Antenna structure and manufacturing method thereof, radio frequency module and electronic equipment
By designing an antenna structure including a carrier and an antenna body on the motherboard of the RF module, the problems of large space occupation and poor contact on the onboard PCB antenna are solved, and more efficient space utilization and production simplification is achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202411997348.2
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-31
- Publication Date
- 2025-03-18
AI Technical Summary
In existing electronic devices, the onboard PCB antenna takes up a lot of space, which increases the design difficulty; while the antennas reserved with shrapnel or seats have problems with poor contact and increased complexity and cost caused by coaxial lines.
An antenna structure is proposed, including a carrier and an antenna body. The carrier includes an antenna mounting part, an antenna feed point, an antenna grounding point and an antenna fixing part. The antenna body is electrically connected to the main board through an antenna grounding point and an antenna feed point. The fixing part is fixed on the main board, simplifying the production process and saving costs.
This design reduces the space occupied by the antenna on the motherboard, reduces the difficulty of design, avoids the lack of functions and cost problems caused by poor contact and coaxial lines, simplifies the production process and reduces the production costs.
Smart Images
Figure CN119651148A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of electronic equipment, and in particular to an antenna structure and a manufacturing method thereof, a radio frequency module and an electronic device. Background Art
[0002] Currently, electronic devices mainly use two forms of antennas: one is the onboard PCB antenna, which reserves a space at the edge of the PCB board, and "draws" the antenna module on the PCB board through the layout of the PCB board. Common ones are "inverted F" and "bow-shaped" antennas; the other is to reserve an antenna feeding spring or seat on the PCB board, connect it to the designed antenna module through the reserved antenna feeding spring, or connect it to the designed antenna module through the reserved antenna feeding seat and the coaxial line.
[0003] For the onboard PCB antenna, it is not only required to occupy a certain space on the PCB board, but also to be "cleared" within a certain plane range, that is, the PCB board forms a limited area where the Bluetooth WiFi antenna is located. No other electronic devices can be placed in the limited area, and each layer of copper in the limited area must be removed. Such antenna design requirements reduce the layout space of other electronic components on the PCB board to a certain extent, and increase the design difficulty of other electronic components on the PCB board; For antennas with antenna feed shrapnel or sockets reserved on the PCB board, the shrapnel has relatively high requirements for the physical structure of the assembly. In many cases, the antenna function is lost due to poor contact of the shrapnel. Another form of antenna requires an additional coaxial cable to connect to the antenna. The newly added coaxial cable will increase the cost and volume. In addition to considering the fixing method of the coaxial cable externally designed antenna module, the process procedures are also relatively cumbersome during the assembly and production process. It is easy for the coaxial cable's snap-on assembly to not be properly buckled or broken, which will also increase production costs. Summary of the invention
[0004] The main purpose of the present invention is to propose an antenna structure and a manufacturing method thereof, a radio frequency module and an electronic device, aiming to increase the layout space of other electronic components on the mainboard of the radio frequency module, reduce the design difficulty of the mainboard, and at the same time simplify the production process between the antenna structure and the mainboard to save production costs.
[0005] To achieve the above object, the antenna structure proposed in the present invention is applied to a radio frequency module, wherein the radio frequency module includes a mainboard, and the antenna structure includes: A carrier, comprising an antenna mounting portion, an antenna feeding point, an antenna grounding point and an antenna fixing portion, wherein the antenna feeding point, the antenna grounding point and the antenna fixing portion are respectively arranged on the antenna mounting portion, and the antenna fixing portion is used to fix the antenna structure to the mainboard; and The antenna body is electrically connected to the mainboard through the antenna grounding point and the antenna feeding point.
[0006] In one embodiment, at least one of the antenna feeding point, the antenna grounding point, and the antenna fixing portion is extended from the antenna mounting portion toward the mainboard.
[0007] In one embodiment, the antenna mounting portion includes: A dielectric substrate having a first side surface and a second side surface opposite to each other; a printed antenna layer, disposed on the first side surface, the printed antenna layer being electrically connected to the antenna feeding point, and the antenna body being printed on the printed antenna layer; and A grounding layer is arranged on the second side surface, the grounding layer is electrically connected to the printed antenna layer, the antenna grounding point is at least electrically connected to the grounding layer in the grounding layer and the printed antenna layer, and the antenna fixing part is arranged on at least one of the dielectric base layer, the printed antenna layer and the grounding layer.
[0008] In one embodiment, the antenna grounding point includes a first grounding point and a second grounding point; The first ground point is electrically connected to one of the printed antenna layer and the ground layer, and the second ground point is electrically connected to the other of the printed antenna layer and the ground layer; The dielectric base layer has a conductive portion, and the first grounding point is electrically connected to the second grounding point through the conductive portion.
[0009] In one embodiment, the thickness of the carrier is not less than 0.4 mm and not more than 4.5 mm; And / or, at least one of the antenna feed point, the antenna ground point, the printed antenna layer of the antenna mounting portion and the ground layer is made of copper.
[0010] The present invention also provides a radio frequency module, comprising: Motherboard; and As for the antenna structure as described above, the antenna fixing part of the antenna structure is fixed to the main board, and the antenna body of the antenna structure is electrically connected to the main board via the antenna feeding point and the antenna grounding point of the antenna structure.
[0011] In one embodiment, the mainboard includes: The mainboard body is provided with an antenna feeding part, an antenna grounding part and an antenna matching part; and The communication module is electrically connected to the antenna structure through the antenna feeding portion and the antenna grounding portion.
[0012] In one embodiment, a clearance area is further provided on the mainboard body, and the position and area of the clearance area are adapted to the antenna structure setting.
[0013] In one embodiment, the antenna feeding portion, the antenna grounding portion and the antenna matching portion are disposed in the clearance area.
[0014] In one embodiment, the antenna structure is fixed and electrically connected to the mainboard body via a connecting socket; And / or, the antenna structure is fixed and electrically connected to the mainboard body through a metal via; And / or, the antenna structure is welded and electrically connected to the mainboard body; And / or, the antenna structure is plugged into and electrically connected to the mainboard body.
