Flexible printed circuit board and antenna assembly including same
Through the design of the flexible printed circuit board, the width and gap of the feeding area and the grounding area are adjusted, and the problems of inconsistency in the design of the vehicle antenna are solved, achieving more efficient feeding and broadband working performance.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202280102818.7
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-12-30
- Publication Date
- 2025-08-01
AI Technical Summary
Traditional vehicle antenna designs have problems such as incoordinated design, low efficiency and high feed loss, especially when operating in broadband.
Using a flexible printed circuit board design, the width and gap of the feed area are adjusted to achieve stable connection by providing multiple electrically separated feed areas and ground areas between the antenna and the connector, and the impedance matching is optimized through the transition areas of the bent and flat parts.
Improve the working efficiency of the antenna, reduce feed loss, and optimize broadband working performance.
Smart Images

Figure CN120419296A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a flexible printed circuit board and an antenna assembly including the flexible printed circuit board, and more particularly, to a flexible printed circuit board for electrically connecting an antenna and a connector and an antenna assembly including the flexible printed circuit board. Background Art
[0002] A vehicle is a tool for transporting people or goods by using kinetic energy. A representative example of a vehicle is an automobile.
[0003] Recently, for the convenience and safety of users, the development of various systems applied to vehicles has been actively carried out. In particular, the importance of a wireless communication system that allows a vehicle to communicate wirelessly with other vehicles, surrounding objects, and a base station is increasing. In addition, it is expected that a wireless communication system using 5G communication technology will be commercialized in the future to provide more diverse services through vehicles.
[0004] Traditionally, an antenna for performing wireless communication is configured as a separate structure on one side of a vehicle body, or is provided under the vehicle body or on the vehicle roof. However, if the antenna is configured as a separate structure on one side of the vehicle body, this may be a disadvantage in terms of design because the area where the antenna is provided is different from other areas and protrudes from other areas. In addition, when the antenna is provided under the vehicle body or on the vehicle roof, there is a problem that the efficiency of the antenna is greatly reduced due to the material of the vehicle body or the vehicle roof.
[0005] Meanwhile, considering the design aspect or efficiency of the antenna, a transparent antenna can be provided on the glass of a vehicle. Traditionally, a method in which an RF cable is welded to a board connected to the transparent antenna has been applied to feed the transparent antenna. However, the traditional method has problems such as inconvenience in assembling between components related to the transparent antenna and an increase in volume. In addition, in the case where the transparent antenna operates as a broadband antenna, a method is needed to minimize the feeding loss of the antenna and maximize the efficiency of the antenna. Summary of the Invention
[0006] Technical Problem
[0007] An object of the present disclosure is to solve the above problems and other problems.
[0008] Another object is to provide a flexible printed circuit board that stably connects an antenna and a connector and an antenna assembly including the flexible printed circuit board.
[0009] Another object is to provide a flexible printed circuit board that can reduce the feeding loss of an antenna operating in a broadband and an antenna assembly including the flexible printed circuit board.
[0010] Another object is to provide a flexible printed circuit board that can improve the efficiency of an antenna operating in a wideband, and an antenna assembly including the flexible printed circuit board.
[0011] Technical Solution
[0012] To achieve the above object, a flexible printed circuit board according to an embodiment of the present disclosure has a surface on which a feeding area and a plurality of grounding areas electrically separated from the feeding area are provided.
[0013] In addition, a flexible printed circuit board according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a first board portion connected to an antenna; a second board portion connected to a connector; and a third board portion provided between the first board portion and the second board portion.
[0014] In addition, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a first width of a first feeding area provided in the first board portion is greater than a second width of a second feeding area provided in the second board portion, a width of one end of a third feeding area provided in the third board portion corresponds to the first width, the one end is adjacent to the first board portion, and a width of the other end of the third feeding area corresponds to the second width, the other end is adjacent to the second board portion.
[0015] Advantageous Effects
[0016] The effects of the flexible printed circuit board according to the present disclosure and the antenna assembly including the flexible printed circuit board are described as follows.
[0017] According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, an antenna and a connector can be stably connected.
[0018] In addition, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the feeding loss of an antenna operating in a wideband can be reduced.
[0019] In addition, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the efficiency of an antenna operating in a wideband can be improved.
[0020] The further scope of application of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific embodiments such as the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Description of the Drawings
[0021] Figure 1 is a view showing the exterior of an exemplary vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0022] Figure 2 and Figure 3It is a diagram for explaining the position of an antenna arrangement according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0023] Figure 4 It is a block diagram for explaining a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0024] Figures 5 to 19 It is a diagram for explaining an antenna assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0025] Figures 20 to 26 It is a diagram for explaining a flexible printed circuit board included in the antenna assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Description
[0026] Now, a detailed description will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings according to the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. For a brief description with reference to the drawings, the same or equivalent components may be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will not be repeated.
[0027] Generally, suffixes such as "module" and "unit" may be used to refer to elements or components. Here, the use of such suffixes is only for facilitating the description of the specification, and the suffixes do not have any special meaning or function. Therefore, "module" and "unit" may be used interchangeably.
[0028] In the present application, it should be understood that terms such as "include, comprise", "have", etc. specify the presence of the features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components or combinations thereof described in the specification, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components or combinations thereof.
[0029] It should be understood that although terms such as first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another.
[0030] Refer to Figures 1 to 3 , the overall length refers to the length from the front to the rear of the vehicle 1, the width refers to the width of the vehicle 1, and the height refers to the length from the bottom of the wheel to the roof of the vehicle. In the following description, the overall length direction L may refer to the direction used as a reference for measuring the overall length of the vehicle 1, the width direction W may refer to the direction used as a reference for measuring the width of the vehicle 1, and the height direction H may refer to the direction used as a reference for measuring the height of the vehicle 1.
[0031] Vehicle 1 may include at least one antenna for performing communication. For example, Vehicle 1 may include a transmitting antenna for transmitting signals, a receiving antenna for receiving signals, and / or a transmitting / receiving antenna for transmitting or receiving signals. Vehicle 1 may transmit and receive signals of various frequency bands through the antenna. For example, Vehicle 1 may transmit and receive signals such as GPS, 4G wireless communication, 5G wireless communication, Bluetooth, and wireless LAN.
[0032] Vehicle 1 may perform communication through the antenna. Vehicle 1 may perform vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication. V2X communication may include: vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), which refers to communication between vehicles; vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), which refers to communication between a vehicle and infrastructure such as a base station (eNB) and a roadside unit (RSU); vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P), which refers to communication between a user terminal and a vehicle; and vehicle-to-network (V2N), which refers to communication between a vehicle and a network.
[0033] Vehicle 1 may include a transparent antenna made of a transparent material. The transparent antenna may be implemented by forming an antenna pattern on a substrate of the transparent material. In the present disclosure, the transparent material substrate is described as being composed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), but is not limited thereto.
[0034] The transparent antenna may be disposed in a dielectric included in Vehicle 1. The transparent antenna may be disposed in an upper region 200a, a lower region 200b, and / or a side region 200c of a windshield 101 of Vehicle 1. The transparent antenna may also be disposed in an upper region 200d and / or a lower region 200e of a rear windshield 102 of Vehicle 1, a region 200f of a triangular window glass 103, etc. For example, Vehicle 1 may transmit and receive signals corresponding to a front direction L through the transparent antenna disposed in the windshield 101 and / or the rear windshield 102. For example, Vehicle 1 may transmit and receive signals corresponding to a width direction W through the transparent antenna disposed on the triangular window glass 103.
