that the antenna can be easily removed, the performance is excellent, and the processability of the antenna is good and the cost can be reduced.

  Further, the base of the radio-controlled timepiece is a base plate, and the fixing member is a circuit board fixed to the base plate.

  As a result, the antenna can be fixed by sandwiching the antenna between the base plate and the circuit board, so that a separate member for fixing the antenna is unnecessary, the number of parts is small, the assembling is excellent, the radio-controlled timepiece can be easily disassembled, and the size can be reduced. Can be provided.

  Further, the base of the radio-controlled timepiece is a base plate, and the fixing member is a back cover which is a part of an exterior.

  As a result, the antenna can be fixed by sandwiching the antenna between the base plate and the back cover.Therefore, a separate member for fixing the antenna is unnecessary, providing a radio-controlled timepiece that has a small number of parts, is easy to assemble, is easy to disassemble, and is strong against impact. it can.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the antenna is easily disassembled without adversely affecting the antenna performance, and has an effect that the size of the electronic device can be reduced without adding a special part for fixing the antenna. And a radio-controlled timepiece using the same.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 6 and 7 relate to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an electrical diagram of an antenna winding and a circuit board according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the connection between the antenna winding and the circuit board according to the present invention. FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are diagrams illustrating the case where the electrical connection is made at a position distant from the antenna. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention applied to a radio-controlled timepiece that automatically corrects the time by using a clock.

  An embodiment as Example 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, a base 1, which is a main member that fixes various components of the electronic device and serves as a skeleton of the electronic device, is made of a material that does not hinder transmission and reception of radio waves, for example, resin, and has concave portions 12, 13, and 14 Is provided.

  The antenna 30 is roughly divided into a core member 31 and a winding part 32 which is a conductor wound around the core member 31.

  The recesses 13 and 14 are shaped and dimensioned to loosely engage both ends of the core member 31, and the recess 12 is provided with the windings in a state where both ends of the core member 31 are engaged with the recesses 13 and 14. The shape and dimensions do not touch the portion 32.

When the circuit board 2 is fixed to the base 1, the circuit board 2 has protruding portions 21 and 22 that overlap with both ends of the core member 31 in a plane. When the circuit board 2 is fixed to the base 1, the protrusions 21 and 22 respectively overlap the recesses 13 and 14 in plan view.

  First, the antenna 30 is attached to the base 1. By engaging both ends of the core member 31 with the recesses 13 and 14, respectively, the horizontal position of the antenna 30 in the figure is regulated.

  Next, the circuit board 2 is fixed to the base 1 from above in the figure by regulating the horizontal and vertical positions by a known method not shown in the figure. At this time, the protruding portions 21 and 22 are planarly overlapped with both ends of the core member 31 from above in the figure to regulate the position of the antenna 30 in the vertical direction in the figure.

  The position of the antenna 30 in the horizontal direction in the figure is regulated by engaging with the concave portions 13 and 14, and the position in the vertical direction in the figure is regulated by being sandwiched between the base 1 and the circuit board 2, The antenna 30 is fixed to the base 1.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2A is an explanatory diagram relating to the electrical connection between the antenna winding and the circuit board according to the present invention, and FIG. 2B is an explanatory diagram illustrating the structure of the antenna 230 in FIG. 2A.

  In FIG. 2B, the antenna 230 has a winding frame 233 fixed to a core member 231 by bonding or the like, and a conductive wire is wound between the protruding portions 235 and 236 of the winding frame 233 in FIG. The winding part 232 is omitted.

  The connection member 234 has patterns 238 and 239 formed of an electrically conductive member such as a metal foil on an insulating flat member. Each of the patterns 238 and 239 is a portion where one end is connected to the conductive wire of the winding portion 232, and the other end is a portion which is electrically connected to a circuit board 220 described later.

  A part of the shape of the connection member 234 and one end 237 of the winding frame 233 are engaged with each other, and the connection member 234 is fixed to the antenna 230 by matching the shapes.

  In FIG. 2A, a base 210, which is a main member that fixes various components of the electronic device and serves as a skeleton of the electronic device, is made of a material that does not hinder transmission and reception of radio waves, for example, resin, and has concave portions 212 and 213. , And 214 are provided.

  The recesses 213 and 214 are shaped and dimensioned to loosely engage with both ends of the core member 231, and the recess 212 is provided with the windings in a state where both ends of the core member 231 are engaged with the recesses 213 and 214. The shape and dimensions do not contact the portion 232.

  When the circuit board 220 is fixed to the base 210, the circuit board 220 has protruding portions 221 and 222 that planarly overlap both ends of the core member 231. When the circuit board 220 is fixed to the base 210, the protrusions 221 and 222 overlap the recesses 213 and 214, respectively. Further, although not visible in the drawing, a circuit pattern overlapping the portions of the patterns 238 and 239 in a plane is provided on the lower surface of the protrusion 222 in the drawing.

The antenna 230 is mounted on the base 210. By engaging both ends of the core member 231 with the recesses 213 and 214, the horizontal position of the antenna 230 is regulated.

