EP0718909B1 - Mit einer Last an der Spitze versehene versenkbare Antenne - Google Patents

Mit einer Last an der Spitze versehene versenkbare Antenne Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0718909B1
EP0718909B1 EP19950308453 EP95308453A EP0718909B1 EP 0718909 B1 EP0718909 B1 EP 0718909B1 EP 19950308453 EP19950308453 EP 19950308453 EP 95308453 A EP95308453 A EP 95308453A EP 0718909 B1 EP0718909 B1 EP 0718909B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
antenna
helical
antenna assembly
elongate
assembly according
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19950308453
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English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0718909A2 (de
EP0718909A3 (de
Inventor
Brian James Davidson
Stephen Goodwin
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Nokia Oyj
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Nokia Oyj
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Nokia Oyj filed Critical Nokia Oyj
Publication of EP0718909A2 publication Critical patent/EP0718909A2/de
Publication of EP0718909A3 publication Critical patent/EP0718909A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0718909B1 publication Critical patent/EP0718909B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01QANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q9/00Electrically-short antennas having dimensions not more than twice the operating wavelength and consisting of conductive active radiating elements
    • H01Q9/04Resonant antennas
    • H01Q9/30Resonant antennas with feed to end of elongated active element, e.g. unipole
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01QANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q1/00Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
    • H01Q1/12Supports; Mounting means
    • H01Q1/22Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles
    • H01Q1/24Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set
    • H01Q1/241Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM
    • H01Q1/242Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM specially adapted for hand-held use
    • H01Q1/243Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM specially adapted for hand-held use with built-in antennas
    • H01Q1/244Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM specially adapted for hand-held use with built-in antennas extendable from a housing along a given path
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01QANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q1/00Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
    • H01Q1/36Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewith
    • H01Q1/362Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewith for broadside radiating helical antennas

