PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-8982582-B2
Application Number: US-201213690629-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic device with antenna cable bracket

Abstract:
An electronic device contains circuitry such as radio-frequency transceiver circuitry and antenna structures that are coupled using transmission line paths such as coaxial cable paths. A coaxial cable is mounted within an electronic device housing cable mounting structures. The coaxial cable has a meandering portion that forms a service loop. The cable mounting structures includes grooves that receive the meandering portion of the cable. The grooves may be formed within a molded plastic body. Patterned metal may be formed on the surface of the molded plastic body using laser-based processing techniques. The cable in the meandering portion may have a segment in which an outer cable conductor is exposed. The patterned metal on the molded plastic body may short the exposed outer conductor to the electronic device housing or other ground structure.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus, comprising:
 a cable mounting structure body having at least one cable retention groove; 
 at least one conductive trace on the cable mounting structure body that overlaps the cable retention groove 
 a cable having a segment in the groove, wherein the segment of the cable in the groove has an exposed outer conductor that is shorted to the conductive trace; and 
 an electronic device housing, wherein the cable is pressed towards the electronic device housing by the cable mounting structure body and wherein the conductive trace comprises a metal trace that is shorted to the electronic device housing. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus defined in  claim 1  wherein the cable mounting structure body comprises plastic. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus defined in  claim 2  wherein the at least one cable retention groove comprises at least three grooves including a middle groove and wherein the conductive trace overlaps at least the middle groove. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus defined in  claim 3  wherein the cable includes a meandering path portion that forms a service loop having parallel cable segments retained in the three grooves. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus defined in  claim 4  wherein the segment of the cable that has the exposed outer conductor forms part of the service loop. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus defined in  claim 5  wherein the cable is mounted to a portion of the electronic device housing using the cable mounting structure body. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus defined in  claim 1  further comprising antenna structures coupled to the cable. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus defined in  claim 7  further comprising radio-frequency transceiver circuitry, wherein the cable has opposing first and second ends, wherein the first end is coupled to radio-frequency transceiver circuitry, and wherein the second end is coupled to the antenna structures. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus defined in  claim 8  wherein the cable has a meandering path that forms a service loop in a portion of the cable between the first and second ends and wherein the at least one groove comprises a plurality of grooves that receive the cable in the service loop. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus defined in  claim 1  wherein the cable mounting structure body comprises opposing first and second surfaces and wherein the at least one cable retention groove comprises a plurality of cable retention grooves formed in the first surface. 
     
     
       11. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing having an inner surface; 
 radio-frequency transceiver circuitry mounted in the housing; 
 an antenna resonating element mounted in the housing; 
 a coaxial cable that is coupled between the radio-frequency transceiver circuitry and the antenna resonating element, wherein the coaxial cable has a meandering portion that forms a service loop; and 
 a cable mounting structure having metal traces and having cable retention features that receive the coaxial cable in the meandering portion and that attach the coaxial cable in the meandering portion to the housing, wherein the cable mounting structure has first and second opposing surfaces, wherein the first surface is parallel to the inner surface of the housing, and wherein the cable retention features are formed in the second surface. 
 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 11  wherein the cable retention features comprise grooves that receive the cable in the meandering portion. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 11  wherein the coaxial cable includes a center conductor and an outer conductor, wherein a segment of the outer conductor is exposed in the meandering portion and wherein the metal traces short an exposed outer conductor to the housing. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device defined in  claim 13  wherein the cable mounting structure includes a plastic body in which the grooves are formed, wherein the metal traces are formed on a surface of the plastic body, and wherein the metal traces contact the exposed outer conductor in at least one of the grooves. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device defined in  claim 14  wherein the cable mounting structure includes at least one screw hole and wherein the electronic device further comprises a screw that passes through the screw hole to mount the cable mounting structure to the housing. 
     
     
       16. The electronic device defined in  claim 13  wherein the coaxial cable includes an outer layer of insulator and wherein the segment of the outer conductor is exposed where a portion of the outer layer of insulator has been removed. 
     
     
       17. A method of forming cable retention structures, comprising:
 forming a cable retention structure body having opposing first and second surfaces and having cable retention features formed in the first surface configured to receive a coaxial cable; and 
 forming a patterned metal layer on the cable retention structure body that includes portions overlapping the cable retention features. 
