Portable charging terminal

Abstract

To improve the antenna gain of a portable charging terminal.SOLUTION: A portable charging terminal 10 includes a housing 30, a power storage device 16, a charging interface, and a substrate 40. The charging interface is configured to supply electric power of the power storage device 16 to an external terminal. A power reception antenna that receives power to be supplied to the power storage device 16 and a power reception circuit configured to charge the power storage device 16 with the power from the power reception antenna are mounted on the substrate 40. The power receiving antenna includes a circularly polarized antenna element A.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a portable charging terminal. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a wirelessly rechargeable battery device that uses dry cells. The wirelessly rechargeable battery device in Patent Document 1 includes an antenna that receives wireless radio frequency (RF) power, an electronic circuit board that converts the received wireless RF power into direct current power, and a battery module that stores the DC power.

[0003] In addition to the antenna, the electronic circuit board, and the battery module, the portable charging terminal further includes a charging interface for supplying the power stored in the battery module to an external terminal. The portable charging terminal is used to charge an external terminal such as a multi-function portable terminal having a dedicated battery inside. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6725531 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In order to efficiently charge the power storage device provided inside the portable charging terminal, it is required to improve the antenna gain of the portable charging terminal. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] [Aspect 1] A portable charging terminal comprising a housing, a power storage device, a charging interface, and a board, wherein the housing has a power receiving side wall and a charging side wall, the power receiving side wall and the charging side wall constituting two opposing surfaces of the housing, the charging interface being configured to supply power from the power storage device to an external terminal, the board being mounted with a power receiving antenna that receives power to be supplied to the power storage device and a power receiving circuit configured to charge the power from the power receiving antenna into the power storage device, the power storage device and the charging interface being arranged to face the charging side wall, and the board being arranged with the power receiving antenna facing the power receiving side wall, and the power receiving antenna being configured to include a circularly polarized antenna element.

[0007] In the above configuration, a circularly polarized antenna element A is used as the antenna element that constitutes the power receiving antenna 12. In this case, a hybrid coupler is not required to combine signals based on vertical polarization and signals based on horizontal polarization, which is required when a linearly polarized antenna element is used. By omitting the hybrid coupler, transmission loss in the hybrid coupler can be avoided. Eliminating transmission loss in the hybrid coupler improves antenna gain.

[0008] [Aspect 2] A portable charging terminal as described in aspect 1, wherein a plurality of the circularly polarized antenna elements are mounted on the first main surface of the substrate, and the plurality of the circularly polarized antenna elements are arranged on the first main surface in a row of n elements spaced apart horizontally, and m rows spaced apart vertically (where m and n are integers greater than or equal to 3 and may be the same or different).

[0009] [Aspect 3] A portable charging terminal as described in Aspect 2, wherein at least one of the multiple circularly polarized antenna elements arranged on the first main surface of the substrate has an orientation determined by the position of the perturbation and the feed point that is 180 degrees different from either or both of the circularly polarized antenna element adjacent to it on one side in the vertical direction and the circularly polarized antenna element adjacent to it on one side in the horizontal direction.

[0010] According to the above configuration, a large space is formed on the second principal surface of the board, which is the surface opposite to the first principal surface, between the feed point of a circularly polarized antenna element facing in a different direction and the feed point of a circularly polarized antenna element adjacent to the circularly polarized antenna element in question. By utilizing this space, large mounted components can be placed on the second principal surface of the board.

[0011] [Aspect 4] A portable charging terminal according to Aspect 2 or Aspect 3, further comprising a communication antenna for communicating with an external device, the communication antenna including a circularly polarized antenna element, and the plurality of circularly polarized antenna elements arranged on the first main surface of the substrate including a circularly polarized antenna element constituting the power receiving antenna and a circularly polarized antenna element constituting the communication antenna. According to the above configuration, by using a circularly polarized antenna element as the communication antenna, it is possible to reduce missed readings when an external power supply device detects the presence of the portable charging terminal.

[0012] [Aspect 5] The portable charging terminal according to Aspect 4, wherein in an area on the first main surface of the substrate where a plurality of the circularly polarized antenna elements are mounted, at least one of the circularly polarized antenna elements located closest to the center of the area is a circularly polarized antenna element constituting the communication antenna. According to the above configuration, by arranging the circularly polarized antenna element constituting the communication antenna near the center of the area, bias in the reading direction when an external power supply device detects the presence of the portable charging terminal can be suppressed.

[0013] [Aspect 6] A portable charging terminal according to any one of Aspects 1 to 5, wherein the substrate includes a plurality of metal layers stacked in a thickness direction of the substrate with insulating layers interposed therebetween, and the distance between the first principal surface and the metal layer closest to the first principal surface among the plurality of metal layers is longer than the distance between the metal layers themselves. According to the above configuration, by increasing the distance between the circularly polarized antenna element disposed on the first principal surface and the metal layer provided within the substrate, the circularly polarized antenna element can be operated stably. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The antenna gain of the portable charging terminal can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view illustrating a portable charging terminal according to a first embodiment and a method of using the same. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a portable charging terminal according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the substrate as viewed from the first main surface side. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the substrate as viewed from the second main surface side. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the structure of a circularly polarized antenna element. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the structure of a linearly polarized antenna element. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a portable charging terminal according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a substrate according to a second embodiment, viewed from the first main surface side. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a portable charging terminal according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] First Embodiment The first embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1, the portable charging terminal 10 is a portable battery that supplies power contactlessly to the external terminal 100. The external terminal 100 is, for example, a multi-function portable terminal such as a multi-function mobile phone.

[0017] [Basic configuration of portable charging terminal] As shown in FIG. 2, the portable charging terminal 10 includes a power receiving antenna 12, a power receiving circuit 14, a power storage device 16, and a contactless charging circuit 18.

