CN112714981A

CN112714981A - Antenna plate with antenna of planar structure mode

Info

Publication number: CN112714981A
Application number: CN202080003058.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: G·珀蒂迪迪埃; G·弗朗索瓦; V·拉梅什库马尔
Original assignee: Saint Gobain Glass France SAS
Current assignee: Saint Gobain Glass France SAS; Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA
Priority date: 2019-08-21
Filing date: 2020-08-17
Publication date: 2021-04-27
Also published as: WO2021032655A1; DE202020005661U1

Abstract

The invention relates to an antenna panel (1) having at least one antenna (15) in the form of a planar structure, comprising at least one electrically insulating substrate (2, 2 '), a dielectric film (3) arranged on the substrate (2), a first electrically conductive layer (4) on a first surface (5) of the dielectric film (3) and a second electrically conductive layer (4') on a second surface (5 ') of the dielectric film (3) opposite the first surface (5), wherein a transmitting/receiving layer (6) of the antenna (15) and a signal conductor (8) which is galvanically connected to the transmitting/receiving layer (6) are formed in the first electrically conductive layer (4) for an antenna signal to be received/transmitted by the antenna (15), and a base layer (7) of the antenna (15) and a base conductor (9) which is galvanically connected to the base layer (7) are formed in the second electrically conductive layer (4') for the antenna signal to be received/transmitted by the antenna (15) The antenna signal provides a reference potential.

Description

Antenna plate with antenna of planar structure mode

Technical Field

The invention is in the technical field of board production and relates to an antenna board with at least one antenna in a planar structure, an antenna board arrangement, a method for manufacturing an antenna board and use thereof.

Background

Modern motor vehicles have a large number of technical devices for transmitting and receiving high-frequency electromagnetic radiation, in particular to enable basic services like radio broadcast reception, mobile telephony, satellite-based navigation (GPS) and wireless internet (WLAN) to be operated. The introduction of the 5G standard, in particular in mobile telephones, is therefore provided, in which case a data rate and capacity which is many times higher than the 4G standard hitherto can be achieved, but this also poses new challenges to the vehicle manufacturers, since a plurality of transmitting and receiving antennas are used for data transmission. Although the respective antenna can be fixed externally at the vehicle, such an attachment is problematic in several respects. On the one hand, the corresponding devices require a notch at the vehicle, which is susceptible to corrosion. On the other hand, the corresponding devices often disturb the visual impression, are sources of noise and cause increased wind resistance. Furthermore, the corresponding device is also the target of destructive behavior.

Starting from this, a trend has been developed in the past that is: antennas are provided at other locations, particularly in the vehicle interior space, for example under the dashboard or under the windshield. In this case, it is disadvantageous that the vehicle panes of current vehicles increasingly have a layer that is entirely conductive and transparent to visible light. These electrically conductive layers serve, for example, to protect the vehicle interior against overheating due to sunlight, in that they reflect incident thermal radiation, as is known, for example, from EP 378917 a. On the other hand, as is known, for example, from WO 2010/043598 a1, the electrically conductive layer can cause a targeted heating of the plate (Scheibe) by applying a voltage in order to remove ice or moisture. However, the conductive layer is impermeable to electromagnetic radiation in the high frequency range. If the glass pane of the vehicle is equipped with an electrically conductive layer on all sides and over the entire surface, it is no longer possible to emit and receive electromagnetic radiation in the interior of the motor vehicle. Other disadvantages of the antenna arranged on the vehicle interior space side are a lack of installation space and problems in terms of electromagnetic compatibility.

It is known to de-coat locally limited regions of the conductive layer in order to operate an antenna, sensor or camera system arranged on the vehicle interior side. These decovered areas are referred to as communication or data transmission windows and are known, for example, from EP 1605729 a 2. However, the uncoated areas affect the colour matching and the reflection effect of the panel and are visually very noticeable. Furthermore, optical disturbances can be produced by the uncoated region, so that positioning in the field of vision of the driver is to be avoided if driving safety is not to be impaired. Depending on the application, the communication or data transmission window may be too small to enable transmission and reception of high frequency electromagnetic radiation as required, for example, for mobile phones and satellite based navigation. This applies in particular when the antenna required for this purpose is arranged at a distance from the board and only a small signal strength can reach the reception area of the antenna through a small communication window or only a small signal strength can be emitted outward through the communication window.

In order to avoid not only external antennas but also internal antennas, it is known, for example, from DE 10106125 a1, DE 10319606 a1, EP 0720249 a2 and US 2003/0112190 a1 to use the transparent conductive layer of the vehicle panel as a planar antenna. For this purpose, the conductive layer is galvanically or capacitively (galvansch odd kappa zitiv) coupled to the coupling electrode and the antenna signal is provided in the edge region of the plate. The antenna signal coupled out of the planar antenna is fed to an antenna amplifier, which is connected to the metal body in the motor vehicle, so that a reference potential effective in high-frequency technology is specified for the antenna signal. The available antenna voltage is derived from the difference between the reference potential of the vehicle body and the potential of the antenna signal.

