Antenna, shielding and grounding

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10658744-B2
Application number	US-201615263022-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2016
Priority date	Jan 31, 2011
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

A portable computing device is disclosed. The portable computing device can take many forms such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and no on. The portable computing device can include a single piece housing formed from a radio opaque material with a cover formed from a radio transparent material. To implement a wireless interface, an antenna stack-up can be provided that allows an antenna to be mounted to a bottom of the cover. Methods and apparatus are provided for improving wireless performance. For instance, in one embodiment, a metal housing can be thinned to improve antenna performance. As another example, a faraday cage can be formed around speaker drivers to improve antenna performance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable computing device, comprising:
a unibody housing formed from a metal material and defining a sidewall and speaker holes extending through the sidewall;
a cover glass coupled to the unibody housing to define an interior cavity;
a display coupled to the cover glass;
a speaker disposed in the interior cavity adjacent to the speaker holes extending through the sidewall, the speaker having an electromagnetic coil and a magnet;
an antenna attached to a lower surface of the cover glass, at least a portion of the antenna positioned over the speaker; and
a metal enclosure at least partially surrounding the speaker and configured to reduce electrical interference between the antenna and the electromagnetic coil, the metal enclosure including a grounding tab that is secured to an inner surface of the unibody housing.

2. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the metal enclosure is electrically grounded to the unibody housing through the grounding tab.

3. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the metal enclosure at least partially surrounds the electromagnetic coil.

4. The portable computing device of claim 3 , wherein:
the electromagnetic coil is one of multiple electromagnetic coils; and
the metal enclosure at least partially surrounds the multiple electromagnetic coils.

5. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the metal enclosure at least partially fills a gap between the speaker and the antenna.

6. The portable computing device of claim 1 , further comprising a nonconductive element positioned between the metal enclosure and the antenna.

7. The portable computing device of claim 6 , wherein the non conductive element prevents or reduces a resonance between the metal enclosure and the antenna.

8. A portable electronic device, comprising:
a body formed of a single piece of metal that defines a set of sidewalls and speaker holes extending through a sidewall of the set of sidewalls, the set of sidewalls surrounding an opening;
a transparent cover coupled to the body and positioned over the opening;
a display coupled to the transparent cover;
an antenna positioned below and coupled to the transparent cover;
a speaker disposed below the antenna and proximate to the speaker holes defined in the sidewall, the speaker having a magnet and a coil;
a metal enclosure at least partially surrounding the speaker and having a portion that is positioned between the speaker and the antenna, the metal enclosure configured to mitigate electromagnetic interference between the antenna and the magnet and the coil of the speaker; and
a grounding tab electrically coupling the metal enclosure to the body.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein:
the transparent cover defines an interior surface; and
the antenna is coupled to the interior surface of the transparent cover by an adhesive layer.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein:
the transparent cover defines an interior surface;
an ink layer is disposed along the interior surface; and
the ink layer is positioned between the antenna and the transparent cover.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the metal enclosure reduces electromagnetic interference to the antenna caused by another component within the portable electronic device.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the speaker is electrically grounded to the body.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the antenna is coupled to a surface of the transparent cover by an adhesive.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the antenna is positioned along a periphery of the transparent cover.

15. A portable media player device, comprising:
a unitary body formed of metal and having a set of sidewalls at least partially defining a cavity, a sidewall of the set of sidewalls defining speaker holes;
a transparent cover coupled to the unitary body;
a display coupled to the transparent cover;
an antenna coupled to the transparent cover along a surface facing the unitary body;
a speaker positioned below the antenna and proximate to the speaker holes, the speaker configured to provide an audio output through the speaker holes; and
a metal enclosure at least partially surrounding the speaker, the metal enclosure having a grounding tab that is coupled to the unitary body and having a portion that is positioned between the speaker and the antenna thereby reducing electrical interference between the speaker and the antenna.

16. The portable media player device of claim 15 , wherein a nonconductive material is positioned between the metal enclosure and the antenna.

17. The portable media player device of claim 15 , wherein the metal enclosure defines a faraday cage that at least partially surrounds the speaker.

18. The portable media player device of claim 15 , wherein the metal enclosure comprises a metal sheet that is formed to at least partially surround the speaker.

19. The portable media player device of claim 15 , wherein the metal enclosure attaches the speaker to the sidewall of the unitary body.

20. The portable media player device of claim 15 , wherein the metal enclosure is electrically grounded to the metal of the unitary body through the grounding tab.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Uttermann Erik A
• Franklin Jeremy C
• Mcclure Stephen C
• Corbin Sean S
• Li Qingxiang
• Gomez Angulo Rodney A

Classifications

• H01Q1/243

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• H01Q1/2266

  disposed inside the computer · CPC title

• H01Q1/526

  Electromagnetic shields · CPC title

• H01Q1/52 Primary

  Means for reducing coupling between antennas; Means for reducing coupling between an antenna and another structure (absorbing means H01Q17/00) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49016

  Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making · CPC title