[0018] The power receiving antenna 12 receives power supplied from an external power supply device (not shown). More specifically, the external power is microwaves. The frequency band of the microwaves used here may be 5.7 to 5.8 GHz. Specifically, the frequency band of the microwaves used here may be, for example, 5.75 GHz. The frequency band of the microwaves used here may also be, for example, 5.8 GHz. The frequency band of the microwaves used here may also be the 24 GHz band. The power received by the power receiving antenna 12 is input to the power receiving circuit 14.

[0019] The power receiving circuit 14 includes a rectifier circuit 14a, a charging circuit 14b, a charging control circuit 14c, and a communication unit 14d. The rectifier circuit 14a converts AC power received by the power receiving antenna 12 into DC power. The charging circuit 14b charges the power storage device 16 with the DC power output from the rectifier circuit 14a. The charging control circuit 14c operates the charging circuit 14b to control the amount of charge to the power storage device 16.

[0020] The communication unit 14d communicates with the outside of the portable charging terminal 10 via the communication antenna 22. As an example, the communication unit 14d transmits an identification signal of the portable charging terminal 10 to the outside via the communication antenna 22. This causes the portable charging terminal 10 to function as a beacon. By transmitting the identification signal, the power supply device can detect the presence of the portable charging terminal 10. The power supply device transmits power wirelessly on the condition that it detects the presence of the portable charging terminal 10. The communication unit 14d may further be configured to exchange information regarding the amount of power supply with the power supply device.

[0021] The power storage device 16 is, for example, a secondary battery. Examples of the secondary battery include a lithium ion secondary battery and a nickel-metal hydride secondary battery. The power storage device 16 is not limited to a secondary battery and may be, for example, a capacitor.

[0022] The non-contact charging circuit 18 is an electromagnetic induction type charging circuit that supplies power from the power storage device 16 to an external device via a coil 20 that serves as a charging interface. The non-contact charging circuit 18 includes a power conversion circuit 18a and a non-contact control circuit 18b. The power conversion circuit 18a is a circuit that supplies power from the power storage device 16 to the coil 20. The non-contact control circuit 18b controls the amount of power supplied to the external device by operating the power conversion circuit 18a.

[0023] [Portable charging terminal layout] As shown in FIG. 3, the portable charging terminal 10 includes a box-shaped housing 30. The housing 30 includes a charging side wall 30a and a power receiving side wall 30b that are spaced apart and face each other, and a peripheral wall 30c that connects the edges of the charging side wall 30a and the power receiving side wall 30b. The housing 30 is, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped. An example of the housing 30 shown in the drawings is a flat rectangular parallelepiped. In this case, the charging side wall 30a and the power receiving side wall 30b form, for example, the two rectangular faces that have the largest areas among the six faces that form the rectangular parallelepiped.

[0024] Here, the axis extending parallel to the long sides of the charging side wall 30a and the power receiving side wall 30b is defined as the "x-axis," and the axis extending parallel to the short sides is defined as the "y-axis." Furthermore, the axis extending perpendicular to both the "x-axis" and the "y-axis" is defined as the "z-axis." Therefore, it can be said that the charging side wall 30a and the power receiving side wall 30b are parallel to the x-axis and the y-axis and are spaced apart in the z-axis direction.

[0025] The charging side wall 30a constitutes the negative surface of the portable charging terminal 10 along the z axis. Inside the housing 30, the power storage device 16, the coil 20, and the magnet 70 are arranged facing the charging side wall 30a. The magnet 70 is used to fix the portable charging terminal 10 to the external terminal 100 to which power is supplied.

[0026] 4, the power storage device 16, the coil 20, and the magnet 70 are arranged along the x-axis direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the housing 30. The magnet 70 is arranged so as to surround the outer periphery of the coil 20.

[0027] 3, a substrate 40 is disposed inside the housing 30 so as to face the power receiving sidewall 30b. A plurality of circularly polarized antenna elements A constituting the power receiving antenna 12 and the communication antenna 22 are mounted on a first main surface 40a, which is the surface of the substrate 40 facing the power receiving sidewall 30b.

[0028] 5, a plurality of circularly polarized antenna elements A are mounted on the first main surface 40a of the substrate 40. The circularly polarized antenna elements A are mounted in a first region 71, which is one of two regions obtained by dividing the first main surface 40a in the x-axis direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the substrate 40. The other of the two regions obtained by dividing the first main surface 40a, a second region 72, is a GND region in which the ground of the circularly polarized antenna elements A is mounted.

[0029] In this embodiment, the circularly polarized antenna element A is composed of 12 circularly polarized antenna elements A1 to A12. If the x-axis direction is the vertical direction and the y-axis direction is the horizontal direction, the circularly polarized antenna elements A1 to A12 are arranged in a 4×3 matrix with regular intervals. The configuration of the circularly polarized antenna element A will be described in detail later.

[0030] 3, the rectifier circuit 14a and the communication unit 14d are mounted on the second main surface 40b, which is the surface opposite to the first main surface 40a of the substrate 40. More specifically, the rectifier circuit 14a and the communication unit 14d are mounted within an area obtained by vertically projecting the circularly polarized antenna element A onto the second main surface 40b. In other words, the set of x-axis components and y-axis components of the area where the rectifier circuit 14a is mounted is included in the set of x-axis components and y-axis components of the area where the circularly polarized antenna element A is mounted.

[0031] A charging circuit 14b and a charging control circuit 14c are also mounted on the second main surface 40b of the substrate 40. The region where the charging circuit 14b and the charging control circuit 14c are mounted and the region where the rectifier circuit 14a is mounted divide the substrate 40 into two regions in the x-axis direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the substrate 40.

[0032] A charging board 50 is disposed within the housing 30 so as to face the second main surface 40b of the board 40. The length of the charging board 50 in the longitudinal direction (x-axis) is shorter than that of the board 40. The charging board 50 is disposed so as to face a first region 71 of the board 40 on which the rectifier circuit 14a is mounted. A power conversion circuit 18a and a non-contact control circuit 18b are mounted on the charging board 50.