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an antenna assembly having a retractable antenna comprising a helical antenna element carried by an elongate antenna element which may be applied, for example, to a portable radio and, in particular to a hand portable radio telephone.
  • Retractable antennas are of particular benefit in portable radio telephones as they enable the telephone to be conveniently carried by a user when the antenna is in the retracted position while providing appropriate operating characteristics in both the retracted and the extended positions.
  • US patent No. 4,868,576 describes an antenna for a portable cellular telephone comprising a helical coil at the base of a retractable elongate radiating element.
  • the retractable element which extends through the helical coil, has non-conductive portions at its two ends whereby the elongate element is capacitatively coupled to the helical coil, and in the retracted position the elongate element is substantially decoupled therefrom.
  • the helical coil is fixedly mounted on the housing of the radio transceiver.
  • the elongate element and the helical element are electrically isolated.
  • This enables matching networks to be provided to ensure that the characteristic impedance to the feed point is the same when the antenna is retracted and extended.
  • the matching network includes a coaxial feed that supplies both the extended and the retracted antenna, the elongate antenna providing the central conductor of the coaxial feed when in the retracted condition. In this solution there are currents flowing within the case of the portable telephone when the antenna is retracted which create stray fields that might interfere with correct circuit operation.
  • an antenna assembly comprising an elongate antenna element mounted in a support and movable between a retracted position and an extended position, a helical antenna element in electrical contact with, and carried by, the elongate antenna element, feeding means feeding the elongate antenna in the extended position from an end remote from the helical antenna and feeding means feeding the helical element in the retracted position, characterised in that said assembly further includes ground means grounding the helical antenna element in the retracted position at a ground point adjacent the elongate antenna element such that currents are substantially inhibited in the elongate element in the retracted position.
  • the means for grounding the helical antenna may ground the helical antenna at a position approaching the end of the elongate antenna adjacent the helical element. The closer the grounding point is to the top of the elongate antenna, the shorter the distance currents can travel on the eleongate element within the casing. As a result, stray fields are correspondingly reduced.
  • the elongate antenna is preferably further grounded in the retracted position at the end remote from the helical element shown in drawings. This provides an additional ground to further inhibit stray currents in the elongate element and the consequent stray fields.
  • the helical element is preferably fed via a reactive coupling in the retracted position.
  • This enables the impedance at the feed position in the retracted and the extended positions to be substantially equivalent.
  • the exact nature of the reactive coupling can be adjusted to suit a particular antenna.
  • the matching impedance can be kept the same in both situations allowing the helical element to be electrically coupled to the elongate element. This increases the gain of the antenna in the extended condition over an antenna of commensurate dimensions in which the helical and elongate elements are electrically isolated.
  • using the same matching network can reduce the number of components of the antenna assembly reducing cost and providing less size restraints allowing the design to be more compact.
  • the reactive coupling may be a tap coupled to a tapping point on the helical element.
  • a further reactive shunt element may be necessary at the feed point for the retracted antenna in order to attain a match.
  • the actual element for a particular antenna can be chosen to allow discrepancies in the impedance between the retracted and extended positions to be tuned out.
  • the reactive coupling is preferably only used to feed the antenna in the retracted position. However, the same feed point is preferably used to feed the antenna in both positions.
  • One manner in which the impedance can be matched with the antenna in each of the positions is by using a capacitative shunt.
  • This may be provided by an insulative member fixed relative to the support to form a coaxial system.
  • RF signals are fed onto an outer conductor.
  • the inner conductor which is the elongate antenna is grounded and a capacitance is thus formed to earth.
  • a conductive member coupled to and carried by the helical element is coupled to the outer conductor of the coaxial system in the retracted position. In the extended position there is no coupling between the conductive member and the outer conductor of the coaxial system and so the helical element is not fed via the tapping point.
  • This arrangement has the advantage that the feeding arrangement is changed as a result of moving the antenna between the extended and retracted positions.
  • the conductive member may be configured to form a collet depending from the helical element.
  • the conductive member is a spring loaded pin biased for contact with the outer conductor of the coaxial system when in the retracted position.
  • the reactive coupling may include a second helical element insulated from and wound in the opposite sense to the first helical element.
  • Another way in which the problem associated with field cancellation below the tapping point can be reduced is by winding the helical element more tightly below the tap such that the non radiating length of the helical element resulting from the feed point of the helical in the retraced position is reduced.
  • the term 'elongate antenna element' as used herein encompasses, for example, a rod type antenna or a coil type antenna having a generally elongate configuration.
  • the term 'helical' is not restricted to a helix having a uniform diameter but is intended to include a coil having a progressively widening diameter, viz. a spiral configuration.
  • the radio telephone shown in the Figures comprises a housing 1 enclosing a conventional transmitter 2 and receiver 3 coupled respectively via a duplexer 4 to the antenna assembly.