[0015] In one embodiment, a projection of the antenna mounting portion of the antenna structure toward the main board body is located outside the main board body.
[0016] The present invention also provides an electronic device, comprising the antenna structure as described above; And / or, a radio frequency module as described above.
[0017] The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing an antenna structure, the method comprising the following steps: Preparing a semi-finished antenna structure, wherein the semi-finished antenna structure includes an antenna body, an antenna feeding point, an antenna grounding point and an antenna fixing part; Prepare a processing substrate, the processing substrate having a plurality of supporting parts and connecting parts, each of the supporting parts is used to support the antenna body, the antenna feeding point, the antenna grounding point and the antenna fixing part, and the connecting part is used to connect each of the supporting parts; Fixing the semi-finished antenna structure to the processing substrate using a fixing material; Processing the processed substrate to form the shapes of an antenna feeding point, an antenna grounding point and an antenna fixing portion on the processed substrate; The connecting portion is cut to form an antenna structure.
[0018] In one embodiment, the step of preparing a semi-finished antenna structure specifically includes: Prepare a dielectric base layer, the dielectric base layer having a first side surface and a second side surface arranged opposite to each other, make a printed antenna layer on the first side surface of the dielectric base layer, and make a ground layer on the second side surface of the dielectric base layer to form an antenna mounting portion; An antenna feeding point, an antenna grounding point and an antenna fixing part are respectively manufactured on the antenna mounting part to form the semi-finished antenna structure.
[0019] The technical solution of the present invention is to set up a radio frequency module, and the radio frequency module may include a mainboard and an antenna structure, wherein the antenna structure includes a carrier and an antenna body, and the carrier includes an antenna mounting part and an antenna feeding point, an antenna grounding point and an antenna fixing part respectively installed on the antenna mounting part, and the antenna body can be electrically connected to the mainboard through the antenna grounding point and the antenna feeding point, so that the antenna body can work normally; the antenna structure can be fixed on the mainboard through the antenna fixing part, compared with the board-mounted PCB antenna of the prior art, only the antenna fixing part occupies the space of the mainboard, and the occupied space is small, and the layout space of other electronic components of the mainboard will not be reduced too much, which can reduce the design difficulty of other electronic components on the mainboard and improve the space utilization of the mainboard. Moreover, compared with the antenna of the prior art in which a spring clip or a seat is reserved on the PCB board, since the mainboard does not use a spring clip or a seat to be electrically connected to the antenna structure, the technical defect of loss of antenna function due to poor contact of the spring clip can be avoided, and the problem of increased production cost due to the need to introduce a coaxial line when using a base can also be solved. It is precisely because the coaxial line is not introduced that a series of hidden dangers such as improper snap-on assembly and damage of the coaxial line can be reduced, and the production process between the antenna structure and the motherboard can be simplified, further saving the production cost of the RF module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative labor.
[0022] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of an antenna structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of another embodiment of the antenna structure provided by the present invention; Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of another embodiment of the antenna structure provided by the present invention; Figure 4 A schematic structural diagram of yet another embodiment of the antenna structure provided by the present invention; Figure 5 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the stacked structure of an embodiment of an antenna mounting portion; Figure 6 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the front and back of the antenna structure; Figure 7A flow chart of an embodiment of a method for manufacturing an antenna structure provided by the present invention; Figure 8 A flow chart of another embodiment of a method for manufacturing an antenna structure provided by the present invention; Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of splicing antenna structures of the same type provided by the present invention; Fig.10 A schematic diagram of the structure of splicing different types of antenna structures provided by the present invention; Fig.11 A schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a radio frequency module provided by the present invention.
[0023] Description of Figure Numbers: 1000, RF module; 1100, processing substrate; 100, antenna structure; 1, carrier; 11, antenna mounting part; 111, dielectric base layer; 1101, first side surface; 1102, second side surface; 1103, conductive part; 112, printed antenna layer; 113, ground layer; 12, antenna feeding point; 13, antenna grounding point; 131, first grounding point; 132, second grounding point; 14, antenna fixing part; 2, antenna body; 200, main board; 210, main board body; 2101, clearance area; 2102, clearance avoidance area; 2103, routing; 211, antenna feeding part; 212, antenna grounding part; 213, antenna matching part; 220, communication module.
[0024] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0026] Currently, electronic devices mainly use two forms of antennas: one is the onboard PCB antenna, which reserves a space at the edge of the PCB board, and "draws" the antenna module on the PCB board through the layout of the PCB board. Common ones are "inverted F" and "bow-shaped" antennas; the other is to reserve an antenna feeding spring or seat on the PCB board, connect it to the designed antenna module through the reserved antenna feeding spring, or connect it to the designed antenna module through the reserved antenna feeding seat and the coaxial line.
[0027] For the onboard PCB antenna, it is not only required to occupy a certain space on the PCB board, but also to be "cleared" within a certain plane range, that is, the PCB board forms a limited area where the Bluetooth WiFi antenna is located. No other electronic devices can be placed in the limited area, and each layer of copper in the limited area must be removed. Such antenna design requirements reduce the layout space of other electronic components on the PCB board to a certain extent, and increase the design difficulty of other electronic components on the PCB board; For antennas with antenna feed shrapnel or sockets reserved on the PCB board, the shrapnel has relatively high requirements for the physical structure of the assembly. In many cases, the antenna function is lost due to poor contact of the shrapnel. Another form of antenna requires an additional coaxial cable to connect to the antenna. The newly added coaxial cable will increase the cost and volume. In addition to considering the fixing method of the coaxial cable externally designed antenna module, the process procedures are also relatively cumbersome during the assembly and production process. It is easy for the coaxial cable's snap-on assembly to not be properly buckled or broken, which will also increase production costs.
