Electrically isolated corner stiffeners for mobile device antenna windows
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile computing devices face a challenge in incorporating high-performance wireless connectivity while maintaining device stiffness, as large metallic components can interfere with antennae and increasing antennae size to occupy the perimeter may negatively impact stiffness, especially at corners.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a mobile computing device design featuring electrically isolated corner stiffeners and an antenna assembly that spans between these stiffeners, using a combination of a conductive bucket and a non-conductive antenna cover to enhance structural rigidity and minimize electromagnetic interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the size of the connectivity window is increased to occupy up to a full width or length of the perimeter of the metallic device case, then wireless connectivity performance is improved, but device stiffness is negatively impacted, particularly at the corners
Solution Approach 1:
The device case is segmented into conductive and non-conductive portions, with the non-conductive portion containing the antenna window. This segmentation allows the antenna window to occupy a large portion of the perimeter while the conductive portions (including corner stiffeners) maintain structural stiffness. The corner stiffeners are further segmented to be electrically isolated from the conductive bucket, preventing electromagnetic interference while maintaining mechanical support.
Solution Approach 2:
Electrically isolated corner stiffeners serve as intermediary elements between the conductive bucket and the non-conductive antenna cover. These stiffeners provide mechanical support at the corners to maintain device stiffness while being electrically isolated to prevent interference with antenna operations. The intermediary nature of these stiffeners resolves the contradiction by simultaneously supporting structural integrity and enabling large antenna windows.
2Strength
If large metallic components are incorporated into the device case, then device strength and structural integrity are improved, but electromagnetic interference with nearby antennae increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device case is divided into conductive and non-conductive segments. The conductive bucket provides structural integrity and electromagnetic shielding, while the non-conductive antenna cover allows antenna operations without interference. This segmentation enables large metallic components to be incorporated for strength while preventing electromagnetic interference through material separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful electromagnetic interference is extracted from the system by removing the conductive material from the antenna window region. The antenna cover is made non-conductive or contains non-conductive portions where antennas are located, extracting the interference problem from the metallic case structure. This allows metallic components to be used elsewhere in the device for strength without affecting antenna performance.
Data Source
AI summary
Mobile computing devices often incorporate a window along a discrete portion of a perimeter of a metallic device case adjacent the antennae and a plastic cover that covers the window and seals antennae within the mobile computing device. As mobile computing devices shrink in physical size and weight and become more portable, available space within the mobile computing devices for the antennae shrinks. Merely increasing the size of the connectivity window to occupy up to a full width or length of the perimeter of the metallic device case may negatively impact overall device stiffness requirements. The electrically isolated corner stiffeners described herein may permit larger antennae windows for wireless connectivity, while meeting applicable stiffness requirements for an associated mobile computing device.