JPH05275915A - Production of antenna module - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the generation of the defect caused by the molding resin creeping to the outer surface side of the metallic foil member, to stabilize the position of the foil member and to attain a highly efficient molding job by setting a metallic foil member for an antenna module into a metallic mold together with an engaging member. CONSTITUTION:The engaging member 31 is formed integrally a projecting bar 33 pressing the outer U-turn part 17 of a metallic foil member 11 to the inside of a metallic mold 23, a pair of recessed parts 35 pressing the inner U-turn part 18 of the member 11 to the metallic mold 23, a rib part 37 pressing the end part 19 of the member 11 to the metallic mold 23, a pair of bar parts 39 pressing both side edges of a metallic foil member 13, etc. Then the member 31 is set into the metallic mold 23 after the engaging part 31 is combined with the metalic foil members 11 and 13. Thus, the members 11 and 13 are restricted at both sides of them so that the positions and the shapes of both members are stabilized.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a small antenna module used in a portable communication device or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, a small antenna module as shown in FIGS. 13 to 20 is being used in a portable communication device or the like. This antenna module includes a metal foil member 11 as an antenna element conductor, a metal foil member 13 as a ground conductor, and a resin molded body 15 for keeping the shape and the interval of these metal foil members 11 and 13 in a constant state. It consists of

A so-called FPC (flexible printed circuit) in which an insulating film and a copper foil (dotted portions) are laminated is usually used for the metal foil members 11 and 13. One metal foil member 11 is formed in a substantially flat Z shape having an outer U-turn portion 17 and an inner U-turn portion 18, as shown in FIGS. 13, 14 and 20. A feeding portion 19 is formed on one end side of the metal foil member 11, and the other end side is soldered to the outer U-turn portion 17 to form a loop. Due to the shape of the metal foil member 11, this antenna module is called P-type. Further, the other metal foil member 13 has a shape in which both side edges of the flat surface portion are bent obliquely upward as shown in FIGS.

The resin molded body 15 has a hollow rectangular parallelepiped shape having an opening at one end side as a whole shape, and a deep notch 21 is formed in the upper half portion at the other end side according to the shape of the metal foil member 11. .. The surfaces of the metal foil members 11 and 13 on the side of the insulating film are adhesively fixed to the surface of the resin molded body 15.

To manufacture such an antenna module, conventionally, the following method has been adopted. First, one metal foil member 11 is formed by bending as shown in FIG. 21, and the other metal foil member 13 is formed by bending as shown in FIG. In addition, metal foil members
An adhesive with a mold resin is previously applied to the surface of the insulating films 11 and 13 on the insulating film side.

Next, as shown in FIG. 23, the metal foil members 11 and 13 are used as one mold 23 for molding a resin molding.
Then, the other mold 25 is closed and the cavity 27 is filled with resin to mold the resin molded body. As a result, the metal foil members 11 and 13 and the resin molded body 15 as shown in FIG.
It is possible to manufacture an antenna module in which is integrated.

The end portion 29 of the metal foil member 11 forming the loop is folded during resin molding as shown in FIGS. 21 and 23, and is raised after resin molding as shown in FIGS. 14 and 20. And is soldered to the outer U-turn portion 17.

A polyimide film or the like is used as an insulating film for the metal foil members 11 and 13 because heat resistance is required at the time of resin molding, and an epoxy adhesive is used as an adhesive with the resin molded body 15. .. In addition, resin molding 15
As the resin for use, an epoxy resin having excellent high frequency characteristics and having a small molding shrinkage rate is used.

[0009]

The conventional method of manufacturing an antenna module has the following problems. When the metal foil member is set on the inner surface of the mold, the open end sides of the metal foil members 11 and 13 are separated from the inner surface of the mold 23, for example, as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG.
There is a case where 19 does not go deep enough into the mold 23, so that the resin wraps around the outer surface side of the metal foil members 11 and 13, and a defect easily occurs.

Since the position of the metal foil member is not stable,
Resin molding conditions (injection speed, pressure, etc.) are limited, and efficient molding work cannot be performed. It is difficult to correctly set the metal foil member at a predetermined position in the mold, and automation is difficult.

[0011]

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an antenna module which solves the above-mentioned problems. The structure is such that an inner surface of a die for molding a resin molded body for an antenna module is molded. An antenna in which a metal foil member for an antenna module bent and molded into a predetermined shape is set, a resin is filled in the mold to mold a resin molded body, and at the same time, the resin molded body and the metal foil member are integrated. In the method for manufacturing a module, when the metal foil member is set on the inner surface of the mold, a resin locking member that partially presses the bent portion and the open end of the metal foil member against the inner surface of the mold is set, and It is characterized in that a resin molded body is formed by molding a resin so as to embed the locking member.