US 2019/0165447 a1 discloses a planar antenna having an emitting layer and a base layer arranged in a coplanar manner and connected to each other in a current manner. The emitter layer is connected to the signal conductors via through-contacts ("vias"). The capacitive coupling between the transmission layer and the signal conductor is also shown.

WO 2016/162251 a1 discloses a vehicle antenna panel with an antenna structure and a substrate, wherein a dielectric is arranged between the antenna structure and the substrate.

US 6313796B 1 discloses a composite board with an antenna having a microstrip separated from a ground plane by a dielectric.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved board (for easier reference, hereinafter referred to as "antenna board") having one or more integrated antennas in planar construction (planar antennas), which enables good reception of high-frequency electromagnetic radiation and which can be produced simply and at low cost. In particular, it should be possible to dispense with the use of through-contacts for electrically connecting the radiating surface to the signal conductors and with the capacitive coupling of the radiating surface to the signal conductors.

This and other tasks are solved according to the proposal of the present invention by an antenna plate according to the independent patent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims.

According to the present invention, an antenna board for isolating an interior space from an external environment is shown. The antenna panel is preferably a vehicle panel of a motor vehicle, for example a windscreen.

The antenna panel has at least one antenna in the form of a planar structure (planar antenna or patch antenna), which is preferably integrated in planar fashion into the antenna panel. The planar antenna has a transmitting/receiving surface for radiating and/or receiving an antenna signal and a base surface for providing a reference potential for the antenna signal.

The antenna panel comprises at least one electrically insulating substrate (Substrat) and a dielectric film arranged on the substrate. The dielectric film has a first side or surface and a second side or surface opposite the first side. The first conductive layer is located on the first surface of the dielectric film, and the second conductive layer is located on the second surface of the dielectric film. For example, the first conductive layer and/or the second conductive layer is applied directly to the film. However, it is also possible that one or more further layers made of a different material than the electrically conductive layer and the dielectric film are located between the respective surfaces of the first and/or second electrically conductive layer and the dielectric film.

In the first conductive layer, a transmitting/receiving layer of at least one antenna, which forms a transmitting/receiving area, and a signal conductor (feed conductor or connecting conductor) which is connected to the transmitting/receiving layer in a galvanic manner are formed for an antenna signal to be received and/or transmitted by the antenna. In the second conductive layer, a base layer of the antenna forming a base surface and a base conductor galvanically connected to the base layer are formed for providing a reference potential for the antenna signal. Thus, the transmitting/receiving layer and the base layer of the antenna are not coplanar, but are located on two different sides of the dielectric film, and thus in different levels of the antenna board. The transmission/reception layer and the base layer are of planar configuration, wherein the dimensions of the transmission/reception layer and the base layer in the layer plane of the conductive layer are a multiple of the dimensions in a direction perpendicular thereto. Approximately, the transmitting/receiving layer and the base layer can also be understood as planes. The available antenna voltage is derived from the difference between the reference potential and the potential of the antenna signal.

Preferably, the transmission/reception layer and the signal conductor as well as the base layer and the base conductor are incorporated into the respective conductive layer by structuring, wherein it is however also possible in principle to apply them in their respective form to the dielectric film. Corresponding techniques, in particular local application by using masks (for example by deposition), are known to the person skilled in the art, so that they do not have to be discussed in more detail here.

The antenna is used for transmitting and/or receiving high frequency antenna signals. In the sense of the present invention, the high frequency antenna signal should be in the frequency range of 600 MHz to 6 GHz. The antenna is advantageously used for receiving signals for satellite-based navigation, in particular for receiving GNSS signals. Alternatively or additionally, the antenna is for receiving signals of a mobile communication system, in particular a second, third, fourth or fifth generation mobile communication system.

The transmitting/receiving layer and the base layer arranged on both sides of the dielectric film are not connected to each other in an electrical current manner. The spatial distance between the transmitting/receiving layer and the base layer, which is determined by the thickness of the dielectric film, is selected such that a direct current resistance of, for example, at least 10 kOhm is present.

The invention is based on the following recognition: the arrangement of the two functional surfaces of the antenna, i.e. the transmitting/receiving surface and the base surface, on different levels of the dielectric film and the direct galvanic connection of the transmitting/receiving layer to the signal conductor and of the base layer to the base conductor, makes it superfluous to use a through-contact for electrically connecting the transmitting/receiving surface and the signal conductor, so that the manufacture of the antenna panel can be carried out more simply, more quickly and more cost-effectively. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the signal conductor is not connected capacitively, but galvanically to the transmitting/receiving layer, as a result of which the signal quality can be improved.

The transmission/reception layer and the signal conductors as well as the base layer and the base conductors can be constructed in a simple manner by structuring the conductive layer. Integration in composite panels is possible without problems.

One embodiment of the antenna panel according to the invention provides that the antenna has dipole or broadband properties and is constructed in particular in the form of a Vivaldi antenna (antenna with an extended slot). By means of the dipole properties, antennas with an excellent preferred direction (Vorzugsrichtung), such as dipole antennas or yagi antennas, can be realized particularly simply. By means of the broadband properties, antennas for a plurality of frequency ranges, for example multiband dipoles, Vivaldi antennas, can be provided particularly simply, so that a plurality of different devices can be supplied by means of one antenna. It is also possible to construct the antenna in the form of a monopole antenna.

