Antenna structures with molded and coated substrates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9937526-B2
Application number	US-201113250784-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2011
Priority date	Sep 30, 2011
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

Electronic devices may be provided with antenna structures. The antenna structures may be used in wirelessly transmitting and receiving radio-frequency signals. Antenna structures may be formed from molded dielectric substrates. Patterned conductive material may be formed on the dielectric substrates. The dielectric substrates may be formed from molded materials such as glass or ceramic. Sheets of dielectric or dielectric powder may be compressed to form a dielectric substrate of a desired shape. The patterned conductive material may be formed from metallic paint or other conductors. A hollow antenna chamber may be formed by joining molded dielectric structures. An antenna such as an indirectly-fed loop antenna or other antennas may be formed from the molded dielectric substrates and patterned conductors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
molding a first dielectric structure in heated molding equipment;
molding a second dielectric structure in heated molding equipment, wherein the first and second dielectric structures comprise dielectric material selected from the group consisting of glass and ceramic;
applying a patterned conductive layer to the molded first and second dielectric structures to form a first loop antenna structure and a second loop antenna structure, wherein the first and second loop antenna structures form an indirectly-fed loop antenna, wherein applying the patterned conductive layer to the molded first and second dielectric structures to form the first loop antenna structure and the second loop antenna structure comprises:
applying the patterned conductive layer to the molded first and second dielectric structures to form a loop antenna and a loop-shaped feeding conductor that is configured to indirectly feed the loop antenna;

attaching the molded first dielectric structure to the molded second dielectric structure using conductive material to form a carrier for the indirectly-fed loop antenna.

2. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein the loop antenna is formed along at least three sides of the carrier.

3. The method defined in claim 2 , wherein the loop-shaped feeding conductor is formed along at least two sides of the carrier.

Assignees

• Shiu Boon W
• Bevelacqua Peter
• Zhu Jiang
• Guterman Jerzy
• Schlub Robert W
• Caballero Ruben
• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Shiu Boon W
• Bevelacqua Peter
• Zhu Jiang
• Guterman Jerzy
• Schlub Robert W
• Caballero Ruben

Classifications

• H01Q1/243

  with built-in antennas · CPC title

• C25D5/02

  Electroplating of selected surface areas · CPC title

• B05D5/12 Primary

  to obtain a coating with specific electrical properties · CPC title

• C25D7/00 Primary

  Electroplating characterised by the article coated · CPC title

• H01Q1/38

  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