JP4719719B2 - Waterproof connection structure for antenna element connection - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a waterproof connection structure for a connection portion of an antenna element, and particularly relates to a waterproof connection structure for waterproofing a connection portion of an antenna element using a mold resin.

  Conventionally, molding using resin or the like has been performed on parts that require waterproofing, such as electrical contacts and electrical circuits. For example, those disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 are those in which a case is filled with a resin, a printed board is immersed therein, and the entire board is resin-molded and waterproofed. Further, the one disclosed in Patent Document 3 is waterproofed by a structure in which the contact between the flexible substrate and the terminal is covered and a sealing member is filled therein.

  In addition, as a structure for preventing the antenna element from being deformed at the time of injecting resin when the antenna element is molded, there is one disclosed in Patent Document 4. This is to suppress a deformation of the antenna element by providing a hole penetrating the antenna element at a position far from the gate into which the resin is injected.

JP 09-307243 A JP 09-32446 A JP 2002-124337 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-280818

  However, those disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 in which a case is filled with a resin have a problem that a case is required and the number of parts increases and it is difficult to reduce the size. Furthermore, when these conventional technologies are used for connectors such as amplifiers that have built-in electrical circuits, even if the electrical circuit can be waterproofed, yet another method for waterproofing the contact between the antenna element and the electrical circuit is possible. Had to be applied. That is, in order to waterproof the contact point between the waterproof electric circuit and the antenna element, it is necessary to use a waterproof packing or the like for bringing the electric circuit and the antenna element into close contact with each other. Therefore, the number of parts is further increased, and there are problems of cost increase and reliability. Similarly, the structure disclosed in Patent Document 3 has a structure that requires a cover for filling with resin.

  Further, in the prior art in which the case is filled with resin, when the cable is taken out from the case, waterproofing of this portion must be taken into consideration, and a structure for increasing the tensile strength of the cable is also required.

  Further, the one disclosed in Patent Document 4 is a structure in which a hole is provided in the antenna element itself, so there is no degree of freedom in the pattern of the antenna element, and the external terminal of the antenna is not exposed. There was a risk of corrosion due to moisture.

  Many antenna devices used in vehicles are used under adverse conditions exposed to the external environment. For example, a bumper antenna provided inside a bumper is exposed to water or stepping stones that are leap up from the tire. Is also present. Therefore, it has been desired to develop a highly waterproof and durable antenna device that can be used even under such adverse conditions.

  In view of such circumstances, the present invention is intended to provide a waterproof connection structure for a connection portion of an antenna element that has a small number of parts, suppresses manufacturing costs, has high waterproof performance, and has no restrictions on the pattern of the antenna element.

  In order to achieve the above-described object of the present invention, the waterproof connection structure of the connection portion of the antenna element according to the present invention includes a base material on which the antenna element is provided and a through-hole provided in the base material. A mold resin that molds a through hole disposed in the vicinity of a portion and a connection portion of the antenna element, and is provided on the front and back surfaces of the base material so as to sandwich the base material, and is connected via the through hole And.

  Here, the mold resin may be made of a material capable of low pressure injection molding.

  The mold resin may mold at least a part of the antenna element itself.

  Furthermore, the mold resin provided on the front and back surfaces of the base material may be connected to the peripheral edge of the base material.

  Further, the connection part may include a circuit board and / or a connection fitting.

  The through hole may include an eyelet hole and / or a positioning hole for fixing the circuit board and / or the connection fitting and the base material.

  Furthermore, it may be a notch provided at the end of the base material and provided with a notch disposed in the vicinity of the portion molded by the mold resin.

  The waterproof connection structure of the connection portion of the antenna element of the present invention has an advantage that the number of components is small, the manufacturing cost can be suppressed, the waterproof performance is high, and the pattern of the antenna element is not limited. Furthermore, there is an advantage that the tensile strength and durability of the cable are improved.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the vicinity of a connection portion of an antenna device for explaining a waterproof connection structure of the connection portion of the antenna element of the present invention. FIG. 1 (a) is a top view thereof, and FIG. It is bb sectional drawing of Fig.1 (a). In FIG. 1A, the portion of the mold resin 5 is indicated by a broken line so that the connection portion can be seen. As shown in the figure, the waterproof connection structure of the present invention is such that the connection portion of the antenna element 10 including the cable 15 is covered with the mold resin 5 to be waterproof, and the substrate 1 is further provided with a through hole 2.

