Patent Publication Number: US-9899726-B2

Title: Electronic device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part application of and claims the priority benefit of a prior application Ser. No. 13/854,971, filed on Apr. 2, 2013, now pending. The prior application Ser. No. 13/854,971 claims the priority benefit of US Provisional application Ser. No. 61/648,609, filed on May 18, 2012. The entirety of each of the above-mentioned patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Field of the Application 
     The invention relates to an electronic device, and more particularly, to an electronic device capable of transmitting and receiving an electromagnetic signal. 
     Description of Related Art 
     Following the advancement of technology, current mass communication means have gradually been changed to wireless communication; devices such as smart phone, tablet PC with wireless Internet access, notebook computer and so forth are all fall within the scope of wireless communication; and in general, the wireless communication requires the use of an antenna to transmit messages. 
     Under a condition that a design of the electronic device is increasingly become light and thin, if the electronic device has a metal shell, the antenna, in case of limited configuration space, is more difficult to be configured away from the metal shell, thereby causing the signal of the antenna to be influenced by the metal shell. For example, most antenna of the notebook computer is disposed at a display screen thereof, and the display screen has the metal shell. In order to prevent the antenna from being too close to the metal shell and influence a transmission and reception of the signal, the antenna has to be installed at a peripheral portion of the display screen. As such, the configuration of the antenna is being limited and a difficulty in designing the antenna is increased. 
     SUMMARY OF THE APPLICATION 
     The invention provides an electronic device having favorable signal transmission and reception ability. 
     The electronic device of the invention includes a first casing, a second casing, at least one first connecting unit and at least one feeding unit. The first casing includes a conductive material. The second casing includes a conductive material. The first casing and the second casing are conducted with each other through the first connecting unit conducts. The feeding unit is electrically connected to the first casing and has a feeding point and a capacitor component, wherein the capacitor component is connected with the feeding point, and the electronic device forms an antenna structure with the first casing, the second casing, the first connecting unit and the feeding unit and delivers an electromagnetic signal via the feeding unit. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the capacitor component is connected in parallel with the feeding point. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the electronic device further includes a cover, wherein the cover is fixed on the first casing and covers the first connecting unit, and the feeding unit is disposed in the cover. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the feeding unit is electrically connected to the first connecting unit. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the feeding unit includes a substrate and a circuit, the substrate is fixed between the first casing and the first connecting unit, the circuit is disposed on the substrate and has two connecting ends connected to the first casing and the first connecting unit respectively, the feeding point is located on the circuit, and the capacitor component is disposed on the substrate and connected with the feeding point through the circuit. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the feeding unit includes a metal component, the metal component is fixed between the first casing and the first connecting unit and has two connecting ends connected to the first casing and the first connecting unit respectively, the feeding point is located on the metal component, and the capacitor component is disposed on the metal component and connected with the feeding point through the metal component. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, a lateral side of the first casing and a lateral side of the corresponding second casing have a gap there between, and the first connecting unit and the feeding unit are disposed at in the gap. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, each lateral side has a distal end, the distal end is adjacent to the first connecting unit, and the feeding unit is located between the distal end and the first connecting unit and near the first connecting unit. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, each lateral side has a distal end, the distal end is adjacent to the first connecting unit, and a distance between the first connecting unit and the distal end of each lateral side equals to (n×λ)/4, wherein n is an integral number, and λ is a wavelength of the electromagnetic signal. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the electronic device further includes at least one second connecting unit, wherein the second connecting unit conducts the first casing and the second casing with each other, and the first casing, the second casing, the first connecting unit and the second connecting unit form a slot there between. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, a length of the slot equals to (n×λ)/2, wherein n is an integral number, and λ is a wavelength of the electromagnetic signal. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the feeding unit includes a base body, a conductive element and an elastic element. The base body is disposed within the second casing. The conductive element is disposed on the base body, wherein a first end of the conductive element is in contact with the first casing, and a second end of the conductive element is connected to a feed line. The elastic element is connected between the base body and the second casing, wherein the conductive element is in continuous contact with the first casing via an elastic force of the elastic element. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the first end of the conductive element is a spherical structure, a pillar structure or a sheet structure. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the conductive element includes an elastic structure. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the base body includes a conductive material, and the base body is connected to a ground wire and in contact with the second casing. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the feeding unit further includes an insulating element, a portion of the conductive element is located within the base body, and the insulating element is filled in the base body so as to electrically isolate the conductive element from the base body. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the first connecting unit is a pivoted unit, and the first casing and the second casing are pivoted with each other via the pivoted unit. 
     According to the foregoing, the electronic device of the invention conducts the first casing and the second casing with each other through the first connecting unit, and is configured with the feeding unit that connects the first casing, so as to transmit and receive the electromagnetic signal via the antenna structure formed by the first casing, the second casing, the first connecting unit and the feeding unit, and to deliver the electromagnetic signal via the feeding unit. As a result, the electronic device is not required to be configured with an additional antenna, and may avoid the conductive first casing and second casing from causing interference to a signal of the additional antenna, so as to enhance the signal transmission and reception ability of the electronic device. Besides, the feeding unit has a capacitor component and the capacitor component is connected with the feeding point of the feeding unit so as to increase the impedance of the feeding point, such that a resonance of signal at the feeding unit is ensured. 
