Antenna assembly and tire pressure sensor

Abstract

The utility model provides an antenna assembly and a tire pressure sensor. The antenna assembly comprises a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) and an antenna array, the antenna array is electrically connected with the PCB; the antenna array comprises a plurality of antennas, and the plurality of antennas are connected through a loading line on the PCB. According to the tire pressure sensor, the antenna array is arranged on the PCB in the tire pressure sensor, automatic high-efficiency production and high-performance radio frequency performance are achieved through different antenna numbers and antenna installation modes, and 315 MHz or 433 MHz radio frequency communication can be achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of tire pressure sensor technology, and relates to an antenna assembly and a tire pressure sensor. Background Technology

[0002] Tire pressure sensors, as standard equipment in automobiles, are used to detect the internal pressure and temperature of vehicle tires in real time and transmit and display the data to the driver in the cab. This helps prevent traffic accidents caused by insufficient tire pressure, excessive pressure, leaks, or excessive tire tread height, thus ensuring the driver's driving safety.

[0003] Although tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) are widely used in the global automotive market, different regions use different communication frequencies. For example, North America and the European Union use a 433MHz communication system, while Japan uses a 315MHz system. Different TPMS sensors are needed to accommodate these regional communication methods. Currently, some dual-frequency sensors exist, but they have the following drawbacks:

[0004] First, the wound loop antenna lacks automated assembly capabilities, involving significant raw material and manufacturing costs.

[0005] Secondly, the design is not strong enough, and it is easy to deform during packaging and transportation, which affects the radio frequency performance.

[0006] Third, the antenna pins are mounted individually, and during the production process, external forces, such as SMT hot air or conveyor belt vibration, can easily cause the antenna to tilt, affecting its transmission performance.

[0007] Fourth, the radio frequency power is too low, which essentially does not improve the effective radiation area and electrical length of a single antenna. Utility Model Content

[0008] The purpose of this application is to provide an antenna assembly and a tire pressure sensor to solve the technical problems of insufficient effective radiation area and electrical length of the antenna caused by low antenna RF power in the prior art.

[0009] To achieve the above and other related objectives, a first aspect of this application provides an antenna assembly. The antenna assembly includes: a PCB board and an antenna array; the antenna array is electrically connected to the PCB board; the antenna array includes a plurality of antennas, which are connected via loading lines on the PCB board.

[0010] In some embodiments of the first aspect of this application, a plurality of antennas are arranged in parallel side by side, and the spacing between the plurality of antennas is not less than 1 mm, and the height of the plurality of antennas is not less than 10 mm.

[0011] In some embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the antenna includes: a first connecting segment, a parallel segment, and a second connecting segment; the parallel segment is parallel to the PCB board; the antenna is electrically connected to the PCB board through the first connecting segment and the second connecting segment.

[0012] In some embodiments of the first aspect of this application, both the first connecting segment and the second connecting segment are provided with grooves to increase the strength of the antenna.

[0013] In some embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the parallel segments are flattened.

[0014] In some embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the thickness of the PCB board is not less than 0.8 mm.

[0015] In some embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the antenna is a multi-legged antenna.

[0016] In some embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the antenna assembly further includes: a chip and a battery; the chip is electrically connected to the PCB board, and the battery is connected to the PCB board by soldering.

[0017] In some embodiments of the first aspect of this application, the width of the loading line does not exceed the width of the antenna; the routing of the loading line is arranged in the same direction to avoid crossing.

[0018] To achieve the above and other related objectives, a second aspect of this application provides a tire pressure sensor. The tire pressure sensor includes: a housing and an antenna assembly as described in any of the first aspects of this application; the antenna assembly is disposed inside the housing; and the tire pressure sensor is disposed within the tire of a vehicle through the housing.

[0019] As described above, the antenna assembly and tire pressure sensor of this application have the following beneficial effects:

[0020] First, the antenna in the antenna assembly of this application has a nozzle part, which can realize automated mounting during the patch mounting stage, greatly reducing the difficulty of mounting.

[0021] Second, the antenna in this application is a tripod antenna, which greatly reduces the impact of vibration, stress and external environmental influences generated during the mounting or production process on the tripod antenna.

[0022] Third, the antenna of this application adopts a groove design, which greatly increases the strength of the antenna, so that the antenna can stably maintain its original shape under conditions such as packaging and transportation.

[0023] Fourth, the antenna assembly of this application can be adjusted and increased in number according to actual radio frequency transmission requirements, thereby increasing the electrical length of the antenna to achieve high-efficiency radio frequency transmission.

[0024] Fifth, the antenna assembly of this application has low design and manufacturing costs and is easy to mount. While improving the strength of the antenna, it can realize dual-frequency function and improve power intensity, and can provide technical support for the same product to realize different tire pressure monitoring systems in different regions. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the antenna assembly described in an embodiment of this application.

[0026] Figures 2a-2b The diagram shows the connection of the antenna array and PCB board as described in the embodiments of this application.

[0027] Figure 3 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the antenna described in an embodiment of this application.