  Next, from above in the figure, the circuit board 220 is fixed to the base 210 by regulating the horizontal and vertical positions by a known method not shown in the figure. At this time, the protruding portions 221 and 222 are planarly overlapped with both ends of the core member 231 from above in the figure to regulate the position of the antenna 230 in the vertical direction in the figure.

  An electronic circuit (not shown) provided on the circuit board 220 in contact with the patterns 238 and 239 provided on the connection member 234 and the circuit pattern provided on the lower surface of the protrusion 222 and the antenna The conductor of the winding part 232 is electrically connected.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The antenna 330 includes a core member 331, a winding frame 333, a winding part 332, and a conductive member 334. The antenna 330 has the same structure as that of the antenna 230 described with reference to FIG. Is different from the connection member 234 only.

  The conductive member 334 has a portion extending in the right rear direction in the figure, and a fixing hole 340 is provided near the tip of the extended portion. Further, patterns 338 and 339 formed of an electrically conductive member such as a metal foil of the conductive member 334 also extend to the vicinity of the fixing hole 340.

  In FIG. 3, a base 310, which is a main member that fixes various components of the electronic device and serves as a skeleton of the electronic device, is made of a material that does not hinder transmission and reception of radio waves, for example, resin, and has concave portions 312, 313, 314, 315 and a bush hole 316 are provided.

  The recesses 313 and 314 are shaped and dimensioned to loosely engage both ends of the core member 331 of the antenna 330, and the recess 312 is formed in a state where both ends of the core member 331 are engaged with the recesses 313 and 314. The shape and dimensions do not contact the winding part 332 of the antenna 330.

  The concave portion 315 has a shape and dimensions that do not contact the extended portion of the conductive member 334 in a state where both ends of the core member 331 are engaged with the concave portions 313 and 314.

  The bush hole 316 is coaxial with the fixing hole 340, and the bush 317 is attached to the bush hole 316 from below in the figure.

  When the circuit board 320 is fixed to the base 310, the circuit board 320 has protruding portions 321 and 322 that overlap with both ends of the core member 331 in a plane. When the circuit board 320 is fixed to the base 310, the projections 321 and 322 overlap the recesses 313 and 314, respectively.

  The circuit board 320 has a screw hole 323 at a position coaxial with the fixing hole 340, which is hidden in the drawing and cannot be seen, but the lower surface of the circuit board 320 in the figure around the screw hole 323 A circuit pattern overlapping a part of the patterns 338 and 339 in a plane is provided.

  The antenna 330 is mounted on the base 310. By engaging both ends of the core member 331 with the concave portions 313 and 314, the horizontal position of the antenna 330 in the figure is regulated.

Next, from above in the figure, the circuit board 320 is fixed to the base 310 by regulating the horizontal and vertical positions by a known method not shown in the figure. At this time, the protruding portions 321 and 322 are planarly overlapped with both ends of the core member 331 from above in the figure to regulate the position of the antenna 330 in the vertical direction in the figure.

  At this time, the circuit pattern provided on the lower surface of the screw hole 323 is in contact with the patterns 338 and 339 provided on the conductive member 334 and an electronic circuit (not shown) provided on the circuit board 320 and The conductor of the winding part 332 is electrically connected.

  Further, a screw 319 is fastened to the bush 317 via a washer 318 in order to ensure an electrical connection between the electronic circuit provided on the circuit board 320 and the winding part 332. By the fastening force of the screw 319, a sufficient contact pressure can be secured at a contact portion between the circuit pattern provided on the lower surface of the screw hole 323 and the patterns 338 and 339 provided on the conductive member 334.

  In addition, if the conductive member 334 is made of a flexible material, the height of the surface on which the conductive member 334 is mounted on the antenna 330 and the height of the circuit board 320 that sandwiches the antenna 330 are determined by the deflection of the conductive member 334 itself. A difference in height from a lower surface, a dimensional error and an assembly error of the antenna 330, the base 310, and the like can be absorbed, and the relative position between the antenna 330 and the base generated by an impact applied to the electronic device. Such a change in position can be absorbed and the antenna 330 and the conductive member 334 themselves can be prevented from being damaged. Such a flexible material is widely known as a flexible circuit board made of a polyimide resin.

  Even if the screw 319 or the bush 317 is a metal member, it can be disposed at a position sufficiently distant from the antenna 330, so that the adverse effect on the performance of the antenna 330 can be ignored.

  Next, a radio-controlled timepiece of the present invention using a structure for fixing the antenna of the present invention as a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 is an exploded view for explaining a method of fixing an antenna according to an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a radio-controlled timepiece, and FIG. 7 shows a case when viewed from below in FIG. In FIGS. 6 and 7, portions unnecessary for description are omitted in order to clarify portions related to the present invention.

  The antenna 630 includes, as constituent elements, a core member 631, a winding part 632, a winding frame 633, and a conductive member 634, and a conductive wire is wound between the protrusions 635 and 636 of the winding frame 633 that is in close contact with the core member 631. To the winding part 632.

