Antenna and button assembly for wireless devices

• US 20080166004A1
• Filed: 01/06/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sanford, Emery A., Hankey, Evans, Zhang, Zhijun
• Granted Patent: US 8,270,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/375
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in 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 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H

Abstract

An antenna and button assembly is provided for a compact portable wireless device such as a wireless headset for a handheld electronic device. An antenna structure is mounted within a button structure. The button structure includes a switch actuation member that extends past the antenna structure and into engagement with a switch. The switch actuation member may reciprocate within the button structure. A user may press upon an exposed end of the switch actuation member to operate the switch. The switch may be used to control the application of power to the compact portable wireless device or to perform other suitable functions. The button structure may be formed using dielectric materials such as plastic. By forming the button structure from dielectric, clearance is provided between the antenna structure and conductive portions of the compact portable wireless device so that the antenna of the compact wireless device operates properly.

Claims

1. A button structure associated with a compact portable wireless device, comprising:

a switch;

a switch actuation member that reciprocates along an axis and operates the switch when pressed by a user;

a button guide structure having a guide channel portion that guides the switch actuation member along the axis; and

an antenna resonating element on the button guide structure.

2. The button structure defined in claim 1 further comprising a flex circuit that contains the antenna resonating element, wherein the flex circuit is attached to the button guide structure.

3. The button structure defined in claim 1 further comprising ribs that guide the switch actuation member within the guide channel.

4. The button structure defined in claim 1 wherein the switch actuation member comprises a stem and wherein the guide channel comprises a hole that encircles the stem of the switch actuation member.

5. The button structure defined in claim 1 wherein the antenna resonating element comprises a conductive strip of metal that is formed around the button guide structure.

6. A wireless electronic device, comprising:

a metal housing portion;

a dielectric housing portion attached to the metal housing portion;

a dielectric guide structure formed within the dielectric housing portion;

a dielectric member that is guided by the dielectric guide structure and that moves relative to the dielectric guide structure and the dielectric housing portion; and

an antenna resonating element that is attached to the dielectric guide structure.

7. The wireless electronic device defined in claim 6 wherein the antenna resonating element comprises a metal strip contained within a flex circuit, wherein the flex circuit is wrapped around the dielectric guide structure and surrounds the dielectric member.

8. The wireless electronic device defined in claim 6 wherein the metal housing portion comprises an elongated metal housing portion having a first end and a second end, wherein the dielectric housing portion is attached to the metal housing portion at the second end, wherein the wireless electronic device comprises a circuit board that is attached to the dielectric housing portion, wherein the circuit board comprises a pad to which radio-frequency signals are provided, and wherein the antenna resonating element receives the radio-frequency signals from the pad.

9. The wireless electronic device defined in claim 6 wherein the metal housing portion comprises an elongated metal housing portion having a first end and a second end, wherein the dielectric housing portion is attached to the metal housing portion at the second end, wherein the wireless electronic device comprises a circuit board that is attached to the dielectric housing portion, wherein the circuit board comprises a pad to which radio-frequency signals are provided, wherein the wireless electronic device comprises a spring, and wherein the antenna resonating element receives the radio-frequency signals from the pad through the spring.

10. The wireless electronic device defined in claim 6 further comprising:

a circuit board; and

a switch connected to the circuit board, wherein the switch is operated by an end of the dielectric member.

11. A wireless headset comprising:

an elongated metal housing portion;

a microphone mounted in the metal housing portion;

a circuit board;

a switch attached to the circuit board;

a button guide structure that contains a guide channel;

a reciprocating member that is guided in the guide channel and that operates the switch; and

an antenna resonating element that is attached to the button guide structure.

12. The wireless headset defined in claim 11 further comprising a dielectric housing portion that contains the button guide structure, wherein the dielectric housing portion is attached to the metal housing portion.

13. The wireless headset defined in claim 11 further comprising:

transceiver circuitry; and

a coaxial cable connected between the transceiver circuitry and the antenna resonating element that conveys radio-frequency signals from the transceiver circuitry to the antenna resonating element, wherein the antenna resonating element comprise a flex circuit antenna resonating element that is attached to the button guide structure, wherein the reciprocating member comprises a stem, and wherein the flex circuit surrounds the stem.

14. The wireless headset defined in claim 11 wherein the elongated metal housing portion has a longitudinal axis and wherein the reciprocating member reciprocates along the longitudinal axis, the wireless headset further comprising a dielectric housing portion that contains the button guide structure.