  The base material 1 is provided with an antenna element 10. In the illustrated example, an example of a film antenna device is shown as an example. Therefore, the substrate 1 is a film-like sheet made of a material such as PET. On the substrate 1, antenna elements 10 are provided in a predetermined pattern. The antenna element 10 can have various patterns depending on the application of the antenna device. For example, an antenna pattern suitable for transmission and / or reception is printed on the substrate 1 using silver ink or the like. Provided. The antenna element 10 may be covered with a protective film or the like if necessary.

  The through-hole 2 is a hole provided in the base material 1 and needs to be completely penetrated from the front to the back. The through hole 2 is disposed in the vicinity of the connection portion between the antenna element 10 and the cable 15. In the illustrated example, the circuit board 3 is provided as a connecting portion between the contact of the antenna element 10 and the conductor of the cable 15. The circuit board 3 mounts a predetermined amplifier circuit and the like necessary for the antenna device. The circuit board 3 is connected to a contact 11 provided on the antenna element 10 by, for example, solder or a conductive adhesive. On the other hand, the cable 15 is connected to the contact 25 of the circuit board 3 with solder or the like. Thereby, the antenna element 10 and the cable 15 are electrically connected. The other end of the cable 15 is connected to an external device (not shown) such as a tuner.

  In the illustrated example, the through-holes 2 are arranged at three locations around the circuit board 3 that is the connection portion, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be provided at one location or more locations. . The through hole 2 may be used as a mold for molding or a positioning hole for a circuit board. Furthermore, the through hole is not limited to a circle, and may be a quadrilateral. For example, a notched portion (concave portion) obtained by notching the end portion of the base material may be used as the through hole.

  And the molding resin 5 is shape | molded with respect to the connection part comprised in this way. The mold resin 5 molds a connection portion between the antenna element 10 and the cable 15. As shown in FIG. 1 (b), the mold resin 5 is provided on the front and back of the base material so as to sandwich the base material 1, and is connected through the through hole 2. When molding the mold resin 5, the mold resin injected into the mold fills the upper surface side of the base material 1 and also flows into the back surface of the base material 1 through the through hole 2 and fills the back surface side. Therefore, since it is only necessary to provide the gate only on the mold on the upper surface side of the base material 1, the cost of the mold can be reduced, and the mold resin remaining in the gate and the runner can be reduced. Material costs can be reduced.

The mold resin 5 is preferably made of a material capable of low pressure injection molding in order to prevent deformation of the circuit board and the base material. In plastic molding using ABS resin or the like, the pressure during injection may be several hundred kg to 1 ton / cm ² or more, and the circuit board or the substrate may be damaged. Therefore, the mold resin 5 is preferably a material that can be molded using a molding method with a low pressure at the time of injection, such as hot melt. More specifically, for example, hot melts such as polyamide, polyolefin, and reactive urethane can be used. Since the hot melt is a mixture having adhesiveness, it is firmly attached to the substrate.

  Further, when the waterproof connection structure of the present invention is applied to the film antenna device, the mold resin is preferably a material that can be injection-molded at a temperature lower than the heat resistant temperature of the film used as the substrate 1. Further, as for the hardness of the mold resin, if the resin has a certain degree of hardness, it is possible to obtain an effect of protecting the circuit board from a stepping stone or the like. Therefore, the material of the mold resin is appropriately mixed so as to meet these conditions.

  Now, in the antenna device molded in this way, the connecting portion, that is, the contact between the antenna element 10 and the circuit board 3 on the base material 1, the contact between the cable 15 and the circuit board 3, and the entire circuit board 3 are provided. Since it is protected by the mold resin 5, it becomes a strong waterproof structure, and it is possible to increase the rigidity by an external force. Further, by molding the cable 15 together with the mold resin 5, it is possible to improve the tensile strength of the cable 15 by the fixing force of the mold resin. Moreover, since it was set as the sandwich structure where the mold resin 5 was connected with the front and back of the base material 1 through the through-hole 2, it is possible to prevent that mold resin peels. In the case where the base material is, for example, a film, if a hard mold resin is provided for a flexible film, the hardness is different and the mold resin is peeled off due to distortion of the film, which may cause problems in waterproof performance and rigidity. However, in the case of the waterproof connection structure of the present invention, not only the adhesive force between the base material 1 and the mold resin 5 but also the mold resin 5 is connected to the front and back via the through hole 2. It will be firmly fixed to the substrate 1 due to its own strength.

