JP2002280821A - Antenna system and terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provided an antenna system the antenna characteristics of which can sufficiently be enhanced and that can be integrated with a small-sized terminal equipment such as a mobile phone terminal without losing its neat outward appearance and to provide the terminal mounted with the antenna system. SOLUTION: The antenna system (10) includes a dielectric chip (12) that is inserted to an opening (21) provided to an outer package case (20) of the terminal to form an outer surface (12a) of the terminal equipment in cooperation with the outer surface of the outer package case and an antenna conductor (11) that is embedded in the dielectric chip and places at a height sufficiently apart from a ground conductor of a printed circuit board (30) in the outer package case.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an antenna device suitable for being incorporated in a small terminal device such as a portable telephone terminal, and a terminal device provided with the antenna device.

[0002]

2. Related Background Art As an antenna device to be incorporated in a small terminal device such as a mobile phone terminal, a chip antenna in which a planar antenna formed of a flat or meandering antenna conductor is embedded in a rectangular parallelepiped dielectric chip has attracted attention. I have. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, this type of chip antenna is mounted on a printed wiring circuit board 1 and is assembled together with the printed wiring circuit board 1 in an outer case 2 of a terminal device.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 3 denotes an antenna conductor, 4 denotes a dielectric chip in which the antenna conductor 3 is embedded, 5a denotes a lead terminal derived from an end face of the antenna conductor 3, and 5b denotes a fixing terminal. . The chip antenna is mounted on the printed circuit board 1 by soldering the lead terminals 5a and the fixing terminals 5b to predetermined portions of the printed circuit board 1, respectively.

According to such an antenna device, that is, a chip antenna, unlike a conventional rod antenna, it does not protrude to the outside of the outer case 2, so that there is no breakage of the antenna, and furthermore, the outer case 2 and the terminal The appearance of the device can be improved.

[0005]

However, in the above-described chip antenna, since it is necessary to securely house the chip antenna in a limited space in the outer case 2, its outer dimensions, particularly the height in the case, are high. It cannot be denied that the position is greatly restricted. That is, the height position of the antenna conductor 3 from the ground conductor (not shown) on the printed wiring circuit board 1 is limited to be low, and it is difficult to further increase the height position to further enhance the antenna characteristics.

In this respect, as shown in FIG.
By embedding itself in the outer case 2, the height position of the antenna conductor 3 from the ground conductor (GND surface) of the printed wiring circuit board 1 may be increased to improve the antenna characteristics. However, in order to embed the antenna conductor 3 in the plastic outer case 2 generally manufactured by injection molding, a mechanism for holding the antenna conductor 3 in a mold for injection molding is required. Is complicated. In addition, the embedding of the antenna conductor 3 complicates the manufacturing process of the outer case 2, and the finishing accuracy may be impaired, and the appearance of the outer case 2 may be impaired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an antenna device which can sufficiently enhance antenna characteristics and can be incorporated into a small terminal device such as a portable telephone terminal without impairing its external appearance, and a terminal device provided with the antenna device. To provide.

[0008]

An antenna device according to the present invention is fitted in an opening provided in an outer case of a terminal device such as a portable telephone terminal, and cooperates with an outer surface of the outer case. A dielectric chip having an outer surface forming a part of an outer surface of a device, and an antenna conductor embedded in the dielectric chip along the outer surface of the dielectric chip are provided.

According to the present invention, by arranging a dielectric chip of an antenna device so as to form a part of the surface of the terminal device, the antenna device can be incorporated into the terminal device without impairing the appearance of the terminal device. By embedding the antenna conductor in the dielectric chip along the outer surface of the body chip, the antenna conductor is sufficiently separated from the ground conductor of the terminal device to improve the antenna characteristics of the antenna device.

In the present invention, preferably, the antenna device is incorporated in a terminal device having a printed circuit board disposed in the outer case so as to be spaced from the opening in the height direction of the outer case. Preferably, the antenna conductor embedded in the dielectric chip extends substantially parallel to the outer surface of the dielectric chip, thereby increasing the height of the antenna conductor from a ground conductor formed on a printed circuit board, for example. To improve antenna characteristics.

Preferably, the dielectric chip includes a fixing portion for fixing the dielectric chip to the printed circuit board. Alternatively, the dielectric chip includes a fixing portion for fixing the dielectric chip to an outer case of the terminal device. By fixing the dielectric chip of the antenna device, the antenna device is not inadvertently pushed into the terminal device when the terminal device is used, thereby preventing damage to the antenna device and components mounted on the printed circuit board. You.

