ANTENNAS MOUNTED UNDER DIELECTRIC PLATES

• US 20120050114A1
• Filed: 08/27/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Li, Qingxiang, Schlub, Robert W., Rothkopf, Fletcher R., Mittleman, Adam D., Jiang, Yi, McMilin, Emily, Zhang, Lijun
• Granted Patent: US 8,766,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2266 disposed inside the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/24 with receiving set
• 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: H01Q 1/48 Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength

Abstract

Electronic devices are provided that contain wireless communications circuitry. The wireless communications circuitry may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry and antenna structures. The antenna structures may include antennas such as inverted-F antennas that contain antenna resonating elements and antenna ground elements. Antenna resonating elements may be formed from patterned conductive traces on substrates such as flex circuit substrates. Antenna ground elements may be formed from conductive device structures such as metal housing walls. Support and biasing structures such as dielectric support members and layer of foam may be used to support and bias antenna resonating elements against planar device structures. The planar device structures against which the antenna resonating elements are biased may be planar dielectric members such as transparent layers of display cover glass or other planar structures. Adhesive may be interposed between the planar structures and the antenna resonating elements.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a display having a transparent planar display member through which the display presents images;

a patterned opaque masking layer on an inner surface of the transparent planar display member, wherein the patterned opaque masking layer is located along a peripheral portion of the transparent planar display member; and

an antenna having an antenna resonating element; and

adhesive that is interposed between the antenna resonating element and the patterned opaque masking layer and that adheres the antenna resonating element to the inner surface.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a conductive housing in which the display is mounted.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the conductive housing comprises a portion that forms an antenna ground element and wherein the antenna ground element forms part of the antenna.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 3 further comprising a positive antenna feed terminal coupled to the antenna resonating element and a ground antenna feed terminal coupled to the conductive housing.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 4 further comprising:

a radio-frequency transceiver; and

a transmission line that is coupled between the radio-frequency transceiver and the positive and ground antenna feed terminals.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 5 wherein the transmission line comprises portions of a flexible printed circuit substrate having at least one flexible polymer sheet and conductive traces.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 6 wherein the antenna resonating element is formed from at least some of the conductive traces of the flexible printed circuit.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the conductive housing comprises metal housing walls.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 8 further comprising biasing structures that bias the antenna resonating element towards the inner surface.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the biasing structures include a layer of foam.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a metal housing structure that forms an antenna ground element for the antenna; and

biasing and support structures that are interposed between the metal housing structure and the antenna resonating element and that press the antenna resonating element against the inner surface.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the biasing and support structures include a dielectric support structure that supports the antenna resonating element and a layer of foam that biases the antenna resonating element towards the inner surface.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 12 wherein the transparent planar display member comprises a layer of display cover glass, wherein the opaque masking layer comprises black ink, and wherein the antenna comprises an inverted-F antenna.

14. Apparatus, comprising:

an antenna;

an antenna resonating element for the antenna;

a metal electronic device housing that forms an antenna ground element for the antenna;

a planar dielectric member having a planar surface; and

a layer of adhesive that attaches the antenna resonating element to the planar surface of the planar dielectric member.

15. The apparatus defined in claim 14 wherein the planar dielectric member comprises a rectangular display cover glass member.

16. The apparatus defined in claim 15 further comprising an opaque masking layer that is interposed between the planar surface and the layer of adhesive.

17. The apparatus defined in claim 16 further comprising a conductive cavity for the antenna, wherein the conductive cavity has edges located at the planar surface.

18. An electronic device, comprising:

a display having a planar display member with an exposed exterior surface and an interior surface;

conductive housing wall structures;

an inverted-F antenna having an antenna resonating element that is fed by a positive antenna feed terminal and having an antenna ground element that is formed from the conductive housing wall structures and that is fed by a ground antenna feed terminal; and

support and biasing structures that are interposed between the conductive housing wall structures and the planar display member and that bias the antenna resonating element against the interior surface.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 18 wherein:

the antenna resonating element comprises a flex circuit antenna resonating element having at least one flexible polymer sheet with patterned conductive traces; and

the support and biasing structures include a layer of foam that presses the flex circuit antenna resonating element against the interior surface.

20. The electronic device defined in claim 19 further comprising:

a layer of adhesive interposed between the antenna resonating element and the interior surface.