Antenna unit and door handle

Abstract

A long antenna unit (10) which is connected to an external circuit board (110). The antenna unit (10) has an antenna part (20) and a flexible part (30). In the antenna part (20), a coil wire (22) is wound around a core (24). The flexible part (30) can bend in a bending direction. The bending direction is a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the antenna unit (10). When a force is applied to the antenna unit (10) so as to bend the antenna unit (10) as a whole in one direction of the bending direction, the flexible part (30) can bend larger than the core (24) in the one direction.

Description

Antenna unit and door handle

[0001] The present invention relates to an antenna unit and a door handle comprising such an antenna unit.

[0002] Some antenna units are arranged inside a housing that is long in the longitudinal direction, such as a door handle. Regarding this type of technology, Patent Document 1 below discloses an antenna unit (100) that is mounted inside a door handle (200). The antenna unit (100) includes a plurality of antenna units (10), each of which has a core (11) and a coil (12) wound around the core (11). The cores (11) of the plurality of antenna units (10) are spaced apart from one another.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-204675

[0004] A long housing may be deformed by stress applied temporarily or over a predetermined period of time in a predetermined direction intersecting the longitudinal direction. For example, a door handle may bend and deform when pulled during the opening and closing of the door. When a long housing deforms, the antenna unit disposed inside the housing may also deform. In this case, the deformation of the antenna unit may cause the antenna portion to deform or the core to crack, resulting in a problem of reduced functionality of the antenna unit.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and provides an antenna unit in which degradation of the functionality of the antenna unit due to deformation of the housing is suppressed, and a door handle equipped with such an antenna unit.

[0006] The antenna unit of the present invention is a long antenna unit connected to an external circuit board, and has an antenna section in which a coil wire is wound around a core, and a flexible section that can bend in a bending direction that intersects the longitudinal direction of the antenna unit, and is characterized in that when a force is applied to the antenna unit so as to bend the antenna unit as a whole in one of the bending directions, the flexible section can bend in the one direction more than the core.

[0007] The door handle of the present invention is a door handle that is attached to a door and can open the door when pulled in a predetermined pulling direction, and includes a circuit board, a long antenna unit connected to the circuit board, and a housing that accommodates the circuit board and the antenna unit, and the antenna unit has an antenna portion in which a coil wire is wound around a core, and a flexible portion that can bend in a bending direction that intersects the longitudinal direction of the antenna unit, and is characterized in that when a force is applied to the antenna unit so as to bend the antenna unit as a whole in one of the bending directions, the flexible portion can bend in that one direction more than the core.

[0008] Because the flexible portion can bend more than the core in one bending direction, when stress is applied to the housing of a door handle or the like and the antenna unit tries to bend, the flexible portion bends preferentially over the core, thereby suppressing cracking of the core or deformation of the antenna portion having the core.

[0009] According to the antenna unit of the present invention, the flexible portion bends in response to deformation of the housing, which prevents cracking of the core or deformation of the antenna portion having the core, thereby preventing deterioration of the functionality of the antenna unit due to deformation of the housing.

[0010] The above-mentioned objects, as well as other objects, features and advantages, will become more apparent from the preferred embodiments described below and the accompanying drawings.

[0011] 5 is a perspective view showing an example of an antenna unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a top view of an antenna unit according to the first embodiment and an external circuit board connected to the antenna unit; FIG. 7 is a partial enlarged view of the area indicated by the dashed dotted line in FIG. 2; FIG. 8 is a bottom view of an antenna unit according to the first embodiment and an external circuit board connected to the antenna unit; FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a door handle according to the first embodiment when viewed from the side of the antenna unit; FIG. 10 is a partial enlarged view showing an antenna unit and an external circuit board connected to the antenna unit within the area indicated by the dashed dotted line in FIG. 5; FIG. 11 is a partial enlarged view of an antenna unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention and an external circuit board connected to the antenna unit when viewed from above; and FIG. 12 is a partial enlarged view of an antenna unit according to a modified example of the present invention and an external circuit board connected to the antenna unit when viewed from the side.

[0012] The various components of the antenna unit 10 and door handle 100 of the present invention do not need to be independent entities, and it is acceptable for multiple components to be formed as a single member, for one component to be formed from multiple members, for one component to be part of another component, or for part of one component to overlap with part of another component. Furthermore, while the manufacturing method of the antenna unit 10 or door handle 100 of the present invention may be described using multiple steps listed in order, the order of the steps does not limit the order or timing of performing the multiple steps. Therefore, when implementing the method, the order of the multiple steps can be changed to the extent that it does not interfere with the content, and the timing of performing the multiple steps may overlap in part or in whole.

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, corresponding components are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted where appropriate. In this embodiment, the front-rear, left-right, top-bottom directions will be defined as shown in the drawings. However, these definitions are provided for convenience in order to easily explain the relative relationships between the components, and do not limit the directions during manufacture or use of a product embodying the present invention. In this embodiment, the front-rear direction coincides with the longitudinal direction of the antenna unit and the winding axis direction of the antenna. The left-right direction coincides with the width direction of the antenna unit. The top-bottom direction coincides with the height direction and thickness direction of the antenna unit. Furthermore, the term "flat" as used in this invention refers to a shape that is physically formed with a flat surface as the target, and naturally does not need to be a perfect geometric plane.

[0014] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an example of an antenna unit 10 and a door handle 100 on which the antenna unit 10 is mounted according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] (Antenna Unit) First, an overview of the antenna unit 10 of this embodiment will be described. The antenna unit 10 is a long antenna unit 10 connected to an external circuit board (circuit board 110). The antenna unit 10 has an antenna section 20 and a flexible section 30. In the antenna section 20, a coil wire 22 is wound around a core 24. The flexible section 30 can bend in a bending direction. The bending direction is a direction (e.g., an up-down direction) that intersects with the longitudinal direction (front-to-back direction) of the antenna unit 10. When a force is applied to the antenna unit 10 in one bending direction so as to bend the entire antenna unit 10, the flexible section 30 can bend more in that one direction than the core 24. Since the flexible portion 30 can bend more than the core 24 in one bending direction, by making the direction in which stress is applied to the housing of the door handle 100 or the like coincide or approximately coincide with the one bending direction, when the antenna unit 10 tries to bend due to the stress, the flexible portion 30 bends preferentially over the core 24. This prevents cracking of the core 24 or deformation of the antenna part 20 having the core 24. This makes it possible to prevent deterioration in the functionality of the antenna unit 10 due to deformation of the housing.

