JP7585777B2 - Contactless Data Transmitter/Receiver - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a non-contact data transmitter/receiver.

Non-contact data transmitters and receivers such as RFID tags are used for purposes such as distribution management (see, for example, Patent Document 1). A non-contact data transmitter and receiver comprises, for example, a substrate, a circuit provided on the substrate, and a radiating element. Due to the required electrical characteristics, the circuit structure of the non-contact data transmitter and receiver may be restricted.

Patent No. 4813344

Depending on the application, there are cases where a non-contact data transmitter/receiver is required to be compact.
However, it may be difficult to miniaturize the non-contact data transmitter/receiver due to restrictions on the circuit structure.

One aspect of the present invention aims to provide a contactless data transmitter/receiver that can be miniaturized.

One aspect of the present invention provides a non-contact data transmitter/receiver comprising a substrate, a matching circuit provided on the substrate, an antenna having a pair of radiating elements electrically connected to the matching circuit, and an IC chip provided on a first main surface of the substrate and electrically connected to the matching circuit, the matching circuit comprising a first wiring formed on the first main surface, and a second wiring formed on a second main surface of the substrate different from the first main surface and electrically connected to the first wiring at at least a pair of connection points, the second wiring being formed to have a spiral shape from one of the pair of connection points to the other.

According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a non-contact data transmitter/receiver that can be made compact.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a non-contact data transmitter/receiver according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view of a first main surface of the substrate. FIG. 4 is a plan view of a second main surface of the substrate. 13 is a plan view of a first main surface of a substrate of a non-contact data transmitter/receiver according to a first modified example. FIG. FIG. 11 is a plan view of a first main surface of a substrate of a non-contact data transmitter/receiver according to a second modified example.

[Contactless Data Transmitter/Receiver]
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a non-contact data transmitter/receiver 10 according to an embodiment. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a first main surface 11a of a substrate 11. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a second main surface 11b of the substrate 11.

As shown in FIG. 1, the non-contact data transmitter/receiver 10 includes a substrate 11, an antenna 12, and an IC chip 13.

As shown in FIG. 2, the substrate 11 is formed in a rectangular plate shape. The substrate 11 is, for example, rectangular. One surface of the substrate 11 is called the first main surface 11a. The other surface of the substrate 11 is called the second main surface 11b. The second main surface 11b is the surface opposite to the first main surface 11a.

In the following description, an XY Cartesian coordinate system may be used. As shown in FIG. 2, the X direction is the longitudinal direction of the first main surface 11a. The Y direction is the lateral direction of the first main surface 11a. The Y direction is perpendicular to the X direction in a plane along the first main surface 11a. The Z direction is perpendicular to the X and Y directions. Viewing from the Z direction is referred to as planar view.

The right side in FIG. 2 is one direction in the X direction (+X direction). The left side in FIG. 2 is the direction opposite to the +X direction (-X direction). The top in FIG. 2 is one direction in the Y direction (+Y direction). The bottom in FIG. 2 is the direction opposite to the +Y direction (-Y direction). The front side of the paper in FIG. 2 is one direction in the Z direction (+Z direction). The back side of the paper in FIG. 2 is the direction opposite to the +Z direction (-Z direction).

The substrate 11 may be a substrate made of a polyester resin such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), or polyethylene naphthalate (PEN); a substrate made of a polyolefin resin such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP); a substrate made of a polyethylene fluoride-based resin such as polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinylidene fluoride, or polytetrafluoroethylene; a substrate made of a polyamide resin such as nylon 6 or nylon 6,6; a substrate made of a vinyl polymer such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinyl alcohol, or vinylon; a substrate made of an acrylic resin such as polymethyl methacrylate, polyethyl methacrylate, polyethyl acrylate, or polybutyl acrylate; a substrate made of polystyrene; a substrate made of polycarbonate (PC); a substrate made of polyarylate; a substrate made of polyimide; a substrate made of paper such as fine paper, tissue paper, glassine paper, or parchment paper, etc.

The IC chip 13 is provided on the first main surface 11a of the substrate 11. The IC chip 13 is located approximately in the center of the first main surface 11a in the X direction. There are no particular limitations on the IC chip 13, and it is sufficient that information can be written and read in a non-contact manner via the antenna 12.

As shown in FIG. 1, the antenna 12 includes a matching circuit 16 and radiating elements 17 and 18 .
2, the matching circuit 16 has a loop-shaped closed circuit 20. The closed circuit 20 includes a first wiring 21 and a second wiring 22 (see FIG. 3). The matching circuit 16 is capable of adjusting the impedance by changing the pattern shape.

