Antenna structure and electronic structure

Abstract

The utility model relates to an antenna structure and an electronic structure. The antenna structure comprises a first supporting layer, a metal layer, an insulating layer and a second supporting layer. The first supporting layer is provided with a top face and a bottom face opposite to each other, the bottom face forms a working face, and the top face is provided with a to-be-machined area. The metal layer is formed in the to-be-processed area; the insulating layer covers the metal layer and exposes at least part of the metal layer to define a connecting area, and the second supporting layer is arranged on the insulating layer and covers the area to be processed and part of the connecting area. The double-sided supporting structure is arranged in the connecting area, so that the bending resistance and the mechanical strength of the connecting area are remarkably enhanced; meanwhile, by adopting the low-cost material combination and optimizing the lamination process, the material and manufacturing cost is effectively reduced.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of circuit metal plate, in particular to an antenna structure and an electronic structure. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the popularity of intelligent terminals, NFC antennas face severe challenges in cost-sensitive products. The traditional FPC solution has high cost due to the use of copper foil and complex process; and the stainless steel / nickel sheet welding solution has problems of poor reliability, low automation level and insufficient production capacity. CONTENT OF THE UTILITY MODEL

[0003] To solve the above problems, the present application provides an antenna structure, comprising:

[0004] A first support layer has opposite top and bottom surfaces, the bottom surface forms the working surface, and the top surface is provided with a machining area;

[0005] A metal layer is formed in the machining area;

[0006] An insulating layer is covered on the metal layer, and at least part of the metal layer is exposed to define a connection area;

[0007] A second support layer is arranged on the insulating layer and covers the machining area and part of the connection area.

[0008] In one embodiment, the first support layer includes a main body portion and a connecting portion, the main body portion has a ring structure with the first end connected to the second end, the connecting portion extends from the main body portion to the inside of the main body portion, and the connecting portion has a strip structure.

[0009] The metal layer is formed on the main body portion and the connecting portion.

[0010] In one embodiment, the metal layer includes a plurality of metal coils arranged in a concentric manner in the machining area, and the plurality of metal coils are connected in series.

[0011] In one embodiment, the first support layer includes a main body portion and a connecting portion, the main body portion has a ring structure with the first end connected to the second end, the connecting portion extends from the main body portion to the inside of the main body portion, and the connecting portion has a strip structure.

[0012] The connection area includes an interconnection area and an external connection area, the interconnection area is located on the main body portion, and the external connection area is located on the connecting portion; wherein

[0013] A connection layer is formed on the interconnection area and the external connection area, and the material of the connection layer includes at least one of nickel and gold or a combination of multiple materials.

[0014] In one of the embodiments, the connecting layer comprises a first metal connecting member; the first metal connecting member is formed on a side of the insulating layer away from the metal layer and is located in the interconnection region; the first metal connecting member is electrically connected with the metal layer through the interconnection region to realize series connection of the plurality of coils; and / or,

[0015] The connecting layer comprises a second metal connecting member; the second metal connecting member is formed on a side of the insulating layer away from the metal layer and is located in the external connection region; the second metal connecting member is electrically connected with the metal layer through the external connection region to be electrically connected with a device mainboard.

[0016] In one of the embodiments, the metal layer comprises a first coil, a second coil and a third coil connected in series; the second coil is located between the first coil and the third coil, and two ends of the second coil are connected with the first coil and the third coil respectively; the first metal connecting member is electrically connected with the first coil and the third coil; and / or,

[0017] The first metal connecting member is made of copper; and / or,

[0018] The first coil, the second coil and the third coil are made of aluminum.

[0019] In one of the embodiments, the antenna structure further comprises a reinforcing structure arranged on the working surface of the connecting portion;

[0020] The second metal connecting member falls within the projection of the reinforcing structure on the connecting portion.

[0021] In one of the embodiments, the projection of the second support layer on the connecting portion at least partially overlaps with the projection of the reinforcing structure on the connecting portion.

[0022] In one of the embodiments, the overlapping part of the projection of the second support layer and the reinforcing structure on the connecting portion has a width of 0.5mm to 10mm.

[0023] In one of the embodiments, along the thickness direction of the antenna structure, the antenna structure further comprises a mounting surface opposite to the working surface; the antenna structure further comprises an adhesive layer, one side of which covers the second support layer and the other side of which forms the mounting surface;

[0024] The first support layer comprises a main body portion and a connecting portion; the main body portion has a ring structure with a first end connected to a second end; the connecting portion extends from the main body portion to the inside of the main body portion and has a strip structure.