  • the housing 1 also encloses all the other features conventionally found in a portable cellular telephone. Since these aspects are not directly relevant to the instant invention no further details will be given here.
  • the antenna assembly provided adjacent the top face of the radio housing 1, comprises a support 5 in the form of a tube. This provides a guide for retraction and extension of the antenna.
  • the antenna assembly comprises two distinct antenna elements, namely an elongate antenna element 11 and a helical element 12.
  • the elongate element comprises a central conductor 7 which may be a solid rod antenna or, alternatively, may be in the form of a close-wound coil which not only enhances flexibility of the elongate element and so reduces the risk of breakage, but also reduces the physical length of the antenna.
  • the coil may be made of silver plated beryllium-copper wire.
  • the elongate antenna element 11 may be chosen to have an equivalent electrical length, for example, one quarter of a wavelength.
  • the conducting portion 7 of the elongate element 11 is enclosed within an insulating sleeve 8 made for example from a flexible plastics material. A further conductive sleeve 7a allows the conducting portion 7 to be grounded in the retracted position.
  • the end of the elongate antenna element 11 remote from the support 5 carries a helical antenna element 12.
  • the helical coil 12 is very compact and has a short physical length but is wider in diameter than the elongate antenna element 11.
  • the effective electrical length of the helical antenna element 12 is, for example, one quarter of a wavelength.
  • the helical coil 12 is embedded in a dome-shaped dielectric encapsulation 14.
  • the helical antenna element 12 is permanently electrically connected to the conducting portion 7 of the elongate antenna element 11 to provide additional gain when the antenna is extended.
  • the elongate antenna 11 is, for example, quarter of a wavelength to provide a 3/8-5/8 antenna.
  • the lower end of the helical coil 12 is also electrically connected to a contact member in the form of a collet 15 which protrudes from the underside of the encapsulation 14.
  • a complementary conductive collet 16 is provided on the support 5. In the retracted position the elongate antenna element is substantially entirely enclosed within the casing of the phone. It slides within the support 5 to maintain a proper position within the phone. This can take the form of an earth plate or other suitable connection.
  • the collet 15 depending from the helical antenna element 12 engages the complementary collet 16.
  • the insulating sleeve 8 provided between the collet 16 and the conducting portion 7 together with the conducting collet 16 provides a transmission line for feeding the helical element in the retracted position.
  • the material and thickness of the insulating sleeve is chosen to provide a desired capacitance to earth.
  • a tap 17 is provided to couple the complementary collet and the helical element at a position remote from the base of the helical element.
  • a ground contact 18 is made to the conductive sleeve 7a of the elongate antenna element which is thus rendered inactive as a radiating element when in the retracted position.
  • the ground contact 18 floats and the conducting portion 7 of the elongate element is fed through the collet 16. As the helical element 12 is in electrical contact with the conducting portion 7 of the elongate element, it too is fed via the collet 16 and the conductive portion 7 in this position.
  • collet 15 is relatively widely spaced from the internal conductor 7 this reduces problems associated with capacitance between the collet 15 and the internal conductor 7 when extended.
  • the collet 15 can be replaced with a spring loaded pin 20 as shown in Figure 3.
  • the spring loaded pin 20 makes contact with the complementary collet 16 and feeds the tap 17 on the helical element when the antenna is in the retracted position.
  • the input impedance Z 1 of the antenna is substantially the same when the elongate antenna element is respectively extended and retracted despite the different nature of the antenna in the two cases.
  • the antenna is fed through the same feed point 21 regardless of whether the antenna is extended or retracted. Since the helical antenna element 12 is connected to the conductive element 7 of the elongate antenna element 11 both elements are functionally active as a combined antenna in the extended position providing gain advantages.
  • Figures 4a and 4b illustrate the electrical connections made to the matching circuitry in the extended and retracted positions.
  • the antenna In the extended position ( Figure 4a) the antenna is connected to the feed point 21 of RF circuitry 22 at the end remote from the helical element.
  • the feed point 21 In the retracted position ( Figure 4b), the feed point 21 feeds and receives RF signals to the helical element via the tap 17.
  • the elongate antenna is grounded by a ground plate 23 near to its top.
  • the elongate element is also grounded 24 at the end remote from the helical element.
  • the helix does not radiate as well with the tap as it would without it. This is because the component of current in the helical element flowing in the direction of the elongate antenna below the tapping point 17 and the current flowing in the tap itself are opposite in polarity and cancel to some extent.
  • the turns of the helix below 26 the tapping point 17 are wound more tightly than those above 25 the tapping point 17. This can be seen in Figure 5.
  • FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the invention.
  • a second helical antenna element 27 is provided between the feed point 21 in the retracted position and the helical antenna element 12.
  • This second helix 27 is insulated from, and wound in the opposite sense to, the helical element 12 connected to the conductive element 7 of the elongate antenna element 11.
  • the current flowing in the second helix 27 in the direction of the elongate element (A) induces a current in the helical element 2 in that same direction (B).
  • the components of the current in the direction of the elongate element therefore add in phase. Since it is this component which gives the predominant radiation resistance in normal mode, this also improves radiation from the helical element 12 in the retracted case.