The transmitting/receiving layer and the base layer are each formed, for example, in an elliptical shape when viewed perpendicularly through the substrate (i.e., when orthogonally projected toward the substrate), and are arranged, with or without overlap, nevertheless always adjacent to one another, in particular for forming a Vivaldi antenna.

According to another configuration of the antenna board according to the invention the dielectric film is flexible. The flexible film can serve not only as a carrier material for the thin, flexible layer, but can thus be adapted well to the contour of the plate. In addition, high frequency characteristics, such as bandwidth, may be affected by the dielectric properties of the flexible film. In particular, materials can be used which are suitable as carriers for the antenna/conductor structures during production and which are optically transparent and/or can be easily connected to the substrate if appropriate.

In particular, the dielectric film may comprise or consist of at least one material selected from the group consisting of polyimide, polyurethane, polymethylmethacrylate, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinylbutyral, FR6, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polybutylene terephthalate, and polyamide. The film preferably comprises or consists of polyimide. If the dielectric film is composed of one material, impurities may be present, but the impurities are not more than 5 atomic% in each case. The thickness of the dielectric thin film is preferably in the range of 10 μm to 100 μm.

According to another configuration of the antenna board according to the invention the first conductive layer and/or the second conductive layer each have a layer thickness of 10 μm to 75 μm. This makes it possible to thinly form a thin film equipped with an electrical structure, which can also be integrated into a composite plate or adapted to a curved surface.

Thus, the dielectric film is provided with antenna structures on both surfaces thereof, respectively, wherein the transmission/reception layer and the signal conductor are located on one surface (side), and the base surface and the basic conductor are located on the other surface (side).

According to another configuration of the antenna board according to the invention the first conductive layer and/or the second conductive layer each have an electrically insulating cover layer. The cover layer may comprise or consist of polyimide. The cover layer can be connected to the electrically conductive layer, in particular by means of an adhesive, for example an acrylate adhesive. The cover layer has, for example, a thickness of 25 μm to 50 μm. The antenna structure on the dielectric film may be protected by the cover layer(s).

According to a further embodiment of the antenna panel according to the invention, an adhesion-promoting layer is arranged between the dielectric film (with the electrically conductive antenna structure and, if necessary, the cover layer) and the at least one substrate. The adhesion-promoting layer is, for example, a thermoplastic intermediate layer, in particular consisting of one or more thermoplastic films.

The antenna panel preferably has at least two substrates which are firmly connected to one another by at least one adhesion-promoting layer, preferably a thermoplastic intermediate layer, wherein the dielectric film (with the electrically conductive antenna structure and, if appropriate, the cover layer) is arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate. Preferably, adhesion promoting layers are disposed on both sides of the dielectric film, respectively.

Thus, the dielectric film can be both disposed on the outer surface of the panel and introduced between the panels of the composite glass panel.

According to another configuration of the antenna board of the present invention, the first conductive layer has a base conductor arranged adjacent to and extending in parallel with the signal conductor, wherein the dielectric film has a through contact portion between the base conductor arranged adjacent to the signal conductor and the base conductor formed of the second conductive layer. Improved potential equality can be achieved by means of the through contact, so that high-frequency characteristics can be improved.

According to another configuration of the antenna board of the invention, a shield, for example a black print, is arranged on one side of the dielectric film, in particular on both sides of the dielectric film, so that parts of the antenna and/or the leads can be provided concealed without affecting the visual impression in the rest of the antenna board.

At least one substrate preferably comprises or consists of glass, particularly preferably flat glass, float glass, quartz glass, borosilicate glass, soda lime glass or comprises a clear (krare) plastic, preferably a rigid clear plastic, in particular polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polystyrene, polyamide, polyester, polyvinyl chloride and/or mixtures thereof. Suitable glasses are known, for example, from EP 0847965B 1.

The thickness of the at least one substrate may vary widely and may be adapted to the requirements of the individual case. It is preferred to use a substrate having a standard thickness of 1.0mm to 25mm and preferably 1.4mm to 2.1 mm. The size of the substrate may vary widely and depends on the use.

The substrate may have any three-dimensional shape. The three-dimensional shape preferably has no shadow region so that it can be coated, for example by cathode sputtering. The substrate is preferably planar or slightly or strongly curved in one or more directions in space. The substrate may be colorless or colored.

The antenna panel is constructed, for example, in the form of a single-plate safety glass or a composite plate. The composite panel generally comprises two preferably transparent substrates corresponding to an inner panel and an outer panel, which are firmly connected to each other by at least one thermoplastic adhesive layer (adhesion-promoting layer).

The thermoplastic interlayer comprises or consists of at least one thermoplastic, preferably polyvinyl butyral (PVB), Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) and/or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). However, the thermoplastic intermediate layer may also for example comprise Polyurethane (PU), polypropylene (PP), polyacrylate, Polyethylene (PE), Polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, polyacetate resins (Polyacetatharz), casting resins, acrylates, fluorinated ethylene-propylene, polyvinyl fluoride and/or ethylene tetrafluoroethylene or copolymers or mixtures thereof. The thermoplastic intermediate layer may be constructed from one or more thermoplastic films arranged one on top of the other, wherein the thickness of the thermoplastic film is preferably 0.25mm to 1mm, typically 0.38mm or 0.76 mm.