[0025] The first support layer further comprises a first blank area on the main body part, the first blank area is located in the processing area, and the bonding layer covers the first blank area.

[0026] In one of the embodiments, the first support layer further comprises a second blank area on the connecting part; and the antenna structure further comprises an electronic element.

[0027] The electronic element comprises a working unit and a connecting unit, the working unit is located inside the main body part, one end of the connecting unit is connected to the working unit, and the other end is located in the second blank area.

[0028] In one of the embodiments, a second metal connecting piece is arranged on the connecting part, and the electronic element is electrically connected to the second metal connecting piece through the connecting part.

[0029] The application further provides an electronic structure comprising the antenna structure according to any one of the above embodiments.

[0030] The technical scheme provided by the embodiments of the application can have the following beneficial effects.

[0031] As can be seen from the above embodiments, the antenna structure provided by the application comprises a first support layer, a metal layer, an insulating layer and a second support layer. The first support layer has opposite top and bottom surfaces, the bottom surface forms a working surface, and the top surface is provided with a processing area. The metal layer is formed in the processing area; the insulating layer covers the metal layer, and at least part of the metal layer is exposed to define a connecting area; and the second support layer is arranged on the insulating layer and covers the processing area and part of the connecting area. The application sets a double-sided support structure in the connecting area, which significantly enhances the bending resistance and mechanical strength of the part. At the same time, the application uses a combination of low-cost materials and optimizes the lamination process, which effectively reduces the material and manufacturing costs.

[0032] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are only exemplary and explanatory, and cannot limit the application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0033] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical scheme in the embodiments of the application, the drawings needed in the embodiment description will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings in the description are only some embodiments of the application, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor.

[0034] Figure 1 A cross-sectional structure schematic diagram of the antenna structure provided in one of the embodiments of the application from one perspective.

[0035] Figure 2An exploded structural schematic view of the antenna structure provided in an embodiment of the present application from another perspective.

[0036] Figure 3 A structural schematic view of the antenna structure provided in an embodiment of the present application from one perspective.

[0037] Figure 4 A structural schematic view of the antenna structure provided in an embodiment of the present application from one perspective.

[0038] Figure 5 A structural schematic view of the antenna structure provided in an embodiment of the present application from one perspective.

[0039] Figure 6 A structural schematic view of the antenna structure provided in an embodiment of the present application from one perspective.

[0040] Reference signs:

[0041] 100, working surface; 200, mounting surface; 301, interconnection region; 302, external connection region; 3011, first sub-interconnection region; 3012, second sub-interconnection region.

[0042] 1, first support layer; 101, processing area; 102, first blank area; 103, second blank area;

[0043] 10, main body part; 11, connecting part.

[0044] 2, metal layer; 21, first coil; 22, second coil; 23, third coil.

[0045] 3, insulating layer.

[0046] 4, second support layer.

[0047] 5, connecting layer; 51, first metal connecting member; 52, second metal connecting member.

[0048] 6, adhesive layer.

[0049] 7, reinforcing structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] The exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the description. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For example, the sequence of operations described herein is merely illustrative, and the operations need not be performed in the exact sequence as described herein, but rather, can be performed in any order, except that some operations can be dependent on the completion of another operation, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Additionally, features known to those in the art can be omitted for the sake of brevity and clarity. The manner described in the following exemplary embodiments is not representative of all manners consistent with the present application. Rather, they are merely examples of devices consistent with some aspects of the present application, as detailed in the appended claims.

[0051] As described in the background, with the popularity of smart terminal devices, there is an increasing demand for NFC (near field communication) antennas in products such as sound boxes. NFC antennas are usually used to realize data reading and communication functions between devices, but in cost-sensitive application scenarios, traditional antenna solutions have many limitations.

[0052] Currently, there are mainly two solutions in the industry: one is an antenna design based on a flexible printed circuit board (FPC), which uses copper foil as a conductive material and realizes interlayer conduction through drilling and electroplating processes, but this solution has high material costs and complex processes, resulting in high overall costs; the second is to use a stainless steel sheet or a nickel sheet to connect the circuit through welding, which is slightly lower in cost, but the welding process is difficult to automate, the production capacity is slow to improve, and the reliability is poor, which can easily lead to a decline in antenna performance due to welding point failure.

