Snap-on antenna and protective connector mounting for a hand-held electronic device

• US 5,973,645 A
• Filed: 12/19/1996
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Arnal, Kevin, Zigler, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOANG V
• Application Number:
  US08/772,170
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/700 MS, 343/715, 343/903, 343/906, 439/916
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/084 Pivotable antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence

Abstract

A snap-on antenna and connector mounting assembly for a hand-held electronic device, such as a hand-held computer. The hand-held electronic device has a housing with a sidewall and a jack-receiving aperture therein, an antenna jack extending through the jack-receiving aperture, and a flexible bushing positioned in the jack-receiving aperture between the antenna jack and the sidewall. The bushing isolates the antenna jack from the sidewall, so the antenna jack is deflectable relative to the sidewall without being damaged. The snap-on antenna has a substantially rigid base having an interior area therein and having a housing-attachment portion with an aperture communicating with the interior area. A plug connector contained within the interior area has a jack-connecting portion positioned to removably receive the antenna jack such that the antenna can be snapped into and off of the hand-held electronic device between installed and removed positions, respectively. A rotation limiter is provided on the snap-on antenna to prevent the antenna from rotating past selected positions relative to the housing.

Claims

1. A hand-held electronic device having electrical components therein, comprising:

a housing having a jack-receiving aperture therein;

an antenna jack extending through the jack-receiving aperture;

a wire connected to the antenna jack and being attachable to the electrical components;

a flexible bushing positioned in the jack-receiving aperture between the antenna jack and the housing, the flexible bushing substantially isolating the antenna jack from the housing so the antenna jack is deflectable relative to the housing without damaging the antenna jack; and

an antenna removably attached to the antenna jack and being movable between an installed position and a removed position, the antenna being conductively attached to the antenna jack when in the installed position and being out of engagement with the antenna jack when in the removed position, the antenna being rotatable about the antenna jack relative to the housing to a selected angular position, the antenna having;

a substantially rigid base having an open interior area therein and having a housing-attachment portion with a first aperture therein communicating with the open interior area, and the base having a second aperture therein communicating with the interior area, the housing-attachment portion being adjacent to the antenna jack when the antenna is in the installed position;

a plug connector contained in the interior area of the base, the plug connector having a jack-connecting portion adjacent to the first aperture, the jack-connecting portion being releasably connected to the antenna jack when the antenna is in the installed position;

an active antenna portion attached to the plug connector and extending through the second aperture in the base and away from the base, the active antenna portion being conductively connected to the wire by the plug connector and the antenna jack when the antenna is in the installed position; and

a flexible antenna sheath extending over the active antenna portion.

2. The hand-held electronic device of claim 1, further including a seal positioned between the housing-attachment portion and the housing adjacent to the jack-receiving aperture when the antenna is in the installed position.

3. The hand-held electronic device of claim 2 wherein the seal frictionally engages the housing and releasably retains the antenna in a selected position.

4. The hand-held electronic device of claim 2 wherein the seal is attached to the housing-attachment portion of the base.

5. The hand-held electronic device of claim 1 wherein the antenna is rotatable through a range of 0 to 70 degrees, inclusive, relative to the housing.

6. The hand-held electronic device of claim 1 wherein the housing has first position indicia thereon, and the base of the antenna has second position indicia thereon that is alignable with the first position indicia when the antenna is in the installed position.

7. The hand-held electronic device of claim 1 wherein the base of the antenna includes two rigid base portions fixedly connected together to surround the plug connector.

8. The hand-held electronic device of claim 1 wherein the antenna is rotatable about the antenna jack when in the installed position, the hand-held electronic device further including a rotation limiting member that engages the housing and prevents the antenna from rotating past a selected position relative to the housing.

9. The hand-held electronic device of claim 1 wherein the housing has a sidewall with the jack-receiving aperture extending through the sidewall, and a rigid, cylindrical wall portion extends around the jack-receiving aperture and projects away from the sidewall to define a protected antenna-receiving area therein sized to receive the housing-attachment portion of the antenna'"'"'s base, a portion of the antenna jack extending into and terminating in the antenna-receiving area.