The conductive layer preferably has 1 x 10⁶S/m to 10 x 10⁷S/m and preferably 3.5 x 10⁷S/m to 6.5 x 10⁷High electrical conductivity of S/m. For example, the conductive layer is composed of a metal, such as copper, silver, gold, or aluminum. The electrically conductive layer advantageously has a thickness of 3 μm to 20 μm and/or a surface resistance of 0.001 ohm/square to 0.03 ohm/square, preferably 0.002 ohm/square to 0.018 ohm/square. Such a conductive layer can be easily integrated and manufactured at low cost in an industrial production process.

The conductive layer is preferably transparent to visible light. The substrate and the antenna board are together also preferably transparent to visible light. In the sense of the present invention, "transparent" means that the total transmission of the antenna panel complies with the legal requirements for windshields and front side windows and preferably has a transmission of more than 70% and especially more than 75% for visible light. For rear side and rear window panes, "transparent" may also mean 10% to 70% light transmission. In one advantageous embodiment, the functional layer is a monolayer or a layer structure composed of a plurality of monolayers, the total thickness of which is less than or equal to 2 μm, particularly preferably less than or equal to 1 μm. The antenna board preferably has a transparency to visible light of more than 85%.

The signal conductors and the base conductors are preferably each designed as strip conductors. The signal conductors have a width lying in the range of 10 to 500 μm, for example, transversely to their extension. The base conductor has a width in the range of 2mm to 16mm, for example, transversely to its extension.

The preferably flexible film with the signal conductor(s) and the base conductor can be guided in a simple manner up to the side of the at least one substrate (jenseits), in particular out of the composite body of the composite plate. This makes it possible to simply and reliably electrically contact the signal conductor and the base conductor, for example by means of a conventional connection for coaxial conductors, in which case the signal conductor and the base conductor are contacted by means of pins.

According to one configuration of the antenna board, the antenna board has a plurality of antennas. The antennas are galvanically separated from each other, wherein the high-frequency technical decoupling is at least-20 dB.

The invention furthermore relates to an antenna board arrangement with an antenna board as described above and transmission/reception electronics which are electrically connected with the transmission/reception layer via signal conductors and with the base layer via base conductors.

The invention furthermore relates to a method for manufacturing an antenna board according to the invention. The method comprises the step of providing at least one substrate. The method includes the further step of providing a dielectric film. The method comprises the further step of applying a first electrically conductive layer onto a first side (surface) of the film and a second electrically conductive layer onto a second side (surface) of the film opposite thereto. The method comprises the further step of structuring the first conductive layer for constructing a transmitting/receiving layer of the antenna and a signal conductor galvanically connected to the transmitting/receiving layer for an antenna signal to be received/transmitted by the antenna. The method comprises the further step of structuring the second conductive layer for constructing a base layer of the antenna and a base conductor galvanically connected to the base layer for providing a reference potential for the antenna signal. The method comprises the further step of arranging a film having a structured first electrically conductive layer and a structured second electrically conductive layer on the substrate.

The conductive layer can be applied by methods known per se, preferably by magnetic field assisted cathode sputtering. This is particularly advantageous in terms of simple, rapid, cost-effective and uniform coating of the film. However, the conductive layer can also be applied, for example, by vapor diffusion, Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), plasma-assisted vapor deposition (PECVD) or by wet-chemical methods. It is also possible to apply the conductive layer in the form of a film.

The structuring of the conductive layers is carried out by partial decoating, that is to say the transmission/reception layers and the signal conductors as well as the base layer and the base conductors are produced by partial decoating of the respective conductive layers. The coating removal (ensschichtung) is carried out, for example, by means of a laser beam. The electrical structures may be shaped into the respective conductive layers by insulated wires. Lines having a width wider than the width of the laser beam cone may be de-coated by abrading the lines multiple times with the laser beam. It is also possible to completely remove regions of the conductive layer which do not belong to the respective electrical structure. The coating can be removed in particular by mechanical ablation and by chemical or physical etching.

For example, the first conductive layer is composed of the transmitting/receiving layer and the signal conductor and, if necessary, a base conductor arranged adjacent to the signal conductor and running parallel to the signal conductor. For example, the second conductive layer is composed of a base layer and a base conductor.

For the production of composite panels, at least two panels (substrates) are preferably connected (laminated) to one another by means of at least one thermoplastic adhesive layer (adhesion-promoting layer) under the action of heat, vacuum and/or pressure. Methods known per se for manufacturing composite panels can be used. For example, the so-called autoclave leaching process (Autoklavverfahren) can be carried out at elevated pressures of about 10 bar to 15 bar and temperatures of 130 ℃ to 145 ℃ over about 2 hours. The vacuum packaging process or vacuum ring process (Vakuumsack-odor Vakuumringer Verfahren), known per se, is operated, for example, at approximately 200 mbar and 130 ℃ to 145 ℃. It is also possible to extrude the two sheets and the thermoplastic intermediate layer in a calender between at least one pair of rolls into a composite sheet. Apparatuses of this type are known for producing composite panels and usually have at least one heating tunnel before the press shop. The temperature during the pressing process is, for example, 40 ℃ to 150 ℃. The combination of the calendering process and the autoclave leaching process has proved to be particularly practical. Alternatively, a vacuum laminator may be used. The vacuum laminator consists of one or more heatable and evacuatable chambers in which two plates can be laminated in about 60 minutes at a reduced pressure of 0.01 mbar to 800 mbar and a temperature of 80 ℃ to 170 ℃.