[0053] In addition, existing antenna solutions are difficult to flexibly adapt to different application scenarios. For example, in smart hardware such as sound boxes, it is often necessary to be compatible with single-antenna single-coil (only implementing NFC reading function) and single-antenna double-coil (simultaneously implementing NFC reading and interference removal) designs, but due to structural and process limitations, traditional solutions cannot achieve this compatibility without significantly increasing costs.

[0054] Based on this, the present application provides an antenna structure, referring to Figure 1 The antenna structure includes a working surface 100 and a mounting surface 200 opposite the working surface 100.

[0055] Specifically, the working surface 100 serves as the functional surface of the antenna for radiating and receiving near field communication (NFC) signals; the mounting surface 200 is used to mount and fix the antenna structure to the smart terminal device, such as the inner shell or designated position of the sound box.

[0056] Referring to Figures 1 to 3The antenna structure further comprises a first support layer 1, a metal layer 2, an insulating layer 3 and a second support layer 4 which are sequentially stacked.

[0057] Specifically, the first support layer 1 has opposite top and bottom surfaces, the bottom surface is configured as the working surface 100, and the top surface is provided with a machining area 101. The metal layer 2 is formed by physical vapor deposition (PVD) technology in the machining area 101 to realize the antenna function. The PVD process vaporizes the metal target material in a vacuum environment, and the metal atoms are deposited on the top surface of the first support layer 1 to form a dense and uniform initial metal thin film. It is worth noting that the initial metal thin film is then patterned and etched to form a metal layer 2 with a predetermined coil trace pattern.

[0058] Referring to Figure 5 The insulating layer 3 is covered on the patterned metal layer 2 and exposes at least part of the metal layer 2 to define a connection area. The connection area is used to realize the cross-connection of the coil traces inside the metal layer 2, and to provide an interface for the electrical connection between the antenna structure and an external circuit (such as a device mainboard). The second support layer 4 is arranged on the insulating layer 3 and covers the machining area 101 and part of the connection area, thereby forming a stable double-layer support structure in this area.

[0059] Further, the first support layer 1 and the second support layer 4 are both transparent polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film layers, the metal layer 2 is an aluminum foil circuit layer formed by deposition and etching, and the insulating layer 3 is a printed solder resist ink layer. It is worth noting that Figures 2 to 6 The medium dark gray part represents a dark solder resist ink layer. Since the first support layer 1, the second support layer 4 and the adhesive layer 6 are all transparent materials, they are represented by outline lines in the figure for clear display of the internal structure.

[0060] The present application forms an antenna circuit by depositing and etching aluminum foil on the first support layer 1 (PET film), printing solder resist ink as the insulating layer 3 on the circuit, and finally realizing circuit interconnection through a conductive cross-connection (such as a conductive copper foil) in the connection area. This scheme uses inexpensive PET and aluminum as the core material, eliminates the expensive drilling, electroplating and copper foil pressing process of traditional flexible circuit boards (FPC), and significantly reduces material and manufacturing costs. At the same time, the second support layer 4 (PET) is covered in the key connection area, effectively enhancing the mechanical strength and bending resistance of this part, and improving the structural reliability and durability of the antenna during assembly and use.

[0061] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 3 and Figure 4, the first support layer 1 comprises a main body part 10 and a connecting part 11. The main body part 10 is in a ring structure with the head and tail connected, so as to form a main radiation area of the antenna coil; the connecting part 11 extends from the main body part 10 to the inside of the ring structure and is in a strip structure. The metal layer 2 is deposited on the main body part 10 and the connecting part 11, so as to form a continuous and complete conductive pattern on the first support layer 1.

[0062] It should be noted that the specific form of the ring structure is not limited in the present application, and the design has high flexibility. In addition to the standard circular ring, the ring structure can also be adapted to different product design requirements and evolved into a rectangular ring (which can contain a rounded corner or a right angle), an elliptical ring (the ratio of the major axis and the minor axis can be adjusted according to the space), or other polygonal rings (such as a hexagonal ring, an octagonal ring, etc.). In addition, the contour of the outer edge or the inner edge of the ring structure is not limited to a smooth straight line, and can be designed as a wavy, zigzag or gear-shaped structure to meet specific electrical or aesthetic requirements.

[0063] Specifically, the metal layer 2 comprises a plurality of metal coils in a concentric arrangement formed in the machining area 101, and the metal coils are connected in series. The part of the metal coil on the main body part 10 is consistent with the shape of the main body part 10, and together forms a ring-shaped signal sensing and radiation area; at the same time, the metal coil also comprises a strip-shaped trace on the connecting part 11, which serves as a bridge and a lead wire for realizing the electrical connection between different number of coils and guiding the signal from the ring-shaped area to the end point connected with the external circuit.

