Multi-antenna mobile printers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12415367-B2
Application number	US-202318231699-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2023
Priority date	Aug 8, 2023
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

A printer includes: a housing with walls enclosing a compartment, and defining an adjacent media supply chamber; a cover coupled to an end of the housing beside the media supply chamber, movable between open and closed positions to expose or enclose the media supply chamber; a print head to apply indicia to media from the media supply chamber, and cooperate with the cover to form an outlet at a front wall of the housing for dispensing the media; a frame within the compartment, defining a first mounting surface beside and oriented towards a second end of the housing, a second mounting surface with a portion orthogonal to the first mounting surface and oriented towards a side of the housing, and a third mounting surface oriented towards the front wall; and first, second, and third antennas disposed on the first, second, and third mounting surfaces respectively.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A media processing device, comprising:
a housing having a plurality of walls enclosing a compartment, and defining a media supply chamber adjacent to the compartment;
a cover movably coupled to a first end of the housing adjacent to the media supply chamber, the cover movable between a closed position to enclose the media supply chamber, and an open position to expose the media supply chamber;
a print head configured to (i) apply indicia to media from the media supply chamber, and (ii) cooperate with the cover to form an outlet at a front wall of the housing for dispensing the media;
a frame supported by the housing within the compartment, the frame defining (i) a first mounting surface adjacent to a second end of the housing opposite the first end, the first mounting surface oriented towards the second end, (ii) a second mounting surface, a portion of the second mounting surface orthogonal to the first mounting surface and oriented towards a side of the housing, and (iii) a third mounting surface oriented towards the front wall of the housing;
a first antenna disposed on the first mounting surface;
a second antenna disposed on the second mounting surface, controllable with the first antenna to implement a first communications standard; and
a third antenna disposed on the third mounting surface, and controllable to implement a second communications standard.

2. The media processing device of claim 1 , wherein the front wall defines an opening therethrough;
wherein the media processing device further comprises a display panel supported in the opening; and
wherein the third mounting surface faces a portion of the front wall distinct from the opening.

3. The media processing device of claim 1 , further comprising a printed circuit board supported by the frame, the printed circuit board carrying at least one communications controller for controlling the first, second, and third antennas;
wherein the third mounting surface is between the printed circuit board and the front wall.

4. The media processing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a control input supported by the housing at the first end;
wherein the first mounting surface is oriented towards the control input.

5. The media processing device of claim 1 , wherein a further portion of the second mounting surface is substantially coplanar with the first mounting surface; and
wherein a radiative segment of the second antenna is disposed on the portion of the second mounting surface, and a feed segment of the second antenna is disposed on the further portion of the second mounting surface.

6. The media processing device of claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a battery well extending into the compartment from a back wall of the housing opposite the front wall; and
wherein the third mounting surface is oriented away from the battery well.

7. A media processing device, comprising:
a housing having a plurality of walls enclosing a compartment, and defining a media supply chamber adjacent to the compartment;
a cover movably coupled to a first end of the housing adjacent to the media supply chamber, the cover movable between a closed position to enclose the media supply chamber, and an open position to expose the media supply chamber;
a print head configured to (i) apply indicia to media from the media supply chamber, and (ii) cooperate with the cover to form an outlet at a front wall of the housing opposite the back wall, for dispensing the media;
a frame supported by the housing within the compartment, the frame defining a first mounting surface adjacent to a second end of the housing opposite the first end, the first mounting surface oriented towards the second end;
a plurality of secondary walls defining a battery well extending into the compartment from a back wall of the housing, the secondary walls defining (i) a second mounting surface within the compartment, orthogonal to the first mounting surface and oriented towards a side of the housing, and (ii) a third mounting surface within the compartment having a portion oriented towards the side of the housing;
a first antenna disposed on the first mounting surface;
a second antenna disposed on the second mounting surface, controllable with the first antenna to implement a first communications standard; and
a third antenna disposed on the third mounting surface, and controllable to implement a second communications standard.

8. The media processing device of claim 7 , wherein the portion of the third mounting surface and the second mounting surface are defined on a side wall of the secondary walls, the side wall facing the side of the housing;
wherein a further portion of the third mounting surface wraps onto an end wall of the secondary walls; and
wherein a radiative segment of the third antenna is disposed on the portion of the third mounting surface, and a feed segment of the third antenna is disposed on the further portion of the third mounting surface.

9. The media processing device of claim 8 , wherein the end wall of the secondary walls is oriented towards the media supply chamber.

10. The media processing device of claim 7 , further comprising:
a control input supported by the housing at the first end;
wherein the first mounting surface is oriented towards the control input.

11. A media processing device, comprising:
a housing having a plurality of walls enclosing a compartment, and defining a media supply chamber adjacent to the compartment;
a first side wall of the housing having an inner surface within the compartment defining a first mounting surface;
a first antenna disposed on the first mounting surface of the side wall, the first antenna controllable to implement a first communications standard;
a cover movably coupled to a first end of the housing adjacent to the media supply chamber, the cover movable between a closed position to enclose the media supply chamber, and an open position to expose the media supply chamber;
a print head configured to (i) apply indicia to media from the media supply chamber, and (ii) cooperate with the cover to form an outlet at a front wall of the housing opposite the back wall, for dispensing the media;
a frame supported by the housing within the compartment, the frame defining a second mounting surface adjacent to a second end of the housing opposite the first end, the second mounting surface oriented towards the second end;
a second antenna disposed on the second mounting surface;
an internal wall disposed within the compartment, the internal wall defining a third mounting surface adjacent to a second side wall of the housing, opposite the first side wall, and facing towards the second side wall; and
a third antenna disposed on the third mounting surface, controllable with the second antenna to implement a second communications standard.

12. The media processing device of claim 11 , wherein the first communications standard is a wireless personal area network standard; and
wherein the second communications standard is a wireless local area network standard.

13. The media processing device of claim 11 , further comprising:
a control input supported by the housing at the first end;
wherein the first mounting surface is oriented towards the control input.

14. The media processing device of claim 11 , wherein the first mounting surface is substantially parallel to the second mounting surface.

15. The media processing device of claim 11 , further comprising a battery well extending into the compartment; wherein the internal wall forms a portion of the battery well.

Assignees

• Zebra Tech Corp

Inventors

• Lyman Roy P
• Carello Stephen A
• Calabresi Francis Joseph

Classifications

• H01Q23/00

  Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them · CPC title

• H01Q1/2258

  used with computer equipment · CPC title

• H05K5/0018

  having an electronic display · CPC title

• H01Q1/125

  Means for positioning · CPC title

• H01Q1/2291

  used in Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi® devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] (H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W) · CPC title