Open-Ring Antenna Structure for Stable PCB-Independent Tuning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Antennas with split-ring resonator structures formed on printed circuit boards are prone to manufacturing variations, leading to high costs and unstable characteristics due to the need for additional matching circuits or re-manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
A conductive member with a body and facing portions is used, forming an open ring-like shape, allowing for discrete component formation separate from the board, reducing misalignment issues and enabling adjustable inductance, thereby reducing costs and stabilizing antenna characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If an antenna is formed by using a printed circuit board with a conductive layer, then the antenna can be integrated with the board structure, but manufacturing variations lead to unstable characteristics and high costs due to the need for additional matching circuits or re-manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive member is divided into a body portion and separate facing portions that can be independently positioned and adjusted. This segmentation allows for precise alignment of the facing portions to achieve stable capacitance values while maintaining ease of manufacturing through modular assembly on the board.
Solution Approach 2:
The facing portions are designed to be adjustable relative to the body, allowing dynamic tuning of the antenna characteristics. This adjustability enables compensation for manufacturing variations and achieves stable performance without requiring complete re-manufacturing or additional matching circuits.
2Reliability
If additional matching circuits are added to compensate for manufacturing variations, then antenna characteristics can be stabilized, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive member is designed with adjustable facing portions that enable self-tuning of the antenna characteristics. The structure itself provides the means to compensate for manufacturing variations through adjustment, eliminating the need for external matching circuits and reducing overall device complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If the conductive member is formed as a discrete component separate from the board, then cost is reduced and manufacturing flexibility is improved, but alignment precision between components may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive member is segmented into a body and separate facing portions that can be manufactured independently as discrete components. This segmentation maintains manufacturing flexibility and cost advantages while the segments are designed with features that facilitate precise alignment during assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The body and facing portions are combined into a single conductive member structure that functions as an integrated unit. This merging ensures precise relative positioning of the facing portions while allowing the entire assembly to be manufactured and adjusted as a discrete component separate from the board.
4Volume of moving object
If the size of the antenna is reduced, then the overall device size decreases, but the inductance value may be insufficient for achieving desired antenna characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive member incorporates a thin portion with locally reduced cross-sectional area. This local quality change increases the inductance value in a compact region, allowing the antenna to achieve desired characteristics in a reduced overall size without compromising inductance adequacy.
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 solution results in a low-cost antenna with stable characteristics and reduced size without compromising performance, as the conductive member's thin portion increases inductance, allowing for precise alignment and adjustment of antenna components.
Implementation Method 1
the inductance of the antenna can be made large by providing the thin portion on the body of the conductive member
Implementation Method 2
The conductive layer 920 has opposite ends which are apart from each other and face each other to form a capacitor 94
Data Source
AI summary
An antenna is provided with a conductive member. The conductive member has a main part, an opposing part, a first feed terminal, and a second feed terminal. The main part extends along a horizontal plane so as to have an opened ring shape. The main part has a first end section and a second end section that are located apart from each other. The opposing part includes a first opposing part provided on the first end section and a second opposing part provided on the second end section. The first opposing part and the second opposing part are spaced apart from, and opposed to, each other. The main part has a thin part that is thinner than both the first opposing part and the second opposing part.