Antenna and button assembly for wireless devices

• US 8,270,915 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2007
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sanford, Emery A., Zhang, Zhijun, Hankey, Evans
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Lana N
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIAO, HSINCHUN
• Application Number:
  US11/651,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20080166004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,082 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90.2, 455/90.3, 343/904, 381/375
• US Class Current: 455/90.3
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• 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: 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: H04R 1/1041 Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H

Abstract

An antenna and button assembly is provided for a compact portable wireless device such as a wireless headset for a handheld electronic device. An antenna structure is mounted within a button structure. The button structure includes a switch actuation member that extends past the antenna structure and into engagement with a switch. The switch actuation member may reciprocate within the button structure. A user may press upon an exposed end of the switch actuation member to operate the switch. The switch may be used to control the application of power to the compact portable wireless device or to perform other suitable functions. The button structure may be formed using dielectric materials such as plastic. By forming the button structure from dielectric, clearance is provided between the antenna structure and conductive portions of the compact portable wireless device so that the antenna of the compact wireless device operates properly.

Claims

1. A wireless headset comprising:

an elongated metal housing portion having a longitudinal axis;

a microphone mounted in the metal housing portion;

a circuit board;

a switch attached to the circuit board;

a button guide structure that contains a guide channel;

a reciprocating member that is guided in the guide channel, that operates the switch, and that reciprocates along the longitudinal axis of the elongated metal housing portion; and

an antenna resonating element that is formed around the button guide structure so that the antenna resonating element at least partially surrounds the reciprocating member and so that the antenna resonating element at least partially surrounds the longitudinal axis.

2. The wireless headset defined in claim 1 further comprising a dielectric housing portion that contains the button guide structure, wherein the dielectric housing portion is attached to the metal housing portion.

3. The wireless headset defined in claim 1 further comprising:

transceiver circuitry; and

a coaxial cable connected between the transceiver circuitry and the antenna resonating element that conveys radio-frequency signals from the transceiver circuitry to the antenna resonating element, wherein the antenna resonating element comprise a flex circuit antenna resonating element that is attached to the button guide structure, wherein the reciprocating member comprises a stem, and wherein the flex circuit surrounds the stem.

4. The wireless headset defined in claim 1 further comprising a dielectric housing portion that contains the button guide structure.

5. The wireless headset defined in claim 1 further comprising a dielectric housing portion that is attached to the metal housing portion, wherein the dielectric housing portion has portions defining grooves, wherein the circuit board has edges, and wherein the edges of the circuit board are mounted within the grooves of the dielectric housing portion.

6. An antenna and button assembly, comprising:

an antenna resonating element comprising a flex circuit with a metal strip;

a button guide structure on which the flex circuit is mounted;

a switch; and

a reciprocating switch actuation member that reciprocates along an axis while guided by the button guide structure, wherein the reciprocating switch actuation member operates the switch, wherein the metal strip is formed around the button guide structure so that the metal strip at least partially surrounds the reciprocating switch actuation member, and wherein the flex circuit is formed around the button guide structure so that there is at least some overlap between a first end of the flex circuit and a second end of the flex circuit.

7. The antenna and button assembly defined in claim 6 wherein the reciprocating switch actuation member comprises a stem with a rectangular cross-section, wherein the button guide structure comprises dielectric and has portions defining a hole with raised guiding structures, and wherein the raised guiding structures guide the stem as the reciprocating switch actuation member reciprocates along the axis.

8. The antenna and button assembly defined in claim 6 wherein the reciprocating switch actuation member comprises:

a stem; and

a button head portion attached to the stem, wherein the button head portion comprises a portion formed of a first type of plastic and a portion formed of a second type of plastic, wherein the first type of plastic is different than the second type of plastic.

10. The antenna and button assembly defined in claim 6 wherein the switch actuation member comprises a stem that reciprocates within the button guide structure, wherein the button guide structure comprises a plastic structure having a guide channel that guides the switch actuation member, wherein the button guide structure has an outer surface that surrounds the guide channel and the stem, and wherein the flex circuit is attached to the outer surface with adhesive.

9. An antenna and button assembly, comprising:

an antenna resonating element comprising a flex circuit with a metal strip;

a button guide structure on which the flex circuit is mounted;

a switch; and

a reciprocating switch actuation member that reciprocates along an axis while guided by the button guide structure, wherein the reciprocating switch actuation member operates the switch, wherein the metal strip is formed around the button guide structure so that the metal strip at least partially surrounds the reciprocating switch actuation member, and wherein the flex circuit comprises at least one registration hole and wherein the button guide structure comprises at least one registration boss.

11. Apparatus in a portable wireless device structure, comprising:

a switch;

a switch actuation member that operates the switch when pressed by a user;

a guide structure that guides the switch actuation member; and

an antenna resonating element attached to the guide structure, wherein the guide structure comprises a plastic support structure, wherein the antenna resonating element comprises a metal strip contained within a flex circuit, wherein the flex circuit is wrapped around the plastic support structure so that the flex circuit at least partially surrounds the switch actuation member, wherein the metal strip is bent by wrapping the metal strip around the plastic support structure when the flex circuit is wrapped around the plastic support structure, and wherein the metal strip has a length and has at least one bend along its length that is in addition to any bend formed by wrapping the metal strip around the plastic support structure.

12. The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein the switch actuation member comprises a stem and a button head portion mounted to the stem and wherein the stem reciprocates within a guide channel portion of the guide structure.

13. The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein the flex circuit has at least one registration feature and wherein the plastic support structure has at least one boss that mates with the registration feature to align the flex circuit and the resonating element relative to the plastic support structure.

14. The apparatus defined in claim 11 wherein the flex circuit has a conductive pad that is electrically connected to the metal strip, the apparatus further comprising a spring that is connected to the conductive pad and that carries a radio-frequency signal to the antenna resonating element.

15. Apparatus in a portable wireless device structure, comprising:

a switch;

a switch actuation member that operates the switch when pressed by a user;

a guide structure that guides the switch actuation member; and

an antenna resonating element attached to the guide structure, wherein the guide structure comprises a plastic support structure, wherein the antenna resonating element comprises a metal strip contained within a flex circuit, wherein the flex circuit is wrapped around the plastic support structure so that the flex circuit at least partially surrounds the switch actuation member, wherein, when the flex circuit is unwrapped from around the plastic support structure and the switch actuation member, the flex circuit has a curved edge along its length.

16. The apparatus defined in claim 15 wherein, when the flex circuit is unwrapped from around the plastic support structure and the switch actuation member, the metal strip has a curved edge along its length.