PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-9912040-B2
Application Number: US-201414262486-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic device antenna carrier coupled to printed circuit and housing structures

Abstract:
Electronic device antenna structures may include first and second antennas. A housing may have a periphery that is surrounded by peripheral conductive structures such as a segmented peripheral metal member. A segment of the peripheral metal member may be separated from a ground by an opening. An antenna feed for the first antenna may have a positive antenna terminal coupled to the peripheral metal member and a ground terminal coupled to the ground. A return path for the first antenna may span the opening in parallel with the antenna feed. A plastic carrier may be mounted to a printed circuit and a metal housing structure using screws. The plastic carrier may support an antenna resonating element for the second antenna and may support the return path for the first antenna. The screws may short metal structures on the plastic carrier to the metal structures and traces on the printed circuit.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a printed circuit in the housing; 
 a plastic antenna carrier; 
 an antenna resonating element on the plastic antenna carrier; 
 transceiver circuitry; 
 at least one conductive fastener that carries antenna signals from the transceiver circuitry to the antenna resonating element and that mounts the plastic antenna carrier against the printed circuit; 
 a conductive trace on the plastic antenna carrier; and 
 a ground plane, wherein the at least one conductive fastener comprises:
 a first screw that mounts the plastic antenna carrier to the printed circuit and the ground plane and that shorts the antenna resonating element to the ground plane; 
 a second screw that mounts the plastic antenna carrier to the printed circuit and the ground plane and that shorts the conductive trace to the ground plane; and 
 a third screw that mounts the plastic antenna carrier to the printed circuit and that is shorted to a conductive trace on the printed circuit. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the conductive fastener mounts the plastic antenna carrier to the housing and shorts the antenna resonating element to the housing. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the housing forms at least part of an antenna ground and the antenna resonating element and the antenna ground form an inverted-F antenna. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the housing forms at least part of an antenna ground, the antenna resonating element and the antenna ground form a first inverted-F antenna, the electronic device further comprises a second inverted-F antenna, and the second inverted-F antenna has an antenna resonating element formed from a peripheral conductive housing structure in the housing. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the antenna resonating element forms part of a first antenna, the electronic device further comprises a second antenna, a first portion of the second antenna is supported by the plastic antenna carrier, and a second portion of the second antenna is not supported by the plastic antenna carrier. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 5  wherein the second antenna comprises an inverted-F antenna having a resonating element arm and a return path coupled between an antenna ground and the resonating element arm and the portion of the second antenna that is supported by the plastic antenna carrier includes the return path. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the printed circuit includes metal traces shorted to the conductive fastener. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the housing comprises metal and the conductive fastener is shorted to the metal. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the antenna resonating element comprises a wireless local area network inverted-F antenna resonating element. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 9  further comprising an inverted-F antenna return path trace on the plastic antenna carrier that is not shorted to the antenna resonating element. 
     
     
       11. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a printed circuit in the housing; 
 a plastic antenna carrier; 
 an antenna resonating element on the plastic antenna carrier; 
 at least one conductive fastener that carries antenna signals and that mounts the plastic antenna carrier against the printed circuit; and 
 a ground plane, wherein the at least one conductive fastener comprises first and second screws, the first screw passes through the plastic antenna carrier and the printed circuit and shorts a portion of the antenna resonating element to the ground plane, and the second screw passes through the plastic antenna carrier, does not pass through the printed circuit, and is shorted to the ground plane.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with antennas. 
     Electronic devices often include antennas. For example, cellular telephones, computers, and other devices often contain antennas for supporting wireless communications. 
     It can be challenging to form electronic device antenna structures with desired attributes. In some wireless devices, the presence of conductive housing structures can influence antenna performance. Antenna performance may not be satisfactory if the housing structures are not configured properly and interfere with antenna operation. Device size can also affect performance. It can be difficult to achieve desired performance levels in a compact device, particularly when the compact device has conductive housing structures. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved wireless circuitry for electronic devices such as electronic devices that include conductive housing structures. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may be provided that has antennas. The antennas may include a cellular telephone antenna, a wireless local area network antenna, and other antenna structures. 
     A housing may have a periphery that is surrounded by peripheral conductive structures such as a segmented peripheral metal member. A segment of the peripheral metal member may be separated from a ground by an opening. An antenna feed for a first antenna such as an inverted-F cellular telephone antenna may have a positive antenna terminal coupled to the peripheral metal member and a ground terminal coupled to the ground. A return path for the first antenna may span the opening in parallel with the antenna feed. 