[0033] A metallic electromagnetic shielding material 60 is disposed inside the housing 30. The electromagnetic shielding material 60 separates the inside of the housing 30 into an area that houses the board 40 and the charging board 50 and an area that houses the secondary battery, the coil 20, and the magnet 70.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 4, the area of ​​the electromagnetic shielding material 60 projected perpendicularly onto the substrate 40 is encompassed by the substrate 40 . 3, the electromagnetic shielding material 60 has a bent portion 60a near the boundary between the region facing the power storage device 16 and the region facing the coil 20 and the magnet 70. The bent portion 60a extends in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the electromagnetic shielding material 60. As a result, the bent portion 60a creates a step in the z-axis direction between the region facing the power storage device 16 and the region facing the coil 20 and the magnet 70.

[0035] In the electromagnetic shielding material 60, the region facing the power storage device 16 is located in the positive direction of the z-axis relative to the region facing the coil 20 and the magnet 70. This takes advantage of the fact that the thickness, which is the length in the z-axis direction, of the power storage device 16 is greater than the thickness, which is the length in the z-axis direction, of the coil 20 and the magnet 70. As a result, the distance between the substrate 40 and the electromagnetic shielding material 60 is greater in the region where the electromagnetic shielding material 60 faces the charging substrate 50 than in the region where the electromagnetic shielding material 60 does not face the charging substrate 50.

[0036] [Usage example] As shown in Fig. 1, the portable charging terminal 10 charges the external terminal 100 contactlessly by supplying power to the external terminal 100 contactlessly. Here, the charging side wall 30a of the portable charging terminal 10 is disposed facing the external terminal 100. Note that Fig. 1 shows a state in which the portable charging terminal 10 and the external terminal 100 are separated from each other, but when actually charging the external terminal 100, it is desirable to bring the charging side wall 30a of the portable charging terminal 10 into contact with the external terminal 100.

[0037] Specifically, it is desirable to align the coil 20 with the power receiving coil of the external terminal 100 in a state where the portable charging terminal 10 is attracted to the external terminal 100 by the magnet 70. This can improve the efficiency of power transmission from the coil 20 to the external terminal 100.

[0038] In this state, a person's hand tends to rest on the longitudinal end of the external terminal 100. On the other hand, the power receiving antenna 12 is arranged closer to the coil 20 in the longitudinal direction of the portable charging terminal 10. Therefore, the power receiving antenna 12 is arranged closer to the center of the external terminal 100. This prevents the power receiving antenna 12 from being covered by a person's hand.

[0039] [Antenna element details] The circularly polarized antenna element A of this embodiment is a circularly polarized antenna that can receive wirelessly transmitted power.

[0040] Figure 7 shows the structure of a square left-handed circularly polarized antenna that achieves circular polarization as an example of the circularly polarized antenna element A. Note that the circularly polarized antenna element A is not limited to the left-handed circularly polarized antenna shown in Figure 7, and may be another circularly polarized antenna, for example, a circularly polarized antenna.

[0041] The circularly polarized antenna element A shown in Fig. 7 has a parallelepiped shape with notches (hereinafter referred to as perturbations Ap) made in a pair of diagonal corners of a square, and has one feed point P inside the parallelepiped shape. In Fig. 7, perturbations Ap are made in the upper left and lower right corners. The impedance matching and various antenna parameters of the circularly polarized antenna element A can be adjusted by the magnitude of the perturbation Ap and the position of the feed point P.

[0042] As an example, assume that two perturbations Ap have the same size and shape and are formed parallel to a diagonal line L1 connecting corners where no perturbation Ap is formed. In this case, the length L2 of the perturbation Ap is preferably 12.6% to 14.8% of the length of the diagonal line L1. Furthermore, it is preferable that the feed point P is located within a square region R of the parallelepiped, with the one corner where no perturbation Ap is formed and the center point CP of the parallelepiped as the diagonal vertex.

[0043] 5, the twelve circularly polarized antenna elements A1 to A12 are arranged in a 4×3 matrix at regular intervals on the first main surface 40a of the substrate 40. In other words, the twelve circularly polarized antenna elements A1 to A12 are arranged in four rows spaced apart in the vertical direction, with three rows spaced apart in the horizontal direction.

[0044] All of the circularly polarized antenna elements A1 to A12 are the above-mentioned circularly polarized antenna elements A. Of the circularly polarized antenna elements A1 to A12, the circularly polarized antenna elements A that make up the power receiving antenna 12 are circularly polarized antenna elements A1 to A4, A6, A7, and A9 to A12, and the circularly polarized antenna elements A that make up the communication antenna 22 are circularly polarized antenna elements A5 and A8. A rectifier circuit 14a is connected to the circularly polarized antenna elements A1 to A4, A6, A7, and A9 to A12 that make up the power receiving antenna 12. A transmitter serving as a communication unit 14d is connected to the circularly polarized antenna elements A5 and A8 that make up the communication antenna 22.

[0045] In this embodiment, the communication antenna 22 is configured by two circularly polarized antenna elements A that are arranged closest to the center of the first region 71 in which the circularly polarized antenna elements A1 to A12 are arranged. In other words, the antenna elements that make up the power receiving antenna 12 (circularly polarized antenna elements A1 to A4, A6, A7, A9 to A12) are arranged so as to surround the antenna elements that make up the communication antenna 22 (circularly polarized antenna elements A5 and A8).

[0046] Circularly polarized antenna element A has an orientation determined by the position of perturbation Ap and the position of feed point P. As shown in Fig. 5, of the 12 circularly polarized antenna elements A1 to A12, only circularly polarized antenna element A7 has a different orientation. Specifically, circularly polarized antenna element A7 is arranged on the first main surface 40a of substrate 40 in an orientation rotated 180 degrees relative to the other circularly polarized antenna elements A6, A8 to A12.

