Antenna/push-button assembly and portable radiotelephone including the same

• US 6,545,642 B1
• Filed: 02/09/2000
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Optis Cellular Technology LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Hayes, Gerard James, Douglas, Mark Gordon, Doub, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOANG V
• Application Number:
  US09/500,517
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/700.MS, 343/846, 455/90
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers

Abstract

An antenna/push-button assembly includes a first contact, a second contact movable relative to said first contact, and a button member including an integral antenna. The button member is movable to engage the second contact with the first contact. The antenna may be a patch antenna. A portable telecommunications device includes an antenna/push-button assembly comprising a button member. The button member includes an integral antenna. The button member is operable to control a function of the device.

Claims

1. An antenna/push-button assembly comprising:

a) a first contact;

b) a second contact movable relative to said first contact;

c) a button member including an integral antenna; and

d) a spring member operative to bias said second contact away from said first contact, wherein said spring member includes a membrane spring;

d) wherein said button member is movable to engage said second contact with said first contact.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said second contact is mounted on said button member.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said button member includes a button cover covering at least a portion of said antenna.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said antenna is a patch antenna.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said patch antenna comprises a dielectric substrate having upper and lower opposed surfaces, an electrically conductive patch element disposed on said upper surface, and a ground plane layer disposed on said lower surface.

6. An antenna/push-button assembly comprising:

a) a first contact;

b) a second contact movable relative to said first contact; and

c) a button member including an integral antenna;

d) wherein said button member is movable to engage said second contact with said first contact; and

e) wherein said button member includes a button cover covering at least a portion of said antenna.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein said second contact is mounted on said button member.

8. The assembly of claim 6 including a spring member operative to bias said second contact away from said first contact.

9. The assembly of claim 6 wherein said antenna is a patch antenna.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein said patch antenna comprises a dielectric substrate having upper and lower opposed surfaces, an electrically conductive patch element disposed on said upper surface, and a ground plane layer disposed on said lower surface.

11. An antenna/push-button assembly comprising:

a) a first contact;

b) a second contact movable relative to said first contact; and

c) a button member including an integral antenna;

d) wherein said button member is movable to engage said second contact with said first contact; and

e) wherein said antenna is a patch antenna comprising a dielectric substrate having upper and lower opposed surfaces, an electrically conductive patch element disposed on said upper surface, and a ground plane layer disposed on said lower surface.

12. The assembly of claim 11 including a flexible grounding connector having a first end connected to said ground plane layer and a second end adapted to be connected to a supplemental ground plane spaced from said ground plane layer.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein said grounding connector includes a resilient coil spring.

14. The assembly of claim 11 including an antenna feed line extending through said ground plane layer and said dielectric substrate and electrically coupled to said patch element.

15. The assembly of claim 14 including a coaxial cable and wherein said antenna feed line includes a center conductor of said coaxial cable.

16. The assembly of claim 14 including a pogo pin connector having a base and wherein said antenna feed line includes a pin of said pogo pin connector, said pin being displaceable with respect to said base.

17. The assembly of claim 14 including an electrically conductive resilient spring finger, wherein said antenna feed line is connected to said spring finger and said second contact is mounted on said spring finger.

18. The assembly of claim 14 including a pivot pin connector having a base and a pin which is pivotable about said base, wherein said antenna feed line includes said pin of said pivot pin connector.

19. The assembly of claim 18 including a third contact and a fourth contact, wherein said button member is pivotable about said base to selectively engage said first contact with said second contact and said third contact with said fourth contact.

20. The assembly of claim 11 wherein said second contact is mounted on said button member.

21. The assembly of claim 11 including a spring member operative to bias said second contact away from said first contact.