 
     
     
       18. The method defined in  claim 17  wherein the cable retention features comprise grooves in the first surface configured to receive the coaxial cable and wherein forming the cable retention structure body comprises injection molding plastic to form a molded plastic body for the cable retention structures. 
     
     
       19. The method defined in  claim 18  wherein forming the patterned metal layer comprises activating a selected surface area on the molded plastic body with laser light. 
     
     
       20. The method defined in  claim 19  wherein forming the patterned metal layer comprises selectively plating metal in the selected surface area to form a metal trace.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with structures for mounting cables within a device housing. 
     Electronic devices such as cellular telephones and portable computers often contain wireless circuitry. For example, an electronic device may include cellular telephone circuitry for handling long-range wireless communications in cellular telephone bands and may include wireless local area network circuitry for handling shorter-range wireless communications. 
     Signals are conveyed in electronic devices using traces on printed circuits, wires, cables, and other conductive structures. For example, radio-frequency signals associated with wireless circuitry can be carried on transmission line structures. A transmission line may be formed from traces on a printed circuit. Transmission lines may also be implemented using cables such as coaxial cables. 
     Challenges arise when mounting signal path components in an electronic device. If care is not taken, cables can be improperly secured within a device, which can make the device prone to mechanical failure or can lead to inadequate signal line grounding. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide electronic devices with improved arrangements for securing signal path structures such as coaxial cables. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may contain circuitry such as radio-frequency transceiver circuitry and may contain antenna structures. A transmission line path such as a coaxial cable may be used to couple the radio-frequency transceiver circuitry to the antenna structures. 
     The coaxial cable may have a first end that is coupled to a printed circuit on which the radio-frequency transceiver circuitry is mounted using a printed circuit coaxial cable connector. The coaxial cable may have an opposing second end that is coupled to metal traces forming an antenna resonating element. The coaxial cable may have a center conductor at the second end that is soldered to the metal traces. The coaxial cable may also have an outer conductor that is shorted to ground. 
     The coaxial cable may be mounted within an electronic device housing for the electronic device using cable mounting structures. The coaxial cable may have a meandering portion that forms a service loop. The cable mounting structures may include grooves or other cable retention structures that receive and engage the meandering portion of the cable. 
     The cable retention grooves may be formed within a molded plastic body or other support structure. Patterned metal may be formed on the surface of the molded plastic body using laser-based processing techniques or other processing techniques. The cable in the meandering portion may have a segment in which the outer conductor is exposed and shorted to the patterned metal on the surface of the molded plastic body. The patterned metal may be coupled to ground. 
     Further features, their 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 of the type that may be provided with cable mounting structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of an illustrative electronic device of the type that may be provided with cable mounting structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an electronic device having cable mounting structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of an electronic device having a cable and cable mounting structures for securing a meandering path portion of the cable within the electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device having a cable mounting structure of the type that may be used to secure a cable to a housing structure in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the underside of illustrative cable mounting structures showing how the mounting structures may be provided with a conductive trace for grounding a cable to a ground structure such as a metal housing in an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the illustrative cable mounting structure of  FIG. 6  following the installation of a cable in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an interior portion of an illustrative electronic device of the type that may be provided with cable mounting structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative cable mounting structures being used to secure a meandering path segment of cable to an electronic device housing structure such as a metal electronic device housing in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative cable mounting structures having metal traces that short the cable to the surface of a metal electronic device housing under the cable mounting structures and cable in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative multipart cable mounting structures having metal traces that short the cable to the surface of the metal electronic device housing through a fastener such as a screw in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a diagram showing equipment being used to mold plastic for a cable mounting structure in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a diagram showing equipment being used to form patterned metal traces on the surface of the molded plastic structures of  FIG. 12  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in forming cable mounting structures and using the cable mounting structures to secure signal path structures such as cables within an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An illustrative electronic device that may be provided with mounting structures for cables is shown in  FIG. 1 . Electronic devices such as device  10  of  FIG. 1  may be cellular telephones, media players, other handheld portable devices, somewhat smaller portable devices such as wrist-watch devices, pendant devices, or other wearable or miniature devices, gaming equipment, tablet computers, notebook computers, desktop computers, televisions, computer monitors, computers integrated into computer displays, or other electronic equipment. 
