Electronic device housing having a radio-frequency transmissive component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023421196-A1
Application number	US-202318367072-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 12, 2023
Priority date	Sep 16, 2020
Publication date	Dec 28, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device component including a thermoset composite material is described herein. The electronic device component may be a structural component of the housing and define an exterior surface of the housing. The electronic device component may also be transparent to radio-frequency signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device comprising:
a housing comprising:
a first housing component formed from a first metal material and defining a first portion of an exterior surface of the housing,
a second housing component formed from a second metal material and defining a second portion of the exterior surface of the housing; and
a dielectric component positioned between and bonded to the first and the second housing components, the dielectric component including a thermoset composite material comprising an epoxy matrix and nano-sized oxide particles dispersed within the epoxy matrix.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the nano-sized oxide particles comprise silica particles; and the thermoset composite material has an ultimate tensile strength from 30 MPa to 50 MPa and an elongation from 10% to 15%.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein:
the first portion of the exterior surface of the housing defines a first portion of a side surface of the electronic device; the second portion of the exterior surface of the housing defines a second portion of the side surface of the electronic device; the dielectric component defines a third portion of the side surface of the electronic device; and the electronic device further comprises:
a cover defining a front surface of the housing; and
a display positioned below the cover.

4 . The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein:
the electronic device further comprises wireless transmission circuitry that is operably coupled to the first housing component; the dielectric component electrically isolates the first housing component from the second housing component; and the first housing component is configured to operate as an antenna.

5 . The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein:
the electronic device further comprises wireless transmission circuitry and an antenna operably coupled to the wireless transmission circuitry; the dielectric component is positioned over the antenna; and the dielectric component defines an RF-transmissive window for the antenna.

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first housing component defines a first surface extending inward from the first portion of the exterior surface and comprises a first anodization layer defining a first set of nano-sized pores along the first surface; the second housing component defines a second surface opposite to and facing the first surface and comprises a second anodization layer defining a second set of nano-sized pores along the second surface; and the dielectric component extends at least partially into the first set of nano-sized pores and the second set of nano-sized pores.

7 . The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein:
the first housing component comprises a third anodization layer, different from the first anodization layer, defining the first portion of the exterior surface of the housing; and the second housing component comprises a fourth anodization layer, different from the second anodization layer, defining the second portion of the exterior surface of the housing.

8 . An electronic device comprising:
a radio-frequency (RF) component; and an enclosure at least partially surrounding the RF component and comprising:
a housing formed from a metal material and defining:
an exterior surface;
a first surface extending inward from a first portion of the exterior surface, and
a second surface facing the first surface and extending inward from a second portion of the exterior surface; and

a window formed from an RF-transmissive material, positioned over the RF component, and adhered to the first and the second surfaces, the RF-transmissive material including a thermoset composite material comprising nano-sized silica particles dispersed within a thermoset matrix.

9 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the thermoset composite material has:
a hardness from 70 to 95 on a Shore D hardness scale; and an impact strength from 50 J/m to 90 J/m.

10 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the thermoset composite material has a dielectric constant from 2 to 4 as measured at a frequency of 2.5 GHz.

11 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein:
the window defines a third portion of the exterior surface; and the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion of the exterior surface define a curved region of the exterior surface.

12 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the RF component is part of a wireless communication system.

13 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the RF component is a wireless receiver component of a wireless charging system.

14 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein:
the thermoset composite material is a first thermoset composite material; the thermoset matrix is a first thermoset matrix; the first thermoset composite material defines a third portion of the exterior surface of the housing; and the window further comprises a second thermoset composite material comprising fibers dispersed within a second thermoset matrix.

15 . An electronic device comprising:
a housing comprising:
a housing component formed from a metal material, having a textured wall, and defining a first portion of an exterior surface of the housing; and
a structural component bonded to the textured wall and defining a second portion of the exterior surface, the structural component formed from a thermoset composite material comprising:
a cross-linked epoxy material; and
nano-sized oxide particles dispersed within the cross-linked epoxy material.

16 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the structural component has a glass transition temperature from 65° C. to 85° C. and an elongation from 10% to 15%.

17 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein:
the nano-sized oxide particles include nano-sized silica particles having an average diameter from 10 nm to 30 nm; and the thermoset composite material comprises from 10 wt % to 50 wt % of the nano-sized silica particles.

18 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein a bond strength between the textured wall and the thermoset composite material is greater than 20 MPa as measured by a lap shear test.

19 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the structural component extends at least partially along an interior surface of the housing component.

20 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein:
the electronic device further comprises a wireless receiver component positioned interior to the structural component; and the textured wall defines an opening in the housing and the structural component forms a window for the wireless receiver component.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Bloom Daniel R
• Wojeski Chelsea E
• Siahaan Edward
• Morris Nathan
• Haley Ryan S
• Li tian shi
• Ristoski Toni

Classifications

• H01Q1/44

  using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna {, e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspect}(H01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q1/22

  by structural association with other equipment or articles · CPC title

• H05K5/04

  Metal casings · CPC title

• H05K5/0247 Primary

  Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring · CPC title

• H04B1/3827 Primary

  Portable transceivers · CPC title