     In order to make the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the present application more comprehensible, several embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the application, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the application. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view illustrating the electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating the electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a return loss curve of an antenna structure formed by a first casing and a second casing of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a partial perspective view illustrating an electronic device according to another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a partial enlarged diagram illustrating an electronic device according to another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram illustrating an electronic device according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view illustrating the electronic device of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating the electronic device of  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 , an electronic device  100  of the present embodiment includes a first casing  110  and a second casing  120  pivoted with each other, the first casing  110  includes a conductive material, and the second casing  120  includes a conductive material. The electronic device  100  further includes at least one first connecting unit  130  (two are illustrated in  FIG. 3 ) and at least one feeding unit  140  (two are illustrated in  FIG. 3 ). The first connecting units  130 , for example, are pivoted units, the first casing  110  and the second casing  120  are pivoted with each other via the pivoted units (the first connecting units  130 ), and the first connecting units  130  conduct the first casing  110  and the second casing  120  with each other. Each feeding units  140  is electrically connected to the first casing  110  and one of the first connecting units  130 . 
     In the present embodiment, the electronic device  100 , for example, is a notebook computer, the first casing  110 , for example, is a metal shell of a display screen of the notebook computer, and the second casing  120 , for example, is a metal shell of a host of the notebook computer. Under the abovementioned configuration, the electronic device  100  conducts the first casing  110  and the second casing  120  with each other via the existing pivoted units (the first connecting units  130 ), configures the feeding units  140 , which are electrically connected to the first casing  110  and the first connecting units  130 , so as to form an antenna structure via the first casing  110 , the second casing  120 , the first connecting units  130  and the feeding units  140  for transmitting and receiving an electromagnetic signal, and delivers the electromagnetic signal via the feeding units  140 . As a result, the electronic device  100  is not required to be configured with an additional antenna, and may avoid the conductive first casing  110  and second casing  120  from causing interference to a signal of the additional antenna, so as to enhance a signal transmission and reception ability of the electronic device  100 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , in the present embodiment, a lateral side  112  of the first casing  110  and a lateral side  122  of the corresponding second casing  120  have a gap  115  there between, and the first connecting units  130  and the feeding units  140  are all disposed in the gap  115 . Furthermore, the first casing  110  and the second casing  120 , through the conduction of the feeding units  140 , equal to a dipole antenna. The lateral side  112  of the first casing  110  has a distal end  112   a , the lateral side  122  of the second casing  120  has a distal end  122   a , and the distal end  112   a  of the lateral side  112  and the distal end  122   a  of the lateral side  122  are adjacent to the first connecting unit  130 . A distance between the first connecting unit  130  and the distal end  112   a  of the lateral side  112  and a distance between the first connecting unit  130  and the distal end  122   a  of the lateral side  122  (labeled as L 1  in  FIG. 3 ) equal to (n×λ)/4, wherein n is an integral number, λ is a wavelength of the electromagnetic signal and the symbol “×” represents the multiplication sign, so that the first casing  110  and the second casing  120  are suitable for transmitting and receiving the electromagnetic signal. As shown in  FIG. 1 , under this configuration, distributions of current E (illustrated in  FIG. 3 ) of an antenna structure formed by the first casing  110 , the second casing  120 , the first connecting units  130  and the feeding units  140  at an edge of the first casing  110  and an edge of the second casing  120  are in comply with characteristics of the dipole antenna. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the electronic device  100  of the present embodiment includes at least one cover  160  (two are illustrated). Each cover  160  is, for example, a nonmetal component. The covers  160  are fixed at the first casing  110  and respectively cover the first connecting units  130  illustrated in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 . Each feeding unit  140  is located between the distal end  112   a  of the lateral side  112  and the corresponding first connecting unit  130 , wherein each feeding unit  140  is located near the corresponding first connecting unit  130  and away from the distal end  112   a  of the lateral side  112  to be hidden in the corresponding cover  160  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , such that the electronic device  100  has better appearance. The feeding unit  140  located near the first connecting unit  130  is equal to a shorting terminal of the abovementioned antenna structure, and a shorting terminal of an antenna structure generally has small impedance. In view of this, a capacitor component is connected in parallel with the feeding point of the feeding unit  140  to increase the impedance of the feeding unit, so as to ensure a resonance of signal at the feeding unit  140 , which will be described as follows. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the feeding unit  140  of the present embodiment includes a substrate  140   a  and a circuit  140   b  and has a feeding point F and a capacitor component C. The substrate  140   a  is fixed between the first casing  110  and the first connecting unit  130  by screwing or welding. The circuit  140   b  is disposed on the substrate  140   a  and has a connecting end T 1  and a connecting end T 2  connected to the first casing  110  and the first connecting unit  130  respectively. The feeding point F is located on the circuit  140   b  and connected to a feed line (not shown), so as to transmit an electromagnetic signal to a circuit within the second casing  120  through the feed line. The capacitor component C is disposed on the substrate  140   a  and connected in parallel with the feeding point F through the circuit  140   b , so as to increase the impedance of the feeding unit  140 , such that a resonance of signal at the feeding unit  140  is ensured. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a return loss curve of an antenna structure formed by a first casing and a second casing of  FIG. 3 . A radiation efficiency table (which is referred to as table 1) of the antenna structure formed by the first casing  110  and the second casing  120  of  FIG. 3  is as follows: 
     
