Antenna module and electronic device including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11955699-B2
Application number	US-202217568128-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2022
Priority date	Jan 4, 2021
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a housing including a side member, a support member, a display, an antenna module including one or more patch antennas, a printed circuit board (PCB), a wireless communication circuit disposed on the PCB, a first conductive member, a first connector, a second connector, and a protrusion extending from the first end of the first conductive member toward an interior of the housing, and electrically connected to the first conductive member. The antenna module is disposed at locations corresponding to a first opening defined by the first conductive member, the support member, the first connector, and the second connector, and a second opening defined by the first conductive member, the support member, the first connector, and the protrusion, and the wireless communication circuit is electrically connected to the protrusion and the antenna module.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing comprising a first plate facing a first direction, a second plate facing a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, and a side member surrounding a space between the first plate and the second plate and connecting one side of the first plate and one side of the second plate;
a support member disposed in the space between the first plate and the second plate;
a display disposed on a first surface of the support member and exposed through at least a portion of the first plate;
an antenna module disposed on a second surface facing a direction that is opposite to the first surface of the support member and comprising one or more patch antennas;
a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed on the second surface of the support member;
a wireless communication circuit disposed on the PCB;
a first conductive member included in the side member, and extending from a first end to a second end toward a third direction;
a first connector protruding from one point between the first end and the second end of the first conductive member toward an interior of the housing, and physically connected to the support member;
a second connector extending from the second end of the first conductive member toward an interior of the housing, and physically connected to the support member; and
a protrusion extending from the first end of the first conductive member toward an interior of the housing, and electrically connected to the first conductive member,
wherein the antenna module is disposed at locations corresponding to a first opening defined by the first conductive member, the support member, the first connector, and the second connector, and a second opening defined by the first conductive member, the support member, the first connector, and the protrusion, and
wherein the wireless communication circuit is electrically connected to the protrusion and the antenna module.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second conductive member; and
a third conductive member,
wherein the second conductive member is spaced apart from the first conductive member by a first division part formed in an area that is adjacent to the first end of the first conductive member,
wherein the third conductive member is spaced apart from the first conductive member by a second division part formed in an area that is adjacent to the second end of the first conductive member, and
wherein the first conductive member, the second conductive member, and the third conductive member correspond to a portion of the housing that defines an external appearance of the electronic device.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein when viewed from the second surface, the second opening, a third opening defined by the support member and the protrusion along an outskirt of the protrusion, and the first division part are one opening that is connected.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 ,
wherein when viewed from the second surface, a distance from the first division part to one end of the second opening corresponds to 22 mm to 23 mm, and
wherein a distance from the one point of the first conductive member to one end of the protrusion corresponds to 8 mm to 9 mm.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more patch antennas included in the antenna module are disposed to face a direction that is opposite to a direction that faces an interior of the housing.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication circuit is configured to radiate a frequency signal of a specific band in a direction, which the first surface faces, through the first opening and the second opening by using the antenna module.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one conductive elastic body physically coupled to the PCB and the protrusion,
wherein the wireless communication circuit is electrically connected to the protrusion through the at least one conductive elastic body to supply electric power.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 ,
wherein the at least one conductive elastic body comprises at least one of a C-clip or a pogo pin, and
wherein the antenna module transmits and receives a millimeter wave (mmWave) signal.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a nonconductive material filled in at least one area of the first opening or the second opening.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the one or more patch antennas comprises at least two patch antennas, and
wherein one end of the first connector, which is connected to the support member, when viewed from the second surface, corresponds to one point between two adjacent ones of the at least two patch antennas.

11. An electronic device comprising:
a housing comprising a first plate facing a first direction, a second plate facing a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, and a side member surrounding a space between the first plate and the second plate and connecting one side of the first plate and one side of the second plate;
a support member disposed in the space between the first plate and the second plate;
a display disposed on a first surface of the support member and exposed through at least a portion of the first plate;
an antenna module disposed on a second surface facing a direction that is opposite to the first surface of the support member and comprising one or more patch antennas;
a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed on the second surface of the support member;
a wireless communication circuit disposed on the PCB;
a first conductive member included in the side member, and extending from a first end to a second end toward a third direction;
a second conductive member included in the side member, and physically spaced apart from the first conductive member by a first division part;
a first connector protruding from one point between the first end and the second end of the first conductive member toward an interior of the housing, and physically connected to the support member;
a second connector protruding from the second end of the first conductive member toward an interior of the housing, and physically connected to the support member; and
a protrusion protruding from one point spaced apart from a first end of the second conductive member, which is adjacent to the first division part, by a distance in a fourth direction that is a direction that is opposite to the third direction, toward an interior of the housing, and electrically connected to the second conductive member,
wherein the antenna module is disposed at a location corresponding to at least one of a first opening defined by the first conductive member, the support member, the first connector and the second connector, or a second opening defined by the first conductive member, the second conductive member, the first connector, the support member and the protrusion, and
wherein the wireless communication circuit is electrically connected to the protrusion and the antenna module.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , further comprising:
a third conductive member,
wherein the third conductive member is physically spaced apart from the first conductive member by a second division part formed in an area that is adjacent to the second end of the first conductive member, and
wherein the first conductive member, the second conductive member, and the third conductive member correspond to a portion of the housing that defines an external appearance of the electronic device.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein when viewed from the second surfac

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Seo Mincheol
• Shin Donghun
• Lee Minkyung
• Kim Jiho
• Lee Sunghyup
• Jang Kyihyun
• Cho Huiwon

Classifications

• H01Q1/243 Primary

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• H01Q9/0407

  Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna (dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40) · CPC title

• H01Q21/08

  the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path {(waveguide fed H01Q21/0037)} · CPC title

• H04M1/026

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

• H01Q1/46

  Electric supply lines or communication lines · CPC title