Abstract:
An antenna module includes a supporting layer, a plurality of antenna layers; and at least one insulating layer. The antenna layers are conductive nanometric material formed on the supporting layer. The at least one insulating layer defines at least one through hole therein between and electronically connecting each two adjacent antenna layers to form an FM radiator. A housing utilizing the antenna module is also described.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to antenna modules, and particularly, to an antenna module of nanometric material used with a wireless communication device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Many portable electronic devices, such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and laptop computers utilize frequency modulation (FM) signals. 
         [0005]    However, many portable wireless communication devices lack FM antennas for receiving FM signals. Rather, external accessories such as earphones are used as FM antennas to receive FM signals, in which case the accessories must be inserted/connected to the portable electronic device to provide the FM signal receiving function. Thus, it is necessary to transport the earphone with the portable electronic device to receive FM transmissions. 
         [0006]    Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Many aspects of the antenna module and housing having the same can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the antenna module. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a cross-section of an antenna module according to an exemplary embodiment; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a cross-section of a housing having a base integrally formed with the antenna module shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show an exemplary antenna module  20  used in a housing  100  of a wireless communication device. The antenna module  20  includes a supporting layer  21  and an antenna element  22  formed to the supporting layer  21 . The antenna element  22  includes a plurality of antenna layers  221 , a plurality of insulating layers  223  positioned between each two adjacent antenna layers  221 , and a plurality of conductive portions  225  configured to electronically connect the antenna layers  221 . Each of the insulating layers  223  excepting the last defines a through hole  2231  to receive the conductive portion  225 . The antenna layers  221  connected by the conductive portions  225  form an FM radiator to receive FM signals for wireless communication devices. 
         [0011]    The supporting layer  21  is resin such as polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or polyethylene glycol terephthalate resin. 
         [0012]    The antenna layers  211  can be formed by printing films of ink including conductive nanometric material, forming a FM radiating pattern including main radiator and supplementary radiator configured to receive signals for the wireless communication device. 
         [0013]    In a first exemplary embodiment, the conductive nanometric material is conductive nanometer calcium carbonate, fabricated of calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ), symb (Sn), and antimony (Sb). The mass ratio of CaCO 3 :Sn:Sb is approximately 55˜90:9-40:1˜10, using nanometer calcium carbonate as nucleosome and forming tin dioxide doped with an antimony coating on the nanometer calcium carbonate surface by chemical co-deposition. 
         [0014]    In a second exemplary embodiment, the conductive nanometric material is conductive ink composition. The conductive ink composition includes 30˜85% by weight of metal nanoparticles, 10˜60 wt % of an organic solvent, 10˜30 wt % of a humectant of a diol or glycol base compound, and 0.1˜10 wt % of an additive for adjusting viscosity made of an ethylene base ether compound. 
         [0015]    The metal nanoparticles used in the conductive ink may be nanoparticles of silver (Ag), gold (Au), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), or alloy thereof. The particle diameter of the metal nanoparticles may be 20˜50 nanometer (nm), with smaller particle sizes easing formation of drops for ejection. 
         [0016]    The organic solvent used in the conductive ink composition is a hydrophilic solvent of water, ethanol, methanol, propanol, or other. 
         [0017]    The humectant adjusts the drying speed at the inkjet head and maintains humidity. The humectant may be a diol or glycol base compound. 
         [0018]    The additive may be triethyleneglycol dimethyl ether, triethyleneglycol monobutyl ether, triethyleneglycol monoethyl ether, diethyleneglycol diethyl ether, diethyleneglycol monobutyl ether, diethyleneglycol dibutyl ether, ethyleneglycol monopropyl ether, or dipropyleneglycol methyl ether. 
         [0019]    In a third exemplary embodiment, the conductive nanometric material is nanometer metal dispersed in liquid. Raw material of the nanometer metal dispersion liquid includes: 5˜70% by weight metallics, 0.01˜55 wt % nitrogenous, oxygen, sulphur and/or boron atom/functional group, 0˜30 wt % additive, and 0.01-20 times as much as that of a) b) c) or the solvent of arbitrary ingredient material weight. 
         [0020]    Metals can be copper, gold, silver, molybdenum, nickel, niobium, aluminum, platinum, led, tin, titanium, indium, gallium, selenium, or alloy thereof, and the additive can include stabilizer, catalyst, chain extender, cross-linking agent, coupling agent, filler, modifier, emulsifier, reinforcing agent, curing agent, thickening agent, humectant, plasticizing agent, chelating agent, defoaming agent, solubilizer, polymerization inhibitor, rheology modifier, surfactant, lubricant, adhesive, nucleating agent, processing aid, buffer, polyvinyl butyral (PVB), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or other thermoplastic polymers. The solvent can be water, deionized water, alcohol, ester class, ketones or ether organic solvent. 
         [0021]    In a forth embodiment, the conductive nanometer is made of high concentration nanometer metal particle. The high concentration nanometer metal particle includes golden nanoparticles or platinum nanoparticles and a superficial stabilizer. The golden nanoparticles or platinum nanoparticlesare in concentration of greater than 1% by weight with a diameter of less than or equal to 5 nm. 
         [0022]    The insulating layers  223  can be printed by dielectric ink films to reduce the Electrical Magnetic Interference (EMI) of the adjacent antenna layers  221 . 
         [0023]    The antenna element  22  is made of nanometric material, thus, the volume of the wireless communication device is decreased. 
         [0024]    During manufacturing the antenna module  20 , the conductive ink is printed on the supporting layer  21  to form an antenna layer  221 . Then dielectric ink can be printed on the surface of the antenna layer  221  to form an insulating layers  223 . The insulating layer  223  defines the through hole  2231  through which the antenna layer  221  is exposed. Conductive ink introduced through the through hole  2231  forms the conductive portion  225  by electronically connecting the adjacent antenna layers  221 . The process is repeated to form the antenna module  20 . 
         [0025]    The housing  100  includes a base  30 . The antenna module  20  is integrally formed with the base  30  by injection molding. The base  30  can be resin such as silicone resin, thermoplastic resin, or other. 
         [0026]    During manufacture of the housing  100 , the antenna module  20  is received in an injection mold (not shown). The supporting layer  21  is attached to the injection mold. The resin is injected into the injection mold. The base  30  is formed on the last insulating layer  223  and located opposite to the supporting layer  21 . 
         [0027]    It is believed that the present embodiments and their 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 disclose or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the disclosure.