Antenna device and electronic device including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10243624-B2
Application number	US-201715792017-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2017
Priority date	Nov 13, 2015
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a first housing a second housing, a first display disposed on the first housing and a second display disposed on the second housing, a connecting member configured to couple the first housing to the second housing such that the first housing and the second housing are foldable relative to each other, and the second surface and the fourth surface face each other when the first housing and the second housing are folded toward each other, a first conductive element disposed within the first housing and between the second surface and the first display, and an intermediate conductive plate disposed within the second housing and between the fourth surface and the second display, the intermediate conductive plate having an opening that faces the first conductive element when the first housing and the second housing are in a folded configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a first housing having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;
a second housing having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface;
a display disposed on the first housing;
a connecting member configured to couple the first housing to the second housing such that the first housing and the second housing are foldable relative to each other, and the second surface and the fourth surface face each other when the first housing and the second housing are folded toward each other;
a first conductive element disposed within the first housing and between the second surface and the display;
a wireless communication circuit electrically connected to the first conductive element; and
an intermediate conductive plate disposed within the second housing,
wherein the intermediate conductive plate includes an opening that faces the first conductive element when the first housing and the second housing are in a folded configuration, and the opening of the intermediate conductive plate is electrically coupleable to the first conductive element when the first housing and the second housing are in the folded configuration.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second conductive element formed on one of the first housing and the second housing, wherein the second conductive element surrounds the first conductive element when the first housing and the second housing are in the folded configuration.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a third conductive element formed on one of the first housing and the second housing, wherein the third conductive element surrounds the first conductive element when the first housing and the second housing are in the folded configuration.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the opening is disposed such that at least a part of the first conductive element overlaps an interior of the first conductive element when the first housing and the second housing are in the folded configuration.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a radiation efficiency of the first conductive element is determined based on one of a size or shape of the opening of the intermediate conductive plate and a permittivity of a dielectric material interposed between the first housing and the second housing when the first housing and the second housing are in the folded configuration.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a rear cover of the electronic device is disposed on the second surface of the first housing, and a second conductive element is disposed on the rear cover corresponding to a position of the first conductive element.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the second conductive element is electrically coupled to the first conductive element without making contact with the first conductive element.

8. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the second conductive element is disposed on one of an inner or outer surface of the rear cover and inside the rear cover.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein when the second conductive element is disposed on the inner or outer surface of the rear cover, the second conductive element comprises one of a metal plate, a flexible printed circuit, and a conductive paint.

10. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein when the second conductive element is disposed inside the rear cover, the second conductive element comprises a metal plate that is insert-molded into the rear cover, which is made of a synthetic resin.

11. An electronic device comprising:
a first body comprising a first housing;
a second body rotatable relative to the first body and comprising a second housing made of metal;
a first antenna radiator disposed on the first housing; and
an opening provided on the second housing,
wherein the opening overlaps at least a part of the first antenna radiator when the first body and the second body are in a folded configuration, and
wherein the opening provided on the second housing is electrically coupleable to the first antenna radiator when the first body and the second body are in the folded configuration.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the opening provided on the second housing is electrically coupleable to the first antenna radiator when the first body and the second body are in the folded configuration.

13. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein at least a part of the first antenna radiator is disposed within the opening when the first body and the second body are in the folded configuration.

14. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein a radiation efficiency of the first antenna radiator is determined based on one of a size or shape of the opening and a permittivity of a dielectric material interposed between the first body and the second body when the first body and the second body are in the folded configuration.

15. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein a second antenna radiator is disposed to overlap at least a part of the first antenna radiator in the first body.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the second antenna radiator is electrically coupled to the first antenna radiator without making contact with the first antenna radiator.

17. An electronic device comprising:
a first body comprising a first housing;
a second body rotatable relative to the first body and comprising a second housing;
a first antenna radiator disposed on the first housing;
a second antenna radiator overlapping at least a part of the first antenna radiator in the first body; and
an opening provided on the second housing,
wherein the opening overlaps at least a part of the first antenna radiator when the first body and the second body are in a folded configuration, and
wherein the opening is configured to electrically couple to the first antenna radiator when the first body and the second body are in the folded configuration.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the second antenna radiator is disposed on one of an inner or outer surface of a rear cover coupled to the first housing and on an inside of the rear cover.

19. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the second antenna radiator is electrically coupled to the first antenna radiator.

20. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the opening overlaps the first antenna radiator when the first body and the second body are in the folded configuration.

21. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the opening overlaps the first antenna radiator when the first body and the second body are in the folded configuration.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Jaehyung
• Lim Jae-Ho
• Kim Hosaeng
• Moon Jesun
• Hong Sungyeul
• Lee Kyung-Jong
• Bang Jinkyu
• Lee Hanbin
• Ko Kyung-Bae
• Kim Donghwan
• Kim Taegyu
• Chun Jae-Bong

Classifications

• H01Q1/243

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• H04M1/0216 Primary

  Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge · CPC title

• H01Q1/42

  Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome · CPC title

• H04M1/026

  Details of the structure or mounting of specific components · CPC title

• H04M1/0266

  for a display module assembly · CPC title