The first wiring 21 is provided on the first main surface 11a of the substrate 11. The first wiring 21 includes a first path 23 and a second path 24. One end 23a of the first path 23 is electrically connected to the IC chip 13. The other end 23b of the first path 23 is electrically connected to a first connection point 25. One end 24a of the second path 24 is electrically connected to the IC chip 13. The other end 24b of the second path 24 is electrically connected to a second connection point 26. The first connection point 25 and the second connection point 26 are an example of a "pair of connection points".

The first connection point 25 is located away from the IC chip 13 on the -X direction side. The second connection point 26 is located away from the IC chip 13 on the +X direction side. The first connection point 25 includes a through-wire formed from the first main surface 11a to the second main surface 11b. The first connection point 25 electrically connects the other end 23b of the first path 23 to one end 22a of the second wiring 22 (see FIG. 3). The second connection point 26 includes a through-wire formed from the first main surface 11a to the second main surface 11b. The second connection point 26 electrically connects the other end 24b of the second path 24 to the other end 22b of the second wiring 22 (see FIG. 3).

As shown in FIG. 3, one end 22a of the second wiring 22 is electrically connected to the first connection point 25. The other end 22b of the second wiring 22 is electrically connected to the second connection point 26. The second wiring 22 is formed from one of the connection points 25, 26 (first connection point 25) to the other (second connection point 26).

As shown in FIG. 2, the second path 24 is electrically connected to the third connection point 27 at a midpoint in the length direction. The third connection point 27 is located away from the second connection point 26 in the +X direction. The third connection point 27 includes a through-wire formed from the first main surface 11a to the second main surface 11b. The third connection point 27 is located away from the second wiring 22 in the +X direction (see FIG. 3). The third connection point 27 electrically connects the second path 24 and the second radiating element 18 (see FIG. 1).

The second path 24 includes a first extension portion 24A, a second extension portion 24B, a third extension portion 24C, a fourth extension portion 24D, and a fifth extension portion 24E. The first extension portion 24A extends in the +X direction from one end 24a connected to the IC chip 13. The second extension portion 24B extends in the -Y direction from the tip of the first extension portion 24A. The third extension portion 24C extends in the +X direction from the tip of the second extension portion 24B. The fourth extension portion 24D extends in the +Y direction from the tip of the third extension portion 24C and reaches the third connection point 27. The fifth extension portion 24E extends in the -X direction from the third connection point 27 and reaches the second connection point 26. The fifth extension portion 24E electrically connects the second connection point 26 and the third connection point 27.

As shown in FIG. 3, the second wiring 22 is formed in a spiral shape. The second wiring 22 has a plurality of linear main line portions 31 along the X direction and a plurality of linear connecting line portions 32 along the Y direction. The multiple main line portions 31 are formed side by side at intervals in the Y direction.

In this embodiment, the second wiring 22 has three main line portions 31, two communication line portions 32, and one connection line portion 33. The three main line portions 31 are referred to as first to third main line portions 31A to 31C, respectively, in order in the -Y direction. The two communication line portions 32 are referred to as first communication line portion 32A and second communication line portion 32B, respectively.

The connection line portion 33 extends in the +Y direction from the first connection point 25. The first main line portion 31A extends in the +X direction from the tip of the connection line portion 33. The +X direction end of the first main line portion 31A and the +X direction end of the third main line portion 31C are connected by the first connecting line portion 32A. The -X direction end of the second main line portion 31B and the -X direction end of the third main line portion 31C are connected by the second connecting line portion 32B. The +X direction end of the second main line portion 31B is the other end 22b of the second wiring 22. The +X direction end of the second main line portion 31B is electrically connected to the second connection point 26.

3, the second wiring 22 has a spiral shape (wound shape) having a turn structure. More specifically, the second main line portion 31B, the second connecting line portion 32B, the third main line portion 31C, and a part of the first connecting line portion 32A form a turn structure starting from the end (the other end 22b) in the +X direction of the second main line portion 31B. This structure is referred to as a "first turn structure."
The other part of the first connecting line portion 32A, the first main line portion 31A, and the connection line portion 33 form a turn structure of about 0.5 turns located on the outer periphery side of the first turn structure. Thus, the second wiring 22 has a spiral shape having a turn structure of 1.5 turns.

The second wiring is preferably in a spiral shape having any number of turns, at least one (preferably at least 1.5).