[0016] Next, the antenna unit 10 of this embodiment will be described in detail. The antenna unit 10 is an electronic component that can constitute part of an electronic circuit, including an antenna section 20. In particular, the antenna unit 10 of this embodiment is connected to an external circuit board 110 (described later) via terminals 42 (input / output terminals and proximity detection terminals) (described later), and constitutes part of the electronic circuit on the circuit board 110. The antenna unit 10 of this embodiment is built into a door handle 100 (see FIG. 5 ) of a mobile object such as a vehicle, as described later. Therefore, the antenna unit 10 (antenna section 20) is a component that is elongated in the front-to-rear direction as a whole. Furthermore, the antenna unit 10 (antenna section 20) has a generally flat shape. That is, the vertical dimension of the antenna unit 10 (antenna section 20) is sufficiently smaller than the vertical dimension of the antenna unit 10 (antenna section 20) and the horizontal dimension of the antenna unit 10 (antenna section 20). Note that the directions, including the vertical direction, shown in the figure may differ from the direction when the antenna unit 10 (antenna section 20) is built into the door handle 100. For example, the left-right direction shown in the drawing may roughly coincide with the vertical direction when the antenna unit 10 is built into the door handle 100. The antenna unit 10 of this embodiment may be built into the door handle 100 of a vehicle door that employs a keyless entry system. The antenna section 20 of the antenna unit 10 may transmit a request signal for authenticating an electronic key (not shown) carried by a user.

[0017] The antenna section 20 is a part that constitutes the antenna in the antenna unit 10. Specifically, as described above, in the antenna section 20, the coil wire 22 is wound around the core 24. The coil wire 22 is wound with the longitudinal direction of the antenna unit 10 as the winding axis direction. In this embodiment, the core 24 is made of a magnetic material such as ferrite and is formed in a rod shape that is long in the front-to-rear direction. The coil wire 22 is wound around multiple locations (four locations in this embodiment) midway along the longitudinal direction of the rod-shaped core 24. The multiple locations around which the coil wire 22 is wound are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the antenna unit 10. As a result, the coil wire 22 is wound over substantially the entire base section 60 in the longitudinal direction of the antenna unit 10. In this way, the coil wire 22 is wound with a space between each other in the winding axis direction. By winding the coil wire 22 with a space between each other in the winding axis direction in this way, the area in which the antenna detects signals can be widened. In this embodiment, the antenna section 20 has one antenna, but instead, the antenna section 20 may have two or more antennas. Multiple antennas may be connected in series or in parallel. As shown in FIG. 3 , both ends of the coil wire 22 are drawn out to the front side of the base portion 60 (described later). Each of these ends of the coil wire 22 is connected to a conductive plate 32 (described later). That is, the coil wire 22 is electrically connected to the terminal 42 via the conductive plate 32. In this embodiment, the conductive plate 32 and the end of the coil wire 22 are connected by resistance welding, but they may also be connected by brazing such as soldering or other methods. In this embodiment, a chip capacitor 70 is disposed between the second flexible portion 30b (described later) and the coil wire 22. That is, the chip capacitor 70 is connected in series with the antenna. The electrodes of the chip capacitor 70 are connected to the conductive plate 32 exposed from the base portion 60 (the base end portion 61 (described later)). It is preferable that the electrodes of the chip capacitor 70 and the conductive plate 32 are joined by brazing such as soldering. Alternatively, the antenna unit 10 may not have the chip capacitor 70.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1 , the antenna unit 20 includes a base portion 60. In this embodiment, the base portion 60 is made of resin. The base portion 60 holds the core 24 and has the coil wire 22 wound around it. Specifically, the base portion 60 has a cavity extending in the front-rear direction, and the core 24 is inserted into the cavity. More specifically, the base portion 60 has side portions 64 that extend in the front-rear direction and are arranged adjacent to the sides of the core 24. The outside of the base portion 60 communicates with the cavity in which the core 24 is arranged above and below the base portion 60. The base portion 60 has flange portions 62 that protrude in the vertical direction. The base portion 60 has multiple flange portions 62. The multiple flange portions 62 are arranged spaced apart in the front-rear direction. The coil wire 22 is wound between the flange portions 62. In this embodiment, an adhesive 80 reinforces the fixation of a portion of the core 24 to the base portion 60. In this embodiment, the front end (base end 61) of the base portion 60 has a flatter shape than the flange portion 62 or the core 24. As described below, a conductive plate 32 is embedded in the base end 61. Because the base end 61, in which the conductive plate 32 is embedded, has a small thickness in the bending direction, the base end 61 can more flexibly follow the deformation of the conductive plate 32 than other parts of the base portion 60. This prevents accidental bending of the conductive plate 32 or accidental damage or deformation of the base portion 60. A chip capacitor 70 is mounted on the base end 61. Specifically, the base end 61 is formed with upright portions 65 spaced apart from one another in the left-right direction. The upright portions 65 extend so as to intersect with the upper surface of the base end 61 and have a predetermined height in the vertical direction. The upright portions 65 maintain the strength of the base portion 60 while protecting the chip capacitor 70. In this embodiment, the upright portions 65 have a slope that slopes downward from the rear to the front. That is, the height dimension of the standing portion 65 decreases from the rear to the front.

[0019] The circuit board 110 is a board that is installed outside the antenna unit 10 and on which an electronic circuit to which the antenna unit 10 is connected is arranged. As shown in Fig. 2, the circuit board 110 has a plate shape that extends in the front-rear and left-right directions. As shown in Fig. 5, the electronic circuit on the circuit board 110 is connected via a harness 111 to an electrical device (not shown) that is arranged outside the door handle.

[0020] The flexible portion 30 is a portion of the antenna unit 10 that is flexible in the bending direction. Flexibility refers to the property of a member being able to bend when a predetermined force is applied to the member and being able to return to its original shape when the force is removed. Bending refers to the bending of the entire flexible portion 30 or a portion thereof. Preferably, the flexible portion 30 does not bend locally. Furthermore, the ability of a member to return to its original shape does not necessarily mean that the member returns to the exact same shape it had before the predetermined force was applied. For example, the member may have a slightly bent shape after restoration. The predetermined force here refers to a force equivalent to the force of gripping and pulling or pushing a portion or the entire antenna unit 10 with a hand. The antenna unit 10 may be subjected to the predetermined force while housed in a housing (door handle 100) described below. Specifically, a hand or the like may be inserted into the insertion space 140 shown in FIG. 5 and described later, and the hand or the like may pull the inner member 123 toward the outside of the vehicle, thereby indirectly applying a predetermined force to the antenna unit 10 via the inner member 123. The bending direction is a direction in which the antenna unit 10 is flexible. That is, the antenna unit 10 can bend so as to assume a protruding shape in one of the bending directions. Specifically, the bending direction is a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the antenna unit 10, preferably a direction perpendicular thereto. In this embodiment, the bending direction is the up-down direction. The bending direction may be a left-right direction or an oblique direction having both up-down and left-right components. The bending direction may also be an oblique direction having a longitudinal component. That is, the bending direction may be an oblique direction having both up-down and longitudinal components, or an oblique direction having both left-right and longitudinal components. That is, the one direction in which the antenna unit 10 bends is not limited to upward, downward, leftward, or rightward, but may also be an oblique direction.Furthermore, the expression "the flexible portion 30 bends more than the core 24 in one bending direction" does not necessarily mean that the flexible portion 30 has greater flexibility than the core 24 in only one direction (for example, only the up-down direction), but may mean that the flexible portion 30 has greater flexibility than the core 24 in each of multiple directions (for example, the up-down direction and the left-right direction). Furthermore, in this embodiment, the one bending direction of the antenna unit 10 refers to the bending direction toward the opposite side from the side where the proximity detection electrode 50 is located as viewed from the antenna section 20. In this embodiment, the one bending direction of the antenna unit 10 is upward. Alternatively, the antenna unit 10 may bend downward. The direction in which the predetermined force is applied substantially coincides with the one bending direction of the antenna unit 10.

