Antennas for electronic devices

• US 8,581,788 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2011
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Degner, Brett William, McDonald, Matthew Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THO GIA
• Application Number:
  US13/051,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20110169700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 343/882, 343/906
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/084 Pivotable antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/085 Flexible aerials; Whip aerials with a resilient base
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/088 Quick-releasable antenna elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2258 used with computer equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6276 comprising one or more balls engaging in a hole or a groove
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/02 for antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 35/04 Turnable line connectors with limited rotation angle with frictional contact members

Abstract

A removable antenna and a resilient antenna are provided for an electronic device such as a laptop computer. An antenna resonating element is mounted within the antenna. Flexible coupling structures are used to physically and removably attach the antenna to the electronic device. The flexible coupling structures couple the antenna resonating element to circuitry in the electronic device. The coupling structures may allow the antenna to break away from the electronic device without causing damage. A user may extend the antenna by rotating the removable antenna to its extended position. The electronic device may have an antenna receptacle that holds the resilient antenna in a stowed position and that allows the resilient antenna to flex to an extended position. A user may extend the resilient antenna by removing the resilient antenna from the antenna receptacle and flexing the antenna into its extended position.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

an electronic device having an antenna receptacle; and

a resilient antenna formed from a conductive elastic material, wherein the resilient antenna elastically flexes between a stowed position in the antenna receptacle and an extended position outside of the antenna receptacle and wherein the antenna receptacle comprises portions defining a trough and at least one tab that at least partially extends across the trough.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the resilient antenna is configured to flex into the trough and wherein the tab is configured to restrain the resilient antenna within the trough.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one tab comprises at least two tabs, each of which at least partially extends across the trough.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein the resilient antenna is configured to flex into the trough and wherein the tabs are configured to restrain the resilient antenna within the trough.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the resilient antenna has a width, wherein the trough has a width, wherein the tab has a width that extends partly across the trough, and wherein the width of the resilient antenna plus the width of the tab is less than the width of the trough.

6. An electronic device comprising:

an antenna receptacle;

an antenna, wherein the antenna flexes between a stowed position in the antenna receptacle and an extended position outside of the antenna receptacle;

a radio-frequency transceiver; and

a communications path that conveys radio-frequency signals between the radio-frequency transceiver and the antenna, wherein the antenna receptacle has portions defining a trough and at least one tab that at least partially extends across the trough, wherein the antenna has a width, wherein the trough has a width, wherein the tab has a width that extends partly across the trough, and wherein the width of the antenna plus the width of the tab is less than the width of the trough.

7. An electronic device comprising:

an antenna receptacle;

an antenna, wherein the antenna flexes between a stowed position in the antenna receptacle and an extended position outside of the antenna receptacle;

a radio-frequency transceiver; and

a communications path that conveys radio-frequency signals between the radio-frequency transceiver and the antenna, wherein the antenna receptacle has portions defining a trough and at least a first tab and a second tab, each of which at least partially extends across the trough, wherein the trough has a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the first tab is connected to the first side of the trough, and wherein the second tab is connected to the second side of the trough.

8. An electronic device comprising:

an antenna receptacle; and

an antenna configured to flex between a stowed position within the antenna receptacle and an extended position, wherein the antenna receptacle comprises a trough and at least one tab that extends across the trough and wherein, when the antenna is in the stowed position, the antenna is within the trough.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein, when the antenna is in the stowed position, the at least one tab bears against the antenna and restrains the antenna in the trough.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the at least one tab comprises first and second tabs on opposing sides of the trough, wherein the first and second tabs each extend partly across the trough, and wherein, when the antenna is in the stowed position, the first and second tabs bear against the antenna and restrain the antenna in the trough.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the antenna comprises an elastic wire.