Antenna window and antenna pattern for electronic devices and methods of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9209513-B2
Application number	US-201313973939-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2013
Priority date	Jun 7, 2013
Publication date	Dec 8, 2015
Grant date	Dec 8, 2015

Abstract

A housing for an electronic device, including an aluminum layer enclosing a volume that includes a radio-frequency (RF) antenna is provided. The housing includes a window aligned with the RF antenna; the window including a non-conductive material filling a cavity in the aluminum layer; and a thin aluminum oxide layer adjacent to the aluminum layer and to the non-conductive material; wherein the non-conductive material and the thin aluminum oxide layer form an RF-transparent path through the window. A housing for an electronic device including an integrated RF-antenna is also provided. A method of manufacturing a housing for an electronic device as described above is provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A housing for an electronic device, comprising:
an aluminum layer enclosing a volume that includes a radio-frequency (RF) antenna, the aluminum layer having a window aligned with the RF antenna, the window comprising:
a non-conductive material filling a gap in the aluminum layer; and
a thin aluminum oxide layer adjacent to the aluminum layer and to the non-conductive material, wherein the non-conductive material and the thin aluminum oxide layer form a RF-transparent path to allow transmission of substantially all RF radiation through the window.

2. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the non-conductive material comprises aluminum oxide.

3. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the non-conductive material comprises one of the group consisting of a plastic, a thermosetting polymer, a ceramic material, and a glass.

4. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the RF antenna extends around a display cover, the display cover positioned within a portion of the housing.

5. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the RF antenna is positioned within the RF transparent path.

6. The housing of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the aluminum layer is anodized to form an aluminum oxide layer.

7. The housing of claim 6 , wherein the aluminum oxide layer is less than 50 microns.

8. The housing of claim 7 , wherein the aluminum layer includes a plurality of perforations that are at least partially filled by another material.

9. A housing for an electronic device, comprising:
an aluminum layer enclosing a plurality of electronic circuits;
an oxide layer on an exterior surface of the aluminum layer; and
one or more radio-frequency (RF) antennas, wherein each of the one or more RF antennas comprises:
an electrically conductive path including a first segment and a second segment, wherein at least one of the first segment and the second segment is part of the aluminum layer;
a non-conductive material adjacent to the conductive path, the non-conductive material electrically insulating the first segment of the electrically conductive path from the second segment of the electrically conductive path; and
an RF-transparent layer adjacent to the aluminum layer and to the electrically conductive path.

10. The housing of claim 9 , wherein the non-conductive material comprises aluminum oxide.

11. The housing of claim 9 , wherein the non-conductive material comprises one of the group consisting of a plastic, a thermosetting polymer, a ceramic material, and a glass.

12. The housing of claim 9 , wherein the one or more RF antennas extends around a display cover, the display cover positioned within a portion of the housing.

13. The housing of claim 9 , wherein the electrically conductive path is positioned within the non-conductive material.

14. The housing of claim 9 , wherein a portion of the aluminum layer is anodized to form an aluminum oxide layer.

15. The housing of claim 14 , wherein the aluminum oxide layer is less than 50 microns.

16. The housing of claim 15 , wherein the aluminum layer includes a plurality of perforations that are at least partially filled by another material.

17. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the aluminum oxide layer covers both an outer surface of the aluminum layer and an outer surface of the non-conductive material.

18. The housing of claim 14 , wherein the aluminum oxide layer comprises a continuous layer across the aluminum layer and the non-conductive material.

19. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the gap in the aluminum layer extends through the entire thickness of the aluminum layer.

20. The housing of claim 8 , wherein one or more of the plurality of perforations provides an RF transparent path for the RF antenna.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Ely Colin M
• Prest Christopher D
• Browning Lucy E
• Lynch Stephen B
• Laakmann Eric S
• Nangeroni Paul L

Classifications

• C23C14/5853

  Oxidation · CPC title

• H01Q1/24

  with receiving set · CPC title

• H01Q1/243 Primary

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• C23C16/06

  characterised by the deposition of metallic material · CPC title

• C23C28/345

  with at least one oxide layer · CPC title