[0021] As described above, when a force is applied to the antenna unit 10 in one bending direction (upward in this embodiment) so as to cause the antenna unit 10 to bend overall, the flexible portion 30 can bend more than the core 24 in that one direction. The term "flexing the antenna unit 10 as a whole" refers to the antenna unit 10 having a shape that is bent around the flexible portion 30, which is located midway along the length of the long antenna unit 10. When the antenna unit 10 bends overall, only the flexible portion 30 may be flexible and bend to form a curve. In this case, a portion other than the flexible portion 30 (e.g., the antenna portion 20) may have a linear shape when viewed from the left and right. Furthermore, the location on the antenna unit 10 where a predetermined force is applied to cause the antenna unit 10 to bend overall may be the flexible portion 30, the antenna portion 20, or the connector portion 40 (described later), or multiple or all of these. The flexible portion 30 bends more than the core 24 when a predetermined force is applied to the antenna unit 10. This means that the radius of curvature at the most bent central portion of the bent flexible portion 30 is smaller than the radius of curvature at the most bent or deformed central portion of the bent or slightly deformed core 24. Alternatively, the flexible portion 30 bends more than the core 24 when a predetermined force is applied to the antenna unit 10. This means that the angle formed by the extension directions of the portion of the bent flexible portion 30 that sandwiches the most bent central portion and the other portion of the bent flexible portion 30 that sandwiches the most bent or deformed central portion of the bent or deformed core 24 is smaller than the angle formed by the extension directions of the portion of the bent flexible portion 30 that sandwiches the most bent or deformed central portion and the other portion of the bent or deformed core 24. If the core 24 does not bend or deform much when a predetermined force is applied to the antenna unit 10, the flexible portion 30 may be considered to be bent sufficiently more than the core 24. The flexible portion 30 has greater flexibility than the core 24. Preferably, the flexible portion 30 has greater flexibility than the base portion 60. In this case, when a predetermined force is applied, the flexible portion 30 can bend more than the base portion 60 .

[0022] In this embodiment, the flexible portion 30 is a conductive plate 32, as described below. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3 , the flexible portion 30 is composed of three conductive plates 32 (a first flexible portion 30a, a second flexible portion 30b, and a third flexible portion 30c). Each conductive plate 32 extends in the width direction (left-right direction) and the length direction (front-rear direction) of the antenna unit 10, and the three conductive plates 32 are aligned in the width direction. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6 , the three conductive plates 32 are arranged at approximately the same height in the up-down direction. This allows the three conductive plates 32 to bend as a unit when a predetermined force is applied to the antenna unit 10. Furthermore, because the three conductive plates 32 have torsional rigidity due to the above configuration, bending of the antenna unit 10 in unexpected directions is suppressed. 3, the length of the flexible portion 30 in the front-to-rear direction is greater than the width of the flexible portion 30 in the left-to-right direction (the width of the flexible portion 30 when all of the multiple conductive plates 32 are viewed as a single flexible portion 30). This allows the flexible portion 30 to bend in the bending direction. Furthermore, the length of the flexible portion 30 in the front-to-rear direction is smaller than the length of the antenna portion 20 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0023] In the present embodiment, the flexible portion 30 is a member different from the antenna portion 20 including the base portion 60 and the coil wire 22, and the connector portion 40 and proximity detection electrode 50 described below, but is not limited to this. For example, instead of this embodiment, the flexible portion 30 may be part of the base portion 60, part of the connector portion 40, or part of the proximity detection electrode 50. More specifically, instead of this embodiment, for example, the core 24 may be divided, and multiple antennas formed by winding a coil wire around each of the divided cores may be arranged spaced apart in the longitudinal direction. In this case, of the single base portion 60 that holds the divided cores, parts located between the cores 24 may be flexible and serve as the flexible portion 30.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1 or 4 , the antenna unit 10 further includes a proximity detection electrode 50. The proximity detection electrode 50 is an electrode for detecting the proximity of an object, such as a hand or finger, to the antenna unit 10. In this embodiment, the proximity detection electrode 50 is a capacitance detection electrode that detects a change in capacitance. For example, when the proximity detection electrode 50 detects the proximity of an object, such as a hand, the lock on the door 130 changes from a locked state to an unlocked state, allowing the door 130 to be opened. In this embodiment, the proximity detection electrode 50 is a plate-shaped member having a main surface facing the bending direction. It is preferable that the main surface of the proximity detection electrode 50 faces the direction in which a predetermined force is applied to the antenna unit 10 (which is also the tensile direction described below). As described above, a predetermined force is applied to the antenna unit 10 in the bending direction. Therefore, in this embodiment, the main surface of the proximity detection electrode 50 faces the bending direction. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 , the proximity detection electrode 50 in this embodiment is electrically connected to the conductive plate 32 and then to the circuit board 110. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 , a portion (exposed portion 51 in FIG. 3 ) of the surface (particularly the lower surface) of the conductive plate 32 (first flexible portion 30 a) embedded in the base portion 60 is exposed from the base portion 60 on the underside of the base portion 60. A portion of the proximity detection electrode 50 contacts the exposed surface of the conductive plate 32, electrically connecting the conductive plate 32 and the proximity detection electrode 50. In this embodiment, the conductive plate 32 and the proximity detection electrode 50 are soldered. This allows the proximity of an object to be detected via the circuit board 110. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the proximity detection electrode 50 is disposed on the lower side of the antenna portion 20 (opposite the direction in which the antenna portion 20 bends). Specifically, the proximity detection electrode 50 is disposed spaced apart from the lower surface of the base portion 60. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 , the base portion 60 has four support portions 63 at each of the four corners of the lower surface. 6 , the four corners of the proximity detection electrode 50 are fixed to the four support parts 63. In this embodiment, the proximity detection electrode 50 is fixed to the base part 60 by being held between one part (upper part) and another part (lower part) of the support parts 63.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1 , the antenna unit 10 further includes a connector portion 40. Terminals 42 for connection to a circuit board 110 (see FIGS. 2 to 4 ) are fixed to the connector portion 40. The connector portion 40 is disposed on an extension of the antenna portion 20 in the longitudinal direction. A flexible portion 30 is disposed between the antenna portion 20 and the connector portion 40 in the longitudinal direction of the antenna portion 20. By aligning the antenna portion 20 and the connector portion 40 in the longitudinal direction and providing the flexible portion 30 between them, the antenna portion 20 can be formed outside the circuit board 110. Since the antenna portion 20 is not mounted on the circuit board 110, the circuit board 110 can be made smaller. As a result, damage such as cracking of the circuit board 110 itself due to deformation of a housing such as a door handle is suppressed. Furthermore, the flexible portion 30 suppresses damage such as unexpected cracking of the antenna unit 10 between the circuit board 110 and the antenna portion 20.