In principle, the antenna panel can be provided for any purpose, for example as a glass pane in buildings, in particular in the entrance area, window area, roof area or roof area, as a built-in part in furniture and installations, in a propulsion means for land, air or water traffic, in particular in trains, ships and motor vehicles, for example as a windshield, rear window, side window and/or roof window.

According to the invention, it is preferred to use the antenna panel in a propulsion vehicle for land, air or water traffic, in particular in a motor vehicle, for example as a windshield, rear window, side window and/or roof window.

The different configurations of the invention can be realized individually or in any combination. In particular, the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the combination stated but also in other combinations or alone without departing from the scope of the invention.

Drawings

The invention is now explained in more detail on the basis of exemplary embodiments, reference being made to the drawing. In a simplified not to correct scale illustration:

figure 1 shows a schematic view of one configuration of an antenna board according to the invention in a cross-sectional view,

figure 2 shows a schematic view in perspective of a fragment of a dielectric film having the electrical structure of figure 1,

figure 3 shows a schematic view of a dielectric film with the electrical structure of figure 1 from a side view,

figure 4 shows a schematic view of a dielectric film with the electrical structure of figure 1 from another side,

figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of a dielectric film with the electrical structure of figure 1 in another perspective view,

fig. 6 shows a flow chart for illustrating the method according to the invention.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 should be observed first. Fig. 1 illustrates in cross-section the structure of an exemplary configuration of an antenna plate 1 according to the invention according to a greatly simplified schematic diagram.

The antenna panel 1 here has, for example, a first substrate 2 (e.g., an inner panel) which is laminated to a second substrate 2 '(e.g., an outer panel) by two adhesion-promoting layers 11, 11' (thermoplastic intermediate layers, in particular thermoplastic films) to form a composite panel. The two substrates 2, 2' each consist of glass, preferably thermally strengthened soda-lime glass, and are transparent to visible light. The adhesion-promoting layers 11, 11' are made of a thermoplastic, preferably polyvinyl butyral (PVB), Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) and/or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The two substrates 2, 2' can likewise consist of plastic. Basically, all electrically insulating materials that are thermally and chemically stable under the conditions of manufacture and use of the antenna plate 1 according to the invention are suitable for the substrates 2, 2'. The adhesion-promoting layers 11, 11' have a thickness of, for example, approximately 15 μm each. It will be possible that the antenna board 1 has only a single adhesion promoting layer, for example the upper adhesion promoting layer 11' in fig. 1.

The antenna panel 1 may be installed in a building or in a motor vehicle and isolates an interior space from an external environment. The outer surface of the second substrate 2' faces the external environment and is at the same time the outer surface of the antenna plate 1. The inner surface of the second substrate 2' and the inner surface of the first substrate 2 are facing the intermediate layer, respectively. The outer surface of the first substrate 2 faces an interior space, for example, a vehicle interior space, and is simultaneously an inner surface of the antenna board 1. It will be appreciated that the antenna plate 1 may have any suitable geometry and/or curvature. As a windshield, the antenna board 1 typically has a convex dome-shaped structure.

The dielectric film 3 is located between the two substrates 2, 2 'and here, for example, also between the two adhesion promoters 11, 11'. The dielectric film 3 has a first film surface 5 and a second film surface 5' opposite the first film surface. A first conductive layer 4 is located on the first film surface 5 and a second conductive layer 4 'is located on the second film surface 5'. One or more further layers may be located between the respective film surface 5, 5 'and the conductive layer 4, 4' located thereon. In principle, the term "film surface" can be understood as "film side".

The dielectric film 3 has a thickness h of, for example, 10 μm to 100 μm_F. The dielectric film 3 with the applied conductive layers 4, 4' can be configured so thin that it has a total thickness of about 250 μm or less, in particular 225 μm to 175 μm.

The dielectric film 3 is preferably flexible and preferably serves as a carrier material for the thin bendable conductive layers 4, 4' and can thus also be well adapted to the bending profile of the antenna board 1. Furthermore, high frequency characteristics, such as bandwidth, can also be influenced by the dielectric properties. The dielectric film 3 comprises or consists of polyimide, polyurethane, polymethylmetacrylate acid (polymethylmethacrylates ä ure), polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl butyral, FR6, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polybutylene terephthalate and/or polyamide.

For example, the first conductive layer 4 has a thickness h of 10 μm to 75 μm_LS1And the second conductive layer 4' has a thickness h of 10 μm to 75 μm_LS2. The first conductive layer 4 and the second conductive layer 4' preferably each have a thickness of about 35 μm. In the first conductive layer 4 and the second conductive layer 4', an antenna, generally indicated by the reference numeral 15, is constructed together with the lead structure 16 (see fig. 5).