[0028] The present invention proposes an antenna structure 100, which aims to increase the layout space of other electronic components on the mainboard 200 of the RF module 1000, reduce the design difficulty of the mainboard 200, and simplify the production process between the antenna structure 100 and the mainboard 200 to save production costs.
[0029] In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figures 1 to 4 The antenna structure 100 is applied to a radio frequency module 1000, the radio frequency module 1000 includes a mainboard 200, and the antenna structure 100 includes: A carrier 1, comprising an antenna mounting portion 11, an antenna feeding point 12, an antenna grounding point 13 and an antenna fixing portion 14, wherein the antenna feeding point 12, the antenna grounding point 13 and the antenna fixing portion 14 are respectively arranged on the antenna mounting portion 11, and the antenna fixing portion 14 is used to fix the antenna structure 100 to the mainboard 200; and The antenna body 2 is electrically connected to the mainboard 200 through the antenna grounding point 13 and the antenna feeding point 12 .
[0030] When the RF module 1000 is applied to an electronic device, the RF module 1000 is mainly responsible for sending and receiving high-frequency signals of the electronic device, wherein the electronic device may include but is not limited to a speaker. Specifically, the RF module 1000 may include a mainboard 200 and an antenna structure 100 electrically connected to the mainboard 200, a low-noise amplifier, a power amplifier, a mixer, a filter, a local oscillator, a modem, etc. Among them, the antenna structure 100 is an interface connecting the RF module 1000 and the external wireless channel, and is used to transmit and receive radio signals; the low noise amplifier is located on the receiving path and is arranged close to the antenna structure 100, and is used to amplify the received weak signal while maintaining a low noise coefficient to ensure signal quality; the power amplifier is located on the transmitting path, and is used to amplify the signal strength to be transmitted through the antenna structure 100 to ensure that the signal can effectively cover the required transmission distance; the mixer is used to convert the high-frequency signal into an intermediate frequency or baseband signal when receiving, and is used to convert the baseband or intermediate frequency signal into a high-frequency signal when transmitting; the filter may include a low-pass filter, a high-pass filter, and a band-pass filter, which are used to remove unnecessary frequency components, reduce interference, protect subsequent circuits, and improve the quality of the received signal; the local oscillator is used to provide a stable reference frequency for use by the mixer to achieve frequency conversion; the modem is used to convert digital signals into analog signals, and is used to convert received analog signals back into digital signals. When the RF module 1000 performs a sending operation, the mainboard 200 first modulates the signal to be sent into a form suitable for wireless transmission, and then sends the modulated signal to the mixer, where the frequency signal provided by the local oscillator converts it to the required RF carrier frequency, and then amplifies it through the power amplifier and transmits it through the antenna structure 100; when the RF module 1000 performs a receiving operation, the radio signal captured by the antenna structure 100 first enters the low-noise amplifier for amplification, and then is sent to the mixer, where it is converted to an intermediate frequency or directly to the baseband by the frequency signal provided by the local oscillator, and finally the signal is sent to the modem for demodulation and restoration to the original signal, and then further processed by the mainboard 200.
[0031] This embodiment and the following embodiments mainly describe the composition of the antenna structure 100 and the arrangement between the antenna structure 100 and the mainboard 200. It is understandable that the antenna "pattern" is designed according to the predetermined antenna index. Common antenna "patterns" are as follows: Figures 1 to 4 As shown, there are inverted "F" and "bow" shapes. Figure 1Take the design of the F-type antenna structure 100 as an example: the antenna structure 100 includes a carrier 1 and an antenna body 2, and the carrier 1 may include an antenna mounting portion 11, an antenna feed point 12 and an antenna grounding point 13. The antenna mounting portion 11 is used to support and position the antenna body 2, wherein there are many ways to install the antenna body 2 on the antenna mounting portion 11, for example, the antenna body 2 can be welded to the antenna mounting portion 11, or the antenna mounting portion 11 is provided with a through-hole pad, and the pins of the antenna body 2 can be passed through the through-hole pad and welded to the through-hole pad, or the antenna mounting portion 11 is provided with a conductive slot, and the antenna body 2 can be inserted into the conductive slot and locked in the conductive slot, or a metal bracket is used to fix the antenna body 2 on the antenna mounting portion 11 and reinforced with screws, or a conductive adhesive is used to bond the antenna body 2 to the antenna mounting portion 11, etc. The specific installation method is not limited here. The antenna feed point 12 is where the signal enters and exits the antenna body 2. It is connected to the RF circuit (such as the power amplifier and the low noise amplifier) on the main board 200. When transmitting, the antenna feed point 12 serves as an interface between the signal source and the antenna body 2, and efficiently transmits the high-frequency RF signal from the power amplifier to the antenna body 2 so that it can radiate. When receiving, the antenna feed point 12 serves as an interface between the antenna body 2 and the low noise amplifier, capturing the weak RF signal received by the antenna body 2 and transmitting it to the main board 200 for further processing. The antenna grounding is used to provide a reference potential, usually the ground wire of the antenna structure 100, to ensure that the antenna structure 100 has a good grounding, effectively reduce interference and improve signal quality. The antenna body 2 is electrically connected to the main board 200 through the above-mentioned antenna feed point 12 and the antenna grounding point 13, so that the antenna body 2 can transmit and receive signals normally.