  Cylindrical projections 641 and 642 downward in the drawing of the winding frame 633 are projections for fixing the horizontal position of the entire antenna 630.

  A cylindrical projection 637a and a triangular prism-shaped projection 637b disposed on the right end of the winding frame 633 in the drawing are projections for fixing the position of the conductive member 634, and the conductive member 634 includes the two protrusions. And a portion that engages with

  The conductive member 634 has a portion extending rightward and rearward in the figure, and a fixing hole 640 is provided near the tip of the extended portion. The conductive member 634 is made of a flexible circuit board made of polyimide, and when the conductive member 634 is bent, a surface where the conductive member 634 is attached to the antenna 630 and a contact surface between the conductive member 634 and a circuit board described later are formed. Of the antenna, the assembly error and the dimensional error of the antenna 630 and the base 610, and the change of the relative position between the base 610 and the antenna 630 caused by the shock received by the radio-controlled timepiece. Thus, the conductive member 634 and the antenna 630 are prevented from being damaged.

  The conductive member 634 is a pattern formed of a conductive member such as a metal foil for connecting an antenna winding forming the winding part 632 and an electronic circuit (not shown) formed on the circuit board 620. The patterns 638 and 639 connect the vicinity of the winding portion 632 to the vicinity of the fixing hole 640.

  A substantially disk-shaped base 610 is a main member to which various components constituting the radio-controlled timepiece are assembled in addition to the antenna 630 and the circuit board 620. The base 610 is often a ground plate in a radio-controlled timepiece. About 2/3 at the rear in the figure is omitted because it is not related to the present invention.

  The base 610 has a bush hole 616, and a portion of the base 610 into which the antenna 630 is incorporated is hollowed out in a shape of the antenna 630. 612 is hollowed out. The recess 612 partially penetrates to the back side.

  The base 610 is provided with substantially circular holes 613 and 614. The holes 613 and 614 engage with the protrusions 641 and 642 protruding downward from the antenna 630, respectively. The holes 613 and 614 have flat surfaces parallel to each other on the inner surface, and the flats are provided for loosely engaging the projections 641 and 642 while maintaining the positional accuracy, which is a widely used known method. This is the method.

  The circuit board 620 constituting an electronic circuit for realizing a radio-controlled timepiece that receives a standard radio wave and automatically corrects the time is substantially disc-shaped, but the front side in the figure does not interfere with the antenna 630. The projections 621 and 622 have a shape that partially overlaps both ends of the antenna 630 in plan view.

  The circuit board 620 has a screw hole 623. About 約 of the rear of the circuit board 620 in the figure is omitted because it is not related to the present invention.

  The fixing of the antenna according to the present embodiment will be described. The antenna 630 is mounted on the base 610. At this time, the projections 641 and 642 of the antenna 630 engage with the holes 613 and 614, respectively, to regulate the horizontal position of the antenna 630 in the drawing.

  Next, the circuit board 620 is assembled to the base 610 from above in the figure. The circuit board 620 is fixed to the base 610 by a known method such as screwing. At this time, the projecting portions 621 and 622 of the circuit board 620 overlap with a part of both ends of the antenna 630 in a plane, and the antenna 630 is sandwiched between the circuit board 620 and the base 610 in a vertical direction in FIG. The position is regulated.

  The bush hole 616 and the screw hole 623 are arranged concentrically with a fixing hole 640 provided at a portion of the conductive member 634 extending rightward and rearward in the figure. A bush 617 is attached to the bush hole 616 from the lower side in the figure, and a screw 619 penetrates the screw hole 623 and the fixing hole 640 via a washer 618 from the upper side in the figure to engage with the bush 617 and fasten.

  Although not shown in the figure, the circuit patterns provided at positions overlapping the patterns 638 and 639 on the circuit board 620 and the patterns 638 and 639 overlap and come into contact with each other so that they are electrically connected. Further, by securing the contact pressure by the fastening force of the screw 619, the electrical connection between the two is ensured.

  The bush 617 and the screw 619 are made of metal, but are sufficiently separated from both ends of the antenna 630, so that the influence of the antenna 630 on the antenna performance can be ignored. Further, since no special parts for fixing the antenna 630 are used, the size can be reduced without increasing the number of parts.

  In particular, a radio-controlled timepiece that receives standard radio waves and automatically corrects the time has large dimensional restrictions and must receive weak radio waves with limited power. In addition, the effect that the size can be reduced without adversely affecting the antenna performance plays a significant role.

  Next, as a third embodiment, an embodiment of a radio-controlled timepiece using a structure for fixing an antenna of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the antenna of the present invention, FIG. 8A is a perspective view of the antenna before the conductor is wound, and FIG. 8B is a diagram in which the conductor is wound to form a winding part. FIG. 8C is a partial perspective view of the antenna taken along a sectional line A in a completed perspective view of the antenna. FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram of a radio-controlled timepiece and a transmission system according to the present invention. FIG. 10 is an exploded back view of a radio-controlled timepiece using a structure for fixing an antenna according to the present invention. FIG. 11 is a partial sectional view of the radio-controlled timepiece using the structure for fixing the antenna of the present invention along the section line C in FIG. FIG. 12 is a circuit block diagram of a radio-controlled timepiece using a structure for fixing an antenna according to the present invention.

