Antenna housing with extendable drawer for a portable computer

• US 5,557,288 A
• Filed: 09/07/1995
• Issued: 09/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kato, Naotaka, Katoh, Katsutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HOANGANH T
• Application Number:
  US08/524,977
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/895, 343/900, 343/904, 343/846
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2258 used with computer equipment

Abstract

A drawer (70) and antenna (e.g., 78) can be extended from a computer for wireless communications, and retracted when not in use. The antenna and its circuit board (56) are slidably attached to the drawer, which is slidably attached to an antenna housing (30) located within the computer. A door (74) is pivotally attached to a bottom plate (60) of the drawer to cover a slot (40) in the side of the computer. For wireless communications, the antenna, circuit board and drawer are extended through the slot and project out the side of the computer. The bottom plate, door and a cover over the circuit board function as a ground plane for the antenna. The effective dimensions of the ground plane can be varied by sliding the circuit board relative to the drawer.

Claims

1. A computer having a wireless communication system, said computer comprising in combination:

a computer housing having an opening;

a drawer slidably attached to said computer housing, said drawer having an extended position projecting outwardly from said computer housing, and having a retracted position within said housing, said drawer passing through said opening in said housing when said drawer is moved from said retracted to said extended position; and

an antenna attached to said drawer, said antenna being positioned exterior to said computer housing when said drawer is in said extended position, and said antenna being positioned within said computer housing when said drawer is in said retracted position, said antenna being positionable in an operating position when said drawer is in said extended position.

2. A computer having a wireless communication system, said computer comprising in combination:

a computer housing having an opening;

a drawer slidably attached to said computer housing, said drawer having an extended position projecting outwardly from said computer housing, and having a retracted position within said housing, said drawer passing through said opening in said housing when said drawer is moved from said retracted to said extended position, said drawer having a conductive ground plane surface;

a circuit board slidably attached to said drawer; and

an antenna attached to said circuit board, said antenna being positioned exterior to said computer housing when said drawer is in said extended position, and said antenna being positioned within said computer housing when said drawer is in said retracted position;

said antenna being tunable by sliding said circuit board relative to said drawer, thereby varying the effective dimensions of said ground plane.