For comparison, assume that a straight line wiring connects the first connection point 25 and the second connection point 26. The overall length of the second wiring 22 shown in FIG. 3 is longer than the straight line wiring. The second wiring 22 has a shape different from a straight line (i.e., a non-linear shape).

As shown in FIG. 1, the planar shape of the radiating elements 17, 18 is, for example, a meander shape. The first radiating element 17, which is one of the radiating elements 17, 18, extends in the -X direction while meandering from the first connection point 25. The second radiating element 18, which is the other of the radiating elements 17, 18, extends in the +X direction while meandering from the third connection point 27. The radiating elements 17, 18 are, for example, linear bodies. The radiating elements 17, 18 are formed of, for example, a metal such as steel, stainless steel, copper, or a copper alloy. The radiating elements 17, 18 can be formed of, for example, a brass-plated steel wire.

The first radiating element 17 may be electrically connected to and secured to the first connection point 25 by (i) soldering, (ii) grommets or crimping, (iii) ultrasonic bonding, etc. The second radiating element 18 may be electrically connected to and secured to the third connection point 27 by (i) soldering, (ii) grommets or crimping, (iii) ultrasonic bonding, etc.
There is no particular limitation on the shape of the radiating elements 17 and 18. The radiating elements 17 and 18 may be, for example, plate-shaped bodies.

The matching circuit 16 can be formed on the first main surface 11a and the second main surface 11b of the substrate 11 by a printing method such as screen printing or inkjet printing using a polymer-type conductive ink. The matching circuit 16 may be formed from a conductive foil. The matching circuit 16 may be formed by metal plating.

The polymer-type conductive ink contains conductive fine particles such as silver powder, gold powder, platinum powder, aluminum powder, palladium powder, rhodium powder, and carbon powder (carbon black, carbon nanotubes, etc.), and a resin composition.

As the resin composition, for example, a thermosetting resin can be used. A polymer-type conductive ink using a thermosetting resin can form a coating film that cures at 200° C. or less, for example, at about 100 to 150° C. The resistance value of the coating film is, for example, on the order of 10 ⁻⁵ Ω·cm. In addition to a thermosetting type, a photocurable, permeation drying, solvent volatilization, or other resin composition can be used for the polymer-type conductive ink. A polymer-type conductive ink containing a photocurable resin composition can improve production efficiency because it has a short curing time.

Examples of the conductive foil that constitutes the matching circuit 16 include copper foil, silver foil, gold foil, platinum foil, and aluminum foil. Examples of the metal plating that constitutes the matching circuit 16 include copper plating, silver plating, gold plating, and platinum plating.

[Effects of the non-contact data transmitter/receiver of the embodiment]
According to the non-contact data transmitter/receiver 10, the matching circuit 16 includes a first wiring 21 formed on the first main surface 11a and a second wiring 22 formed on the second main surface 11b. Since the second wiring 22 is formed in a spiral shape, the area of the second main surface 11b on which the second wiring 22 is formed can be effectively utilized. Therefore, even if the size of the substrate 11 is small, impedance adjustment is easy. Therefore, the non-contact data transmitter/receiver 10 can be made smaller.

In the non-contact data transmitter/receiver 10, the matching circuit 16 is formed across multiple main surfaces 11a and 11b, so the distance between the first wiring 21 and the second wiring 22 can be adjusted by selecting the thickness of the substrate 11. This makes it possible to adjust the mutual inductance between the first wiring 21 and the second wiring 22. This makes it easier to form the inductor component, which is a challenge when using a small substrate.

The non-contact data transmitter/receiver 10 is equipped with radiating elements 17 and 18, making it easy to adjust the communication distance.

[Non-contact Data Transmitter/Receiver] (First Modification)
4 is a plan view of the first main surface 11a of the base material 11 of the non-contact data transmitter/receiver 110 according to the first modified example. The same reference numerals are used to designate the same components as those described above, and the description thereof will be omitted.
As shown in Fig. 4, the non-contact data transmitter/receiver 110 differs from the non-contact data transmitter/receiver 10 (see Fig. 1) in that the end of the second radiating element 18 is connected to the second connection point 26 instead of the third connection point 27. The other configurations can be the same as those of the non-contact data transmitter/receiver 10.

In the non-contact data transmitter/receiver 110, the second radiating element 18 is connected to the second connection point 26, so the electrical resistance between the second radiating element 18 and the second wiring 22 is low. Therefore, the connection characteristics between the matching circuit 16 and the second radiating element 18 are good.