     In the example of  FIG. 1 , device  10  includes a display such as display  14 . Display  14  has been mounted in a housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12 , which may sometimes be referred to as an enclosure or case, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of any two or more of these materials. Housing  12  may be formed using a unibody configuration in which some or all of housing  12  is machined or molded as a single structure or may be formed using multiple structures (e.g., an internal frame structure, one or more structures that form exterior housing surfaces, etc.). 
     Display  14  may be a touch screen display that incorporates a layer of conductive capacitive touch sensor electrodes or other touch sensor components (e.g., resistive touch sensor components, acoustic touch sensor components, force-based touch sensor components, light-based touch sensor components, etc.) or may be a display that is not touch-sensitive. Capacitive touch screen electrodes may be formed from an array of indium tin oxide pads or other transparent conductive structures. 
     Display  14  may include an array of display pixels formed from liquid crystal display (LCD) components, an array of electrophoretic display pixels, an array of plasma display pixels, an array of organic light-emitting diode display pixels, an array of electrowetting display pixels, or display pixels based on other display technologies. 
     Display  14  may be protected using a display cover layer such as a layer of transparent glass or clear plastic. Openings may be formed in the display cover layer. For example, an opening may be formed in the display cover layer to accommodate a button such as button  16 . An opening may also be formed in the display cover layer to accommodate ports such as speaker port  18 . 
     In the center of display  14 , display  14  may contain an array of active display pixels. This region is sometimes referred to as the active area of the display. A rectangular ring-shaped region surrounding the periphery of the active display region may not contain any active display pixels and may therefore sometimes be referred to as the inactive area of the display. The display cover layer or other display layers in display  14  may be provided with an opaque masking layer in the inactive region to hide internal components from view by a user. 
     A schematic diagram of device  10  is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , electronic device  10  may include control circuitry such as storage and processing circuitry  40 . Storage and processing circuitry  40  may include one or more different types of storage such as hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in storage and processing circuitry  40  may be used in controlling the operation of device  10 . The processing circuitry may be based on a processor such as a microprocessor and other suitable integrated circuits. With one suitable arrangement, storage and processing circuitry  40  may be used to run software on device  10  such as internet browsing applications, email applications, media playback applications, operating system functions, software for capturing and processing images, software implementing functions associated with gathering and processing sensor data, software that makes adjustments to display brightness and touch sensor functionality, etc. 
     Input-output circuitry  32  may be used to allow input to be supplied to device  10  from a user or external devices and to allow output to be provided from device  10  to the user or external devices. 
     Input-output circuitry  32  may include input-output devices  36  such as button  16  of  FIG. 1 , joysticks, click wheels, scrolling wheels, a touch screen such as display  14  of  FIG. 1 , other touch sensors such as track pads or touch-sensor-based buttons, vibrators, audio components such as microphones and speakers, image capture devices such as a camera module having an image sensor and a corresponding lens system, keyboards, status-indicator lights, tone generators, key pads, and other equipment for gathering input from a user or other external source and/or generating output for a user. 
     Sensor circuitry such as sensors  38  of  FIG. 2  may include an ambient light sensor for gathering information on ambient light levels, proximity sensor components (e.g., light-based proximity sensors and/or proximity sensors based on other structures), accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetic sensors, and other sensor structures. 
     Input-output circuitry  32  may include communications circuitry  34 . Communications circuitry  34  may include wired communications circuitry such as Universal Serial Bus circuitry and circuitry for handling other types of communications using wired paths. Communications circuitry  34  may also include wireless communications circuitry  42 . 
     Wireless communications circuitry  42  may include radio-frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry formed from one or more integrated circuits (e.g., wireless radio-frequency transceiver  44 ), power amplifier circuitry, low-noise input amplifiers, passive RF components, one or more antennas such as antenna structures  52 , and other circuitry for handling RF wireless signals. Wireless signals can also be sent using light (e.g., using infrared communications). 
