JP4183218B2 - Manufacturing method of chip antenna - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a chip antenna for use in mobile communications and local area networks.
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a manufacturing method of the conventional chip antenna CA11.
[0003]
In the conventional chip antenna CA <b> 11, internal conductors are provided on the sheet layers 11 a to 11 h, and these internal conductors are connected by the first via holes 13. The sheet layers 11b to 11g are provided with internal conductors 14a to 14f separately from the internal conductors, and the internal conductors 14a to 14f are connected by second via holes 15a to 15e.
[0004]
That is, a first chip antenna is constituted by the inner conductor and the first via hole 13, and separately from this, the second chip antenna is constituted by the inner conductors 14a to 14f and the second via holes 15a to 15e. It is configured.
[0005]
Then, when the chip antenna CA1 is completed, the chip antenna CA1 is cut from the boundary portion between the first chip antenna and the second chip antenna.
[0006]
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a manufacturing method of the conventional chip antenna CA12.
[0007]
The conventional chip antenna CA12 is also provided with two internal conductors 14 on the sheet layers 11i to 11l, which are connected by via holes 13, to form two chip antennas, and cut from the boundary portion between the two chip antennas.
[0008]
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a manufacturing method of the conventional chip antenna CA13.
[0009]
The conventional chip antenna CA13 is provided with conductor patterns 23, 25, 27 on dielectric layers 21, 24, 26, 29, an extraction electrode 22 and a power supply terminal 30 at one end, and an open end at the other end. When the terminal 28 is provided and it is desired to change the inductance, the open terminal 28 is deleted by a predetermined amount.
[0010]
The above conventional example is a diagram showing a method for manufacturing helical and meander type laminated chip antennas, and is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 9-51148, 9-69716, and 9-246839. .
[0011]
These are generally methods for constructing a chip antenna with a multilayer structure, and are basically the same as the methods for constructing a conventional chip inductor. In these conventional manufacturing methods, it is necessary to design the product specification and change the conductor pattern and the lamination specification each time the product specification is changed.
[0012]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the above conventional manufacturing method, as described above, it is necessary to design for each product specification, so the burden of plate making cost, design cost, etc. is large, and the design takes time, so the early development of the product difficult.
[0013]
In particular, since the characteristics of the chip antenna are greatly affected by the substrate and peripheral components, the design of the chip antenna needs to be changed every time the set side specification changes.
[0014]
Also, in the conventional method, once the design is completed, if the inductance value is increased or decreased, it is necessary to change the pattern, change the laminated structure, etc. There is a problem that it takes a lot.
[0015]
The present invention provides a manufacturing method of a chip antenna that can easily change the specification without rewriting the pattern when the specification of the chip antenna is changed by changing the substrate pattern on the set side or changing the component arrangement. It is intended.
[0016]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a chip antenna, the step of providing a meander-like conductor or a helical conductor inside or on the surface of a base made of a dielectric material or a magnetic material, and the above-described meander-like conductor or In accordance with a desired inductance value in the helical conductor, the cutting position of the conductor is shifted, the conductor is cut together with the base, and a plurality of chips are formed, and at the end of the cut chip And a step of providing a feeding terminal connected to the conductor.
[0017]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a structural perspective view showing a chip antenna CA1 used in the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0018]
1 (1) shows a completed state of the chip antenna CA1, FIG. 1 (2) is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 1 (1), and FIG. 1 (3) shows a state in which the chip antenna CA1 is developed. It is a perspective view shown.
[0019]
The chip antenna CA1 is a chip antenna having a base body 41, a first conductor 42a, a second conductor 42b, a component fixing terminal 45, and a power feeding terminal 46.
[0020]
The base 41 is made of a dielectric material or a magnetic material and is an insulating base. The base 41 includes sheets 41a to 41f. The first conductor 42a is printed on the sheet 41b. The second conductor is printed on the sheet 41f. 42b is printed. The dielectric material or magnetic material need not have a high dielectric constant or magnetic permeability.
[0021]
The first conductor 42a and the second conductor 42b are meander-like conductors configured inside the base body 41. However, the meander-shaped conductors may be configured on the surface of the base body 41. Good.
[0022]
In addition, a mounting terminal 45 and a power feeding terminal 46 are electrically connected to one end and the other end of the first conductor 42a and the second conductor 42b, respectively.
[0023]
FIG. 2 is a structural perspective view showing a chip antenna CA2 used in the second embodiment of the present invention.
[0024]
2 (1) shows a completed state of the chip antenna CA2, FIG. 2 (2) is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 2 (1), and FIG. 2 (3) shows a state in which the chip antenna CA2 is expanded. It is a perspective view shown.
[0025]
The chip antenna CA2 is a chip antenna having a base body 41, a first conductor 42c, a second conductor 42d, a via hole 43, a component fixing terminal 45, and a power feeding terminal 46.