[0026] The connector portion 40 shown in FIG. 3 is a member for connecting the antenna unit 10 to the circuit board 110. In this embodiment, the connector portion 40 holds one end (front end) of the flexible portion 30 and terminals 42, as described below, and is fixed to the circuit board 110. This allows the terminals 42 to be disposed on and connected to the circuit board 110. In this embodiment, the connector portion 40 is formed of resin. The connector portion 40 may be formed of the same resin material as the base portion 60, or may be formed of a different material. Coupling protrusions 41 that protrude downward are formed on parts of the left and right sides of the connector portion 40. The coupling protrusions 41 are inserted (or press-fit) into coupling recesses 112 provided at the rear end of the circuit board 110. The coupling protrusions 41 and the coupling recesses 112 fit together, connecting the connector portion 40 to the circuit board 110. Alternatively to this embodiment, the connector portion 40 may be connected to the circuit board 110 by grasping the circuit board 110 in the vertical or horizontal direction, or the connector portion 40 may be fixed to the circuit board 110 with an adhesive.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 6 , the connector portion 40 being disposed on an extension of the antenna portion 20 in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of the antenna portion 20 means that at least a portion of the connector portion 40 overlaps with at least a portion of the antenna portion 20 when viewed in the longitudinal direction. Preferably, the flexible portion 30, a portion of the connector portion 40, and a portion of the antenna portion 20 overlap with each other when viewed in the longitudinal direction. As described above, the antenna portion 20 and the connector portion 40 are disposed on both sides of the flexible portion 30. The connector portion 40 and the antenna portion 20 (particularly the base portion 60) disposed on both sides of the flexible portion 30 in the longitudinal direction are more rigid than the flexible portion 30. Therefore, when a force in the bending direction is applied to the antenna portion 20 or the connector portion 40, the force applied to the antenna portion 20 or the base portion 60 is applied to the flexible portion 30, allowing the flexible portion 30 to bend preferentially over the antenna portion 20 or the connector portion 40.

[0028] The flexible portion 30 is elongated in the longitudinal direction. The flexible portion 30 has a main surface facing the bending direction. The flexible portion 30 is a conductive plate 32 (particularly a plate made of a metal such as copper) having a predetermined thickness in the bending direction. The flexible portion 30 has bending rigidity sufficient to support the weight of the connector portion 40. Here, "the flexible portion 30 having bending rigidity sufficient to support the weight of the connector portion 40" means that the flexible portion 30 has a predetermined bending rigidity. Specifically, the predetermined bending rigidity is a degree of bending rigidity sufficient to maintain a self-restoring force without plastically deforming due to the weight of the connector portion 40 when the connector portion 40 is connected to the circuit board 110. Preferably, the flexible portion 30 has bending rigidity sufficient to support the weight of the connector portion 40 and the circuit board 110 when the connector portion 40 is connected to the circuit board 110. In this embodiment, the flexible portion 30 is composed of multiple (three) conductive plates 32. It is sufficient that the multiple conductive plates 32 constituting the flexible portion 30 as a whole have the predetermined bending rigidity. Only one of the conductive plates 32 constituting the flexible portion 30 may have the predetermined bending rigidity, so that the flexible portion 30 as a whole has the predetermined bending rigidity. Alternatively, even if only one of the conductive plates 32 constituting the flexible portion 30 does not have the predetermined bending rigidity, the flexible portion 30 as a whole may have the predetermined bending rigidity due to the presence of multiple conductive plates 32. In this embodiment, the flexible portion 30 is a partial length region of the conductive plates 32 that protrudes from the base portion 60 or the connector portion 40. In other words, the flexible portion 30 is only a portion sandwiched between the base portion 60 and the connector portion 40, and the flexible portion 30 does not necessarily include the portion of the conductive plate 32 embedded in the base portion 60 or the connector portion 40. Alternatively to this embodiment, in addition to a portion of the conductive plate 32 sandwiched between the base portion 60 and the connector portion 40, a portion of the conductive plate 32 embedded in the base portion 60 or the connector portion 40 may also be the flexible portion 30. As shown in Fig. 3, both ends of the flexible portion 30 in the longitudinal direction are connected to the terminal 42 and one end of the antenna portion 20, and the flexible portion 30 forms at least a part of the conductive path from the coil wire 22 to the terminal 42. That is, in this embodiment, the flexible portion 30 is a wiring portion.Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3 , the front end of the flexible portion 30 is connected to a terminal 42 embedded inside the connector portion 40 at the rear end of the connector portion 40. In this embodiment, the flexible portion 30 and the terminal 42 are formed from a single member (the conductive plate 32). The boundary between the terminal 42 on the conductive plate 32 and the flexible portion 30 is the rear end of the connector portion 40 (the rear surface of the connector portion 40 facing rearward). More specifically, the conductive plate 32 forming the flexible portion 30 penetrates the connector portion 40 and protrudes from the front of the connector portion 40. The terminal 42 protrudes forward from the connector portion 40 and is formed by being bent into a predetermined shape. The terminal 42 is formed integrally with the flexible portion 30 as part of the conductive plate 32. When a portion of the conductive plate 32 embedded in the connector portion 40 is used as part of the flexible portion 30, the boundary between the terminal 42 on the conductive plate 32 and the flexible portion 30 may be inside the connector portion 40. In this case, it can be said that the terminal 42 and the flexible portion 30 are connected inside the connector portion 40. Alternatively, instead of this embodiment, the terminal 42 and the flexible portion 30 may be formed as separate members and electrically connected to each other directly or indirectly. The rear end of the flexible portion 30 (the second flexible portion 30b and the third flexible portion 30c) is electrically connected to the coil wire 22 through a conductive plate 32 disposed inside the base portion 60. The rear end of the first flexible portion 30a is connected to a proximity detection electrode 50, as described below. In this embodiment, the conductive plate 32 embedded in the connector portion 40 has a recessed shape 32a recessed toward the interior of the conductive plate 32 in the width direction of the conductive plate 32. More specifically, the conductive plate 32 has one recessed shape 32a on each side. The two recessed shapes 32a are offset from each other in the longitudinal direction, and the portion of the conductive plate 32 where the recessed shape 32a is formed is narrower than the other portion. The conductive plate 32 has the recessed portion 32a, so that the resin of the connector portion 40 can be inserted into the recessed portion 32a. As a result, the conductive plate 32 is firmly fixed to the connector portion 40.