[0035] Hereinafter, Vehicle 1 will be described based on the fact that the vehicle performs Sub-6GHz (below 6 GHz) 5G communication using a frequency of 6 GHz or lower through the transparent antenna.
[0036] Referring to Figure 4 , Vehicle 1 may include an object detection device 410, a communication device 420, a user interface device 431, a driving control device 432, a vehicle operation device 433, an operating system 434, a navigation system 435, a sensing unit 436, an interface unit 437, a memory 438, a power supply unit 439, and / or a controller 440. According to an embodiment, Vehicle 1 may further include other components in addition to the components described herein, or may not include some of the described components.
[0037] The object detection device 410 is a device for detecting an object located outside the vehicle 1. The object can be various objects related to the operation of the vehicle 1. The object can be classified into a moving object and a stationary object. For example, the moving object can be a concept including other moving vehicles and moving pedestrians. For example, the stationary object can be a concept including traffic signals, roads, building structures, other stationary vehicles, and stationary pedestrians.
[0038] The object detection device 410 may include a processor 411, a camera 412, a radar 413, a lidar 414, an ultrasonic sensor 415, and / or an infrared sensor 416. According to this embodiment, the object detection device 410 may further include other components in addition to the described components, or may not include some of the described components.
[0039] The processor 411 may control the overall operation of each unit of the object detection device 410. The processor 411 may generate object information based on the data acquired by each unit of the object detection device 410. The object information may include information on whether an object exists, the position information of the object, the distance information between the vehicle 1 and the object, and the relative speed information between the vehicle 1 and the object.
[0040] According to this embodiment, the object detection device 410 may include a plurality of processors 411 or may not include a processor 411. For example, the camera 412, the radar 413, the lidar 414, the ultrasonic sensor 415, and / or the infrared sensor 416 may each separately include a processor. The object detection device 410 may operate under the control of a processor or a controller 440 of a device inside the vehicle 1.
[0041] The communication device 420 is a device for performing communication with an external device. Here, the external device may be another vehicle, a mobile terminal, or a server. To perform communication, the communication device 420 may include at least one of a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna, an RF component, and a radio frequency (RF) circuit capable of implementing various communication protocols.
[0042] The communication device 420 may include a processor 421, a short-range communication unit 422, a position information unit 423, a V2X communication unit 424, an optical communication unit 425, a broadcast transceiver unit 426, and / or an ITS communication unit 427. According to this embodiment, the communication device 420 may further include other components in addition to the described components, or may not include some of the described components.
[0043] The processor 421 may control the overall operation of each unit of the communication device 420. The processor 421 may send and receive signals through each unit of the communication device 420. According to this embodiment, the communication device 420 may include a plurality of processors 421 or may not include a processor 421. If the communication device 420 does not include a processor 421, the communication device 420 may operate under the control of a processor or a controller 170 of other devices in the vehicle 1.
[0044] The short - range communication unit 422 is a unit for short - range communication. The short - range communication unit 422 may support short - range communication by using at least one of Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra - Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, Near - Field Communication (NFC), Wireless Fidelity (Wi - Fi), Wi - Fi Direct, and Wireless Universal Serial Bus (Wireless USB) technologies. The short - range communication unit 422 may form a short - range wireless local area network to perform short - range communication between the vehicle 1 and at least one external device.
[0045] The position information unit 423 is a unit for obtaining the position information of the vehicle 1. For example, the position information unit 423 may include a Global Positioning System (GPS) module or a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) module.
[0046] The V2X communication unit 424 is a unit for performing V2X communications such as vehicle - to - vehicle (V2V), vehicle - to - infrastructure (V2I), vehicle - to - pedestrian (V2P), and vehicle - to - network (V2N). The V2X communication unit 424 may include an RF circuit capable of implementing protocols for communicating with infrastructure (V2I), communicating between vehicles (V2V), communicating with pedestrians (V2P), and communicating with the network (V2N).
[0047] The Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) communication unit 427 may send and / or receive information, data, or signals from the transportation system. For example, the ITS communication unit 427 may receive road traffic information from the transportation system and provide it to the controller 440. For example, the ITS communication unit 427 may receive a control signal from the transportation system and provide it to the controller 440 or a processor provided inside the vehicle 1.
[0048] The user interface device 431 is a device for communication between the vehicle 1 and the user. The user interface device 431 may receive user input and provide information generated in the vehicle 1 to the user. The vehicle 1 may implement a user interface (UI) or a user experience (UX) through the user interface device 431.
[0049] The user interface device 431 may include an input unit that receives user input from the user, an interior camera that captures an image inside the vehicle 1, a biometric detection unit that obtains biometric information such as the fingerprint information and heartbeat information of the user, an output unit that generates an output related to vision, audition, or touch, a processor, and the like. According to an embodiment, the user interface device 431 may further include other components in addition to the described components, or may not include some of the described components.
[0050] The driving control device 432 is a device that receives user input for driving. The driving control device 432 may include a steering input device that receives an input of the traveling direction of the vehicle 1 from the user, an acceleration input device that receives an acceleration input of the vehicle 1 from the user, and / or a braking input device that receives a deceleration input of the vehicle 1 from the user.
[0051] The vehicle operation device 433 is a device that electrically controls the operations of various devices inside the vehicle 1. The vehicle operation device 433 may include a powertrain operation unit, a chassis operation unit, a door / window operation unit, a safety device operation unit, a lamp operation unit, and / or an air conditioner operation unit. According to an embodiment, the vehicle operation device 433 may further include additional components in addition to the described components, or may not include some of the described components.
[0052] The operating system 434 is a system that controls various operations of the vehicle 1. The operating system 434 may operate in an autonomous driving mode. The operating system 434 may provide a control signal to the vehicle operation device 433. The operating system 434 may include a running system 710 that controls the running of the vehicle 1, a pulling-out system that controls the pulling-out of the vehicle 1, and / or a parking system that controls the parking of the vehicle 1. According to an embodiment, the operating system 434 may further include other components in addition to the described components, or may not include some of the described components.
[0053] The navigation system 435 may provide navigation information. The navigation information may include at least one of map information, set destination information, route information according to the set destination, information about various objects on the route, lane information, and the current position information of the vehicle. According to an embodiment, the navigation system 435 may update the previously stored information based on the data received through the communication device 420.
[0054] The sensing unit 436 can sense the state of the vehicle. The sensing unit 436 can include an inertial navigation unit (IMU) sensor (which includes an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope sensor, etc.), a collision sensor, a wheel sensor, a speed sensor, an inclination sensor, a weight detection sensor, a heading sensor, a position module, a vehicle front / rear sensor, a battery sensor, a fuel sensor, a tire sensor, a steering sensor rotated by the steering wheel, a vehicle interior temperature sensor, a vehicle interior humidity sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an illuminance sensor, an accelerator pedal position sensor, a brake pedal position sensor, etc. In addition, the sensing unit 436 can further include an accelerator pedal sensor, a pressure sensor, an engine speed sensor, an air flow sensor (AFS), an air temperature sensor (ATS), a water temperature sensor (WTS), a throttle position sensor (TPS), a TDC sensor, a crankshaft angle sensor (CAS), etc.