     A plastic carrier may be mounted to a printed circuit and a metal housing structure using screws. The plastic carrier may support an antenna resonating element for a second antenna such as an inverted-F wireless local area network antenna and may support the return path for the first antenna. The screws may short metal structures on the plastic carrier to the metal structures and traces on the printed circuit, thereby serving both as antenna signal paths and mechanical fasteners. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with wireless circuitry in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of illustrative circuitry in an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of illustrative wireless circuitry in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative inverted-F antenna in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of illustrative antenna structures in an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an end of an electronic device having housing structures, printed circuit structures, and antenna carrier structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an illustrative carrier on which antenna structures have been formed in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative antenna carrier structures being mated to corresponding printed circuit board structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative washer structures that may be used to help form an antenna connection and protect metal traces on an antenna carrier in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative sleeve structures that may be used to help form an antenna connection and protect metal traces on an antenna carrier in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of illustrative antenna structures supported by a dielectric carrier that is mounted to housing and printed circuit structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices such as electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1  may be provided with wireless communications circuitry. The wireless communications circuitry may be used to support wireless communications in multiple wireless communications bands. The wireless communications circuitry may include one or more antennas. 
     The antennas can include loop antennas, inverted-F antennas, strip antennas, planar inverted-F antennas, slot antennas, hybrid antennas that include antenna structures of more than one type, or other suitable antennas. Conductive structures for the antennas may, if desired, be formed from conductive electronic device structures. The conductive electronic device structures may include conductive housing structures. The housing structures may include peripheral structures such as a peripheral conductive member that runs around the periphery of an electronic device. The peripheral conductive member may serve as a bezel for a planar structure such as a display, may serve as sidewall structures for a device housing, and/or may form other housing structures. Gaps may be formed in the peripheral conductive member that divide the peripheral conductive member into segments. One or more of the segments may be used in forming one or more antennas for electronic device  10 . 
     Electronic device  10  may be a portable electronic device or other suitable electronic device. For example, electronic device  10  may be a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a somewhat smaller device such as a wrist-watch device, pendant device, headphone device, earpiece device, or other wearable or miniature device, a handheld device such as a cellular telephone, a media player, or other small portable device. Device  10  may also be a television, a set-top box, a desktop computer, a computer monitor into which a computer has been integrated, or other suitable electronic equipment. 
     Device  10  may include a housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12 , which may sometimes be referred to as a case, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of these materials. In some situations, parts of housing  12  may be formed from dielectric or other low-conductivity material. In other situations, housing  12  or at least some of the structures that make up housing  12  may be formed from metal elements. 
     Device  10  may, if desired, have a display such as display  14 . Display  14  may, for example, be a touch screen that incorporates capacitive touch electrodes. Display  14  may include image pixels formed from light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic LEDs (OLEDs), plasma cells, electrowetting pixels, electrophoretic pixels, liquid crystal display (LCD) components, or other suitable image pixel structures. A display cover layer such as a layer of clear glass or plastic may cover the surface of display  14 . Buttons such as button  24  may pass through openings in the cover layer. The cover layer may also have other openings such as an opening for speaker port  26 . 
     Housing  12  may include peripheral housing structures such as structures  16 . Structures  16  may run around the periphery of device  10  and display  14 . In configurations in which device  10  and display  14  have a rectangular shape with four edges, structures  16  may be implemented using a peripheral housing member have a rectangular ring shape with four corresponding edges (as an example). Peripheral structures  16  or part of peripheral structures  16  may serve as a bezel for display  14  (e.g., a cosmetic trim that surrounds all four sides of display  14  and/or helps hold display  14  to device  10 ). Peripheral structures  16  may also, if desired, form sidewall structures for device  10  (e.g., by forming a metal band with vertical sidewalls, etc.). 
     Peripheral housing structures  16  may be formed of a conductive material such as metal and may therefore sometimes be referred to as peripheral conductive housing structures, conductive housing structures, peripheral metal structures, or a peripheral conductive housing member (as examples). Peripheral housing structures  16  may be formed from a metal such as stainless steel, aluminum, or other suitable materials. One, two, or more than two separate structures may be used in forming peripheral housing structures  16 . 