  First, the structure of the antenna incorporated in the radio-controlled timepiece of the present invention will be described. 8A and 8B, reference numeral 70 denotes an antenna for receiving a standard radio wave. Reference numeral 71 denotes a core member made of a magnetic material, and has a substantially arc shape in which both ends are largely constricted at the center. Reference numeral 72 denotes an upper housing as an insulating member made of a resin material. The upper housing 72 is fixed to the core member 71 by an adhesive or the like (not shown) and covers substantially the upper half of the core member 71. Reference numeral 72a denotes an upper winding frame, which is a part of the upper housing 72 and covers substantially the upper half of the constricted portion at the center of the core member 71. Reference numeral 73 denotes a lower housing as an insulating member made of a resin material, which is fixed to the core member 71 with an adhesive or the like (not shown), and covers substantially the lower half of the core member 71. Reference numeral 73a denotes a lower winding frame, which is a part of the lower housing 73 and covers a substantially lower half of a constricted portion at the center of the core member 71. That is, the upper housing 72 and the lower housing 73 cover both upper and lower surfaces of the core member 71 as a pair.

  Reference numerals 72b and 72c denote substantially convex support portions, which are disposed one by one on the upper surfaces of both ends of the upper housing 72. Reference numeral 74 denotes a winding portion, which is formed by winding a conductive wire around the core member 71 and an upper winding frame 72a and a lower winding frame 73a that cover the core member 71. The upper winding frame 72a and the lower winding frame 73a have a function of electrically insulating the core member 71 and the winding portion 74. Reference numeral 75 denotes an antenna substrate, which is fixed to a part of the lower housing 73 (not shown), and has a tuning IC to be described later, external connection electrodes for electrical connection to the outside, and the like. Further, both terminals of the winding portion 74 are electrically connected to an antenna substrate 75 by soldering or the like (not shown).

FIG. 8C is a cross-sectional view of the support portion 72b along the cross-sectional line A shown in FIG. 8B. As shown, the support portion 72b is formed integrally with the upper housing 72, and has a substantially convex shape protruding from the surface of the upper housing 72. Further, the support portion 72b is formed of an elastic resin material and has a gap (= deflection allowance) immediately below the support portion 72b, so that the support portion 72b has elasticity in the vertical direction indicated by the arrow B. . The support portion 72c has the same form as the support portion 72b. Note that the antenna 70 is not limited to the form shown in FIG. 8, and can be arbitrarily changed without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the antenna board 75 on which a tuning IC or the like (not shown) is mounted may be deleted, and the function of the antenna board 75 may be arranged on the circuit board side of a radio-controlled timepiece described later. Further, the lower housing 73 that covers the lower surface of the core member 71 may not be necessary if insulation between the core member 71 and the winding part 74 is performed by another means.

  Next, the concept of a radio-controlled timepiece incorporating the antenna 70 and a transmission system will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 80 denotes an analog display type radio-controlled timepiece using a structure for fixing an antenna according to the present invention. Reference numeral 81 denotes an exterior made of metal or the like, and reference numeral 82 denotes a display unit for displaying time and the like, which is constituted by a second hand 82a, a minute hand 82b, an hour hand 82c, and a date display unit 82d for displaying a date. Numeral 70 denotes an antenna for receiving the standard radio wave shown in FIG. 8, which is arranged at 12:00 inside the exterior 81, but is not limited to this position. Good. A crown 83a for correcting the time and date corresponding to a part of the input means is linked to a plurality of electric switches (not shown). 83b and 83c are operation buttons corresponding to a part of the input means, and are respectively linked with electric switches (not shown). 84 is a band to be worn on the arm of a user (not shown).

  Reference numeral 85 denotes a transmitting station that transmits a standard radio wave including time information as a standard time. Reference numeral 85a denotes a transmission antenna for transmitting a standard radio wave, and reference numeral 85b denotes an atomic clock for measuring standard time with high accuracy. Reference numeral 85c denotes a standard radio wave that carries the standard time as time information transmitted from the transmitting antenna 85a. The standard radio wave 85c is usually a long wave of several tens of KHz, and can be received within a range of a radius of about 900 Km. Note that the transmission frequency and the time information format of the standard radio wave 85c are individually set by the transmission stations in each country or each region.