Claims (16)

  1. Antennenbaueinheit, die ein langgestrecktes Antennenelement (11), das in einem Träger (5) angebracht ist und zwischen einer eingefahrenen Position und einer ausgefahrenen Position beweglich ist, ein schraubenlinienförmiges Antennenelement (12), das mit dem langgestreckten Antennenelement (11) in elektrischem Kontakt ist und hiervon getragen wird, Speisungsmittel (7), die die langgestreckte Antenne in der ausgefahrenen Position von einem von dem schraubenlinienförmigen Element (12) entfernten Ende aus speisen, und Speisungsmittel (15), die das schraubenlinienförmige Element in der eingefahrenen Position speisen, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Baueinheit ferner Erdungsmittel (18) umfaßt, die das schraubenlinienförmige Antennenelement (12) in der eingefahrenen Position an einem Erdungspunkt in der Nähe des langgestreckten Antennenelements (11) erden, so daß Ströme in dem langgestreckten Element (11) in der eingefahrenen Position im wesentlichen verhindert werden.
  2. Antennenbaueinheit nach Anspruch 1, bei der die Speisungsmittel (15), die das schraubenlinienförmige Element (12) speisen, eine Blindkopplung enthalten, so daß die Impedanz an einem Speisungspunkt (21) in der eingefahrenen und in der ausgefahrenen Position im wesentlichen äquivalent ist.
  3. Antennenbaueinheit nach Anspruch 2, bei der Signale sowohl in der eingefahrenen als auch in der ausgefahrenen Position an den Speisungspunkt (21) geliefert und von diesem empfangen werden.
  4. Antennenbaueinheit nach Anspruch 2 oder 3, bei der die Blindkopplung eine induktive Kopplung ist.
  5. Antenne nach einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 4, bei der die Blindkopplung einen Abgriff (17) umfaßt, der mit einem Abgriffpunkt am schraubenlinienförmigen Element (12) gekoppelt ist.
  6. Antennenbaueinheit nach Anspruch 5, bei der das schraubenlinienförmige Element (12) unter dem Abgriffpunkt enger gewickelt ist.
  7. Antennenbaueinheit nach einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 4, bei der die Blindkopplung ein zweites schraubenlinienförmiges Element umfaßt, das in der zu dem ersten schraubenlinienförmigen Element (12) entgegengesetzten Richtung gewickelt ist.
  8. Antennenbaueinheit nach einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 7, bei der die Blindkopplung ein leitendes Element umfaßt, das von dem schraubenlinienförmigen Element (12) getragen wird, und bei der ein zusammenwirkendes leitendes Element, das von dem Träger getragen wird, so beschaffen ist, daß es das von dem schraubenlinienförmigen Element (12) in der eingefahrenen Position getragene leitende Element eine Kopplung herstellt.
  9. Antennenbaueinheit nach Anspruch 8, bei der das leitende Element so konfiguriert ist, daß es in Abhängigkeit von dem schraubenlinienförmigen Element (12) einen Ring bildet.
  10. Antennenbaueinheit nach Anspruch 8, bei der das leitende Element ein federbelasteter Stift ist.
  11. Antennenbaueinheit nach einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 10, bei der parallel zu der Blindkopplung eine Kapazität zu Erde vorgesehen ist.
  12. Antennenbaueinheit nach Anspruch 11, bei der die Kapazität zu Erde durch eine koaxiale Übertragungsleitung mit dem geerdeten Mittelleiter und mit dem mit der Blindkopplung gekoppelten äußeren Leiter gebildet ist.
  13. Antennenbaueinheit nach einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 12, bei der das langgestreckte Element (11) ferner in der eingefahrenen Position an dem von dem schraubenlinienförmigen Element (12) entfernten Ende geerdet ist.
  14. Antennenbaueinheit nach einem vorhergehenden Anspruch, bei der die Erdungsmittel, die das schraubenlinienförmige Element (12) erden, Kopplungsmittel umfassen, die das langgestreckte Element (11) mit Erde an einer Position koppeln, die sich nahe bei dem Ende des langgestreckten Elements (11) in der Nähe des schraubenlinienförmigen Elements (12) befindet.
  15. Antennenbaueinheit nach einem vorhergehenden Anspruch, bei der das schraubenlinienförmige Element (12) eine Spule mit nicht gleichmäßigem Durchmesser umfaßt.
  16. Tragbarer Funk-Sender/Empfänger, der ein Gehäuse aufweist, das eine Sende- und Empfängerschaltungsanordnung umschließt, und eine Antennenbaueinheit nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche aufweist, wobei die Antennenbaueinheit mit der Sende- und Empfangsschaltungsanordnung gekoppelt ist.
EP19950308453 1994-12-23 1995-11-24 Mit einer Last an der Spitze versehene versenkbare Antenne Expired - Lifetime EP0718909B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9426229 1994-12-23
GB9426229A GB2296603B (en) 1994-12-23 1994-12-23 Retractable top load antenna