[0064] In one specific embodiment, continuing to refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , the metal layer 2 comprises a first coil 21, a second coil 22 and a third coil 23 connected in series. The second coil 22 is located between the first coil 21 and the third coil 23, and the two ends thereof are connected with the first coil 21 and the third coil 23 respectively, so as to obtain a higher inductance value and a more optimal magnetic field coupling strength through the three-coil series connection structure in a limited ring area, to meet the higher requirements for the antenna performance in specific scenarios (such as payment identification).

[0065] Further, one end of the coil structure formed by the first coil 21, the second coil 22 and the third coil 23 connected in series is connected with a strip-shaped trace on the connecting part 11. The other end is connected with another strip-shaped trace on the connecting part 11 through a conductive connecting piece (such as a conductive copper foil).

[0066] Further, the strip-shaped trace on the connecting part 11 is exposed at the connecting area defined by the insulating layer 3, so as to realize reliable electrical cross-connection through a conductive connecting piece (such as a conductive copper foil).

[0067] It should be noted that the number of turns of the metal coil is not limited in the present application. According to different inductance requirements and product space, the metal layer 2 can include only one turn (single turn) of metal coil, or two turns, three turns or more turns of metal coil connected in series. Such design is a routine selection made by those skilled in the art according to actual application, and should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Similarly, the first coil 21, the second coil 22 and the third coil 23 are consistent with the above description of the metal layer 2, which are formed by etching an aluminum film and the material is aluminum.

[0068] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 5 , the connection area is divided according to functions, including an interconnection area 301 for realizing the cross-connection between different parts of the metal coil, and an external connection area 302 for providing electrical connection between the antenna structure and external circuit (such as the main board of the device). The interconnection area 301 is located on the main body part 10, and is mainly used to solve the electrical requirement of loop closure on a single panel. The interconnection area 301 includes a first sub-interconnection area 3011 and a second sub-interconnection area 3012. The first sub-interconnection area 3011 is provided with the end of the strip-shaped trace on the connection part 11, and the second sub-interconnection area 3012 is provided with the end of the first coil 21 away from the second coil 22. The first sub-interconnection area 3011 and the second sub-interconnection area 3012 are electrically isolated by a solder resist ink layer, and a cross-connection area is defined therebetween, so that a conductive connecting member (such as a conductive copper foil) can be subsequently connected across the area, thereby realizing reliable electrical connection between the first sub-interconnection area 3011 and the second sub-interconnection area 3012.

[0069] The external connection area 302 is located at the end of the connection part 11 (or "lead part"), which serves as the signal input / output port of the antenna.

[0070] Specifically, in order to ensure good electrical conductivity, oxidation resistance and weldability of the metal layer 2 in the interconnection area 301 and the external connection area 302, a connection layer 5 is formed in these exposed areas. The material of the connection layer 5 can be a single metal layer or a multi-layer metal composite structure, including but not limited to nickel, gold, or a combination thereof. For example, a preferred configuration is to first deposit a layer of nickel as a barrier layer and main conductive layer on the exposed aluminum layer through chemical displacement reaction, and then deposit a thin gold layer on the nickel layer to prevent oxidation and ensure good contact performance. This process is commonly known as "nickel-gold plating".

[0071] In a specific embodiment, referring to Figure 4 and Figure 6 , the connection layer 5 further includes a first metal connecting member 51. It should be noted that Figure 6The diagonal fillings on the first metal connecting piece 51 in the figure are a kind of graphical representation method, which aims to clearly show that the component is a complete solid structure, rather than a hollow or perspective view. The first metal connecting piece 51 is formed on the side of the insulating layer 3 away from the metal layer 2 and is accurately located in the interconnection area 301. It realizes physical contact and electrical connection with the lower metal layer 2 through the window (i.e. the interconnection area 301) opened on the insulating layer 3. Its core function is to act as a "jumper" or "bridge" to connect different parts of the metal coil that are separated by the insulating layer 3, thereby realizing the series connection of multiple concentric coils and forming a complete and continuous multi-turn inductance loop.