  Here, in order for the radio-controlled timepiece 80 to receive the standard radio wave 85c, it is preferable that the position where the antenna 70 of the radio-controlled timepiece 80 is disposed is directed toward the transmitting station 85, and the reception start button (for example, the operation button 83c) is pressed. Thereby, the radio-controlled timepiece 80 starts the receiving operation and receives the standard radio wave 85c. Next, the radio-controlled timepiece 80 decodes the data using a decoding algorithm corresponding to the time information format of the standard radio wave 85c, and obtains time information such as seconds, minutes, hours, and date, and data on the presence or absence of leap years and daylight saving time as necessary. The acquired time information is counted, and the display unit 82 displays the time information and the date. It is preferable that the reception of the standard radio wave is periodically performed at a time when the reception environment is good with little noise such as late at night.

  Next, the internal structure of the radio-controlled timepiece 80 of the present invention shown in FIG. 9 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the radio-controlled timepiece 80 in which the radio-controlled timepiece 80 is removed from the exterior 81, the battery and the battery support frame are removed for convenience of description, and the assembled state of the antenna 70 is shown from the back. In FIG. 10, reference numeral 86 denotes a base plate serving as a base, and the base plate 86 functions as a skeleton of the radio-controlled timepiece 80 by assembling components. Reference numeral 87 denotes a circuit board on which each electronic component is mounted. Reference numeral 87a denotes a second / minute motor, which drives a second hand 82a (see FIG. 9) and a minute hand 82b (see FIG. 9). Reference numeral 87b denotes an hour / day motor, which has an hour hand 82c (see FIG. 9) and a date display unit 82d (see FIG. 9). Drive).

  In practice, only the winding portion of the second minute motor 87a and the winding portion of the hourly date motor 87b are exposed from the circuit board 87. However, here, for convenience of explanation, the second minute motor 87a and the hourly date motor 87a are used. 87b is displayed in its entirety. Reference numerals 87c and 87d denote quartz oscillators for receiving standard radio waves, respectively, which are mounted on the upper surface of the circuit board 87. Reference numeral 87e denotes a quartz crystal unit for a timepiece, which is mounted on the back surface of the circuit board 87. A receiving IC 87f is mounted on the back surface of the circuit board 87, and is connected to the quartz oscillators 87c and 87d. Reference numeral 87g denotes a microcomputer (hereinafter abbreviated as a microcomputer) as control means for controlling the entire radio-controlled timepiece 80 and correcting the time, and is mounted on the back surface of the circuit board 87.

Although details will be described later, the base plate 86 has a concave portion that engages with the antenna 70, and the position of the antenna 70 in the plane is regulated. The antenna board 75 of the antenna 70 is a circuit board 87 as shown in the figure.
Are partially overlapped with the circuit board 87, and are screwed and fixed to the base plate 86 together with the circuit board 87 by using screws (not shown) through the circuit board fixing holes 88. Here, external connection electrodes 75a to 75e as connection members are formed around the circuit board retaining holes 88 on the back surface of the antenna substrate 75, and the circuit board 87 is formed in correspondence with the positions of the external connection electrodes 75a to 75e. On the upper surface, a receiving connection electrode (not shown) is formed. As a result, when the antenna board 75 is fixed to the ground plate 86 together with the circuit board 87 by screws (not shown), the circuit board 87 is sandwiched between the antenna board 75 and the ground board 86, and is formed on the circuit board 87. The receiving connection electrodes (not shown) and the external connection electrodes 75a to 75e formed on the antenna substrate 75 are brought into close contact and electrically connected by the fastening force of the screws.

  As a result, the circuit board 87 and the antenna 70 are electrically coupled and integrated, and a received signal (described later) of the standard radio wave received by the antenna 70 can be transmitted to the circuit board 87. The above-mentioned crown 83a is linked to a plurality of switches (not shown), and allows the user to perform operations such as time correction by rotating. On the lower surface of the circuit board 87, a wheel train mechanism for transmitting the rotational force of the second minute motor 87a and the hour date motor 87b to the second hand 82a, the minute hand 82b, the hour hand 82c, and the like is arranged. Omitted because it is not done. In addition, various conductive patterns are formed on the circuit board 87, and a plurality of electronic components such as capacitors are mounted thereon, but these are also omitted.

  Next, the structure of the radio-controlled timepiece using the structure for fixing the antenna of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 11 which is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the cross-sectional line C shown in FIG. In FIG. 10, the exterior 81 is omitted, but in FIG. 11, the structure including the exterior 81 will be described. Reference numeral 81a denotes a back cover as a fixing member that forms a part of the exterior 81 that covers the radio-controlled timepiece 80, and is engaged with the exterior 81 via an O-ring 81b and fitted therein. 81c is a transparent glass, which is fitted into the exterior 81 and mechanically protects the display unit 82. The display unit 82 includes the second hand, minute hand, hour hand, date display unit, and the like (not shown). 81d is a dial ring, which is arranged on the inner circumference of the glass 81c. Reference numeral 81e denotes a dial, which is arranged behind the display unit 82 and fixed by an exterior projection 81f provided on the inner circumference of the exterior 81. When the radio-controlled timepiece 80 has a solar cell described later, it is generally arranged behind the dial 81e, but is omitted here.

