EP1796206A1 - Antennenvorrichtung - Google Patents

Antennenvorrichtung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1796206A1
EP1796206A1 EP06025244A EP06025244A EP1796206A1 EP 1796206 A1 EP1796206 A1 EP 1796206A1 EP 06025244 A EP06025244 A EP 06025244A EP 06025244 A EP06025244 A EP 06025244A EP 1796206 A1 EP1796206 A1 EP 1796206A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
bracket
antenna device
antenna body
main antenna
extending
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP06025244A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Masaru Shikata
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.)
Alps Alpine Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Alps Electric Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Alps Electric Co Ltd filed Critical Alps Electric Co Ltd
Publication of EP1796206A1 publication Critical patent/EP1796206A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
    • H01Q1/27—Adaptation for use in or on movable bodies
    • H01Q1/32—Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles
    • H01Q1/325—Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles characterised by the location of the antenna on the vehicle
    • H01Q1/3291—Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles characterised by the location of the antenna on the vehicle mounted in or on other locations inside the vehicle or vehicle body
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
    • H01Q1/12—Supports; Mounting means
    • H01Q1/1207—Supports; Mounting means for fastening a rigid aerial element

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a small-size antenna device that is mountable by means of a sheet-metal bracket and is suitable as, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) antenna.
  • GPS Global Positioning System
  • a main antenna body having a patch antenna element, a feeder circuit, and the like is connected to a feeder cable, such as a coaxial cable. Via the feeder cable, the main antenna body is electrically connected to an external device, such as a receiver.
  • Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-228802 discloses an example of an antenna device of this type.
  • the feeder cable connected to the main antenna body extends toward a windshield and then downward.
  • a magnet is used to magnetically support the main antenna body above a sheet-metal bracket fixed on an installation base material, such as a dashboard. Because the bracket also functions as a ground plate, the bracket contributes to higher radiation gain. In view of the fact that the main antenna body is set in the midsection of the bracket, the bracket is generally given a square shape to prevent the directional characteristics of a radiation pattern from being affected.
  • the radiation towards the back surface of the antenna device may act as a noise source against the neighboring electronic devices.
  • this point was not particularly taken into consideration in the
  • a first object of the present invention is to provide an antenna device that can attain high radiation gain at a low elevation angle in a cable-extending direction. Furthermore, a second object of the present invention is to provide an antenna device in which the radiation towards the back surface of the antenna device is prevented from acting as a noise source against neighboring electronic devices.
  • the present invention provides an antenna device including a main antenna body having a patch antenna element; a feeder cable connected to and extending outward from the main antenna body; and a sheet-metal bracket which supports the main antenna body and is mounted to an installation base material, such as a dashboard.
  • the bracket has a shape having a long axis and a short axis, such as a rectangular shape, the two axes being perpendicular to each other and both extending through a center of the bracket. A direction in which the short axis of the bracket extends is substantially aligned with a direction in which the feeder cable extends.
  • the length of the bracket in the cable-extending direction is made shorter than the length of the bracket in a direction perpendicular to the cable-extending direction. This allows for a less effect of the ground on a radiation conductor included in the patch antenna element in the cable-extending direction, thereby achieving higher radiation gain at a low elevation angle in that direction.
  • the present invention provides an antenna device including a main antenna body having a patch antenna element; a feeder cable connected to and extending outward from the main antenna body; and a sheet-metal bracket which supports the main antenna body and is mounted to an installation base material, such as a dashboard.
  • the bracket has a shape having a long axis and a short axis, such as a rectangular shape, the two axes being perpendicular to each other and both extending through a center of the bracket. A direction in which the long axis of the bracket extends is substantially aligned with a direction in which the feeder cable extends.