[0012]

With this configuration, after the metal foil member is set in the mold, important parts such as the bent portion and the open end of the metal foil member are pressed against the inner surface of the mold by the locking member. The position of the metal foil member is stable, and there is no possibility of the metal foil member rising from the inner surface of the mold. Further, since the metal foil member is pressed by the locking member, the setting work on the inner surface of the mold becomes easy.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a locking member 31 having a shape as shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 is used. This locking member 31
21 and the metal foil members 11 and 13 formed as shown in FIG. 22, which are set in the mold, and a convex piece 33 for pressing the outer U-turn portion 17 of one metal foil member 11 to the inner part of the mold, A pair of recesses 35 for pressing the inner U-turn portion 18 of the metal foil member 11 against the mold, rib portions 37 for pressing the end 29 side of the metal foil member 11 against the mold, and both side edges of the other metal foil member 13 A pair of bar portions 39 and the like to be pressed against are integrally formed. The locking member 31 has a structure of only a skeleton, with as little meat as possible except for a portion necessary for pressing the key portions of the metal foil members 11 and 13 against the inner surface of the mold.

In order to manufacture an antenna module using this locking member 31, first, this locking member 11 and FIGS.
After the metal foil members 11 and 13 formed as described above are combined as shown in FIG. 9, this combination is set in the mold 23 as shown in FIG. Thereby, the metal foil members 11 and 13 are the locking members.
Since it is constrained from both sides by 31 and mold 23, its position and shape are stable. An adhesive is applied to the inner surfaces of the metal foil members 11 and 13 as in the conventional case.

Next, after closing the molds 23 and 25 as shown in FIG. 11,
A resin is filled in the cavity 27 to mold a resin molded body. Then, when the molds 23 and 25 are opened, the antenna module as shown in FIG. 12 is obtained. The resin molded body 15 of this antenna module has a structure in which the locking member 31 is embedded within the thickness thereof as shown by the dotted line. The end of the metal foil member 11
Raising 29 and soldering it to the outer U-turn portion 17 is the same as the conventional method.

The locking member 31 is preferably made of a resin similar to the molding resin in order to enhance the adhesiveness with the resin for molding the resin molding 15. Further, when a highly accurate resin is used for the locking member 31 and the dimensional accuracy of the antenna module is guaranteed by the locking member 31, the resin used for molding the resin molded body does not require so much dimensional accuracy. The degree of freedom in selection can be increased in terms of specific gravity and coloring.

Further, when the setting of the locking member in the mold is automated by a robot or the like, it is preferable to form a protrusion for the robot to grip on the locking member.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the metal foil member for the antenna module is set in the mold together with the locking member, the metal foil member is the inner surface of the mold. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of defects due to the mold resin wrapping around to the outer surface side of the metal foil member. Further, since the position of the metal foil member set in the mold is stable, the degree of freedom of the resin molding conditions is increased, and the cycle time can be shortened, so that an efficient molding operation can be performed.

Further, since the use of the locking member facilitates the work of setting the metal foil member at a predetermined position in the mold,
If necessary, the set of metal foil members can be automated by a robot or the like.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an example of a locking member used in the present invention,
The perspective view seen from the lower diagonal direction.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the locking member of FIG.

3 is a front view of the locking member of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the locking member of FIG.

5 is a rear view of the locking member of FIG.

6 is a right side view of the locking member of FIG.

7 is a left side view of the locking member of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a front view showing the first step of the method for manufacturing the antenna module according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the next step of FIG. 9.

11 is a cross-sectional view showing the next step of FIG.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of an antenna module manufactured according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing an example of a conventional antenna module.

FIG. 14 is a front view of the antenna module of FIG.

FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the antenna module of FIG.

16 is a right side view of the antenna module of FIG.

FIG. 17 is a left side view of the antenna module of FIG.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG.

FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG.

20 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG.

21 is a perspective view showing one metal foil member used in the antenna module of FIG. 13. FIG.

22 is a perspective view showing the other metal foil member used in the antenna module of FIG.

23 is a sectional view showing a conventional method of manufacturing the antenna module of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11: One metal foil member 13: The other metal foil member 15: Resin molding 23, 25: Mold 27: Cavity 31: Locking member

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kenzo Kobayashi 2-6-1, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A metal foil member for an antenna module, which is bent and molded into a predetermined shape, is set on the inner surface of a mold for molding a resin molded body for an antenna module, and the mold is filled with resin to mold the resin. In the method of manufacturing an antenna module in which a resin molded body and a metal foil member are integrated at the same time as molding the body, when the metal foil member is set on the inner surface of the mold, the bent portion and the open end portion of the metal foil member are A method for manufacturing an antenna module, comprising: setting a resin-made locking member that is partially pressed against the inner surface of a mold, and molding a resin so as to embed the locking member to form a resin molded body.