[0029] As described above, the flexible portion 30 is a plate having a predetermined thickness and sufficient bending rigidity to support the weight of the connector portion 40, which facilitates assembly of the door handle 100 (such as placement on the housing 120 or joining to the circuit board 110). Specifically, in the antenna unit 10 having the above configuration, even when the antenna portion 20 is held by hand or with a tool, the connector portion 40, flexible portion 30, and antenna portion 20 remain aligned in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, when it is desired to position the terminal 42 at a desired position on the circuit board 110 or when it is desired to position the antenna unit 10 at a desired position on the housing 120 (described later), the position of the antenna unit 10 can be adjusted by holding and moving the antenna portion 20. Furthermore, because the flexible portion 30 has sufficient torsional rigidity due to the above configuration, it is even easier to position the antenna unit 10 at a desired position by holding and moving the antenna portion 20.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 6 , in this embodiment, the thickness of the flexible portion 30 in the bending direction is greater than the thickness of the proximity detection electrode 50 in the bending direction. This allows the flexible portion 30 to have the predetermined bending rigidity described above. The thickness of the flexible portion 30 in the bending direction is smaller than the thickness of the base portion 60 or the core 24 in the bending direction. This allows the flexible portion 30 to be flexible. In this embodiment, the flexible portion 30 is configured with three conductive plates 32 arranged side by side in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the three conductive plates 32 are arranged so as to overlap each other when viewed from the side (left-right or front-back). Therefore, the thickness of the flexible portion 30 is equal to the thickness of each conductive plate 32. Alternatively, if the three conductive plates 32 are arranged at different positions in the vertical direction, the thickness of the flexible portion 30 is the distance in the vertical direction from the top surface of the uppermost conductive plate 32 to the bottom surface of the lowermost conductive plate 32.

[0031] As shown in Figure 6, the flexible portion 30 is bridged between one end of the antenna portion 20 and the connector portion 40. That is, the connector portion 40 and the antenna portion 20 (particularly the base portion 60) are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, and the flexible portion 30 is disposed between the spaced apart connector portion 40 and antenna portion 20. As described above, in this embodiment, the flexible portion 30 refers to only the portion of the conductive plate 32 that is disposed between the connector portion 40 and the base portion 60. That is, "the flexible portion 30 is disposed between the connector portion 40 and the antenna portion 20" means that both ends of the flexible portion 30 are in contact with the end faces of the connector portion 40 or the antenna portion 20, respectively. Alternatively, both ends of the flexible portion 30 may not reach the end faces of the connector portion 40 or the antenna portion 20. That is, the flexible portion 30 may be disposed between the connector portion 40 and the base portion 60 without both ends of the flexible portion 30 contacting (being spaced apart from) the end faces of the connector portion 40 or the antenna portion 20. Alternatively, in a case where a portion of the conductive plate 32 embedded in the connector portion 40 or the base portion 60 is included in the flexible portion 30, both ends of the flexible portion 30 may be hung on the connector portion 40 or the antenna portion 20 (base portion 60) so as to overlap in the vertical direction. Both longitudinal ends of the flexible portion 30 are connected to the connector portion 40 and the antenna portion 20. Specifically, as described above, the front end of the conductive plate 32 constituting the flexible portion 30 is embedded in the connector portion 40. Furthermore, as described below, the rear end of the conductive plate 32 constituting the flexible portion 30 is embedded in the base portion 60. In this embodiment, the connector portion 40 and the base portion 60 (antenna portion 20) are connected only by the flexible portion 30. That is, no other components of the antenna unit 10 are arranged above or below the flexible portion 30. The proximity detection electrode 50 is arranged below one end (front end) of the antenna portion 20 (on the side opposite to the direction in which the flexible portion 30 bends in the bending direction). That is, the proximity detection electrode 50 extends to a portion below the frontmost end of the antenna portion 20. In this embodiment, the front end of the proximity detection electrode 50 and the front end of the antenna portion 20 (particularly the base portion 60) are at approximately the same position in the front-to-rear direction.Furthermore, the bottom of the base portion 60 (particularly the support portion 63) is positioned lower than the bottom of the connector portion 40 (the bottom surface of the connecting protrusion 41) in the vertical direction. In other words, the proximity detection electrode 50 is positioned lower than the bottom of the connector portion 40 in the vertical direction. When the circuit board 110 and the antenna unit 10 are connected, the proximity detection electrode 50 is positioned lower than the bottom surface of the circuit board 110 in the vertical direction. With the above configuration, when the antenna unit 10 is connected to the circuit board 110, the flexible portion 30 is positioned in the air between the antenna portion 20 and the circuit board 110, which are spaced apart from each other. This allows the antenna unit 10 to bend around the flexible portion 30.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 6 , one end (rear end) of the conductive plate 32 is embedded in the base end 61. The base end 61 is one end (front end) of the base portion 60 in the longitudinal direction. That is, the rear end of the conductive plate 32 is surrounded by the base end 61 in the vertical and horizontal directions. Because the base portion 60 in which the conductive plate 32 is embedded is formed by insert molding, the conductive plate 32 is in close contact with the surrounding base portion 60. By embedding the conductive plate 32 in the base end 61, the flexible portion 30 is fixed so as to be gripped by the base portion 60 on at least both sides in the bending direction (vertical direction). As a result, when the flexible portion 30 bends in the bending direction, the base end of the flexible portion 30 and the antenna portion 20 are kept aligned in the longitudinal direction. This prevents the flexible portion 30 from breaking at the base end of the flexible portion 30. In this embodiment, the conductive plate 32 is sandwiched between one part of the base end 61 and another part in the vertical direction. The thickness of a portion of the base end 61 located above the conductive plate 32 is smaller than the thickness of another portion of the base end 61 located below the conductive plate 32. In other words, the thickness of a portion of the base end 61 located on one side (upper side) of the conductive plate 32 toward which the flexible portion 30 bends is larger than the thickness of another portion of the base end 61 located on the opposite side (lower side) of the conductive plate 32 from the one side. This allows the base end 61 to effectively support the flexible portion 30 when the flexible portion 30 bends upward. In this embodiment, as described above, the other end of the conductive plate 32 is embedded in the connector portion 40. That is, the front end of the conductive plate 32 is surrounded by the connector portion 40 in the vertical and horizontal directions. The connector portion 40 in which the conductive plate 32 is embedded is formed by insert molding. The conductive plate 32 is sandwiched between one portion of the connector portion 40 and another portion of the connector portion 40 in the vertical direction. The thickness dimension of a portion of the connector portion 40 arranged above the conductive plate 32 is smaller than the thickness dimension of another portion of the connector portion 40 arranged below the conductive plate 32. In other words, the thickness dimension of the portion of the connector portion 40 arranged on one side (upper side) of the conductive plate 32 where the flexible portion 30 bends is larger than the thickness dimension of the other portion of the connector portion 40 arranged on the opposite side (lower side) of the conductive plate 32 from the one side.

[0033] (Door Handle) Next, a door handle 100 according to this embodiment will be described. The antenna unit 10 may be provided as an integrated part of the door handle 100. The door handle 100 according to this embodiment will be outlined below. The door handle 100 is provided on a door 130 of a mobile body, such as a car, and is configured to open the door 130 when pulled in a predetermined pulling direction. For example, a user of the mobile body opens the door 130 by pulling the door handle in the pulling direction with a predetermined force. Here, the pulling direction roughly coincides with the bending direction of the antenna unit 10. As shown in FIG. 5 , the door handle 100 includes a circuit board 110, the antenna unit 10 described above, and a housing 120. The housing 120 accommodates the circuit board 110 and the antenna unit 10. As described above, when a force is applied to the antenna unit 10 so as to bend the entire antenna unit 10 in one bending direction, the flexible portion 30 can bend more than the core 24 in that direction.