[0032] In order to fix the antenna structure 100, the carrier 1 also includes an antenna fixing part 14, and the antenna fixing part 14 can firmly fix the entire antenna structure 100 on the mainboard 200 by screws, buckles or other methods. On the one hand, the firm fixation can ensure that the antenna structure 100 will not loosen or fall off under physical stress such as vibration and impact, and on the other hand, it helps to maintain the correct electrical connection between the antenna feed point 12 and the antenna ground point 13 and the mainboard 200, reduce the risk of electromagnetic interference, and ensure the quality of signal transmission. Moreover, compared with the traditional PCB board-mounted antenna, this design only allows the antenna fixing part 14 to occupy the space on the mainboard 200, while other parts (such as the antenna feed point 12 and the antenna ground point 13) are integrated on the antenna mounting part 11 of the carrier 1, which significantly reduces the demand for the mainboard 200 space and provides more layout space for other electronic components of the RF module 1000 (such as low noise amplifiers, power amplifiers, mixers, filters, local oscillators, modems). It is also due to the above design that the mainboard 200 does not need to leave a large clear area 2101 for the antenna structure 100, and the designer can arrange the positions of other electronic components more freely, reducing the overall design complexity of the mainboard 200 and improving the space utilization of the mainboard 200. In addition, compared with the antenna with reserved springs or sockets on the traditional PCB board, since there is no spring or socket used to electrically connect with the antenna structure 100, the problem of loss of antenna function due to poor contact of the spring can be avoided. At the same time, no coaxial line is introduced, which can not only reduce a series of hidden dangers such as the snap-on assembly of the coaxial line not being in place and buckling, but also simplify the production process between the antenna structure 100 and the mainboard 200, further saving the production cost of the RF module 1000, and no additional coaxial line and related connectors are required, reducing the number of components and reducing the cost of production and assembly.
[0033] In summary, the present invention reduces the space occupied by the antenna structure 100 on the mainboard 200 by adopting a design form in which the antenna structure 100 is separated from the mainboard 200, improves the space utilization of the mainboard 200, solves the space occupation problem of the traditional PCB onboard antenna, and improves the overall performance and reliability of the product. It is particularly suitable for application in modern miniaturized, high-density integrated electronic devices, and provides new ideas and technical support for the design of the RF module 1000. By eliminating the defects in the traditional design, such as poor contact of the spring and the complexity caused by the coaxial line, the present invention significantly improves the production efficiency and economic benefits of the RF module 1000.
[0034] In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figures 1 to 4 At least one of the antenna feeding point 12 , the antenna grounding point 13 , and the antenna fixing portion 14 is extended from the antenna mounting portion 11 toward the mainboard 200 .
[0035] In this embodiment, the antenna feed point 12 can be designed to extend the antenna mounting portion 11 toward the mainboard 200 so as to be more directly connected to the RF circuit (such as a power amplifier and a low noise amplifier) on the mainboard 200, which helps to simplify the electrical connection path, reduce signal loss, and ensure the best impedance matching. The antenna grounding point 13 can also extend from the antenna mounting portion 11 toward the mainboard 200, which can also simplify the electrical connection path, reduce unnecessary transmission loss, and provide a more stable ground connection, and good grounding is essential for reducing electromagnetic interference and improving signal quality. If the antenna fixing portion 14 also extends from the antenna mounting portion 11 toward the mainboard 200, mechanical fixation can be achieved through a shorter distance, which enhances the stability of the overall structure and reduces the impact of vibration or impact. Through the above design, the space of the mainboard 200 can be saved to the maximum extent without affecting the transmission and reception performance of the antenna structure 100, so that other electronic components have more layout space, and the space utilization of the mainboard 200 is improved. In addition, the extended antenna feed point 12, antenna grounding point 13, and antenna fixing portion 14 can be directly connected to the mainboard 200, reducing additional assembly steps, simplifying the production process of the RF module 1000, and reducing the production cost of the RF module 1000.
[0036] In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 5 , the antenna mounting portion 11 comprises: The dielectric substrate 111 has a first side surface 1101 and a second side surface 1102 opposite to each other; a printed antenna layer 112 disposed on the first side surface 1101 , the printed antenna layer 112 being electrically connected to the antenna feed point 12 , and the antenna body 2 being printed on the printed antenna layer 112 ; and The grounding layer 113 is arranged on the second side surface 1102, the grounding layer 113 is electrically connected to the printed antenna layer 112, the antenna grounding point 13 is at least electrically connected to the grounding layer 113 and the grounding layer 113 in the printed antenna layer 112, and the antenna fixing part 14 is arranged on at least one of the dielectric base layer 111, the printed antenna layer 112 and the grounding layer 113.
[0037] In this embodiment, the dielectric base layer 111 is the basic structure of the antenna mounting part 11, which mainly provides physical support for the printed antenna layer 112 and the ground layer 113, and at the same time acts as an insulating layer to isolate the printed antenna layer 112 and the ground layer 113 to ensure electrical isolation between the two. The antenna body 2 is printed on the printed antenna layer 112 to constitute the actual antenna radiation part. The printed antenna layer 112 is electrically connected to the antenna feed point 12. When transmitting, the antenna feed point 12 can transmit the high-frequency RF signal from the power amplifier to the antenna body 2 via the printed antenna layer 112 so that it can be radiated. When receiving, the antenna feed point 12 captures the weak RF signal received by the antenna body 2 via the printed antenna layer 112 and transmits it to the main board 200 for further processing. The ground layer 113 is electrically connected to the printed antenna layer 112 to ensure that the antenna body 2 has good grounding, reduce electromagnetic interference and improve signal transmission quality. Through the above-mentioned layered design, the antenna structure 100 can achieve better impedance matching and signal integrity, reduce reflection loss, improve the working efficiency of the antenna, and can save space to the maximum extent without affecting the performance, thereby improving the space utilization of the mainboard 200. It should be particularly emphasized that the antenna fixing part 14 can be arranged on at least one of the dielectric base layer 111, the printed antenna layer 112 and the grounding layer 113. Preferably, the antenna fixing part 14 is only fixed and electrically connected to the grounding layer 113. In this way, the antenna fixing part 14 can not only fix the antenna structure 100, but also serve as a part of the grounding of the antenna structure 100, ensuring that the antenna structure 100 has a stable reference potential, reducing electromagnetic interference, improving the quality of signal transmission, and enhancing the electrical performance of the RF module 1000.
[0038] In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to 1 and Figure 6 , the antenna grounding point 13 includes a first grounding point 131 and a second grounding point 132; The first ground point 131 is electrically connected to one of the printed antenna layer 112 and the ground layer 113, and the second ground point 132 is electrically connected to the other of the printed antenna layer 112 and the ground layer 113; The dielectric base layer 111 has a conductive portion 1103 , and the first grounding point 131 is electrically connected to the second grounding point 132 via the conductive portion 1103 .
