Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
  • H01Q1/36—Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewith
  • H01Q1/38—Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewith formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
  • H01Q1/12—Supports; Mounting means
  • H01Q1/1271—Supports; Mounting means for mounting on windscreens
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
  • H01Q1/12—Supports; Mounting means
  • H01Q1/1271—Supports; Mounting means for mounting on windscreens
  • H01Q1/1278—Supports; Mounting means for mounting on windscreens in association with heating wires or layers
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
  • H01Q1/27—Adaptation for use in or on movable bodies
  • H01Q1/32—Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles
  • H01Q1/325—Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles characterised by the location of the antenna on the vehicle
  • H01Q1/3266—Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles characterised by the location of the antenna on the vehicle using the mirror of the vehicle
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
  • H01Q1/36—Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewith
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
  • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
  • H01Q1/36—Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewith
  • H01Q1/364—Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewith using a particular conducting material, e.g. superconductor

Definitions

• the invention relates to a substrate comprising at least one electroconductive element which provides an antenna function for transmitting and / or receiving electromagnetic signals.
• Electrode conductive substrates are known as glazing, which is widely used in the automotive field.
• the electroconductive elements are most often used as heating tracks, especially on rear glasses, but they can also be placed on the glazing to provide an alarm function and / or antenna.
• the electroconductive elements consist of metal wires which are formed industrially by conventional screen printing of an electroconductive paste forming a predetermined pattern, and by baking of this paste.
• the pattern establishes a precise width and thickness of the elements according to the final function of said elements, for example, in relation to the desired impedance for an antenna.
• an antenna was only dedicated to the reception of radio waves
• the increasing technology in the field of the telecommunications imposes more and more to provide antennas dedicated to different types of emission and / or reception, such as GPS, mobile telephony ...
• a vehicle is now equipped with conventional reception antennas, such as conductors son arranged on the rear glasses, and more specific antennas such as for GPS-type systems, mobile telephony, electronic tolls, etc .. which are formed by antennas son or configured as patches and arranged for example on the roof of the vehicle, or which are constituted by transparent conductive layers deposited on the glazing.
• fractal antenna a new type of antenna, called a fractal antenna, has appeared on the market, which makes it possible, with a single device, to operate on one or more frequency bands and which also has a miniaturized size.
• a fractal antenna has a fractal geometry pattern, that is, a basic pattern that is repeated several times, possibly on a scale of different size and homothetic, so as to cover one or more frequency bands.
• US Pat. No. 6,300,914 describes, for example, a loop-shaped fractal antenna which is 5 to 10 times smaller than a conventional low-frequency equivalent antenna.
• This antenna is for example formed by a conductive layer deposited on a substrate and cut to the desired shape.
• the patent application WO 02/01668 thus shows different patterns such as triangular, of the Hubert pattern type, von Koch flake, Sierpinski carpet or a combination of these patterns, the antennas being obtained from conductive layers formed on substrates. .
• fractal antennas formed by transparent layers can also be integrated into glazing by being deposited on supports, for example flexible plastic films, which are then laminated between two substrates to form the glazing.
• supports for example flexible plastic films
• US6552690 shows this type of glazing. This manufacturing process remains difficult to implement.
• Such antennas are also known which are formed on rigid supports such as plastics but are integrated inside the mirror housings, thus eliminating in view the conventional antennas arranged on the roof.
• the invention aims to use this new fractal antenna technology to ensure operation over a wider range of frequencies while benefiting from a miniaturized size, the realization of these antennas to be simple implementation, and allow their integration into the final device of use easily and quickly.
• the substrate is rigid and comprises at least one electroconductive element which provides an antenna function for transmitting and / or receiving electromagnetic signals, the electroconductive element being made of an electrically conductive material and exhibiting a fractal geometry pattern, the substrate being characterized in that the electroconductive element is formed by an electrically conductive ink or an electrically conductive enamel, and is directly printed on the substrate.
