ANTENNA FOR A RECEIVER OR TRANSMITTER IN A MOTOR VEHICLE, IN PARTICULAR FOR A TIRE-STATUS MONITORING SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention relates to an antenna for a receiver or transmitter in a motor vehicle, comprising an electrically conductive loop, which surrounds an area for the passage of electromagnetic waves, which interact with an electric current flow through the loop. The loop has a connection side, via which an electric current can be introduced into the loop or drawn from the loop inductively or by means at least one electrical connection. The antenna according to the invention is characterized in that the area surrounded by the loop is twisted over a twist axis that is perpendicular to or at an angle to the connection side.

Claims

1. An antenna for a receiver or transmitter in a motor vehicle, comprising an electrically conductive loop which surrounds an area for passage of electromagnetic waves which interact with an electric current flow through the loop; wherein the loop has a connection side via which an electric current can be introduced into the loop or drawn from the loop inductively or by means of at least one electrical connection; wherein the area surrounded by the loop is twisted over a twist axis which is perpendicular to or at an angle to the connection side; wherein the connection side of the loop is formed by a straight line, a singly or multiply angled line or a curve and the loop has a side opposite the connection side which is also formed by a straight line, a singly or multiply angled line or a curve, wherein the connection side and the opposite side run within two plane-parallel planes.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises an electrical printed circuit board to which the loop is connected electrically conductively or inductively with its connection side, in particular by means of an electronic component and the twist axis and the loop are perpendicular to or at an angle to a base surface of the printed circuit board.

3. The antenna according to claim 2, wherein the printed circuit board or an electronic component provided thereon forms an electrically conductive coupling loop which is inductively coupled to the loop and the connection side of the loop and a coupling side of the coupling loop assigned thereto run equidistantly, in particular parallel to one another.

4. (canceled)

5. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the antenna comprises a base body which in particular has an at least substantially cylindrical or frustroconical shape at least over a part of its circumference and the loop is mounted on the outer surface of the base body.

6. The antenna according to claim 5, wherein the base body is designed as a hollow body, which encloses an interior, wherein the base body is open to the interior at least on one side and this open side has a web running diagonally through the opening, which carries a section, in particular a side of the loop such as its connection side.

7. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the loop is interrupted over its circumference once or multiple times, in particular twice, in particular outside the connection side.

8. The antenna according to claim 7, wherein the at least one interruption is bridged by means of an electrical resistance, an inductance and/or by means of a capacitor.

9. The antenna according to claim 7, wherein the at least one interruption forms an interdigital capacitor.

10. The antenna according to claim 5, wherein at least one additional antenna is mounted on the base body, which is electrically connected to the loop or electrically insulated from this.

11. The antenna according to claim 10, wherein the at least one additional antenna is designed in a different form to a loop antenna.

12. The antenna according to claim 5, wherein the loop and in particular the at least one additional antenna is/are mounted by laser direct structuring on the base body, which in particular is made of plastic.

13. Receiver, in particular of a tyre status monitoring system having an antenna according to claim 1.

14. Tyre status monitoring system having a receiver and/or a transmitter which has/have an antenna according to claim 1.

15. The tyre status monitoring system according to claim 14, wherein furthermore a tyre status sensor, in particular a tyre pressure sensor is provided which is in communication connection with the antenna and/or can be switched into such a connection.

16. The antenna according to claim 2, wherein the connection side of the loop is formed by a straight line, a singly or multiply angled line or a curve and the loop has a side opposite the connection side which is also formed by a straight line, a singly or multiply angled line or a curve, wherein the connection side and the opposite side run within two plane-parallel planes.

17. The antenna according to claim 2, wherein the antenna comprises a base body which in particular has an at least substantially cylindrical or frustroconical shape at least over a part of its circumference and the loop is mounted on the outer surface of the base body.

18. The antenna according to claim 5, wherein the loop is interrupted over its circumference once or multiple times, in particular twice, in particular outside the connection side.

19. The antenna according to claim 6, wherein the loop is interrupted over its circumference once or multiple times, in particular twice, in particular outside the connection side.

20. The antenna according to claim 8, wherein the at least one interruption forms an interdigital capacitor.

21. The antenna according to claim 8, wherein at least one additional antenna is mounted on the base body, which is electrically connected to the loop or electrically insulated from this.

Description

[0023] The invention will be described in exemplary fashion hereinafter with reference to an exemplary embodiment and the figures.

[0024] In the figures:

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional plan view of an exemplary embodiment of an antenna according to the invention;

[0026] FIG. 2 shows the antenna from FIG. 1 viewed from below;

[0027] FIG. 3 shows the antenna from FIG. 1 viewed from behind;

[0028] FIG. 4 shows an example of an interdigital capacitor formed by an interruption of the loop;

[0029] FIG. 5 shows a motor vehicle with a tyre status monitoring system according to the invention.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows an antenna designed according to the invention for a receiver or transmitter in a motor vehicle, here for a tyre status monitoring system. The antenna has an electrically conductive loop 1 which in the exemplary embodiment shown is mounted on a base body 2, which for example is made of plastic. The base body 2 has a substantially cylindrical shape where two flattened sides 2.1 and 2.2 facing away from one another are provided over the outer circumference thereof. In the present case, the flattened side 2.1 is designated as front side and the flattened side 2.2 is designated as rear side. Furthermore the base body 2 has an upper end face 2.3 and a lower end face 2.4. The upper end face 2.3 is closed whereas the lower end face 2.4 is open, see FIG. 2, which shows a plan view of the lower end face 2.4.