[0072] Specifically, the first metal connecting piece 51 is the conductive connecting piece mentioned above, and its preferred material is high-conductivity copper, which can be understood as a piece of conductive copper foil formed by stamping, and is fixed in the interconnection area 301 by conductive glue or micron-level precision welding (such as hot press welding). This kind of setting realizes layer-to-layer conduction by surface mounting, completely avoiding the complex processes such as expensive mechanical drilling, chemical copper plating and electroplating hole filling in traditional FPC process, greatly simplifying the production process and significantly reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0073] In another specific embodiment, the connecting layer 5 also includes a second metal connecting piece 52. The second metal connecting piece 52 is also formed on the side of the insulating layer 3 away from the metal layer 2 and is located in the external connection area 302. It is electrically connected with the strip-shaped trace at the end of the metal layer 2 through the external connection area 302, and its core function is to serve as an electrical interface between the antenna and the main board of the external device.

[0074] It can be understood that the second metal connecting piece 52 constitutes the connection terminal of the antenna or the so-called gold finger. In a preferred scheme, the second metal connecting piece 52 also uses copper foil as the base material, and is subjected to nickel-gold plating treatment on its contact surface to form a durable, low-resistance and solderable contact surface. The antenna uses the "gold finger" area to be crimped or connected with the corresponding pad on the main board of the device through conductive zebra strips, spring needles or direct welding, thereby transmitting the NFC signal to the main chip.

[0075] In yet another embodiment, in order to enhance the reliability of the first metal connecting piece 51 and the second metal connecting piece 52 in frequent bending or high-temperature environments, a covering film (such as another layer of PET, i.e. the second support layer 4 mentioned above) can be locally covered thereon. The covering film plays a threefold role of mechanical fixation, insulation protection and stress dispersion for the connecting piece, especially the bridged copper foil, further improving the service life of the antenna module.

[0076] In addition, the shape and number of the external connection area 302 can be flexibly adjusted according to the definition of the mainboard interface. For example, it can be a single rectangular contact block, or multiple independent contacts arranged side by side to correspond to different electrical definitions such as power, ground and signal lines, etc.

[0077] It should be noted that the first metal connecting member 51 and the second metal connecting member 52 in the above content can be formed and attached at the same time by using the same material (such as a copper foil) and process (such as a high-speed chip mounter) in the same process, which greatly improves the production efficiency and product consistency, and is one of the key process innovations of the present scheme to realize low cost and high reliability.

[0078] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 2 and Figure 6 , the antenna structure further comprises a reinforcing structure 7. The reinforcing structure 7 is fixedly arranged on the working surface 100 of the area where the connecting part 11 is located (i.e. the bottom surface of the first support layer 1). Among them, the orthographic projection of the second metal connecting member 52 (i.e. the gold finger as the external interface) on the connecting part 11 falls completely within the orthographic projection range of the reinforcing structure 7 on the connecting part 11.

[0079] Specifically, such a setting means that from the direction perpendicular to the working surface 100, the gold finger is completely "wrapped" within the contour of the reinforcing structure 7. The reinforcing structure 7 acts as a rigid support, which locally increases the overall thickness and mechanical strength of the connecting part 11 (especially in the gold finger area), thereby resisting external stress generated when plugging, soldering or daily bending at this part.

[0080] In a preferred embodiment, the material of the reinforcing structure 7 is polyimide (PI) or thicker PET. PI is selected because it has excellent mechanical strength, rigidity and high temperature resistance, and can withstand the high temperature of reflow soldering process without deformation. The reinforcing layer is firmly attached to the working surface 100 by a high-adhesion adhesive (such as acrylic adhesive or epoxy resin adhesive). Its size is carefully designed to not only completely cover the gold finger area, but also extend 0.5mm to 2mm around the gold finger, forming an effective "stress buffer zone" to disperse the concentrated stress to a wider first support layer 1 substrate, thereby fundamentally preventing the gold finger from peeling off or breaking from the flexible substrate due to stress concentration.

[0081] In another embodiment, the reinforcing structure 7 forms a spatially cooperative relationship with the second support layer 4 (cover film) on the connecting portion 11. The second support layer 4 is located on the top surface of the connecting portion 11 (i.e. above the insulating layer 3), while the reinforcing structure 7 is located on the bottom surface (working surface 100). The two correspond to each other on the gold finger area, sandwiching the soft connecting portion 11, and together form a local high-strength sandwich structure. This double support design greatly improves the bending resistance and overall structural stability of the interface area.

[0082] In some embodiments, the profile of the reinforcing structure 7 is not limited to a simple rectangle. It can be designed as a trapezoid or an ellipse, which is wider near one end of the antenna body portion 10 and gradually narrows towards the distal end (i.e. the outer connecting end).