• rigid substrate is meant a substrate that inherently has a mechanical strength so that it does not sag when it is vertically disposed on its edge.
• a fractal geometry antenna has many advantages that are related to the reduced size of the antenna, the type of substrate used supporting the antenna and here constituted by said rigid substrate, and the manner in which this antenna is associated, namely by printing on the substrate and the type of conductive material (ink or enamel).
• the possibility of positioning the antenna at different locations of the substrate in a substantially hidden manner for example close to a marking element, or hidden behind the interior rearview mirror or rain sensor for a vehicle glazing unit;
• the antenna arranged on a visible substrate such as glazing being closer to the external environment;
• the possibility of adapting the antenna model one part being able to constitute an antenna with fractal geometry, the other part being able to be a usual antenna;
• the rigid substrate which already constitutes a device for integrating various functionalities, thus provides additional functionality with ease and without any hindrance.
• This type of antenna contributes to the added value of a glazing.
• the antenna is arranged inside the vehicle and is therefore not exposed to external environmental stresses.
• this makes it possible to use any type of rigid substrate, whatever its color, its thickness, and to easily adapt the color of the conductive material to be deposited so as to harmonize with the color of the glazing and / or the vehicle.
• the manufacturing costs of the antenna and its integration in its final destination are not particularly increased since the printing on the rigid substrate is directly integrated into the manufacture of the final product such as glazing to be mounted in a vehicle.
• Printing with an enamel or ink makes it easy to meter the necessary density of the material (thickness, width) to provide the appropriate antenna pattern.
• the electrically conductive material is screen printed.
• the printing of the electrically conductive material is obtained by inkjet or enamel, without the use of a mask but with the aid of tools adapted to ensure accuracy and precision of the motif.
• the printing of the electrically conductive material is obtained by its application through a mask, the application being carried out by spraying, or by means of a roller or according to a continuous curtain of inkjet or enamel.
• the electrically conductive material is printed by electrophotography.
• the substrate has no protective coating for the antenna.
• coating means any layer or film that is associated with the substrate by coating the antenna directly.
• the ink or enamel associated with the rigid substrate has the advantage of not requiring any protective coating.
• the rigid substrate is any material suitable for printing enamel or ink, for example glass, whether it is mineral glass, or organic glass such as polycarbonate or polymethyl methacrylate.
• the ink or the enamel is all the more resistant when it is baked during a heat treatment on the substrate, which is then made of glass, for example when the glass substrate has to undergo quenching and / or bending.
• the material comprises electrically conductive elements containing between 60% and 80% by weight. This is for example a silver-based paste for conductive enamel.
• the substrate may have on at least a portion of its surface, for example over all or part of its periphery and at the edge, a black enamel on which is printed the electroconductive antenna element.
• a black enamel on which is printed the electroconductive antenna element.
• the substrate may be a transparent means of vision.
• the substrate is intended in particular to constitute at least one mineral or organic glass sheet of a glazing unit, in particular a heat-treated glazing unit if it is made of mineral glass, for use in a locomotion machine or in the building.
• the antenna is directly applied to the substrate, such as a glass sheet, the latter can then be used in the desired manner for its final destination, as well to form a monolithic glazing as to manufacture a laminated glazing unit or an insulating glazing unit. (whether the antenna is facing the gas blade or the opposite).
• the invention also proposes a new use of electrically conductive ink or an electrically conductive enamel for forming at least one antenna on a rigid substrate, characterized in that the antenna has a fractal geometry.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a substrate according to the invention
• FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the antenna of the substrate according to an exemplary configuration
• FIG. 3 and 4 are schematic views of other embodiments of a substrate according to the invention.
• FIG. 1 illustrates a glazing unit 1 comprising a glass substrate 10 which has undergone heat treatment and which comprises an antenna structure 2 according to the invention.
