Abstract:
An electrical apparatus with a rotating stage set pivotally connecting to a host shell, and an antenna module pivotally connecting to the rotating stage set is provided. The rotating stage set rotates about the X-axis, and the antenna module rotates about the Y-axis with respect to the host shell. In addition, the electrical apparatus can thus obtain the best signal receiving and transmitting efficiency by adjusting the antenna module to the best receiving and transmitting position and angle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 94120448 filed in Taiwan, R.O.C. on Jun. 20, 2005, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of Invention  
         [0003]     The invention relates to an antenna module adopted for use on an electrical apparatus, and particularly to an antenna module that can be swiveled to a desired angle and adjusted to an optimum position and angle for receiving and transmitting to achieve maximum signal receiving and transmitting efficiency.  
         [0004]     2. Related Art  
         [0005]     With technology advancing rapidly, surfing the Internet and transmitting and receiving data wirelessly have become basic functional requirements on electrical apparatuses. Through wireless transmission users can not only access the Internet to receive and transmit the most updated data, they can also get in touch with cutting edge technologies anytime, anywhere. The general portable electrical apparatus, such as the mobile phone, watch, notebook computer, or wireless Web surfing device all use an antenna to transmit data.  
         [0006]     In general, the antenna is pivotally coupled on an electrical apparatus through a hinge or an anchor seat so that it may be swiveled or turned relative to the electrical apparatus to change the receiving position, angle, polarization direction, and so on. This enables users to make adjustments during operation to reach an optimum position and angle for receiving and transmitting to achieve maximum signal receiving and transmitting efficiency. Now many electrical apparatus are designed to be viewed in various angles. The antenna thus also must provide a swivel function to achieve the optimum receiving and transmitting efficiency.  
         [0007]     In order to anchor the antenna in the optimum receiving and transmitting location, an position means has to be provided. Most position devices now available on the market adopt the design of anchor holes and pins, or folding elements that are coupled tightly.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     In view of the aforesaid problems, the object of the invention is to provide an electrical apparatus with an antenna module that can be swiveled to a desired angle and adjusted to an optimum position and angle for receiving and transmitting angle to achieve maximum signal receiving and transmitting efficiency.  
         [0009]     To achieve the foregoing object, the electrical apparatus according to the present invention includes a host module, a rotating stage set and an antenna module. The host module includes a host and a host shell that encases the host. The rotating stage set is pivotally coupled on the host shell and includes a pivot spot on one side to be hinged on the host shell to serve as the rotation axis of the rotating stage set. Thereby the rotating stage set can be swiveled axially relative to the host shell. The antenna module has one side hinged on the rotating stage set and can be swiveled relative to the rotating stage set about another axis.  
         [0010]     By means of the aforesaid design, the rotating stage set and antenna module can be swiveled relative to the host shell. Thus, the antenna module can be swiveled and adjusted to an optimum position and angle for receiving and transmitting to achieve maximum signal receiving and transmitting efficiency.  
         [0011]     Furthermore, in general, the host of the host module and the antenna of the antenna module are bridged by a connection line to transmit signals between them. In the invention, the connection line is connected to the host of the host module and then threaded through grooves formed on various elements and connected to the antenna of the antenna module.  
