U-Shaped PCB Edge Antenna for Compact RF Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional PCB antennas occupy significant space on printed circuit boards, limiting their compactness and performance due to discontinuities in metallization, increased manufacturing time, and costs associated with additional assembly steps.
Innovation Solution
A U-shaped antenna design with continuous metallization on the edge and faces of the PCB, extending along part of its length, allowing for improved radiation performance and homogeneity without increasing the board's volume or adding assembly steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a PCB antenna is made with metallization on the external surface of the PCB, then the antenna can be manufactured easily and at lower cost, but the antenna occupies significant surface area on the PCB and requires discontinuous metallization which reduces radiation performance
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna design transitions from a two-dimensional planar metallization on the PCB surface to a three-dimensional structure that extends vertically from the PCB surface. The metallization forms a U-shaped configuration with wings extending along the edge and across the faces of the PCB, utilizing the third dimension (height/depth) to achieve continuous radiation path without requiring large surface area.
Solution Approach 2:
The antenna metallization is segmented into three distinct longitudinal wings: a first wing along the edge, a second wing across the first face, and a third wing across the second face. These segmented portions work together to form a continuous U-shaped radiation structure, allowing each segment to be optimized for its specific location while maintaining overall antenna performance.
2Reliability
If the metallic surface area of the antenna is increased to improve radiation performance, then the radiation performance improves, but the antenna occupies more functional surface area on the PCB
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna utilizes the vertical dimension by extending metallization from the edge surface across the top and bottom faces of the PCB. This three-dimensional U-shaped configuration provides sufficient metallic surface area for good radiation performance while confining the antenna within the compact footprint of the PCB edges and faces, minimizing the horizontal surface area occupied.
3Volume of moving object
If conventional drilling methods are used to create metallized holes for edge-mounted antennas, then the antenna can be mounted on the edge, but discontinuities in metallization occur between adjacent holes and manufacturing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple metallization operations into a single continuous metallized structure. Instead of creating separate metallized holes at intervals along the edge, the metallization is applied continuously along the edge and across the faces in a U-shaped configuration, eliminating the need for multiple discrete drilling and metallization steps while ensuring continuous electrical connectivity throughout the antenna structure.
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 U-shaped antenna design enhances radiation performance and wave homogeneity while maintaining a compact size, reducing manufacturing complexity and costs by minimizing the need for additional assembly steps.
Implementation Method 1
an antenna is a device that converts electrical energy into radiation and makes it possible, in association with a radiofrequency transmitter/receiver, to emit radiation (electromagnetic waves)
Data Source
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AI summary
Printed circuit board antenna device and method for manufacturing antenna(s) on printed circuit board(s). The present invention relates to a printed circuit board antenna device comprising, on the one hand, a printed circuit board (1) comprising a radio frequency transmission/reception circuit and having the form of a plate comprising two opposite faces (1a, 1b), namely a first face (1a) and a second face (1b), and at least one lateral side (1c, 1d, 1e, 1f) connecting said opposite faces (1a, 1b) by forming the border of the printed circuit board (1) and, on the other hand, an antenna (2) connected to said radio frequency transmission/reception circuit and made by metallization on the external surface of the printed circuit board (1).The antenna (2) has an elongated shape with a U-shaped cross-section, extending along at least a portion of the edge (1c, 1d, 1e, 1f) of the printed circuit board (1) and comprising a first longitudinal wing (2a), a second longitudinal wing (2b), and a third longitudinal wing (2c) connected together, each forming a substantially continuous metallization layer on the external surface of the printed circuit board (1). The first longitudinal wing (2c) is applied to the edge, while the second longitudinal wing (2a) is applied to the first face (1a) and the third longitudinal wing (2b) is applied to the second face (1a). It also relates to a method for manufacturing antenna(s) on printed circuit board(s).