[0083] It should be noted that in some low-cost application scenarios, the reinforcing structure 7 can also be selected not to completely cover the solder points of the gold finger, but only to cover the root trace area, at which time its function is more focused on enhancing bending durability rather than solder support.

[0084] In some embodiments, the orthographic projection of the second support layer 4 on the connecting portion 11 at least partially overlaps the orthographic projection of the reinforcing structure 7 on the connecting portion 11.

[0085] Specifically, referring to Figure 1 , the overlapping part of the projection of the second support layer 4 and the reinforcing structure 7 on the connecting portion 11 is designed to be within the range of 0.5mm to 10mm in width d1 parallel to the extension direction of the connecting portion 11. It should be noted that the width d1 of this projection overlap part, i.e. its dimension measured in the direction parallel to the extension direction of the connecting portion 11 from the body portion 10 inward (i.e. the length direction), defines the length of the "enhanced stack" area constructed by the two.

[0086] Further, the lower limit (0.5mm) of this overlap width d1 ensures that there is enough minimum stack area to effectively transfer and disperse stress, avoiding the creation of new stress concentration points at the abutting edges of the two support structures due to sudden changes in rigidity. The upper limit (10mm) of the overlap width d1 is to control the overall thickness, material cost and antenna internal stacking space optimization under the premise of ensuring structural strength.

[0087] This arrangement helps to form a local composite reinforcing structure in the soft connecting portion 11 area, which is composed of the second support layer 4 (top surface), the circuit (middle) and the reinforcing structure 7 (bottom surface). The composite structure holds the core circuit in the center by the two upper and lower film layers with certain rigidity, bringing multiple significant benefits.

[0088] Firstly, when the connecting part 11 (especially the root of the gold finger) is subjected to bending, the upper and lower two layers of the support body jointly resist the bending stress, greatly reducing the risk of wire breakage of the metal coil due to repeated bending, and improving the durability of the product during assembly and use.

[0089] Secondly, this structure can smoothly transfer and disperse the plugging force, welding thermal stress or internal stress of the device shell from the fragile gold finger contact area to the larger area of the main body of the first support layer 1, thereby effectively eliminating the potential stress concentration phenomenon and protecting the integrity of the electrical connection.

[0090] Finally, the simultaneous constraint of the upper and lower two layers helps to prevent the connecting part 11 from curling or warping during mounting, ensuring the flatness of the gold finger area, which is particularly important for contact connection schemes such as spring needles or conductive zebra strips, and can significantly improve the one-time yield of assembly.

[0091] In one embodiment, the overlapping width d1 is preferably set between 1.5 mm and 2 mm. For example, an overlapping area of 1.8 mm wide can provide reliable protection far beyond the lower limit and far from the upper limit, ensuring the compactness and economy of the design.

[0092] In another embodiment, the second support layer 4 and the reinforcing structure 7 can have different shapes in the connecting part 11 area. For example, the second support layer 4 is a regular rectangle, while the reinforcing structure 7 is designed with a circular arc transition at one end. At this time, the projection overlapping width d1 of the two is a variable value. In this case, the technical solution requires that at any point in the extension direction of the connecting part 11, the overlapping width d1 should fall within the range of 0.5 mm to 10 mm, thereby ensuring the continuity and consistency of the enhancement effect.

[0093] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the antenna structure further includes an adhesive layer 6. One side of the adhesive layer 6 completely covers the second support layer 4, and the other side constitutes the mounting surface 200 of the entire antenna structure, which is used to firmly attach the antenna to the designated position of the smart terminal device (such as a sound box). At the same time, the first support layer 1 further includes a first blank area 102 on the main body 10, which is located within the inner range of the processing area 101. The adhesive layer 6 extends downward and covers the first blank area 102.

[0094] It can be understood that the "first blank area 102 is located in the processing area 101" means that the processing area 101 (i.e. the area where the metal layer 2 is deposited) is annular in the top view, and the inner diameter of the processing area 101 is greater than the outer diameter of the first blank area 102. The two are not in an overlapping relationship, but the inner side boundary of the processing area 101 and the outer side boundary of the first blank area 102 are connected or adjacent, which together constitutes the complete area of the top surface of the first support layer 1 on the main body part 10. In other words, the first blank area 102 is a central area surrounded by the processing area 101 and not covered by the metal layer 2.

[0095] Such a design greatly increases the total bonding area of the antenna and the device shell, preventing the antenna from falling off in a shock, drop, or high-temperature environment.