     Radio-frequency transceiver circuitry  44  may be coupled to antenna structures  52  using signal paths such as transmission line  48 . Transmission line  48  may include one or more transmission line structures such as printed circuit transmission lines (e.g., microstrip transmission lines, stripline transmission lines, etc.) and coaxial cable transmission lines (as examples). If desired, impedance mating circuitry, switching circuitry, filters, and other circuits may be interposed within transmission line  48 . 
     Transmission line  48  may include positive transmission line signal conductor  48 P and ground transmission line signal conductor  48 N. Transmission line ground path  48 N may, if desired, be shorted to ground  50 . For example, a coaxial cable may have a segment in which an outer insulating layer has been removed to expose ground conductor  48 N. The portion of the coaxial cable may be grounded to a metal structure in device  10  such as housing  12  or other source of ground (e.g., antenna ground). 
     Antenna structures  52  may include patterned metal traces on a printed circuit. The printed circuit may have a rigid printed circuit substrate formed from a stiff material such as fiberglass-filled epoxy or a flexible printed circuit substrate formed from a layer of polyimide or a sheet of other flexible polymer. Antenna structures  52  may also be formed using substrates formed of other dielectric materials (e.g., ceramic, glass, injection molded plastic or machined plastic, etc.). Antenna structures  52  may include one or more antenna resonating elements formed from patterned metal traces and/or ground structures formed from patterned metal traces. Antenna resonating element structures and structures for implementing an antenna ground for antenna structures  52  may also be formed from conductive structures such as portions of housing  12  or other conductive structures in device  10 . 
     Antenna structures  52  may include one or more antennas such as inverted-F antennas, planar inverted-F antennas, closed and open slot antennas, loop antennas, monopole antennas, dipole antennas, antennas of other types, and hybrid antennas having a design based on two or more of these antenna types. 
     During operation of device  10 , antenna structures  52  may be used in receiving wireless signals. The wireless signals that are received using antenna structures  52  are conveyed to radio-frequency transceiver circuitry  44  over transmission line path  48 . Radio-frequency transceiver circuitry  44  processes the received radio-frequency signals and provides corresponding data to control circuitry  40 . When it is desired to transmit data, control circuitry  40  may provide outgoing data to transceiver circuitry  44 , which converts the outgoing data into radio-frequency signals. These radio-frequency signals are conveyed to antenna structures  52  over path  48 . Antenna structures  52  transmit the signals wirelessly to external equipment. 
     Transmission line  48  may be coupled to transceiver  44  using connection  46  and may be coupled to antenna structures  52  using connection  54 . Connections  46  and  54  may be based on cable connectors (e.g., radio-frequency printed circuit board cable connectors), weld-based connections, solder connections formed by soldering transmission line conductor  48 P and/or  48 N to contact pads on a printed circuit or other substrate associated with transceiver  44  and/or antenna structures  52 , or other connection structures. 
     With one illustrative configuration, which is sometimes described herein as an example, transmission line  48  may include a coaxial cable. Transceiver circuitry  44  may include integrated circuits and other circuitry that is mounted to a printed circuit board such as a rigid printed circuit board. With this configuration, a printed circuit board coaxial cable connector couples a first end of coaxial cable  48  to transceiver circuitry  44 . Antenna structures  52  include patterned metal traces for forming an antenna resonating element on a printed circuit substrate (e.g., a flexible printed circuit substrate). Coaxial cable  48  includes a positive center conductor that forms path  48 P and an outer conductor (e.g., braided wire or metal foil) that forms ground path  48 N. At a second end of coaxial cable  48 , positive center conductor  48 P is attached to the antenna resonating element using solder. Ground path  48 N is grounded to housing  12  at a location along path  48  between connections  46  and  54  such as a location adjacent to the second end of cable  48  near the structures that form connection  54 . The portion of housing  12  to which ground path  48 N is grounded may serve as antenna ground  50 . 
     A cross-sectional side view of electronic device  10  is shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , display  14  may be mounted in housing  12 . Display structures  56  such as a liquid crystal display module, an organic light-emitting diode display layer, or other display structures that include an array of active display pixels may be formed under display cover layer  58  (as an example). Display cover layer  58  may be formed from a clear glass layer, a layer of transparent plastic, or other cover layer material. Display cover layer  58  may be attached to housing  12  using adhesive, fasteners, gaskets, or other mounting structures. 