10. A hand-held electronic device having electrical components therein, comprising:

a housing having a jack-receiving aperture therein;

an antenna jack extending through the jack-receiving aperture;

a wire connected to the antenna jack and being attachable to the electrical components;

a flexible bushing positioned in the jack-receiving aperture between the antenna jack and the housing, the flexible bushing substantially isolating the antenna jack from the housing so the antenna jack is deflectable relative to the housing without damaging the antenna jack;

an antenna removably attached to the antenna jack and being movable between an installed position and a removed position, the antenna being conductively attached to the antenna jack when in the installed position and being out of engagement with the antenna jack when in the removed position, the antenna being rotatable about the antenna jack relative to the housing to a selected angular position, the antenna having;

a substantially rigid base having an open interior area therein and having a housing-attachment portion with a first aperture therein communicating with the open interior area, and the base having a second aperture therein communicating with the interior area, the housing-attachment portion being adjacent to the antenna jack when the antenna is in the installed position;

a plug connector contained in the interior area of the base, the plug connector having a jack-connecting portion adjacent to the first aperture, the jack-connecting portion being releasably connected to the antenna jack when the antenna is in the installed position;

an active antenna portion attached to the plug connector and extending through the second aperture in the base and away from the base, the active antenna portion being conductively connected to the wire by the plug connector and the antenna jack when the antenna is in the installed position;

a flexible antenna sheath extending over the active antenna portion; and

a retaining member attached to the antenna jack and securely holding the antenna jack on the housing.

11. The hand-held electronic device of claim 10 wherein the housing-attachment portion has an end surface and an annular ring portion extending around the end surface so the end surface is recessed, the annular ring portion extending around a portion of the retaining member when the antenna is in the installed position.

12. A hand-held electronic device having electrical components therein, comprising:

a housing having a jack-receiving aperture therein;

an antenna jack extending through the jack-receiving aperture;

a wire connected to the antenna jack and being attachable to the electrical components;

a flexible bushing positioned in the jack-receiving aperture between the antenna jack and the housing, the flexible bushing substantially isolating the antenna jack from the housing so the antenna jack is deflectable relative to the housing without damaging the antenna jack;

an antenna removably attached to the antenna jack and being movable between an installed position and a removed position, the antenna being conductively attached to the antenna jack when in the installed position and being out of engagement with the antenna jack when in the removed position, the antenna being rotatable about the antenna jack relative to the housing to a selected angular position, the antenna having;

a substantially rigid base having an open interior area therein and having a housing-attachment portion with a first aperture therein communicating with the open interior area, and the base having a second aperture therein communicating with the interior area, the housing-attachment portion being adjacent to the antenna jack when the antenna is in the installed position;

a plug connector contained in the interior area of the base, the plug connector having a jack-connecting portion adjacent to the first aperture, the jack-connecting portion being releasably connected to the antenna jack when the antenna is in the installed position;

an active antenna portion attached to the plug connector and extending through the second aperture in the base and away from the base, the active antenna portion being conductively connected to the wire by the plug connector and the antenna jack when the antenna is in the installed position;

a flexible antenna sheath extending over the active antenna portion; and

a retaining member attached to the antenna jack the retaining member sandwiches a portion of the bushing between the retaining member and the housing, with the retaining member being out of direct engagement with the housing.

13. An antenna usable with an electronic device having a housing, comprising:

a substantially rigid base having a housing-attachment portion with a first aperture therein, and the base having a second aperture therein, the housing-attachment portion being positionable adjacent to an antenna jack of the electronic device when the antenna is in an installed position on the electronic device wherein the antenna is rotatable relative to the housing when in the installed position;

a plug connector connected to the base, the plug connector having a jack-connecting portion adjacent to the first aperture and positioned to releasably receive a portion of the antenna jack therein when the antenna is moved to the installed position and electrically coupling the antenna to the electronic device;

an active antenna portion attached to the plug connector and extending through the second aperture in the base and away from the base; and

a rotation limiter attached to the base and positioned to engage the housing to prevent the antenna from rotating past a selected angular position.