• the substrate could equally well be polycarbonate or polymethyl methacrylate which are rigid plastics and adapted to receive in particular ink or conductive paste by screen printing in particular.
• the glazing is intended to be used for example in a motor vehicle, as a windshield, rear window, side window, roof, mirror glass.
• the form illustrated here is schematic; any form of glazing or glass wall that adapts to the device to which the glazing or the wall is intended is conceivable.
• the antenna structure 2 is a fractal geometry antenna (FIG. 2).
• This antenna comprises an electrically conductive element which is in the form of segments arranged in series and in parallel such that they form a repeating pattern several times, possibly at scales of different sizes and homothetic.
• the pattern shown in Figure 2 is an example. Other reasons may be envisaged, adapted to the positioning of the antenna on the glazing or to the application which is made of the antenna.
• this antenna is to be able to operate on a plurality of frequency bands while being of small size.
• this antenna can occupy a restricted portion of the glazing unlike conventional antennas.
• the antenna is installed at the edge of the glazing, but can obviously be installed in any other location of the glazing, and preferably where its operation will be most operational.
• the glazing Once in place in the docking device, the glazing has the antenna on its inner face, the one exposed inside the device, for example inside the vehicle.
• the glazing is provided with a black enamel 11 arranged at the edge of the glazing and over its entire periphery.
• the conductive material of the antenna 2 is for example made of a different color enamel and may be deposited on the black enamel or on the transparent surface of the glazing.
• the glazing may include several fractal antennas. These antennas can be arranged in several places of the glazing.
• the same glazing may include as visible in Figure 4 at least one fractal antenna 2 and a conventional antenna 3.
• the conductive member 20 is made of an electrically conductive ink or baking paste, such as a silver-based material, having a weight content of between 60% and 80%.
• the material has a resistance of less than 10 Ohm / m.
• the resistivity of the material is preferably about 5 ⁇ .cm so as to allow after baking a better brazing for the connection of the antenna to a current lead (here not shown).
• the material is preferably screen printed on the surface of the glass and is fired in the glass surface during the thermal forming process.
• conductive ink or enamel is applied through a suitable pattern mask, by various methods such as spraying, by the use of a roller, or by sending a continuous curtain of inkjet. It can also be done by inkjet or enamel without the need for a mask, the tools used being adapted to ensure the accuracy and precision of the desired pattern.
• the screen used can be obtained by the photographic technique, known per se, which consists of covering the surface of the sieve with a layer or a photocurable resin film and to be operated by projecting a slide to reproduce the print pattern on the screen.
• each wire consists of a single wire of diameter between 40 and 80 microns.
• the squeegee that presses the dough through the screen screen may be a conventional squeegee having a right-angled, chamfered or rounded printing edge.
• the doctor blade is made of a polymer material, for example a polyurethane, having a Shore A hardness between 65 and 85.
• the elements After cooking, the elements have in particular a thickness of less than 5 microns and a width of the order of 0.5 mm.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Remote Sensing (AREA)
• Details Of Aerials (AREA)
• Fittings On The Vehicle Exterior For Carrying Loads, And Devices For Holding Or Mounting Articles (AREA)
• Parts Printed On Printed Circuit Boards (AREA)
• Manufacturing Of Printed Wiring (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=37310671

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (11)

Families Citing this family (28)

Citations (1)

Family Cites Families (16)

• 2006
  • 2006-03-28 FR FR0651057A patent/FR2899388B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2007
  • 2007-03-26 CN CNA2007800110264A patent/CN101411025A/zh active Pending
  • 2007-03-26 US US12/293,100 patent/US8044876B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-03-26 WO PCT/FR2007/051015 patent/WO2007110544A2/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2007-03-26 BR BRPI0708924-4A patent/BRPI0708924A2/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2007-03-26 EP EP07731827A patent/EP2002507A2/de not_active Ceased
  • 2007-03-26 CA CA2643992A patent/CA2643992C/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-03-26 MX MX2008012335A patent/MX2008012335A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2007-03-26 JP JP2009502168A patent/JP2009531909A/ja active Pending
  • 2007-03-26 KR KR1020087025840A patent/KR20090005034A/ko not_active Ceased
• 2008
  • 2008-08-26 ZA ZA200807343A patent/ZA200807343B/xx unknown

Patent Citations (1)

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