[0096] Further, the ratio of the inner diameter (D1) of the processing area 101 to the outer diameter (D2) of the first blank area 102 (i.e. D1 / D2) is designed within an optimized range, for example, 0.6 to 0.95.

[0097] In a preferred embodiment, the ratio is set to be between 0.75 and 0.9. For example, for an annular coating area with an inner diameter D1 of 40 mm, the outer diameter D2 of the first blank area 102 is designed to be 45 mm to 50 mm, and the ratio is about 0.8 to 0.89. Such a proportion range can provide sufficient bonding area to ensure structural reliability while leaving sufficient flexibility and performance optimization space for the design of the antenna coil.

[0098] In an embodiment, the bonding layer 6 is a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) layer with a certain thickness, which not only covers the second support layer 4 and the first blank area 102, but even at the position corresponding to the reinforcing structure 7 of the connecting part 11, the thickness can be self-adapted to fill and form a uniform mounting surface 200.

[0099] In some embodiments, the first support layer 1 further comprises a second blank area 103 on the connecting part 11. The antenna structure comprises an electronic element. The electronic element comprises a working unit and a connecting unit (such as an FPC soft board or a wire), and the working unit is arranged in the internal space enclosed by the main body part 10, and one end of the connecting unit is connected to the working unit, and the other end extends and is fixed in the second blank area 103.

[0100] It can be understood that the "working unit is located in the interior of the main body part 10" means that the unit is physically placed in the central area surrounded by the annular antenna coil, and it is not made on the substrate of the main body part 10, but is integrated with the antenna structure as an independent and additional functional module. This layout makes full use of the "idle" space inside the antenna coil and achieves high utilization of the internal space of the device.

[0101] Specifically, the electronic component can be a light sensor (e.g. ambient light sensor), distance sensor, indicator light (LED), infrared emitter / receiver tube, or the like, which provides additional functions for the smart terminal. For example, an ambient light sensor can be placed here to automatically adjust the device screen brightness according to ambient light.

[0102] Further, in the present embodiment, the connecting unit of the electronic component is electrically connected with the second metal connecting piece 52 through a conductive circuit (which can be made in the same process as the antenna metal layer 2) made in the second blank area 103.

[0103] It can be understood that such design realizes the sharing of electrode (gold finger) area between the electronic component and the antenna structure. This means that the same set of gold finger crimping points or soldering points on the main board of the device can not only transmit the radio frequency signal of the NFC antenna, but also simultaneously provide power supply for the integrated electronic component (e.g. light sensor) and transmit its data signal. This greatly saves the number of interfaces of the main board connector and simplifies the overall wiring design.

[0104] The present application also provides an electronic structure comprising the antenna structure mentioned in any of the above embodiments. The electronic device can be specifically a smart speaker, a smart phone, a smart wearable device, or an Internet of Things terminal, etc. In the electronic device, the antenna structure is firmly attached to the inner surface of the device shell or other predetermined position through its large-area adhesive layer, and the annular coil on the main body part is used for efficiently receiving and transmitting NFC radio frequency signals to realize near field communication function. At the same time, the electronic component (e.g. ambient light sensor) integrated in the central space or connecting part of the antenna structure can communicate with the main circuit board through the shared gold finger, realizing intensive use of hardware resources.

[0105] In the above detailed description, reference was made to the accompanying drawings, which show by way of illustration specific aspects in which the disclosure can be practiced. In this regard, directional terminology, such as "thickness", "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", and the like, can be used with reference to the orientation of the described drawings. Because components of the described devices can be positioned in a number of different orientations, the directional terminology can be used for purposes of explanation without limiting. It is to be understood that other aspects can be utilized and structural or logical changes can be made without departing from the concept of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0106] It should be understood that the features of various ones of the disclosed embodiments described herein can be combined with each other, unless specifically noted otherwise. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items; similarly, "at least one of' includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0107] It should be understood that, unless specifically stated otherwise, the terms "joined," "attached," "mounted," "connected," "fixed," and the like, as used herein, are to be construed broadly, for example, as either fixed connections, or detachable connections, or as integral; as either mechanical connections, or electrical connections, or as communicable with each other; as either direct connections, or indirect connections via intermediate media; as internal connections within two elements, or as an interaction relationship between two elements, unless specifically defined otherwise. The specific meanings of the above terms in the present context can be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art according to the specific circumstances.