15. The wireless headset defined in claim 11 further comprising a dielectric housing portion that is attached to the metal housing portion, wherein the dielectric housing portion has portions defining grooves, wherein the circuit board has edges, and wherein the edges of the circuit board are mounted within the grooves of the dielectric housing portion.

16. An antenna and button assembly, comprising:

an antenna resonating element comprising a flex circuit with a metal strip;

a button guide structure on which the flex circuit is mounted;

a switch; and

a reciprocating switch actuation member that reciprocates along an axis while guided by the button guide structure, wherein the reciprocating switch actuation member operates the switch.

17. The antenna and button assembly defined in claim 16 wherein the reciprocating switch actuation member comprises a stem with a rectangular cross-section, wherein the button guide structure comprises dielectric and has portions defining a hole with raised guiding structures, and wherein the raised guiding structures guide the stem as the reciprocating switch actuation member reciprocates along the axis.

18. The antenna and button assembly defined in claim 16 wherein the reciprocating switch actuation member comprises:

a stem; and

a button head portion attached to the stem, wherein the button head portion comprises a portion formed of a first type of plastic and a portion formed of a second type of plastic, wherein the first type of plastic is different than the second type of plastic.

19. The antenna and button assembly defined in claim 16 wherein the flex circuit comprises at least one registration hole and wherein the button guide structure comprises at least one registration boss.

20. The antenna and button assembly defined in claim 16 wherein the switch actuation member comprises a stem that reciprocates within the button guide structure, wherein the button guide structure comprises a plastic structure having a guide channel that guides the switch actuation member, wherein the button guide structure has an outer surface that surrounds the guide channel and the stem, and wherein the flex circuit is attached to the outer surface with adhesive.

21. A wireless electronic device comprising:

a housing having a dielectric portion;

a button mounted within the dielectric portion, wherein the button has a guide structure that is attached to the housing and has a member that reciprocates relative to the dielectric portion and the guide structure; and

an antenna resonating element affixed to the guide structure in the button, wherein the antenna resonating element does not move relative to the guide structure and wherein the guide structure does not move relative to the housing.

22. The wireless electronic device defined in claim 21 wherein the member comprises a latch portion that engages the guide structure and prevents the member from being removed from the button.

23. The wireless electronic device defined in claim 21 further comprising:

a transceiver that supports wireless communications in a 2.4 GHz communications band; and

a transmission line that conveys radio-frequency signals from the transceiver to the antenna resonating element, wherein the antenna resonating element comprises a strip of metal mounted to the guide structure with adhesive.

24. The wireless electronic device defined in claim 21 further comprising:

a switch that is operated by the member when the member moves relative to the antenna, wherein the guide structure comprises clear plastic.

25. The wireless electronic device defined in claim 21 further comprising:

a transceiver that produces radio-frequency signals;

a coaxial cable that carries the radio-frequency signals;

a switch that is operated by the member when the member moves relative to the antenna;

a circuit board connected at least partly to the dielectric portion; and

a coaxial cable connector mounted to the circuit board, wherein the coaxial cable is connected to the coaxial cable connector and wherein the coaxial cable connector electrically connects the coaxial cable to the antenna resonating element so that the radio-frequency signals are applied to the antenna resonating element.

26. Apparatus in a portable wireless device structure, comprising:

a switch;

a switch actuation member that operates the switch when pressed by a user;

a guide structure that guides the switch actuation member; and

an antenna resonating element attached to the guide structure.

27. The apparatus defined in claim 26 wherein the switch actuation member comprises a stem and a button head portion mounted to the stem, wherein the stem reciprocates within a guide channel portion of the guide structure, and wherein the antenna resonating element comprises a metal strip contained within a flex circuit.

28. The apparatus defined in claim 26 wherein the guide structure comprises a plastic support structure, wherein the antenna resonating element comprises a metal strip contained within a flex circuit, and wherein the flex circuit is wrapped around the plastic support structure.

29. The apparatus defined in claim 26 wherein the guide structure comprises a plastic support structure, wherein the antenna resonating element comprises a metal strip contained within a flex circuit, wherein the flex circuit is wrapped around the plastic support structure, wherein the flex circuit has at least one registration feature, and wherein the plastic support structure has at least one boss that mates with the registration feature to align the flex circuit and the resonating element relative to the plastic support structure.

30. The apparatus defined in claim 26 wherein the antenna resonating element is formed within a flex circuit having a conductive pad that is electrically connected to the antenna resonating element, the apparatus further comprising a spring that is connected to the conductive pad and that carries a radio-frequency signal to the antenna resonating element.