INSERT MOLDED ANTENNA

• US 20060232484A1
• Filed: 06/26/2006
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Wulff, Thomas, Zancola, Ron
• Granted Patent: US 7,486,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14639 for obtaining an insulating effect, e.g. for electrical components
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3456 Antennas, e.g. radomes
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/362 for broadside radiating helical antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/357 using a single feed point
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/371 Branching current paths

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for insert-molding various electronic and mechanical parts as part of a housing of an electrical device. The insert molded components can comprise antennas, flex members and circuits, electronic, mechanical, and interface units that have been insert molded as part of a plastic housing that contains the electrical device.

Claims

1. A housing compartment comprising:

a body for containing a unit that comprises at least one of a transmitter and a receiver; and

an antenna of the unit insert-molded as part of the body.

2. The housing compartment of claim 1, the antenna at least one of transmits and receives signals associated with at least one of a Local Area Network, a Wide Area Network and a Personal Area Network.

3. The housing compartment of claim 1, the antenna comprising a dual band antenna.

4. The housing compartment of claim 1, the antenna comprising a plurality of metal strips formed on a dielectric member.

5. The housing compartment according to claim 4, the plurality of metal strips formed by at least one of an etching and a printing on the dielectric layer.

6. The housing compartment according to claim 1, the antenna insert-molded entirely within the body.

7. The housing compartment according to claim 1, further comprising a metal conductor formed into a shape having at least one of a curved coil and an elongated part, the metal conductor at least one of transmits and receives at frequencies of 900 MHz and 1800 MHz.

8. The housing compartment according to claim 1, the antenna at least one of transmits and receives at frequencies of 2.4 GHz and 5.2 GHz.

9. The housing compartment according to claim 1, the body further comprises a recess shaped as the antenna, the antenna resides within the recess.

10. The housing compartment according to claim 1, the antenna is electromagnetically coupled to at least one of the transmitter and the receiver.

11. The housing compartment according to claim 1, the body fabricated from at least one of a thermoset plastic and a thermoformed plastic material.

12. A method of fabricating a plastic housing, comprising:

preparing a mold assembly forming a cavity;

positioning a component to be insert-molded within the cavity;

injecting a resin into the cavity; and

cooling the assembly to form the plastic housing with the component insert-molded therein.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising positioning an antenna to be insert-molded within the plastic housing in the cavity.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising fabricating bonding posts on the antenna to improve bonding strength during the insert-molding process.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising controllably cooling the mold housing with the antenna insert-molded therein.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising positioning a flex member to be insert-molded with the plastic housing in the cavity.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising forming additional plastic over the cavity substantially enclosing the component.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

fabricating a gasket along the edge of the cavity; and

positioning an interface device to be insert-molded in the cavity of the plastic housing such that the gasket sufficiently seals the interface device inside the cavity.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising communicatively coupling the insert-molded component to another component via a conductive member.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising insert-molding at least a portion of the conductive member inside the cavity.