     It is not necessary for peripheral housing structures  16  to have a uniform cross-section. For example, the top portion of peripheral housing structures  16  may, if desired, have an inwardly protruding lip that helps hold display  14  in place. If desired, the bottom portion of peripheral housing structures  16  may also have an enlarged lip (e.g., in the plane of the rear surface of device  10 ). In the example of  FIG. 1 , peripheral housing structures  16  have substantially straight vertical sidewalls. This is merely illustrative. The sidewalls formed by peripheral housing structures  16  may be curved or may have other suitable shapes. In some configurations (e.g., when peripheral housing structures  16  serve as a bezel for display  14 ), peripheral housing structures  16  may run around the lip of housing  12  (i.e., peripheral housing structures  16  may cover only the edge of housing  12  that surrounds display  14  and not the rest of the sidewalls of housing  12 ). 
     If desired, housing  12  may have a conductive rear surface. For example, housing  12  may be formed from a metal such as stainless steel or aluminum. The rear surface of housing  12  may lie in a plane that is parallel to display  14 . In configurations for device  10  in which the rear surface of housing  12  is formed from metal, it may be desirable to form parts of peripheral conductive housing structures  16  as integral portions of the housing structures forming the rear surface of housing  12 . For example, a rear housing wall of device  10  may be formed from a planar metal structure and portions of peripheral housing structures  16  on the left and right sides of housing  12  may be formed as vertically extending integral metal portions of the planar metal structure. Housing structures such as these may, if desired, be machined from a block of metal. 
     Display  14  may include conductive structures such as an array of capacitive electrodes, conductive lines for addressing pixel elements, driver circuits, etc. Housing  12  may include internal structures such as metal frame members, a planar housing member (sometimes referred to as a midplate) that spans the walls of housing  12  (i.e., a substantially rectangular sheet formed from one or more parts that is welded or otherwise connected between opposing sides of member  16 ), printed circuit boards, and other internal conductive structures. These conductive structures, which may be used in forming a ground plane in device  10 , may be located in the center of housing  12  under active area AA of display  14  (e.g., the portion of display  14  that contains circuitry and other structures for displaying images). 
     In regions  22  and  20 , openings may be formed within the conductive structures of device  10  (e.g., between peripheral conductive housing structures  16  and opposing conductive ground structures such as conductive housing midplate or rear housing wall structures, a printed circuit board, and conductive electrical components in display  14  and device  10 ). These openings, which may sometimes be referred to as gaps or spaces, may be filled with air, plastic, and other dielectrics. 
     Conductive housing structures and other conductive structures in device  10  such as a midplate, traces on a printed circuit board, display  14 , and conductive electronic components may serve as a ground plane for the antennas in device  10 . The openings in regions  20  and  22  may serve as slots in open or closed slot antennas, may serve as a central dielectric region that is surrounded by a conductive path of materials in a loop antenna, may serve as a space that separates an antenna resonating element such as a strip antenna resonating element or an inverted-F antenna resonating element from the ground plane, may contribute to the performance of a parasitic antenna resonating element, or may otherwise serve as part of antenna structures formed in regions  20  and  22 . If desired, extensions of the ground plane under active area AA of display  14  and/or other metal structures in device  10  may have portions that extend into parts of the dielectric-filled openings in regions  20  and  22 . 
     In general, device  10  may include any suitable number of antennas (e.g., one or more, two or more, three or more, four or more, etc.). The antennas in device  10  may be located at opposing first and second ends of an elongated device housing (e.g., at ends  20  and  22  of device  10  of  FIG. 1 ), along one or more edges of a device housing, in the center of a device housing, in other suitable locations, or in one or more of such locations. The arrangement of  FIG. 1  is merely illustrative. 
     Portions of peripheral housing structures  16  may be provided with gap structures. For example, peripheral housing structures  16  may be provided with one or more gaps such as gaps  18 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . The gaps in peripheral housing structures  16  may be filled with dielectric such as polymer, ceramic, glass, air, other dielectric materials, or combinations of these materials. Gaps  18  may divide peripheral housing structures  16  into one or more peripheral conductive segments. There may be, for example, two peripheral conductive segments in peripheral housing structures  16  (e.g., in an arrangement with two gaps), three peripheral conductive segments (e.g., in an arrangement with three gaps), four peripheral conductive segments (e.g., in an arrangement with four gaps, etc.). The segments of peripheral conductive housing structures  16  that are formed in this way may form parts of antennas in device  10 . 
     In a typical scenario, device  10  may have upper and lower antennas (as an example). An upper antenna may, for example, be formed at the upper end of device  10  in region  22 . A lower antenna may, for example, be formed at the lower end of device  10  in region  20 . The antennas may be used separately to cover identical communications bands, overlapping communications bands, or separate communications bands. The antennas may be used to implement an antenna diversity scheme or a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) antenna scheme. 