[0034] The door handle 100 will now be described in detail. The door handle 100 is attached to a door 130. The upper side of FIG. 5 is the outside of the door 130 (vehicle), and the lower side is the inside of the door 130 (vehicle). The housing 120 is a case having an internal storage space 121. The circuit board 110 and the antenna unit 10 are housed in the storage space 121. In this embodiment, the storage space 121 is defined by two members (an outer member 122 and an inner member 123). Both ends of the inner member 123 are inserted into the door 130. One end of the inner member 123 is formed with a pivotally supported portion 123a that is pivotally supported by a pivot portion 131 inside the door 130. The other end of the inner member 123 is formed with an engaging portion 123b. A stopper portion 132 is formed on an outer surface portion 130a that forms the outer surface of the door 130. The shape of the stopper portion 132 corresponds to the shape of the engaging portion 123b, allowing the stopper portion 132 to engage with the engaging portion 123b. As a result, when the door handle 100 is pulled and pivoted, the stopper portion 132 engages with the engaging portion 123b. As a result, pivoting of the door handle 100 relative to the door 130 is restricted. A wiring passage 123d is formed in the inner member 123 near the pivoted portion 123a, connecting the inner space of the outer surface portion with the outer space. Various wiring (including the harness 111) is routed through the wiring passage 123d from the space inside (lower in FIG. 5 ) the outer surface portion 130a to the space outside (upper in FIG. 5 ). The outer member 122 and the inner member 123 have an arc-shaped curved shape toward the outside of the vehicle body (upper in FIG. 5 ). Therefore, the storage space 121 also has an arc-shaped curved shape toward the outside of the vehicle body. A space (insertion space 140) into which a hand can be inserted is formed between the inner member 123 and the outer surface portion 130a.

[0035] In this embodiment, the antenna unit 10 and the circuit board 110 are fixed inside the door handle 100. The antenna unit 10 is positioned so that the lower surface of the proximity detection electrode 50 faces the insertion space 140. This ensures that the pulling direction of the door handle 100 and the bending direction of the antenna unit 10 are approximately aligned. The antenna unit 10 is fixed to the inner member 123. More specifically, tape (not shown) with adhesive layers on both sides may be disposed between at least a portion of the lower surface (the surface facing downward in the figure) of the proximity detection electrode 50 and the inner member 123, and between at least a portion of the lower surface (the surface facing downward in the figure) of the connector portion 40 and the inner member 123. This allows the antenna unit 10 and the circuit board 110 to be fixed to the inner member 123 by the tape. Furthermore, the accommodation space 121 is preferably filled with a resin such as urethane. The resin may be present around the circuit board 110, around the antenna unit 10, and in spaces within the antenna unit 10 (such as the gap between the proximity detection electrode 50 and the base portion 60). This allows the positions of the antenna unit 10 and the circuit board 110 to be fixed within the door handle 100 by the resin. The resin filled in the accommodation space 121 preferably has a predetermined flexibility. Here, the predetermined flexibility means a degree of flexibility that allows the flexible portion 30 to maintain greater flexibility than the core 24, even when the resin is disposed around the flexible portion 30 while being in close contact with the flexible portion 30. This ensures that the flexible portion 30 has sufficient flexibility even when the antenna unit 10 is fixed to the door handle 100, thereby preventing deformation of the antenna unit 10.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 5 , the insertion space 140 extends in the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the antenna unit 10 (the left-right direction in the figure). The proximity detection electrode 50 is disposed along the space wall 123c. The space wall 123c is a portion of the inner member 123 that defines the insertion space 140 and extends in the left-right direction in the figure. Preferably, the proximity detection electrode 50 is disposed close to or in contact with the space wall 123c. Specifically, the proximity detection electrode 50 is closer to the insertion space wall 123c than to the underside of the base portion 60. This allows the proximity detection electrode 50 to effectively detect when an object is inserted into the insertion space 140 and approaches the inner member 123. A member extending along the insertion space wall 123c means that the extension direction of the member and the extension direction of the insertion space wall 123c are approximately the same. Preferably, the member and the insertion space wall 123c are disposed adjacent to each other. 5, the flexible portion 30 is preferably disposed along the wall portion 123c of the insertion space, so that when a predetermined force is applied to the inner member 123, the antenna unit 10 can bend well around the flexible portion 30.

[0037] As described above, the flexible portion 30 spans one end of the antenna portion 20 and the connector portion 40. When viewed in the bending direction, one end of the antenna portion 20 and the circuit board 110 are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the antenna portion 20 (the left-right direction in FIG. 5 ). That is, the circuit board 110 and the antenna portion 20 are connected by the flexible portion 30. More specifically, the circuit board 110 and the antenna portion 20 are connected not only by the flexible portion 30 but also by the space wall portion 123c. This is because the circuit board 110 and the antenna portion 20 are fixed to the space wall portion 123c. When a hand or the like is inserted into the insertion space 140 and the door handle 100 is pulled, a force is applied to the inner member 123 toward the outside of the vehicle (upward in FIG. 5 ), which may deform the door handle 100 (particularly the inner member 123). In this embodiment, as described above, the circuit board 110 and the proximity detection electrode 50 are fixed to the inner member 123 with tape. Therefore, the antenna unit 10 and the circuit board 110 can deform in accordance with the deformation of the inner member 123, etc. Since the flexible portion 30 is provided between the circuit board 110 fixed to the inner member 123 and the proximity detection electrode 50 (fixed to the antenna section 20), the circuit board 110 and the antenna section 20 can bend as a whole, centering on the flexible portion 30.

[0038] Second Embodiment FIGS. 7A to 7C are plan views showing an example of an antenna unit 10 according to this embodiment. First, an overview of the antenna unit 10 of this embodiment will be described. The antenna unit 10 of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the shape of the flexible portion. Specifically, an end region 36 of the flexible portion 30, which is closer to one longitudinal end than the longitudinal central portion 34, is wider than the central portion 34. In this embodiment, both of the two end regions 36, which are closer to both longitudinal ends, are wider than the central portion 34. With this configuration, the flexible portion 30 is more likely to bend at the central portion 34, which is narrower than the end regions 36. By bending the flexible portion 30 around the central portion 34 of the flexible portion 30, loads are less likely to be applied to both ends (base ends) of the flexible portion 30, and unexpected bending of the flexible portion 30 at both ends (base ends) is suppressed.