[0055] The interface unit 437 can serve as a passage for various external devices to be connected to the vehicle 1. For example, the interface unit 437 can have a port that can be connected to a mobile terminal. In this case, the interface unit 437 can exchange data with the mobile terminal connected to the port.
[0056] The memory 438 is electrically connected to the controller 440. The memory 438 can store basic data for the unit, control data for controlling the operation of the unit, input / output data, etc. From a hardware perspective, the memory 438 can be various storage devices such as ROM, RAM, EPROM, flash drives, hard disks, etc. The memory 438 can store various data for the overall operation of the vehicle 1, such as programs for controlling or processing the controller 440.
[0057] According to an embodiment, the memory 438 can be integrally formed with the controller 440 or implemented as a sub-component of the controller 440.
[0058] The power supply unit 439 can provide the power required for the operation of each component. The power supply unit 439 can receive power from a battery inside the vehicle, etc.
[0059] The controller 440 can control the overall operation of each unit inside the vehicle 1. The controller 440 can be referred to as an electronic control unit (ECU).
[0060] One or more processors and the controller 440 included in the vehicle 1 can be implemented using at least one of the following: an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital signal processor (DSP), a digital signal processing device (DSPD), a programmable logic device (PLD), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a processor, a controller, a microcontroller, a microprocessor, and other electrical units for performing functions.
[0061] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 , the glass 10 can be coupled or attached to the frame 9 of the vehicle and can cover the opening 9h of the frame 9. For example, the glass 10 can be the glass of the vehicle 1, such as the front windshield 101, the rear windshield 102, the triangular window glass 103, the door glass, the rearview mirror, the sunroof or the lamp glass (see Figure 2 and Figure 3 ). The groove 9g of the frame 9 can extend along the edge of the glass 10 and can define the boundary of the opening 9h. For example, the frame 9 can include a metallic material, and the sealant 7 can be filled between the groove 9g and the glass 10.
[0062] The antenna 20 can be positioned on one surface of the glass 10. The antenna 20 can be transparent. The antenna 20 can be flexible.
[0063] The connection module 100 can be provided between the edge of the glass 10 and the antenna 20 and can be positioned on one surface of the glass 10. The connector 130 of the connection module 100 can be electrically connected to the antenna 20 through the board 30. The inner cover 8 can be opposite to the glass 10 with respect to the frame 9 and can cover the connection module 100. The inner cover 8 can be referred to as the internal cover 8. The connection module 100 can be referred to as the connector device 100 or the connector assembly 100.
[0064] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 8 , the glass 10 can include a transparent region 11 and an opaque region 12. The opaque region 12 can be a black masking region or a frit region. For example, the transparent region 11 can occupy most of the glass 10, and the opaque region 12 can be adjacent to one edge of the glass 10. The transparent region 11 and the opaque region 12 can have the same width W10, and the height H11 of the transparent region 11 can be greater than the height H12 of the opaque region 12.
[0065] The antenna 20 can be positioned on the transparent region 11 while being adjacent to the boundary between the transparent region 11 and the opaque region 12. The connection module 100 can be positioned on the opaque region 12, and the connector 130 of the connection module 100 can be connected to the antenna 20 through the board 30. At the same time, the connection module 100 can also be positioned on the transparent region 11.
[0066] n antennas 20 and n connection modules 100 can be positioned on the glass 10 (where n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1). The first antenna 20a can be positioned on the transparent area 11 and can be electrically connected to the first connection module 100a. The second antenna 20b can be close to the first antenna 20a and positioned on the transparent area 11, and can be electrically connected to the second connection module 100b. For example, the first antenna 20a and the second antenna 20b can be symmetric about the center line LL' of the glass 10. For example, the first connection module 100a and the second connection module 100b can be symmetric about the center line LL' of the glass 10.
[0067] In addition, a packing member 13 made of rubber can be coupled or attached to the opaque area 12 while being adjacent to the connection module 100.
[0068] Refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10 , the direction indicators of up U, down D, left Le, right Ri, front F, and rear R shown in the figure are only for convenience of explanation, and the technical concepts disclosed in this specification are not limited thereto.
[0069] A pair of connection modules 100a, 100b can be symmetric about the left and right. That is, the description of the first connection module 100a can be symmetrically applied to the second connection module 100b (and vice versa). In addition, the first cable C1 of the jack 134 of the connector 130 connected to the first connection module 100a and the second cable C2 of the jack 134 of the connector 130 connected to the second connection module 100b can be horizontally arranged between the first connection module 100a and the second connection module 100b (see Figure 5 and Figure 6 ). For example, the cables C1, C2 can be detachably coupled to the latch 133 of the connector 130. The cables C1, C2 can be referred to as coaxial cables or RF cables.
[0070] Refer to Figure 11 , the connection module 100 can include a lower housing 110 and an upper housing 120. The lower housing 110 can be referred to as the lower shell 110, the bottom housing 110, or the bottom shell 110. The upper housing 120 can be referred to as the upper shell 120, the top housing 120, or the top shell 120. The lower housing 110 and the upper housing 120 can be collectively referred to as the housing 110, 120 or the shell 110, 120. For example, the housing 110, 120 can include a plastic material such as polycarbonate (PC).
[0071] The lower housing 110 can include a base 111 and walls 112, 113, 114, 115. The base 111 can be referred to as the bottom plate 111.
[0072] The base 111 can be generally in the shape of a rectangular plate and can define the bottom of the housings 110, 120. For example, the base 111 can include two long sides 111L1, 111L2 and two short sides 111S1, 111S2. A flat surface portion 111a can be formed on the upper surface of the base 111, and the shape of the flat surface portion 111a can correspond to the shape of the base 111. A hole 111h can be formed by penetrating the flat surface portion 111a in the thickness direction of the base 111. For example, the hole 111h can be a rectangular hole having a certain width W1 and length L1, and can be adjacent to the first short side 111S1.
[0073] The walls 112, 113, 114, 115 can project from the edge of the base 111 in a direction intersecting the base 111. For example, the heights of the walls 112, 113, 114, 115 can be equal to or similar to each other.
[0074] The front wall 112 can be positioned at the first short side 111S1. A first front wall 112a can project upward from the corner where the first short side 111S1 meets the first long side 111L1. A first portion 112a1 of the first front wall 112a can extend along the first short side 111S1, a second portion 112a2 of the first front wall 112a can extend along the first long side 111L1, and the first front wall 112a can have an "L" - shaped cross - section. A second front wall 112b can project upward from the corner where the first short side 111S1 meets the second long side 111L2. A first portion 112b1 of the second front wall 112b can extend along the first short side 111S1, a second portion 112b2 of the second front wall 112b can extend along the second long side 111L2, and the second front wall 112b can have an "L" - shaped cross - section. The first front wall 112a and the second front wall 112b can be spaced apart from each other in the length direction of the first short side 111S1 and can be symmetric about the center of the first short side 111S1. A second distance d22 between the second portions 112a2 and 112b2 can be less than a first distance d21 between the first portions 112a1 and 112b1.