[0108] Although terms such as "first", "second", and "third" can be used herein to describe various components, parts, regions, layers or sections, these components, parts, regions, layers or sections are not limited to the terms. Rather, the terms are merely used to distinguish one component, part, region, layer or section from another component, part, region, layer or section. Thus, a first component, part, region, layer or section mentioned in the examples described herein can also be referred to as a second component, part, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the examples. In addition, the terms "first", "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first", "second" can explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description herein, the meaning of "a plurality of' is at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless specifically defined otherwise.

[0109] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any manner. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features of the above embodiments are described, however, it is to be understood that any combination of the technical features is within the scope of the present specification, provided that the combination does not result in a contradiction.

Claims

1. An antenna structure comprising a working surface; characterized in that, The antenna structure comprises: a first support layer having opposite top and bottom surfaces, the bottom surface forming the working surface, and the top surface being provided with a processing area; a metal layer formed in the processing area; an insulating layer covering the metal layer and exposing at least part of the metal layer to define a connecting area; a second support layer arranged on the insulating layer and covering the processing area and part of the connecting area.

2. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein, The first support layer comprises a main body portion and a connecting portion, the main body portion being in a ring structure with the head and tail connected, and the connecting portion extending from the main body portion to the inside of the main body portion and being in a strip structure; The metal layer is formed on the main body portion and the connecting portion.

3. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein, The metal layer comprises a plurality of metal coils arranged concentrically in the processing area, and the plurality of metal coils are connected in series.

4. The antenna structure of claim 3, wherein, The first support layer comprises a main body portion and a connecting portion, the main body portion being in a ring structure with the head and tail connected, and the connecting portion extending from the main body portion to the inside of the main body portion and being in a strip structure; The connecting area comprises an interconnection area and an external connection area, the interconnection area being located on the main body portion, and the external connection area being located on the connecting portion; wherein, The interconnection area and the external connection area are formed with a connecting layer, and the material of the connecting layer comprises at least one of the following materials or a combination of multiple materials: nickel, gold.

5. The antenna structure of claim 4, wherein, The connecting layer comprises a first metal connecting piece; the first metal connecting piece is formed on the side of the insulating layer away from the metal layer and is located in the interconnection area, and the first metal connecting piece is electrically connected with the metal layer through the interconnection area to realize the series connection of the plurality of coils; and / or, The connecting layer comprises a second metal connecting piece; the second metal connecting piece is formed on the side of the insulating layer away from the metal layer and is located in the external connection area, and the second metal connecting piece is electrically connected with the metal layer through the external connection area for electrical connection with a device mainboard.

6. The antenna structure of claim 5, wherein, The metal layer comprises first, second and third coils connected in series, the second coil is located between the first and third coils, and the two ends of the second coil are connected with the first and third coils respectively; the first metal connecting piece is electrically connected with the first and third coils; and / or, The first metal connecting piece is made of copper; and / or, The first, second and third coils are made of aluminum material.

7. The antenna structure of claim 5, wherein, The antenna structure further comprises a reinforcing structure arranged on the working surface of the connecting portion; The second metal connecting piece falls within the projection of the reinforcing structure on the connecting portion.

8. The antenna structure of claim 7, wherein, The projection of the second support layer on the connecting portion at least partially overlaps with the projection of the reinforcing structure on the connecting portion.

9. The antenna structure of claim 8, wherein, The width of the overlapping part of the projections of the second support layer and the reinforcing structure on the connecting portion is 0.5mm to 10mm.

10. The antenna structure of claim 1, wherein, In the thickness direction of the antenna structure, the antenna structure further comprises a mounting surface opposite to the working surface, and the antenna structure further comprises an adhesive layer, one side of which covers the second support layer and the other side of which forms the mounting surface. The first support layer comprises a main body part and a connecting part, the main body part is in a ring structure with the head and tail connected, the connecting part extends from the main body part to the inside of the main body part, and the connecting part is in a strip structure; The first support layer further comprises a first blank area on the main body part, the first blank area is located in the processing area, and the adhesive layer covers the first blank area.

11. The antenna structure of claim 10, wherein, The first support layer further comprises a second blank area on the connecting part; the antenna structure further comprises an electronic element; The electronic element comprises a working unit and a connecting unit, the working unit is located in the inside of the main body part, one end of the connecting unit is connected with the working unit, and the other end is located in the second blank area.

12. The antenna structure of claim 11, wherein, A second metal connecting piece is arranged on the connecting part, and the electronic element is electrically connected with the second metal connecting piece through the connecting part.

13. An electronic structure, comprising: The electronic structure comprises the antenna structure according to any one of claims 1-12. The electronic structure comprises the antenna structure according to any one of claims 1-12.

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