Laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent

Abstract

A laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent comprises a first metal casing, a second metal casing and a heat dissipation frame. The second metal casing uses a first metal hinge and a second metal hinge to connect the first metal casing, for forming a metal closed-slot. The heat dissipation frame being a non-conductor is disposed at the second metal casing and located in the metal closed-slot. The heat dissipation frame has a main antenna excitor pattern and an auxiliary antenna excitor pattern, wherein the main antenna excitor pattern and the auxiliary antenna are laser engraved on the heat dissipation frame. Thus, the degree of integration of components of heat dissipation vent and antenna can be improved.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an antenna module, and more particularly to a laptop antenna with an integrated heat dissipation port. [Previous Technology]

[0002] In addition to being small and lightweight, mobile terminal devices also require high performance. Whether for business or consumer use, apart from handheld mobile phones (cell phones) which are limited by their size and cannot achieve the same performance as desktop computers, other types of mobile terminals such as laptops, tablets, and tablets can achieve performance similar to desktop computers.

[0003] However, high performance means higher power consumption, and higher performance means even higher power consumption, resulting in more waste heat generated during the operation of electronic components. To reduce the component temperature rise due to waste heat generated during the operation of electronic devices, active air convection cooling is usually used. In addition to the internal fan, at least one heat dissipation vent is required to exhaust hot air outside the device. Existing heat sink devices usually only integrate for aesthetic purposes and do not have other functions to improve device performance. [Summary of the Invention]

[0004] In order to solve the aforementioned problem of the single function of the heat sink, the present invention provides an antenna disposed at the heat sink, which integrates the antenna that needs to occupy a considerable space and is used as an electromagnetic energy transmission and reception port (or transmission and reception area) into the heat sink, thereby improving the degree of integration of the heat sink and antenna components, and thus having the effect of improving the overall integration degree of the necessary components of the device itself.

[0005] This embodiment of the invention provides a laptop antenna with an integrated heat dissipation vent, including a first metal housing, a second metal housing, and a heat dissipation frame. The second metal housing is connected to the first metal housing via a first metal hinge and a second metal hinge to form a metal closed slot. The heat dissipation frame is non-conductive, disposed within the second metal housing and located within the metal closed slot, and has a main antenna excitation pattern and an auxiliary antenna excitation pattern, wherein both the main antenna excitation pattern and the auxiliary antenna excitation pattern are laser-engraved on the heat dissipation frame.

[0006] In summary, the embodiments of the present invention provide a laptop antenna with an integrated heat dissipation vent. By integrating the antenna into the heat dissipation vent, there is no need to reserve an antenna window, resulting in a smaller antenna footprint and improved component integration. Furthermore, utilizing the large space of the heat dissipation vent can reduce the shielding effect of the device's metal body, improve antenna performance, and has high industrial application value.

[0007] To further understand the features and technical content of the present invention, please refer to the following detailed description and drawings of the present invention. However, these descriptions and drawings are only for illustrating the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0023] Figure 1A is a schematic diagram of the location of the heat dissipation port of the laptop provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 1B is a schematic diagram of a laptop in closed mode provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 is a top view of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation port provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 3 is a front view of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation port provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the left side of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation port provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the right side of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation port provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 6 is a bottom view of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation port provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the back of a laptop antenna with an integrated heat dissipation port provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the top surface of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation port provided in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 9 is a perspective view of the bottom surface of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation port provided in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 10 is a graph of the scattering parameter S11 of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation port provided in the embodiment of the present invention, measured by the main antenna excitation pattern in laptop mode.

[0034] Figure 11 is a graph of the scattering parameter S11 of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation port provided in the embodiment of the present invention, measured by the main antenna excitation pattern in closed mode.

[0035] Figure 12 is a graph of the scattering parameter S11 of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation port provided in the embodiment of the present invention, measured by the auxiliary antenna excitation pattern in laptop mode.

[0036] Figure 13 is a graph of the scattering parameter S11 of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation port provided in the embodiment of the present invention, measured by the auxiliary antenna excitation pattern in closed mode.