[0075] The rear wall 113 can be positioned at the second short side 111S2. The first rear wall 113a can protrude upward from the corner where the second short side 111S2 meets the first long side 111L1. The first part 113a1 of the first rear wall 113a can extend along the second short side 111S2, the second part 113a2 of the first rear wall 113a can extend along the first long side 111L1, and the first rear wall 113a can have an "L" - shaped cross - section. The second rear wall 113b can protrude upward from the corner where the second short side 111S2 meets the second long side 111L2. The first part 113b1 of the second rear wall 113b can extend along the second short side 111S2, the second part 113b2 of the second rear wall 113b can extend along the second long side 111L2, and the second rear wall 113b can have an "L" - shaped cross - section. The first rear wall 113a and the second rear wall 113b can be spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the second short side 111S2 and can be symmetric about the center of the second short side 111S2. The second distance between the second parts 113a2 and 113b2 can be less than the first distance between the first parts 113a1 and 113b1. For example, the first distance and the second distance can be equal to the first distance d21 and the second distance d22 respectively.
[0076] The side walls 114 can be positioned on the long sides 111L1, 111L2. The first side wall 114a can protrude upward from the first long side 111L1, can extend along the first long side 111L1, and can be adjacent to the first short side 111S1. The first side hook 114ah can be formed on the inner surface of the first side wall 114a while being adjacent to the distal end of the first side wall 114a. The second side wall 114b can protrude upward from the second long side 111L2, can extend along the second long side 111L2, and can face the first side wall 114a. The second side hook 114bh can be formed on the inner surface of the second side wall 114b while being adjacent to the distal end of the second side wall 114b.
[0077] The center wall 115 can be positioned at the center of the second short side 111S2. The center wall 115 can protrude upward from the second short side 111S2 and can extend along the second short side 111S2. The center hook 115h can be formed on the inner surface of the center wall 115 while being adjacent to the distal end of the center wall 115.
[0078] The first opening P1 can be formed between the first rear wall 113a and the first side wall 114a. The second opening P2 can be formed between the first front wall 112a and the second front wall 112b.
[0079] The first slit SL1 may be formed between the first front wall 112a and the first side wall 114a. The second slit SL2 may be formed between the second front wall 112b and the second side wall 114b. The third slit SL3 may be formed between the central wall 115 and the first rear wall 113a. The fourth slit SL4 may be formed between the central wall 115 and the second rear wall 113b. The fifth slit SL5 may be formed between the second side wall 114b and the second rear wall 113b. The slits SL1, SL2, SL3, SL4, SL5 may be notches. Accordingly, the side walls 114 and the central wall 115 may be bent or restored from other parts of the lower housing 110.
[0080] The upper housing 120 may be positioned above the base 111 of the lower housing 110. The edge of the lower surface of the upper housing 120 may depict a closed shape that is the same as or similar to the boundary of the flat surface portion 111a of the base 111. The upper housing 120 may be positioned inside the walls 112, 113, 114, 115 of the lower housing 110 between the flat surface portion 111a and the hooks 114ah, 114bh, 115h. The upper housing 120 may include a cover portion 121, a receiving portion 122, and an engaging portion 123.
[0081] The cover portion 121 may have a solid or hollow block shape. The cover portion 121 may face a first region of the flat surface portion 111a and may be adjacent to the rear wall 113 and the central wall 115. The cover portion 121 may be referred to as a pressing portion 121 or a fixing portion 121.
[0082] The receiving portion 122 may extend from one end (i.e., the front end) of the cover portion 121 toward the front wall 112 and may face a second region of the flat surface portion 111a. Here, the hole 111h may be formed in the second region. The internal space 122S of the receiving portion 122 may communicate with the hole 111h through a first hole 122h1 formed on one surface (i.e., the lower surface) of the receiving portion 122 facing the hole 111h. The internal space 122S of the receiving portion 122 may communicate with the second opening P2 through a second hole 122h2 formed on the other surface (i.e., the front surface) of the receiving portion 122 facing the second opening P2. In addition, the upper surface of the receiving portion 122 may be closed or opened through a third hole 122h3.
[0083] The engaging portion 123 may protrude from the other end (i.e., the rear end) of the cover portion 121 toward the central hook 115h. At this time, the height h21 of the cover portion 121 may be less than the height h22 of the receiving portion 122. Alternatively, the height of the cover portion 121 may be equal to the height h22 of the receiving portion 122, and the engaging portion 123 may be omitted.
[0084] The first width W21 of the cover part 121 described above may be greater than the first distance between the first parts 113a1 and 113b1, but may be equal to or less than the second distance between the second parts 113a2 and 113b2. The second width W22 of the accommodation part 122 may be greater than the first distance d21 between the first parts 112a1 and 112b1, but may be equal to or less than the second distance d22 between the second parts 112a2 and 112b2. For example, the second width W22 may be equal to the first width W21.
[0085] Referring to Figure 12 , the connection module 100 may include a board 30, a board body 40, and a connector 130.
[0086] The board 30 may be a printed circuit board PCB. The board 30 may be a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB). In this case, the board 30 may be bent. The board 30 may be referred to as a feeding PCB 30 or a feeding FPCB 30. In the present disclosure, the board 30 is described as being configured as a flexible printed circuit board.
[0087] The board body 40 may be positioned on the board 30. For example, the board body 40 may be coupled or attached to the board 30 by an adhesive such as double-sided tape. The board body 40 may be a dielectric. The board body 40 may include a plastic material such as epoxy resin. The board body 40 may be thicker than the board 30. The board body 40 may prevent the thin board 30 from warping during the soldering process of the connector 130 and the board 30 described below, and may improve the rigidity of the board 30. The board body 40 may be referred to as a reinforcing board body 40 or a supporting board body 40.
[0088] The connector 130 may be opposite to the board 30 with respect to the board body 40. A plurality of ground pins 130P may protrude from one surface (i.e., the lower surface) of the main body 131 facing the board body 40, and may penetrate the board body 40 and the board 30. Signal pins 130Q may protrude from the above-mentioned one surface of the main body 131, and may penetrate the board body 40 and the board 30. At this time, each of the board body 40 and the board 30 may include holes 30Ph, 30Qh for the pins 130P, 130Q to penetrate. For example, the connector 130 may be an RF connector or an automotive working group (fakra) connector.
[0089] Referring to Figure 13 and Figure 14 , the antenna 20 and the connection module 100 may be coupled or attached to the glass 10. One end of the board 30 may be electrically connected to the antenna 20, and the connector 130 may be electrically connected to the board 30 through the hole 40Ph penetrating the board body 40. A part of the board 30 may be clamped between the parts of the connection module 100 below the board body 40.
[0090] The glass 10, the antenna 20, the board 30, the board body 40, and / or the connection module 100 may be collectively referred to as an antenna assembly, a communication device, or an electronic device.
[0091] Referring to Figures 15 to 17 , the antenna 20 may be coupled or attached to the transparent region 11 of the glass 10 by an adhesive such as an optically clear adhesive (OCA) film. The lower housing 110 may be adjacent to the antenna 20 and may be coupled or attached to the opaque region 12 of the glass 10 by an adhesive such as double-sided tape.
[0092] The board 30 may have one end connected to the antenna 20. A part of the board 30 may pass through the first opening P1 (see Figure 14 ) and be disposed on the flat surface portion 111a of the base 111 (see Figure 14 ). The board body 40 may be opposite to the flat surface portion 111a of the board 30 and may be coupled or attached to the board 30.
