Elliptical PIFA Antenna for Robust Wideband Kitchen Communication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing antenna solutions for household and kitchen environments lack simplicity, robustness, and ease of manufacture while providing wideband transmission and reception capabilities, especially in high-temperature and greasy conditions.

Innovation Solution

A planar inverted-F antenna with an elliptical curvature and coaxial feed, featuring a slit and trapezoidal/trapezoidal parts, made from sheet metal, which is easy to manufacture and provides wideband characteristics for ISM band frequencies, ensuring reliable wireless communication in kitchen settings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If complex antenna structures with multiple components are used to achieve wideband transmission and reception, then communication performance is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication performanceVSAvoidantenna structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the antenna element and ground plane into a single monolithic printed circuit board structure. The antenna element is directly printed on the PCB substrate with the ground plane, eliminating the need for separate antenna components and complex assembly processes. This integration maintains wideband communication performance while significantly reducing device complexity and manufacturing difficulty.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical antenna structures with a printed circuit board-based antenna element. Instead of using separate metal components and mechanical assemblies, the antenna is created through PCB printing processes, substituting mechanical construction with electronic manufacturing techniques. This achieves both performance and manufacturing simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of manufacture

If traditional antenna designs are used in kitchen environments, then manufacturing is straightforward, but reliability deteriorates due to high temperature and greasy conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidoperational reliability in kitchen environment
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a printed circuit board as a composite structure that integrates the antenna element, ground plane, and mounting substrate into a single robust unit. The PCB material provides both electrical functionality and mechanical robustness, enabling the antenna to withstand high temperatures and greasy kitchen environments while maintaining ease of manufacture through standard PCB fabrication processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Adaptability or versatility

If wideband transmission and reception capabilities are implemented, then communication versatility is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewideband communication capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent achieves wideband transmission and reception by carefully designing the geometric parameters of the antenna element and ground plane on the PCB. By optimizing dimensions, shapes, and configurations during the design phase, the antenna provides broad frequency coverage without requiring complex manufacturing processes. The wideband capability is achieved through parameter optimization rather than structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The antenna arrangement offers a technically simple, robust, and mechanically stable solution for wireless communication in kitchen environments, enhancing cooking control and flexibility by facilitating communication between kitchen appliances and sensors.

Implementation Method 1

capable of wideband transmission / reception and of technically simple construction as well as easy to manufacture

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP2884580B1Antenna arrangement and kitchen apparatus
Publication Date: 2019.10.09 ELECTROLUX APPLIANCES
  • EP2884580B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2884580B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2884580B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention describes an easy-to-manufacture wide-band antenna arrangement 100 and a kitchen appliance 300 including this antenna arrangement. A resonating part of any antenna arrangement has a flat shape, its outer edges have an elliptical curvature and a coaxial cable is located at a feed in a slit in the middle of the resonating plate. The resonating plate is parallel to a ground plane 105, and together those parts form a planar inverted-F antenna. Such an antenna is useful in combination with a kitchen hob and sensor applications that wirelessly 360 communicate with the kitchen hob, e.g. for improving cooking results.