If the dielectric film 3 is pre-mass produced, the conductive layers 4, 4' can be protected from damage or environmental influences during transport or mass production or during installation. The first cover layer 17 is preferably arranged on the first electrically conductive layer 4 (in the direction of the first substrate 2) and the second cover layer 17' is arranged on the second electrically conductive layer 4' (in the direction of the second substrate 2 '), for example by gluing with an adhesive such as an acrylate adhesive. A dielectric film 3 with a first conductive layer 4 and a second conductive layer 4 'is arranged between the two cover layers 17, 17'. The two cover layers 17, 17' consisting of Polyimide (PI), for example, are not shown in more detail in fig. 1. The membrane 3, the first conductive layer 4, the first cover layer 17, the second conductive layer 4 'and the second cover layer 17' may be a pre-mass produced composite.

The shield layers 12, 12' are located between the respective adhesion promoting layers 11, 11' and the adjacent substrates 2, 2 '. The shielding layers 12, 12' may for example be printed in black, so that a part of the antenna 15 and/or the lead structure 16 may be provided in a concealed manner without affecting the visual impression of the remaining part of the antenna board 1.

The antenna board 1 illustrated according to fig. 1 should be understood only by way of example. For example, according to one configuration, the antenna board 1 has only the adhesion promoting layer 11' and optionally the shielding layer 12' arranged between the dielectric film 3 and the second substrate 2', while the adhesion promoting layer 11 and the shielding layer 12 arranged between the dielectric film 3 and the first substrate 2 are absent. For example, the antenna board 1 has the following layer sequence (from bottom to top in fig. 1) starting from the first substrate 2:

substrate 2-cover layer 17 (optional) -adhesive (optional) -first conductive layer 4-dielectric film 3-second conductive layer 4' -adhesive

(optional) cover layer 17' -adhesion promoter layer 11' -shield layer (optional) -substrate 2 '.

In an alternative configuration, the antenna board 1 may also comprise only a single substrate 2. Thus, the two adhesion-promoting layers 11, 11' become redundant.

Fig. 5 is now to be observed in a supplementary manner, wherein the dielectric film 3 of fig. 1 with the first conductive layer 4 and the second conductive layer 4' is shown in a perspective view according to a schematic diagram. In contrast to the view of fig. 1, the second dielectric layer 4' is situated below, while the first dielectric layer 4 is situated above. For drawing reasons, the film 3 itself is not shown, but only the first 4 and the second 4 'electrically conductive layer or the electrical structure formed therefrom, the film 3 being located between said first 4 and second 4' electrically conductive layers or said electrical structure.

Thus, the two conductive layers 4, 4' together form the antenna 15 and the lead structure 16. The first electrically conductive layer 4 forms or consists of the transmission/reception layer 6 and the signal conductor 8 as well as the basic conductors 9', 9 ″ arranged adjacent to the signal conductor 8. The second conductive layer 4 forms or consists of a base layer 7 and a base conductor 9. The antenna 15 is composed of a transmission/reception layer 6 and a base layer 7. The lead structure 16 is composed of the signal conductor 8 and the basic conductor 9 as well as the basic conductors 9', 9 ″. The transmitting/receiving layer 6 and the signal conductor 8 are constructed as a coherent region of the first conductive layer 4 and are therefore connected to one another in a galvanic manner. The two basic conductors 9', 9 ″ arranged adjacent to the signal conductor 8 are not galvanically connected to the signal conductor 8. The base layer 7 and the base conductor 9 are formed as a continuous region of the second electrically conductive layer 4' and are therefore connected to one another in an electrically conductive manner. The transmit/receive layer 6 and the signal conductor 8 are coplanar because they are constructed in the same conductive layer 4. Likewise, the base layer 7 and the base conductor 9 are coplanar, since the base layer 7 and the base conductor 9 are constructed in the same conductive layer 4'. The transmit/receive layer 6 and the signal conductor 8 on the one hand and the base layer 7 and the base conductor 9 on the other hand are located on opposite sides of the dielectric film 3 and are thus arranged in different levels of the antenna board 1. The transmitting/receiving layer 6 and the base layer 7 are not connected to each other in an electrically conductive manner, but are electrically separated from each other by the dielectric film 3. The transmitting/receiving layer 6 can be understood approximately functionally and structurally as a surface and forms a transmitting/receiving surface. Likewise, the base layer 7 can be understood approximately functionally and structurally as a surface and forms a base surface. The transmit/receive layer 6 is used for transmitting and/or receiving antenna signals. The base layer 7 should be connected to electrical ground and used to provide a reference potential for the antenna signal.

Exemplarily, the transmission/reception layer 6 and the signal conductor 8 are formed by the first conductive layer 4, and the base layer 7 and the base conductor 9 are formed by the second conductive layer 4', which is preferred according to the present invention. However, it will also be conceivable that the transmission/reception layer 6 and the signal conductor 8 are formed by the second conductive layer 4' and the base layer 7 and the base conductor 9 are formed by the first conductive layer 4.