     Antennas in device  10  may be used to support any communications bands of interest. For example, device  10  may include antenna structures for supporting local area network communications, voice and data cellular telephone communications, global positioning system (GPS) communications or other satellite navigation system communications, Bluetooth® communications, near-field communications, etc. 
     A schematic diagram showing illustrative components that may be used in device  10  is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , device  10  may include control circuitry such as storage and processing circuitry  28 . Storage and processing circuitry  28  may include storage such as hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solid state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in storage and processing circuitry  28  may be used to control the operation of device  10 . This processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, application specific integrated circuits, etc. 
     Storage and processing circuitry  28  may be used to run software on device  10 , such as internet browsing applications, voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) telephone call applications, email applications, media playback applications, operating system functions, etc. To support interactions with external equipment, storage and processing circuitry  28  may be used in implementing communications protocols. Communications protocols that may be implemented using storage and processing circuitry  28  include internet protocols, wireless local area network protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.11 protocols—sometimes referred to as WiFi®), protocols for other short-range wireless communications links such as the Bluetooth® protocol, cellular telephone protocols, MIMO protocols, antenna diversity protocols, near-field communications protocols, etc. 
     Input-output circuitry  44  may include input-output devices  32 . Input-output devices  32  may be used to allow data to be supplied to device  10  and to allow data to be provided from device  10  to external devices. Input-output devices  32  may include user interface devices, data port devices, and other input-output components. For example, input-output devices may include touch screens, displays without touch sensor capabilities, buttons, joysticks, click wheels, scrolling wheels, touch pads, key pads, keyboards, microphones, cameras, buttons, speakers, status indicators, light sources, audio jacks and other audio port components, digital data port devices, light sensors, motion sensors (accelerometers), capacitance sensors, proximity sensors, etc. 
     Input-output circuitry  44  may include wireless communications circuitry  34  for communicating wirelessly with external equipment. Wireless communications circuitry  34  may include radio-frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry formed from one or more integrated circuits, power amplifier circuitry, low-noise input amplifiers, passive RF components, one or more antennas, transmission lines, and other circuitry for handling RF wireless signals. Wireless signals can also be sent using light (e.g., using infrared communications). 
     Wireless communications circuitry  34  may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry  90  for handling various radio-frequency communications bands. For example, circuitry  34  may include transceiver circuitry  36 ,  38 , and  42 . Transceiver circuitry  36  may be wireless local area network transceiver circuitry that may handle 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands for WiFi® (IEEE 802.11) communications and that may handle the 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® communications band. Circuitry  34  may use cellular telephone transceiver circuitry  38  for handling wireless communications in frequency ranges such as a low communications band from 700 to 960 MHz, a midband from 1710 to 2170 MHz, and a high band from 2300 to 2700 MHz or other communications bands between 700 MHz and 2700 MHz or other suitable frequencies (as examples). Circuitry  38  may handle voice data and non-voice data. Wireless communications circuitry  34  may include satellite navigation system circuitry such as global positioning system (GPS) receiver circuitry  42  for receiving GPS signals at 1575 MHz or for handling other satellite positioning data. Wireless communications circuitry  34  can include circuitry for other short-range and long-range wireless links if desired. For example, wireless communications circuitry  34  may include 60 GHz transceiver circuitry, circuitry for receiving television and radio signals, paging system transceivers, etc. In WiFi® and Bluetooth® links and other short-range wireless links, wireless signals are typically used to convey data over tens or hundreds of feet. In cellular telephone links and other long-range links, wireless signals are typically used to convey data over thousands of feet or miles. 
     Wireless circuitry  34  may include near-field communications circuitry  120 . Near-field communications circuitry  120  may produce and receive near-field communications signals to support communications between device  10  and a near-field communications reader or other external near-field communications equipment. Near-field communications may be supported using loop antennas (e.g., to support inductive near-field communications in which a loop antenna in device  10  is electromagnetically near-field coupled to a corresponding loop antenna in a near-field communications reader). Near-field communications links typically are generally formed over distances of 20 cm or less (i.e., device  10  must be placed in the vicinity of the near-field communications reader for effective communications). 