     Device  10  may contain one or more substrates such as substrate  60  and substrate  62 . Substrates such as substrates  60  and  62  may be mounted within housing  12  using adhesive, fasteners such as screws, mounting brackets, or other mounting structures. Substrates such as substrates  60  and  62  may be coupled to each other using communications paths such as coaxial cable  48 . Components  64  may be mounted to substrates  60  and/or  62 . Components  64  can include circuitry  40 , input-output circuitry  32 , integrated circuits, discrete components such as capacitors, resistors, and inductors, radio-frequency shielding cans, sensors, connectors, and other electrical components. With one illustrative example, components  64  on substrate  60  may include transceiver circuitry  44  and components  64  on substrate  62  may include patterned metal antenna traces. Components such as switches, impedance matching components, and filters may also be mounted on substrates  60  and  62 , if desired. 
     In general, there may be any suitable number of substrates within device  10  (e.g., one or more substrates, two or more substrates, three or more substrates, ten or more substrates, etc.). Connections between substrates may be formed from welds, solder balls, conductive adhesive connections such as connections formed form anisotropic conductive film, fasteners, zero-insertion-force connectors, or other electrical coupling structures. As an example, printed circuits in device  10  such as printed circuits  60  and  62  may be connected together using coaxial cable connections using one or more lengths of coaxial cable  48 . 
     Substrates  60  and  62  may be dielectric carriers such as molded plastic carriers or a pieces of glass or ceramic. With one suitable arrangement, which is sometimes described herein as an example, substrates such as substrates  60  and  62  are printed circuits. For example, substrates  60  and  62  may each be a printed circuit such as a rigid printed circuit board formed from a dielectric material such as fiberglass-filled epoxy or a flexible printed circuit formed from a dielectric layer such as a sheet of polyimide or other flexible polymer layer. Metal interconnect paths may be provided on substrates  60  and  62  to allow substrates such as substrates  60  and  62  to covey signals between components. In the example of  FIG. 3 , substrate  60  includes metal traces  66  and substrate  62  includes metal traces  68 . 
     For satisfactory operation of the circuitry within device  10  such as satisfactory antenna operation, it may be desirable to ground signal paths within device  10 . As an example, housing  12  may be formed from a conductive material such as metal that serves as antenna ground  50  of  FIG. 2 . Structures such as coaxial cable mounting structures  76  may be used in mounting cable  48  within device  10 . Cable mounting structures  76  may also be used in forming a conductive path between coaxial cable and housing  12  (ground  50 ). In particular, structures  76  may include conductive paths such as paths formed from metal traces that electrically connect path  48 N within coaxial cable  48  to housing  12 . Metal brackets, metal plates, frame structures, wires, springs, and other conductive structures within device  10  may also form part of the ground path between coaxial cable  48  and ground  50 . 
     A top view of device  10  is shown in  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , substrates  64  and  62  are mounted in housing  12 . Housing  12  may be fully or partly formed form a conductive material such as metal and may serve as antenna ground  50 . Printed circuit  60  includes conductive traces  66  that couple components such as component  64  on printed circuit  60  to connector  46 . In the example of  FIG. 4 , components such as component  64  on printed circuit  60  form radio-frequency transceiver circuitry  44  of  FIG. 2 . Traces  66  include traces that form transmission line structures. Connector  46  is a coaxial cable printed circuit board connector that couples a first end of coaxial cable  48  to traces  66  on board  60 . 
     Printed circuit board  62  in the example of  FIG. 4  includes conductive traces  68 . Conductive traces  68  include portions forming antenna resonating element structures  64  for one or more antennas. Conductive traces  68  also include portions forming contacts such as solder pad  72  (e.g., a trace that forms part of an antenna resonating element pattern). Central conductor  48 P of cable  48  is soldered to pad  72  using solder  70 , thereby forming connection  54  at a second end of coaxial cable  48 . 
