PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-9122446-B2
Application Number: US-201213484040-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Antenna structures in electronic devices with hinged enclosures

Abstract:
Electronic devices may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry and antenna structures. The antenna structures may include antenna resonating elements, parasitic antenna resonating elements, and antenna ground structures. The antenna structures may include metal traces that are wrapped around an elongated plastic carrier. The plastic carrier may have metal traces that are coupled to a metal bracket using solder that protrudes through a hole in the metal bracket. A printed circuit board may be mounted between the metal bracket and a metal housing. The metal housing may have a protruding ridge portion that is gripped between prongs on the metal bracket. A cover may cover the metal traces on the elongated plastic carrier. The antenna structures may be mounted between hinge structures that couple upper and lower housing structures. The antenna structures may be configured to operate with comparable performance when the upper and lower housing structures are open and closed.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a metal lid; 
 a metal base to which the lid is attached for rotational motion about a rotational axis, wherein the metal base has first and second opposing surfaces; 
 an elongated plastic carrier; 
 a non-helical antenna that has metal traces at least partially wrapped around the elongated plastic carrier, a first portion of the metal traces that overlaps the base between the first and second opposing surfaces when the lid is in an open position relative to the base, and a second portion of the metal traces that overlaps the base between the first and second opposing surfaces when the lid is in a closed position relative to the base; and 
 a fastening mechanism that passes through the elongated plastic carrier to secure the elongated plastic carrier to the metal lid. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the antenna comprises a capacitively coupled parasitic antenna resonating element. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the capacitively coupled parasitic antenna resonating element is formed from a portion of the metal traces. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the elongated plastic carrier comprises a plurality of slot-shaped cavities. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising a plastic cover that covers the antenna traces. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the metal lid and the metal base lie in respective planes that are separated by an angle, wherein the metal traces are configured to exhibit a first amount of capacitive coupling between the metal traces and the metal base when the angle is equal to zero and to exhibit a second amount of capacitive coupling between the metal traces and the metal base when the angle is greater than 90° and less than 130°, and wherein the first amount of capacitive coupling is within 50% of the second amount of capacitive coupling. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 6  further comprising a display mounted in the metal lid. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 7  further comprising a keyboard mounted in the metal base. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a metal bracket that is electrically connected to at least one trace on the elongated plastic carrier and forms an antenna ground for the non-helical antenna. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 9 , further comprising a printed circuit board adjacent to the metal bracket. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 10 , wherein the fastening mechanism passes through respective openings in the elongated plastic carrier, metal bracket, and printed circuit board to secure the elongated plastic carrier, metal bracket, and printed circuit board to the metal lid. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 9 , wherein the metal bracket has a planar surface that bears against a planar surface of the elongated plastic carrier. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 11  further comprising a display mounted in the metal lid. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device defined in  claim 9  wherein the metal bracket comprises prongs. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device defined in  claim 14  wherein the metal lid has a protruding rib portion and wherein the prongs are configured to grip the protruding rib portion. 
     
     
       16. An electronic device, comprising:
 a first metal housing structure; 
 a display mounted in the first metal housing structure; 
 a second metal housing structure to which the first metal housing structure is coupled by hinge structures to allow the first metal housing structure to rotate about a rotational axis relative to the second metal housing structure; 
 an elongated plastic carrier that extends parallel to the rotational axis and that has a planar surface; 
 metal traces on the elongated plastic carrier; and 
 a planar metal bracket that is electrically attached to at least some of the metal traces and to the first metal housing structure and that bears against the planar surface of the elongated plastic carrier, wherein the metal bracket is configured to form an antenna ground for an antenna and wherein at least some of the metal traces are configured to form an antenna resonating element for the antenna. 
 
     
     
       17. The electronic device defined in  claim 16  wherein the metal bracket has an opening, the electronic device further comprising solder that protrudes through the opening. 
     
     
       18. The electronic device defined in  claim 16  wherein the metal bracket has an opening, the electronic device further comprising a screw that passes through the opening and into the first metal housing structure. 
     
     
       19. The electronic device defined in  claim 18  further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board has a hole through which the screw passes. 
     
