Patent Publication Number: US-7911399-B2

Title: Antenna assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to an antenna assembly, and more particularly to an antenna assembly assembled in an electronic device, such as a notebook. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Since the wireless communication technology of using electromagnetic wave to transmit signals has the effect of remote device transmission without cable connection, and further has the mobility advantage, therefore the technology is widely applied to various products, such as moveable phones, notebook computers, intellectual home appliance with wireless communication features. Because these devices use electromagnetic wave to transmit signals, the antenna used to receive electromagnetic wave also becomes a necessity in the application of the wireless communication technology. For adapting to the more and more beautiful electric devices, the antenna is always assembled in the inside space of the electric devices. To support antennas well, supporting sets are introduced to fix antennas. U.S. Pat. No. 6,903,695 discloses an antenna device which is intended for mounting in a casing for an apparatus. As showed in  FIG. 1  of this patent, the antenna device includes a radiating element  4  manufactured from a conducting and resilient material, such as metal. A portion of the radiating element  4  is surrounded by a piece of a configurationally stable, non-conducting material, such as plastic  5 . The plastic piece  5  is disposed for mounting of the antenna in the inside of the casing, preferably by snap action. However, the plastic piece  5  completely surrounding the radiating element should influence the radiating effect. 
     Hence, an improved antenna assembly with a moveable antenna is desired to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings of the existing antennas. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A primary object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide an antenna assembly which is able to fasten a small antenna in the electric device and make the antenna radiating well. 
     In order to implement the above object and overcomes the above-identified deficiencies in the prior art, the antenna assembly assembled in an electric device comprises an inner antenna comprising a planar radiating element, a cover fixing the antenna on the electric device and comprising at least one protrusion to fix the radiating element. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a preferred embodiment of an antenna assembly; and 
         FIG. 2-3  are exploded, perspective views of the  FIG. 1 , but viewed from different angles. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Reference to  FIG. 1 , an assembled, perspective view of an antenna assembly  1  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. Reference to  FIGS. 2-3 , exploded, perspective views of  FIG. 1  are shown, but viewed from different angles. 
     The antenna assembly  1  is assembled in an electronic device, such as a notebook computer. The antenna assembly comprises a cover  200  made from insulative material and an antenna  300  assembled in the cover. 
     The antenna  100  is a planar inverted-F antenna, and comprises a radiating element  301  and a grounding element  302  perpendicular to the radiating element  301 . A pair of L-shape fixing portions  303 ,  304  respectively extends from the two opposite ends of the grounding element  302 . A pair of reinforcing portions  3021 ,  3022  respectively extends form one side of the grounding element  302  and is on the two sides of the radiating element  301 . Each reinforcing portion  3021 ,  3022  has a hole. The radiating element  301  is slight and long, which is easy to be bend. Thus, the antenna needs to be assembled in a cover  200  to present shape of the radiating element  301  from changing. 
     The cover  200  comprises a rear higher first piece  201  and a front lower second piece  202  assembled with the first piece  201  together within the antenna  300  therebetween. The shape of the cover  200  is designed to follow the inner space of the electric device. The first piece  201  comprises an inner face  2010  and an outer face  2020  exposing out the electric device. The first piece  201  comprises some posts  2011 ,  2012 ,  2013  inwardly extending from the inner face  2010  to form a group of fixing posts. The posts  2011 ,  2012  are corresponded to the pair of reinforcing portion  3021 ,  3022  so that the posts  2011 ,  2012  should insert into the holes of the reinforcing portion  3021 ,  3022  when the first piece  201  and the second piece  202  are assembled together. A pair of sub-fixing portions  2014 ,  2016  respectively extends from the two opposite ends of the first piece  201  and corresponds to the fixing portion  303 ,  304 . The second piece  202  comprises some apertures  2021 ,  2022 ,  2023  corresponding to the posts  2011 ,  2012 ,  2013 , a pair of semicircular protrusions  2024 ,  2026  extending from the upper surface of the second piece  202 . There is a certain distance between the two protrusions  2024 ,  2026 . 
     In assembly, the antenna  300  is assembled on the first piece  201 , wherein the two posts  2011 ,  2012  respectively insert into the holes of the reinforcing portion  3021 ,  3022 , the post  2013  is below the radiating element  301  and the fixing portions  303 ,  304  respectively attach onto the fixing portions  2014 ,  2016 . And then, the second piece  202  is assembled on the first piece  201  with the antenna  300  therebetween. The posts  2011 ,  2012 ,  2013  respectively interferedly pass through the apertures  2021 ,  2022 ,  2023  to fix the second piece  202  on the first piece  201  firmly. And the most important thing is that the two semicircular protrusions  2024 ,  2026  are respectively attached to the lower portion of the radiating element  301  to make the upper portion of the radiating element  301  not covered by the cover  200 . Thus, the antenna  100  achieves better radiating effect than the antenna with a radiating element surrounded by the insulative material. 
     In other embodiments, the cover  200  and the antenna  300  can be designed to other structures to adapt to different requirements. 
     While the foregoing description includes details which will enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, it should be recognized that the description is illustrative in nature and that many modifications and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of these teachings. It is accordingly intended that the invention herein be defined solely by the claims appended hereto and that the claims be interpreted as broadly as permitted by the prior art.