14. The antenna of claim 13 wherein the rotation limiter is sized to allow the antenna to rotate through a range of 0 to 70 degrees, inclusive, relative to the housing when in the installed position.

15. An antenna usable with an electronic device having a housing, comprising:

a substantially rigid base having a housing-attachment portion with a first aperture therein, and the base having a second aperture therein, the housing-attachment portion being positionable adjacent to an antenna jack of the electronic device when the antenna is in an installed position on the electronic device;

a plug connector connected to the base, the plug connector having a jack-connecting portion adjacent to the first aperture and positioned to releasably receive a portion of the antenna jack therein when the antenna is moved to the installed position and electrically coupling the antenna to the electronic device;

an active antenna portion attached to the plug connector and extending through the second aperture in the base and away from the base; and

a position indicator attached to the base, the position indicator being adapted to indicate the angular position of the antenna relative to the housing.

16. A hand-held electronic device usable with a snap-on antenna comprising:

a housing having a sidewall with a jack-receiving aperture therein;

an antenna wire coupled to the housing;

an antenna jack attached to the antenna wire and extending through the jack-receiving aperture, the antenna jack being connectable to the antenna;

a flexible bushing mounted in the jack-receiving aperture between the antenna jack and the sidewall and isolating the antenna jack from the sidewall, the bushing being compressible and the antenna jack being deflectable relative to the sidewall to compress the bushing without damaging the antenna jack; and

a retaining member attached to the antenna jack and securely holding the antenna jack on the housing.

17. A hand-held electronic device usable with a snap-on antenna comprising:

a housing having a sidewall with a jack-receiving aperture therein;

an antenna wire coupled to the housing;

an antenna jack attached to the antenna wire and extending through the jack-receiving aperture, the antenna jack being connectable to the antenna;

a flexible bushing mounted in the jack-receiving aperture between the antenna jack and the sidewall and isolating the antenna jack from the sidewall, the bushing being compressible and the antenna jack being deflectable relative to the sidewall to compress the bushing without damaging the antenna jack, wherein the sidewall has a sidewall flange extending into the jack-receiving aperture, and the bushing has a bushing flange in direct engagement with the sidewall flange.

18. The hand-held electronic device of claim 17, further including a retaining member attached to the antenna jack and sandwiching the bushing flange between the retaining member and the sidewall flange, the retaining member being out of direct engagement with the sidewall.

19. A hand-held electronic device, comprising:

a housing having a sidewall with a jack-receiving aperture therein and having a rigid, cylindrical protective wall portion integrally connected to the sidewall and projecting away from the sidewall to define a protected antenna-receiving area, the protective wall portion being substantially coaxially aligned with the jack-receiving aperture and having an elongated slot extending therethrough and communicating with the antenna-receiving area, the sidewall having a sidewall flange extending into the jack-receiving aperture so the jack-receiving aperture has a first sidewall portion with a first diameter defined by the sidewall flange and a second sidewall portion adjacent to the sidewall flange with a second diameter, the second diameter being greater than the first diameter;

an smb jack having a body portion and a threaded plug portion extending away from the body portion, the smb jack being substantially coaxially aligned with the jack-receiving aperture, the threaded plug portion extending through the jack-receiving aperture and terminating at one end within the antenna-receiving area, and the body portion being substantially adjacent to the sidewall flange at the jack-receiving aperture;

a wire conductively connected to the smb jack and extending into the housing;

a stainless steel washer sandwiched between the body portion of the smb jack and the sidewall of the housing, the washer having a washer aperture coaxially aligned with the jack-receiving area, and the threaded plug portion extends through the washer aperture, the washer being in direct engagement with the sidewall to distribute forces to the sidewall;

a flexible rubber bushing mounted in the jack-receiving aperture, the rubber bushing having a bushing aperture coaxially aligned with the jack-receiving aperture and having a bushing flange portion with an outer diameter substantially corresponding to the second diameter of the jack-receiving aperture, the bushing flange being substantially parallel to and in direct engagement with the sidewall flange;

