Switch contact for a planar inverted F antenna

• US 6,423,915 B1
• Filed: 07/26/2001
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marconi Intellectual Property (Ringfence), Inc. (Marconi Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Centurion Wireless Technologies Inc (Laird Limited)
• Inventors: Winter, James Blake
• Primary Examiner(s): FRIEDHOFER, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US09/916,016
• Time in Patent Office: 362 Days
• Field of Search: 200/292, 200/275, 200/333, 200/252, 200/61.71, 343/702, 343/866, 343/870, 343/871, 343/872, 343/873, 343/878, 343/880, 343/883, 343/906, 379/433.01, 379/433.02, 379/433.05, 379/433.11, 379/433.12, 379/440, 455/90, 455/550, 455/575
• US Class Current: 200/292
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in 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: H04B 1/3827 Portable transceivers

Abstract

A switch contact for a wireless communication device is disclosed which is comprised of a generally U-shaped spring contact positioned between a printed circuit board and a planar inverted F antenna in a compressed state for electrically connecting the printed circuit board to a feed point on the planar inverted F antenna. The leg portions of the spring contact are provided with spring extensions which are overlapped and which are biased towards one another.

Claims

1. A switch contact for a wireless communication device including a printed circuit board and a planar inverted F antenna arranged parallel to said printed circuit board and spaced therefrom, comprising:

a generally U-shaped spring contact positioned between said printed circuit board and said planar inverted F antenna in a compressed state for electrically connecting said printed circuit board to a feed point on said planar inverted F antenna;

said spring contact including a base portion having spaced-apart first and second leg portions extending therefrom;

said first leg portion being in electrical contact with the feed point on said planar inverted F antenna;

said second leg portion being in electrical contact with said printed circuit board;

said first leg portion having a first spring extension extending therefrom towards said printed circuit board;

said second leg portion having a second spring extension extending therefrom towards said planar inverted F antenna;

said first and second spring extensions being spring biased towards one another so that said spring extensions are in electrical contact with one another.

2. The switch contact of claim 1 wherein one of said first and second spring extensions has a contact portion thereon which contacts the other of said first and second spring extensions.

3. The switch contact of claim 2 wherein said contact portion is arcuate in shape.

4. A switch contact for a wireless communication device including a printed circuit board and an internal antenna arranged parallel to said printed circuit board and spaced therefrom, comprising:

a generally U-shaped spring contact positioned between said printed circuit board and internal antenna in a compressed state for electrically connecting said printed circuit board to a feed point on said internal antenna;

said spring contact including a base portion having spaced-apart first and second leg portions extending therefrom;

said first leg portion being in electrical contact with the feed point on said internal antenna;

said second leg portion being in electrical contact with said printed circuit board;

said first leg portion having a first spring extension extending therefrom towards said printed circuit board;

said second leg portion having a second spring extension extending therefrom towards said internal antenna;

said first and second spring extensions being spring biased towards one another so that said spring extensions are in electrical contact with one another.

5. The switch contact of claim 4 wherein one of said first and second spring extensions has a contact portion thereon which contacts the other of said first and second spring extensions.

6. The switch contact of claim 5 wherein said contact portion is arcuate in shape.