Implementation Method

[0008] Please refer to Figures 1A to 9. This embodiment of the invention is used in a notebook computer, hereinafter referred to as a laptop. The upper cover and lower cover of the laptop in this embodiment are a first metal casing and a second metal casing, respectively, making the laptop a metal casing. Regarding the main structure of the laptop, it includes a first metal casing 1 (upper cover) with a screen, a second metal casing 2 (lower cover), a first metal hinge 3, and a second metal hinge 4, both made of metal. The first metal hinge 3 and the second metal hinge 4 in the figures are represented by simplified line drawings, but the invention does not limit the shape of the hinges used. The first metal hinge 3 and the second metal hinge 4 are used to connect the first metal casing 1 and the second metal casing 2 to each other, allowing the first metal casing 1 and the second metal casing 2 to rotate relative to each other. The hinges of the laptop and their operating states are conventional techniques in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0009] Figure 1A is a schematic diagram of the heat dissipation vent location 200 of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The heat dissipation vent is usually located in a place where the user's hands will not touch it during operation, so as not to affect the user experience. For example, it is usually located near the connection between the hinge of the host and the screen, but the present invention is not limited to this. The laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent in the embodiment of the present invention can be used in the laptop mode and the closed mode of the laptop in use. The laptop mode is the mode in which the user normally turns on the laptop and uses the keyboard with both hands, as shown in the open state in Figure 1A. The closed mode is the mode in which the upper cover (first metal shell 1) and the lower cover (second metal shell 2) of the laptop are closed to each other, as shown in Figure 1B. The laptop mode usually allows the user to use the laptop normally, so it usually needs to be able to enable wireless communication. The closed mode can be used to put the laptop into standby mode or simply turn off the screen while keeping the laptop running normally, so the user should also be able to set or choose whether to enable wireless communication.

[0010] The X-axis in Figures 1A and 1B is parallel to the edge of the casing and parallel to the pivot point; the positive Y-axis (+Y) is equivalent to the direction from the heat dissipation vent outward (from the heat dissipation vent away from the casing), which is the direction of heat dissipation airflow output; in addition, the Z-axis is defined according to the XY-axis using the right-hand rule, and the positive Z-axis is exactly above the space when the laptop is placed horizontally. The definition of the XYZ axes in the subsequent figures is the same. Figures 2 to 7 are schematic diagrams of the front, top, left, right, bottom, and back of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vents provided in the embodiments of the present invention, respectively. Each figure has XYZ axes as coordinate axes, which can be compared to the flip direction of the antenna in the figure. Referring to the front of the antenna in Figure 2, the front of the antenna faces outward from the casing, that is, the multiple opening structures shown in Figure 2 can be seen in the laptop appearance schematic diagrams in Figures 1A and 1B. It's important to note that Figure 2 shows a large number of openings, while Figures 1A and 1B are merely simplified representations of multiple openings and do not represent the exact same number and size ratio as Figure 2. Referring to the front of the antenna in Figure 3, the antenna section uses the top surface as the feed line, connecting to the feed point and grounding terminal. The top surface of the antenna is directly attached and secured to the laptop's casing, specifically inside the second metal housing 2 (lower cover). Figure 3 shows the antenna's view from directly above the laptop during disassembly. Typically, the corresponding alignment or locking components have non-metallic parts to prevent conduction with the feed line and excitation pattern (circuit), thus avoiding interference with antenna performance. Figures 4 and 5 show the left and right side views, respectively. Referring to the back of the antenna in Figure 6, the back of the antenna faces inwards towards the casing, and the cooling airflow flows from inside the casing to outside, meaning the cooling airflow flows from the back of the antenna to the front. Figure 7 can be seen as the view from the bottom of the antenna.

[0011] In other words, corresponding to the XYZ axes, the top surface of the antenna faces the positive Z-axis, the bottom surface faces the negative Z-axis, the left side faces the positive X-axis, the right side faces the negative X-axis, the front face faces the positive Y-axis, and the back face faces the negative Y-axis. Figure 2 is a front view of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The front view shown in Figure 2 is the exposed surface of the heat dissipation frame 5 when it is installed in the chassis. Figure 3 shows the two antenna excitation patterns and the corresponding feed lines in the heat dissipation frame 5, which will be explained later. The heat dissipation frame 5 is used to install in a laptop. The antenna placed in the heat dissipation vent in the embodiment of the present invention is particularly suitable for laptops with a metal chassis. The antenna, which serves as a transceiver for electromagnetic wave signals, is integrated into the heat sink (heat dissipation frame 5). Therefore, the antenna design does not require the use of other blocks of the chassis, and the chassis does not need to be specially designed with a non-metallic antenna window (for electromagnetic wave transmission and reception).

