Antenna contacting assembly

• US 8,193,998 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2006
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fractus SA
• Original Assignee: Fractus SA
• Inventors: Puente Baliarda, Carles, Hinojo, Eloy
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tan
• Application Number:
  US11/886,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20090213029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,246 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/702, 343/906, 439/66, 439/862
• US Class Current: 343/906
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/088 Quick-releasable antenna elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40

Abstract

This invention refers to an antenna contacting assembly which allows electrical connection of an antenna element to the RF module of a wireless device when very little space is available on the side of the PCB underneath the antenna element. The antenna contacting assembly provides electrical contact between a first conducting surface and a second conducting surface by engaging in traction mode said first conducting surface with said second conducting surface. Further the invention refers to an antenna system provided with such antenna contacting assembly and the corresponding wireless device with an antenna system provided with such antenna contacting assembly.

Claims

1. An antenna contacting assembly for providing electrical contact between a first conducting surface and a second conducting surface, the antenna contacting assembly comprising:

a first portion solidly attached to said first conducting surface;

a second portion, said second portion shaped for engaging in a traction mode, said first conducting surface with said second conducting surface;

wherein said first and second conducting surfaces include an inner part and an outer part;

wherein said second portion comprises a tip for contacting said outer part of said second conducting surface; and

wherein when said tip interferes with said outer part of said second conducting surface for operation of said antenna contacting assembly in said traction mode, said tip rotates and moves away from said first conducting surface.

2. The antenna contacting assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first conducting surface comprises at least a radiating element and said second conducting surface is a conductive layer of a printed circuit board of a wireless device.

3. The antenna contacting assembly according to claim 2, wherein said conductive layer is placed on a reverse side of said printed circuit board.

4. The antenna contacting assembly according to claim 2, wherein said conductive layer comprises at least one radio frequency (RF) module of said wireless device.

5. The antenna contacting assembly according to claim 2, wherein said conductive layer is a ground plane of said wireless device.

6. The antenna contacting assembly according to claim 1, wherein said second portion is substantially curved back towards said first conducting surface and wherein said second conducting surface is placed in an inner part of a curve defined by said second portion.

7. The antenna contacting assembly according to claim 1, wherein said second portion comprises a curved portion, wherein said curved portion forms an angle defined by a line tangent to said curved portion at its starting point and a line tangent to said curved portion at its end point, wherein said angle comprises a center of curvature of said curved portion and is smaller than 180, 145, 90, 80, 70, 60, 50, 40 or 30 degrees.

8. The antenna contacting assembly according to claim 7, wherein said center of curvature of said curved portion is closer to said second conducting surface than to said first conducting surface.

9. The antenna contacting assembly according to claim 1, wherein said outer part of said second conducting surface comprises a contact area.

10. An antenna system comprising at least one antenna contacting assembly according to claim 1.

11. A wireless device comprising at least one antenna contacting assembly according to claim 1.

12. A wireless device comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB) featuring a ground plane;

a radio frequency (RF) module; and

at least one radiating antenna element electrically connected to at least one of said ground plane and said RF module through at least one antenna contacting assembly according to claim 1.

13. The wireless device according to claim 12 comprising an aperture on said PCB to allow said at least one antenna contacting assembly go through the PCB and make electrical contact on a reverse side of said PCB.

14. The wireless device according to claim 12, wherein the wireless device is at least one or a combination of wireless devices of a group of wireless devices comprising a cellular phone, a mobile phone, a handheld phone, a smart phone, a satellite phone, a multimedia terminal, personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable music player, a radio, a digital camera, a USB dongle, a wireless headset, a hands-free kit, an electronic game, a headset, an MP3 player, a portable DVD/CD player, a Mini-PCI, a Notebook, PC with WiFi module integrated, and a pocket PC with integrated Wi-Fi.

15. The wireless device according to claim 12, wherein said device is configured to operate at one or more wireless communication systems preferably selected from the group comprising Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz WiMAX, ZigBee, ZigBee at 860 MHz, ZigBee at 915 MHz, GPS, GPS at 1.575 GHz, GPS at 1.227 GHz, Galileo, GSM 450, GSM 850, GSM 900, GSM 1800, DCS-1800, UMTS, CDMA, DBA, WLAN, WLAN at 2.4 GHz-6 GHz, PCS 1900, KPCS, WCDMA, SDARs, XDARS, DAB, WiFi, UWB, 2.4-2.483 GHz band, and 2.471-2.497 GHz band.