[0039] In this embodiment, the first grounding point 131 is electrically connected to the printed antenna layer 112, and the second grounding point 132 is electrically connected to the grounding layer 113, or the first grounding point 131 is electrically connected to the grounding layer 113, and the second grounding point 132 is electrically connected to the printed antenna layer 112, and the specific details are not limited here. The dielectric base layer 111 is provided with a conductive part 1103, and the conductive part 1103 can be made of a material with good conductivity, such as metal foil, conductive ink or other conductive materials suitable for printing process. Preferably, the conductive part 1103 is a metal via opened in the dielectric base layer 111, and the metal via is used to electrically connect the first grounding point 131 and the second grounding point 132, to ensure a reliable electrical connection between the two grounding points, provide a stable reference potential, reduce electromagnetic interference and improve signal quality. Since the conductive part 1103 is built into the dielectric base layer 111, the connection between the grounding points can be achieved without affecting the layout of the printed antenna layer 112 and the grounding layer 113, making the assembly process of the entire antenna structure 100 simpler, reducing additional connection steps, and improving the assembly efficiency of the antenna structure 100. In addition, the dual grounding point design increases the redundancy of the RF module 1000. Even if one of the grounding points has a problem, the other grounding point can still maintain a good grounding effect, thereby improving the overall reliability of the RF module 1000.
[0040] In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 6 , the thickness of the carrier 1 is not less than 0.4 mm and not more than 4.5 mm.
[0041] In this embodiment, by limiting the thickness of the carrier 1 to be sufficient, not less than 0.4 mm, it is ensured that the carrier 1 has good mechanical strength and can withstand physical stress during installation and use. At the same time, the carrier 1 is limited to be not too thick, not more than 4.5 mm, so that the carrier 1 can minimize the volume of the antenna structure 100 without affecting the performance, saving space for the mainboard 200. The thickness of the carrier 1 can have different thickness ranges according to the field or scene of use, such as the thickness can be 0.6 mm, 0.8 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.2 mm, 1.6 mm, 1.8 mm, 2.0 mm. It should be understood that the thickness of the carrier 1 is not limited to the above range, and it can be adjusted according to the performance requirements of the antenna structure 100. If the present invention is applied to the field of consumer electronics, the thickness range of the carrier 1 can be within the range of 0.4-2.0 mm. If used in the vehicle or military field, the thickness range of the carrier 1 can be within the range of 0.4-4.5 mm.
[0042] In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 6At least one of the antenna feed point 12, the antenna ground point 13, the printed antenna layer 112 of the antenna mounting portion 11, and the ground layer 113 is made of copper.
[0043] In this embodiment, the antenna feed point 12, the antenna ground point 13, the printed antenna layer 112 of the antenna mounting portion 11, and the ground layer 113 are all made of copper. Copper is a metal material with good electrical conductivity and low resistivity, which can effectively reduce energy loss during signal transmission and ensure efficient RF signal transmission. Copper is also easy to process through printing, etching and other processes, and can achieve high-precision pattern production to ensure the accuracy and consistency of the antenna structure 100. Compared with other precious metals (such as silver or gold), copper has a lower cost, is suitable for large-scale production and application, and reduces manufacturing costs.
[0044] The present invention is applicable to the above antenna structure 100 , and also provides a method for manufacturing the antenna structure 100 .
[0045] In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figure 7 , the production method comprises the following steps: S100, preparing a semi-finished antenna structure, wherein the semi-finished antenna structure includes an antenna body, an antenna feeding point, an antenna grounding point and an antenna fixing part; S200, preparing a processing substrate, the processing substrate having a plurality of supporting parts and connecting parts, each of the supporting parts is used to support the antenna body, the antenna feeding point, the antenna grounding point and the antenna fixing part, and the connecting part is used to connect the various supporting parts; In this embodiment, the processing substrate 1100 is mainly a PCB plate for processing the antenna structure 100. The support part of the processing substrate 1100 may include but is not limited to a mechanical clamp, a magnetic part, a vacuum adsorption device, an adhesive, etc. For example, when the support part of the processing substrate 1100 is a mechanical clamp, the mechanical clamp can provide a very stable support to ensure that it can firmly support the antenna fixing part 14, avoid displacement during the printing process, and protect the manufacturing accuracy of the antenna structure 100. In addition, the mechanical clamp can be designed to be adjustable to adapt to antenna fixing parts 14 of different sizes and shapes to meet the manufacturing requirements of antenna structures 100 of different models. In addition, the processing substrate 1100 can adapt to antenna structures 100 of different shapes, that is, when the shape of the antenna structure 100 changes, the processing substrate 1100 can also change accordingly.
[0046] S300, fixing the semi-finished antenna structure to the processing substrate using a fixing material; In this embodiment, the semi-finished antenna structure is accurately placed on the processing substrate and is firmly fixed using a fixing material (such as conductive glue, solder, etc.) to ensure that it will not shift during subsequent processing.
[0047] S400, processing the processed substrate to form the shapes of an antenna feeding point, an antenna grounding point and an antenna fixing portion on the processed substrate; S500: cutting the connecting portion to form an antenna structure.
[0048] In this embodiment, machining, laser cutting, chemical etching and other processes are used to accurately form the shapes of the antenna feed point, antenna grounding point and antenna fixing part on the processed substrate, and then appropriate cutting tools (such as laser cutting machines, mechanical tools, etc.) are selected to cut the connecting parts connecting the various supporting parts to form the final antenna structure.
[0049] The manufacturing method of the present invention solves the problem of space occupation of the traditional PCB board-mounted antenna, and also solves the complexity problem caused by the poor contact of the shrapnel and the coaxial line of the antenna with reserved shrapnel or seat on the traditional PCB board. It should be noted that after the design of a single antenna structure 100 is completed, the antenna structure 100 can be mass-produced using the above-mentioned manufacturing method like PCB production. In other words, since the PCB production process is extremely mature, the mass production of the antenna structure 100 can be completed using the mature PCB manufacturing process, which can reduce the complexity of production, improve production efficiency, and reduce the mass production cost of the antenna structure 100.