[0028] Figure 4 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the antenna in another direction as described in the embodiment of this application.

[0029] Figure 5 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of an antenna assembly according to another embodiment of this application.

[0030] Figures 6a-6b The diagram shown is a connection schematic of an antenna assembly according to another embodiment of this application.

[0031] Component designation explanation

[0032] 10 antenna assembly

[0033] 1 Antenna Array

[0034] 11 antennas

[0035] 111 First connecting segment

[0036] 112 Parallel segments

[0037] 113 Second connecting section

[0038] 1111 Groove

[0039] 2 PCB board

[0040] 21 Loading Line

[0041] 3 chips

[0042] 4 batteries Detailed Implementation

[0043] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of this application. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. This application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this application. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0044] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of this application. Therefore, the drawings only show the components related to this application and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape and size of the components in the actual implementation. In the actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0045] In the embodiments of this application, terms such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish identical or similar items with essentially the same function and purpose. For example, "first connecting segment" and "second connecting segment" are merely used to distinguish connecting segments on both sides of a parallel segment on the same antenna, and do not limit their order. Those skilled in the art will understand that terms such as "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and that terms such as "first" and "second" do not necessarily imply that they are different.

[0046] The following embodiments of this application provide an antenna assembly and a tire pressure sensor. By employing a tripod antenna and an antenna with a groove to increase antenna strength and stability, and by setting an antenna array, the number of antennas can be adjusted and increased according to actual radio frequency transmission requirements to increase the electrical length of the antenna. This achieves dual-band functionality while improving antenna power intensity, and can provide technical support for the same product to support different tire pressure monitoring systems in different regions. The antenna assembly and tire pressure sensor of this application solve the technical problems of insufficient effective radiation area and electrical length of antennas caused by low antenna RF power in the prior art.

[0047] The following will describe in detail the principle and implementation of an antenna assembly and tire pressure sensor according to this embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that those skilled in the art can understand the antenna assembly and tire pressure sensor of this embodiment without creative effort.

[0048] Please see Figure 1 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of the antenna assembly 10 described in the embodiments of this application.

[0049] like Figure 1 As shown, the antenna assembly 10 includes: a PCB board 2 and an antenna array 1.

[0050] Specifically, the antenna array 1 is electrically connected to the PCB board 2; the antenna array 1 includes a plurality of antennas 11, and the plurality of antennas 11 are connected through loading lines 21 on the PCB board 2.

[0051] In this embodiment, the PCB board 2 is used to support the antenna array 1, and the PCB is made of FR-4, which is a composite material composed of glass fiber cloth and epoxy resin, and has flame retardant and stable electrical properties. The thickness of the PCB board 2 is not less than 0.8mm.

[0052] In this embodiment, the antenna assembly 10 further includes a chip 3 and a battery 4; the chip 3 is electrically connected to the PCB board 2, and the battery 4 is connected to the PCB board 2 by soldering.

[0053] Please see Figures 2a-2b The diagram shows the connection between the antenna array and the PCB board as described in the embodiments of this application.

[0054] like Figure 2a As shown, the antenna array 1 includes two antennas 11 arranged in parallel and side by side, and electrically connected to the PCB board 2. The distance between the two antennas 11 is not less than 1 mm, and the height of the antennas is not less than 10 mm, so that the antennas 11 can achieve high-efficiency radio frequency transmission while realizing communication in multiple frequency bands.

[0055] like Figure 2b The diagram shown is a connection diagram of the antenna array and the back of the PCB board described in the embodiment of this application.

[0056] In this embodiment, the loading lines 21 are arranged in the same clockwise or counterclockwise direction to avoid intersections between them; and the width of the loading lines 21 does not exceed the width of the antenna 11. Preferably, the width of the loading lines 21 is the same as the width of the antenna 11.

[0057] In this embodiment, the antenna array 1 includes two antennas 11. One end of the loading line 21 is connected to one end of one antenna 11, and the other end is connected to the other end of the other antenna 11, so as to electrically connect the two antennas 11, thereby increasing the electrical length of the antennas 11.

[0058] Please see Figure 3 and Figure 4 The image shown is a schematic diagram of the antenna structure described in an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the antenna 11 includes: a first connecting segment 111, a parallel segment 112, and a second connecting segment 113.

[0059] Specifically, the parallel segment 112 is parallel to the PCB board 2, and the antenna 11 is electrically connected to the PCB board 2 through the first connecting segment 111 and the second connecting segment 113.

[0060] In some implementations, the antenna 11 is a multi-legged antenna to improve its stability during manufacturing. Preferably, the antenna 11 is a three-legged antenna.

[0061] A tripod antenna (IFA, Inverted F Antenna) is a common type of small antenna, primarily used in wireless communication. Tripod antennas typically have a small size, making them suitable for integration into compact devices. For example, a typical tripod antenna measures 33.92 x 18.85 mm. Tripod antennas usually have an omnidirectional radiation mode, providing 360° coverage in the horizontal plane.

