MOBILE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE WITH ANTENNA CONTACT HAVING REDUCED RF INDUCTANCE

• US 20110163924A1
• Filed: 03/15/2011
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Mankaruse, George, Jarmuszewski, Perry, ZHU, Lizhong, Corrigan, Michael, Xu, Jun Jun
• Application Number:
  US13/048,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20110163924A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/526 Electromagnetic shields
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence

Abstract

A mobile wireless communications device includes a housing and at least one circuit board. Radio frequency (RF) circuitry is carried by the circuit board and includes a transceiver. A processor is carried by the at least one circuit board and operative with the RF circuitry. An antenna is mounted within the housing. An antenna contact is secured on the at least one circuit board and operatively connects the RF circuitry and engages the antenna at an antenna contact point. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding is positioned at the antenna contact point and reduces RF inductance effects.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A mobile wireless communications device, comprising:

a housing;

at least one circuit board carried by the housing and including radio frequency (RF) circuitry carried by the at least one circuit board and comprising a transceiver, and a processor carried by the at least one circuit board and operative with the RF circuitry;

an antenna mounted within the housing; and

an antenna contact secured on the at least one circuit board and operatively connecting the RF circuitry and engaging the antenna at an antenna contact point, wherein said antenna contact comprises a lower leg that is secured to said circuit board and an upper leg having an inverted V-shaped upper contact member engaging the antenna at the antenna contact point.

26. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 25, wherein said upper leg is biased towards said lower leg.

27. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 25, wherein said lower leg and upper leg form a hairpin clip configuration.

28. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 25, wherein said upper leg further comprises a horizontal landing element that extends from said inverted V-shaped upper contact member and overlaps a portion of the lower leg.

29. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 28, wherein said landing element comprises edges that are upturned from the lower leg and forming a U-shaped bend while maintaining physical and electrical contact with the lower leg to avoid potential solder wicking during a solder reflow process when the antenna contact is soldered onto a circuit board.

30. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 25, further comprising an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding material positioned at the antenna contact point for reducing RF inductance effects.

31. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 30, wherein said EMI shielding material comprises a conductive foam.

32. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 30, wherein said EMI shielding material comprises a foil-backed, nickel-plated base polymer having an electrically conductive and pressure-sensitive adhesive.

33. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 30, wherein said antenna includes a flex section at the contact point and forming an RF stub, and said EMI material engages said flex section.

34. A mobile wireless communications device, comprising:

a housing;

at least one circuit board carried by the housing and including radio frequency (RF) circuitry carried by the circuit board and comprising a transceiver, and a processor carried by the at least one circuit board and operative with the RF circuitry;

an antenna mounted within the housing; and

an antenna contact secured on the at least one circuit board and operatively connecting the RF circuitry, said antenna contact further comprising a lower leg that is secured to said at least one circuit board and an upper leg having an inverted V-shaped upper contact member engaging the antenna at the antenna contact point such that the inverted V-shaped upper contact member provides parallel inductances and reduces RF inductance effects.

35. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 34, wherein said upper leg is biased towards said lower leg.

36. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 34, wherein said lower leg and upper leg form a hairpin clip configuration.

37. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 34, wherein said upper leg further comprises a horizontal landing element that extends from said inverted V-shaped upper contact member and overlaps a portion of the lower leg.

38. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 37, wherein said landing element comprises edges that are upturned from the lower leg and forming a U-shaped bend while maintaining physical and electrical contact with the lower leg to avoid potential solder wicking during a solder reflow process when the antenna contact is soldered onto a circuit board.

39. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 34, and further comprising an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding material positioned at the antenna contact point for reducing RF inductance effects.

40. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 39, wherein said antenna further comprises a flex section at the contact point and forming an RF stub.

41. The mobile wireless communication device according to claim 40, wherein said EMI material engages said flex section.

42. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 39, wherein said EMI shielding material comprises a conductive foam.

43. The mobile wireless communications device according to claim 39, wherein said EMI shielding material comprises a foil-backed, nickel-plated base polymer having an electrically conductive and pressure-sensitive adhesive.

44. A method of operating a mobile wireless communications device, which comprises:

providing a housing, at least one circuit board carried by the housing and including radio frequency (RF) circuitry carried by the circuit board and comprising a transceiver, and a processor carried by the at least one at least one circuit board and operative with the RF circuitry, an antenna mounted within the housing, and an antenna contact secured on the at least one circuit board and operatively connecting the RF circuitry and engaging the antenna at an antenna contact point; and

reducing RF inductance effects by forming an upper leg of the antenna contact to have an inverted V-shaped upper contact member engaging the antenna at the antenna contact point such that the inverted V-shaped upper contact member provides parallel inductances and reduces RF inductance effects.

45. The method according to claim 44, wherein said antenna comprises a flex section at the contact point and forming an RF stub and further comprising reducing RF inductance effects.

46. The method according to claim 45, and further comprising upturning edges on a horizontal landing element that extends from the inverted V-shaped upper contact member and overlaps a portion of a lower leg of the antenna contact to form a U-shaped bend while maintaining physical and electrical contact with the lower leg to avoid potential solder wicking during a solder reflow process when the antenna contact is soldered onto the at least one circuit board.

47. The method according to claim 44, and further comprising biasing the upper leg towards a lower leg of the antenna contact that is secured to the at least one circuit board and operatively connected to said RF circuitry.

48. The method according to claim 44, further comprising positioning an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding material at antenna contact point.

49. The method according to claim 48, and further comprising forming the EMI shielding material as a conductive foam.

50. The method according to claim 48, and further comprising forming the EMI shielding material as a foil-backed, nickel-plated base polymer having an electrically conductive and pressure-sensitive adhesive.