[0012] Referring to Figures 2 to 10, Figure 3 is a top view of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a left side view of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent, which corresponds to the left side view of the heat dissipation frame 5. Figure 5 is a right side view of the antenna disposed in the heat dissipation vent, which corresponds to the right side view of the heat dissipation frame 5. Figure 6 is a rear view of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 is a bottom view of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The diagonal lines in Figures 2 to 7 show the shape and area of ​​the laser-engraved metal blocks, including not only the main antenna excitation pattern 6 and the auxiliary antenna excitation pattern 7, but also the grounding blocks. Blocks not specifically marked in the figures are grounded. Figure 8 is a three-dimensional perspective view of the top surface of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent provided in an embodiment of the present invention from an oblique angle. To facilitate the display of the shape of the heat dissipation vent, the antenna module is flipped up and down, which is only for clearer identification of the heat dissipation vent and the antenna excitation pattern. Figure 9 is a perspective view of the bottom surface of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Referring again to Figures 1A and 1B, and in conjunction with Figures 2 to 9 above, the general shape of the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent provided in this embodiment of the present invention should be understood. The laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent in this embodiment of the present invention includes a first metal housing 1, a second metal housing 2, and a heat dissipation frame 5. The second metal housing 2 is connected to the first side 11 of the first metal housing 1 via a first metal pivot 3 and a second metal pivot 4 to form a metal closed-slot MCS, as shown in Figures 1A and 1B. The metal closed-slot MCS is a narrow, elongated slot in the shape of a straight line. The length of the slot is approximately the distance between the first metal pivot 3 and the second metal pivot 4, and the width of the slot is approximately the gap between the first metal housing 1 and the second metal housing 2. The heat dissipation frame 5 is non-conductive, disposed within the second metal housing 2, and located within the metal closed-slot MCS. The actual configuration of the heat sink 5 is as follows: the second metal housing 2 has a mounting position for mounting the heat sink 5, and this mounting position is adjacent to the edge of the metal closed slot MCS. For assembly and functional integrity, a non-conductive component is covered on the heat sink 5. This non-conductive component is fully assembled with the second metal housing 2 to hide most of the heat sink 5 inside the housing, with only multiple heat dissipation openings exposed on the side of the housing. The heat sink 5 has a main antenna excitation pattern 6 and an auxiliary antenna excitation pattern 7, both of which are laser-engraved on the heat sink 5.

[0013] In terms of antenna characteristics, the main antenna excitation pattern 6 and the auxiliary antenna excitation pattern 7 are the exciters of the metal slot-hole MCS. Both the main antenna excitation pattern 6 and the auxiliary antenna excitation pattern 7 are used to excite multiple operating modes of the metal slot-hole MCS; therefore, the antenna of this invention is a slot-hole antenna. Current laptop wireless chips typically have two antenna terminals, namely the main antenna terminal (MAIN) and the auxiliary antenna terminal (AUX). Therefore, these two terminals can be connected to the main antenna excitation pattern 6 and the auxiliary antenna excitation pattern 7 respectively, to provide at least, but not limited to, spatial diversity and multiple-input multiple-output characteristics and functions. The heat sink 5 in Figure 2 has a plurality of openings 50 for allowing heat dissipation airflow.

[0014] Referring to Figure 3, the main antenna excitation pattern 6 has a first feed point 61, which is connected to a first coaxial cable. The auxiliary antenna excitation pattern 7 has a second feed point 71, which is connected to a second coaxial cable. To simplify the diagram, the configuration of the first and second coaxial cables is omitted. The center conductor of the coaxial cable is used to connect the antenna excitation pattern, and the outer conductor of the coaxial cable is grounded, for example, to grounding points A and B. This feed connection method is a conventional technique and will not be elaborated further. That is to say, the first feed point 61 is connected to the center conductor of the first coaxial cable, and the outer conductor of the first coaxial cable is connected to point A. Grounding the connection system is a conventional technique and will not be elaborated further. Moreover, preferably, the grounding design of the main antenna excitation pattern 6 usually has the effects of matching and increasing performance stability, but it is not limited to these and has functional differences depending on the actual situation. The second feed point 71 is connected to the center conductor of the second coaxial cable, and the outer conductor of the second coaxial cable is connected to grounding point B. Grounding the connection system is a conventional technique and will not be elaborated further. Furthermore, the grounding design of the auxiliary antenna excitation pattern 7 typically has effects such as matching and increasing performance stability, but it is not limited to these and varies depending on the actual situation. The aforementioned coaxial cables can all be clipped to the heat sink frame 5 using clips, or even embedded in the grooves on the surface of the heat sink frame 5 to improve the stability of the components, but it is not limited to these.