a threaded sleeve removably screwed onto the threaded plug portion with the threaded plug portion extending through the threaded sleeve with the threaded sleeve retaining the smb jack in the jack-receiving aperture, the threaded sleeve being coaxially aligned with the jack-receiving aperture and having a first cylindrical portion extending through the bushing aperture and the jack-receiving aperture and engaging the stainless steel washer, the threaded sleeve having an annular sleeve flange portion attached to the first cylindrical portion and engaging the bushing flange with the bushing flange being sandwiched between the sleeve flange and the sidewall flange, the threaded sleeve is adapted to retain the body portion of the smb jack in firm engagement with the washer, the threaded sleeve directly engaging the rubber bushing and being out of direct engagement with the sidewall so the smb jack is movably deflectable relative to the sidewall thereby causing the threaded sleeve to compress the rubber bushing without the smb jack being damaged by the deflecting movement;

a stop member projecting outwardly from the housing adjacent to the protective wall portion;

a first position-indicating member projecting from the protective wall portion;

an antenna removably mountable to the smb jack and being movable between an installed position and a removed position, the antenna being retained partially within the antenna-receiving area when in the installed position and being out of engagement with the smb jack when in the removed position, the antenna being rotatable relative to the housing through a range of 0 to 70 degrees relative to the housing, the antenna having;

an abs-polycarbonate base member defined by two shell portions welded together, the shell member having a body portion, a substantially cylindrical housing-attachment portion projecting from the body portion along a first axis and terminating at a substantially flat end surface, and a sheath attachment portion projecting away from the body portion along a second axis that is substantially transverse to the first axis, the two shell portions being shaped to define an open interior area therein, the housing-attachment portion having a first aperture therein communicating with the open interior area and being coaxially aligned with the first axis, and the sheath attachment portion having a second aperture therein communicating with the interior area and being coaxially aligned with the second axis, the housing-attachment portion having first and second annular grooves spaced apart from each other and coaxially aligned with the first axis, the housing-attachment portion being positioned in the antenna-receiving area with the first axis coaxially aligned with the threaded plug portion of the smb jack, and the end surface of the housing-attachment portion engages the threaded sleeve, the substantially cylindrical housing-attachment portion having an annular ring portion extending around the end surface so the end surface is recessed, and the ring portion extends around the threaded sleeve and the end surface is pressed into engagement with the threaded sleeve when the antenna is in the installed position;

a coaxial cable having first and second ends, the first end extending into the second aperture of the sheath attachment portion of the shell member, and the second end of the coaxial cable being spaced apart from the shell member;

an aluminum tubular member crimped onto the second end of the coaxial cable, the aluminum tubular member and the coaxial cable being an active portion of the antenna;

a flexible elastomeric, polyurethane sheath extending over the active portion of the antenna and being adhesively attached at one end to the sheath attachment portion of shell member, the sheath protectively encasing the active portion of the antenna; and

an smb plug connector fixedly contained in the interior area of the shell member, the smb plug connector being conductively connected to the first end of the coaxial cable and having a jack-receiving portion within and coaxially aligned with the second aperture, the jack-receiving portion removably receiving the threaded plug portion of the smb jack therein to conductively connect the wire to the active portion of the antenna, the connector terminating at a jack-receiving opening at the end surface of the shell member'"'"'s housing-attachment portion so the jack-receiving opening is recessed relative to the annular ring portion;

an elastomeric O-ring seal removably retained in the first annular groove in the housing-attachment portion, the O-ring being in sealable and frictional engagement with the protective wall portion of the housing to form a seal therebetween when the antenna is in the installed position, the frictional engagement being sufficient to retain the antenna in a selected rotational position relative to the housing;

a retaining ring removably retained in the second annular groove and positioned to removably lock the antenna in the installed position, the retaining ring being shaped and sized so a portion of the retaining ring extends through the slot in the protective wall portion of the housing when the antenna is in the installed position;

a rotation limiting member attached to the shell member and positioned to engage the stop on the housing to prevent the antenna from rotating past the range of 0 to 70 degrees; and

a second position-indicating member projecting from the body portion of the shell member and positioned to align with the first position-indicating member when the antenna is rotated to 70 degrees relative to the housing.