Communications: radio wave antennas – Antennas – Spiral or helical type
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-28
2003-04-29
Le, Hoanganh (Department: 2821)
Communications: radio wave antennas
Antennas
Spiral or helical type
C343S873000, C257S531000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06556175
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna for a non-contact type IC card. More particularly, the present invention relates to an antenna for a non-contact type IC card using a plane coil in which a conductor, which is formed by punching or etching a metal sheet, is wound, in substantially the same plane, a plurality of times. Also, the present invention relates to an antenna frame for a non-contact type IC card. Also, the present invention relates to a non-contact type IC card.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in
FIG. 10
, an IC card includes: a rectangular-shaped plane coil
100
in which a conductor wire
102
is wound a plurality of times; and a semiconductor element
104
. The above plane coil
100
and the semiconductor element
104
are interposed between two sheets of resin films
106
made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) on which letters and other items are printed. The two sheets of resin films
106
are made to adhere by an adhesive layer made of polyurethane resin. This adhesive layer seals the plane coil
100
and the semiconductor element
104
.
When the thus formed IC card passes in a magnetic field formed by a card processor, electric power is generated, by electromagnetic induction, in the plane coil
100
of the IC card. Therefore, the semiconductor element
104
is started by the generated electric power, so that communications can be sent and received between the semiconductor element
104
of the IC card and the card processor via the plane coil
100
which functions as an antenna.
The plane coil
100
used for the above IC card is conventionally formed in such a manner that a covered electric wire is wound a plurality of times.
However, when the covered electric wire is wound so as to form the plane coil
100
, it is difficult to reduce the manufacturing cost of the plane coil
100
and also it is difficult to mass-produce the plane coil
100
.
Therefore, in order to form a plane coil by means of punching or etching by which the plane coil can be mass-produced at low cost as compared with a plane coil formed by winding a covered wire, the present inventors proposed to use a lead frame for an IC card, which is shown in
FIG. 11
, in the manufacturing process of the IC card in the specification of Japanese Patent Application 11-279242.
The lead frame
200
for an IC card shown in
FIG. 11
is made by etching or punching a thin metal sheet. Each plane coil
202
,
202
is partially connected with the inside frame
204
and the outside frame
206
which are respectively formed inside and outside leaving a predetermined interval between the plane coil and the inside and outside frames. That is, the support sections
208
,
208
extending from a plurality of positions of the inside edge of the outside frame
206
are respectively connected with the outermost conductor
203
a
of the plane coil
202
, and the support sections
210
,
210
. . . extending from a plurality of positions of the outside edge of the inside frame
204
are respectively connected with the innermost conductor
203
b
of the plane coil
202
.
The plane coil
202
is substantially rectangular. In order to enhance the rigidity of the plane coil
202
, there are provided bent sections
22
,
22
. . . in each straight line sections of the plane coil
100
. Further, in order to integrate the conductors
203
on the circumference of the plane coil
200
into one body so as to prevent the conductors
203
from breaking up, the conductors
203
on the circumference, which are adjacent to each other, are connected with each other by the connecting pieces
26
, which are arranged at a plurality of positions.
In the case of the lead frame
200
for an IC card shown in
FIG. 11
, when the plane coil
202
is separated from the inside frame
204
and the outside frame
206
, the support sections
208
,
208
. . . ,
210
,
210
. . . cut off and also the connecting pieces
26
,
26
. . . are cut off. After they have been cut off from the plane coil
202
, the conductors
203
on the circumference of the plane coil
202
tend to break up. Therefore, in order to prevent the conductors on the circumference
203
from breaking up, a plurality of tape members
214
,
214
. . . made to adhere onto the plane coil
202
. In this connection, the plane coil
202
onto which the plurality of tape members
214
,
214
. . . are made to adhere is electrically connected with the electrode terminal of the semiconductor element
216
and the terminal of the plane coil
202
.
According to the lead frame
200
for an IC card shown in
FIG. 11
, when the plane coil
202
is separated from the inside frame
204
and the outside frame
206
, even if the support sections
208
,
208
. . . ,
210
,
210
. . . are cut off and also the connecting pieces
26
,
26
. . . are cut off, the conductors
203
of the plane coil
202
are fixed by the tape members
214
. Therefore, the conductors
203
on the circumference can be prevented from breaking up. Accordingly, the plane coil
202
can be easily handled.
However, the plane coil
202
, which has been separated from the inside frame
204
and the outside frame
206
so that the plane coil
202
is simplified (this plane coil will be referred to as a “simplified plane coil”), must be interposed between two sheets of resin films, on the outer surface side of which characters are printed, so that it can be formed into an IC card. Therefore, it is necessary for the simplified plane coil
202
to be air-absorbed and/or positioned.
When consideration is given to the manufacturing cost of the IC card, it is necessary to automatize the air-absorbing and positioning work of the simplified plane coil
202
. However, on the plane coil
202
shown in
FIG. 11
, there are provided no portions useable for air-absorbing and positioning the plane coil
202
. Therefore, it is difficult to automatize the air-absorbing and positioning work of the simplified plane coil
202
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an antenna for a non-contact type IC card, an antenna frame for a non-contact type IC card, and a non-contact type IC card characterized in that the air-absorbing and positioning work for a simplified plane coil can be easily automatized.
As a result of an investigation made by the present inventors to solve the above problems, they have found that the sucking and positioning work of the simplified plane coil can be easily automated when a plurality of projecting sections are formed on the outermost or innermost conductors of the plane coil, and these projecting sections are used as suction pads or alignment marks in the case of sucking or positioning the simplified plane coil.
According to the present invention, there is provided an antenna for a non-contact type IC card, the antenna comprising: a plane coil formed by punching or etching a thin metal plate in such a manner that a conductor line is wound several times on substantially the same surface; and at least one projection integrally formed with the conductor and extending therefrom inwardly or outwardly so as not to contact an adjacent loop of the conductor line, the projection being located at any desired position to be used as a suction pad, an alignment mark or a positioning guide when the plane coil is sucked or positioned.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an antenna for a non-contact type IC card, the antenna comprising: a plane coil formed by punching or etching a thin metal plate in such a manner that a conductor line is wound several times on substantially the same surface, the plane coil having respective terminals at innermost and outermost ends, the innermost terminal is provided with accommodation hole; a semiconductor element having electrode terminals and arranged in the accommodation hole; a circuit film comprising an insulating resin film and a circuit pattern formed on the insulating resin film, the circuit pattern electrically connecting the electrode terminals of the
Fujii Tomoharu
Okamura Shigeru
Le Hoang-anh
Paul & Paul
Shinko Electric Industries Co. Ltd.
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