     Wireless communications circuitry  34  may include antennas  40 . Antennas  40  may be formed using any suitable antenna types. For example, antennas  40  may include antennas with resonating elements that are formed from loop antenna structures, patch antenna structures, inverted-F antenna structures, slot antenna structures, planar inverted-F antenna structures, helical antenna structures, hybrids of these designs, etc. Different types of antennas may be used for different bands and combinations of bands. For example, one type of antenna may be used in forming a local wireless link antenna and another type of antenna may be used in forming a remote wireless link antenna. In addition to supporting cellular telephone communications, wireless local area network communications, and other far-field wireless communications, the structures of antennas  40  may be used in supporting near-field communications. The structures of antennas  40  may also be used in gathering proximity sensor signals (e.g., capacitive proximity sensor signals). 
     Radio-frequency transceiver circuitry  90  does not handle near-field communications signals and is therefore sometimes referred to as far field communications circuitry or non-near-field communications circuitry. Near-field communications transceiver circuitry  120  is used in handling near-field communications. With one suitable arrangement, near-field communications can be supported using signals at a frequency of 13.56 MHz. Other near-field communications bands may be supported using the structures of antennas  40  if desired. Transceiver circuitry  90  may handle non-near-field communications frequencies (e.g., frequencies above 700 MHz or other suitable frequencies). 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , antenna structures  40  may be coupled to near-field communications circuitry such as near-field communications transceiver  120  and non-near-field communications circuitry such as non-near-field transceiver circuitry  90 . 
     Non-near-field transceiver circuitry  90  in wireless circuitry  34  may be coupled to antenna structures  40  using paths such as path  92 . Near-field communications transceiver circuitry  120  may be coupled to antenna structures  40  using paths such as path  132 . Paths such as path  134  may be used to allow control circuitry  28  to transmit near-field communications data and to receive near-field communications data using a near-field communications antenna formed from structures  40 . 
     Control circuitry  28  may be coupled to input-output devices  32 . Input-output devices  32  may supply output from device  10  and may receive input from sources that are external to device  10 . 
     To provide antenna structures  40  with the ability to cover communications frequencies of interest, antenna structures  40  may be provided with impedance matching circuitry, filters, and other antenna circuitry. This circuitry may include fixed and tunable circuits. Discrete components such as capacitors, inductors, and resistors may be incorporated into the antenna circuitry. Capacitive structures, inductive structures, and resistive structures may also be formed from patterned metal structures (e.g., part of an antenna). If desired, antenna structures  40  may be provided with adjustable circuits such as tunable components  102  to tune antennas over communications bands of interest. Tunable components  102  may include tunable inductors, tunable capacitors, or other tunable components. Tunable components such as these may be based on switches and networks of fixed components, distributed metal structures that produce associated distributed capacitances and inductances, variable solid state devices for producing variable capacitance and inductance values, tunable filters, or other suitable tunable structures. For example, tunable components  102  may include one or more adjustable capacitors (e.g., a programmable capacitor that can produce one of multiple different capacitance values by adjusting switching circuitry), one or more adjustable inductors (e.g., an adjustable inductor circuit having a multiplexer or other adjustable switching circuitry that allows a desired inductor value to be selected from multiple different available inductor values), or other adjustable components. 
     During operation of device  10 , control circuitry  28  may issue control signals on one or more paths such as path  136  that adjust inductance values, capacitance values, or other parameters associated with tunable components  102 , thereby tuning antenna structures  40  to cover desired communications bands. Active and/or passive components may also be used to allow antenna structures  40  to be shared between non-near-field-communications transceiver circuitry  90  and near-field communications transceiver circuitry  120 . Near-field communications and non-near-field communications may also be handled using two or more separate antennas, if desired. 
     Path  92  may include one or more transmission lines. As an example, signal path  92  of  FIG. 3  may be a transmission line having a positive signal conductor such as line  94  and a ground signal conductor such as line  96 . Lines  94  and  96  may form parts of a coaxial cable or a microstrip transmission line (as examples). A matching network formed from components such as inductors, resistors, and capacitors may be used in matching the impedance of antenna structures  40  to the impedance of transmission line  92 . Matching network components may be provided as discrete components (e.g., surface mount technology components) or may be formed from housing structures, printed circuit board structures, traces on plastic supports, etc. Components such as these may also be used in forming filter circuitry and other antenna circuitry in antenna structures  40 . 
     Transmission line  92  may be directly coupled to an antenna resonating element and ground for antenna  40  or may be coupled to indirect-feed antenna feed structures that are used in indirectly feeding a resonating element for antenna  40 . As an example, antenna structures  40  may form an inverted-F antenna, a slot antenna, a hybrid inverted-F slot antenna or other antenna having an antenna feed with a positive antenna feed terminal such as terminal  98  and a ground antenna feed terminal such as ground antenna feed terminal  100 . Positive transmission line conductor  94  may be coupled to positive antenna feed terminal  98  and ground transmission line conductor  96  may be coupled to ground antenna feed terminal  92 . As another example, antenna structures  40  may include an antenna resonating element such as a slot antenna resonating element or other element that is indirectly fed. In indirect feeding arrangements, transmission line  92  is coupled to an antenna feed structure that is used to indirectly feed antenna structures such as an antenna slot or other element through electromagnetic near-field coupling. 