     Intermediate portions of cable  48  such as meandering cable portions  78  may be configured to follow a meandering path. The meandering path provides cable  48  with slack (sometimes referred to as a service loop) that can be used to allow substrates  60  and/or  62  to be moved relative to each other during rework or repair operations. Without a service loop, connections  46  and  54  could become damaged during movement of substrates  60  and/or  62 . The illustrative service loop of  FIG. 4  that is formed by portion  78  of coaxial cable  48  has three parallel segments of coaxial cable  48 . If desired, a service loop may have more parallel segments or other suitable service loop shapes (e.g., L-shaped, S-shaped, or U-shaped bends). The configuration of  FIG. 4  is merely an example. 
     Coaxial cable mounting structures  76  may be formed from metal, plastic, ceramic, glass, other materials, or combinations of these materials. As an example, coaxial cable mounting structures  76  may be formed from a dielectric such as plastic onto which patterned metal traces are formed for grounding conductor  48 N of coaxial cable to antenna ground  50 . Coaxial cable mounting structures  76  may be attached to housing  12  using one or more fasteners such as fastener  74 , using adhesive, using mounting brackets, using snaps or other engagement features, or using other suitable attachment mechanisms. Fastener  74  may be a screw that has a threaded shaft that is received in a standoff, a threaded boss, a metal bracket, a threaded opening in housing  12 , or other structures in device  10 . Screw  74  may, if desired, form part of a conductive path that shorts conductive line  48 N in coaxial cable  48  to housing  12  (i.e., ground  50 ). 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of device  10  in a configuration in which housing  12  has portions such as rear wall portion  12 R and elevated portion  12 E. Portions  12 R and  12 E may be part of a common metal structure (e.g., a machined piece of aluminum or other metal), may be conductive structures associated with internal device components such as printed circuits, may be housing frame structures, springs, rails, brackets, or other internal device structures, or may be other portions of device  10 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , housing  12  may be configured to form a recess that receives printed circuit substrate  60 . Cable mounting structures  76  may be provided with cable engagement features such as grooves  80 . There may be, for example, three groves  80  that are configured to respectively receive three corresponding parallel segments of coaxial cable  48  in service loop portion  78  of cable  48 . 
     Cable  48  has opposing first and second ends. Printed circuit coaxial cable connector  46  is attached to cable  48  at the first end of cable  48 . At the second end of cable  48 , center conductor  48 P is exposed to allow soldering of conductor  48 P to antenna resonating element solder pad  72  on printed circuit  62 . An inner layer of insulator such as insulator  84  surrounds center conductor  48 P within cable  48 . A conductive braid or other outer conductor structure for forming conductor  48 N surrounds insulator  84 . An outer layer of insulator covers conductor  48 N and forms an insulating surface for cable  48 . In segment  82  of cable  48 , the outer layer of insulator is removed from cable  48  to expose conductor  48 N. 
     Cable mounting structures  76  are attached to housing  12  using screw  74 . Screw  74  passes through an opening in cable mounting structures  76 . A threaded shaft on screw  74  is received in threaded opening  86  in housing  12  (or in structures attached to housing  12 ). 
     Cable mounting structures  76  may have patterned metal traces that form a conductive path between the exposed outer conductor layer (e.g., line  48 N) in segment  82  of coaxial cable  48  and screw  74  and/or housing  12 . Screw  74  may be formed from metal and may help short segment  82  to housing  12 . In configurations in which conductor  48 N in coaxial cable  48  is shorted to housing  12 , housing  12  may serve as antenna ground  50  ( FIG. 2 ). 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the underside (i.e., the grooved side) of cable mounting structures  76  of  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , cable mounting structures may have a body portion such as body  76 B and metal traces such as traces  76 T. Grooves  80  include a middle groove  80  that receives bare segment  82  of cable  48  ( FIG. 5 ) and two adjacent outer grooves  80  each of which receives a respective insulated portion of cable  48 . In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 6 , traces  76 T surround screw hole  90  and extend across the surface of body  76 B so that traces  76 T overlap middle groove  80  where traces  76 T are shorted to outer conductor  48 N of cable  48  in segment  82 . Traces  76 T may be formed from one or more metals such as copper, aluminum, or gold (as examples). 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of cable mounting structures  76  of  FIG. 6  following installation of cable  48  within grooves  80  of cable mounting structure body  76 B. In this position, outer conductor  48 P, which is exposed in segment  82  of cable  48 , is shorted to patterned trace  76 T. Trace  76 T can be coupled to ground  50  by mounting trace  76 T against an exposed portion of metal housing  12  and/or using a screw such as screw  74 . If desired, other fasteners, metal structures such as springs or pins, solder, welds, conductive adhesive, or other conductive materials may be used in coupling segment  82  to ground  50 . 