         [0012]     Further scope of applicability of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1A  is an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 1B  is a fragmentary enlarged view of an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is an assembly exploded view of an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention in an assembled condition;  
         [0017]      FIGS. 4A, 4B , and  4 C are rear, front, and schematic views of the first embodiment of the invention showing the rotating stage set positioned at a selected position and angle and the positioning relationship between the anchor lug and other elements;  
         [0018]      FIGS. 5A, 5B , and  5 C are rear, front, and schematic views of the first embodiment of the invention showing the rotating stage set positioned at another selected position and angle and the positioning relationship between the anchor lug and other elements;  
         [0019]      FIGS. 6A, 6B , and  6 C are rear, front, and schematic views of the first embodiment of the invention showing the rotating stage set positioned at yet another selected position and angle and the positioning relationship between the anchor lug and other elements;  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of an embodiment of the invention showing the rotating stage set positioned at various angles;  
         [0021]      FIG. 8A  is an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention showing a coupling method of the rotating stage set and the back cover;  
         [0022]      FIG. 8B  is a schematic view of an embodiment of the invention showing the rotating stage set and the back cover in a coupled condition;  
         [0023]      FIGS. 9A, 9B  and  9 C are rear, front, schematic views of a second embodiment of the invention showing the rotating stage set positioned at a selected angle and the positioning relationship between the anchor lug and other elements;  
         [0024]      FIGS. 10A, 10B  and  10 C are rear, front, and schematic views of the second embodiment of the invention showing the rotating stage set positioned at another selected angle and the positioning relationship between the anchor lug and other elements; and  
         [0025]      FIGS. 11A, 11B  and  11 C are rear, front, and schematic views of the second embodiment of the invention showing the rotating stage set positioned at yet another selected angle and the positioning relationship between the anchor lug and other elements. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]     Refer to  FIG. 1A  for an exploded view and  FIG. 1B  for a fragmentary enlarged view of an embodiment of the invention. The electrical apparatus according to the invention includes a host module  10 , a rotating stage set  20 , and an antenna module  30 .  
         [0027]     The host module  10  includes a host  11  and a host shell  12  that encases the host  11 . It also has a front cover  121  and a back cover  122 . The front cover  121  may dispose a screen and button keys, which are known in the prior art and thus omitted from this description. The back cover  122  has a pivot aperture  1221   a  and a plurality of anchor notches  1221   b  that are formed on the perimeter of the pivot aperture  1221   a . The back cover  122  further has an arched trough  1222 .  
         [0028]     The rotating stage set  20  is hinged on the host shell  12 , and includes a rotary upper lid  21  and a rotary lower lid  22 . The rotary upper lid  21  is pivotally coupled with the antenna module  30 , and has an axle hub  211  with a hole  2111 . The rotary lower lid  22  is pivotally coupled with the host shell  12  and has a pivot spot  221  corresponding to the pivot aperture  1221   a . The pivot spot  221  is hinged on the host shell  12  and serves as the rotation axis of the rotating stage set  20  so that the rotating stage set  20  can be swiveled relative to the host shell  12 . The pivot spot  221  includes a coupling portion  2211  and a coupling axle  2212 . The coupling portion  2211  runs through the pivot aperture  1221   a . In addition, the coupling axle  2212  is pivotally coupled on the coupling portion  2211  to hinge the rotating stage set  20  on the host shell  12 . The coupling axle  2212  further has a movable anchor lug  2213  to latch on the anchor notches  1221   b  and anchor the rotating stage set  20  on the host shell  12  at a selected position. Besides, the rotary lower lid  22  has an arched edge  222  corresponding to the arched trough  1222  of the rotary lower lid  22  to smooth swiveling of the rotating stage set  20 .  
         [0029]     The antenna module  30  has one side hinged on the rotating stage set  20  so that the antenna module  30  can swivel relative to the rotating stage set  20 . The antenna module  30  includes an upper cap  31 , a lower cap  32 , an antenna  33  and a spindle  34 . The upper cap  31  includes a pivot plate  311  that has a cavity  3111  corresponding to the hole  2111 . The lower cap  32  has a shaft  321  located in the pivot plate  311 . Also, the shaft  321  has an opening  3211  corresponding to the cavity  3111 . The antenna  33  is held in a housing space formed between the upper cap  31  and the lower cap  32 , and the spindle  34  runs through the cavity  3111  of the pivot plate  311  and the opening  3211  of the shaft  321  to couple the upper cap  31  and the lower cap  32  together. In addition, the spindle  34  is designed with an anchor function (which is a technique known in the art so details are omitted). The upper cap  31  and the lower cap  32  form the housing space to hold the antenna  33 . The spindle  34  also runs through the hole  2111  of the axle hub  211  to couple the rotating stage set  20  and the antenna module  30 .  