[0050] Specifically, a panel design is performed based on multiple designed semi-finished antenna structures, such as Fig. 9 As shown in the figure, conventional PCB process designs such as process edges and stamp holes are added. The design of process edges and stamp holes is to better perform the sub-plate operation of each antenna structure 100. Such a design makes full use of the batch characteristics of PCB and improves the output efficiency of the antenna structure 100. In addition, there may be more than one motherboard in the same electronic device, that is, motherboards 200 with different antenna structures 100 and communication modules 210 will be distributed in different positions. The antenna structure 100 and communication module 220 of each motherboard 200 may also have different antenna shapes after design, such as Fig. 9 As shown. At this time, the panel design concept and advantages of the antenna structure 100 can be better utilized. We can make multiple semi-finished antenna structures of different forms in the same mainboard 200, such as Fig.10 As shown, in the same mainboard 200, we splice multiple semi-finished antenna structures into a large mainboard 200, and then print antenna patterns on the semi-finished antenna structures in batches. Therefore, the cost of antenna production is greatly reduced, and the batch production efficiency is further improved.
[0051] In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figure 8 , the step of preparing the semi-finished antenna structure specifically includes: S101, preparing a dielectric base layer, the dielectric base layer having a first side surface and a second side surface arranged opposite to each other, making a printed antenna layer on the first side surface of the dielectric base layer, and making a ground layer on the second side surface of the dielectric base layer, so as to form an antenna mounting portion; In this embodiment, a suitable material (such as FR-4, ceramic, etc.) is selected to make the dielectric base layer 111, and a material with good conductivity (such as copper) is selected to make the printed antenna layer 112 and the ground layer 113, and the total thickness of the three is ensured to meet the design requirements (for example, 0.6mm to 1.6mm). The printed antenna layer 112 can be installed on the first side surface 1101 of the dielectric base layer 111, and the ground layer 113 can be installed on the second side surface 1102 of the dielectric base layer 111 by mechanical fixing, adhesive tape or other appropriate processes to form a complete antenna mounting portion 11, which is convenient for the next step of manufacturing.
[0052] S102, respectively making an antenna feeding point, an antenna grounding point and an antenna fixing part on the antenna mounting part to form the semi-finished antenna structure.
[0053] In this embodiment, the specific position of the antenna feed point 12 is first determined according to the design requirements of the antenna structure 100, and then the antenna feed point 12 is manufactured on the printed antenna layer 112 of the antenna mounting portion 11 by welding, patch or other appropriate processes to ensure good electrical connection between the antenna feed point 12 and the printed antenna layer 112. Similarly, the specific position of the antenna grounding point 13 is first determined according to the design requirements of the antenna structure 100, and the antenna grounding point 13 can be set on the printed antenna layer 112 and / or the grounding layer 113 of the antenna mounting portion 11, and then the antenna grounding point 13 is manufactured on the printed antenna layer 112 and / or the grounding layer 113 by welding, patch or other appropriate processes to ensure good electrical connection between the antenna feed point 12 and / or the printed antenna layer 112 and / or the grounding layer 113. Finally, the specific position of the antenna fixing part 14 is determined according to the design of the processed substrate 1100, and then the antenna fixing part 14 is fixed to at least one of the dielectric base layer 111, the printed antenna layer 112, and the ground layer 113 by mechanical fixing, adhesive tape or other appropriate processes, and ensure that its installation position can match the position of the processed substrate 1100.
[0054] The present invention also provides a radio frequency module 1000, referring to Fig.11, the RF module 1000 includes a mainboard 200 and an antenna structure 100. The specific structure of the antenna structure 100 refers to the above-mentioned embodiment. Since the RF module 1000 adopts all the technical solutions of all the above-mentioned embodiments, it at least has all the beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions of the above-mentioned embodiments, which will not be described one by one here. Among them, the antenna fixing part 14 is fixed to the mainboard 200 to fix the antenna structure 100 to the mainboard 200, realize the physical connection between the antenna structure 100 and the mainboard 200, and ensure the stability of the antenna structure 100; the antenna body 2 is electrically connected to the mainboard 200 via the antenna feed point 12 and the antenna grounding point 13 to realize the electrical connection between the antenna structure 100 and the mainboard 200, so that the antenna structure 100 can work normally.
[0055] In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to Fig.11 , the main board 200 includes: The main body 210 is provided with an antenna feeding portion 211, an antenna grounding portion 212 and an antenna matching portion 213; and The communication module 220 is electrically connected to the antenna structure 100 through the antenna feeding portion 211 and the antenna grounding portion 212 .
[0056] In this embodiment, the antenna feed part 211 is electrically connected to the communication module 220 through the wiring 2013, and the antenna feed part 211 is used to transmit the radio frequency signal from the communication module 220 to the antenna feed point 12 of the antenna structure 100, ensuring that the signal can be transmitted efficiently and losslessly. Among them, a clearance avoidance area 2102 is set at the position of the mainboard 200 corresponding to the wiring 2013 to reduce the influence of the surrounding electronic components on the wiring 2013 and improve the stability of the signal transmission between the antenna structure 100 and the communication module 220. The antenna feed part 211 can adopt a microstrip line, a coaxial cable or other structures suitable for high-frequency signal transmission to ensure low loss and high efficiency. The antenna ground part 212 is used to provide a stable reference potential, reduce the electromagnetic interference of the mainboard 200, and ensure the quality of the received signal. The antenna ground part 212 can adopt a large-area ground plane or multiple ground pads to ensure good electrical connection and heat dissipation performance. The antenna mating portion 213 cooperates with the antenna fixing portion 14 to assist in the installation and fixing of the antenna structure 100, ensuring its correct position and stability on the mainboard 200. The antenna mating portion 213 can be a slot, a metal via or other mechanical fixing method to reduce the risk of loosening or falling off of the antenna structure 100 due to vibration or impact.