     
       20. An electronic device, comprising:
 first and second conductive housings coupled by hinge structures for rotational motion about a rotational axis, wherein the first and second conductive housings lie in planes that are separated by an angle; and 
 antenna structures that have metal traces that are formed entirely within the hinge structures, that only partially surround the rotational axis, and that are configured to exhibit a first amount of capacitive coupling when the angle is equal to zero and to exhibit a second amount of capacitive coupling when the angle is between 95° and 130°, wherein the first amount of capacitive coupling is within 50% of the second amount of capacitive coupling, the metal traces are located on an elongated plastic carrier with a planar surface, and the antenna structures include a strip of metal that forms an antenna ground and has a planar surface that bears against the planar surface of the elongated plastic carrier. 
 
     
     
       21. The electronic device defined in  claim 20  wherein the metal traces form a parasitic antenna resonating element. 
     
     
       22. The electronic device defined in  claim 21  wherein the metal traces include an antenna resonating element. 
     
     
       23. The electronic device defined in  claim 22  wherein the strip of metal has a hole and is soldered to the metal traces with solder that extends through the hole.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This relates to wireless electronic devices, and, more particularly, to antenna structures for wireless electronic devices. 
     Electronic devices such as computers and handheld electronic devices are often provided with wireless communications capabilities. For example, electronic devices may use cellular telephone circuitry to communicate using cellular telephone bands. Electronic devices may use short-range wireless communications links to handle communications with nearby equipment. For example, electronic devices may communicate using the WiFi® (IEEE 802.11) bands at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz and the Bluetooth® band at 2.4 GHz. 
     To satisfy consumer demand for small form factor wireless devices, manufacturers are continually striving to implement wireless communications circuitry such as antenna components using compact structures. For example, antennas have been installed within the clutch barrel portion of portable computer housings. A portable computer clutch barrel contains hinges that allow the lid of the portable computer to open and close. In computers in which antennas have been mounted in the clutch barrel, the outer surface of the clutch barrel has been formed from plastic. The plastic is transparent at radio frequencies, so the antennas in the clutch barrel and transmit and receive radio-frequency antenna signals. 
     If care is not taken, however, antennas that are mounted in this way may exhibit performance variations as the lid of the computer is open and closed, may be subject to undesired losses, or may otherwise not exhibit satisfactory performance. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved ways in which to provide electronic devices such as portable computers with antennas. 
     SUMMARY 
     Electronic devices may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry and antenna structures. The antenna structures may include antenna resonating elements, parasitic antenna resonating elements, and antenna ground structures. 
     An electronic device may have metal housing structures. The metal housing structures may include an upper housing structure such as a metal lid that includes a display and may include a lower housing structure such as a metal base that includes a keyboard and track pad. The metal lid and metal base may be coupled by hinge structures that allow the lid to rotate about a rotational axis relative to the base. 
     The antenna structures may include metal traces that extend around the surfaces of an elongated plastic carrier. The plastic carrier may be mounted parallel to the rotational axis. Metal traces on the plastic carrier may be coupled to a metal bracket using solder that protrudes through a hole in the metal bracket. A printed circuit board may be mounted between the metal bracket and a metal housing structure such as a portion of the metal lid. The metal lid may have a protruding ridge portion that is gripped between prongs on the metal bracket. A cover may cover the metal traces on the elongated plastic carrier. 
     Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device with wireless circuitry that includes antenna structures and transceiver circuitry in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram of an illustrative antenna in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of an antenna in an electronic device such as a portable computer with a closed lid in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of an antenna in an electronic device such as a portable computer with an open lid in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6A  is a graph showing how capacitive coupling between antenna structures and conductive device housing structures may vary as a function of lid angle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6B  is a graph in which antenna performance (standing wave ratio) has been plotted as a function of operating frequency in a communications band of interest for three different clutch barrel antennas when a device is operated in an open lid configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6C  is a graph in which antenna performance (standing wave ratio) has been plotted as