         [0030]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , an assembly exploded view of an embodiment of the invention is shown and referring to  FIG. 3 , a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention in an assembled condition is shown. To assemble the invention, first, have the pivot portion  2211  running through the pivot aperture  1221   a  and couple the coupling axle  2212  on the coupling portion  2211  to hinge the rotary lower lid  22  of the rotating stage set  20  on the back cover  122  of the host shell  12 . Next, couple the front cover  121  and the back cover  122 , and hold the host  11  between the front cover  121  and the back cover  122 . Next, couple the rotary upper lid  21  and the rotary lower lid  22  of the rotating stage set  20 ; the coupling may be done by corresponding cavities or lugs, bonding or the like. Then hold the antenna  33  between the upper cap  31  and the lower cap  32  of the antenna module  30 . Next, have the spindle  34  running through the cavity  3111  of the pivot plate  311  and the opening  3211  of the shaft  321  to couple the upper cap  31  and the lower cap  32 . Meanwhile the spindle  34  also runs through the hole  2111  of the axle hub  211  to couple the rotating stage set  20  with the antenna module  30 . Thus the rotating stage set  20  can swivel relative to the host shell  12  about the X-axis, and the antenna module  30  can swivel relative to the rotating stage set  20  about the Y-axis. In addition, as the arched trough  1222  mates with the arch edge  222 , the rotating stage set  20  can be swiveled smoothly without hindrance. Refer to  FIG. 1A  for the coordinate directions.  
         [0031]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention in an assembled condition is shown.  FIGS. 4A, 4B  and  4 C, respectively, are rear, front, and schematic views of the first embodiment of the invention showing the rotating stage set positioned at a selected position and angle and the positioning relationship between the anchor lug and other elements. When in use, swivel the antenna module  30  relative to the rotating stage set  20  to a desired angle. The anchor lug  2213  is latched on a selected anchor notch  1221   b , so the antenna module  30  is positioned on the upper side of the host shell  12 .  
         [0032]      FIGS. 5A, 5B , and  5 C, respectively, are rear, front, and schematic views of the first embodiment of the invention showing the rotating stage set positioned at another selected position and angle and the positioning relationship between the anchor lug and other elements. After the antenna module  30  has been rotated, swivel the rotating stage set  20  to the right side of the host shell  12  (based on the rear view shown in  FIG. 5A ) at another angle. The anchor lug  2213  is latched on another selected anchor notch  1221   b . Thus the antenna module  30  is positioned on the right side of the host shell  12 .  
         [0033]     Similarly,  FIGS. 6A, 6B , and  6 C are rear, front, and schematic views of the first embodiment of the invention showing the rotating stage set positioned at yet another selected position and angle and the positioning relationship between the anchor lug and other elements. After the antenna module  30  has been rotated, swivel the rotating stage set  20  to the left side of the host shell  12  (based on the rear view shown in  FIG. 6A ) at another angle. The anchor lug  2213  is latched on yet another selected anchor notch  1221   b . Thus the antenna module  30  is positioned on the left side of the host shell  12 .  
         [0034]     As there are multiple anchor notches  1221   b , the anchor lug  2213  can be latched on different anchor notches  1221   b  to allow the rotating stage set  20  to be positioned and anchored at different angles. Hence the rotating stage set  20  can provide a plurality of positioning angles for user selection. Such a design enables the antenna module  30  to be driven by the rotating stage set  20  and swiveled to a desired angle so that the antenna module  30  can be adjusted to the optimum position and angle for receiving and transmitting to achieve maximum signal receiving and transmitting efficiency. Refer to  FIG. 7  for a schematic view of an embodiment of the invention with the rotating stage set swiveled at various angles.  
         [0035]     In general, in order to transmit signals between the host  11  of the host module  10  and the antenna  33  of the antenna module  30 , the host  11  and the antenna  33  are linked by a connection line (not shown in the drawings). In the invention, the connection line linking to the host  11  is threaded through a first wiring port  2217 , the pivot aperture  1221   a  and a second wiring port  2218  formed on the pivot spot  221  of the rotary lower lid  22 . The connection line then passes through a wire groove  224  on the rotary lower lid  22  (referring to  FIG. 1A ) and a wire hole  3212  on the shaft  321  of the lower cap  32  to connect to the antenna  33 .  