[0015] Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the heat dissipation frame 5 has a first outer side 51 and a second outer side 52, which are perpendicular to each other. Furthermore, the second outer side 52 is provided with a plurality of first openings 501 for allowing heat dissipation airflow to pass through. Moreover, the main antenna excitation pattern 6 and the auxiliary antenna excitation pattern 7 are both disposed on the first outer side 51, and the aforementioned first coaxial cable and second coaxial cable are also disposed on the first outer side 51. The heat dissipation frame 5 further comprises a first inner side 53 and a second inner side 54, which are L-shaped. The first inner side 53 is parallel to the first outer side 51, and the second inner side 54 is parallel to the second outer side 52. The second inner side 54 has a plurality of second opening ends 502, wherein the plurality of second opening ends 502 and the plurality of first opening ends 501 are used to connect the second inner side 54 and the second outer side 52 to each other. The first inner side 53 is provided with a first ground surface 531, and the second inner side 54 is provided with a second ground surface 541. In this embodiment, the second ground surface 541 is a porous ground surface and corresponds to the shape of the plurality of second opening ends 502.

[0016] Furthermore, the number, size, and shape of the second opening end 502 on the second inner side 54 and the first opening end 501 on the second outer side 52 can be different, as long as the opening 50 can penetrate the second inner side 54 and the second outer side 52, and the number of openings 50 needs to be multiple. For example, as can be seen from Figures 8 and 9, in this embodiment, the first opening end 501 is grouped in pairs to correspond to one second opening end 502. Therefore, it can be seen that the number of opening ends on the second inner side 54 is half the number of opening ends on the second outer side 52, that is, the number of second opening ends 502 is half the number of first opening ends 501, but this is not a limitation. In another embodiment, the number, size, and shape of the openings 50 on the second inner side 54 and the second outer side 52 can also be the same, as long as multiple through holes can be achieved.

[0017] As can be seen from the above, and referring to Figures 2 and 8 together, Figure 2 is a front view. The multiple openings 50 on the front of the heat sink frame 5 (equivalent to the front of the antenna located inside the heat sink) can generally face the open space in the user's usage state, for example, near the hinge connection, and away from the user. That is to say, Figure 2, as the front view of the antenna, is the side away from the user when actually combined with the casing in the laptop user usage mode of Figure 1. Furthermore, Figure 8 is a view from outside the heat sink, but in order to facilitate the identification of the structure of the opening 50, the heat sink frame 5 is placed upside down, but the coordinate axes are consistent with the previous figures. Preferably, the main antenna excitation pattern 6 and the auxiliary antenna excitation pattern 7 can be protected with insulating varnish. The first ground plane 531 is parallel to the main antenna excitation pattern 6 and the auxiliary antenna excitation pattern 7, wherein the main antenna excitation pattern 6 is further connected to the first exposed portion 521, which is located on the second outer side 52; wherein the auxiliary antenna excitation pattern 7 is further connected to the second exposed portion 522, which is located on the second outer side 52, and the second ground plane 541 is parallel to the first exposed portion 521 and the second exposed portion 522. Furthermore, to ensure that the antenna components are not visible on the laptop's exterior, the first exposed portion 521 and the second exposed portion 522 can be painted (and insulated) to match the color of the heat sink frame 5 or the chassis, for visual concealment or color enhancement, but are not limited to this.

[0018] Furthermore, Figure 9 shows the view inside the heat dissipation vent, that is, the back of the heat dissipation frame 5. It can be seen that grounding metal is distributed around the second opening end 502, which is the porous second grounding ground 541. The heat dissipation frame 5 is placed upside down in Figure 9 to facilitate identification of the structure of the opening 50, but the coordinate axes are consistent with the previous figures. The grounding metal around the second opening end 502 can offset the influence of the metal parts inside the housing on the matching degree of antenna excitation, which can improve the stability of antenna performance and make it less susceptible to the influence of other components.