[0057] The communication module 220 is used to process and transmit radio frequency signals to realize wireless communication functions. The communication module 220 generally includes key components such as a radio frequency transceiver, a baseband processor, and a filter. It is mainly electrically connected to the antenna structure 100 through the antenna feed part 211 and the antenna ground part 212 on the mainboard body 210 to ensure the integrity and stability of the signal transmission path. In addition, the communication module 220 and the antenna structure 100 are arranged at intervals on the mainboard 200, which can effectively reduce the electromagnetic interference between the two, ensure that the antenna structure 100 can work in a relatively pure electromagnetic environment, and improve the signal instructions and communication reliability. Moreover, appropriate spacing can avoid the impedance mismatch problem caused by close coupling, and optimized impedance matching can reduce reflection loss, effectively improving the working efficiency and signal transmission quality of the antenna structure 100. Since the communication module 220 generates heat during operation, especially in high-power application scenarios, the communication module 220 and the antenna structure 100 are arranged at intervals, which can also prevent heat from being directly conducted to the antenna structure 100 and affecting its performance. In addition, the five surfaces (top surface, bottom surface, left and right side surfaces, bottom surface) of the antenna feeding point 12, the antenna grounding point 13, and the antenna fixing part 14 of the antenna structure 100 all need to be exposed to copper, so that they can be connected to the communication module 220 on the mainboard body 210 through welding or wave soldering respectively through the antenna feeding part 211, the antenna grounding part 212, and the antenna matching part 213. The assembly cost of the antenna structure 100 is further reduced by wave soldering, that is, automated assembly production similar to PCBA automatic mounting can be achieved by wave soldering, without the need for many cumbersome steps like the external antenna with a socket, and without the need for the low-efficiency and low-yield assembly form of manually detaining the coaxial line.
[0058] In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to Fig.11 A clearance area 2101 is also provided on the mainboard body 210 , and the position and area of the clearance area 2101 are adapted to the setting of the antenna structure 100 .
[0059] In this embodiment, the clearance area 2101 is located on the mainboard body 210, and its position corresponds to the antenna structure 100, and the area of the clearance area 2101 is adapted to the size and shape of the antenna structure 100, that is, the area of the clearance area 2101 can be adjusted according to the specific type and working efficiency of the antenna structure 100, but overall it will be much smaller than the clearance area of the traditional on-board PCB antenna. This is the advantage of the present invention. It can not only provide sufficient space for the antenna structure 100 so that it can work in the best state without being affected by surrounding electronic components, thereby optimizing the radiation characteristics and receiving sensitivity of the antenna structure 100 and improving the radiation efficiency of the antenna structure 100, but also save space in the mainboard body 210.
[0060] In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to Fig.11 The antenna feeding portion 211 , the antenna grounding portion 212 and the antenna matching portion 213 are arranged in the clearance area 2101 .
[0061] In this embodiment, the antenna feed part 211, the antenna ground part 212 and the antenna matching part 213 are arranged at the core position of the clearance area 2101, which can reduce the interference of other electronic components on the mainboard body 210 to the antenna feed part 211, the antenna ground part 212 and the antenna matching part 213, and improve the signal quality and communication reliability. It is worth noting that although the clearance area 2101 is set, only the antenna feed part 211, the antenna ground part 212 and the antenna matching part 213 are concentrated in the clearance area 2101. By reasonably planning the layout of other electronic components of the RF module 1000, the space of the mainboard 200 can still be saved to the maximum extent without affecting the performance, thereby improving the space utilization rate of the mainboard 200.
[0062] In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to Fig.11 , the antenna structure 100 is fixed and electrically connected to the mainboard body 210 through a connecting socket; And / or, the antenna structure 100 is fixed and electrically connected to the mainboard body 210 through metal vias; And / or, the antenna structure 100 is welded and electrically connected to the mainboard body 210; And / or, the antenna structure 100 is plugged into and electrically connected to the mainboard body 210 .
[0063] In this embodiment, a specially designed connection seat can be used to fix at least one of the antenna feed point 12, antenna grounding point 13, and antenna fixing portion 14 of the antenna structure 100 on the main board body 210 to achieve electrical connection, wherein the connection seat can adopt a plug-in design to facilitate rapid installation and disassembly of the antenna structure 100, and facilitate debugging and maintenance; or, the metal vias on the main board body 210 can be used to fix at least one of the antenna feed point 12, antenna grounding point 13, and antenna fixing portion 14 of the antenna structure 100, and achieve electrical connection through the metal vias, and since the metal vias do not require additional connectors, not only the volume of the RF module 1000 can be maintained, but also the overall design complexity of the RF module 1000 can be reduced; or, the main board body 210 is provided with One or more welding pads are used to fix at least one of the antenna feed point 12, antenna grounding point 13, and antenna fixing part 14 of the antenna structure 100 on the main board body 210 through a welding process, and realize electrical connection. This connection method can provide a very strong mechanical connection, which can largely ensure that the antenna structure 100 will not loosen or fall off, and the welding point can provide a highly reliable electrical connection to ensure the stability of signal transmission; or, the main board body 210 is provided with one or more plug-in interfaces, and at least one of the antenna feed point 12, antenna grounding point 13, and antenna fixing part 14 of the antenna structure 100 is fixed on the main board body 210 using the plug-in interface, and realize electrical connection by plugging. The plug-in interface is convenient for quick installation and disassembly, and convenient for debugging and maintenance. It is worth noting that compared with the above-mentioned welding method, although the plug-in design does not have stronger stability, it can leave a certain gap between the antenna feed point 12, the antenna grounding point 13, the antenna fixing part 14 and the clearance area 2101, that is, the antenna feed point 12, the antenna grounding point 13, the antenna fixing part 14 are not in direct contact with the clearance area 2101, which can effectively reduce electromagnetic interference and improve the working efficiency of the antenna structure 100.