16. The wireless device according to claim 12, wherein said at least one radiating antenna element is placed substantially parallel to said PCB, and wherein a maximum distance between said at least one radiating antenna element and said PCB is below 4, 3 or 2 mm.

17. A wireless device comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB) featuring a ground plane;

a radio frequency (RF) module; and

at least one radiating antenna element electrically connected to at least one of said ground plane and said RF module through at least two antenna contacting assemblies according to claim 1.

18. An antenna system comprising:

a ground plane comprising an inner part and an outer part;

at least one radiating antenna element comprising an inner part and an outer part, wherein the at least one radiating antenna element is electrically connected to said ground plane through at least one antenna contacting assembly;

wherein the at least one antenna contacting assembly comprises;

a first portion solidly attached to said at least one radiating antenna element;

a second portion, wherein said second portion is shaped for engaging in a traction mode, said at least one radiating antenna element with said ground plane;

wherein said second portion comprises a tip for contacting said outer part of said ground plane; and

wherein when said tip interferes with said ground plane for operation of said at least one antenna contacting assembly in said traction mode, said tip rotates and moves away from said at least one radiating antenna element.

19. The antenna system of claim 18, wherein:

said at least one radiating antenna element is electrically connected to a radio frequency (RF) module comprised in a conducting surface through at least one additional antenna contacting assembly;

said conducting surface comprises an inner part and an outer part;

said at least one additional antenna contacting assembly comprises a first portion and a second portion;

said first portion of said at least one additional antenna contacting assembly is solidly attached to said at least one radiating antenna element;

said second portion of said at least one additional antenna contacting assembly is shaped for engaging in a traction mode, said at least one radiating antenna element with said conducting surface;

said second portion of said at least one additional antenna contacting assembly comprises a tip for contacting said outer part of said conducting surface; and

wherein when said tip interferes with said conducting surface for operation of said at least one additional antenna contacting assembly in said traction mode, said tip rotates and moves away from said at least one radiating antenna element.

20. The antenna system according to claim 18, further comprising:

at least one parasitic element capacitively coupled with the at least one radiating antenna element and electrically connected to said ground plane through at least one additional antenna contacting assembly;

wherein said at least one additional antenna contacting assembly comprises a first portion and a second portion;

wherein said first portion of said at least one additional antenna contacting assembly is solidly attached to said at least one parasitic element;

wherein said second portion of said at least one additional antenna contacting assembly is shaped for engaging in a traction mode, said at least one parasitic element with said ground plane;

wherein said second portion of said at least one additional antenna contacting assembly comprises a tip for contacting said outer part of said ground plane; and

wherein when said tip interferes with said ground plane for operation of said at least one additional antenna contacting assembly in said traction mode, said tip rotates and moves away from said at least one parasitic element.

21. The antenna system according to claim 18, further comprising:

at least one parasitic element inductively coupled with the at least one radiating antenna element and electrically connected to said ground plane through at least one additional antenna contacting assembly;

wherein said at least one additional antenna contacting assembly comprises a first portion and a second portion;

wherein said first portion of said at least one additional antenna contacting assembly is solidly attached to said at least one parasitic element;

wherein said second portion of said at least one additional antenna contacting assembly is shaped for engaging in a traction mode said at least one parasitic element with said ground plane;

wherein said second portion of said at least one additional antenna contacting assembly comprises a tip for contacting said outer part of said ground plane; and

wherein when said tip interferes with said ground plane for operation of said at least one additional antenna contacting assembly in said traction mode, said tip rotates and moves away from said at least one parasitic element.

22. The antenna system according to claim 18, wherein said at least one radiating antenna element is a monopole, dipole, loop, folded monopole, loaded monopole, folded dipole, loaded dipole, slot monopole, slot dipole, slot loop, folded slot monopole, loaded slot monopole, folded slot dipole, loaded slot dipole, bent monopole, L monopole, IFA, multibranch structure, coupled monopole, aperture, microstrip, patch or planar inverted F antenna element.

23. The antenna system according to claim 18, wherein the at least one radiating antenna element is internal.

24. A wireless device comprising at least one antenna system according to claim 18.