a function of operating frequency in a communications band of interest for the three different clutch barrel antennas of  FIG. 6B  when the device is operated in a closed lid configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device antenna in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 8 and 9  are perspective views of portions of a dielectric antenna carrier with antenna traces in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a metal antenna ground bracket coupled to a conductive device housing and supporting a printed circuit board in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an electronic device antenna structure showing how a screw may be used to attach an antenna carrier, printed circuit board, and antenna ground bracket to a metal electronic device housing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative metal antenna ground bracket that has been coupled to antenna traces on a dielectric carrier using solder in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An electronic device such as electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1  may contain wireless circuitry. For example, electronic device  10  may contain wireless communications circuitry that operates in long-range communications bands such as cellular telephone bands and wireless circuitry that operates in short-range communications bands such as the 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® band and the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi® wireless local area network bands (sometimes referred to as IEEE 802.11 bands). 
     Device  10  may be a handheld electronic device such as a cellular telephone, media player, gaming device, or other device, may be a laptop computer, tablet computer, or other portable computer, may be a desktop computer, may be a television or set top box, or may be other electronic equipment. Configurations in which device  10  has a rotatable lid are sometimes described herein as an example. This is, however, merely illustrative. Device  10  may be any suitable electronic equipment. 
     As shown in the example of  FIG. 1 , device  10  may have a housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12  may be formed from plastic, metal (e.g., aluminum), fiber composites such as carbon fiber, glass, ceramic, other materials, and combinations of these materials. Housing  12  or parts of housing  12  may be formed using a unibody construction in which housing structures are formed from an integrated piece of material. Multipart housing constructions may also be used in which housing  12  or parts of housing  12  are formed from frame structures, housing walls, and other components that are attached to each other using fasteners, adhesive, and other attachment mechanisms. 
     Some of the structures in housing  12  may be conductive. For example, metal parts of housing  12  such as metal housing walls may be conductive. Other parts of housing  12  may be formed from dielectric material such as plastic, glass, ceramic, non-conducting composites, etc. To ensure that antenna structures in device  10  function properly, care should be taken when placing the antenna structures relative to the conductive portions of housing  12 . If desired, portions of housing  12  may form part of the antenna structures for device  10 . For example, conductive housing structures such as the walls or other parts of a metal housing may form an antenna ground. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , device  10  may have input-output devices such as track pad  18  and keyboard  16 . A camera may be used to gather image data. Device  10  may also have components such as microphones, speakers, buttons, removable storage drives, status indicator lights, buzzers, sensors, and other input-output devices. These devices may be used to gather input for device  10  and may be used to supply a user of device  10  with output. Ports in device  10  such as ports  28  may receive mating connectors (e.g., an audio plug, a connector associated with a data cable such as a Universal Serial Bus cable, a data cable that handles video and audio data such as a cable that connects device  10  to a computer display, television, or other monitor, etc.). 
     Device  10  may include a display such a display  14 . Display  14  may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a display having electrophoretic display pixels, a display having electrowetting display pixels, or a display implemented using other display technologies. A touch sensor may be incorporated into display  14  (i.e., display  14  may be a touch screen display) or display  14  may be insensitive to touch. Touch sensors for display  14  may be resistive touch sensors, capacitive touch sensors, acoustic touch sensors, light-based touch sensors, force sensors, or touch sensors implemented using other touch technologies. 
     Device  10  may have a one-piece housing or a multi-piece housing. As shown in  FIG. 1 , for example, electronic device  10  may be a device such as a portable computer or other device that has a two-part housing formed from upper housing  12 A and lower housing  12 B. Upper housing  12 A may include display  14  and may sometimes be referred to as a display housing or lid. Lower housing  12 B may sometimes be referred to as a base or main housing. Housings  12 A and  12 B may be connected to each other using a hinge (e.g., a hinge located in region  20  along the upper edge of lower housing  12 B and the lower edge of upper housing  12 A). Portion  26 , which may sometimes be referred to as a clutch barrel, may extend between two hinges H located along axis  22 . 