[0039] The antenna unit 10 of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the shape of the flexible portion 30. Other features of the antenna unit 10 of this embodiment are common to the features of the antenna unit 10 of the first embodiment. Specifically, the flexible portion 30 has flexibility that allows it to bend in the bending direction. When a force is applied to the antenna unit 10 so as to bend the entire antenna unit 10 in one bending direction, the flexible portion 30 can bend more in that direction than the core 24. The flexible portion 30 is disposed between the antenna unit 20 and the connector portion 40 in the longitudinal direction of the antenna unit 20. The flexible portion 30 also has bending rigidity sufficient to support the weight of the connector portion 40. The thickness of the flexible portion 30 in the bending direction is greater than the thickness of the proximity detection electrode 50 in the bending direction. The proximity detection electrode 50 is disposed below one end (front end) of the antenna unit 20 (opposite the one direction in which the flexible portion 30 bends in the bending direction). One end (rear end) of the conductive plate 32 is embedded in the base end 61 .

[0040] Next, the antenna unit 10 of this embodiment will be described in detail. The end region 36, the central portion 34, and one end portion 38 (described later) are part of the flexible portion 30. More specifically, the end region 36, the central portion 34, and one end portion 38 are also part of a length region of the flexible portion 30 extending in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction). The central portion 34 may be exactly at the center of the flexible portion 30 in the front-rear direction or in its vicinity, or may not be. For example, the central portion 34 may be located slightly closer to one end portion of the flexible portion 30 than the exact center of the flexible portion 30 in the front-rear direction, or in its vicinity. As shown in FIG. 7( a), the widthwise dimension of the flexible portion 30 may change abruptly at the boundary between the central portion 34 and the end region 36. In other words, the central portion 34 and the end region 36 each have a length region of uniform width, and the length region of uniform width in the central portion 34 and the length region of uniform width in the end region 36 are arranged adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7B, the width of the flexible section 30 may be gradually narrowed in a transition region (transition region) from the end region 36 to the central section 34.

[0041] Furthermore, in the flexible portion 30 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7C , the one end 38, which is closer to one end than the end region 36, may be narrower than the end region 36. More specifically, the one end 38 and a portion of the conductive plate 32 embedded in the connector portion 40 or the base portion 60 subsequent to the one end 38 are narrower than the end region 36. If the basemost portion of the flexible portion 30 is wide, bending of the flexible portion 30 may impose a large load on the connector portion 40 or the base portion 60 in which the conductive plate 32 constituting the flexible portion 30 is embedded. By narrowing the one end 38, it is possible to prevent a large load from being applied to the connector portion 40 or the base portion 60. As a result, breaking or deformation of the connector portion 40 or the base portion 60 when the flexible portion 30 bends is prevented. In this embodiment, the length of the end region 36 in the front-to-rear direction is smaller than the length of the one end 38 or the central portion 34 in the front-to-rear direction. This allows the length of the wide region in the flexible section 30 to be minimized, thereby ensuring sufficient flexibility of the flexible section 30. Furthermore, the length dimension of the one end 38 in the front-to-rear direction is smaller than the length dimension of the central section 34 in the front-to-rear direction. By providing the central section 34 with a sufficient length dimension, the flexibility of the flexible section 30 can be ensured.

[0042] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but includes various modifications and improvements as long as the object of the present invention is achieved. The following modifications can be combined as appropriate.

[0043] In the first or second embodiment, the flexible portion 30 has a uniform thickness, but this is not limited thereto. In the first or second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8 , the thickness of the central portion 34 in the bending direction may be smaller than the thickness of the end regions 36 in the bending direction. By making the central portion 34 of the flexible portion 30 thinner, the central portion 34 can have greater flexibility. In this embodiment, the central portion 34 has a small thickness because each of the upper and lower surfaces of the flexible portion 30 is recessed toward the inside of the flexible portion 30. Alternatively, the central portion 34 may have a small thickness because only either the upper or lower surface of the flexible portion 30 is recessed toward the inside of the flexible portion 30.

[0044] In the first and second embodiments, the flexible portion 30 is formed by a plurality of (three) conductive plates 32 arranged in the left-right direction. Alternatively, the flexible portion 30 may be formed by a single wide plate-like member. The wide plate-like member may be a mesh-shaped member or a flat plate. Furthermore, although the flexible portion 30 in the first and second embodiments is a wiring portion that constitutes an electronic circuit, this is not limited thereto. For example, the flexible portion 30 may be formed by a non-conductive plate-like member. In this case, a conductor for connecting the terminal 42 and the coil wire 22 may be arranged along the plate-like member.

[0045] The above embodiments encompass the following technical concepts. (1) An elongated antenna unit connected to an external circuit board, comprising: an antenna section having a coil wire wound around a core; and a flexible section capable of bending in a bending direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the antenna unit, wherein when a force is applied to the antenna unit so as to bend the entire antenna unit in one of the bending directions, the flexible section can bend more in the one direction than the core. (1-1) An antenna unit wherein the length dimension of the flexible section in the longitudinal direction is greater than the width dimension of the flexible section in the width direction of the antenna unit. (2) An antenna unit according to (1), further comprising a connector section to which terminals for connecting to the external circuit board are fixed, wherein the connector section is disposed on an extension of the antenna section in the longitudinal direction, and the flexible section is disposed between the antenna section and the connector section in the longitudinal direction. (3) The antenna unit described in (2), wherein the flexible portion is a conductive plate that is elongated in the longitudinal direction, has a main surface facing the bending direction, has a predetermined thickness in the bending direction, and has bending rigidity sufficient to support the weight of the connector portion, and both ends of the flexible portion in the longitudinal direction are connected to the terminal and one end of the antenna portion, so that the flexible portion forms at least a part of a conductive path from the coil wire to the terminal. (4) The antenna unit described in (3), further including a plate-shaped proximity detection electrode that is arranged on the other side of the bending direction in the antenna portion and has a main surface facing the bending direction, the flexible portion spanning between the one end of the antenna portion and the connector portion, and the proximity detection electrode is arranged on the other side of the one end of the antenna portion in the bending direction. (4-1) The antenna unit, wherein the proximity detection electrode is arranged below the lowest position of the connector portion in the up-down direction. (5) The antenna unit described in (4), wherein the antenna section includes a base section that holds the core and has the coil wire wound around it, and one end of the conductive plate is embedded in one end of the base section in the longitudinal direction.(5-1) An antenna unit in which the thickness dimension of a portion of the base end portion located on one side of the conductive plate in which the flexible portion bends is greater than the thickness dimension of another portion of the base end portion located on the opposite side of the conductive plate from the one side. (5-2) An antenna unit in which the thickness dimension of one end portion of the base portion where the conductive plate is embedded is smaller than the thickness dimension of another portion of the base portion. (6) An antenna unit described in (4) or (5), in which the thickness dimension of the flexible portion in the bending direction is greater than the thickness dimension of the proximity detection electrode in the bending direction. (6-1) An antenna unit in which the thickness dimension of the flexible portion in the bending direction is smaller than the thickness dimension of the base portion or the core in the bending direction. (7) An antenna unit described in any one of (2) to (6), in which an end region of the flexible portion closer to one end in the longitudinal direction than a central portion in the longitudinal direction is wider than the central portion. (8) An antenna unit described in (7), in which one end region closer to the one end than the end region is narrower than the end region. (8-1) An antenna unit in which the length dimension of an end region in the front-rear direction is smaller than the length dimension of one end or a central portion in the front-rear direction. (8-2) An antenna unit in which the length dimension of one end in the front-rear direction is smaller than the length dimension of the central portion in the front-rear direction. (9) The antenna unit according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein the flexible portion has a central portion in the longitudinal direction, and the thickness dimension of the central portion in the bending direction is smaller than the thickness dimension of a portion of the flexible portion that is closer to one end in the longitudinal direction than the central portion. (10) A door handle that is attached to a door and can open the door when pulled in a predetermined pulling direction, the door handle comprising: a circuit board, a long antenna unit connected to the circuit board, and a housing that accommodates the circuit board and the antenna unit, the antenna unit having an antenna portion in which a coil wire is wound around a core, and a flexible portion that can bend in a bending direction that intersects with the longitudinal direction of the antenna unit, and when a force is applied to the antenna unit so as to bend the antenna unit as a whole in one of the bending directions, the flexible portion can bend in the one direction more than the core.(10-1) An antenna unit, in which an insertion space arranged between the door handle and the door extends in the longitudinal direction of the antenna unit, and the proximity detection electrode is arranged along a space wall portion that is a part of the inner member that defines the insertion space and extends in the longitudinal direction of the antenna unit. (10-2) An antenna unit, in which the flexible portion is arranged along the insertion space wall portion. (11) The door handle according to (10), in which the antenna unit further has a connector portion to which a terminal for connecting to the circuit board is fixed, and the connector portion is arranged on an extension of the antenna portion in the longitudinal direction, and the flexible portion is arranged between the antenna portion and the connector portion in the longitudinal direction. (12) The door handle described in (11), wherein the flexible portion is a conductive plate that is long in the longitudinal direction, has a main surface facing the bending direction, and has a predetermined thickness in the bending direction; both ends of the flexible portion in the longitudinal direction are connected to the terminal and one end of the antenna portion, and the flexible portion forms at least a part of a conductive path from the coil wire to the terminal; the antenna unit has a plate-shaped proximity detection electrode that is arranged on the other side of the bending direction in the antenna portion and has a main surface facing the bending direction; the flexible portion is bridged across the one end of the antenna portion and the connector portion; and when viewed in the bending direction, the one end of the antenna portion and the circuit board are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction.

