US-12620726-B2 - Antenna module and communication device equipped therewith

US12620726B2US 12620726 B2US12620726 B2US 12620726B2US-12620726-B2

Abstract

An antenna module including dielectric electrodes whose normal directions are different from each other, emitting elements and a ground electrode disposed on the dielectric substrate, and emitting elements disposed on the dielectric substrate. The emitting element is capable of emitting radio waves of a first frequency band. The emitting element is disposed adjacent to the emitting element and is capable of emitting radio waves of a second frequency band higher than the first frequency band. On the dielectric substrate, the emitting element is disposed at a position that is closer to the dielectric substrate than the emitting element is. The distance from the center of the emitting element to an end surface of the ground electrode that is closer to the dielectric substrate is shorter than the distance from the center of the emitting element to an end surface of the ground electrode that is farther from the dielectric substrate.

Inventors

Yoshiki Yamada
Kengo Onaka

Assignees

MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20240305
Priority Date: 20210909

Claims (20)

1 . An antenna module comprising: a first substrate and a second substrate, whose normal directions are different from each other; a first emitting element capable of emitting radio waves of a first frequency band, the first emitting element being disposed on the first substrate; a second emitting element capable of emitting radio waves of a second frequency band higher than the first frequency band, the second emitting element being disposed adjacent to the first emitting element on the first substrate; a ground electrode disposed on the first substrate so as to face the first emitting element and the second emitting element; and a third emitting element disposed on the second substrate, wherein on the first substrate, the first emitting element is disposed at a position that is closer to the second substrate than the second emitting element is, and a distance from a center of the first emitting element to an end surface of the ground electrode that is closer to the second substrate is shorter than a distance from the center of the first emitting element to an end surface of the ground electrode that is farther from the second substrate.
2 . The antenna module according to claim 1 , wherein the first emitting element and the second emitting element are planar electrodes having rectangular shapes, and the distance from the center of the first emitting element to the end surface of the ground electrode that is closer to the second substrate is shorter than a length of a side of an electrode of the first emitting element.
3 . The antenna module according to claim 2 , further comprising: a connection member that connects the first substrate and the second substrate.
4 . The antenna module according to claim 3 , wherein each of the first emitting element and the second emitting element includes a plurality of electrodes arranged in a direction along the second substrate.
5 . The antenna module according to claim 4 , wherein the electrodes of the first emitting element and the electrodes of the second emitting element are disposed in an alternating manner in the direction along the second substrate.
6 . The antenna module according to claim 5 , further comprising: a fourth emitting element disposed on the second substrate, wherein the third emitting element is capable of emitting radio waves of the first frequency band, and the fourth emitting element is capable of emitting radio waves of the second frequency band.
7 . The antenna module according to claim 6 , wherein in a case where the second substrate is viewed in a plan view from a normal direction, the third emitting element and the fourth emitting element overlap each other.
8 . The antenna module according to claim 6 , wherein in a case where the second substrate is viewed in a plan view from a normal direction, the third emitting element and the fourth emitting element are disposed adjacent to each other.
9 . The antenna module according to claim 8 , wherein each of the third emitting element and the fourth emitting element includes a plurality of electrodes arranged in a direction along the first substrate.
10 . The antenna module according to claim 9 , wherein the electrodes of the third emitting element and the electrodes of the fourth emitting element are disposed in an alternating manner in the direction along the first substrate.
11 . The antenna module according to claim 1 , further comprising: a power feed circuit that is disposed on the first substrate and is configured to supply a radio frequency signal to each emitting element.
12 . A communication device comprising: the antenna module according to claim 1 .
13 . The antenna module according to claim 1 , further comprising: a connection member that connects the first substrate and the second substrate.
14 . The antenna module according to claim 13 , wherein each of the first emitting element and the second emitting element includes a plurality of electrodes arranged in a direction along the second substrate.
15 . The antenna module according to claim 14 , wherein the electrodes of the first emitting element and the electrodes of the second emitting element are disposed in an alternating manner in the direction along the second substrate.
16 . The antenna module according to claim 15 , further comprising: a fourth emitting element disposed on the second substrate, wherein the third emitting element is capable of emitting radio waves of the first frequency band, and the fourth emitting element is capable of emitting radio waves of the second frequency band.
17 . The antenna module according to claim 16 , wherein in a case where the second substrate is viewed in a plan view from a normal direction, the third emitting element and the fourth emitting element overlap each other, or wherein in a case where the second substrate is viewed in a plan view from a normal direction, the third emitting element and the fourth emitting element are disposed adjacent to each other.
18 . An antenna module comprising: a first substrate and a second substrate, whose normal directions are different from each other; an emitting element disposed on the first substrate and having a flat plate-like shape; a ground electrode disposed on the first substrate so as to face the fifth emitting element; and another emitting element disposed on the second substrate and having a flat plate-like shape, wherein on the first substrate, a distance from a center of the emitting element to an end surface of the ground electrode that is closer to the second substrate is shorter than a length of a side of an electrode of the emitting element and is shorter than a distance from the center of the emitting element to an end surface of the ground electrode that is farther from the second substrate.
19 . The antenna module according to claim 18 , further comprising: a power feed circuit that is disposed on the first substrate and is configured to supply a radio frequency signal to each emitting element.
20 . A communication device comprising: the antenna module according to claim 18 .