  • the antenna device having this configuration since the extending direction of the feeder cable connected to the main antenna body is substantially aligned with the long-axis direction of the bracket, the effect of the ground on a radiation conductor included in the patch antenna element increases in this specific direction, thereby reducing the radiation towards the back surface of the antenna device. Consequently, in a case where an electronic device that is susceptible to antenna noise is disposed near the antenna device, a possibility that the radiation towards the back surface of the antenna device becomes a noise source against the electronic device can be significantly lowered by aligning the long-axis direction of the bracket with a direction extending towards the electronic device as viewed from the antenna device.
  • the bracket is preferably provided with a louvered segment for positioning the main antenna body. This allows for an easy and proper setting process for aligning the extending direction of the feeder cable connected to the main antenna body with the short-axis or long-axis direction of the bracket, and also reduces the risk of positional displacement of the main antenna body after it has been installed on the bracket.
  • the bracket for supporting the main antenna body is not square-shaped, and moreover, the short-axis direction of the bracket is substantially aligned with the extending direction of the feeder cable connected to the main antenna body. Consequently, this allows for a less effect of the ground on a radiation conductor in the cable-extending direction, thereby achieving higher radiation gain at a low elevation angle in that direction.
  • the bracket for supporting the main antenna body is not square-shaped, and moreover, the long-axis direction of the bracket is substantially aligned with the extending direction of the feeder cable connected to the main antenna body. Consequently, the effect of the ground on a radiation conductor increases in this specific direction, thereby reducing the radiation towards the back surface of the antenna device. Therefore, in a case where an electronic device that is susceptible to antenna noise is disposed near the antenna device, a possibility that the radiation towards the back surface of the antenna device becomes a noise source against the electronic device can be significantly lowered by aligning the long-axis direction of the bracket with a direction extending towards the electronic device as viewed from the antenna device.
  • Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an antenna device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig. 2 is a characteristic diagram showing radiation gain of the antenna device at a low elevation angle.
  • Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a radiation pattern in a vertical plane taken in a widthwise direction of a bracket included in the antenna device.
  • an antenna device 1 is a GPS antenna installed on a dashboard (installation base material) provided inside a vehicle.
  • the antenna device 1 mainly includes a main antenna body 2 having a sheet-metal radiation conductor plate 5 supported above a circuit board 4 within a radar dome 3 (only a bottom plate thereof is shown); a feeder cable 6 connected to the circuit board 4 of the main antenna body 2 and extending outward therefrom; and a sheet-metal bracket 7 which is mounted on the dashboard (not shown) and supports the main antenna body 2.
  • the circuit board 4 in the main antenna body 2 has its entire top surface substantially covered with a ground conductor layer 8.
  • the bottom surface of the circuit board 4 has an electronic component (not shown) mounted thereon, which defines an electronic circuit portion, such as a feeder circuit.
  • the electronic circuit portion is covered with a sheet-metal shield cover 9 for electromagnetically shielding the electronic circuit portion.
  • the radiation conductor plate 5 has a substantially square-shape with cutouts at the four corners thereof. The four corners are provided with mounting leg segments 10 that are formed by bending.
  • the mounting leg segments 10 are soldered to lands provided on the bottom surface of the circuit board 4, such that the radiation conductor plate 5 is stably supported facing the ground conductor layer 8 while being separated therefrom by a predetermined distance.
  • the radiation conductor plate 5 is also provided with two feeder leg segments 11 that are formed by bending.
  • the feeder leg segments 11 are connected to the feeder circuit provided on the bottom surface of the circuit board 4 so that the antenna device 1 functions as a two-point-feeding-type circularly polarized antenna.
  • the radiation conductor plate 5, the mounting leg segments 10, and the feeder leg segments 11, which are formed by processing a single metal plate, and the ground conductor layer 8 on the circuit board 4 constitute a patch antenna element for circular polarization.
  • the feeder cable 6 is a common coaxial cable, and has an inner conductor that is electrically connected to the pair of feeder leg segments 11 via the feeder circuit and an outer conductor that is electrically connected to the ground conductor layer 8 and the shield cover 9.
