Modular material antenna assembly

• US 8,427,379 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2010
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rothkopf, Fletcher R., Hobson, Phillip M., Mittleman, Adam, Shedletsky, Anna-Katrina
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, ANH Q
• Application Number:
  US12/859,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20120044123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/878
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

A modular material antenna assembly is provided that includes an antenna block having a portion with a shape that interlocks with a corresponding portion of an electrically non-conductive frame and secures the antenna block to the electrically non-conductive frame. The electrically non-conductive frame is attached to an interior of an electrically conductive housing so that the electrically non-conductive frame and the electrically conductive housing form an integrated structure. An antenna flex is then mechanically secured to the antenna block. The antenna flex may also be electrically connected to a circuit board. The frame is designed to support a cover glass for the portable electronic device and may be affixed to a housing. The dielectric constant of the antenna block is substantially less than the dielectric constant of the frame.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

an electrically conductive housing;

an electrically non-conductive frame formed of a frame material having a first dielectric constant and attached to an interior of the electrically conductive housing, the housing and the frame forming an integrated structure;

an antenna block formed of an antenna block material having a second dielectric constant that is substantially less than the first dielectric, wherein a portion of the antenna block has a shape that interlocks with a corresponding portion of the frame and secures the antenna block to the frame; and

an antenna flex mechanically secured to the antenna block.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the frame material is glass-filled plastic.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the antenna block material is Cyclo Olefin Polymer.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive housing comprises stainless steel.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electrically non-conductive frame contains a rim designed to support a cover glass of the portable electronic device.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 5, wherein the rim contains a flange.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the portion of the antenna block that has a shape that interlocks with a corresponding portion of the frame is a notched portion and the corresponding portion of the frame is a tabbed portion.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the antenna block further comprises a second portion that has a shape that interlocks with a second corresponding portion of the frame.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the antenna flex is mechanically secured to a conductive bracket welded to the electrically conductive housing, and electrically connected to a circuit board of the portable electronic device.

10. A method for assembling a portable electronic device, comprising:

providing an electrically conductive housing;

gluing an electrically non-conductive frame to an interior of the electrically conductive housing, forming an integrated structure, wherein the electrically non-conductive frame is formed of a frame material having a first dielectric constant;

securing an antenna block to the frame by interlocking a portion of the antenna block having a first shape with a portion of the frame having a second shape corresponding to the first shape, wherein the antenna block is formed of an antenna block material having a second dielectric constant substantially less than the first dielectric constant; and

mechanically securing an antenna flex to the antenna block.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising welding a conductive bracket to the housing and wherein the electrically connecting includes connecting the antenna flex to the antenna block and to the conductive bracket.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein connecting the antenna flex to the antenna block includes screwing a screw through a hole in the antenna flex and through a hole in the antenna block.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein connecting the antenna flex to the conductive bracket includes screwing a screw through a hole in the antenna flex and through a hole in the bracket.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising connecting the antenna flex to a system board so that the antenna block can be used to send and receive wireless communications.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless communications are performed via a WiFi protocol.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless communications are performed via a Bluetooth™

protocol.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless communications are performed via a short range broadband standard.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless communications are performed via a cellular telephone protocol.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the first dielectric constant is approximately 5.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein the second dielectric constant is approximately 2.25.

21. The method of claim 10, wherein the frame material has a dielectric loss tangent of between 2.5 and 4.

22. The method of claim 10, wherein the frame material has a dielectric loss tangent of approximately 0.0005.

23. A computer readable medium for storing in non-transitory tangible form computer instructions executable by a processor for assembling a portable electronic device, the computer readable medium comprising:

computer code for affixing an electrically non-conductive frame to an interior of an electrically conductive housing, forming an integrated structure, wherein the electrically non-conductive frame is formed of a frame material having a first dielectric constant;

computer code for securing an antenna block to the frame by interlocking a portion of the antenna block having a first shape with a portion of the frame having a second shape corresponding to the first shape, wherein the antenna block is formed of an antenna block material having a second dielectric constant substantially less than the first dielectric constant; and

computer code for mechanically securing an antenna flex to the housing and to the antenna block.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, further comprising:

computer code for securing an electrically conductive bracket to the housing and to the antenna flex.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the computer code for affixing include computer code for controlling a robotic arm to glue the electrically non-conductive frame to an interior of the electrically conductive housing.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the computer code for electrically connecting an antenna flex to the housing and to the antenna block includes computer code for controlling an automatic screwdriver to drive in a screw attaching the antenna flex to the antenna block and to the bracket.