  A main plate 86 serving as a skeleton of the radio-controlled timepiece 80 is disposed in close contact with the back surface of the dial 81e. The base plate 86 is in close contact with the back cover tip 81g of the back cover 81a. As a result, the base plate 86 is fixed to the exterior 81 by being sandwiched between the exterior projection 81f and the back cover tip 81g via the dial 81e. Further, the base plate 86 has a concave portion 86a as a portion to be engaged to engage with the antenna 70, and the position of the antenna 70 in the plane with respect to the base plate 86 is regulated by being assembled to the concave portion 86a. .

  The lower housing 73 of the antenna 70 has a housing projection 73b on the lower surface, and the recess 86a of the base plate 86 has an engagement hole 86b on the bottom surface so as to engage with the housing projection 73b. By the engagement between the portion 73b and the engagement hole 86b, the position of the antenna 70 in the plane can be more accurately regulated. Conversely, a boss may be protruded from the bottom surface of the recess 86a, and an engagement hole may be formed in the lower surface of the lower housing 73 to engage with the boss, and the position in the plane with respect to the base plate 86 may be regulated with high precision. However, if the regulation of the position in the plane by the concave portion 86a is sufficient, the engaging hole 86b and the housing convex portion 73b are not required, and the bottom surface of the concave portion 86a and the lower surface of the lower housing 73 may be flat.

The above-described upper housing 72 is provided on the upper surface of the antenna 70, and the upper housing 72 has a substantially convex support portion 72c. Here, the tip of the support portion 72c is in close contact with the lower surface of the back cover 81a as shown in the figure, and since the support portion 72c has elasticity, the support portion 72c is slightly bent by being pushed by the back cover 81a. As a result, the antenna 70 is sandwiched and pressed between the back cover 81a and the base plate 86 via the elastic supporting portion 72c, and the vertical position is regulated. Although not shown, the other support portion 72b is also in close contact with the back cover 81a, and regulates the vertical position of the antenna 70. The circuit board 87 is disposed on the upper surface of the base plate 86, and is fixed by screws or the like (not shown).

  As described above, according to the structure for fixing the antenna of the present invention shown in the third embodiment, the antenna 70 is mounted on the concave portion 86a of the base plate 86, which is a portion to be engaged with the antenna 70, so that the position in the plane is improved. Is regulated between the back cover 81a and the base plate 86 via the support portions 72b and 72c, and the position in the vertical direction is regulated. As a result, the antenna 70 is automatically fixed to the inside of the radio-controlled timepiece 80 by the back cover 81a being fitted into the exterior 81, so that no parts are required for fixing, the number of parts is reduced, and the cost is reduced. Down becomes possible. The antenna 70 can be removed from the radio-controlled timepiece 80 by simply removing the back cover 81a from the exterior 81 and removing one screw from the circuit board fixing hole 88. As a result, the work of assembling and removing the antenna 70 can be performed very easily, which has a great effect on reduction of the number of assembling steps and speed up of after-sales service.

  Further, since the antenna 70 is in close contact with the back cover 81a via the elastic supporting portions 72b and 72c, when the radio wave correction clock 80 is subjected to an impact due to a drop or the like, the elasticity of the supporting portions 72b and 72c is reduced. Since the impact force is absorbed by the characteristics and the antenna 70 is protected from strong impact, the impact resistance can be improved. In this embodiment, the support portions 72b and 72c are provided only on the upper housing 72. However, in order to further improve the impact resistance, the lower surface of the antenna 70, that is, the lower housing 73 has the same elasticity. May be provided.

  Conventionally, as described above, in order to fix the antenna, it is necessary to form through holes for fixing at both ends of the core member. However, this hole is unnecessary, and the cost of the antenna can be reduced. Further, the through hole deteriorates the magnetic properties of the core member and adversely affects the antenna performance. However, in the present invention, the through hole for fixing is not required, so that the performance of the antenna can be improved.

  Further, in the related art, as described above, the antenna is fixed to the ground plate or the like by using a screw made of a metal member. Therefore, it is possible to further improve the performance of the antenna. In this embodiment, the back cover 81a is used as a fixing member for sandwiching the antenna 70. However, the fixing member is not limited to the back cover. For example, another member is provided between the back cover 81a and the antenna 70. May be provided, and the antenna 70 may be sandwiched and fixed by the separate member together with the base plate 86. Further, the separate member may be a circuit board as described in the second embodiment. Further, the back cover 81a as the fixing member is preferably made of a metal material in terms of strength, but a non-metal material such as a polymer resin material may be used in order to improve the sensitivity characteristics of the antenna.

  Next, an outline of a circuit configuration of a radio-controlled timepiece 80 of the present invention incorporating the antenna 70 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 12, a block surrounded by a broken line is a circuit configuration of the circuit board 87 shown in FIG. 10, and a block surrounded by a broken line is a circuit configuration of the antenna 70 incorporated in the radio-controlled timepiece 80. The antenna 70 is electrically connected to the circuit board 87 by the external connection electrodes 75a to 75e. For example, the plus power supply Vdd is input by the external connection electrode 75a, the control signal P1 is input by the external connection electrode 75b, and the external connection electrode The enable signal P2 is input by 75c, the reception signal P3 is output by the external connection electrode 75d, and the minus power supply Vss is input by the external connection electrode 75e.