  • the feeder cable 6 extends linearly from the main antenna body 2 towards a windshield (not shown), that is, in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and then downward so as to be connected to, for example, a receiver.
  • the bracket 7 has a shape of a rectangle and has the main antenna body 2 disposed in the midsection of the rectangle.
  • the opposite ends of the bracket 7 in the lengthwise direction (i.e. long-axis direction) thereof are projected outward from the main antenna body 2 by a large amount.
  • These projected sections are provided with louvered segments 7a for positioning and securing the main antenna body 2. Because the widthwise direction (short-axis direction) of the bracket 7 is substantially aligned with the extending direction of the feeder cable 6 connected to the main antenna body 2, the feeder cable 6 protrudes from the bracket 7 immediately after extending outward from the main antenna body 2.
  • the widthwise direction of the rectangular bracket 7 is substantially aligned with the extending direction of the feeder cable 6 connected to the main antenna body 2 (i.e. the traveling direction of the vehicle), the effect of the ground on the radiation conductor plate 5 of the patch antenna element can be reduced in the cable-extending direction.
  • the feeder cable 6 protruding from the bracket 7 acts as if a ground plate is extending therefrom, if the bracket 7 is supposedly square-shaped, for example, the effect of the ground will increase in the extending direction of the feeder cable 6. This will undesirably lead to less radiation gain at a low elevation angle towards the front of the vehicle.
  • the bracket 7 is given a rectangular shape and the widthwise direction thereof is aligned with the extending direction of the feeder cable 6. This allows for a less effect of the ground in the widthwise direction so that the radiation gain at a low elevation angle is increased, as shown in Fig. 3. Accordingly, referring to Fig. 2, sufficient radiation gain at a low elevation angle (i.e. an elevation angle of 10°) can be attained towards the front of the vehicle (i.e. an azimuth near 0°). This enhances the effective sensitivity of the antenna device 1 for GPS signals.
  • the bracket 7 is provided with the louvered segments 7a for positioning and securing the main antenna body 2. This allows for an easy and proper setting process for aligning the extending direction of the feeder cable 6 connected to the main antenna body 2 with the widthwise direction of the bracket 7, and also reduces the risk of positional displacement of the main antenna body 2 after it has been installed on the bracket 7.
  • Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an antenna device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a radiation pattern in a vertical plane taken in a lengthwise direction of a bracket included in the antenna device. Components shown in these drawings that correspond to those shown in Fig. 1 are given the same reference numerals as in Fig. 1, and the descriptions of these components will not be repeated.
  • an antenna device 20 is similar to that of the first embodiment in that it is installed on a dashboard provided inside a vehicle, but differs greatly from that of the first embodiment in that the lengthwise direction of the rectangular bracket 7, instead of the widthwise direction thereof, is substantially aligned with the cable-extending direction.
  • the antenna device 20 is configured in view that an electronic device (not shown) that is susceptible to antenna noise is disposed within a close range of the back surface of the antenna device 20 (namely, a space below the dashboard), the back surface being in a direction opposite to the extending direction of the feeder cable 6 connected to the main antenna body 2.
  • the antenna device 20 is given a configuration such that the radiation towards the back surface of the antenna device 20 is prevented from acting as a noise source against the electronic device.
  • the lengthwise direction (i.e. the long-axis direction) of the bracket 7 is substantially aligned with the extending direction of the feeder cable 6 connected to the main antenna body 2 so that the radiation towards the back surface of the antenna device 20 is reduced in the lengthwise direction of the bracket 7, as shown in Fig. 5. Accordingly, this avoids adverse effects of antenna noise on the electronic device.
  • the bracket 7 may have a polygonal or elliptical shape having a long axis and a short axis.
  • the above embodiments are directed to a case where a circular-polarization antenna element having a sheet-metal patch antenna structure is used, the present invention is also applicable to a case where the antenna element has a dielectric patch antenna structure or a case where the antenna element is for linear polarization.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Remote Sensing (AREA)
  • Support Of Aerials (AREA)
  • Waveguide Aerials (AREA)
  • Details Of Aerials (AREA)
EP06025244A 2005-12-08 2006-12-06 Antennenvorrichtung Withdrawn EP1796206A1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2005355075A JP2007159032A (ja) 2005-12-08 2005-12-08 アンテナ装置

