Electronic Device With Foam Antenna Carrier

• US 20140306845A1
• Filed: 04/10/2013
• Published: 10/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Shiu, Boon W., Chen, Chun-Lung
• Granted Patent: US 9,520,643 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/700.MS
• 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 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

Electronic devices may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry and antenna structures. The antenna structures may include a dielectric carrier such as a foam carrier. The foam carrier may be formed from a material that can withstand elevated temperatures. Metal traces for antennas can be formed on the foam carrier by selectively activating areas on a powder coating with a laser and plating the laser-activated areas. Metal for the antennas may also be formed by attaching layers such as flexible printed circuit layers and metal foil layers to the foam carrier. Solder may be used to attach a coaxial cable or other transmission line, electrical components, and other electrical structures to the metal antenna structures on the foam carrier. The foam carrier may be formed from open cell or closed cell foam. The surface of the foam may be smoothed to facilitate formation of metal antenna structures.

Claims

1. An antenna, comprising:

a foam carrier;

metal on the foam carrier; and

solder on the metal.

2. The antenna defined in claim 1 wherein the foam carrier comprises open cell foam.

3. The antenna defined in claim 1 wherein the foam carrier comprises closed cell foam.

4. The antenna defined in claim 1 further comprising a powder coating on the foam carrier.

5. The antenna defined in claim 4 wherein the metal comprises metal traces on the power coating.

6. The antenna defined in claim 5 wherein the powder coating comprises laser-activated areas and wherein the metal traces comprises plated metal traces on the laser-activated areas.

7. The antenna defined in claim 6 wherein the powder coating comprises polymer particles baked onto a surface of the foam carrier.

8. The antenna defined in claim 1 wherein the metal comprises metal foil.

9. The antenna defined in claim 1 wherein the metal comprises metal on a flexible printed circuit.

10. The antenna defined in claim 1 further comprising metal foil and at least one flexible printed circuit on the foam carrier.

11. The antenna defined in claim 10 further comprising solder along a seam between the flexible printed circuit and the metal foil.

12. The antenna defined in claim 11 further comprising electrical components mounted to the metal using the solder.

13. The antenna defined in claim 12 further comprising a coaxial cable soldered to the metal using the solder.

14. A method of forming an antenna, comprising:

depositing a powder on a foam carrier;

selectively exposing areas of the powder to laser light; and

plating metal onto the exposed areas following exposure of the areas to the laser light to form metal antenna traces on the foam carrier.

15. The method defined in claim 14 further comprising:

soldering at least one component to the metal antenna traces using solder.

16. The method defined in claim 15 wherein soldering the component comprises depositing solder paste and exposing the solder paste to a temperature of at least 200°

C.

17. The method defined in claim 14 further comprising exposing the deposited powder to a temperature of more than 150°

C. before exposing the areas of the powder to laser light.

18. An antenna, comprising:

a foam carrier;

metal antenna structures on the foam carrier; and

a conductive structure soldered to the metal antenna structures.

19. The antenna defined in claim 18 wherein the conductive structure is part of a coaxial cable, the antenna further comprising at least one electrical component soldered to the metal antenna structures.

20. The antenna defined in claim 19 further comprising a plurality of powder coatings on the foam carrier, wherein the metal antenna traces include at least some metal structures plated on laser-activated areas of the powder coatings.

21. The antenna defined in claim 18 wherein the foam carrier comprises a thermally molded foam and wherein the metal antenna structures include metal traces in a flexible printed circuit and a layer of metal foil.