[0046] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Antenna unit 20 Antenna portion 22 Coil wire 24 Core 30 Flexible portion 30a First flexible portion 30b Second flexible portion 30c Third flexible portion 32 Conductive plate 32a Concave shape 34 Central portion 36 End region 38 One end portion 40 Connector portion 41 Connecting protrusion 42 Terminal 50 Proximity detection electrode 51 Exposed portion 60 Base portion 61 Base end portion 62 Flange portion 63 Support portion 64 Side portion 65 Upright portion 70 Chip capacitor 80 Adhesive 100 Door handle 110 Circuit board 111 Harness 112 Connecting recess 120 Housing 121 Storage space 122 Outer member 123 Inner member 123a Supported portion 123b Engagement portion 123c Space wall portion 123d Wiring passage 130 Door 130a Outer surface portion 131 Shaft portion 132 Stopper portion 140 Insertion space

Claims

1. A long antenna unit connected to an external circuit board, comprising: an antenna section in which a coil wire is wound around a core; and a flexible section that is capable of bending in a bending direction that intersects with the longitudinal direction of the antenna unit, wherein when a force is applied to the antenna unit so as to bend the antenna unit as a whole in one of the bending directions, the flexible section can bend in the one direction more than the core.

2. An antenna unit as described in claim 1, further comprising a connector portion having a terminal fixed thereto for connecting to the external circuit board, the connector portion being disposed on an extension of the antenna portion in the longitudinal direction, and the flexible portion being disposed between the antenna portion and the connector portion in the longitudinal direction.

3. The antenna unit described in claim 2, wherein the flexible portion is a conductive plate that is long in the longitudinal direction, has a main surface facing the bending direction, and has a predetermined thickness in the bending direction, and has bending rigidity sufficient to support the weight of the connector portion, and both ends of the flexible portion in the longitudinal direction are connected to the terminal and one end of the antenna portion, so that the flexible portion forms at least a part of the conductive path from the coil wire to the terminal.

4. An antenna unit as described in claim 3, further comprising a plate-shaped proximity detection electrode arranged on the other side of the bending direction in the antenna section and having a main surface facing the bending direction, the flexible section being bridged across the one end of the antenna section and the connector section, and the proximity detection electrode being arranged on the other side of the bending direction of the one end of the antenna section.

5. An antenna unit as described in claim 4, wherein the antenna section comprises a base section which holds the core and has the coil wire wound around it, and one end of the conductive plate is embedded in one end of the base section in the longitudinal direction.

6. The antenna unit according to claim 4 or 5, wherein a thickness dimension of said flexible portion in said bending direction is greater than a thickness dimension of said proximity detection electrode in said bending direction.

7. An antenna unit according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein an end region of said flexible section that is closer to one end in the longitudinal direction than the central portion in the longitudinal direction is wider than said central portion.

8. The antenna unit according to claim 7, wherein one end portion closer to said one end than said end region is narrower than said end region.

9. An antenna unit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the flexible portion has a central portion in the longitudinal direction, and the thickness dimension of the central portion in the bending direction is smaller than the thickness dimension in the bending direction of a part of the flexible portion that is closer to one end in the longitudinal direction than the central portion.

10. A door handle that is attached to a door and can open the door when pulled in a predetermined pulling direction, the door handle having a circuit board, a long antenna unit connected to the circuit board, and a housing that contains the circuit board and the antenna unit, the antenna unit having an antenna portion in which a coil wire is wound around a core, and a flexible portion that can bend in a bending direction that intersects the longitudinal direction of the antenna unit, and when a force is applied to the antenna unit so as to bend the antenna unit as a whole in one of the bending directions, the flexible portion can bend in the one direction more than the core.

11. A door handle as described in claim 10, wherein the antenna unit further has a connector portion having a terminal fixed thereto for connecting to the circuit board, the connector portion being arranged on an extension of the antenna portion in the longitudinal direction, and the flexible portion being arranged between the antenna portion and the connector portion in the longitudinal direction.

12. The door handle as described in claim 11, wherein the flexible portion is a conductive plate that is long in the longitudinal direction, has a main surface facing the bending direction, and has a predetermined thickness in the bending direction, both ends of the flexible portion in the longitudinal direction are connected to the terminal and one end of the antenna portion, and the flexible portion forms at least a part of a conductive path from the coil wire to the terminal, the antenna unit has a plate-shaped proximity detection electrode that is arranged on the other side of the bending direction in the antenna portion and has a main surface facing the bending direction, the flexible portion is bridged across the one end of the antenna portion and the connector portion, and when viewed in the bending direction, the one end of the antenna portion and the circuit board are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction.

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