Abstract:
An antenna assembly includes a holder having a first surface and a second surface opposite from the first surface. The antenna assembly defines a number of holes through the first surface and the second surface. A number of connectors are correspondingly received and secured in the holes. The connectors includes an elastic thimble portion on one end. An antenna module is formed on the holder. One end of the connectors connects to the antenna module, while the end with elastic thimble protrudes from the second surface for connecting to a circuit board. A wireless communication device employing the antenna assembly and a method of manufacturing the wireless communication device are also disclosed.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to an antenna assembly, a wireless communication device employing the antenna assembly, and a method of manufacturing the wireless communication device. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Wireless communication devices have antenna modules for transceiving wireless signals. A plurality of pins of the antenna module are electrically connected to a printed circuit board (PCB) of the wireless communication device for feeding signals to and grounding the antenna module. However, the design of the pins can be limited because of limited space in the wireless communication device. In addition, the pins are easily detached from the PCB if the wireless communication device is dropped. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following figures. The components in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a wireless communication device employing an antenna module. 
         FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but viewed from another aspect. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the wireless communication device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the antenna module shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 4 , but viewed from another aspect. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.” 
       FIG. 1  through  FIG. 5  show an exemplary embodiment of a wireless communication device  200  employing an antenna module  40 . The wireless communication device  200  is an electronic device, such as a mobile phone, a tablet computer, or a notebook computer. 
     The wireless communication device  200  includes a housing  220 . The housing  220  is made of non-conductive material. The housing  220  includes a bottom wall  221  and a sidewall  222  arcuately connected to the bottom wall  221 . The bottom wall  221  includes a first surface  2212  and a second surface  2214  opposite to the first surface  2212 . A plurality of holes  223  is defined through the first surface  2212  and the second surface  2214 . The holes  223  are arranged linearly. In one embodiment, each hole  223  is substantially square. Furthermore, each hole  223  is a stepped hole and includes a wide portion  2232  and a narrow portion  2234 . The wide portion  2232  is defined adjacent to the first surface  2212 , while the narrow portion  2234  is defined adjacent to the second surface  2214 . A size of the wide portion  2232  is greater than a size of the narrow portion  2234 . The antenna module  100  is arranged on the first surface  2212  and the sidewall  222 . In one embodiment, the antenna module  100  is a metal antenna pattern formed by laser-direct-structuring (LDS) technology. 
       FIG. 4  shows the antenna module  100  connected to a plurality of connectors  10 . The antenna module  100  includes a connecting portion  20 , a first radiating portion  30 , a second radiating portion  40 , and an extending portion  50 . 
       FIG. 5  shows that each connector  10  is received in a corresponding hole  223 . The second radiating portion  40  covers the first surface  2212 . In the exemplary embodiment, the connectors  10  are pogo pins, and each connector  10  includes an elastic thimble portion  102 , a narrow section  104 , and a wide section  106 . The elastic thimble portion  102  has a smaller diameter than the other parts of the connector  10 . When the connectors  10  are received in the holes  223 , the elastic thimble portion  102  of each connector  10  inserts through the narrow portion  2234  of the corresponding hole  223  and protrudes from the second surface  2214 . The narrow section  104  of the connector  10  is received in the narrow portion  2234  of the hole  223 , while the wide section  106  of the connector  10  is received in the wide portion  2232  of the hole  223 . Thus, the connectors  10  are secured in the holes  223 . When the housing  220  is assembled to a circuit board (not shown) of the wireless communication device  200 , the elastic thimble portions  102  of the connectors  10  protruded from the second surface  2214  are electrically connected to the circuit board. The elastic thimble portions  102  of the connectors  10  are elastically deformed when resisting against the circuit board. Thus, the connectors  10  are more stably connected to the circuit board. 
     The plurality of connectors  10  include at least one feed portion  12  and at least one ground portion  14  for the antenna module  100 . One end of the feed portion  12  is electrically connected to the connecting portion  20 , while another end is electrically connected to a power point of the circuit board for feeding current to the first radiating portion  30  and the second radiating portion  40 . One end of the ground portion  40  is electrically connected to the second radiating portion  40 , while the other end is electrically connected to a ground point of the circuit board for grounding the antenna module  100 . 
     The connecting portion  20  is substantially strip shaped. One end of the connecting portion  20  connects to the feed portion  12 , while another end extends along a lengthwise direction of an arrangement of the connectors  10 . 
