Mobile wireless communications device including a wrap-around antenna assembly and related methods

• US 7,321,336 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 01/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Qi, Yihong, Phillips, Robert, Man, Ying Tong
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THO GIA
• Application Number:
  US11/554,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20070109204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/906, 439/188, 439/916
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/12 Supports; Mounting means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/59 for flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/722 coupling devices mounted on the edge of the printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/02 for antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/16 for telephony

Abstract

A mobile wireless communications device may include a housing, a printed circuit board (PCB) carried by the housing, at least one wireless RF circuit carried by the PCB, and a first contact(s) carried by the PCB and electrically connected to the at least one wireless RF circuit. The device may further include a wrap-around antenna assembly comprising an antenna retainer frame removably coupled to an edge of the PCB and having first and second portions wrapping around adjacent first and second surfaces of the PCB at the edge thereof when the antenna retainer frame is coupled to the PCB. The wrap-around antenna assembly may also include an antenna carried by the antenna retainer frame and extending along the first and second portions thereof. The antenna may include a second contact(s) removably coupled to the first contact(s) when the antenna retainer frame is coupled to the PCB.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a housing;

a printed circuit board (PCB) carried by said housing;

at least one wireless RF circuit carried by said PCB;

at least one first contact carried by said PCB and electrically connected to said at least one wireless RF circuit; and

a wrap-around antenna assembly comprising

an antenna retainer frame removably coupled to an edge of said PCB and having first and second portions wrapping around adjacent first and second surfaces of said PCB at the edge thereof when said antenna retainer frame is coupled to said PCB, and

an antenna carried by said antenna retainer frame and extending along the first and second portions thereof,

said antenna comprising at least one second contact removably coupled to said at least one first contact when said antenna retainer frame is coupled to said PCB.

2. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said antenna retainer frame comprises a dielectric body.

3. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 2 wherein said antenna comprises a flexible substrate and at least one conductive antenna trace thereon.

4. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 3 wherein said at least one second contact comprises at least one contact trace on said flexible substrate.

5. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the at least first contact comprises at least one spring contact.

6. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said antenna retainer frame has a generally U-shaped cross section.

7. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said at least one wireless RF circuit comprises at least one cellular wireless RF circuit.

8. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said at least one wireless RF circuit comprises a wireless RF transmitter.

9. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said at least one wireless RF circuit comprises a wireless RF receiver.

10. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said antenna is carried on an outer surface of said antenna retainer frame.

11. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a housing;

a printed circuit board (PCB) carried by said housing;

at least one wireless RF circuit carried by said PCB;

at least one first contact carried by said PCB and electrically connected to said at least one wireless RF circuit; and

a wrap-around antenna assembly comprising

a dielectric antenna retainer frame removably coupled to an edge of said PCB and having first and second portions wrapping around adjacent first and second surfaces of said PCB at the edge thereof when said dielectric antenna retainer frame is coupled to said PCB, and

an antenna comprising a flexible substrate and at least one conductive antenna trace thereon carried on an outer surface of said dielectric antenna retainer frame and extending along the first and second portions thereof,

said antenna comprising at least one second contact removably coupled to said at least one first contact when said dielectric antenna retainer frame is coupled to said PCB.

12. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 11 wherein said at least one second contact comprises at least one contact trace on said flexible substrate.

13. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 11 wherein the at least one first contact comprises at least one spring contact.

14. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 11 wherein said dielectric antenna retainer frame has a generally U-shaped cross section.

15. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 11 wherein said at least one wireless RF circuit comprises at least one cellular wireless RF circuit.

16. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 11 wherein said at least one wireless RF circuit comprises at least one of a wireless RF transceiver and a wireless RF receiver.

17. A method for making a mobile wireless communications device comprising:

coupling at least one wireless RF circuit to a printed circuit board (PCB), and providing at least one first contact on the PCB electrically connected to the at least one wireless RF circuit;

positioning an antenna comprising at least one second contact on an antenna retainer frame extending along first and second portions of the antenna retainer frame;

removably coupling the antenna retainer frame to an edge of the PCB so that the first and second portions of the antenna retainer frame wrap around adjacent first and second surfaces of the PCB, and so that the at least one second contact is removably coupled to the at least one first contact; and

positioning the PCB and antenna retainer frame within a housing.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the antenna retainer frame comprises a dielectric body.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the antenna comprises a flexible substrate and at least one conductive antenna trace thereon.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the at least one second contact comprises at least one contact trace on the flexible substrate.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least first contact comprises at least one spring contact.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one wireless RF circuit comprises at least one cellular wireless RF circuit.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one wireless RF circuit comprises at least one of a wireless RF transmitter and a wireless RF receiver.