  In the waterproof connection structure of the present invention, since the base material 1 and the mold resin 5 are firmly fixed, and the cable 15 is also molded so that the cable 15 is integrated with the mold resin 5, the cable 15 is pulled. When it is bent, the stress acts directly on the substrate 1. For this reason, when the base material 1 is formed in a film shape, the film located near the cable may be broken. Therefore, in the waterproof connection structure of the present invention, for example, the notch portion 8 may be provided in the vicinity of a portion molded by the mold resin 5 of the substrate 1. In the illustrated example, notches 8 are provided on both sides in the vicinity of which the cable 15 at the end of the base 1 is molded. As a result, it is possible to prevent the base material 1 from being damaged by releasing the stress from the cable 15.

  Moreover, in the film antenna apparatus to which the waterproof connection structure of the present invention is applied, an adhesive layer 9 may be provided on one surface (back surface) of the base material in order to adhere to glass or a bumper. In the waterproof connection structure of the present invention, since the mold resin is also provided on the back side, this portion protrudes. However, by providing the adhesive layer 9, it is possible to make the height uniform and make the back side flat. It is. As shown in FIG. 1, in the case of a film antenna device in which an antenna element is provided on a film-like base material, the film-like base material can be attached not only on a flat surface but also on a curved surface. Thus, since the waterproof connection structure of the present invention is a structure in which only the connection portion of the antenna element is covered with the mold resin, the shape and the installation position of the antenna element are not limited.

  Further, in the illustrated example, the mold resin 5 molds the periphery of the connection portion of the antenna element 10, that is, the periphery of the contact 11 and the circuit board 3, but the present invention is not limited to this, and at least a part of the antenna element itself, More specifically, a part of the antenna pattern may be molded. Furthermore, the structure which molded the whole antenna element with mold resin may be sufficient.

  Next, another example of the connection portion in the waterproof connection structure of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2A and 2B are schematic views of the vicinity of the connection portion of the antenna device for explaining the waterproof connection structure of the connection portion of the antenna element of the present invention. FIG. 2A is a top view thereof, and FIG. It is bb sectional drawing of Fig.2 (a). In FIG. 2A, the portion of the mold resin 5 is indicated by a broken line so that the connection portion can be seen. In the figure, the portions denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG.

  In the example of FIG. 1, the circuit board 3 is used as the connection portion. However, in the example of FIG. 2, the connection between the antenna element 10 and the conductor of the cable 15 is electrically connected as the connection portion. For this purpose, the connection bracket 4 is used. Further, as the through hole, an eyelet hole 20 for fixing the connection fitting 4 to the substrate 1 is used.

  In the illustrated example, the antenna element 10 and the cable 15 are electrically connected via the connection fitting 4, and the connection fitting 4 is caulked to the antenna element 10 at the eyelet hole 20. In the waterproof connection structure of the present invention, the eyelet hole 20 is used as a through hole, and the mold resin 5 flows into the front and back through the eyelet hole 20 and is connected. Therefore, even in the example shown in FIG. 2, the same effect as the example shown in FIG. 1 can be obtained.

  In the illustrated example, the mold resin 5 is largely provided on the cable 15 side, and the mold resin 5 provided on the front and back of the base material 1 is also connected at the peripheral edge of the base material 1. That is, as shown in more detail in FIG. 2B, the mold resin 5 is provided so as to sandwich the substrate 1 in a U-shape. Thereby, it fixes to the base material 1 more firmly. Note that the mold resin 5 may be provided on the side opposite to the cable 15 side so as to be connected at the peripheral portions on both sides of the substrate 1.

  In the illustrated example, the eyelet hole is provided only at one place for one connection fitting, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be provided at a plurality of places. Further, in addition to the eyelet hole, a through hole as shown in FIG. 1 may be provided if necessary.

  Next, still another example of the connection portion in the waterproof connection structure of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3A and 3B are schematic views of the vicinity of the connection portion of the antenna device for explaining the waterproof connection structure of the connection portion of the antenna element of the present invention. FIG. 3A is a top view thereof, and FIG. It is bb sectional drawing of Fig.3 (a). In FIG. 3A, the portion of the mold resin 5 is indicated by a broken line so that the connection portion can be seen. In the figure, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 and FIG.

  In the example of FIG. 3, the circuit board 3 and the connection metal fitting 4 are used as the connection part. The connection fitting 4 is soldered to the circuit board 3, and these are fixed to the base material 1 by caulking the connection fitting 4 to the eyelet hole 20. The through hole 2 is larger than the circuit board 3 and has a structure in which the circuit board 3 is embedded in the through hole 2. Thereby, the mold resin 5 provided on the front and back surfaces so as to sandwich the substrate 1 is configured to be connected not only at the through hole 2 but also at the eyelet hole 20. By adopting a structure in which the circuit board 3 is embedded in the through hole 2, the thickness of the antenna device can be reduced.