[0047] In this case, the distance between the feed point P of circularly polarized antenna element A7 and the feed point P of circularly polarized antenna element A4, which is adjacent to circularly polarized antenna element A7 on one side in the vertical direction, becomes longer. Similarly, the distance between the feed point P of circularly polarized antenna element A7 and the feed point P of circularly polarized antenna element A8, which is adjacent to circularly polarized antenna element A7 on one side in the horizontal direction, becomes longer.

[0048] As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, which is a plan view of the second main surface 40b side of the substrate 40, a large space S1 is formed on the second main surface 40b of the substrate 40 between the feed point P of the circularly polarized antenna element A7 and the feed point P of the circularly polarized antenna element A4. Similarly, a large space S2 is formed between the feed point P of the circularly polarized antenna element A7 and the feed point P of the circularly polarized antenna element A8. Large-sized mounted components (not shown) are mounted in the spaces S1 and S2 on the second main surface 40b of the substrate 40. Examples of large-sized mounted components include a beacon IC, a microcomputer, and a memory. Note that some of the mounted components (e.g., the charging circuit 14b and the charging control circuit 14c) are omitted from FIG. 6.

[0049] [Substrate layer structure] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a first region 71 of the substrate 40. The substrate 40 has a plurality of metal layers stacked with an insulating layer 40c sandwiched therebetween. The example substrate 40 shown in FIG. 9 has four metal layers M1 to M4. The metal layer M1 is a conductive pattern formed on the second main surface 40b. The metal layer M4, which is located closest to the first main surface 40a, is a GND wiring that connects the circularly polarized antenna element A to ground. The metal layers M2 and M3 located between the metal layers M1 and M4 are, for example, high-frequency wiring or a traffic light shield.

[0050] In the first region 71 of the substrate 40, the distance D1 between the first main surface 40a and the metal layer M4 located closest to the first main surface 40a is longer than the interlayer distances of the metal layers M1 to M4. The distance D1 is, for example, 1.175 mm or more, and preferably 1.575 mm in consideration of the 3 dB half-value angle. The distance D1 is, for example, 1.575 mm or less.

[0051] [Effect] Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. First, the linearly polarized antenna element LA will be described with reference to Figure 8. The linearly polarized antenna element LA shown in Figure 8 is rectangular and has two feed points P inside the rectangle. One of the two feed points P outputs a received signal based on a received vertically polarized wave, and the other outputs a signal based on a received horizontally polarized wave. A hybrid coupler (not shown) is connected to the linearly polarized antenna element LA. The hybrid coupler outputs a combined signal obtained by combining, with a phase shift, the signal based on a vertically polarized wave and the signal based on a horizontally polarized wave output from the linearly polarized antenna element LA.

[0052] In this embodiment, a circularly polarized antenna element A is used as the antenna element that constitutes the power receiving antenna 12. The circularly polarized antenna element A has one feed point P, which outputs a signal based on circular polarization, in which the electric field propagates while rotating in a circular pattern. The signal based on circular polarization corresponds to the above-mentioned combined signal obtained by combining a signal based on vertical polarization and a signal based on horizontal polarization with a phase shift. Therefore, when the circularly polarized antenna element A is used, a hybrid coupler for combining the signal based on vertical polarization and the signal based on horizontal polarization is not required.

[0053] When the circularly polarized antenna element A is used, the hybrid coupler can be omitted, thereby avoiding the transmission loss in the hybrid coupler. As a result, compared to when the linearly polarized antenna element LA is used, the antenna gain is improved because the transmission loss in the hybrid coupler is eliminated.

[0054] [effect] (1) The portable charging terminal 10 includes a housing 30, a power storage device 16, a charging interface (coil 20), and a substrate 40. The charging interface is configured to supply power from the power storage device 16 to an external terminal. Mounted on the substrate 40 are a power receiving antenna 12 that receives power to be supplied to the power storage device 16, and a power receiving circuit 14 that is configured to charge the power from the power receiving antenna 12 into the power storage device 16. The power receiving antenna 12 is configured to include a circularly polarized antenna element A. With the above configuration, transmission loss in the hybrid coupler is eliminated, thereby improving antenna gain.

[0055] (2) A plurality of circularly polarized antenna elements A are mounted on the first principal surface 40a of the substrate 40. The plurality of circularly polarized antenna elements A are arranged on the first principal surface 40a in a row of n elements spaced apart in the horizontal direction, and m rows spaced apart in the vertical direction. At least one of the plurality of circularly polarized antenna elements A arranged on the first principal surface 40a of the substrate 40 has an orientation, determined by the position of the perturbation Ap and the feed point P, that differs by 180 degrees from either or both of the circularly polarized antenna element A adjacent to it on one side in the vertical direction and the circularly polarized antenna element A adjacent to it on one side in the horizontal direction.

[0056] According to the above configuration, on the second principal surface 40b of the substrate 40, wide spaces S1 and S2 are formed between the feed point P of a circularly polarized antenna element A facing in a different direction and the feed point P of a circularly polarized antenna element A adjacent to the circularly polarized antenna element A. By utilizing these spaces S1 and S2, large mounted components can be arranged in the portion located in the first region 71 of the second principal surface 40b. This allows the first region 71 to be formed wide, and many circularly polarized antenna elements A to be arranged in the first region 71. By arranging many circularly polarized antenna elements A, the antenna gain is improved.

[0057] (3) The portable charging terminal 10 is provided with a communication antenna 22 for communicating with an external device. The communication antenna includes a circularly polarized antenna element A. The plurality of circularly polarized antenna elements A arranged on the first main surface 40a of the substrate 40 include a circularly polarized antenna element A that constitutes the power receiving antenna 12 and a circularly polarized antenna element A that constitutes the communication antenna 22. By using the circularly polarized antenna element A as the communication antenna 22, it is possible to reduce missed readings when an external power supply device detects the presence of the portable charging terminal.