[Non-contact Data Transmitter/Receiver] (Second Modification)
5 is a plan view of the first main surface 11a of the base material 11 of a non-contact data transmitter/receiver 210 according to a second modified example. The same reference numerals are used to designate the same components as those described above, and the description thereof will be omitted.
5, the non-contact data transmitter/receiver 210 includes an antenna 212 instead of the antenna 12 (see FIG. 2). The antenna 212 includes a matching circuit 216 instead of the matching circuit 16 (see FIG. 2). One end 224a of the second path 224 of the first wiring 221 is electrically connected to the IC chip 13, and the other end 224b is electrically connected to the second connection point 26.

The non-contact data transmitter/receiver 210 differs from the non-contact data transmitter/receiver 110 (see FIG. 4) in that the third connection point 27 is not formed. The other configurations can be the same as those of the non-contact data transmitter/receiver 110.

In the non-contact data transmitter/receiver 210, similar to the non-contact data transmitter/receiver 110 (see FIG. 4), the second radiating element 18 is connected to the second connection point 26, so the electrical resistance between the second radiating element 18 and the second wiring 22 is low. Therefore, the connection characteristics between the matching circuit 216 and the second radiating element 18 are good.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, each configuration and their combinations in the embodiments are merely examples, and addition, omission, substitution, and other modifications of the configurations are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.
In the non-contact data transmitter/receiver 10 of the embodiment, the second wiring 22 is formed on both sides of one substrate 11, but the configuration of the non-contact data transmitter/receiver is not limited to this. For example, the substrate may be a substrate having a multi-layer structure with multiple layers. In this case, the first main surface on which the first wiring is formed and the second main surface on which the second wiring is formed do not have to be one and the other surfaces of the same layer. In detail, one surface of a first layer among the multiple layers constituting the substrate may be the first main surface, and one surface of a second layer different from the first layer may be the second main surface.

The matching circuit may be formed across a plurality of (any number equal to or greater than two) main surfaces. For example, the matching circuit may be formed across three or more main surfaces.
The number of turn structures in the second wiring is preferably more than 1. The number of turn structures may be any number equal to or greater than 2. For example, the second wiring may include a first turn structure and a second turn structure surrounding the first turn structure. The second wiring may include a first turn structure, a second turn structure surrounding the first turn structure, and a turn structure of about 0.5 turns located on the outer periphery of the second turn structure.

3, in the non-contact data transmitter/receiver 10, the second wiring 22 is entirely formed on the second main surface 11b, but a part of the second wiring (a partial wiring) may be formed on the first main surface 11a. This partial wiring is connected to the second wiring through a through wiring.
In the non-contact data transmitter/receiver 10, the second wiring 22 is connected to the first wiring 21 at a pair of connection points 25, 26, but the number of points at which the second wiring is connected to the first wiring is not limited to 2 and may be any number equal to or greater than 2. It is sufficient that the second wiring is connected to the first wiring at at least a pair of connection points.
Although the connecting line portion 32 shown in FIG. 3 is a straight line connecting the ends of the main line portion 31, the connecting line portion may be curved (for example, semicircular).

10...non-contact data transmitter/receiver, 11...substrate, 11a...first main surface, 11b...second main surface, 12...antenna, 13...IC chip, 16...matching circuit, 21...first wiring, 22...second wiring.

Claims (3)

A substrate;
an antenna having a matching circuit provided on the substrate and a pair of radiating elements electrically connected to the matching circuit;
an IC chip provided on a first main surface of the base material and electrically connected to the matching circuit;
The matching circuit includes:
A first wiring formed on the first main surface;
a second wiring formed on a second main surface different from the first main surface of the base material and electrically connected to the first wiring at at least a pair of connection points;
the second wiring is formed in a spiral shape from one of the pair of connection points to the other ,
the pair of connection points are a first connection point to which an outer end of the second wiring having a spiral shape is connected, and a second connection point to which an inner end of the second wiring is connected,
One of the pair of radiating elements is connected to the first connection point,
the other of the pair of radiating elements is connected to a third connection point provided outside the second wiring having a spiral shape,
The third connection portion is electrically connected to the second connection portion via a connection portion provided on the first main surface.
Contactless data transmitter/receiver. the first wiring has a path electrically connecting the IC chip and the third connection point;
2. The non-contact data transmitter/receiver according to claim 1. The base material is rectangular having a long side along a first direction connecting the pair of connection points and a short side along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
2. The non-contact data transmitter/receiver according to claim 1.

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