[0026]
The base 41 is made of a dielectric material or a magnetic material, and is an insulating base. The base 41 includes sheets 41g to 41l. The first conductor 42c is printed on the sheet 41h, and the second conductor is printed on the sheet 41l. 42d is printed, and the first conductor 42c and the second conductor 42d are connected by a conductor provided in the via hole 43. The dielectric material or magnetic material need not have a high dielectric constant or magnetic permeability.
[0027]
The first conductor 42c and the second conductor 42d are helical conductors configured inside the base body 41. However, the helical conductors may be configured on the surface of the base body 41. Good.
[0028]
Further, the mounting terminal 45 and the power feeding terminal 46 are electrically connected to one end and the other end of the first conductor 42c and the second conductor 42d, respectively.
[0029]
In each of the above embodiments, the dielectric material used is ceramic (cordylite, forsterite, alumina, glass-based ceramic, titanium oxide-based ceramic, or a mixture thereof), resin (polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide, Bismaleimide, triazine, liquid crystal polymer, etc.), composite materials of ceramic and resin, and the like. In the above embodiment, a magnetic material may be used as the base 41 instead of the dielectric. The dielectric constant, magnetic permeability, mixing ratio of the composite material, and the like are appropriately selected. Furthermore, the conductor in the said Example is gold, silver, copper, and palladium.
[0030]
The base 41 is a ceramic substrate formed by a sheet method, a printing method, a mold forming method, a resin substrate, a substrate made of a composite material of ceramic and resin, or the like, and a meander-like or helical conductor inside the substrate. 42a to 42d are formed by a technique such as printing, sputtering or etching.
[0031]
Further, when the via hole 43 is provided, the sheet is formed by a method of embedding a conductor paste by printing or the like in a hole penetrating the sheet opened by a laser, a mechanical punch, a drill or the like, or a method of covering the inner surface of the via with a conductor by electroless plating or the like. There is no electric field on the inner wall surface of the hole formed by stacking a plurality of electrically connected upper and lower surfaces, or by drilling or lasering holes that penetrate the upper and lower surfaces after the sheet layers are stacked. A conductor is formed by plating or the like.
[0032]
Further, the mounting terminal 45 and the power supply terminal 46 are formed by a technique such as printing, termination, sputtering, or etching so as to be connected to the conductors 42a to 42d.
[0033]
As shown in FIG. 1 (3), conductors 42 a and 42 b are formed on a sheet 41 a to 41 f such as a ceramic green sheet or a resin sheet by a technique such as printing, sputtering, vapor deposition, etching, and the like. In the case of ceramics that are stacked, stacked, and pressed in the order of 41f to 41a, the mounting terminal is baked and connected to the meander-shaped first conductor 42a and the second conductor 42b on the surface of the base 41. 45. The power supply terminal 46 is constituted by termination and printing. Further, the mounting terminal 45 and the power feeding terminal 46 may be configured by printing or the like on the green sheet before firing.
[0034]
As shown in FIG. 2 (3), the chip antenna CA2 is obtained by replacing the meandering conductor of the chip antenna CA1 with a helical conductor. The same materials, electrodes, and the like are used as in the chip antenna CA1, and the structure of the substrate and the electrodes is the same as in the chip antenna CA1.
[0035]
In FIG. 2 (3), internal conductors 42c and 42d are formed on a sheet 41g to 41l such as a ceramic green sheet or a resin sheet by a technique such as printing, sputtering, vapor deposition, etching, and the like. Stack, stack and press in 41g order.
[0036]
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a cutting method in manufacturing the chip antenna CA1.
[0037]
In FIG. 3, nine chip antennas CA1 are manufactured in parallel. In this case, the chip antennas CA1 may be manufactured one by one, and the manufactured chip antennas CA1 may be arranged in parallel.
[0038]
The chip antenna CA1 is a kind of substrate 50 in which conductors 42a and 42b are provided on a dielectric or magnetic base body 41, and is configured by stacking sheet layers as described above. A cutting knife 60 for cutting the substrate 50 is provided. In addition to knife cutting, dicing or the like may be used for cutting.
[0039]
In FIG. 3, in the state before cutting, the first conductor 42a and the second conductor 42b are electrically connected without interruption from the cutting lines 52a to 52d, and are formed into one long meander-like conductor. It has become. Nine long meander conductors are arranged in parallel in the Y-axis direction. Note that other than nine meander conductors may be arranged in parallel.
[0040]
Next, the operation of cutting the chip antenna CA1 from the state shown in FIG. 3 will be described.
[0041]
First, when cutting in parallel with the X-axis direction, the cutting knife 60 is cut along the cutting lines 51a to 51j so as not to contact the conductors 42a and 42b between the plurality of long meandering conductors arranged in the above manner. To do.