Next, an outline of a circuit configuration of the antenna 70 will be described. One terminal of the winding part 74 is connected to the external connection electrode 75d to become the reception signal P3, and the other terminal is connected to the negative power supply Vss. A tuning IC 75f switches between a plurality of built-in capacitors (not shown) by inputting a control signal P1 and an enable signal P2. 75g and 75h are external capacitors. The capacitor 75g is switched by the tuning IC 75f, and the capacitor 75h is connected to the winding 74 in parallel. As a result, the winding circuit 74, the external capacitors 75g and 75h, and the plurality of capacitors built in the tuning IC 75f form a tuning circuit for receiving the standard radio wave.

  Next, an outline of a circuit configuration of the circuit board 87 will be described. Although not shown, the reception IC 87f includes an amplification circuit, a filter circuit, a decoding circuit, and the like, receives the reception signal P3, and outputs a demodulated signal P4 converted into a digital signal. The quartz oscillators 87c and 87d are connected to the receiving IC 87f, respectively, and function as filter elements for selectively receiving standard radio waves. For example, when the radio-controlled timepiece 80 is shipped for use in Japan, a quartz crystal having a natural frequency equal to 40 kHz at the Fukushima station and 60 kHz at the Kyushu station may be connected. The receiving IC 87f is connected to a positive power supply Vdd and a negative power supply Vss as power supplies.

  Although not shown, the microcomputer 87g as a control means includes a transmitting circuit, an arithmetic circuit, a control circuit, a motor driving circuit, and the like, and inputs a demodulation signal P4 and outputs a driving signal P6. Reference numeral 90 denotes a solar cell which receives light from the outside to generate power and supplies a solar power source P5 to the microcomputer 87g. Reference numeral 91 denotes a secondary battery which charges power from the solar cell 90 and supplies a plus power supply Vdd and a minus power supply Vss to the microcomputer 87g, other ICs, and the like. The crystal oscillator 87e for a clock is connected to the microcomputer 87g to generate a reference signal. Further, the microcomputer 87g outputs the control signal P1 and the enable signal P2 and inputs them to the antenna 70. The display unit 82 includes the second hand 82a, the minute hand 82b, the hour hand 82c, the date display unit 82d, and the like shown in FIG. 9, and receives a drive signal P6 from the microcomputer 87g to receive the second minute motor 87a and the hour / day motor shown in FIG. 87b.

  Next, the operation of the radio-controlled timepiece 80 will be described. In FIG. 12, when a certain voltage is supplied between the positive power supply Vdd and the negative power supply Vss by the solar cell 90 or the secondary battery 91, the microcomputer 87g executes an initialization process to initialize each circuit block. As a result, the time information inside the microcomputer 87g is initialized to AM 00:00:00, and a drive signal P6 is output based on the initialized time information, and the second hand 82a, the minute hand 82b, and the hour hand of the display unit 82 are displayed. Reference numeral 82c moves to the reference position AM 00:00:00, and the date display section 82d also moves to the reference position.

  Next, the microcomputer 87g internally divides the frequency of the reference signal obtained by the crystal oscillator 87e to start measuring time information, and outputs a drive signal P6 based on the time information to continuously drive the display unit 82. I do. Further, the microcomputer 87g shifts to the time adjustment mode by an external operation of the user, a timer for a fixed time, or the like, receives the standard time signal, and automatically adjusts the display time.

  Hereinafter, the operation in the time adjustment mode will be described. When the radio-controlled timepiece 80 shifts to the time correction mode by a user operation, a timer, or the like, the microcomputer 87g outputs a control signal P1 and an enable signal P2 to the antenna 70. The tuning IC 75f of the antenna 70 reads out tuning data stored in advance in a built-in memory circuit (not shown) in accordance with the input control signal P1 and enable signal P2, and externally connects to a plurality of built-in capacitors (not shown). The attached capacitor 75g is switched. As a result, the tuning frequency of the tuning circuit is varied, and the target standard radio wave can be selectively received.

Next, when the target standard radio wave is received, the tuning IC 75f outputs a reception signal P3 and inputs the reception signal P3 to the reception IC 87f of the circuit board 87. The receiving IC 87f receives and amplifies the received signal P3, removes noise components and the like by a filter circuit including the quartz oscillators 87c and 87d, further converts the digital signal into a digital signal by a decoding circuit (not shown), and outputs a demodulated signal P4. I do. Next, the microcomputer 87g that has received the demodulated signal P4 decodes the demodulated signal P4 using the decoding algorithm stored therein, obtains standard time information such as hour, minute, second and date and stores it in the microcomputer 87g. Correct and store the current time information. Next, the microcomputer 87g outputs the drive signal P6 based on the time information corrected at the standard time, and the display unit 82 inputs the drive signal P6 to correct the display time correctly.