[0019] Regarding the antenna's function, the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vents in this embodiment is used in the frequency band defined by WiFi 6E, namely the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and the so-called 5G sub-6 frequency band. For example, it includes the frequency range of 2.4GHz and 5100MHz-5900MHz, and even includes the frequency range from above 6GHz to 7.125GHz. The above frequency range is the commonly used wireless communication frequency band for laptops. For example, when the size of the metal closed slot MCS is known, the length of this slot is approximately 308 mm (the distance between the first metal pivot 3 and the second metal pivot 4, which is parallel to the X-axis), the width is approximately 15 mm (the gap between the first metal housing 1 and the second metal housing 2), and the height of the plurality of openings 50 is approximately 15 mm (the direction of the height is parallel to the Z-axis and is less than the thickness of the housing). After appropriately adjusting the structure of the main antenna excitation pattern 6, the return loss diagram of the main antenna excitation pattern 6 in laptop mode shown in Figure 10 can be obtained, and Figure 11 shows the return loss diagram of the main antenna excitation pattern 6 in closed mode. Similarly, by appropriately adjusting the structure of the auxiliary antenna excitation pattern 7, the return loss diagram of the auxiliary antenna excitation pattern 7 in laptop mode, as shown in Figure 12, can be obtained. Figure 13 shows the return loss diagram of the auxiliary antenna excitation pattern 7 in closed mode. Regarding antenna efficiency, for example, laptop manufacturers can define that in laptop mode, an efficiency of -4dB to -5dB in the 2.4GHz band is usable, while in bands above 5GHz, an efficiency of -5dB to -6dB is usable. For closed mode operation, an efficiency of -8dB to -9dB in the 2.4GHz band is usable, while in bands above 5GHz, an efficiency of -9dB to -10dB is usable. The defined antenna efficiency specifications typically vary depending on the performance of the wireless chip, power consumption, and communication specifications. The efficiency ranges described above are only for examples available in the market, and those skilled in the art should understand this; therefore, further details are omitted.

[0020] In summary, the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent provided by the embodiments of the present invention integrates the antenna into the heat dissipation vent, eliminating the need for a reserved antenna window, thus achieving a smaller antenna footprint and improving the degree of component integration. Furthermore, utilizing the large space of the heat dissipation vent reduces the shielding effect of the device's metal casing, improving antenna performance. In particular, it is suitable for laptop products with a metal casing and has high industrial application value.

[0021] The above description is only an embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the patent scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A laptop antenna with an integrated heat dissipation vent, comprising: A first metal casing; A second metal housing is connected to a first metal shaft and a second metal shaft to form a metal closed slot hole; A heat sink frame, which is non-conductive, is disposed within the second metal housing and located within the metal closed slot. The heat sink frame has a main antenna excitation pattern and an auxiliary antenna excitation pattern, both of which are laser-engraved on the heat sink frame. The main antenna excitation pattern has a first feed point connected to a first coaxial cable; the auxiliary antenna excitation pattern has a second feed point connected to a second coaxial cable. The heat sink frame has a first outer side and a second outer side, which are perpendicular to each other. The outer side is provided with a plurality of first openings for allowing heat dissipation airflow to pass through; wherein, the heat dissipation frame further has a first inner side and a second inner side, such that the first inner side and the second inner side are L-shaped, the first inner side is parallel to the first outer side, and the second inner side is parallel to the second outer side, wherein the second inner side has a plurality of second openings, wherein the second openings and the first openings are used to communicate with each other, wherein the first inner side is provided with a first ground surface, and the second inner side is provided with a second ground surface, wherein the second ground surface is a porous ground surface and corresponds to the shape of the second openings.

2. The laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent as described in claim 1, wherein the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent is used for a laptop mode and a closed mode in the use state of a laptop.

3. The laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent as described in claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation frame has a plurality of openings for allowing heat dissipation airflow to pass through.

4. The laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent as described in claim 1, wherein the main antenna excitation pattern and the auxiliary antenna excitation pattern are both disposed on the first outer side, and the first coaxial cable and the second coaxial cable are both disposed on the first outer side.

5. The laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent as described in claim 1, wherein the first ground plane is parallel to the main antenna excitation pattern and the auxiliary antenna excitation pattern, wherein the main antenna excitation pattern is further connected to a first exposed portion, the first exposed portion being disposed on the second outer side; wherein, The auxiliary antenna excitation pattern is further connected to a second exposed portion, which is disposed on the second outer side, wherein the second ground plane is parallel to the first exposed portion and the second exposed portion.

6. The laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent as described in claim 1, wherein the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent is used in the operating frequency band specified for WiFi 6E.

7. The laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent as described in claim 1, wherein the laptop antenna with integrated heat dissipation vent is used to operate in wireless local area network (WLAN) and 5G sub-6 frequency band, including 2.4 GHz, 5100 MHz-5900 MHz, and frequency range from above 6 GHz to 7.125 GHz.

Images