[0042]
Further, when cutting in parallel with the Y-axis direction, the cutting knife 60 is cut along the cutting lines 52a to 52d so as to cut the meander-like conductor constituted by the conductors 42a and 42b into a plurality of pieces.
[0043]
At this time, the length of the meander conductors 42a and 42b in each of the cut chip antennas CA1a, CA1b, and CA1c changes depending on the cutting position, and the inductance value also changes as the length changes.
[0044]
That is, the inductance value in each chip antenna can be set to a desired value simply by shifting the cutting position in the X-axis direction. That is, when it is desired to obtain a chip antenna having a desired inductance value, it can be easily obtained without performing a complicated work of designing a new antenna.
[0045]
In FIG. 3, nine pieces of chip antennas CA1a, CA1b, CA1c can be produced by the above cutting (27 CA1 can be obtained if the lengths are made equal).
[0046]
FIG. 4 is a projection view of the conductors 42a and 42b when the chip antenna CA1 is viewed from above in the above embodiment.
[0047]
When the chip antenna CA1 is cut, a conductor portion parallel to the traveling direction of the meander is the cutting appropriate region 47, and a conductor portion orthogonal to the moving direction of the meander and its vicinity are the cutting inappropriate region 48. In other words, if the cutting position is a conductor portion orthogonal to the direction of travel of the meander, the inductance changes greatly with the cut portion as a boundary, and therefore the conductor portion orthogonal to the direction of travel of the meander and its vicinity are inappropriately cut. Region 48.
[0048]
Accordingly, the area that can be cut is determined by the pitch of the meander conductors 42a and 42b.
[0049]
As described in FIG. 3, the inductance value of each chip antenna after cutting can be adjusted simply by shifting the cutting position in the X-axis direction. When changing the design of the antenna, it is not necessary to rewrite the pattern, and adjustment is possible only by shifting the cutting position in the X-axis direction.
[0050]
In other words, in general, if the substrate pattern is changed or the component placement is changed, it can be dealt with by finely adjusting the cutting position. Note that, although the shape of the component changes even though the cutting position is finely adjusted, it is preferable to take into consideration that the mounting pattern for mounting the chip antenna is made slightly wider.
[0051]
In addition, a plurality of products (chip antennas) whose specifications greatly change can be handled with only one pattern if the above manufacturing method is adopted.
[0052]
For example, even for products with significantly different specifications, such as reception frequencies of 900 MHZ and 18 GHZ, the inductance value can be changed greatly by simply changing the cutting position in the X-axis direction. Can handle products with significantly different specifications.
[0053]
As a result, the number of pattern mask fabrications can be reduced, the sample trial production speed at the design stage can be dramatically increased, the pattern mask fabrication cost can be reduced, and 1 Because it can cope with one pattern, the cost can be greatly reduced.
[0054]
The above description is only for the chip antenna CA1, but the chip antenna CA2 is the same as that for the chip antenna CA1.
In the above embodiment, the length of the meandering or helical conductor in the traveling direction is longer than the width of the conductor. As a result, when the chip antenna is mounted on a substrate such as a mobile phone, the mounting density can be improved, and the width can be reduced and the bandwidth can be increased.
[0055]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, when the specification of the chip antenna is changed by changing the substrate pattern on the set side or changing the component arrangement, the specification can be easily changed by simply shifting the cutting position without rewriting the pattern. There is an effect.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a structural perspective view showing a chip antenna CA1 used in a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a structural perspective view showing a chip antenna CA2 used in a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a cutting method in manufacturing the chip antenna CA1.
4 is a projection view of conductors 42a and 42b when the chip antenna CA1 is viewed from above in the embodiment. FIG.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a manufacturing method of a conventional chip antenna CA11.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a manufacturing method of a conventional chip antenna CA12.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a manufacturing method of a conventional chip antenna CA13.
[Explanation of symbols]
41 ... Substrate,
41a-41l ... sheet,
42a-42d ... surface or inner conductor,
43 ... via hole,
44a-44d ... Patch conductor for vias,
45 ... Terminal for fixing components,
46: Power supply terminal,
50 ... a substrate,
51a-51i ... X-axis direction cutting line,
52a-52d ... Y-axis direction cutting line,
60: Cutting knife.

Claims (2)

In the manufacturing method of the chip antenna,
Providing a meander-like conductor or a helical conductor in or on the surface of a substrate made of a dielectric material or a magnetic material;
A step of shifting the cutting position of the conductor in accordance with a desired inductance value in the meander-like or helical conductor, cutting the conductor together with the base, and forming a plurality of chips;
Providing a power supply terminal connected to the conductor at an end of the cut chip;
A method of manufacturing a chip antenna, comprising: In claim 1,
A method of manufacturing a chip antenna, comprising cutting a conductor portion in a direction substantially the same as the traveling direction of the meander-like conductor or the helical conductor.

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