The transmitting/receiving layer 6 and the base layer 7 are arranged directly adjacent side by side and with a small overlap 13, when viewed perpendicularly through one of the surfaces 5, 5 'of the antenna board 1 or the dielectric film 3 or in projection onto one of the surfaces 5, 5' of the antenna board 1 or the dielectric film 3. The transmitting/receiving layer 6 and the base layer 7 are here constructed, for example, as rectangular, but can have every shape suitable for the antenna function, for example an oval shape (see fig. 3 and 4). It would also be possible that the transmitting/receiving layer 6 and the base layer 7 do not have an overlap 13 in projection.

The base conductor 9 and the signal conductor 8 are each designed in the form of a strip conductor, arranged non-coplanar and overlapping one another in a parallel course. The base conductor 9 and the signal conductor 8 are arranged in a covering manner at least section by section when viewed perpendicularly through one of the surfaces 5, 5 'of the antenna board 1 or the dielectric film 3 or in a projection onto one of the surfaces 5, 5' of the antenna board 1 or the dielectric film 3.

As shown in fig. 5, the base conductors 9', 9 ″ are formed adjacent to, parallel to and at a distance from the signal conductor 8 and are electrically connected to the base conductor 9 of the first conductive layer 4 via a through contact (via) 14. Thereby improving signal quality. This is not essential for understanding the invention, so that it is not discussed here in more detail. The basic conductors 9', 9 ″ may also be omitted.

In fig. 2, an enlarged fragment of the dielectric film 3 in the region of the lead structure 16 is illustrated from a perspective view. The signal conductor 8 and the two adjacent base conductors 9', 9 ″ and the base conductor 9 on the second surface 5' of the dielectric film 3 can be seen well, the signal conductor 8 and the two adjacent base conductors 9', 9 ″ each being designed as a strip conductor on the first surface 5 of the dielectric film 3. Furthermore, a through-contact (through-hole) 14 is shown, which can also be seen in fig. 5, and which is formed only in the region of the lead structure 16.

Fig. 3 shows a view of the dielectric film 3. The transmitting/receiving layer 6 can be seen, which is directly galvanically connected to the signal conductor 8. The two base conductors 9', 9 ″ are not galvanically connected to the transmission/reception layer 6 and the signal conductor 8. The base layer 7 is situated on the other side of the dielectric film 3, which cannot be seen here, and this is illustrated by a dashed line. The transmitting/receiving layer 6 and the base layer 7 are here constructed, for example, as oval.

Another view of the dielectric film 3 is shown in fig. 4. The base layer 7 is connected in a galvanic manner directly to the coplanar base conductor 9. The transmitting/receiving layer 6 is situated on the other side of the dielectric film 3, which cannot be seen here, and this is illustrated by a dashed line. The transmitting/receiving layer 6 and the base layer 7 are here, for example, of oval configuration and each have a recess.

The antenna 15 is designed, for example, as a monopole plane antenna, preferably as a dipole antenna, in particular as a Vivaldi antenna.

The external electrical connection of the antenna 15 is made via the signal conductor 8 and the base conductor 9. For this purpose, the preferably flexible dielectric film 3 with the signal conductors 8 and the base conductors 9 is led out of the antenna board 1 between the substrates 2, 2' and laid back (umgelegt). The signal conductor 8 is electrically contacted at a signal conductor connection point 19 and the base conductor 9 is electrically contacted at a base conductor connection point 18 (see fig. 5). This can be done, for example, by means of corresponding pins, which are provided in the connectors used in a conventional manner. The connector is connected to a coaxial cable that can be connected to transmitter/receiver electronics. Advantageously, no additional flat ribbon conductors need to be used. The antenna board 1 and the transmitter/receiver electronics are part of an antenna board arrangement according to the invention.

Fig. 6 illustrates a method according to the invention according to a flow chart. In this case, in a first step I, at least one substrate 2 is provided. In a second step, a dielectric film 3 is provided. In a third step, a first electrically conductive layer 4 is applied to a first surface 5 of the film 3 and a second electrically conductive layer 4 'is applied to a second surface 5' of the film 3 opposite thereto. In a fourth step, the first conductive layer 4 is structured for structuring the transmitting/receiving layer 6 of the antenna 15 and the signal conductor 8 galvanically connected to the transmitting/receiving layer 6 for the antenna signal to be received/transmitted by the antenna 15. In a fifth step, the second conductive layer 4' is structured for structuring the base layer 7 of the antenna 15 and the base conductor 9 which is galvanically connected to the base layer 7 for providing a reference potential for the antenna signal. In a sixth step, a film 3 with a structured first electrically conductive layer 4 and a structured second electrically conductive layer 4' is arranged on a substrate 2.