[0064] In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to Fig.11 , a projection of the antenna mounting portion 11 of the antenna structure 100 toward the main board body 210 is located outside the main board body 210 .
[0065] In this embodiment, a partial structure of the antenna structure 100 (such as the antenna mounting portion 11) is placed outside the main body 210 to form an external plug-in design, that is, a partial structure of the antenna structure 100 is arranged away from other electronic components on the main body 200, so that the antenna structure 100 can work in the best state without being affected by surrounding electronic components, thereby optimizing the radiation characteristics and receiving sensitivity of the antenna structure 100. In addition, since a partial structure of the antenna structure 100 is located outside the main body 210, the designer can arrange the positions of other electronic components on the main body 210 more flexibly, reducing the complexity of the overall design of the main body 210. In addition, the external plug-in design also helps to improve the air circulation around the antenna structure 100, enhance the heat dissipation effect, and prevent overheating from affecting the antenna performance.
[0066] The present invention also proposes an electronic device, which includes an antenna structure 100 and / or a radio frequency module 1000. The specific structure of the antenna structure 100 and / or the radio frequency module 1000 refers to the above-mentioned embodiments. Since the electronic device adopts all the technical solutions of all the above-mentioned embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions of the above-mentioned embodiments, which will not be described one by one here.
[0067] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural changes made by using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or directly / indirectly applied in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. An antenna structure, characterized in that: Applied to a radio frequency module, the radio frequency module includes a main board, and the antenna structure includes: A carrier, comprising an antenna mounting portion, an antenna feeding point, an antenna grounding point and an antenna fixing portion, wherein the antenna feeding point, the antenna grounding point and the antenna fixing portion are respectively arranged on the antenna mounting portion, and the antenna fixing portion is used to fix the antenna structure to the mainboard; and The antenna body is electrically connected to the mainboard through the antenna grounding point and the antenna feeding point.
2. The antenna structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least one of the antenna feeding point, the antenna grounding point, and the antenna fixing portion is extended from the antenna mounting portion toward the mainboard.
3. The antenna structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The antenna mounting portion comprises: A dielectric substrate having a first side surface and a second side surface opposite to each other; a printed antenna layer, disposed on the first side surface, the printed antenna layer being electrically connected to the antenna feeding point, and the antenna body being printed on the printed antenna layer; and A grounding layer is arranged on the second side surface, the grounding layer is electrically connected to the printed antenna layer, the antenna grounding point is at least electrically connected to the grounding layer in the grounding layer and the printed antenna layer, and the antenna fixing part is arranged on at least one of the dielectric base layer, the printed antenna layer and the grounding layer.
4. The antenna structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The antenna grounding point includes a first grounding point and a second grounding point; The first ground point is electrically connected to one of the printed antenna layer and the ground layer, and the second ground point is electrically connected to the other of the printed antenna layer and the ground layer; The dielectric base layer has a conductive portion, and the first grounding point is electrically connected to the second grounding point through the conductive portion.
5. The antenna structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The thickness of the carrier is not less than 0.4 mm and not more than 4.5 mm; And / or, at least one of the antenna feed point, the antenna ground point, the printed antenna layer of the antenna mounting portion and the ground layer is made of copper.
6. A radio frequency module, characterized in that: include: Motherboard; as well as According to the antenna structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, the antenna fixing part of the antenna structure is fixed to the mainboard, and the antenna body of the antenna structure is electrically connected to the mainboard via the antenna feeding point and the antenna grounding point of the antenna structure.
7. The radio frequency module according to claim 6, characterized in that: The main board comprises: The mainboard body is provided with an antenna feeding part, an antenna grounding part and an antenna matching part; and The communication module is electrically connected to the antenna structure through the antenna feeding portion and the antenna grounding portion.
8. The radio frequency module according to claim 7, characterized in that: A clearance area is also provided on the mainboard body, and the position and area of the clearance area are adapted to the antenna structure setting.
9. The radio frequency module according to claim 8, characterized in that: The antenna feeding portion, the antenna grounding portion and the antenna matching portion are arranged in the clearance area.
10. The radio frequency module according to claim 7, characterized in that: The antenna structure is fixed and electrically connected to the mainboard body via a connecting socket; And / or, the antenna structure is fixed and electrically connected to the mainboard body through a metal via; And / or, the antenna structure is welded and electrically connected to the mainboard body; And / or, the antenna structure is plugged into and electrically connected to the mainboard body.
11. The radio frequency module according to claim 7, characterized in that: The projection of the antenna installation portion of the antenna structure toward the main board body is located outside the main board body.
12. An electronic device, characterized in that: Comprising the antenna structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5; And / or, a radio frequency module as described in any one of claims 6-11.
13. A method for manufacturing an antenna structure, characterized in that: The manufacturing method of the antenna structure comprises the following steps: Preparing a semi-finished antenna structure, wherein the semi-finished antenna structure includes an antenna body, an antenna feeding point, an antenna grounding point and an antenna fixing part; Prepare a processing substrate, the processing substrate having a plurality of supporting parts and connecting parts, each of the supporting parts is used to support the antenna body, the antenna feeding point, the antenna grounding point and the antenna fixing part, and the connecting part is used to connect each of the supporting parts; Fixing the semi-finished antenna structure to the processing substrate using a fixing material; Processing the processed substrate to form the shapes of an antenna feeding point, an antenna grounding point and an antenna fixing portion on the processed substrate; The connecting portion is cut to form an antenna structure.
14. The method for manufacturing the antenna structure according to claim 13, characterized in that: The step of preparing the semi-finished antenna structure specifically includes: Prepare a dielectric base layer, the dielectric base layer having a first side surface and a second side surface arranged opposite to each other, make a printed antenna layer on the first side surface of the dielectric base layer, and make a ground layer on the second side surface of the dielectric base layer to form an antenna mounting portion; An antenna feeding point, an antenna grounding point and an antenna fixing part are respectively manufactured on the antenna mounting part to form the semi-finished antenna structure.