     Antennas  40  may include slot antenna structures, inverted-F antenna structures (e.g., planar and non-planar inverted-F antenna structures), loop antenna structures, or other antenna structures. 
     An illustrative inverted-F antenna structure is shown in  FIG. 4 . Inverted-F antenna structure  40  of  FIG. 4  has antenna resonating element  106  and antenna ground (ground plane)  104 . Antenna resonating element  106  may have a main resonating element arm such as arm  108 . The length of arm  108  may be selected so that antenna structure  140  resonates at desired operating frequencies. For example, the length of arm  108  (or a branch of arm  108 ) may be a quarter of a wavelength at a desired operating frequency for antenna  40 . Antenna structure  140  may also exhibit resonances at harmonic frequencies. If desired, slot antenna structures or other antenna structures may be incorporated into an inverted-F antenna such as antenna  40  of  FIG. 4  (e.g., to enhance antenna response in one or more communications bands). 
     Main resonating element arm  108  may be coupled to ground  104  by return path  110 . Antenna feed  112  may include positive antenna feed terminal  98  and ground antenna feed terminal  100  and may run parallel to return path  110  between arm  108  and ground  104 . If desired, inverted-F antenna structures such as illustrative antenna structure  40  of  FIG. 4  may have more than one resonating arm branch (e.g., to create multiple frequency resonances to support operations in multiple communications bands) or may have other antenna structures (e.g., parasitic antenna resonating elements, tunable components to support antenna tuning, etc.). If desired, antennas such as inverted-F antenna  40  of  FIG. 4  may have tunable components such as components  102  of  FIG. 3 . 
     A top interior view of an illustrative portion of device  10  that contains antennas is shown in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , device  10  may have peripheral conductive housing structures such as peripheral conductive housing structures  16 . Peripheral conductive housing structures  16  may be segmented by dielectric-filled gaps (e.g., plastic gaps) such as gaps  18 . An inverted-F antenna may be formed from a resonating element and ground  104 . The resonating element may include an inverted-F antenna resonating element arm such as arm  108  that is formed from a length of peripheral conductive housing structures  16  between gaps  18 . Air and/or other dielectric may fill opening  210  between arm  108  and ground structures  104 . If desired, opening  210  may be configured to form a slot antenna resonating element structure that contributes to the overall performance of the inverted-F antenna. Ground  104  may be formed from a metal midplate member or other internal housing structures, metal housing structures such as portions of peripheral conductive structures  16  that are adjacent to a midplate, or other conductive structures. 
     Ground  104  may serve as antenna ground for one or more antennas. For example, an inverted-F antenna may be formed from arm  108  and ground  104 , whereas a wireless local area network antenna may be formed from a resonating element in region  206  and ground  104 . The inverted-F antenna may have an antenna feed such as feed  112  with terminals  98  and  100 . Positive antenna feed terminal  98  may be coupled to arm  108 . Ground antenna feed terminal  100  may be coupled to ground  104 . The inverted-F antenna may also have a return path such as return path  110  coupled between arm  108  (at node  202 ) and ground  104  (at node  204 ). Return path  110  may run parallel to feed  112 . The wireless local area network antenna in region  206  may contain an inverted-F antenna resonating element or other suitable resonating element. The wireless local area network antenna may be fed using an antenna feed having positive antenna feed terminal  208  and ground antenna feed terminal  220 . The ground antenna feed terminal may be coupled to ground  104  (i.e., ground  104  may serve as ground for the wireless local area network antenna). 
     If desired, a near-field communications transceiver and balun circuit may be used to apply near-field communications signals to near-field communications antenna feed terminal  212 . The ground output of the balun may be coupled to ground terminal  214  on ground  104 . During near-field communications, loop currents may flow through part of arm  108 , return path  110  or other suitable path across gap  210 , and ground  104 . 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of the interior portion of electronic device  10  shown in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , device  10  may include a metal housing plate or other internal conductive structures for forming ground  104  (e.g., internal metal housing structures, etc.). Opening  210  may separate arm  108  of the inverted-F antenna from ground  104 . Antenna feed  112  may be formed from terminals coupled to opposing sides of opening  210  such as positive antenna feed terminal  98  and ground antenna feed terminal  110 . Return path  110  and other antenna structures may be formed from metal traces on a dielectric support structure such as plastic carrier  240 . When installed in device  10 , return path  110  may have a first end coupled to arm  108  and a second end coupled to ground  104 . 
