Method for Producing a Transmitting and/or Receiving Antenna on a Textile Carrier Material

Abstract

A method for producing at least one transmitting and/or receiving antenna (2) for transmitting and/or receiving electromagnetic waves. Electrically conductive threads are worked into a textile substrate material (1) as transmitting and/or receiving antennas (2) by means of a tricot machine or Raschel machine. The invention further relates to a corresponding transmitting and/or receiving antenna (2).

Claims

1. A method for producing at least one transmitting and/or receiving antenna (2) for transmitting and/or receiving electromagnetic waves, characterized in that electrically conductive threads can be worked into a textile substrate material (1) as a transmitting and/or receiving antenna (2) by a tricot machine or Raschel machine.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrically conductive threads are worked into the textile substrate material (1) by means of a nonwoven Raschel machine.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the tricot machine or Raschel machine has a variable weft insertion by means of which the length of a transmitting and/or receiving antenna (2) can be prescribed.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the tricot machine or Raschel machine has electronic guide bars by means of which the position of a transmitting and/or receiving antenna (2) on the textile substrate material (1) can be freely prescribed.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the tricot machine or Raschel machine has at least two guide bars running in counter lapping mode, by means of which transmitting and/or receiving antennas (2) with closed structures are created from electrically conductive threads.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrically conductive threads forming the transmitting and/or receiving antenna (2) are affixed to the textile substrate material (1) by means of electrically insulating binding threads (3).

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the binding threads (3) are applied onto the textile substrate material (1) by means of at least one guide bar of the tricot machine or Raschel machine.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the density of the binding threads (3) is being varied depending on the geometric structure of the transmitting and/or receiving antenna (2).

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrically conductive threads are composed, completely or in part, of an electrically conductive material.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the electrically conductive threads have an electrically conductive core and an electrically insulating sheathing.

11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the textile substrate material (1) is completely composed of electrically non-conductive materials.

12. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the textile substrate material (1) is a woven, knitted, nonwoven, non-crimp fabric or braided fabric.

13. A textile substrate material (1) with a transmitting and/or receiving antenna (2), characterized in that the transmitting and/or receiving antenna (2) is made of electrically conductive threads which are worked into the substrate material (1) by means of a tricot machine or Raschel machine.

14. The substrate material (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that the transmitting and/or receiving antenna (2) is an RFID antenna.

15. The substrate material (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that the transmitting and/or receiving antenna (2) is designed for an NFC or radio transmission.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] The invention is explained below based on the drawings. They show:

[0047] FIG. 1: A first exemplary embodiment of the substrate material according to the invention with a transmitting and/or receiving antenna applied onto it.

[0048] FIG. 1A: Enlarged detail depiction of the arrangement according to FIG. 1.

[0049] FIG. 2: A second exemplary embodiment of the substrate material according to the invention with a transmitting and/or receiving antenna applied onto it.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of the textile substrate material 1 according to the invention, with a transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2 applied onto it.

[0051] The textile substrate material 1 consists of electrically non-conductive materials, i.e. of electrically insulating yarns or threads.

[0052] The textile substrate material 1 can be a woven, knitted, nonwoven, non-crimp fabric or braided fabric.

[0053] The transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2 applied to the textile substrate material 1 generally serves to send and/or receive electromagnetic waves. In the present case, the transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2 is designed as an RFID antenna and is a component of an RFID system.

[0054] The transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2 is composed of one or of multiple electrically conductive threads. The electrically conductive threads can be entirely composed of electrically conductive materials, which generally can be composed of metallic or non-metallic materials. In this regard, the phrase electrically conductive thread generally also comprises thin wires. Alternatively, the electrically conductive threads can also be only partly composed of electrically conductive materials.

[0055] The electrically conductive threads can have an electrically conductive core and an electrically insulating sheathing.

[0056] The insulating sheathing can consist of non-conductive threads that entwine the electrically conductive core. Alternatively, the electrically conductive core can also be sheathed with an electrically insulating coating.

[0057] According to the invention, the electrically conductive threads that form the transmitting and/or receiving antennas 2 are worked into the textile substrate material 1 with a tricot machine or Raschel machine. In the present case, a nonwoven Raschel machine is used to produce the transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2.

[0058] This nonwoven Raschel machine has a variable weft insertion with which the length of the transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2 can be selectively and precisely prescribed. With the length of the transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2, the frequency range within which the transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2 can send and/or receive electromagnetic waves is prescribed.

[0059] Furthermore, the nonwoven Raschel machine has electric guide bars that are not bound to pattern-repeat. Therefore, the position of the transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2 can be freely prescribed on the textile substrate material 1.

[0060] In the present case, the transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2 forms an open structure that runs from an origin point to an end point. The transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2 runs along a wave-shaped path.

[0061] The electrically conductive threads forming the transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2 are fastened within the textile substrate material 1 by means of binding threads 3 (FIG. 1A).

[0062] According to the invention, the binding threads 3, which are composed of electrically non-conductive materials, are worked in with at least one additional guide bar of the nonwoven Raschel machine, such that the application of the electrically conductive threads forming the transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2 and their affixing using the binding threads 3 can be accomplished with the nonwoven Raschel machine in a single work process.

[0063] As can be seen in FIG. 1A, the density of the binding threads 3 varies depending on the geometrical structure of the transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2.

[0064] In the regions of the transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2 with high curvature, a large number of binding threads 3 per unit of length is provided in order to securely affix onto the substrate material 1 their highly curved sections of the transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2 while preserving the shape of said sections. Conversely, in the regions of the transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2 with low curvature, a lower number of binding threads 3 is provided per unit of length.

[0065] As an additional component of the RFID system, an RFID chip 4 is provided, which is glued onto the textile substrate material 1. The RFID chip 4 is capacitively coupled to the RFID antenna, i.e., there is no direct conductive connection between the RFID chip 4 and the RFID antenna.

[0066] The RFID system further comprises a read/write device (not shown). Data stored in the RFID chip 4 can be transmitted to the read/write device by means of the RFID antenna. This transmission typically occurs in response to a request from the read/write device that is received using the RFID antenna.

[0067] FIG. 2 shows another exemplary embodiment of the substrate material 1 according to the invention, with a transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2 applied onto it.

[0068] The exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2 differs from the example in FIG. 1 only insofar as now the transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2 forms a closed structure.

[0069] The closed structure of the transmitting and/or receiving antenna 2 is formed by two antenna structures 2a, 2b running out of phase, which are respectively formed by electrically conductive threads.

[0070] The two antenna structures 2a, 2b are created using two guide bars of the nonwoven Raschel machine running in counter lapping mode.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0071] (1) substrate material

[0072] (2) transmitting and/or receiving antenna

[0073] (2a) antenna structure

[0074] (2b) antenna structure

[0075] (3) binding thread

[0076] (4) RFID chip