  In the example of FIG. 3, the connection metal fitting 4 is used to caulk the eyelet hole 20. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the circuit board 3 itself is caulked to the eyelet hole 20. It does not matter. As a result, the number of parts can be further reduced.

  Next, the example at the time of using the waterproof connection structure of this invention for a rod-shaped base material using FIG. 4 is demonstrated. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view for explaining an antenna device in which the waterproof connection structure of the present invention is applied to an antenna element provided on a rod-like base material. In the figure, the parts denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG. In addition, in FIG. 4, the part of the mold resin 5 is shown with the broken line so that the connection part can be seen.

  As illustrated, the through hole 2 is provided so as to penetrate the front and back of the base material 18. Further, the through hole 2 is disposed in the vicinity of the connection portion 30 between the antenna element 10 and the cable 15. In the illustrated example, the connection portion 30 is configured by soldering the conductor of the cable 15 to the contact of the antenna element 10. In the waterproof connection structure of the present invention, the molding resin 5 is injection-molded with respect to the base material 18 so as to cover the entire connection portion 30 configured as described above. At this time, the mold resin 5 flows into the back surface side of the base material 18 through the through hole 2 and is provided and fixed on the front and back so as to sandwich the base material 18.

  Thus, the waterproof connection structure of the present invention can be applied not only to a film-like substrate but also to a rod-like substrate. In the illustrated example, a prismatic base material is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the base material is a cylinder or the like as long as the mold resin can be provided so as to sandwich the base material through the through hole. The shape, material, etc. are not particularly limited.

  Furthermore, in the illustrated example described above, the waterproof connection structure in which the connection portion of the antenna element is covered with the mold resin including the cable is described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the electrical contact of the antenna element without including the cable is described. It may have a structure in which the portion is covered with a mold resin. That is, a connector for attaching / detaching a cable is provided at the end of the mold resin, and a connector mating with the connector is provided at the end of the cable. And the connection part of an antenna element and the conducting wire extended from the connector for cable attachment / detachment is waterproofed with mold resin. In this manner, a structure in which a cable can be attached to and detached from the antenna device can be used.

  Note that the waterproof connection structure of the connection portion between the antenna element and the cable of the present invention is not limited to the illustrated example described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is. For example, although only one circuit board is shown in the illustrated example, a plurality of circuit boards may be collectively covered with a mold resin. Moreover, the structure which combined each illustration example variously may be sufficient.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the vicinity of a connection portion of an antenna device for explaining a waterproof connection structure of a connection portion of an antenna element according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the vicinity of the connection portion of the antenna device for explaining another waterproof connection structure of the connection portion of the antenna element of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the vicinity of the connection portion of the antenna device for explaining still another waterproof connection structure of the connection portion of the antenna element of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view for explaining an antenna device in which the waterproof connection structure of the present invention is applied to an antenna element provided on a rod-like base material.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Base material 2 Through-hole 3 Circuit board 4 Connection metal fitting 5 Mold resin 8 Notch part 9 Adhesion layer 10 Antenna element 11 Contact 15 Cable 18 Base material 20 Eyelet hole 25 Contact 30 Connection part

Claims (6)

A waterproof connection structure of a connection portion of an antenna element, the waterproof connection structure is
A film substrate provided with an antenna element;
A through hole provided in the film substrate, the through hole disposed in the vicinity of the connection portion of the antenna element;
Mold resin that molds a connection portion of an antenna element and a cable connected to the connection portion, which is made of a material that can be subjected to low pressure injection molding at a temperature lower than the heat resistant temperature of the film base material and does not deform the film base material The mold resin is connected through the through-holes and provided on the front and back surfaces of the film substrate in a range wider than the through-holes,
A waterproof connection structure characterized by comprising:   2. The waterproof connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the mold resin also molds at least a part of the antenna element itself.   The waterproof connection structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mold resin provided on the front and back surfaces of the film base material is also connected at a peripheral edge of the film base material. .   4. The waterproof connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the connection portion includes a circuit board and / or a connection fitting.   5. The waterproof connection structure according to claim 4, wherein the through hole includes an eyelet hole and / or a positioning hole for fixing the circuit board and / or the connection fitting and the film base material.   The waterproof connection structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a cutout portion provided at an end portion of the film base material, in the vicinity of a portion molded by the mold resin. A waterproof connection structure comprising a notch portion to be disposed.