Arrangement of a printed circuit board-mounted antenna in a portable electronic device with a metallic hinge base

[0002] The present invention relates to a printed circuit board-mounted antenna, and in particular to a printed circuit board-mounted antenna received in a portable electronic device.

[0003] Antennas are usually used in portable electronic devices for receiving/sending signals. Antennas mounted within electronic devices often fail to communicate clearly due to EMI shielding protecting the interior of the electronic device. Communication is easier when the antenna is moved outside the electronic device. However, an antenna mounted to an exterior of the electronic device may have a shortened lifespan due to accidental damage from objects hitting the exterior.

[0004] Additionally, smaller size is required for electronic devices to meet the trend toward portability. Accordingly, parts within an electronic device, such as antennas, are required to be of small size. Conventional monopole antennas are generally oriented perpendicular to a reference ground in the electronic devices, and so occupy extra space.

[0005] An improved antenna, which minimizes the effects of EMI and which occupies a small space, is desired.

[0006] A main object of the present invention is to provide a printed circuit board-mounted antenna for use in an electronic device which effectively prevents EMI.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a printed circuit board-mounted antenna which has small size and occupies a small space in the electronic device.

[0008] A printed circuit board-mounted antenna assembly according to the present invention comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) having opposite first and second surfaces, a coaxial cable, a flat antenna mounted on the first surface, and a metal sheet attached to the second surface. The first surface is parallel to and spaced a distance from the second surface. The cable includes a core wire and a ground shield surrounding the core wire. The core wire electrically connects with the antenna while the ground shield electrically connects with the metal sheet. A portable electronic device has a mainframe unit and a display unit rotatably mounted to a metal hinge base of the mainframe unit. The printed circuit board is fixed to the metal hinge base at a position such that the metal sheet electrically connects with the metal hinge base.

[0009] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0010] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a printed circuit board-mounted antenna in accordance with the present invention and a metal block in a hinge base of a portable computer, wherein only a portion of the block is shown;

[0011] FIG. 2 is an upside-down view of FIG. 1;

[0012] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the printed circuit board-mounted antenna of FIG. 1;

[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portable computer on which the printed circuit board mounted antenna is mounted;

[0014] FIG. 5 is a diagram of experimental data, showing performance of the printed circuit board-nounted antenna when a display unit is open relative to a mainframe unit; and

[0015] FIG. 6 is another diagram of experimental data, showing performance of the printed circuit board-mounted antenna when the display unit is closed relative to the mainframe unit.

[0016] Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, an antenna assembly 20 in accordance with the present invention comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) 22, a coaxial cable 28, a flat antenna 24 and a metal sheet 26.

[0017] The PCB 22 is substantially rectangular (for example, with a dimension of 26 mm×7 mm×0.8 mm) and comprises a first surface 221 and a second surface 223 parallel to and spaced a distance from the first surface 221. The antenna 24 is mounted to the first surface 221 along a rectangularsinuous course. The metal sheet 26 is substantially rectangular and is secured on the second surface 223 by gluing or printing, wherein the antenna 24 generally occupies a left side portion of the PCB 22 while the metal sheet 26 generally occupies a right side portion of the PCB 22. There is a space between the antenna 24 and the metal sheet 26. A circular aperture 222 is defined through the first and second surfaces 221, 223 and between the antenna 24 and the metal sheet 26. The PCB 22 further defines a through hole 224 between an edge of the PCB 22 and the metal sheet 26.

[0018] The cable 28 is connected adjacent and substantially perpendicular to the second surface 223 for transmitting signals between the antenna 24 and a signal processing circuit (not shown, since such circuits are well known in the art). The cable 28 comprises a conductive core wire 282 and a conductive ground shield 284 around the core wire 282. The core wire 282 is inserted through the second surface 223, the aperture 222 and the first surface 221 and is soldered to an inner extreme point 242 of the antenna 24 on the first surface 221. The ground shield 284 connects with the metal sheet 26 on the second surface 223 near an inner extreme point 262 of the metal sheet 26.

[0019] The cable 28 connects to the PCB 22 at a point betweeen the antenna 24 and the metal sheet 28. This arrangement enlarges the distance between points 242, 262, thereby obtaining an effective antenna system 20 in a compact manner. Some parameters of the antenna assembly 20, for example the Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR), are affected by the adjustments in the relative psoistions between the inner extreme point 242 and the inner extreme point 262 and changes in the parameters of the cable 28.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 4, a portable computer 10 comprises a mainframe unit 14, a hinge base 16 fixed to the unit 14 and a display unit 12 pivotably connected to the hinge base 16 so that the display unit 12 is rotatable with respect to the mainframe unit 14 between opened and closed positions. The hinge base 16 has a metal block 162 therein and close to an end thereof. The metal block 162 remains stationary while the display unit 12 rotates with respect to the mainframe unit 14. The metal block 162 defines a threaded hole 166 in an outer face thereof corresponding to the through hole 224 in the PCB 22, whereby the PCB 22 can be fixed to the block 162.

[0021] Referring to FIG. 2, the antenna assembly 20 is mounted onto the metal block 162 for wireless communication with various exterior devices (not shown) using the ISM (Industry, Science, Medicine) frequency band (2.4˜2.5 GHz). The screw 164 (not shown in FIG. 3) extends through the through hole 224 of the PCB 22 and engages with the threaded hole 166 of the metal block 162. The metal sheet 26 of the PCB 22 abuts against and electrically connects with the metal block 162, whereby the metal block 162 acts as a cubic reference ground for the antenna assembly 20. This design eliminates the effects of EMI caused by the metal block 162 on the antenna assembly 20.

[0022] The experimental data of FIG. 5 were obtained when the display unit 12 of one portable computer 10 was open relative to the mainframe unit 14. The printed circuit board mounted antenna communicated in a frequency band 2.25˜2.73 GHz, where the Reflection Loss was more than 10 dB.

[0023] The experimental data of FIG. 6 were obtained when the display unit 12 of the same portable computer 10 was closed relative to the mainframe unit 14. The printed circuit board mounted antenna communicated in the frequency band 2.23˜2.74 GHz, where the Reflection Loss was more than 10 dB.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the Reflection Loss was more than 10 dB in the frequency band of 2.4˜2.5 GHz, regardless of the relative position of the display unit 12 to the mainframe unit 14. In other words, the relative position of the display unit 12 to the mainframe unit 14 did not influence the performance of the antenna assembly 20.

[0025] An additional advantage is, the antenna assembly 20 is directly mounted on the hinge 16, thereby saving space occupied in the computer.

[0026] The antenna assembly 20 of the present invention can be used with various wireless communication protocols, such as Wireless LAN and Bluetooth.

[0027] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invertion to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.