Tangential Spring Contact Antenna Feed for Flush Battery Cover
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Designing a reliable antenna feed method for integrated battery cover antennas in hand-held devices is challenging due to the outward force exerted by pogo-pin contacts, which can cause the battery cover to sit un-flush and result in unsightly gaps and potential contamination.
Innovation Solution
A connection system using two spring contacts, where one is attached to the antenna and the other to the printed wiring board, with the contact force applied tangentially between the major planes of the housing sections, preventing outward deflection and eliminating the need for cosmetic masking lips.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pogo-pin contact is used to connect the antenna feed, then electrical contact is achieved, but the outward force causes the battery cover to sit un-flush creating gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The spring contact force is redirected from the normal direction (perpendicular to battery cover plane) to a tangential direction (parallel to battery cover plane). This dimensional change in force application eliminates the outward deflection that causes gaps while maintaining electrical contact reliability through the tangential spring force between contacts.
2Shape
If the feed location is placed at the centre line to avoid un-flush seating, then cosmetic appearance is improved, but antenna bandwidth is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the direction of the spring contact force from normal to tangential, the feed location can be optimally positioned at the corner of the battery cover for maximum antenna bandwidth while preventing un-flush seating. The tangential force application eliminates the gap problem without requiring centre line placement, thus preserving both cosmetic appearance and antenna performance.
3Shape
If a lip or ridge is added to mask the gap, then cosmetic appearance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The solution extracts and eliminates the root cause of the gap problem by using tangential spring contact force instead of normal force. This removes the need for additional cosmetic masking features like lips or ridges, thereby improving appearance while reducing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
By applying force in the tangential dimension rather than the normal dimension, the invention eliminates gap formation at the source, making cosmetic masking features unnecessary and thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining appearance quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution ensures a secure and flush connection between the battery cover antenna and the printed wiring board, minimizing the risk of unsightly gaps and contamination while maintaining the antenna's functionality and aesthetic integrity.
Implementation Method 1
The first and second spring contacts are removably resiliently biased against each other
Implementation Method 2
a spring contact force in a direction generally between major planes of the first and second housing sections which does not exert a substantial separation force
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus including an antenna; a printed wiring board (PWB); and a connection system electrically connecting the antenna to the PWB. The connection system includes a first spring contact and a second spring contact. The first and second spring contacts are removably resiliently biased against each other. The first spring contact is directly connected to the antenna. The second spring contact is electrically connected to the PWB.