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1796206A1 true EP1796206A1 (de) 2007-06-13

Family

ID=37831499

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP06025244A Withdrawn EP1796206A1 (de) 2005-12-08 2006-12-06 Antennenvorrichtung

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1796206A1 (de)
JP (1) JP2007159032A (de)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2010007591A2 (en) * 2008-07-17 2010-01-21 Jaguar Cars Limited Antenna assembly for a motor vehicle
CN104466349A (zh) * 2014-12-17 2015-03-25 上海安费诺永亿通讯电子有限公司 一种车载保险杠天线结构及其制备方法

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19543625C1 (de) * 1995-11-23 1997-01-30 Bosch Gmbh Robert Vorrichtung zum Nachrüsten einer weiteren Antenne an eine vorhandene Fahrzeugantenne und Fahrzeugzusatzantenne
WO1999027762A2 (en) * 1997-11-25 1999-06-03 Lk-Products Oy A frame structure to equipment operating at high frequencies
EP0989629A1 (de) * 1998-09-01 2000-03-29 Nippon Antena Kabushiki Kaisha Fahrzeug-Antenne
WO2000035045A1 (de) * 1998-12-04 2000-06-15 Wilhelm Sihn Jr. Kg Antenne für automobile
JP2003060414A (ja) * 2001-08-20 2003-02-28 Furukawa Electric Co Ltd:The アンテナユニット
WO2004036686A1 (en) * 2002-10-15 2004-04-29 Calearo Antenne S.R.L Vehicular antenna with improved screening
JP2004228802A (ja) * 2003-01-21 2004-08-12 Tokai Rika Co Ltd アンテナ装置
EP1536515A1 (de) * 2003-11-27 2005-06-01 Alps Electric Co., Ltd. Antennenvorrichtung

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19543625C1 (de) * 1995-11-23 1997-01-30 Bosch Gmbh Robert Vorrichtung zum Nachrüsten einer weiteren Antenne an eine vorhandene Fahrzeugantenne und Fahrzeugzusatzantenne
WO1999027762A2 (en) * 1997-11-25 1999-06-03 Lk-Products Oy A frame structure to equipment operating at high frequencies
EP0989629A1 (de) * 1998-09-01 2000-03-29 Nippon Antena Kabushiki Kaisha Fahrzeug-Antenne
WO2000035045A1 (de) * 1998-12-04 2000-06-15 Wilhelm Sihn Jr. Kg Antenne für automobile
JP2003060414A (ja) * 2001-08-20 2003-02-28 Furukawa Electric Co Ltd:The アンテナユニット
WO2004036686A1 (en) * 2002-10-15 2004-04-29 Calearo Antenne S.R.L Vehicular antenna with improved screening
JP2004228802A (ja) * 2003-01-21 2004-08-12 Tokai Rika Co Ltd アンテナ装置
EP1536515A1 (de) * 2003-11-27 2005-06-01 Alps Electric Co., Ltd. Antennenvorrichtung

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2010007591A2 (en) * 2008-07-17 2010-01-21 Jaguar Cars Limited Antenna assembly for a motor vehicle
WO2010007591A3 (en) * 2008-07-17 2010-03-11 Jaguar Cars Limited Antenna assembly for a motor vehicle
CN104466349A (zh) * 2014-12-17 2015-03-25 上海安费诺永亿通讯电子有限公司 一种车载保险杠天线结构及其制备方法

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP2007159032A (ja) 2007-06-21

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