[0093] The connector 130 may be opposite to the board 30 with respect to the board body 40 and may be disposed on the board body 40 while being adjacent to the front wall 112. The pins 130P, 130Q (see Figure 12 ) may penetrate the board body 40 and the board 30 and be soldered to the lower surface of the board 30. The head 132 may extend from the main body 131 toward the second opening P2 (see Figure 14 ).
[0094] The upper housing 120 may be opposite to the board 30 with respect to the board body 40. The board body 40 may contact the lower surface of the cover portion 121. The main body 131 of the connector 130 may pass through the first hole 122h1 of the receiving portion 122 (see Figure 11 ) and be received in the internal space 122S of the receiving portion 122 (see Figure 14 ). The head 132 of the connector 130 may pass through the second hole 122h2 of the receiving portion 122 (see Figure 11 ) and the second opening P2 of the lower housing 110. In addition, the stopper 122a may define a part of the boundary of the second hole 122h2 as a part of the receiving portion 122, and one side of the connector 130 may be caught by the lower end of the stopper 122a.
[0095] At this time, the front end of the upper housing 120 may be defined by the receiving portion 122 and may be caught by the rear ends of the first parts 112a1, 112b1. The rear end of the upper housing 120 may be defined by the cover portion 121 and may be caught by the front ends of the first parts 113a1, 113b1. That is, the lower housing 110 may restrict the forward / backward movement of the upper housing 120 located within the lower housing 110.
[0096] In addition, the left surface of the upper housing 120 can be held by the inner surfaces of the second portions 112a2, 113a2 and the first side wall 114a. The right surface of the upper housing 120 can be held by the inner surfaces of the second portions 112b2, 113b2 and the second side wall 114b. That is, the lower housing 110 can restrict the left and right movement of the upper housing 120 located within the lower housing 110.
[0097] In addition, the upper end of the accommodation portion 122 can be held by the lower ends of the side hooks 114ah, 114bh. The upper end of the engaging portion 123 (see Figure 14 ) can be held by the lower end of the center hook 115h. That is, the lower housing 110 can restrict the vertical movement of the upper housing 120 located within the lower housing 110.
[0098] Therefore, the plate 30, the plate body 40 and the connector 130 can be positioned in place without wobbling between the lower housing 110 and the upper housing 120.
[0099] Referring to Figure 18 , the pins 130P, 130Q can protrude from the lower surface of the main body 131 of the connector 130 toward the hole 111h of the lower housing 110 and can penetrate the plate body 40 and the plate 30. The holes 30Ph, 30Qh (see Figure 12 and Figure 15 ) and the hole 111h can be vertically aligned. Here, the overlapping portion of the plate 30 and the plate body 40 can be referred to as the flat portion 33. A part of the pins 130P, 130Q can be located inside the hole 111h and can be spaced upward from the upper surface of the glass 10 (see the gap g1 between the pins 130P, 130Q and the glass 10).
[0100] Therefore, the connection module 100 can be disposed flat on the glass 10.
[0101] Referring to Figure 18 and Figure 19 , the plate 30 can include a connection portion 31, a bending portion 32 and a flat portion 33.
[0102] At least a part of the connection portion 31 can be positioned on the glass 10. The flat portion 33 can overlap with the plate body 40 and can be placed on the flat surface portion 111a. The bending portion 32 can connect the connection portion 31 and the flat portion 33 and can be positioned on the rounded corner portion 111b of the lower housing 110.
[0103] The rounded corner portion 111b can be a part of the lower housing 110 that connects the first long side 111L1 of the lower housing 110 and the flat surface portion 111a, and can be formed between the first rear wall 113a and the first side wall 114a (see Figure 11)。The length L10 of the rounded corner portion 111b (see Figure 11 ) may be equal to or greater than the width of the bent portion 32 (defined in the length direction of the rounded corner portion 111b). The surface of the rounded corner portion 111b may be a curved surface. The surface of the rounded corner portion 111b may be a convex surface having a certain radius of curvature R3. Alternatively, the surface of the rounded corner portion 111b may be a concave surface having a certain radius of curvature. The bent portion 32 may be bent along the surface of the rounded corner portion 111b and may be disposed on the surface of the rounded corner portion 111b.
[0104] Therefore, although there is a height difference (see h1) between the upper surface of the glass 10 where the connecting portion 31 is located and the upper surface of the flat surface portion 111a where the flat portion 33 is located, the bent portion 32 can still smoothly connect the connecting portion 31 and the flat portion 33. In this case, compared with the case where a straight section is provided instead of the rounded corner portion 111b, the damage to the plate 30 caused by the bending of the plate 30 can be minimized.
[0105] In addition, the antenna 20 may include a conductive material such as copper, gold, and silver. The antenna 20 may include an antenna pattern in the form of a metal mesh. The metal mesh may be a pattern that realizes electrodes by arranging a conductive material such as copper and silver in a grid pattern. The antenna pattern may be configured as a coplanar waveguide (CPW) structure. The CPW structure may be a structure in which a feeder line and a ground pattern connected to a radiation pattern are separately positioned on the same plane.
[0106] The antenna 20 may include a first layer 20M formed with an antenna pattern in the shape of a metal mesh, a second layer 20P made of a PET material to protect the upper surface of the first layer 20M, and an adhesive member 20Y coupled to the lower surface of the first layer 20M and the upper surface of the glass 10.
[0107] The plate 30 may include a first plate layer 30a and / or a second plate layer 30b. The first plate layer 30a may be formed on the upper surface of the plate 30, and the second plate layer 30b may be formed on the lower surface of the plate 30. The first plate layer 30a and the second plate layer 30b may be electrically connected through a via hole. Therefore, the antenna 20 can be electrically connected to the cables C1, C2 (see Figure 12 ) through the plate 30 and the pins 130P, 130Q (see Figure 8 ), and the cables C1, C2 are connected to the jacks 134 of the connector 130. That is, the configuration of the vehicle 1 (see Figure 1 ) connected to the cables C1, C2 can perform communication by using the antenna 20.
[0108] According to one embodiment, when the signal pin 130Q of the connector 130 passing through the signal pin hole 30Qh and the ground pin 130P of the connector 130 passing through the ground pin hole 30Ph are connected to the other surface of the board 30 by soldering, the board 30 may include a first board layer 30a and a second board layer 30b. For example, the upper surface of the board 30 may contact the board body 40, and the lower surface of the board 30 may contact the lower housing 110.
[0109] According to one embodiment, when the signal pin 130Q of the connector 130 passing through the signal pin hole 30Qh and the ground pin 130P of the connector 130 passing through the ground pin hole 30Ph are connected to the upper surface of the board 30 in a reflow manner, the board 30 may include a first board layer 30a. For example, the upper surface of the board 30 may contact the connector 130, and the lower surface of the board 30 may contact the board body 40. At this time, the board body 40 may be disposed on the flat surface portion 111a of the lower housing 110.
[0110] Referring to Figures 20 to 22 , the first board layer 30a of the board 30 may be configured as a CPW structure. The first board layer 30a may include feeding regions 312, 322, 332, first ground regions 311, 321, 331, and second ground regions 313, 323, 333. The connecting portion 31, the bending portion 32, and the flat portion 33 of the board 30 may be referred to as board portions.