When an elastic member for sealing is provided between the dielectric chip and the outer case, a positional shift between the antenna device and the opening of the outer case can be absorbed, and the occurrence of stress in the antenna device can be prevented. be able to.
If the terminal conductor extending from the antenna conductor to the outside of the dielectric chip is brought into contact with the pad of the printed circuit board, the positioning accuracy of the antenna device with respect to the circuit board can be reduced.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a terminal device provided with the above-mentioned antenna device. This terminal device has an excellent appearance.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (First Embodiment) Hereinafter, an antenna device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The antenna device 10 according to this embodiment includes:
It is incorporated in an outer case 20 of a mobile phone terminal, and has a structure in which a planar antenna composed of a flat or meandering antenna conductor 11 is basically embedded in a dielectric chip 12. In particular, the antenna device 10 is characterized in that the dielectric chip 12 is fitted into an opening 21 previously provided in an outer case 20 of a terminal device, and is arranged flush with the outer surface of the outer case 20. The antenna chip 11 has an outer surface 12a forming a part of the surface of the terminal device, and the antenna conductor 11 is provided substantially parallel to the outer surface 12a of the dielectric chip 12.

That is, the outer surface 12a of the dielectric chip 12
Is used to connect the dielectric chip 12 to the opening 21 of the outer case 20.
When fitted into the terminal device, the terminal device has a smooth appearance in cooperation with the outer surface of the outer case 20.
More specifically, the outer surface 12a of the dielectric chip 12 forms a surface similar to the surface formed by the edge 21a surrounding the opening 21 of the outer case 20. The antenna conductor 11 embedded in the dielectric chip 12
Is provided in the vicinity of the outer surface 12a of the dielectric chip 12 substantially in parallel with the outer surface 12a, so that the outer case 20
The printed wiring circuit board 30 incorporated therein is positioned at a sufficiently high position with respect to a ground conductor (not shown). Incidentally, the opening 21 to which the antenna device 10 is attached is a portion that is unlikely to be touched by the user, specifically, a place that is located on the back side upper part when the mobile phone terminal is used,
That is, it is provided behind the position where the speaker A is provided. still,
Of course, it is also possible to provide this opening 21 at the upper end side of the mobile phone terminal, for example.

On the lower surface side of the dielectric chip 12,
A leg 13 for mounting the antenna device 10 on the printed circuit board 30 and positioning the antenna conductor 11 at a predetermined height from the circuit board 30 is provided as a fixing portion to the printed circuit board 30. The leg 13 has a wedge-shaped hook 14 at its tip, and the hook 14 is inserted into a hole for mounting an antenna provided on the printed wiring circuit board 30 so that the antenna device 10 is connected to the printed wiring circuit board 30. It is fixed and supported above the substrate, and the antenna conductor 11 of the antenna device 10 is made substantially parallel to the printed circuit board 30.

A lead terminal 15 is integrally formed at one end of the antenna conductor 11, and the lead terminal 15 extends from one end surface of the dielectric chip 12 and then extends downward along one leg 13. I have. The lead terminal 15 is electrically connected to the connector when it is inserted into the connector 31 mounted on the printed wiring circuit board 30 in advance, and is connected to the antenna conductor 11 via the lead terminal 15, the connector 31 and the printed wiring circuit board 30. Power is supplied. Reference numeral 22 is
A ring-shaped elastic member 22 inserted between the dielectric chip 12 fitted into the opening 21 of the outer case 20 and the outer case 20 and sealing therebetween is shown. This elastic member 2
2 absorbs a slight displacement between the antenna device 10 mounted on the printed wiring circuit board 30 and the opening 21 of the outer case 20, and the dielectric chip 12 is fitted into the opening 21 without any gap. ing. Further elastic member 2
2 reduces the force applied to the antenna device 10 via the outer case 20, and prevents the occurrence of undesired stress in the antenna device.

According to the antenna device 10 configured as described above, the antenna conductor 11 is connected to the outer case 20.
And the height of the antenna from the ground conductor in the printed circuit board 30 incorporated in the outer case 20 can be increased, so that the antenna characteristics can be sufficiently enhanced. Moreover, since it is different from the conventional case where the antenna conductor is embedded in the outer case (see FIG. 3), the outer case 20 and the antenna device 1
And 0 can be manufactured separately, and there is no possibility that the appearance shape of the outer case is damaged due to the buried antenna conductor as in the conventional outer case.