[0058] (4) In the first region 71 on the first main surface 40a of the substrate 40 where a plurality of circularly polarized antenna elements A are mounted, the circularly polarized antenna elements A5 and A8 located closest to the center of the first region 71 are the circularly polarized antenna elements A that constitute the communication antenna 22. According to the above configuration, by arranging the circularly polarized antenna elements A that constitute the communication antenna 22 near the center of the first region 71, it is possible to suppress bias in the reading direction when the external power supply device detects the presence of the portable charging terminal.

[0059] (5) The substrate 40 includes a plurality of metal layers M1 to M4 stacked in the thickness direction of the substrate 40 with insulating layers 40c interposed therebetween. The distance D1 between the first principal surface 40a and the metal layer M4, which is closest to the first principal surface 40a among the plurality of metal layers M1 to M4, is longer than the distance between the metal layers M1 to M4 themselves. By increasing the distance D1 between the circularly polarized antenna element A arranged on the first principal surface 40a and the metal layer M4 provided within the substrate 40, the circularly polarized antenna element A can operate stably.

[0060] Second Embodiment The second embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0061] Fig. 10 shows a cross-sectional configuration of the substrate 40 included in the portable charging terminal 10 according to this embodiment. In Fig. 10, members corresponding to those shown in Fig. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals for convenience.

[0062] 10, the portable charging terminal 10 does not include a charging board 50. The power conversion circuit 18a and the non-contact control circuit 18b are both mounted on the board 40. More specifically, the power conversion circuit 18a and the non-contact control circuit 18b are both mounted on the first main surface 40a side of the board 40.

[0063] 11 shows a planar configuration of the substrate 40 as viewed from the first main surface 40a side. As shown in FIG. 7, the first main surface 40a is divided into three regions, a first region 71, a second region 72, and a third region 73, in the x-axis direction, which is the longitudinal direction of the substrate 40.

[0064] A plurality of circularly polarized antenna elements A are mounted in the first region 71. In this embodiment, the circularly polarized antenna elements A are composed of nine circularly polarized antenna elements A1 to A9. The circularly polarized antenna elements A1 to A9 are arranged in a 3×3 matrix with regular intervals. Of the circularly polarized antenna elements A1 to A9, the circularly polarized antenna elements A that make up the power receiving antenna 12 are circularly polarized antenna elements A1 to A4 and A6 to A9, and the circularly polarized antenna element A that makes up the communication antenna 22 is circularly polarized antenna element A5. In this embodiment as well, the communication antenna 22 is composed of the circularly polarized antenna element A that is arranged closest to the center of the first region 71 in the first region 71 where the circularly polarized antenna elements A1 to A9 are arranged.

[0065] The second region 72 is a GND region. The third region 73 is a region where the power conversion circuit 18a and the non-contact control circuit 18b are mounted. As shown in Fig. 12, the second region 72, which is a GND region, is sandwiched between the first region 71 and the third region 73 in the x-axis direction.

[0066] <Third embodiment> The third embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0067] Fig. 12 shows a cross-sectional configuration of the portable charging terminal 10 according to this embodiment. In Fig. 12, members corresponding to those shown in Fig. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals for convenience.

[0068] 12, the portable charging terminal 10 does not include a charging board 50. The power conversion circuit 18a and the non-contact control circuit 18b are both mounted on a board 40. High-power components 74 are mounted on the second main surface 40b of the substrate 40. Meanwhile, the electromagnetic shielding material 60 has an opening 60b. The opening 60b is slightly larger than the cross section of the high-power components 74 in a plane parallel to the substrate 40. The tip of the high-power component 74 is inserted into the opening 60b.

[0069] The electromagnetic shielding material 60 is in contact with the power storage device 16. More specifically, the electromagnetic shielding material 60 is in contact with the entire surface of the power storage device 16 that faces the electromagnetic shielding material 60, for example. The surface of the power storage device 16 that faces the electromagnetic shielding material 60 is insulated from the electromagnetic shielding material 60. This can be achieved, for example, by forming the surface of the power storage device 16 that faces the electromagnetic shielding material 60 from an insulating member.

[0070] Furthermore, in the housing 30, the thickness of the power receiving side wall 30b is made thicker than the thickness of the charging side wall 30a. Here, the thickness is the length in the direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the power receiving side wall 30b and the charging side wall 30a. In other words, the thickness is the length in the z-axis direction.

[0071] <Example of change> The above-described embodiments can be modified as follows: The above-described embodiments and the following modifications can be combined with each other within the scope of technical compatibility.

[0072] The circularly polarized antenna element A may be a right-hand circularly polarized antenna. The arrangement of the multiple circularly polarized antenna elements A mounted on the first principal surface 40a of the substrate 40 is not limited to that of the above embodiment. For example, four or more circularly polarized antenna elements A may be arranged horizontally, or four or more circularly polarized antenna elements A may be arranged vertically. In other words, the multiple circularly polarized antenna elements A may be arranged in a row of n elements spaced apart horizontally, and m rows spaced apart vertically. Here, m and n are integers greater than or equal to 3 and may be the same or different. The multiple circularly polarized antenna elements A may be arranged in a staggered pattern, alternating between the vertical and horizontal directions, or may be arranged randomly.

[0073] Of the multiple circularly polarized antenna elements A mounted on the first main surface 40a of the substrate 40, the number of circularly polarized antenna elements A with different orientations is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, two or more. Furthermore, the arrangement of the circularly polarized antenna elements A with different orientations is not particularly limited, and for example, the orientations of the circularly polarized antenna elements A located at corners may be different. Furthermore, the orientations of all the circularly polarized antenna elements A may be the same.

[0074] The use of the communication antenna 22 is not limited to making the portable charging terminal 10 function as a beacon. Any of the plurality of circularly polarized antenna elements A mounted on the first main surface 40 a of the substrate 40 may be used as the communication antenna 22 .