[0111] The feeding region 312 located at the connecting portion 31 of the board 30 may be connected to the feeding line of the antenna pattern. Each of the first ground region 311 and the second ground region 311 located at the connecting portion 31 of the board 30 may be connected to the ground pattern of the antenna pattern. For example, the feeding region 312, the first ground region 311, and the second ground region 311 located at the connecting portion 31 of the board 30 may be connected to the antenna pattern by applying a low-temperature bonding method.
[0112] In addition, as shown by reference numeral 2001, when the widths w and the gaps s of the feeding regions 312, 322, 332 included in the first board layer 30a of the board 30 are constant, impedance matching between the antenna pattern and the board 30 may not be achieved. For example, the connecting portion 31 may be located on the glass 10, and the flat portion 33 may be located between the board body 40 and the lower housing 110. In addition, the bending portion 32 may be provided on the rounded corner portion 111b of the lower housing 110, while the flat portion 33 may be provided on the flat surface portion 111a of the lower housing 110. At this time, the dielectric constants εr, thicknesses, etc. of the glass 10, the board body 40, and the lower housing 110 may all be different. Therefore, for impedance matching between the antenna pattern and the board 30, the CPW structures of each of the connecting portion 31, the bending portion 32, and the flat portion 33 may be different from each other. In the present disclosure, an example will be described in which the antenna impedance of the antenna pattern is 50 Ω.
[0113] Each of a first width w1 of a feeding region 312 of the connecting portion 31 and a first gap s1 between the feeding region 312 of the connecting portion 31 and ground regions 311 and 313 of the connecting portion 31 may have a value corresponding to impedance matching with respect to an antenna pattern.
[0114] The connecting portion 31 may make the first width w1 of the feeding region 312 of the connecting portion 31 and the first gap s1 between the feeding region 312 of the connecting portion 31 and the ground regions 311 and 313 correspond to a relative dielectric constant εr and a thickness h1 of the glass 10. For example, if the relative dielectric constant εr of the glass 10 is 6.5 and the thickness h1 of the glass 10 is 3.5 mm, the first width w1 of the feeding region 312 may be 4 mm, and the first gap s1 between the feeding region 312 and the ground regions 311 and 313 may be 0.88 mm.
[0115] Each of a third width w3 of a feeding region 332 of the third plate portion 31 and a third gap s3 between the feeding region 332 of the flat portion 33 and ground regions 331 and 333 may have a value corresponding to impedance matching with respect to an antenna pattern.
[0116] The third width w3 of the feeding region 332 of the flat portion 33 may be smaller than the first width w1 of the feeding region 312 of the connecting portion 31 of the plate 30. In addition, the third gap s3 between the feeding region 332 of the flat portion 33 and the ground regions 331 and 333 may be smaller than the first gap s1 between the feeding region 12 of the connecting portion 31 and the ground regions 311 and 313.
[0117] The third width w3 of the feeding region 332 of the flat portion 33 and the third gap s3 between the feeding region 332 of the flat portion 33 and the ground regions 331 and 333 may respectively correspond to the relative dielectric constant εr and thicknesses h2 and h3 of the plate body 40 and the lower housing 110. For example, if the relative dielectric constant εr of the lower housing 110 is 3.5, the thickness h2 of the lower housing 110 is 2.2 mm, the relative dielectric constant εr of the plate body 40 is 4.4, and the thickness h3 of the plate body 40 is 1.0 mm, the third width w3 of the feeding region 332 may be 2 mm, and the third gap s3 between the feeding region 332 and the ground regions 331 and 333 may be 0.27 mm.
[0118] One end of a feeding region 322 of a bent portion 32 of the plate 30 may be connected to the feeding region 312 of the connecting portion 31. The width of one end of the feeding region 322 of the bent portion 32 may correspond to the first width w1 of the feeding region 312 of the connecting portion 31.
[0119] The other end of the feeding area 322 of the bent portion 32 of the board 30 can be connected to the feeding area 332 of the flat portion 33. The width of the other end of the feeding area 322 of the bent portion 32 can correspond to the third width w3 of the feeding area 332 of the flat portion 33.
[0120] The second width w2 of at least a part of the feeding area 322 of the bent portion 32 of the board 30 can be smaller than the first width w1 of the feeding area 312 of the connecting portion 31, and larger than the third width w3 of the feeding area 332 of the flat portion 33. For example, the second width w2 of at least a part of the feeding area 322 of the bent portion 32 can become larger as it approaches the connecting portion 31 along the x-axis direction, and become smaller as it approaches the flat portion 33.
[0121] The third width w3 of the feeding area 332 of the third board portion 31 of the board 30 can be larger than the diameter of the signal pin hole 30Qh. The gap L between the ground pin holes 30Ph of the third board portion 31 of the board 30 can be larger than the sum of the third width w3 of the feeding area 332 of the third board portion 31 of the board 30 and the third gap s3 between the feeding area 332 and the ground areas 331, 333.
[0122] According to one embodiment, the first board layer 30a of the board 30 can include a transition area 2030 that connects the feeding areas 312, 322 that extend along the x-axis direction and have the first width w1 and the feeding area 332 that extends along the z-axis direction and has the third width w3. The feeding area 2035 included in the transition area 2030 can be formed to be bent so that the feeding areas 312, 322 that extend along the x-axis direction are connected to the feeding area 332 that extends along the z-axis direction.
[0123] The gap between the feeding area 2035 included in the transition area 2030 and the ground areas 331, 333 can be equal to or larger than the third gap s3.
[0124] The gap between the first portion that has the third width w3 and extends bent among the feeding areas 2035 included in the transition area 2030 and the ground areas 331, 333 can correspond to the third gap s3.
[0125] The gap s21 between the second portion that extends along the x-axis direction with the third width w3 among the feeding areas 2035 included in the transition area 2030 and the ground areas 331, 333 can be larger than the third gap s3. The gap s21 between the second portion of the feeding area 2035 included in the transition area 2030 and the ground areas 331, 333 can become larger as it approaches the connecting portion 31 along the x-axis direction.
[0126] The gap s22 between the third part extending in the x-axis direction with the second width w2 among the feeding regions 2035 included in the transition region 2030 and the ground regions 321, 323 can be greater than the third gap s3. The gap s22 between the third part of the feeding region 2035 included in the transition region 2030 and the ground regions 331, 333 can become smaller as it approaches the connection part 31 along the x-axis direction.
[0127] Referring to Figure 23 the reference numeral 2301 in the drawing, the insertion loss 2310 in the case where the transition region 2030 is not provided (as shown by the reference numeral 2001) can be compared with the insertion loss 2320 in the case where the transition region 2030 is provided (as shown by the reference numeral 2002). At this time, since the insertion loss 2320 in the case where the transition region 2030 is provided is closer to 0 dB than the insertion loss 2310 in the case where the transition region 2030 is not provided, it can be confirmed that there is an improvement in terms of the insertion loss.
[0128] Referring to Figure 23 the reference numeral 2302 in the drawing, the reflection loss 2330 in the case where the transition region 2030 is not provided (as shown by the reference numeral 2001) can be compared with the reflection loss 2340 in the case where the transition region 2030 is provided (as shown by the reference numeral 2002). At this time, since the reflection loss 2340 in the case where the transition region 2030 is provided is farther from 0 dB than the reflection loss 2330 in the case where the transition region 2030 is not provided, it can be confirmed that there is also an improvement in terms of the reflection loss.