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation application of PCT/JP2022/030091, filed on Aug. 5, 2022, designating the United States of America, which is based on and claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. JP 2021-146761 filed on Sep. 9, 2021. The entire contents of the above-identified applications, including the specifications, drawings and claims, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to an antenna module and a communication device equipped therewith, and more specifically to technology for improving the directivity of an antenna module capable of emitting radio waves in two directions. BACKGROUND ART International Publication No. 2020/170722 (Patent Document 1) discloses an antenna module in which emitting elements are disposed on two surfaces of a dielectric substrate having a flat plate-like shape folded into a substantially L shape, the two surfaces having different normal directions. In the antenna module disclosed in Patent Document 1, radio waves can be emitted in different directions from the emitting elements on the respective surfaces of the dielectric substrate. CITATION LIST Patent Document Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2020/170722 SUMMARY OF DISCLOSURE Technical Problem Antenna modules as described above may be used in mobile communication devices such as, typically, cellular phones or smartphones. In recent years, such mobile communication devices have been communicating using radio waves of a plurality of frequency bands corresponding to different communication standards. In this case, emitting elements corresponding to the individual frequency bands are disposed on the individual surfaces of the dielectric substrate. In a case where the emitting elements corresponding to different frequency bands are disposed adjacent to each other on the individual surfaces of the dielectric substrate, the emitting elements are disposed in the limited space of the dielectric substrate, which may lead to a state where the emitting elements are disposed at a high density. Depending on the positions of the emitting elements on the dielectric substrate, the directions of emission of radio waves may be tilted toward another dielectric substrate, and this may result in a narrower possible emission range for the entire antenna module. The present disclosure has been made to solve such a problem, and a purpose of the present disclosure is to increase, for an antenna module capable of emitting radio waves in two different directions, the possible emission range of the entire antenna module. Solution to Problem An antenna module according to the present disclosure includes a first substrate and a second substrate, whose normal directions are different from each other, a first emitting element and a second emitting element, which are disposed on the first substrate, a ground electrode, and a third emitting element, which is disposed on the second substrate. The first emitting element is capable of emitting radio waves of a first frequency band. The second emitting element is disposed adjacent to the first emitting element on the first substrate, and is capable of emitting radio waves of a second frequency band higher than the first frequency band. The ground electrode is disposed on the first substrate so as to face the first emitting element and the second emitting element. On the first substrate, the first emitting element is disposed at a position that is closer to the second substrate than the second emitting element is. A distance from a center of the first emitting element to an end surface of the ground electrode that is closer to the second substrate is shorter than a distance from the center of the first emitting element to an end surface of the ground electrode that is farther from the second substrate. Advantageous Effects of Disclosure According to an antenna module according to the present disclosure, on a first substrate side, an emitting element for a lower frequency band is disposed at a position that is closer to a second substrate than an emitting element for a higher frequency band is, and furthermore, the distance from the center of the first emitting element to an end surface of a ground electrode that is closer to the second substrate is shorter than the distance from the center of the first emitting element to an end surface of the ground electrode that is farther from the second substrate. With such a configuration, the direction of emission of radio waves from the emitting element for the lower frequency band is tilted toward the opposite direction from the second substrate. This reduces a region where radio waves from the emitting elements disposed on the first substrate and radio waves emitted from the emitting element on the second substrate side overlap each other. This can increase the possible emission range of the entire antenna module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1