     A perspective view of device  10  in a configuration in which cable mounting structures  76  have been used to attach cable  48  to housing  12  is shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     A cross-sectional side view of cable mounting structures  76  of  FIG. 8  taken along line  94  and viewed in direction  96  is shown in  FIG. 9 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , body  76 B of cable mounting structures  76  has three grooves  80 : a left-hand groove  80 , a middle groove  80 , and a right-hand groove  80 . Patterned metal layer  76 T runs along surface  112  of body  76 B and shorts cable conductor  48 N of cable segment  82  in middle groove  80  to housing  12  adjacent to screw  74 . The electrical path provided by metal layer  76 T helps to electrically connect conductor  48 N in cable segment  82  to ground  50  (i.e., metal housing  12 ). Screw  74  helps compress portion  76 T′ of layer  76 T against housing  12  to ensure proper grounding. If desired, laser processing techniques or other techniques may be used to remove oxide surface materials from metal housing  12  and/or ancillary grounding structures such as metal contacts welded or soldered to housing  12  may be used in forming a short circuit path between conductor  48 N in cable segment  82  and housing  12 . 
     In left-hand groove  80  and right-hand groove  80 , outer insulating layer  48 I may cover ground conductor  48 N of cable  48 . Insulating layer  48 I is removed from cable  48  in segment  82  of cable  48  to expose conductor  48 N. If desired, insulating layer  48 I may be removed from other portions of cable  48  (e.g., the portions of cable  48  in the left-hand and right-hand grooves in body  76 B of cable mounting structures  76 ). In this type of configuration, metal traces  76 T may be extended to cover portions of all of grooves  80 . 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of cable mounting structures  76  in a configuration in which metal traces  76 T have been configured to short conductor  48 N in segment  82  of cable  48  to metal housing  12 , thereby grounding conductor  48 N to antenna ground  50 . Screws  74  are screwed into threaded openings in housing  12  to press traces  76 T towards housing  12  and to hold cable  48  in place. Two screws  74  are used in the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 10 . In general, cable mounting structures  76  may be used to mount cable  48  in device  10  using one or more screws or other fasteners, using adhesive, using snaps and other features that engage with mating features on housing  12 , using welds, using solder, or using other attachment mechanisms. 
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of cable mounting structures  76  in an illustrative configuration in which cable mounting structures  76  have an upper body portion  76 B- 1  and a lower body portion  76 B- 2 . Cable retention features  80  (e.g., grooves or other openings) may be formed from mating recesses on portions  76 B- 1  and  76 B- 2  respectively. The mating recesses may be grooves with semicircular cross-sectional shapes. 
     Metal traces  76 T are formed on upper body portion  76 B- 1  in the example of  FIG. 11 . If desired, metal traces  76 T may be formed on lower body portion  76 B- 2 , may be formed on both upper body portion  76 B- 1  and lower body portion  76 B- 2 , may form vias or other structures that run from one surface of a dielectric cable mounting structure body member to another, or may otherwise be incorporated into cable mounting structures  76 . One or more screws such as screw  74  can be used to short traces  76 T (and therefore conductor  48 N of cable  48  in segment  82 ) to metal housing  12 . If desired, other conductive structures may be used in shorting traces  76 T to housing  12  (e.g., adhesive, welds, snaps and other features that engage with mating features on housing  12 , solder, fasteners other than screws, etc.). 
     Cable mounting structures  76  may be formed from machined metal (e.g., in a configuration in which body  76 B and traces  76 T are formed as parts of a common structure) or may be formed from multiple materials (e.g., in a configuration in which body  76 B is formed from a material such as plastic and in which conductive layer  76 T is formed from patterned metal). 