[0129] Referring to Figure 24 the antenna pattern can be configured as a CPW structure, and the CPW structure includes a first ground pattern 201, a radiation pattern 202, a feed line 202', and a second ground pattern 203. The antenna pattern can be configured as an asymmetric structure, in which the lengths, widths, etc. of the first ground pattern 201 and the second ground pattern 203 are different from each other. In the present disclosure, the case where the length and width of the first ground pattern 201 are smaller than the length and width of the second ground pattern 203 will be described as an example. The feed line 202' can extend a length along the x-axis direction. The radiation pattern 202 can be formed by extending from one end of the feed line 202' along the -z-axis direction. The radiation pattern 202 and the feed line 202' can be formed to surround the edge of the first ground pattern 201.
[0130] The first ground pattern 201 can be connected to the first ground region 311 of the connection part 31. The feed line 202' can be connected to the feeding region 312 of the connection part 31. The second ground pattern 203 can be connected to the second ground region 313 of the connection part 31.
[0131] According to one embodiment, the first plate layer 30a of the plate 30 may include a first reduced area 2410 in which the areas of the first ground regions 311, 321, 331 electrically connected to the first ground pattern 201 are reduced. The first plate layer 30a of the plate 30 may include a second reduced area 2420 in which the areas of the second ground regions 313, 323, 333 electrically connected to the second ground pattern 202 are reduced.
[0132] The first reduced area 2410 may include a first slit pattern 340 formed by recessing the edges of the first ground regions 311, 321, 333 adjacent to the feeding regions 312, 322, 332 in the -x axis direction away from the feeding regions 322, 332.
[0133] The first slit pattern 340 may include a first sub - slit pattern 341 formed by recessing the edge of the first ground region 321 of the bent portion 32 in the -x axis direction. The first sub - slit pattern 341 may be formed in a square shape.
[0134] The first slit pattern 340 may include a second sub - slit pattern 342 formed by additionally recessing a part of the edge of the first ground region 321 from the first sub - slit pattern 341 in the -x axis direction. The second sub - slit pattern 342 may be formed in a fan shape.
[0135] The first slit pattern 340 may include a third sub - slit pattern 343 formed by recessing a part of the edge of the first ground region 331 of the third plate portion 32 in the -x axis direction. The third sub - slit pattern 343 may be formed in a trapezoidal shape.
[0136] The first sub - slit pattern 341, the second sub - slit pattern 342, and the third sub - slit pattern 343 may be connected to each other to form the first slit pattern 340.
[0137] The second reduced area 2420 may include a second slit pattern 344 formed by recessing the edge of the second ground region 313 adjacent to the antenna pattern in the -y axis direction away from the antenna pattern. The second slit pattern 344 may be formed by recessing the portion of the edge of the second ground region 313 adjacent to the antenna pattern that does not contact the second ground pattern 203 in the -x axis direction. The second slit pattern 344 may be formed in a rectangular shape.
[0138] According to one embodiment, the first grounding region 331 and the second grounding region 333 of the flat portion 33 may be connected to each other. The first grounding region 331 and the second grounding region 333 connected to each other may be formed to surround the feeding region 332 of the flat portion 33.
[0139] Referring Figure 25 to reference numeral 2501 in the drawing, when the antenna pattern is connected to the board 30, the reflection loss 2510 without the first reduction region 2410 and the second reduction region 2420 may be compared with the reflection loss 2520 with the first reduction region 2410 and the second reduction region 2420 configured. At this time, since the reflection loss 2520 with the first reduction region 2410 and the second reduction region 2420 configured is further away from 0 dB than the reflection loss 2510 without the first reduction region 2410 and the second reduction region 2420 configured, it can be confirmed that there is an improvement in terms of reflection loss.
[0140] Referring Figure 25 to reference numeral 2502 in the drawing, when the antenna pattern is connected to the board 30, the antenna efficiency 2530 without the first reduction region 2410 and the second reduction region 2420 may be compared with the antenna efficiency 2540 with the first reduction region 2410 and the second reduction region 2420 configured. Here, the antenna efficiencies 2530 and 2540 may be expressed in decibels (dB) corresponding to the antenna gain. At this time, in the Sub-6 GHz which is a 5G band, especially in a band of 5 GHz or higher, since the antenna efficiency 2540 with the first reduction region 2410 and the second reduction region 2420 configured is closer to 0 dB than the antenna efficiency 2530 without the first reduction region 2410 and the second reduction region 2420 configured, it can be confirmed that the antenna efficiency is improved.
[0141] Referring Figure 26 , according to one embodiment, the board 30 may include a second board layer 30b. The second board layer 30b may be formed on the flat portion 33 of the board 30. The second board layer 30b may include grounding regions 331b, 333n and a feeding region 332b to match the region 34 in the flat portion 33 corresponding to the connector 130 of the first board layer 30a.
[0142] The grounding pin 130P penetrating the grounding pin hole 30Ph may be welded to the grounding regions 331b, 333n of the second board layer 30b. The signal pin 130Q penetrating the signal pin hole 30Qh of the connector 130 may be welded to the feeding region 332b of the second board layer 30b.
[0143] As described above, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the antenna 20 and the connector 130 may be electrically connected.
[0144] In addition, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the feeding loss of the antenna 20 operating in a wideband can be reduced.
[0145] In addition, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the efficiency of the antenna 20 operating in a wideband can be improved.
[0146] Referring to Figures 1 to 26 , a flexible printed circuit board according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the flexible printed circuit board having a surface on which a feeding region and a plurality of grounding regions electrically separated from the feeding region are provided, the flexible printed circuit board including: a first board portion connected to the antenna; a second board portion connected to the connector; and a third board portion provided between the first board portion and the second board portion, wherein a first width of a first feeding region provided in the first board portion is greater than a second width of a second feeding region provided in the second board portion, a width of one end of a third feeding region provided in the third board portion corresponds to the first width, the one end is adjacent to the first board portion, and a width of the other end of the third feeding region corresponds to the second width, the other end being adjacent to the second board portion.
[0147] In addition, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a third width of at least a portion of the third feeding region is less than the first width and greater than the second width.
[0148] In addition, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the third width increases as it approaches the first board portion.
[0149] In addition, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a first gap between the first feeding region and the plurality of grounding regions is greater than a second gap between the second feeding region and the plurality of grounding regions. "
[0150] In addition, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the first board portion is provided on the glass, the third board portion is provided between the housing to which the connector is fixed and the board body, and the board body is provided between the third board portion and the connector.
[0151] In addition, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the housing is provided on the glass, and at least a portion of the third board portion is provided on a rounded corner portion of the housing, the rounded corner portion forming a step with the glass and the rounded corner portion having a curved surface.
[0152] In addition, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the first width and the first gap correspond to the dielectric constant and thickness of the glass, and the second width and the second gap correspond to the dielectric constant and thickness of the housing and the dielectric constant and thickness of the board body.
