Printer Housing Antenna Integration for Signal Interference

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electronic machines with metallic components, such as printers, experience interference with wireless signals due to their internal metallic parts, leading to reduced signal strength and reliability in communication.

Innovation Solution

Integrating an antenna within a non-conductive housing using a molded interconnect device (MID) process, positioning it on the inside surface to minimize interference and design it to encircle the machine for uniform radiation patterns, thereby enhancing signal reception and transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an internal antenna is used within the machine, then the machine can transmit and receive wireless communications, but metallic components interfere with the wireless signals reducing signal strength and reliability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewireless signal reception reliabilityVSAvoidsignal interference from metallic components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The antenna is extracted from the internal space and repositioned to the external surface of the housing. This removes the antenna from the harmful electromagnetic environment created by internal metallic components, allowing it to operate in a cleaner electromagnetic space while maintaining integration with the housing structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The non-conductive housing material serves as an intermediary between the antenna and the external environment. It provides a mounting surface for the antenna while electrically isolating it from internal metallic components, and the molded interconnect device technology integrates the antenna directly into the housing structure during manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the antenna is positioned internally among components, then it is integrated within the machine, but signal transmission and reception are blocked or weakened in certain directions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewireless communication reliabilityVSAvoidomnidirectional signal coverage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The antenna is transitioned from a three-dimensional internal space to a two-dimensional surface mounting on the housing exterior. This dimensional change allows the antenna to be positioned optimally for radiation patterns, enabling more uniform signal distribution in all directions without being blocked by internal components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The antenna is strategically positioned on specific external surfaces of the housing where it can radiate signals most effectively. Different portions of the housing surface provide different radiation characteristics, and the antenna placement is optimized to achieve uniform omnidirectional coverage by leveraging the local geometric properties of the housing surfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the antenna is placed on the outside of the housing, then signal interference is reduced, but the antenna is no longer integrated within the machine structure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal interference from metallic componentsVSAvoidantenna integration with housing

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The antenna and housing are merged into a single integrated structure using molded interconnect device technology. The antenna is embedded within or mounted on the housing during the molding process itself, creating a unified component that combines structural support with wireless communication functionality, eliminating separate assembly steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The antenna is pre-integrated into the housing structure during the manufacturing process rather than being installed separately afterward. The molded interconnect device technology allows the antenna to be formed and attached to the housing in a single molding operation, preparing the complete assembly in advance and simplifying final assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

This approach reduces signal interference from metallic components, ensuring a more uniform and efficient wireless communication capability in all directions, improving the machine's ability to receive and transmit data without orientation dependencies.

Implementation Method 1

the radiation pattern for the antenna does not suffer from significant signal power reduction in any particular direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentUS10601107B2Enclosure with integrated antenna, such as a printer with an antenna integrated in a printer housing used to communicate wirelessly with an electronic device

Publication Date: 2020.03.24 INTERMEC IP CORP

AI summary

A printing apparatus is described that comprises an antenna configured to intercept radio waves modulated with printing data; a receiver configured to recover the printing data from the intercepted radio waves; a printing module configured to generate a printed output on a printing medium based on the printing data; and a housing for the printing apparatus, wherein the housing encloses the antenna, the receiver, and the printing module, and further wherein the antenna is integrated with an interior surface of the housing.