Electronic Device Antennas With Laser-Activated Plastic and Foam Carriers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016294045-A1
Application number	US-201514676424-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 1, 2015
Priority date	Apr 1, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device may be provided with wireless circuitry that includes antennas. An antenna may be formed from metal traces on a dielectric antenna carrier. The antenna carrier may be formed by molding a layer of plastic onto the surface of a foam member. The foam member may have a low dielectric constant to enhance antenna performance and may be formed from a stiff closed cell plastic foam material. Heat and pressure may be used to attach the layer of plastic to the surface of the foam member without adhesive. A laser may be used to selectively expose portions of the plastic layer to laser light. The plastic layer may include additives that sensitize the plastic layer to light exposure. Electroplated metal traces for the antenna may be formed on the exposed portions of the plastic layer while leaving other portions of the plastic layer uncovered with metal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An antenna, comprising:
a foam member; a layer of plastic attached to the foam member; and a metal trace on a laser-activated area of the layer of plastic.

2 . The antenna defined in claim 1 wherein the layer of plastic is laminated to the foam member without adhesive.

3 . The antenna defined in claim 2 wherein the layer of plastic has a thickness of less than 0.5 mm.

4 . The antenna defined in claim 3 wherein the foam member comprises a closed cell acrylic foam.

5 . The antenna defined in claim 4 wherein the foam member has a dielectric constant of less than 1.25.

6 . The antenna defined in claim 5 wherein the metal trace includes a resonating element and an antenna ground.

7 . The antenna defined in claim 1 wherein the foam member is a hollow foam member.

8 . The antenna defined in claim 1 wherein a portion of the foam member is uncovered by the plastic layer.

9 . The antenna defined in claim 8 wherein the foam member has a plurality of recesses and wherein the metal trace extends over the recesses.

10 . The antenna defined in claim 1 wherein the foam member has at least one curved surface.

11 . An electronic device, comprising:
radio-frequency transceiver circuitry; an antenna formed from an electroplated metal trace on a laser-activated area on a plastic layer that is attached to a foam member without adhesive; and a transmission line coupled between the radio-frequency transceiver circuitry and the antenna.

12 . The electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the foam member has a first portion that serves as a support for the antenna and has a second portion that extends from the first portion and forms part of the transmission line.

13 . The electronic device defined in claim 11 further comprising solder that attaches a metal structure in the transmission line to the electroplated metal trace.

14 . The electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the plastic layer covers part of the foam member and leaves part of the foam member uncovered by the plastic layer.

15 . The electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the plastic layer has a thickness of less than 0.5 mm and wherein the foam member has a dielectric constant of less than 1.2.

16 . A method of forming an antenna, comprising:
molding a plastic layer to a foam structure using heat and pressure; selectively exposing an area of the plastic layer to laser light; electroplating metal traces onto the area of the plastic layer that has been exposed to the laser light to form an antenna resonating element for the antenna.

17 . The method defined in claim 16 further comprising soldering a transmission line to the metal traces.

18 . The method defined in claim 16 wherein molding the plastic layer comprises molding a plastic layer with a thickness of less than 1 mm onto the foam structure without using adhesive.

19 . The method defined in claim 18 wherein molding the plastic layer to the foam structure comprises applying heat and pressure to the plastic layer and the foam structure that forms at least one curved portion of the plastic layer on at least one curved portion of the foam structure.

20 . The method defined in claim 18 wherein molding the plastic layer comprises molding the plastic layer onto opposing upper and lower surfaces of the foam structure.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Shiu Boon W
• Chen Chun-Lung
• Irci Erdinc

Classifications

• H01Q9/42

  with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength · CPC title

• H01Q1/243

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• H01Q1/38 Primary

  formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support {(patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface  H01Q15/142)} · CPC title