HYBRID ANTENNA STRUCTURE

• US 20090020328A1
• Filed: 07/20/2007
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Laird Technologies Incorporated (DuPont de Nemours, Inc.)
• Inventors: Palin, Ulf, Sullivan, Jonathan L., Lofgren, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 7,804,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/268
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/0079 applying a coating or covering
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/0053 combined with a final operation, e.g. shaping injection-compression moulding B29C45/561
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/16 Making multilayered or multicoloured articles B29C45/0062 takes precedence; feeding colouring materials into the injection unit B29C45/1816
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3456 Antennas, e.g. radomes
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3493 Moulded interconnect devices, i.e. moulded articles provided with integrated circuit traces
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• 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: H05K 2201/0187 with regions of different dielectrics in the same layer, e.g. in a printed capacitor for locally changing the dielectric properties
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09118 Moulded substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/107 Using laser light shaping a substrate by laser ablation H05K3/0026
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1476 Same or similar kind of process performed in phases, e.g. coarse patterning followed by fine patterning
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0014 Shaping of the substrate, e.g. by moulding
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/182 characterised by the patterning method
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/185 by making a catalytic pattern by photo-imaging

Abstract

An electrical component is provided that provides at least a two shot injection molding structure. One of the at least two shots of plastic comprises a laser direct structuring material. Another of the at least two shots of plastic comprises a non-platable plastic. The laser direct structuring material is selectively activated such that a conductive trace can be plated on the laser direct structuring material.

Claims

1. A method of forming an electrical component comprising the steps of:

providing a first mold to accept a first shot of a first type of plastic;

injecting a first shot of the first type of plastic into the first mold provided for the first shot of plastic to obtain a first structural component;

transferring the first structural component to a second mold to accept a second shot of a second type of plastic;

injecting a second shot of the second type of plastic into the second mold provided for the second shot of plastic to couple the first type of plastic to the second type of plastic, the coupling of the first type of plastic and the second type of plastic forming a second structural component wherein at least one of the first type of plastic or the second type of plastic comprises a laser direct structuring material;

painting the laser direct structuring material with a laser to activate a portion of the laser direct structuring material; and

plating the activated portion of the laser direct structuring material such that a conductive trace resides on the activated portion.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first type of plastic comprises the laser direct structuring material.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the second type of plastic comprises a non-platable plastic.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

transferring the second structural component to a third mold to accept a third shot of a third type of plastic; and

injecting a third shot of the third type of plastic to the couple the third type of plastic to at least one of the first type of plastic or the second type of plastic,

wherein the third type of plastic comprises a platable plastic and wherein the plating step further plates the platable plastic such that the conductive trace resides on the platable plastic.

14. The electrical component according to claim 1, wherein the electrical component comprises an antenna.

5. A method of forming an electrical component comprising the steps of:

providing a first mold to accept a first shot of a laser direct structuring material;

injecting a shot of laser direct structuring material into the first mold to obtain a first structural component;

transferring the first structural component to a second mold to accept a non-platable plastic;

injecting a shot of non-platable plastic into the first mold to couple with the laser direct structuring material to form a second structural component;

painting the laser direct structuring material with a laser to activate a portion of the laser direct structuring material; and

plating the activated portion of the laser direct structuring material such that a conductive trace resides on the activated portion.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of:

transferring the second structural component to a third mold to accept a third shot of a platable plastic; and

injecting a shot of platable plastic into the third mold to the couple the platable plastic to at least one of the laser direct structuring material or the non-platable plastic,

wherein the plating step further plates the platable plastic such that the conductive trace resides on the platable plastic

7. An electrical component, the electrical component comprising:

a first conductive trace carrying section comprising a laser direct structuring material having an activated portion and a non-activated portion;

a base section, the base section coupled to the conductive trace carrying section and comprising a non-platable plastic; and

a conductive trace plated to the activated portion of the conductive trace carrying section.

8. The electrical component according to claim 7, wherein the activated portion comprises a non-contiguous plurality of activated portion.

9. The electrical component according to claim 7, wherein the base section comprises polycarbon.

10. The electrical component according to claim 7, wherein the base section comprises at least one prong to couple the base section to a mounting surface.

11. The electrical component according to claim 10, wherein each of the at least one prongs comprise a shaft portion and a protrusion portion.

12. The electrical component according to claim 10, wherein each of the at least one prongs comprises a shaft portion and a snap portion.

13. The electrical component according to claim 7, further comprising a second conductive trace carrying section comprising a platable plastic and the conductive trace is plated to the platable plastic.

15. An apparatus including an electrical component, the apparatus comprising:

an electrical component; and

a mounting surface coupled to the electrical component,

the electrical component comprising;

a first conductive trace carrying section comprising a laser direct structuring material having an activated portion and a non-activated portion,

a base section, the base section coupled to the conductive trace carrying section and comprising a non-platable plastic, and

a conductive trace plated to the activated portion of the conductive trace carrying section.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the electrical component further comprises a second conductive trace carrying section comprising a platable plastic and the conductive trace is plated to the platable plastic.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the base section comprises at least one prong having a shaft and a protrusion to couple a detent having a lip in the mounting surface.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the mounting surface comprises a sidewall having a lip and the at least one prong comprises a shaft and a protrusions where the protrusions couples to the lip.

19. The apparatus according to 18, wherein the sidewall comprises a recess into which the protrusion extends.

20. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the apparatus comprises a wireless device and the electrical component comprises an antenna.