According to the antenna device 10 described above, the outer surface 12a of the dielectric chip 12 is exposed to the outside, but the exposed area is small compared to the entire surface of the outer case 20. Differences such as differences in the material of the terminal device hardly cause deterioration of the appearance of the terminal device. Rather, it is possible to enhance the aesthetics of the terminal device by positively utilizing the material and surface treatment of the outer case 20 and the dielectric chip 12, and furthermore, the difference in color and the like.

Furthermore, if the presence of the dielectric chip 12 is apparent from the difference in the material and color, the antenna device 10 may be unintentionally covered with the hand holding the terminal device.
Since it is possible to prevent an act that hinders antenna performance beforehand, it is expected that the performance of the antenna device 10 will be fully exhibited. In addition, if the dielectric chip 12 is formed of a material having a higher dielectric constant than the material of the outer case 20, the antenna device 10 can be reduced in size.
By doing so, it becomes easy to select a place in the mobile phone terminal or the like that is difficult to be covered by a hand during a call and arrange the antenna device 10, and it is possible to sufficiently secure antenna characteristics and improve the call quality. It becomes possible.

(Second Embodiment) Hereinafter, referring to FIG.
An antenna device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The antenna device of the present embodiment is mainly intended to ease the positioning accuracy of the terminal device with respect to the printed circuit board in the outer case and improve the assemblability to the terminal device. The antenna device according to the present embodiment is fixed to the inner surface of the outer case as compared with the first embodiment in which the antenna device is configured to be fixed to the printed wiring circuit board and a connector is used to connect the antenna conductor to the printed wiring circuit board. In addition, a terminal conductor extending from the antenna conductor is resiliently brought into contact with a pad on the printed wiring circuit board to be electrically connected.

As in the case of the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the antenna device 10 of the second embodiment is built in a terminal device such as a mobile phone, and the outer case 20 of the terminal device is composed of an upper case 23 and a lower case. 24. The upper case 23 has an opening 21 into which the dielectric chip 12 is fitted. Further, a printed wiring circuit board 30 is accommodated in the terminal device, and the circuit board 30 is fixed to the lower case 24.

The upper case 23 of this embodiment has a wall 26 extending along the peripheral surface of the dielectric chip 12 fitted in the opening 21, and a hook 27 is formed at the lower end of the wall 26. . The lower end of the dielectric chip 12 is tapered,
The dielectric chip 12 is pushed away from the hook 27 to open the opening 21.
It can be fitted easily. Dielectric chip 1
When the hook 27 fits into the groove 12 b formed on the peripheral surface of the second case 2, the dielectric chip 12 is fixed to the upper case 23. The hook 27 of the outer case 20 is connected to the groove 1 of the dielectric chip 12.
In cooperation with 2b, it functions as a fixing portion for fixing the antenna device 10 to the inner surface of the outer case 20. Note that an elastic member corresponding to the element 22 shown in FIG. 1 may be interposed between the wall 26 of the outer case 20 and the dielectric chip 12.

The antenna device 10 includes an antenna conductor 11,
The power supply terminal 16 and the short-circuit terminal 17 are further provided, and these elements 11, 16 and 17 form an inverted-F shape as a whole. The antenna conductor 11 is embedded near the outer surface 12a in the dielectric chip 12 and extends substantially parallel to the outer surface 12a. Most of the power supply terminal and the short-circuit terminal, that is, the terminal conductors 16 and 17 are buried in the dielectric chip 12, and the antenna conductor 11
Extends in the thickness direction of the dielectric chip 12. The lower ends of the terminals 16 and 17 extend from the bottom surface of the dielectric chip 12 toward the printed circuit board 30. When the dielectric chip 12 is fitted into the opening 21 of the outer case 20, the respective contact surfaces of the power supply terminal 16 and the short-circuit terminal 17, that is, the front end surface of the U-shaped lower end portion are on the circuit pattern of the circuit board 30. Elastically contact the upper surfaces of the pads 32, 33 formed on the antenna conductor 11, so that power can be supplied to the antenna conductor 11 via the circuit board 30 and the power supply terminal 16.