     The hinge structures in device  10  may allow upper housing  12 A to rotate about axis  22  in directions  24  relative to lower housing  12 B. The plane of lid (upper housing)  12 A and the plane of lower housing  12 B may be separated by an angle A that varies between 0° when the lid is closed to 90° or more (e.g., 100° or more, 120° or more, 135° or more, etc.) when the lid is opened. In a typical configuration, lid  12 A may be located at an angle A of about 95-150°, 95-120°, 95-130°, 90-120°, 90-150°, 90-130°, or about 100-135° relative to housing  12 B during operation of device  10  by a user. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , device  10  may include control circuitry  30 . Control circuitry  30  may include storage such as flash memory, hard disk drive memory, solid state storage devices, other nonvolatile memory, random-access memory and other volatile memory, etc. Control circuitry  30  may also include processing circuitry. The processing circuitry of control circuitry  30  may include digital signal processors, microcontrollers, application specific integrated circuits, microprocessors, power management unit (PMU) circuits, and processing circuitry that is part of other types of integrated circuits. 
     Wireless circuitry  36  may be used to transmit and receive radio-frequency signals. Wireless circuitry  36  may include wireless radio-frequency transceiver  32  and one or more antennas  34  (sometimes referred to herein as antenna structures). Wireless transceiver  32  may transmit and receive radio-frequency signals from device  10  using antenna structures  34 . Circuitry  36  may be used to handle one or more communications bands. Examples of communications bands that may be handled by circuitry  36  include cellular telephone bands, satellite navigation bands (e.g., the Global Positioning System band at 1575 MHz), bands for short range links such as the Bluetooth® band at 2.4 GHz and wireless local area network (WLAN) bands such as the IEEE 802.11 band at 2.4 GHz and the IEEE 802.11 band at 5 GHz, etc. 
     When more than one antenna is used in device  10 , radio-frequency transceiver circuitry  32  can use the antennas to implement multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) protocols (e.g., protocols associated with IEEE 802.11(n) networks) and antenna diversity schemes. Multiplexing arrangements can be used to allow different types of traffic to be transmitted and received over a common antenna structure. For example, transceiver  32  may transmit and receive both 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® signals and 802.11 signals over a shared antenna. 
     Transmission line paths such as path  38  may be used to couple antenna structures  34  to transceiver  32 . Transmission lines in path  38  may include coaxial cable paths, microstrip transmission lines, stripline transmission lines, edge-coupled microstrip transmission lines, edge-coupled stripline transmission lines, transmission lines formed from combinations of transmission lines of these types, etc. 
     During operation, antennas  34  may receive incoming radio-frequency signals that are routed to radio-frequency transceiver circuitry  32  by paths  38 . During signal transmission operations, radio-frequency transceiver circuitry  32  may transmit radio-frequency signals that are conveyed by paths  38  to antenna structures  34  and transmitted to remote receivers. 
     Hinges H may be used to allow portions of an electronic device to rotate relative to each other. Hinges in device  10  may, for example, be used to allow upper housing  12 A of  FIG. 1  to rotate relative to lower housing  12 B about rotational axis  22 . The hinge structures that are used to attach housings  12 A and  12 B together are sometimes referred to as clutch structures or clutches. If desired, antenna structures  34  (e.g., one antenna, an array of two or more antennas, or an array of three or more antennas) may be formed using structures that are located in clutch barrel portion  26  of housing  12  between respective hinges H. 
     An illustrative configuration that may be used for an antenna in device  10  is shown in  FIG. 3 . In general, antennas  34  may be based on patch antennas, loop antennas, planar inverted-F antennas, monopoles, dipoles, inverted-F antennas, or other types of antenna. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 3 , antenna  34  has been formed using an inverted-F antenna design. This is, however, merely illustrative. Antennas  34  in device  10  may be based on any suitable type of antenna, if desired. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , antenna  34  may have an antenna resonating element such as antenna resonating element  36  and an antenna ground such as antenna ground  380 . Antenna resonating element  36  may have conductive structures such as main resonating element arm  48 . Arm  48  may contain one or more bends or branches, if desired. The configuration of  FIG. 3  is merely illustrative. A short circuit branch such as branch  46  may be used to couple resonating element arm  48  to antenna ground  380 . A transmission line such as one of transmission lines  38  of  FIG. 2  may have a positive conductor that is coupled to positive antenna feed terminal  42  in antenna feed  40  and may have a ground conductor that is coupled to ground antenna feed terminal  44  in antenna feed  40 . Antenna  34  may include one or more parasitic antenna elements such as parasitic antenna element  50 . Parasitic antenna elements such as element  50  may be electromagnetically coupled to antenna  34  and may help tune antenna performance, but are not directly fed by an antenna feed such as antenna feed  40 . 
