Wireless card module

• US 8,456,818 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Tracy, Mark S., Doczy, Paul J., Harris, Jonathan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): HAUGHTON, ANTHONY MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US11/796,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20080266774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,230 Days
• Field of Search: 361/685, 361/686, 361/679.02, 361/731
• US Class Current: 361/679.02
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0273 having extensions for peripherals, e.g. LAN, antennas details of antennas H01Q1/2275

Abstract

A wireless card module comprising a bezel assembly comprising at least one bezel member couplable to a wireless card, the bezel member configured to couple the wireless card to an external antenna.

Claims

1. A wireless card module, comprising:

a first wireless communication card with a communication connector that fits in a bay of an electronic device, the first wireless communication card having first openings;

a bezel attached to the first wireless communication card, the bezel detachable from the first wireless communication card and attachable to a second wireless communication card that is different than the first wireless communication card and that includes second openings at different locations than the first openings, the bezel having first card connectors to align with the first openings when the bezel is attached to the first wireless communication card and second card connectors to align with the second openings when the bezel is attached to the second wireless communication card; and

a wireless antenna connected to the bezel.

2. The module of claim 1, wherein the communication connector connects to the first wireless communication card at one end and the bezel connects to the first wireless communication card at a second end that is opposite the first end.

3. The module of claim 1, wherein the first and second wireless communication cards are different types of wireless cards that use different protocols.

4. The module of claim 1, wherein the bezel comprises an antenna connector that removably plugs the antenna to the bezel.

5. The module of claim 1, wherein the bezel includes an internal antenna embedded in the bezel.

6. The module of claim 1, wherein the bezel includes two separate bezel members that couple to one another on opposite faces of the first wireless communication card.

7. The module of claim 1, wherein the bezel has an opening receiving an end portion of the first wireless communication card such that the bezel extends across a top major face and a bottom major face of the end portion and such that a majority of the first wireless communication card extends beyond the opening.

8. The module of claim 1, wherein the first card connectors comprise pins projecting from the bezel and located to extend through the first openings.

9. The module of claim 1, wherein the first card connectors comprise fasteners extending through openings in the bezel and located to extend through the first openings.

10. The module of claim 9, wherein the bezel comprises a first bezel member extending across and opposite to a first major face of the first wireless communication card and a second bezel member extending across and opposite to a second major face of the first wireless communication card, a second bezel member having openings into which the fasteners extend.

11. The module of claim 10, wherein the first bezel member and the second bezel member cooperate to form an opening receiving an end portion of the wireless communication card such that a majority of the wireless communication card extends beyond the opening.

12. A wireless card module, comprising:

a wireless communication card including one end with a connector that engages an electronic device;

a bezel attached to a second, opposite end of the wireless communication card, the bezel being removable from the wireless communication card to enable interchangeability of the wireless communication card with different types of wireless communication cards, the bezel having a first connector, the bezel having an opening receiving an end portion of the wireless communication card such that the bezel extends across a top major face and a bottom major face of the end portion and such that a majority of the wireless communication card extends beyond the opening; and

a wireless antenna connected to the bezel assembly, wherein the bezel comprises two separate bezel members fastened to one another so as to extend across opposite major faces of the wireless communication card, one of the two bezel members including an internal bay forming a portion of the opening and receiving the end portion of the wireless communication card.

13. The module of claim 12, wherein the wireless communication card includes a pair of connectors that align with and engage a pair of connectors on the bezel.

14. The module of claim 12, wherein the bezel and the wireless communication card include an opening that receives a fastener to removably connect the bezel to the wireless communication card.

15. The module of claim 12, wherein the bezel is configured to receive an external antenna that removably connects to the bezel.

16. An electronic device, comprising:

a bay accessible from an exterior of the electronic device;

a wireless communication card having a connector at one end that inserts into the bay to connect with the electronic device the first wireless communication card having first openings;

a bezel attached to a second opposite end of the wireless communication card, the bezel being removable from the wireless communication card to enable interchangeability of the wireless communication card with different types of wireless communication cards, the bezel further comprising second openings at a different locations than the first openings, the bezel having first card connectors to align with the first openings when the bezel is attached to the first wireless communication card and second card connectors to align with the second openings when the bezel is attached to the second wireless communication card the bezel having an opening receiving an end portion of the wireless communication card such that the bezel extends across a top major face and a bottom major face of the end portion and such that a majority of the wireless communication card extends beyond the opening; and

a wireless antenna connected to the bezel assembly.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, further comprising a second wireless antenna, the second wireless antenna removably couplable to the bezel.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the wireless antenna is embedded within the bezel.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the bezel comprises a plurality of bezel members, the wireless communication card disposed at least partially between the plurality of bezel members and within a bay formed in one of the plurality of bezel members, the bay comprising a unitary body having a floor and three internal sidewalls.