[0075] All of the circularly polarized antenna elements A mounted on the first main surface 40a of the substrate 40 may be used as the power receiving antenna 12. In this case, it is preferable to mount the antenna elements that make up the communication antenna 22 in another location. Examples of such another location include the second main surface 40b of the substrate 40 and the charging substrate 50.

[0076] The antenna element that constitutes the communication antenna 22 may be a linearly polarized antenna element LA. The layer structure of the substrate 40 is not limited to the structure of the above embodiment. For example, the distance D1 between the first main surface 40a and the metal layer M4 located closest to the first main surface 40a may be approximately the same as or shorter than the interlayer distances of the metal layers M1 to M4.

[0077] The charging interface is not limited to the coil 20. For example, the portable charging terminal 10 may be a terminal that supplies power to the external terminal 100 via a wired connection, and the charging interface may be a device for supplying power via a wired connection. The charging interface may also be both the coil 20 and a device for supplying power via a wired connection. In this case, for example, if the device for supplying power via a wired connection is a circuit mounted on a substrate, the component arranged opposite the charging side wall 30a may be only the coil 20 of the charging interface.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the power conversion circuit 18a and the non-contact control circuit 18b are mounted on the surface of the charging board 50 facing the board 40, but this is not limiting. For example, at least one of the power conversion circuit 18a and the non-contact control circuit 18b may be mounted on the surface of the charging board 50 opposite to the surface facing the board 40.

[0079] The longitudinal length of the charging board 50 does not necessarily have to be shorter than the longitudinal length of the board 40. For example, a thinner power storage device 16 may be used, and the charging board 50 and the electromagnetic shielding material 60 may be disposed opposite each other without providing the bent portion 60a in the electromagnetic shielding material 60. In this case, the board 40 faces the electromagnetic shielding material 60 via the charging board 50, even at the end on the negative side of the x-axis.

[0080] The size of the electromagnetic shielding material 60 may be changed. For example, the size of the electromagnetic shielding material 60 may be set so that the x-axis coordinate component and the y-axis coordinate component of the substrate 40 are included in the x-axis coordinate component and the y-axis coordinate component of the electromagnetic shielding material 60.

[0081] The surfaces of the power receiving side wall 30b and the charging side wall 30a parallel to the x-axis and y-axis do not necessarily have to be rectangular. For example, they may be square. In each embodiment, the thickness of the power receiving side wall 30b may be thicker than the thickness of the charging side wall 30a or less than the thickness of the charging side wall 30a.

[0082] The component mounted in the vertically projected area of ​​the circularly polarized antenna element A on the second main surface 40b is not limited to the rectifier circuit 14a. The component mounted in the vertically projected area may be, for example, the charging circuit 14b. Furthermore, for example, the components mounted in the vertically projected area may be both the rectifier circuit 14a and the charging circuit 14b.

[0083] The magnet does not necessarily have to be disposed opposite the charging side wall 30a. For example, the external terminal 100 may be configured to receive power via a wired connection, and the magnet may be disposed opposite the power receiving side wall 30b.

[0084] [Note] Next, the technical ideas that can be understood from the above-described embodiment and modified examples will be described below. [Appendix 1] A portable charging terminal comprising a housing, a power storage device, a charging interface, and a board, wherein the housing comprises a power receiving side wall and a charging side wall, the power receiving side wall and the charging side wall constituting two opposing surfaces of the housing, the charging interface being configured to supply power from the power storage device to an external terminal, the board having a power receiving antenna mounted thereon that receives power to be supplied to the power storage device, the power storage device and the charging interface being arranged to face the charging side wall, and the board being arranged so that the power receiving antenna faces the power receiving side wall.

[0085] In the above configuration, the power received by the power receiving antenna is stored in the power storage device. Therefore, sufficient power can be supplied to the outside without increasing the capacity of the power storage device. The compact power storage device and charging interface are arranged facing the charging side wall of the housing. This allows the portable charging terminal to be thinner than when the power storage device and charging interface are arranged on top of each other.

[0086] [Appendix 2] A portable charging terminal as described in Appendix 1, comprising a receiving circuit, the receiving circuit being configured to charge the power storage device with power from the receiving antenna and being mounted on the substrate.

[0087] Supplementary note 2 corresponds to the fact that the rectifier circuit 14a, the charging circuit 14b, the charging control circuit 14c, and the communication unit 14d are mounted on the board 40. In the above configuration, the board on which the power receiving antenna is mounted and the board on which the power receiving circuit is mounted are the same board. Therefore, compared to when the board on which the power receiving antenna is mounted and the board on which the power receiving circuit is mounted are different boards, it is easier to make the portable charging terminal smaller. Note that, [Appendix 3] A portable charging terminal as described in Appendix 1 or Appendix 2 above, wherein the surface formed by the power receiving side wall and the charging side wall of the housing has a rectangular shape, the power storage device and the charging interface are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the surface formed by the charging side wall, and the power receiving antenna is arranged close to the area where the charging interface is vertically projected out of the area where the power storage device is vertically projected on the board and the area where the charging interface is vertically projected on the board.

[0088] In the above configuration, the power receiving antenna is positioned toward one side in the longitudinal direction of the housing. This prevents the power receiving antenna from being surrounded by a person's hand. In particular, the portion where the charging interface is located is less likely to be grasped. Therefore, by positioning the power receiving antenna toward the area of ​​the board where the charging interface is vertically projected, the power receiving antenna can be further prevented from being surrounded by a hand. This prevents the attenuation of externally supplied power as it passes through a hand before reaching the power receiving antenna.

[0089] The longitudinal direction corresponds to the x-axis direction. The area of ​​the substrate onto which power storage device 16 is vertically projected corresponds to the area of ​​substrate 40 whose x-axis coordinate component and y-axis coordinate component are equal to the x-axis coordinate component and y-axis coordinate component of power storage device 16. The area of ​​the substrate onto which the charging interface is vertically projected corresponds to the area of ​​substrate 40 whose x-axis coordinate component and y-axis coordinate component are equal to the x-axis coordinate component and y-axis coordinate component of coil 20.