       FIG. 12  is a system diagram showing how body  76 B may be formed using plastic injection molding operations. Plastic  100  may be molded by applying heat and pressure in a mold in injection molding tool  102 . The resulting plastic part (body  76 B for cable mounting structures  76 ) may have grooves such as cable retention grooves  80 . If desired, body  76 B may be formed using machining operations and other manufacturing operations. The configuration of  FIG. 12  in which body structure  76 B has been formed as an injection molded plastic part is merely an example. 
       FIG. 13  is a system diagram showing how body  76 B of  FIG. 12  may be coated with patterned metal traces  76 T. Surface activation equipment such as laser processing equipment  104  may be used to activate a selected portion of surface  112  of plastic body  76 B. Laser-processing equipment  104  includes computer-controlled positioner  106  for controlling the position of laser  108  and thereby controlling the locations on surface  112  that are exposed to laser beam  110 . The exposed surface areas on body  76 B promote metal growth during subsequent electrochemical deposition operations such as electroplating operations using plating tool  114 . As a result, patterned metal traces  76 T are grown on the exposed surface areas. If desired, other patterned metal deposition techniques may be used to form conductive traces  76 T (e.g., screen printing, ink-jet printing, blanket metal deposition with physical vapor deposition equipment followed by lithographic patterning, shadow-mask deposition, painting, soldering, combinations of these approaches or other suitable approaches, etc.). 
       FIG. 14  is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in using cable mounting structures  76  to install cable  48  within housing  12  of device  10 . Cable  48  may be used to handle antenna signals for antenna structures  52  or other signals in device  10 . 
     At step  116 , equipment such as injection molding tool  102  is used to injection mold plastic  100  into a mold in tool  102  to form cable mounting structure body  76 B. One or more recesses such as grooves  80  or other cable guiding features may be formed in body  76 B to engage cable  48  during mounting in housing  12 . If desired, grooves  80  or other cable engagement features may be formed during post-molding operations (e.g., using machining equipment). 
     Following formation of body  76 B during the operations of step  116 , equipment such as the equipment of  FIG. 13  may be used to selectively deposit patterned metal  76 T on surface  112  of body  76 B at step  116 . With the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 13 , laser processing equipment  104  is used to apply laser light  110  to portions of surface  112  on body  76 B to activate those portions for subsequent metal deposition during plating operations. Plating tool  114  is then used to electrochemically deposit metal on the portion of surface  112  that have been selectively activated by application of the laser light. If desired, physical vapor deposition and lithography or other patterning techniques may be used in forming patterned metal traces on surface  112  of body  76 B. 
     At step  120 , coaxial cable  48  is prepared for installation in device  10 . For example, connector  46  may be soldered onto the first end of cable  48  and conductor  48 P may be exposed by stripping insulation at the second end of cable  48 . Conductor  48 P may then be soldered to contact pad  72 . Contact pad  72  may be, for example, part of an antenna resonating element trace on substrate  62 . Connector  46  may be coupled to transceiver circuitry  44  on substrate  60  before or after installation of substrates  60  and  62  into device  10 . 
     At step  112 , substrates  60  and  62  and cable  48  may be installed within housing  12  of device  10 . Cable mounting structures  76  may be used to secure cable  48  to housing  12 . In securing cable  48  within device  10 , a service loop may be formed from meandering portions  78  of cable  48 . In segment  82 , transmission line conductor  48 N is exposed and is contacted by trace  76 T and/or metal housing  12  (or metal structures attached to metal housing  12  such as bracket structures). Metal structures such as screws  74 , trace  76 T, and portions of housing  12  may help short conductor  48 N to ground. 
     Following installation of cable  48  in device  10  and completion of the assembly of device  10  by installing display  14  and other components, a user of device  10  may use cable  48  in transmitting and receiving wireless signals via antenna structures  52 . 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20121130
Publication Date: 20150317
Grant Date: 20150317
Priority Date: 20121130
Inventors: MALEK SHAYAN
ARDISANA, II JOHN B.
WITTENBERG MICHAEL B.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H02G3/32", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/38", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/38", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02G3/32", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 50825274