  Note that the radio-controlled timepiece of the present invention is not limited to the circuit configuration shown in FIG. 12. For example, each control may be realized by hardware without using the microcomputer 87g as control means. In addition, although a power supply system for charging the secondary battery 91 with the solar cell 90 is employed, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the battery may be a primary battery without using the solar cell 90. Further, the display unit 82 is an analog display unit, but is not limited thereto, and may be a digital display unit or a mixed type display unit of analog and digital. Further, the structure for fixing the antenna of the present invention is not limited to the radio-controlled timepiece, but can be incorporated in various electronic devices that receive or transmit radio waves, and its application range is very wide.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of the present invention and showing a structure for fixing an antenna 30 by sandwiching a part of an antenna 30 between a part of a circuit board 2 and a base 1. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of the present invention and showing a structure of a base 210 and a circuit board 220 as members around the antenna 230. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of an antenna 230 part of FIG. 2A showing an embodiment of the present invention, and is an explanatory view showing a structure in which a connection member 234 for connecting the antenna 230 and a circuit board 220 is provided. . FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the embodiment of the present invention and showing a structure in which a connection member 334 extending from the antenna 3 is connected to an electronic circuit at a position away from the antenna. It is an explanatory view showing a structure for fixing an antenna according to a conventional technique, and showing a case where the antenna is fixed with screws. It is an explanatory view showing a structure for fixing an antenna according to a conventional description and showing a case where the antenna is fixed with an adhesive. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a structure in which the present invention is applied to a radio-controlled timepiece which receives a standard radio wave and automatically corrects time, as viewed from above. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a structure in which the present invention is applied to a radio-controlled timepiece which receives a standard radio wave and automatically corrects time, as viewed from below. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the antenna of the present invention before winding a conductive wire. FIG. 3 is a completed perspective view of the antenna of the present invention in which a winding is formed by winding a conductive wire. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the antenna of the present invention along a cross-sectional line A. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a radio-controlled timepiece and a transmission system according to the present invention. 1 is an exploded rear view of a radio-controlled timepiece using a structure for fixing an antenna of the present invention. 1 is a partial sectional view of a radio-controlled timepiece using a structure for fixing an antenna of the present invention. 1 is a circuit block diagram of a radio-controlled timepiece using a structure for fixing an antenna of the present invention.

Explanation of reference numerals

Reference Signs List 1 base 2, 87 circuit board 30, 70 antenna 31, 71 core member 32, 74 winding part 72 upper housing 72b, 72c support part 73 lower housing 80 radio-controlled timepiece 81 exterior 81a back cover 82 display part 86 base plate

Claims (12)

In an electronic device having a function of transmitting or receiving a radio wave, an antenna built in a main body of the electronic device, and a base serving as a main member serving as a skeleton of the electronic device by fixing various components of the electronic device. Has a part to be engaged with each other, and by assembling the antenna to the base at the engaged part, the position of the antenna in a certain plane with respect to the base is regulated, and the antenna is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the plane. A structure for fixing the antenna, wherein the position is regulated by sandwiching the antenna between a fixing member, which is a separate member from the base, and the base. The fixing member is a circuit board on which an electronic circuit is mounted.When fixing the circuit board to the base, a part of the antenna is sandwiched between a part of the circuit board and the base. The structure for fixing an antenna according to claim 1, wherein the position is regulated. The antenna according to claim 2, wherein a connection member that electrically connects the antenna and the electronic circuit on the circuit board is provided at a portion where the circuit board planarly overlaps the antenna. Structure to fix. The structure for fixing an antenna according to claim 2, wherein the antenna and the electronic circuit on the circuit board are electrically connected by a conductive member extending to a position away from the antenna. The structure for fixing an antenna according to claim 4, wherein the conductive member extending to a position distant from the antenna is made of a flexible material. The antenna has a core member made of a magnetic material, an insulating member that covers a part of the core member, and a winding unit formed by winding the core member and the insulating member with a conductive wire. The insulating member includes a substantially convex support portion protruding from the surface, and the fixing member sandwiches and presses the antenna together with the base via the support portion to regulate a position in a direction perpendicular to a plane. The structure for fixing an antenna according to claim 1, wherein: The antenna according to claim 6, wherein the insulating member covers one surface of the core member, or both surfaces forming a pair, and the support portion is disposed on at least one surface of the insulating member. Structure to fix. The structure for fixing an antenna according to claim 6, wherein the support portion is made of an elastic resin material and has an integral structure with the insulating member. The structure for fixing an antenna according to claim 6, wherein the fixing member is a part of an exterior covering the electronic device. A radio-controlled timepiece comprising: a structure for fixing an antenna according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is sandwiched and fixed between the base and the fixing member. The radio-controlled timepiece according to claim 10, wherein the base is a base plate, and the fixing member is a circuit board fixed to the base plate. The radio-controlled timepiece according to claim 10, wherein the base is a base plate, and the fixing member is a back cover that is a part of an exterior.

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