Locking antenna for personal computer card

• US 6,359,591 B1
• Filed: 10/19/2000
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NETGEAR, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sierra Wireless Incorporated
• Inventors: Mou, Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HOANGANH T
• Application Number:
  US09/694,076
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: H01/Q.124, 343/702, 343/906, 343/900, 343/901, 455/90
• US Class Current: 343/702
• 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: H01Q 1/084 Pivotable antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/103 Latching means; ensuring extension or retraction thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2275 associated to expansion card or bus, e.g. in PCMCIA, PC cards, Wireless USB
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices

Abstract

A device for providing wireless communication is disclosed. The device includes a retractable antenna connected to modem and PC card. The retractable antenna has a locking mechanism for providing a snap lock to maintain the antenna in the extended position during ordinary use and allowing retraction of the antenna by force when not in use. The retractable antenna has an antenna sleeve which receives the antenna and locks the antenna in the extended position. The antenna also has a pivotal connection for pivoting the antenna and a rotatable connection for rotating the antenna in a direction which differs from the direction of rotation. The antenna is rotatable about two axes and is retractable. In the extended position, the antenna is electrically connected with the PC card and can receive and transmit signals.

Claims

1. A device for providing wireless communication, the device comprising:

a PC card;

a modem within the PC card;

a retractable antenna connected to the modem, the retractable antenna having an extended transmitting/receiving position and a retracted position with respect to the PC card;

a locking mechanism for providing a lock to maintain the antenna in the extended position during ordinary use and retraction of the antenna when not in use; and

wherein the locking mechanism is a snap lock.

2. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism includes an antenna body which has a raised portion on a proximal end with a diameter greater than the inside diameter of an antenna sleeve.

3. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 2, wherein the antenna body has four slots, and the antenna is squeezed into the antenna sleeve.

4. The device for providing wireless communication according to claim 2, wherein the antenna sleeve has a neck on the proximal end that is ring shaped with a diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the sleeve.

5. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism includes a sleeve and a portion of the antenna slidable axially within the sleeve.

6. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 5, wherein the sleeve and the portion of antenna include interengaging snap locking elements.

7. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 1, wherein the retractable antenna has a pivotal connection for pivoting a portion of the antenna about the pivot connection and a rotational connection for rotating the antenna about a first axis.

8. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 7, wherein the length of the antenna is measured from the pivot connection to an end cap of the antenna.

9. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 1, wherein the retractable antenna substantially extends beyond the PC card and the antenna is electrically connected to the PC card.

10. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 1, wherein a spring located inside of the PC card and is in electrical contact with the antenna.

11. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 10, wherein the spring provides an electrical connection between the PC card and the antenna when antenna is extended a distance beyond the PC card.

12. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 1, wherein a length of the antenna is a function of the operating frequency of the antenna in the extended position.

13. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 1, wherein the length of the antenna is one half of a wavelength based the operating frequency of the antenna in the extended position.

14. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 1, wherein the PC card will transmit and receive radio signals in the 1850 to 1990 megahertz ranges.

15. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 1, wherein the antenna can be extended by about 250 grams to 850 grams of force.

16. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 1, wherein the antenna can be retracted by about 250 grams to 850 grams of force.

17. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 1, wherein the antenna has a locking groove which locks the antenna in the extended position.

18. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism provides a locking force in both extending and retracting directions.

19. A retractable antenna for a PC card for use in wireless communication, the antenna comprising:

an antenna sleeve electrically connectable to the PC card;

a retractable antenna positioned within the antenna sleeve and slidable within the antenna sleeve from an extended transmitting/receiving position to a retracted storage position; and

a locking mechanism provided between the antenna sleeve and the retractable antenna for locking the antenna in the extended transmitting/receiving position to achieve a predetermined transmitting/receiving antenna length; and

wherein the locking mechanism is a snap lock.

20. The retractable antenna for a PC card for use in wireless communication according to claim 19, wherein the retractable antenna is rotatable in the sleeve.

21. The retractable antenna for a PC card for use in wireless communication according to claim 20, wherein the retractable antenna includes a pivotal connection for pivoting a first portion of the antenna with respect to a second portion of the antenna.

22. The retractable antenna for a PC card for use in wireless communication according to claim 21, wherein the retractable antenna is electrically connected to the antenna sleeve in the extended transmitting/receiving position and is electrically isolated from the sleeve in the retracted position.

23. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 19, wherein the antenna has a locking groove which locks the antenna in the extended position.

24. The retractable antenna for a PC card for use in wireless communication of claim 19, wherein the locking mechanism provides a locking force in both extending and retracting directions.

25. A device for providing wireless communication, the device comprising:

a PC card;

a modem within the PC card;

a retractable antenna connected to the modem, the retractable antenna having an extended transmitting/receiving position and a retracted position with respect to the PC card; and

a locking mechanism for providing a lock to maintain the antenna in the extended position during ordinary use and retraction of the antenna when not in use, wherein the antenna snaps into a sleeve for receiving the antenna in the extended position and is rotatable in the extended position.

26. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 25, wherein the locking mechanism is a snap lock.

27. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 25, wherein the antenna has a locking groove which locks the antenna in the extended position.

28. The device for providing wireless communication of claim 25, wherein the locking mechanism provides a locking force in both extending and retracting directions.

29. A retractable antenna for a PC card for use in wireless communication, the antenna comprising:

an antenna sleeve electrically connected to the PC card;

a retractable antenna positioned within the antenna sleeve and slidable within the antenna sleeve from an extended transmitting/receiving position to a retracted storage position; and

a locking mechanism provided between the antenna sleeve and the retractable antenna for locking the antenna in the extended transmitting/receiving position to achieve a predetermined transmitting/receiving length, wherein the retractable antenna snaps into the sleeve in the extended position.

30. The retractable antenna for a PC card for use in wireless communication of claim 29, wherein the retractable antenna is rotatable in the sleeve in the extended position.

31. The retractable antenna for a PC card for use in wireless communication of claim 29, wherein the retractable antenna includes a pivotal connection for pivoting a first portion of the antenna with respect to a second portion of the antenna.

32. The retractable antenna for a PC card for use in wireless communication of claim 29, wherein the retractable antenna is electrically connected to the antenna sleeve in the extended transmitting/receiving position and is electrically isolated from the sleeve in the retracted position.

33. The retractable antenna for a PC card for use in wireless communication of claim 29, wherein the locking mechanism provides a locking force in both extending and retracting directions.