[0153] In addition, according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a portion of the feeding region having a second width includes: a first portion that extends along a first direction; a second portion that extends along a second direction different from the first direction; and a third portion that is formed to be curved so as to connect the first portion and the second portion, wherein a gap between the first portion and the plurality of grounding regions and a gap between the third portion and the plurality of grounding regions correspond to a specific gap, and a gap between the second portion and the plurality of grounding regions is greater than the specific gap.
[0154] In addition, according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the gap between the second portion and the plurality of grounding regions increases as it approaches the antenna.
[0155] In addition, according to an aspect of the present disclosure, the second plate portion includes a signal pin hole through which a signal pin of the connector passes, wherein the second width is greater than the diameter of the signal pin hole.
[0156] An antenna assembly according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes: an antenna located in a first region of the glass; a connection module located in a second region of the glass and including a connector; and a flexible printed circuit board having a surface on which a feeding region and a plurality of grounding regions electrically separated from the feeding region are provided, wherein the flexible printed circuit board includes: a first plate portion connected to the antenna; a second plate portion connected to the connector; and a third plate portion provided between the first plate portion and the second plate portion, wherein a first width of a first feeding region provided in the first plate portion is greater than a second width of a second feeding region provided in the second plate portion, a width of one end of a third feeding region provided in the third plate portion corresponds to the first width, the one end is adjacent to the first plate portion, and a width of the other end of the third feeding region corresponds to the second width, the other end is adjacent to the second plate portion.
[0157] In addition, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the connection module includes: a lower housing coupled to the glass, and the second plate portion is disposed on the lower housing; and an upper housing opposite to the lower housing with respect to the plate and coupled to the lower housing, wherein the connector is located between the plate and the upper housing.
[0158] In addition, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the antenna is a transparent antenna, the first region is a transparent region, and the second region is an opaque region.
[0159] In addition, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the lower housing includes a rounded corner portion that forms a step with the glass and the rounded corner portion has a curved surface, and at least a portion of the third plate portion is disposed on the curved surface of the rounded corner portion.
[0160] In addition, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, the flexible printed circuit board further includes a board body, which is located between the flexible printed circuit board and the connector and is coupled to the flexible printed circuit board. Among them, the signal pins of the connector penetrate the board body and the second board portion and are coupled to the second board portion.
[0161] Since the drawings are only for easily understanding the embodiments disclosed herein, it should be understood that the technical spirit disclosed herein is not limited by the drawings, and all changes, equivalents, or alternatives are included in the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
[0162] In addition, the operation method of the present disclosure can also be implemented as processor-readable code on a processor-readable recording medium. The processor-readable recording medium includes all kinds of recording devices that store data that can be read by a processor. Examples of the processor-readable recording medium are ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage device, and those media implemented in the form of a carrier wave (for example, data transmission through the Internet). In addition, the processor-readable recording medium is dispersed in computer systems connected through a network, so that the processor-readable code can be stored and executed in a distributed manner.
[0163] Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to the specific embodiments shown in the drawings, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the description is not limited to those exemplary embodiments, and can be implemented in many forms without departing from the scope of the present disclosure described in the appended claims. These modifications should not be understood separately from the technical spirit or scope of the present disclosure.
Claims
1. A flexible printed circuit board, the flexible printed circuit board having a surface on which a feeding area and a plurality of grounding areas electrically separated from the feeding area are provided, the flexible printed circuit board comprising: A first board portion, the first board portion being connected to an antenna; A second board portion, the second board portion being connected to a connector; And A third board portion, the third board portion being disposed between the first board portion and the second board portion, wherein, a first width of a first feeding area provided in the first board portion is greater than a second width of a second feeding area provided in the second board portion, a width of one end of a third feeding area provided in the third board portion corresponds to the first width, the one end being adjacent to the first board portion, and a width of the other end of the third feeding area corresponds to the second width, the other end being adjacent to the second board portion.
2. The flexible printed circuit board according to claim 1, wherein, A third width of at least a part of the third feeding area is less than the first width and greater than the second width.
3. The flexible printed circuit board according to claim 2, wherein, The third width increases as the third width approaches the first board portion.
4. The flexible printed circuit board according to claim 1, wherein, A first gap between the first feeding area and the plurality of grounding areas is greater than a second gap between the second feeding area and the plurality of grounding areas.
5. The flexible printed circuit board according to claim 4, wherein, The first board portion is disposed on glass, the third board portion is disposed between a housing to which the connector is fixed and a board body, and the board body is disposed between the third board portion and the connector.
6. The flexible printed circuit board according to claim 5, wherein, The housing is disposed on the glass, and at least a part of the third board portion is disposed on a rounded corner portion of the housing, the rounded corner portion forming a step with the glass and the rounded corner portion having a curved surface.
7. The flexible printed circuit board according to claim 5, wherein, The first width and the first gap correspond to the dielectric constant and thickness of the glass, and the second width and the second gap correspond to the dielectric constant and thickness of the housing and the dielectric constant and thickness of the board body.
8. The flexible printed circuit board according to claim 1, wherein, A part of the feeding area having the second width includes: A first portion, the first portion extending in a first direction; A second portion, the second portion extending in a second direction different from the first direction; and A third portion, the third portion being formed to be curved so as to connect the first portion and the second portion, wherein, a gap between the first portion and the plurality of grounding areas and a gap between the third portion and the plurality of grounding areas correspond to a specific gap, and a gap between the second portion and the plurality of grounding areas is greater than the specific gap.
9. The flexible printed circuit board according to claim 8, wherein, The gap between the second portion and the plurality of grounding areas increases as the gap between the second portion and the plurality of grounding areas approaches the antenna.
10. The flexible printed circuit board according to claim 1, wherein, The second board portion includes signal pin holes through which signal pins of the connector pass, wherein, the second width is greater than the diameter of the signal pin holes.
11. An antenna assembly, the antenna assembly comprising: An antenna, the antenna being located in a first area of glass; A connection module, the connection module being located in a second area of the glass and including a connector; And A flexible printed circuit board having a surface on which a feeding area and a plurality of grounding areas electrically separated from the feeding area are provided. Wherein, the flexible printed circuit board comprises: A first board portion connected to the antenna; A second board portion connected to the connector; and A third board portion disposed between the first board portion and the second board portion, Wherein, a first width of a first feeding area provided in the first board portion is greater than a second width of a second feeding area provided in the second board portion, A width of one end of a third feeding area provided in the third board portion corresponds to the first width, the one end being adjacent to the first board portion, and A width of the other end of the third feeding area corresponds to the second width, the other end being adjacent to the second board portion.
12. The antenna assembly according to claim 11, wherein, The connection module comprises: A lower housing coupled to the glass, and the second board portion is disposed on the lower housing; and An upper housing opposite to the lower housing with respect to the board and coupled to the lower housing, Wherein, the connector is located between the board and the upper housing.
13. The antenna assembly according to claim 11, wherein, The antenna is a transparent antenna, The first area is a transparent area, and The second area is an opaque area.
14. The antenna assembly according to claim 11, Among them, The lower housing includes a rounded corner portion that forms a step with the glass and has a curved surface, and At least a part of the third board portion is disposed on the curved surface of the rounded corner portion.
15. The antenna assembly according to claim 11, the antenna assembly further includes a board body located between the flexible printed circuit board and the connector and coupled to the flexible printed circuit board, Among them, Signal pins of the connector penetrate the board body and the second board portion and are coupled to the second board portion.