       
         
           
               
               
            
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Freq. (GHz) 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 2.4 
                 2.45 
                 2.5 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 Return loss (dB) 
                 −19.12 
                 −25.70 
                 −13.53 
               
               
                   
                 Efficiency (%) 
                 97.07 
                 95.45 
                 89.91 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     It may be seen from the return loss curve in  FIG. 4  that, an operation bandwidth of the antenna structure formed by the first casing  110  and the second casing  120  shown in  FIG. 3  may cover an operating frequency band (2.4 to 2.5 GHz) required by a wireless local area network (WLAN). In addition, it may be seen from table 1 that, within the operating frequency (2.4 to 2.5 GHz) required by the wireless local area network, a radiation efficiency of the antenna structure formed by the first casing  110  and the second casing  120  shown in  FIG. 3  is approximately between 89.91% to 97.07%, and in comply with a basic communication performance required for electronic products. 
     The invention is not intended to limit the structure of the feeding unit, which will be described as follows by  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 5  is a partial perspective view illustrating an electronic device according to another embodiment of the invention. Referring to  FIG. 5 , in the electronic device  200  of the present embodiment, the configuration of the first casing  210 , the second casing  220  and the first connecting unit  230  is similar to the configuration of the first casing  110 , the second casing  120  and the first connecting unit  130  of the abovementioned electronic device  100 , and a relevant description thereof is not repeated herein. A difference between the electronic device  200  and the electronic device  100  is that the feeding unit  240  includes a metal component  240   a  fixed between the first casing  210  and the first connecting unit  230 . The metal component  240   a  has a connecting end T 1 ′ and a connecting end T 2 ′ connected to the first casing  210  and the first connecting unit  230  respectively. The feeding point F′ is located on the metal component  240   a , and the capacitor component C′ is disposed on the metal component  240   a  and connected in parallel with the feeding point F′ through the metal component  240   a.    
     Partial structure of the feeding unit could be configured as follows.  FIG. 6  is a partial enlarged diagram illustrating an electronic device according to another embodiment of the invention. Referring to  FIG. 6 , the feeding unit  340  of the present embodiment includes a base body  342 , a conductive element  344  and at least one elastic element  346  (two are illustrated). The base body  342  is disposed within the second casing  320 . The conductive element  344  is disposed on the base body  342 , wherein a first end  344   a  of the conductive element  344  is in contact with the first casing  310 , and a second end  344   b  of the conductive element  344  is connected to a feed line  50 , so as to transmit an electromagnetic signal to a circuit within the second casing  320  through the feed line  50 . The elastic element  346 , for example, is a spring and connects between the base body  342  and the second casing  320 , so that the conductive element  344  can be in continuous contact with the first casing  310  via an elastic force of the elastic element  346 , and thereby enables the electromagnetic signal to be delivered through the conductive element  344  and the feed line  50 , indeed. In the embodiment depicted by  FIG. 6 , the first end  344   a  of the conductive element  344 , which is configured to contact the first casing  310  is, for example, a spherical structure; however, in other embodiments, the first end  344   a  may also be a structure of other suitable shape, such as a pillar structure or a sheet structure, and the invention is not limited thereto. Furthermore, under a condition when the first end  344   a  of the conductive element  344  is the sheet structure, the first end  344   a  is, for example, an elastic structure, so that the conductive element  344  can be in continuous contact with the first casing  310  via the elastic force of the elastic structure. In the present embodiment, the base body  342  of the feeding unit  340  is disposed within the second casing  320 ; however, the invention is not limited thereto; and in other embodiments, the base body  342  of the feeding unit  340  may also be disposed within the first casing  310 . 