[0090] [Appendix 4] A portable charging terminal according to any one of Appendices 1 to 3, wherein the charging interface is a coil for contactless charging, and an electromagnetic shielding material is provided between the storage device and the charging interface and the substrate.

[0091] Supplementary note 4 corresponds to the provision of electromagnetic shielding material 60 in the z-axis direction between power storage device 16 and coil 20 and substrate 40. In the above configuration, the electromagnetic shielding material can prevent the electromagnetic field from the charging interface from affecting the substrate.

[0092] [Appendix 5] A portable charging terminal as described in Appendix 4 above, wherein the distance between the area of ​​the substrate where the power receiving antenna is formed and the electromagnetic shielding material is greater than the distance between the area of ​​the substrate where the power receiving antenna is not formed and the electromagnetic shielding material.

[0093] Supplementary note 5 corresponds to the fact that the z-axis coordinate of the electromagnetic shield material 60 on the positive side of the x-axis from the bent portion 60a is smaller than the z-axis coordinate of the electromagnetic shield material 60 on the negative side of the x-axis from the bent portion 60a. With the above configuration, the distance between the power receiving antenna and the electromagnetic shield material can be maximized while still reducing the thickness of the housing, compared to when the distance between the board and the electromagnetic shield material is uniform. This makes it easier to improve the performance of the power receiving antenna while still reducing the thickness of the housing.

[0094] [Supplementary Note 6] The portable charging terminal according to Supplementary Note 4 or Supplementary Note 5, wherein the power storage device and the electromagnetic shielding material are in contact with each other. Supplementary Note 6 corresponds to the third embodiment. In the above configuration, heat generated from the power storage device can be efficiently dissipated through the electromagnetic shielding material.

[0095] [Appendix 7] A portable charging terminal described in any one of Appendices 4 to 6 above, wherein an opening is formed in the electromagnetic shielding material, and a predetermined component mounted on the board is inserted into the opening of the electromagnetic shielding material.

[0096] In the above configuration, the housing can be made thinner than when the electromagnetic shielding material is placed opposite the specified components. Therefore, a good compromise can be achieved between the thin housing and the electromagnetic shielding performance of the electromagnetic shielding material. The specified components correspond to the high-power components 74.

[0097] [Supplementary Note 8] The portable charging terminal according to Supplementary Note 2, wherein the substrate has a first main surface and a second main surface that are opposite to each other, the first main surface facing the power receiving side wall, the power receiving antenna is mounted on the first main surface of the substrate, and the power receiving circuit is configured to charge the power storage device with power received by the power receiving antenna, and is mounted on the substrate, and at least a part of the power receiving circuit is mounted on the second main surface. Supplementary Note 8 corresponds to the fact that the rectifier circuit 14a is mounted in an area where the power receiving antenna 12 is perpendicularly projected onto the second main surface 40b.

[0098] In this configuration, at least a portion of the power receiving circuit can be disposed further inside the housing than when the at least a portion of the power receiving circuit is disposed on the first main surface side, and therefore at least a portion of the power receiving circuit can be protected from external impacts compared to when the at least a portion of the power receiving circuit is disposed on the first main surface side.

[0099] [Supplementary Note 9] The portable charging terminal according to Supplementary Note 8, wherein the power receiving circuit includes a rectifier circuit that rectifies AC power received by the power receiving antenna and a charging circuit that charges the power storage device with the output of the rectifier circuit, and the rectifier circuit is mounted in an area of ​​the second main surface where the power receiving antenna is vertically projected. Supplementary Note 9 corresponds to the rectifier circuit 14a being mounted in an area where the power receiving antenna 12 is vertically projected onto the second main surface 40b.

[0100] The AC power received by the power receiving antenna is converted to DC power by the rectifier circuit, so by placing the power receiving antenna and the rectifier circuit on opposite sides of the board, the electrical path between the power receiving antenna and the rectifier circuit can be made smaller.

[0101] [Appendix 10] A portable charging terminal as described in any one of Appendices 1 to 9 above, comprising a communication antenna for communicating with the outside of the portable charging terminal, the substrate being rectangular, and the communication antenna being mounted close to the end of the substrate in the longitudinal direction opposite to the end on which the power receiving antenna is mounted.

[0102] In the above configuration, by arranging the communication antenna close to the longitudinal end of the substrate, it is possible to prevent the communication antenna from being covered by a human hand, compared to when the communication antenna is arranged in the longitudinal center. This prevents the strength of the radio waves received by the communication antenna from being excessively reduced. The longitudinal direction corresponds to the x-axis direction. The opposite end corresponds to the end of the substrate 40 on the negative side of the x-axis.

[0103] [Appendix 11] A portable charging terminal according to any one of Appendices 1 to 10, wherein the substrate has a first main surface and a second main surface which are opposite surfaces, the first main surface being a surface facing the power receiving side wall, the power receiving antenna being mounted on the first main surface of the substrate, and the component mounted on the substrate that protrudes the most from the substrate protrudes from the second main surface.

[0104] The amount by which the power receiving antenna and the ground of the power receiving antenna protrude from the board is small. Therefore, forming the power receiving antenna on the first main surface means that a component with a small protrusion amount is mounted on the first main surface. By having the component with the largest protrusion amount protrude from the second main surface, it is possible to reduce the distance between the first main surface and the power receiving side wall. Therefore, it is possible to increase the space between the board and the charging side wall while reducing the thickness of the portable charging terminal. The largest component corresponds to the charging circuit 14b in the first and second embodiments and the high-power component 74 in the third embodiment.

[0105] [Appendix 12] A portable charging terminal according to any one of Appendices 1 to 11, wherein the receiving antenna is a microstrip antenna, and a ground for the receiving antenna is mounted on the substrate between an area where circuit components are mounted and an area where the receiving antenna is mounted.