         [0036]      FIG. 8A  shows an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention showing a coupling method of the rotating stage set and the back cover and  FIG. 8B  shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the invention showing the rotating stage set and the back cover in a coupled condition. The back cover  122  has a first restraint slot  1223   a  and a second restraint slot  1223   b . In addition, the first restraint slot  1223   a  has a first start point S 1  and a first stop point E 1  and the second restraint slot  1223   b  has a second start point S 2  and a second stop point E 2  corresponding respectively to the first start point S 1  and the first stop point E 1 , as shown in  FIG. 9C . The rotating stage set  20  has a restraint member  2214  pivotally coupled on the rotary lower lid  22  corresponding to the first restraint slot  1223   a  and the second restraint slot  1223   b . Also, the restraint member  2214  has a first screw hole  2215  and a wire aperture  2216 . Movement of the restraint member  2214  is confined by the first restraint slot  1223   a  and the second restraint slot  1223   b . The rotary lower lid  22  includes a second screw hole  223  corresponding to the first screw hole  2215 . Therefore, the rotating stage set  20  and the host shell  12  can be coupled through a screw  40  engaging with the first screw hole  2215  and the second screw hole  223 . The restraint member  2214  may also be fastened to the back cover  122 . While the rotating stage set  20  is swiveled relative to the host shell  12 , the restraint member  2214  limits the swivel angle of the rotating stage set  20 .  
         [0037]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention in an assembled condition is shown, and  FIGS. 9A, 9B  and  9 C are rear, front, schematic views of a second embodiment of the invention showing the rotating stage set positioned at a selected angle and the positioning relationship between the anchor lug and other elements. When in use, swivel the antenna module  30  relative to the rotating stage set  20  to a desired angle. At this moment, the screw  40  engaging with the first screw hole  2215  of the restraint member  2214  is located in the first restraint slot  1223   a  and the second restraint slot  1223   b , but is not confined by the start points S 1 , S 2  and stop points E 1 , E 2  of the first restraint slot  1223   a  and the second restraint slot  1223   b , and the antenna module  30  is located on the upper side of the host shell  12 .  
         [0038]      FIGS. 10A, 10B  and  10 C, respectively, are rear, front, and schematic views of the second embodiment of the invention showing the rotating stage set positioned at another selected angle and the positioning relationship between the anchor lug and other elements. After the antenna module  30  has been rotated, swivel the rotating stage set  20  to the right side of the host shell  12  (based on the rear view shown in  FIG. 10A ) at another selected angle. At this moment, the screw  40  engaging with the first screw hole  2215  of the restraint member  2214  is located on the first start point S 1  of the first restraint slot  1223   a  and the second start point S 2  of the second restraint slot  1223   b , and the antenna module  30  is located to the right side of the host shell  12 .  
         [0039]     Similarly,  FIGS. 11A, 11B  and  11 C are rear, front, and schematic views of the second embodiment of the invention showing the rotating stage set positioned at yet another selected angle and the positioning relationship between the anchor lug and other elements. After the antenna module  30  has been rotated, swivel the rotating stage set  20  to the left side of the host shell  12  (based on the rear view shown in  FIG. 11A ) at yet another selected angle. At this moment, the screw  40  engaging with the first screw hole  2215  of the restraint member  2214  is located on the first stop point E 1  of the first restraint slot  1223   a  and the second stop point E 2  of the second restraint slot  1223   b , and the antenna module  30  is located on the left side of the host shell  12 .  
         [0040]     In general, in order to transmit signals between the host  11  of the host module  10  and the antenna  33  of the antenna module  30 , the host  11  and the antenna  33  are linked by a connection line (not shown in the drawings). In the invention, the connection line linking to the host  11  is threaded through the wire aperture  2216 , the first restraint slot  1223   a , the pivot aperture  1221   a  and the second wiring port  2218  of the pivot spot  221  of the rotary lower lid  22 . The connection line then passes through the wire groove  224  on the rotary lower lid  22  (referring to  FIG. 1A ) and the wire hole  3212  of the shaft  321  of the lower cap  32  to connect to the antenna  33 .