     In the present embodiment, the base body  342  includes a conductive material. The base body  342  is connected to a ground wire  60  and in contact with the second casing  320 , so as to enable the second casing  320  to be grounded via the base body  342  and the ground wire  60 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , in the present embodiment, a portion of the conductive element  344  is located within the base body  342 . The feeding unit  340  may further include an insulating element  348   a , and the insulating element  348   a  is filled in the base body  342  so as to electrically isolate the conductive element  344  from the base body  342 , and to firmly fix the conductive element  344  in the base body  342  for avoiding the conductive element  344  from being in conduct with the base body  342  and influencing the delivering of the electromagnetic signal. In addition, an insulating element  348   b  and an insulating element  348   c  may be respectively disposed at an opening  342   a  and an opening  342   b  of the base body  342 , so that the conductive element  344  may be firmly fixed in the base body  342 , and thereby ensure that the conductive element  344  passing through the opening  342   a  and the opening  342   b  is not to be in conduct with the base body  342 . Furthermore, the insulating elements ( 348   a ,  348   b ,  348   c ) are configured to electrically isolate the conductive element  344  from the base body  342  and fix the conductive element  344  in the base body  342 , and thereby capable of avoiding the delivering of electromagnetic signal to be influenced as the conductive element  344  and the base body  342  are being conducted with each other. In other embodiments, it is also possible not to fill the insulating element  348   a  in the base body  342 , and the conductive element  344  is fixed in the base body  342  via the insulating element  348   b  and the insulating element  348   c , and the invention is not limited thereto. 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram illustrating an electronic device according to another embodiment of the invention. In the electronic device  400  of  FIG. 7 , the configuration of the first casing  410 , the second casing  420 , the first connecting units  430  and the feeding units  440  is similar to the configuration of the first casing  110 , the second casing  120 , the first connecting units  130  and the feeding units  140  of the abovementioned electronic device  100 , and a relevant description thereof is not repeated herein. A difference between the electronic device  400  and the electronic device  100  is that the electronic device  400  includes at least one second connecting unit  450  (two are illustrated). The second connecting units  450  conduct the first casing  410  and the second casing  420  with each other. Slots S are formed between the first casing  410 , the second casing  420 , the first connecting units  430  and the second connecting units  450 . A length L 2  of each slot S equals to (n×λ)/2, wherein n is an integral number, λ is a wavelength of the electromagnetic signal and the symbol “×” represents the multiplication sign, so that the first casing  410  and the second casing  420  is equivalent to a slot antenna. 
     In summary, the electronic device of the invention conducts the first casing and the second casing with each other through the first connecting unit, and is configured with the feeding unit that connects the first casing, so as to transmit and receive the electromagnetic signal via the antenna structure formed by the first casing, the second casing, the first connecting unit and the feeding unit, and to deliver the electromagnetic signal via the feeding unit. As a result, the electronic device is not required to be configured with an additional antenna, and may avoid the conductive first casing and second casing from causing interference to a signal of the additional antenna, so as to enhance the signal transmission and reception ability of the electronic device. Besides, the feeding unit is located near the first connecting unit to be hidden in the cover corresponding to the first connecting unit, such that the electronic device has better appearance. The feeding unit located near the first connecting unit is equal to a shorting terminal of the abovementioned antenna structure, and a shorting terminal of an antenna structure generally has small impedance. In view of this, the capacitor component of the feeding unit is connected in parallel with the feeding point of the feeding unit, so that the impedance of the feeding unit is increased to ensure a resonance of signal at the feeding unit. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the application without departing from the scope or spirit of the application. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the application cover modifications and variations of this application provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.