     Printed circuit  230  may have one or more layers and may include metal traces patterned to form transmission line path  92  (see, e.g., transmission line signal lines  94  and  96 ). If desired, separate transmission line paths may be formed (e.g., using flexible printed circuit cables, coaxial cables, etc.). Printed circuit  230  may be a rigid printed circuit board (e.g., a printed circuit board formed from fiberglass-filled epoxy or other rigid printed circuit board material) or may be a flexible printed circuit (e.g., a flexible printed circuit formed from a sheet of polyimide or other flexible polymer layer). 
     Metal traces on plastic carrier  240  may form an inverted-F antenna resonating element such as inverted-F antenna resonating element  258 . The inverted-F antenna may be coupled to positive and ground antenna feed terminals such as terminals  208  and  254 . The antenna formed from inverted-F antenna resonating element arm  108  and ground  104  may be a cellular telephone antenna or other suitable antenna and the antenna formed from inverted-F antenna resonating element  258  may be a wireless local area network antenna or other suitable antenna (as examples). 
     Screws such as screws  256 ,  250 ,  248 , and  244  may be used mount carrier  240  and printed circuit  230  within the housing of device  10  and may be used to carry antenna signals. 
     Screw  256  may form an electrical contact between terminal  220  of resonating element  258  and ground  104 . Screw  256  may pass through opening  254  in carrier  240  and opening  234  in printed circuit  230  and may screw into threaded opening  266  in ground  104 . 
     Screw  250  may be used to form an electrical contact between terminal  208  of resonating element  258  and positive signal trace  94 . Screw  250  may pass through opening  252  of carrier  240  and opening  236  in printed circuit  230 . Screw  250  may screw into a threaded screw boss or other structure in device  10 . 
     Screw  248  may be used to couple node  202  on return path trace  110  on carrier  240  to arm  108  via protrusion  262 . Protrusion  262  may be a metal structure having a threaded opening such as opening  260  that receives the shaft of screw  248 . Carrier  240  may have an opening such as opening  246  to accommodate screw  248 . Printed circuit board  230  may have a mating opening such as opening  238 . When screw  248  passes through openings  246  and  238  and is screwed into opening  260 , node  202  of return path trace  110  on carrier  240  is shorted to the portion of peripheral conductive housing structure  16  that forms arm  108  though protrusion  262 . 
     Screw  244  may be used to electrically short node  204  of return path trace  110  on carrier  240  to ground  104 . Screw  244  may pass through opening  242  in carrier  240 , may pass through opening  232  in printed circuit  230 , and may screw into opening  264  in ground  104 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 6 , plastic carrier  240  is used to support both an inverted-F antenna resonating element such as inverted-F antenna resonating element  258  for a first inverted-F antenna (e.g., a wireless local area network antenna) and metal traces such as return path  110  for forming part of a second inverted-F antenna (e.g., a cellular telephone inverted-F antenna). If desired, plastic carrier  240  may carry antenna traces for a single antenna, may carry antenna traces for two different antennas, may carry antenna traces for two or more different antennas, may carry antenna traces for three or more different antennas, etc. 