It follows from the above statements that the present invention provides an improved antenna board with one or more, preferably integrated, antennas. The antenna board can be manufactured simply and inexpensively using known manufacturing methods. The through contact portion need not be used. The high frequency antenna signal can be received/transmitted with good signal strength. A plurality of antennas can be constructed in a simple manner. Furthermore, the composite plate can be realized in conventional techniques without the risk of poor lamination or glass breakage. The antenna may in particular have a dipole characteristic or a broadband characteristic. By integrating the antenna and lead structures, the problem of connecting the two structures can be avoided. In particular, the specific properties of the antenna and the lead structure with respect to the characteristic impedance and/or symmetry can be well coordinated with one another, so that the reception results in the desired wavelength range are of good to optimal quality. Here, the integration in particular avoids the classical interface problems that would otherwise be caused by the necessary connection technology.

List of reference numerals

1 antenna board

2. 2' substrate

3 film of

4. 4' conductive layer

5. 5' film surface

6 transmitting/receiving layer

7 base layer

8 signal conductor

9. 9', 9' ' basic conductor

11. 11' adhesion promoting layer

12. 12' shielding layer

13 overlap

14 penetration contact part

15 antenna

16 lead structure

17. 17' overlay

18 basic conductor connection point

19 signal conductor connection points.

Claims

1. An antenna board (1) having at least one antenna (15) of planar construction, comprising:

-at least one electrically insulating substrate (2, 2'),

-a dielectric film (3) arranged on the substrate (2),

-a first electrically conductive layer (4) on a first surface (5) of the dielectric film (3) and a second electrically conductive layer (4 ') on a second surface (5') of the dielectric film (3) opposite to the first surface (5),

wherein a transmitting/receiving layer (6) of the antenna (15) and a signal conductor (8) galvanically connected to the transmitting/receiving layer (6) are constructed in the first conductive layer (4) for an antenna signal to be received/transmitted by the antenna (15), and a base layer (7) of the antenna (15) and a base conductor (9) galvanically connected to the base layer (7) are constructed in the second conductive layer (4') for providing a reference potential for the antenna signal.

2. Antenna plate (1) according to claim 1, wherein the antenna (15) has dipole or broadband properties and is especially constructed in the form of a Vivaldi antenna.

3. Antenna plate (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the dielectric film (3) is flexible.

4. Antenna plate (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first conductive layer (4) and/or the second conductive layer (4') each have a thickness of 10 μm to 75 μm.

5. Antenna plate (1) according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the dielectric film (3) comprises polyimide.

6. Antenna plate (1) according to any of claims 1-5, wherein an adhesion promoting layer (11, 11') is arranged between the first surfaces of the dielectric films and/or between the second surfaces of the dielectric films.

7. Antenna plate (1) according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first conductive layer (4) and/or the second conductive layer (4 ') has an electrically insulating cover layer (17, 17').

8. Antenna plate (1) according to claim 7, wherein the cover layer (17, 17') comprises polyimide.

9. Antenna plate (1) according to any of claims 1-8, wherein the first conductive layer (4) has a base conductor (9 ', 9 ') arranged adjacent to and running parallel to the signal conductor (8), and the dielectric film (3) has at least one through contact (14) between the base conductor (9 ', 9 ') arranged adjacent to the signal conductor (8) and the base conductor (9) formed by the second conductive layer (4 ').

10. Antenna plate (1) according to any of claims 1 to 9, having at least two substrates (2, 2 ') which are firmly connected to each other by at least one adhesion promoting layer (11, 11 '), wherein the dielectric film (3) is arranged between the first substrate (2) and the second substrate (2 ').

11. Antenna panel (1) according to claim 10, wherein the first conductive layer (4) consists of the transmit/receive layer (6) and the signal conductor (8) and, if necessary, a basic conductor (9 ', 9 ') arranged adjacent to and running parallel to the signal conductor (8), and/or wherein the second conductive layer (4 ') consists of the base layer (7) and the basic conductor (9).

12. An antenna board arrangement, the antenna board arrangement comprising:

-an antenna plate (1) according to any of claims 1 to 11,

-transmitter/receiver electronics electrically connected with the transmission/reception layer (6) via the signal conductor (8) and with the base layer (7) via the base conductor (9).

13. A method for manufacturing an antenna board (1) according to any of claims 1-11 having at least one antenna (15) of planar construction, the method comprising:

-providing at least one substrate (2),

-providing a dielectric film (3),

-applying a first conductive layer (4) on a first surface (5) of the film (3) and a second conductive layer (4 ') on a second surface (5') of the film (3) opposite thereto,

-structuring the first conductive layer (4) for constructing a transmitting/receiving layer (6) of the antenna (15) and a signal conductor (8) galvanically connected with the transmitting/receiving layer (6) for antenna signals to be received/transmitted by the antenna (15),

-structuring the second conductive layer (4 ') for constructing a base layer (7) of the antenna (15) and a base conductor (9') galvanically connected to the base layer (7) for providing a reference potential for the antenna signal,

-arranging a film (3) having a structured first electrically conductive layer (4) and a structured second electrically conductive layer (4') on the substrate (2).

14. Method according to claim 13, wherein the substrate (2) is firmly connected to a second substrate (2 ') by means of at least one adhesion-promoting layer (11, 11').

15. Use of an antenna panel (1) with at least one antenna (15) of planar construction according to one of claims 1 to 11 in a propulsion means for land, air or water traffic, in particular in a motor vehicle, for example as a windshield, rear window, side window and/or roof window.