     The first radiating portion  30  is an arcuate sheet and connects to a side of the connecting portion  20  away from the feed portion  12 . An end portion of the first radiating portion  30  is arcuate to conform to an edge of the housing  220 . A length of the first radiating portion  30  is shorter than a length of the connecting portion  20 , and a width of the first radiating portion  30  is greater than a width of the connecting portion  20 . The first radiating portion  30  is a high-frequency resonating element and receives current from the feed portion  12  via the connecting portion  20 , thereby resonating and transceiving wireless signals at a first central frequency. 
     The second radiating portion  40  is an arcuate sheet and is connected to the first radiating portion  30 . One end portion of the second radiating portion  40  connected to the first radiating portion  30  is arcuate to conform to the edge of the housing  220 . A side edge of the second radiating portion  40  adjacent to the first radiating portion  30  is substantially step-shaped and includes a first side edge  41 , a second side edge  42 , and a third side edge  43 . The first side edge  41  is connected to the first radiating portion  30 . The second side edge  42  is spaced from and substantially parallel to the connecting portion  20 , thereby defining a narrow groove  45 . The third side edge  43  is spaced from and substantially parallel to the connecting portion  20 , thereby defining a wide groove  46 . An end of the wide groove  46  communicates with an end of the narrow groove  45 . An end of the narrow groove  45  opposite from the wide groove  46  communicates with a circular hole  44  defined in the second radiating portion  40  and the first radiating portion  30 . The circular hole  44  receives a fastening element to secure the antenna module  100  to the housing  220 . A distance between the third side edge  43  and the connecting portion  20  is greater than a distance between the second side edge  42  and the connecting portion  20 . In one embodiment, the plurality of connectors  10  is arranged in the wide groove  46 , and the feed portion  12  is connected to the connecting portion  20 , and the ground portion  14  is connected to the third side edge  43 . 
     The extending portion  50  is connected substantially perpendicularly to a side of the second radiating portion  40  away from the first radiating portion  30 . The extending portion  50  covers the sidewall  222 . The extending portion  50  includes a first extending section  51 , a second extending section  52 , and a third extending section  53  connected in that order. The first extending section  51  is a substantially rectangular sheet and is connected substantially perpendicularly to the second radiating portion  40 . The second extending section  52  is substantially square-wave shaped and extends from the first extending section  51 . The third extending section  53  is blade-shaped and extends from the second extending section  52 . The first extending section  51 , the second extending section  52 , and the third extending section  53  are substantially coplanar and extend along a same direction. The second radiating portion  40  is a low-frequency resonating element, the second radiating portion  40  and the extending portion  50  receive current from the feed portion  12  via the connecting portion  20  and the first radiating portion  30  and cooperatively resonate and transceive wireless signals at a second central frequency. 
     In other embodiments, shapes of the connecting portion  20 , the first radiating portion  30 , the second radiating portion  40 , and the extending portion  50  can be adjusted according to different frequency band standards of signals to be transmitted or received. 
     In manufacture, the holes  223  are first defined collinearly in the housing  220 . After that, the metal pattern of the antenna module  100  is formed on the housing  220  by LDS technology. Then, the connectors  10  are received in and secured in the corresponding holes  223 , such that one end of the connectors  10  is electrically connected to the antenna module  100 , while the other end protrudes from a surface of the housing  220 . Finally, a circuit board is mounted to the housing  220 , and the ends of the connectors  10  opposite from the antenna module  100  are electrically connected to the circuit board. 
     In other embodiments, the connectors  10  can be directly formed in the holes  223  by an insert molding technology. Then, the metal pattern of the antenna module  100  is formed on the housing  220  also by an insert molding technology and is electrically connected to the connectors  10 . 
     The antenna module  100  is directly formed on the housing  220  and is electrically connected to the circuit board via the plurality of connectors  10 . The elastic thimble portions  102  of the connectors  10  ensure a more stable connection with the circuit board. The connectors  10  are securely received in the holes  223  of the housing  220 , which keeps the connectors  10  stably connected to the circuit board. Thus, a connection between the antenna module  100  and the circuit board via the connectors  10  is stable and durable. In addition, the antenna module  100  is operable at different frequency bands. 
     It is understood that the antenna module  100  may be formed on a holder which is a portion of a housing  220  of the wireless communication device  200 . 
     It is believed that the exemplary embodiment and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.