According to the second embodiment, the antenna device 10
Since the dielectric chip 12 is fixed not to the circuit board 30 but to the outer case 20, the positioning accuracy of the antenna device 10 with respect to the circuit board 30 is relaxed, and the assemblability of the antenna device 10 to the terminal device is improved. Also, pad 3
When the area of 2, 33 is increased, the positioning accuracy with respect to the circuit board 30 is further relaxed, and the assemblability is further improved.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the size of the opening 21 provided in the outer case 20 may be determined according to the size of the dielectric chip 12 in the antenna device 10, particularly the size of the outer surface 12a. The shape of the outer surface 12a of the dielectric chip 12 may be determined according to the surface shape of the outer case 20 in which the antenna device 10 is incorporated.

Further, other components of the terminal equipment may be mounted using a space formed between the printed wiring circuit board 30 on which the antenna device 10 is mounted and the lower surface of the dielectric chip 12. In addition, the antenna device 10 itself can be used as an indicator by realizing the dielectric chip 12 using a transparent member and incorporating, for example, a light emitting element driven by an electronic component on a printed circuit board in the vicinity thereof. Become. It is also easy to improve the antenna characteristics by forming a metal layer on the outer surface 12a or the bottom surface of the dielectric chip 12 by plating, vapor deposition, or the like, and making this metal layer function as a parasitic element for the antenna conductor 11.

Further, the terminal device incorporating the antenna device of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned portable telephone terminal, but may be a portable information terminal, a personal computer, a communication adapter or the like. In addition, the present invention can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the gist thereof. The following inventive concepts can be understood from the embodiments described above.

(1) A dielectric chip having an outer surface fitted into an opening provided in an outer case of a terminal device and forming a part of the outer surface of the terminal device in cooperation with an outer surface of the outer case. And an antenna conductor embedded in the dielectric chip along the outer surface of the dielectric chip. (2) The antenna device according to (1), which is incorporated in a terminal device having a printed circuit board disposed in the outer case so as to be spaced from the opening in a height direction of the outer case. .

(3) The antenna device according to (1), wherein the antenna conductor embedded in the dielectric chip extends substantially parallel to the outer surface of the dielectric chip. (4) The antenna device according to (2) above, wherein the dielectric chip includes a fixing portion for fixing the dielectric chip to the printed circuit board. (5) The antenna device according to the above (1), wherein the dielectric chip includes a fixing portion for fixing the dielectric chip to the outer case of the terminal device.

(6) In the antenna device of the above (4), the fixing portion is constituted by a leg portion extending from a surface of the dielectric chip on the printed wiring board side, and the leg portion includes:
A hook formed in a hole provided in the printed wiring board; (7) The antenna device according to (1), further including an elastic member interposed between the dielectric chip and the outer case to seal between the two.

(8) In the antenna device of (4), a groove is formed in a peripheral surface of the dielectric chip, and the outer case has a wall extending along the peripheral surface of the dielectric chip. And wherein the wall has a hook that fits into the groove of the dielectric chip. (9) The antenna device according to (8), further including a terminal conductor extending from the antenna conductor to the outside of the dielectric chip, wherein a contact surface of the terminal conductor is provided on a pad formed on the printed circuit board. Contact by elastic force.

(10) The antenna device according to the above (1), wherein the dielectric chip is arranged so that the outer surface thereof is flush with the outer surface of the outer case. (11) A terminal device to which the antenna device according to any one of (1) to (10) is attached.

[0034]

The antenna device of the present invention can be incorporated into a terminal device without disturbing the appearance of the terminal device by disposing a dielectric chip so as to form a part of the surface of the terminal device. By embedding the antenna conductor in the dielectric chip along the outer surface of the body chip, the antenna conductor can be sufficiently separated from the ground conductor of the terminal device to improve the antenna characteristics. The terminal device of the present invention has an excellent appearance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an antenna device according to a first embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state in which the terminal device is incorporated into a terminal device.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a conventional chip antenna incorporated in a terminal device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an antenna device having a structure in which an antenna conductor is embedded in an outer case of a terminal device.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an antenna device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Antenna device 11 Antenna conductor 12 Dielectric chip 12a Outer surface 12b Groove 13 Leg 14, 27 Hook 15 Lead terminal 16 Feeding terminal 17 Short circuit terminal 20 Outer case 21 Opening 22 Elastic member 30 Printed circuit board 31 Connector 32, 33 pad

Claims (2)

[Claims] A dielectric chip having an outer surface fitted into an opening provided in an outer case of the terminal device and forming a part of an outer surface of the terminal device in cooperation with an outer surface of the outer case; And an antenna conductor embedded in the dielectric chip along the outer surface of the dielectric chip. 2. A terminal device to which the antenna device according to claim 1 is attached.