     Carrier  240  may be formed from molded plastic or other dielectric. An illustrative configuration for carrier  240  is shown in  FIG. 7 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , carrier  240  may be used to support metal antenna traces forming inverted-F antenna resonating element  258 . Carrier  240  may also be used to support metal antenna traces for forming return path  110  in a cellular telephone inverted-F antenna or other antenna structures. Portion  240 - 1  of structure  240  may form a dielectric block that serves as a riser for resonating element  258 . The block raises antenna resonating element  258  upwards away from underlying conductive structures such as ground  104 , thereby enhancing antenna bandwidth. The metal traces on carrier  240  such as the metal traces that form antenna resonating element  258  and the metal traces that form return path  110  may be formed from laser patterned metal (e.g., metal plated onto carrier  240  following selective laser activation of desired antenna trace areas by laser exposure using laser direct structuring techniques), may be formed from metal foil that has been incorporated into carrier  240  using insert molding techniques, and can include internal and/or external metal antenna structures. 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative structures that may be used in coupling metal structures on carrier  240  to other portions of device  10 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , metal structures  272  may be formed on carrier  240 . Structures  272  may include surface metal traces and/or embedded metal foil or other metal structures that form antenna structures (e.g., resonating element  258  and/or carrier  110 , etc.). Some of metal structures  272  may, if desired, be used to coat the interior of carrier openings such as illustrative carrier opening  280 . Portions of metal structures  272  may be formed on the upper surface of carrier  240  and/or on the lower surface of carrier  240 . The metal structures on carrier  240  can be coupled to a printed circuit board, metal housing structure, or other structure in device  10  using a threaded structure such as illustrative threaded structure  274  (e.g., part of a housing, part of a metal boss that has been soldered to a printed circuit, printed circuit  230 , ground  104 , etc.). Screw structure  274  may be shorted to metal trace  276  on a substrate such as support structure  278  (e.g., part of ground  104 , part of printed circuit  230 , or part of other device structures). When screw  270  is screwed into a threaded structure such as a threaded opening in ground  104 , a threaded screw boss, or other threaded structure  274 , metal  272  will contact structure  274  and will be shorted to structure  274  (in embodiments where metal  272  coats the lower surface of structure  240  and in which structure  274  is conductive). Structure  274  may be electrically shorted to trace  276 , so attachment of screw  270  to structure  274  will short screw  270  and metal structures  272  on carrier  240  to structure  274  and metal lines  276  on substrate  278 . 
       FIG. 9  shows how washer  282  may be used to protect metal traces  272  on the lower surface of carrier  240  from excessive crushing force when screwing screw  270  to other structures in device  10 . Washer  282  may have a ring shape with a circular central opening. Solder  284  may be used to attach washer  282  to the lower surface of carrier  240 . Washer  282  may be formed from metal to help short screw  270  and antenna traces  272  on carrier  240  to underlying structures (e.g., a screw boss, a threaded opening in ground  104  or other housing structure, etc.). 
     In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 10 , protective sleeve  286  has been inserted into opening  280 . Sleeve  286  has a flat washer-shaped lower portion  286 - 1  and a hollow cylindrical portion  286 - 2 . Lower portion  286  serves to protect traces  272  on the lower surface of carrier  240  from excessive force when screw  270  is screwed into structures in device  10 . Portion  286 - 2  helps hold sleeve  286  in place. Sleeve  286  may be formed from metal and may help short traces on carrier  240  such as illustrative antenna trace  272  to underlying structures in device  10 . Solder may be used in attaching sleeve  286  to carrier  240  or portion  286 - 2  of sleeve  286  may be press fit into opening  280  to secure sleeve  286 . 
     If desired, other techniques may be used for strengthening the plastic material of support  240  and/or protecting metal traces on support  240  and in assisting the formation of shorting paths between screws such as screw  270 , trace  272 , and other conductive structures in device  10 . The examples of  FIGS. 9 and 10  are merely illustrative. 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of another illustrative carrier configuration that may be used for supporting antenna structures for antennas  40 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , antenna resonating element  258  may have a positive feed terminal such as feed terminal  208  that is coupled to positive signal line  94  (i.e., a center conductor in coaxial cable transmission line  92 ). An outer braid conductor in cable  92  may be shorted to antenna ground terminal  220 . Screws  300  may be used to couple resonating element antenna structure  258  to housing  104  and additional structures such as flexible printed circuit  308 . Flexible printed circuit  308  may contain electrical components such as illustrative component  314  (e.g., tuning components  102  of  FIG. 3 , filter components, matching circuit components, and/or non-antenna components). Traces such as trace  312  and trace  310  may form electrical contacts for mating with screws  300  and/or metal traces on carrier  240  (e.g., metal traces shorted to resonating element  258  using arrangements of the type shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10  or other arrangements). Carrier  240  may be mounted to ground  104  (e.g., an internal portion of the housing of device  10  or other structures in device  10 ) by screwing screws  300  into holes  306  through openings such as holes  320  in carrier  240  and hole  304  in flexible printed circuit  308 . The height H of carrier  240  in dimension Z may help raise resonating element  258  above ground  104  to enhance antenna bandwidth (i.e., carrier  240  may serve as a riser to elevate antenna resonating element  258  to a desired vertical position above ground  104 ). 
     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: 20140425
Publication Date: 20180306
Grant Date: 20180306
Priority Date: 20140425
Inventors: IRCI ERDINC
HU HONGFEI
PASCOLINI MATTIA
ZHOU YIJUN
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q9/42", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q13/10", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q9/42", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q13/10", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 54335615