     The conductive structures that make up antennas such as antenna  34  in device  10  may be formed from metal traces on substrates such as printed circuits (e.g., rigid printed circuit boards or flexible printed circuits formed from sheets of polyimide or other flexible polymer layers), plastic carriers, or other dielectric support structures. Conductive structures in device  10  such as metal brackets, other patterned metal parts, internal housing structures such as sheet metal structures, metal housing walls, and other housing structures and conductive structures in device  10  may also form all or part of antenna ground and/or other portions of antenna  34 . 
     The performance of antennas that are formed in device  10  may be affected by the proximity of conductive housing structures and other conductive device components to metal traces in antenna resonating element  36  and/or metal traces associated with parasitic antenna elements such as parasitic antenna element  50 . For example, the metal traces that form resonating element  36  and parasitic element  50  may become capacitively coupled to adjacent metal housing structures. Variations in the amount of capacitive coupling between antenna structures such as these and the adjacent metal housing structures as a function of lid position have the potential to affect antenna performance. Preferably, device  10  and antennas  34  are configured so that satisfactory antenna performance is obtained for a variety of different lid positions (e.g., in a fully closed position, in a normal open position, and in potentially other lid positions). 
     A schematic diagram of antenna  34  in clutch barrel  26  of device  10  when upper housing portion (lid)  12 A is in a closed position with respect to lower housing portion (base)  12 B is shown in  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , antenna  34  may include conductive structures  52  (e.g., resonating element traces, parasitic element traces, etc.). During operation in the closed lid position of  FIG. 4 , portion Y of structures  52  may overlap housing  12 B and may exhibit capacitive coupling with housing  12 B, whereas portion X may be exposed to the surrounding environment and may therefore not be capacitively coupled to housing  12 B. 
     The amount of capacitive coupling that is exhibited between conductive antenna structures  52  and housing  12 B may vary as a function of lid angle A. In the configuration of  FIG. 4 , angle A is 0°. When a user opens lid  12 A (e.g., to an angle A of about 90° to 150°) as shown in  FIG. 5 , portion B of conductive antenna structures  52  may overlap housing  12 B and may be capacitively coupled to housing  12 B, whereas portion C of conductive antenna structures  52  may be exposed and therefore not capacitively coupled to housing  12 B. 
     Variations in capacitive coupling between antenna structures  52  and housing  12 B (which may serve as part of the antenna ground for antenna  34 ) may affect antenna performance. In the closed configuration of  FIG. 4 , the amount of coupling is related to overlap amount Y. In the open configuration of  FIG. 5 , the amount of coupling is related to overlap amount B. Different coupling levels may tend to detune antenna  34  and therefore have a potential to disrupt proper antenna operation. To ensure that antenna performance does not vary too much between closed and open lid positions, conductive structure  52  can be configured so that capacitive coupling is within satisfactory limits in both the closed position of  FIG. 4  and the open position of  FIG. 5 . 
     As an example, antenna  34  can be configured so that the amount of capacitive coupling between structures  52  (e.g., resonating element  36  and parasitic element  50 ) and housing  12 B varies in accordance with a characteristic such as curve  54  of  FIG. 6A . As shown in the  FIG. 6A  example, the amount of capacitive coupling that is exhibited may vary as a function of lid angle A. When A is equal to zero (i.e., when lid  12  A is closed as shown in  FIG. 4 ), the amount of capacitive coupling may be C1. When A is in the normal range of angles A (i.e., when A is between a lower bound LB of 90° and an upper bound UB of 150°, between a lower bound LB of 90° and an upper bound UB of 130°, between an LB value of 95° and a UB value of 120°, between an LB value of 95° and a UB value of 130°, between a lower bound LB value in the range of 40-100° and an upper bound of 80-160°, or when A lies within other ranges extending from lower bound LB to upper bound UB), the amount of capacitive coupling may range between C2 and C3. To ensure satisfactory operation (and minimized antenna detuning) when operating lid  12 A in an open position (angle A between LB to UB) of the type shown in  FIG. 12B , antenna structures  52  may be configured so that C2 and C3 are within 50% of C1, within 40% of C1, within 30% of C1, within 15% of C1, or within 5% of C1 when A is between these normal LB and UB values (as examples). 
       FIG. 6B  is a graph in which antenna performance (standing wave ratio) for antenna structures that have been configured in this way has been plotted as a function of operating frequency in a communications band of interest (e.g., 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, cellular telephone bands, etc.) for three different clutch barrel antennas when device  10  is operated in an open lid configuration. 