[0062] In this embodiment, both the first connecting segment 111 and the second connecting segment 113 are provided with grooves 1111 to increase the strength of the antenna 11, so that the antenna 11 can stably maintain its original shape under packaging and transportation conditions.

[0063] In this embodiment, the parallel segment 112 is designed to be flat, so that the antenna 11 has a nozzle part, thereby enabling automated placement during the SMT placement stage.

[0064] SMT (Surface Mount Technology) is a process for assembling electronic components on a PCB (Printed Circuit Board).

[0065] Please see Figure 5 The diagram shows a structural schematic of an antenna assembly according to another embodiment of this application. Figure 5 As shown, the antenna assembly 10 includes: a PCB board 2, an antenna array 1, a chip 3, and a battery 4.

[0066] In this embodiment, the antenna array 1 is electrically connected to the PCB board 2, the chip 3 is electrically connected to the PCB board 2, and the battery 4 is electrically connected to the PCB board 2 via soldering.

[0067] In this embodiment, the antenna array 1 includes three antennas 11 arranged side by side and electrically connected to the PCB board 2. The distance between the three antennas 11 is not less than 1 mm, and the height of the antennas is not less than 10 mm, so that the antennas 11 can achieve high-efficiency radio frequency transmission while enabling communication across multiple frequency bands.

[0068] like Figures 6a-6b As shown, the antenna array 1 includes three antennas 11. One end of the first loading line 21 is connected to one end of the first antenna 11, the other end of the first loading line 21 is connected to one end of the second antenna 11, one end of the second loading line 21 is connected to the other end of the second antenna 11, and the other end of the second loading line 21 is connected to one end of the third antenna 11, so as to electrically connect the three antennas 11, thereby increasing the electrical length of the antennas 11.

[0069] It should be noted that the number of antennas 11 in the antenna array 1 described in this embodiment can be set according to actual radio frequency requirements to meet the actual electrical length and effective radiation area requirements.

[0070] In some implementations, embodiments of this application also provide a tire pressure sensor, which includes a housing and an antenna assembly 10 as described in any embodiment of this application. The antenna assembly 10 is disposed inside the housing, and the tire pressure sensor is disposed inside the tire of a vehicle through the housing. This allows the same tire pressure sensor to meet the requirements of a tire pressure monitoring system with radio frequency communication of 315MHz or 433MHz. While achieving high-performance radio frequency performance of the tire pressure sensor, it can also meet the application scenarios in different regions, thus realizing low-cost development of the tire pressure sensor.

[0071] In summary, this application provides an antenna assembly and a tire pressure sensor. First, the antenna in this application's antenna assembly has a nozzle, enabling automated mounting during the surface mount stage and significantly reducing mounting difficulty. Second, the antenna uses a tripod design, greatly minimizing the impact of vibration, stress, and external environmental influences during mounting or production. Third, the antenna employs a groove design, significantly increasing its strength and ensuring stable shape maintenance during packaging and transportation. Fourth, the antenna assembly can be adjusted by increasing the number of antennas to meet actual RF transmission requirements, thereby increasing the antenna's electrical length and achieving high-efficiency RF transmission. Fifth, the antenna assembly has low design and manufacturing costs, is easy to mount, and while improving antenna strength, it enables dual-band functionality and increased power output, providing technical support for different tire pressure monitoring systems in different regions using the same product. Therefore, this application effectively overcomes the various shortcomings of existing technologies and has high industrial applicability.

[0072] The descriptions of the processes or structures corresponding to the above figures each have their own emphasis. For parts of a process or structure that are not described in detail, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other processes or structures.

[0073] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in this application should still be covered by the claims of this application.

Claims

1. An antenna assembly, characterized by The antenna assembly comprises a PCB board and an antenna array; The antenna array is electrically connected with the PCB board; The antenna array comprises a plurality of antennas, and the plurality of antennas are connected through loading lines on the PCB board.

2. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein, The plurality of antennas are arranged in parallel, and the spacing between the plurality of antennas is not less than 1 mm, and the height of the plurality of antennas is not less than 10 mm.

3. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein, The antenna comprises a first connecting section, a parallel section and a second connecting section; The parallel section is parallel to the PCB board; The antenna is electrically connected with the PCB board through the first connecting section and the second connecting section.

4. The antenna assembly of claim 3, wherein, Grooves are arranged on the first connecting section and the second connecting section to increase the strength of the antenna.

5. The antenna assembly of claim 3, wherein, The parallel section is designed to be flattened.

6. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein, The thickness of the PCB board is not less than 0.8 mm.

7. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein, The antenna is a multi-leg antenna.

8. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein, The antenna assembly further comprises a chip and a battery; The chip is electrically connected with the PCB board, and the battery is connected with the PCB board through soldering.

9. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein, The width of the loading line is not more than the width of the antenna; The wiring of the loading line is arranged in the same direction to avoid crossing.

10. A tire pressure sensor, characterized by, The tire pressure sensor comprises a shell and the antenna assembly according to any one of claims 1-9; The antenna assembly is arranged inside the shell; The tire pressure sensor is arranged in the tire of the automobile through the shell.

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