[0106] In the above configuration, the ground of the power receiving antenna is mounted between the area where the circuit components are mounted and the area where the power receiving antenna is mounted. This improves the power receiving efficiency of the power receiving antenna. The ground corresponds to the second area 72, which is a GND area.

[0107] [Supplementary Note 13] The portable charging terminal according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 12, wherein the number of components other than the power receiving antenna mounted on the surface of the board opposite to the surface on which the power receiving antenna is mounted is greater than the number of components other than the power receiving antenna mounted on the surface of the board on which the power receiving antenna is mounted. Supplementary Note 13 corresponds to the first and third embodiments in which electronic components other than the circularly polarized antenna element A are mounted on the second main surface 40b side.

[0108] In the above configuration, compared to a case where the number of components other than the power receiving antenna mounted on the surface on which the power receiving antenna is mounted is greater than the number of components other than the power receiving antenna mounted on the opposite surface, more space can be provided on the surface on which the power receiving antenna is mounted, and therefore space for the ground of the power receiving antenna can be secured on the surface on which the power receiving antenna is mounted.

[0109] [Supplementary Note 14] The portable charging terminal according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 13, wherein the charging interface is a coil for contactless charging and includes a power receiving circuit and a contactless charging circuit, the power receiving circuit is configured to charge the power storage device with power from the power receiving antenna, the contactless charging circuit is configured to supply power of the power storage device to the outside via the charging interface, and the power receiving circuit and the contactless charging circuit are mounted on the board. Supplementary Note 14 corresponds to the second and third embodiments.

[0110] In the above configuration, the power receiving circuit and the contactless charging circuit are mounted on the same board, which reduces the number of boards included in the portable charging terminal compared to when they are mounted on different boards, thereby reducing costs compared to when the power receiving circuit and the contactless charging circuit are mounted on separate boards.

[0111] [Supplementary Note 15] The portable charging terminal according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 14, wherein a magnet for fixing the portable charging terminal to a target to which power is supplied from the power storage device is provided so as to face the charging side wall, and the thickness of the part of the casing that constitutes the power receiving side wall is greater than the thickness of the part that constitutes the charging side wall. Supplementary Note 15 corresponds to the third embodiment.

[0112] In the above configuration, since the thickness of the charging side wall is thinner than the thickness of the power receiving side wall, the portable charging terminal can be more securely fixed to the power supply target by the magnet compared to when the thickness of the charging side wall is the same as the thickness of the power receiving side wall. Also, by making the thickness of the power receiving side wall thicker than the thickness of the charging side wall, the components mounted on the board can be more securely protected compared to when the thickness of the power receiving side wall is equal to or less than the thickness of the charging side wall.

[0113] [Appendix 16] A portable charging terminal comprising a housing, a power storage device, a charging interface, and a board, wherein the charging interface is configured to supply power from the power storage device to an external terminal, the board is mounted with a power receiving antenna that receives power to be supplied to the power storage device, and a power receiving circuit that is configured to charge the power from the power receiving antenna into the power storage device, and the power receiving antenna is configured to include a circularly polarized antenna element. [Explanation of symbols]

[0114] A...Circularly polarized antenna element LA...Linearly polarized antenna element P: Power supply point Ap…perturbation 10. Portable charging terminal 12...Receiving antenna 14... Power receiving circuit 16...Electricity storage device 18…Non-contact charging circuit 20...Coil 22...Communication antenna 30…Case 30a…Charging side wall 30b... Power receiving side wall 40...Substrate 40a...First principal surface 40b...Second principal surface 50…Charging board 100...External terminal

Claims

1. The device includes a housing, a power storage device, a charging interface, and a substrate; the housing includes a power receiving sidewall and a charging sidewall; the power receiving side wall and the charging side wall constitute two surfaces of the housing that face each other, the charging interface is configured to supply power from the power storage device to an external terminal; a power receiving antenna that receives power to be supplied to the power storage device, and a power receiving circuit that is configured to charge the power storage device with power from the power receiving antenna, are mounted on the board; The power storage device and the charging interface are arranged to face the charging side wall, the substrate is disposed so that the power receiving antenna faces the power receiving side wall, The power receiving antenna is a portable charging terminal configured to include a circularly polarized antenna element.

2. a plurality of the circularly polarized antenna elements are mounted on a first main surface of the substrate; On the first principal surface, the plurality of circularly polarized antenna elements are arranged in m rows spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction, with n rows spaced apart from each other in the horizontal direction (where m and n are integers equal to or greater than 3, and may be the same or different from each other). The portable charging terminal according to claim 1 .

3. 3. The portable charging terminal according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of circularly polarized antenna elements arranged on the first main surface of the substrate has an orientation, determined by the position of a perturbation and a feed point, that differs by 180 degrees from either or both of the adjacent circularly polarized antenna element on one side in the vertical direction and the adjacent circularly polarized antenna element on one side in the horizontal direction.

4. a communication antenna for communicating with an external device of the portable charging terminal; the communication antenna includes a circularly polarized antenna element, 3. The portable charging terminal according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of circularly polarized antenna elements arranged on the first main surface of the substrate include a circularly polarized antenna element constituting the power receiving antenna and a circularly polarized antenna element constituting the communication antenna.

5. 5. The portable charging terminal according to claim 4, wherein in an area on the first main surface of the substrate where a plurality of the circularly polarized antenna elements are mounted, at least one of the circularly polarized antenna elements located closest to the center of the area is a circularly polarized antenna element that constitutes the communication antenna.

6. the substrate includes a plurality of metal layers stacked in a thickness direction of the substrate with insulating layers interposed therebetween, A portable charging terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the distance between the first main surface and the metal layer among the plurality of metal layers that is closest to the first main surface is longer than the distance between the metal layers themselves.

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