Flexible PIFA Antenna on Curved Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional planar inverted 'F' antennas are not flexible and are sensitive to the presence of a living body and metal, limiting their use on curved surfaces and in metal enclosures without degrading performance.
Innovation Solution
A flexible planar inverted 'F' antenna is created using a flexible printed circuit board with a metal layer and a cover layer, folded to form a main element and ground plate, which maintains performance when bent or secured to curved or metal surfaces, utilizing a coaxial cable for connection to a wireless device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional planar inverted F antenna is used, then the antenna structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the antenna cannot be flexed or mounted on curved surfaces without degrading performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible printed circuit board (PCB) technology to create a PIFA antenna that can be bent and conform to curved surfaces. The flexible PCB substrate allows the antenna to be mounted on non-planar surfaces while maintaining electrical performance, directly resolving the contradiction between flexibility and performance stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna structure combines multiple materials including flexible PCB substrate, conductive traces, dielectric layers, and metallic elements to create a composite structure that maintains electrical performance while enabling flexibility and adaptability to various mounting surfaces.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a traditional antenna is used, then the structure is simple, but the antenna is highly sensitive to the presence of living bodies and metal in the near field
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a flexible PCB substrate and dielectric layers as intermediary elements between the conductive elements and the surrounding environment. These intermediary layers help isolate the antenna from direct interaction with living bodies and metal objects, reducing sensitivity while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the antenna is made flexible by using flexible PCB, then the antenna can be mounted on curved surfaces, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna design segments the structure into distinct functional layers including the flexible PCB substrate, conductive traces, dielectric layers, and mounting elements. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized independently while maintaining overall manufacturing feasibility through standard flexible PCB fabrication processes.
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible inverted âFâ antenna (PIFA) is shown. The flexible PIFA is not only applicable to flat surfaces, but it can be applied to curved surfaces, both convex and concave, without degrading performance. The flexible PIFA can also be used close to living bodies or to a metal surface without detuning. The flexible PIFA is formed from a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) having a metal layer on one side and over which a cover layer is positioned. The flexible PCB is folded, on its reverse side, around a flexible dielectric element with the covered metal layer facing outward to form a metal conducting service, an impedance matching stub and a ground plate. An adhesive layer forms a portion of the ground plate that is not in contact with the dielectric element. This adhesive layer is applied against the desired surface. A coaxial cable is electrically coupled to corresponding feed and ground tabs at the short circuit plate portion of the flexible PIFA.