       FIG. 6C  is a graph in which antenna performance (standing wave ratio) has been plotted as a function of operating frequency in the communications band of interest for the three different clutch barrel antennas of  FIG. 6B  when the same device is operated in a closed lid configuration. As shown by comparing the graphs of  FIGS. 6B and 6C , antenna performance (particularly in the middle of the plotted range corresponding to operating frequencies of interest) is comparable, regardless of whether device  10  is operated in the open lid or closed lid configuration. 
     A cross-sectional side view of an illustrative clutch barrel portion of housing  12 A is shown in  FIG. 7 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , antenna traces for antenna  32  may be formed on a dielectric carrier such as dielectric carrier  56 . Carrier  56  may be, for example, an injection-molded plastic member having an elongated shape that extends parallel to rotational axis  22 . Conductive antenna structures may be formed on the surfaces of carrier  56 . For example, antenna resonating element traces and parasitic element traces may be formed on surfaces such as surfaces  58 ,  60 , and  62  and antenna ground traces may be formed on surface  64 . Metal bracket  66  may be coupled to the antenna ground traces on surface  64  and may form part of an antenna ground for antenna  32 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , metal bracket  66  may have portions such as prongs  70  and  72  that are configured to grip protruding rib portion  74  of metal housing  12 A, thereby grounding bracket  66  to metal housing  12 A. Printed circuit board  68  may be used for mounting components such as transceiver circuitry  32  ( FIG. 2 ) and may be attached to bracket  66  (e.g., using adhesive, screws, or other fastening mechanisms). Plastic cover structure  76  may be used to cover the components of  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an illustrative antenna carrier of the type that may be used in forming one or more antennas  34 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , conductive structures  52  (e.g., metal traces for forming antenna resonating element  36 ) may be formed on surfaces such as surfaces  62 ,  58 , and  60  of carrier  56 . Some of the traces may extend onto surface  64  of carrier  56  (e.g., to form ground connections to bracket  66 ). Carrier  56  may include openings such as open-faced slot-shaped cavities  78  (e.g., air-filled slots or holes of other shapes). Cavities  78  may facilitate injection molding of a satisfactory plastic part for carrier  56  by preventing undesired voids and sink marks that might otherwise arise during injection molding operations when plastic in the mold does not flow properly. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , metal traces on the surface of plastic antenna carrier  56  such as conductive structures  52  of  FIG. 9  may be configured to form one or more parasitic elements such as parasitic antenna resonating element  50 . 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of bracket  66  showing how bracket  66  may be used in mounting printed circuit board  68  in housing  12 A. As shown in  FIG. 10 , prongs  70  and  72  may be longitudinally spaced by a distance D. The value of distance D is preferably less than a quarter of a wavelength at operating frequencies of interest, so that bracket  66  may serve as a ground plane element for antenna  34  without introducing unwanted resonance peaks into the antenna response. 
     Bracket  66  may be formed from a metal such as stainless steel or other metals. Bracket  66  may, as an example, be a strip of sheet metal that has been stamped or otherwise processed to form features such as openings  80  and prongs  74  and  74 . Openings  80  may be used to receive screws, solder, heat stakes, or other components. 
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of carrier  56  showing how screws such as screw  82  may pass through openings in carrier  56 , bracket  66 , and printed circuit board  66  before being received in threaded opening  84  of housing  12 A. An arrangement of the type shown in  FIG. 11  may be used to attach carrier  56 , bracket  66 , and printed circuit  68  to housing  12 A. 
     Bracket  66  may be coupled to traces on carrier  56  using solder. As shown in  FIG. 12 , for example, bracket  66  may have an opening through which solder  86  may pass to form a connection to portion  88  of metal trace  90  on surface  64  of carrier  56 . There may be numerous solder connections such as solder connection  86  for grounding bracket  66  to antenna ground trace such as trace  90 . Solder  86  and optional heat stakes and screws passing through openings in bracket  66  may mechanically couple bracket  66  to carrier  56 . 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20120530
Publication Date: 20150901
Grant Date: 20150901
Priority Date: 20120530
Inventors: JERVIS JAMES W.
NATH JAYESH
IRCI ERDINC
GUTERMAN JERZY
PASCOLINI MATTIA
SCHLUB ROBERT W.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01Q1/2266", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1616", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/2291", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0216", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/38", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/42", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/2266", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1616", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/2291", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/42", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0216", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/38", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 48539399