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0718909A2 EP0718909A2 (de) 1996-06-26
EP0718909A3 EP0718909A3 (de) 1996-08-07
EP0718909B1 true EP0718909B1 (de) 2003-08-06

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19950308453 Expired - Lifetime EP0718909B1 (de) 1994-12-23 1995-11-24 Mit einer Last an der Spitze versehene versenkbare Antenne

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0718909B1 (de)
JP (1) JPH08237013A (de)
DE (1) DE69531442T2 (de)
GB (1) GB2296603B (de)

Families Citing this family (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5812093A (en) * 1995-09-29 1998-09-22 Motorola, Inc. Antenna assembly for a wireless-communication device
JP2692670B2 (ja) * 1995-12-28 1997-12-17 日本電気株式会社 携帯無線機用アンテナ
SE509641C2 (sv) * 1996-05-03 1999-02-15 Allgon Ab En antennanordning försedd med en matchningsanordning
US5706019A (en) * 1996-06-19 1998-01-06 Motorola, Inc. Integral antenna assembly for a radio and method of manufacturing
JPH1032410A (ja) * 1996-07-12 1998-02-03 Saitama Nippon Denki Kk 携帯無線機用アンテナ
FI113214B (fi) * 1997-01-24 2004-03-15 Filtronic Lk Oy Yksinkertainen kahden taajuuden antenni
DE19715726C2 (de) * 1997-04-15 2001-08-30 Siemens Ag Antennenvorrichtung für Mobilfunkgeräte
US5969683A (en) * 1997-05-20 1999-10-19 Ericsson Inc. Radiotelephones with antenna matching switching system configurations
US5856808A (en) * 1997-09-29 1999-01-05 Ericsson Inc. Single feed point matching systems
US6097934A (en) * 1997-12-31 2000-08-01 Ericsson Inc. Retractable radiotelephone antennas with extended feeds
US6204816B1 (en) 1998-03-20 2001-03-20 Ericsson, Inc. Radio frequency antenna
SE9900412D0 (sv) * 1998-04-01 1999-02-08 Allgon Ab Antenna means, a method for its manufacturing and a hand-held radio communication device
US6336036B1 (en) * 1998-07-08 2002-01-01 Ericsson Inc. Retractable dual-band tapped helical radiotelephone antennas
GB2364176A (en) * 2000-06-30 2002-01-16 Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd Multi-mode antenna
EP1478046A1 (de) * 2003-05-12 2004-11-17 Sony International (Europe) GmbH Laststruktur für eine Antenne

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4868576A (en) 1988-11-02 1989-09-19 Motorola, Inc. Extendable antenna for portable cellular telephones with ground radiator
DK168346B1 (da) * 1991-03-19 1994-03-14 Dancall Telecom As Antennekonstruktion med udtrækkeligt antenneelement
GB2257835B (en) * 1991-07-13 1995-10-11 Technophone Ltd Retractable antenna
JP2574256Y2 (ja) * 1993-02-19 1998-06-11 松下電器産業株式会社 アンテナ装置
CA2116384C (en) * 1993-02-25 1997-01-21 Kenji Takamoro Antenna for a radio communication apparatus
JP2520557B2 (ja) * 1993-02-26 1996-07-31 日本電気株式会社 無線機用アンテナ

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0718909A2 (de) 1996-06-26
DE69531442D1 (de) 2003-09-11
JPH08237013A (ja) 1996-09-13
EP0718909A3 (de) 1996-08-07
GB2296603A (en) 1996-07-03
GB9426229D0 (en) 1995-02-22
GB2296603B (en) 1999-02-17
DE69531442T2 (de) 2004-06-24

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