[0031] The electrically conductive loop 1 now extends diagonally over the lower end face 2.4 for which this is crossed by a web 5 which extends in the diagonal direction from the front side 2.1 to the rear side 2.2. The side of the loop 1 running over the web 5 is the connection side 1.1 of the loop 1.

[0032] From its connection side 1.1 the loop 1 extends over both cylindrically curved surfaces between the front side 2.1 and the rear side 2.2 onto the upper end face 2.3. The side 1.2 of the loop 1 opposite the connection side 1.1 certainly lies in a plane which is plane-parallel to the plane of the connection side 1.1 but the opposite side 1.2 is twisted at an angle to the connection side 1.1 and specifically over the twist axis 9 which is perpendicular to the connection side 1.1 and perpendicular to the base surface of the printed circuit board 6 shown schematically in FIG. 1. Only the direction of the connection side 1.1 is indicated by a dot-dash line in FIG. 1.

[0033] As a result of the design of the shape of the loop 1 shown in FIG. 1 and described previously, the area 10 enclosed by the loop which is for the passage of electromagnetic waves which produce an interaction with an electric current flow through the loop 1, is twisted via the twist axis 9. In the exemplary embodiment shown the loop is composed of two straight lines on the connection side 1.1 and the opposite side 1.2 and two curves connecting the straight lines in order to achieve the desired twisting of the area 10.

[0034] In detail a of FIG. 1, the loop 1 and its position erected on the printed circuit board 6 is again shown schematically but without the twisting according to the invention of the area 10 enclosed by the loop 1 about the twist axis 9. Here it can also be seen again that the connection side 1.1 and the opposite side 1.2 of the loop 1 run in planes which are parallel to one another. Further shown schematically is an electronic component 7 on the printed circuit board 6 which is also shown by the dashed line in the main view of FIG. 1 and which for example forms a coupling loop 8 having a coupling side 8.1 via which signals are coupled into the loop 1 and/or coupled out from this, wherein the coupling side 8.1 in particular runs parallel to the connection side 1.1 of the loop 1. Instead of being integrated in the electronic component 7, however the coupling loop 8 could also be integrated in the printed circuit board 6 or be omitted in an embodiment without coupled loops. In the latter case, electrical connections would accordingly need to be provided on the connection side 1.1 of the loop 1.

[0035] The coupling loop 8 designed here as a closed loop, i.e. the coupling loop 8 encloses an area, could also be designed as an open elongated coupling loop which for example opens at one end in an earth connection or connection with predefined electrical voltage. Electrical components such as one or a plurality of capacitors, coils, or one or a plurality of electrical resistances or also other components could be provided in the coupling loop.

[0036] The distance between the coupling loop 8 or the coupling side 8.1 thereof and the connection side 1.1 of the loop 1 is in particular 0.2 to 0.7, in particular 0.4 to 0.6, advantageously 0.5 mm.

[0037] In the exemplary embodiment shown, the loop 1 has two interruptions 11 on the upper end face 2.3 of the base body 2, which can be bridged by electrical resistances and/or capacitors not shown in detail here in order to tune the loop 1 according to the case of application. An alternative to tuning is shown in FIG. 4 where the interruption 11 forms an interdigital capacitor 12. This means that the mutually facing free ends of the loop 1 have intermeshing fingers positioned at a distance from one another.

[0038] FIG. 2 further shows as an example connecting sockets 13 of the base body 2 which serve the purpose that the base body 2 can be fastened on the printed circuit board 6 or the electronic component 7, for example by screws engaging in the sockets 13.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows that the rear side 2.2 of the base body 2 is provided with an additional antenna 14. The additional antenna 14 has the form of a fractal antenna. The rear side 2.2 in the exemplary embodiment show is lengthened over the remaining region of the base body 2 in order to provide a larger area for the additional antenna 14. However, this is not absolutely necessary.

[0040] Both the loop 1 and the additional antenna 14 can for example be mounted by laser direct structuring on the surface of the base body 2. However, other methods of mounting are also possible.

[0041] As a result of the shape of the base body 2, which in particular is perpendicular to the printed circuit board 6, it is particularly easy to set up a loop 1 according to the invention on the printed circuit board 6. A cost-effective and stable embodiment is possible.

[0042] FIG. 5 shows as an example a motor vehicle in which a tyre status monitoring system according to the invention is integrated. The tyre status monitoring system comprises a receiving device 15 and a plurality of tyre status sensors 16 in different tyres 17. The receiving device 15 is mounted on a frame 18 of the vehicle which is made of metal. The printed circuit board 6 for example lies flat on the frame 18. However, since the base body 2 with the loop of the antenna according to the invention not shown here in detail is at an angle or perpendicular to the printed circuit board 6 and therefore the frame 15, wireless communication between the tyre status sensors 16 and the receiving device 15 is possible without further interference by the effect of the frame 18 on the electromagnetic waves.