FR2860647A1 - ELECTRONIC APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH A REVERSIBLY DISCONNECTABLE ANTENNA - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic device (1) with an antenna (3). To reduce the bulk of an electronic device, the invention provides for making an antenna comprising a simple disconnection device formed by at least one elastic tab (12,13,14) connecting a connection pad of the antenna (8, 9,10) to a conductive track (4,6,7) printed on a dielectric support (2). An electrical disconnection of the antenna from the track is carried out following an insertion of a plug (43) between the tab and the connection pad. An electrical connection is possible again after removing this same plug between the connection pad and the tab.

Description

Electronic device with a reversibly disconnectable antenna

  The invention relates to an electronic device provided with a reversibly disconnectable antenna. The invention aims to facilitate a disconnection of the antenna with an electronic component responsible for processing the information from the antenna while decreasing a manufacturing cost of such an apparatus. An electronic apparatus is for receiving or transmitting information by radiofrequency via an antenna. This electronic device can be a mobile phone or a laptop. The invention applies to the field of connectivity but could be applied in other areas.

  An electronic apparatus comprises a dielectric support, at least one electronic component and an antenna. The dielectric support is coated with at least one pattern of electrically conductive tracks to form a printed circuit. The electronic component is responsible for processing a radio frequency signal from the antenna via the printed circuit.

  The antenna is placed in a housing delimiting the electronic device. This antenna comprises a first connection pad, a second connection pad and a ground. This antenna is intended to connect to the printed circuit. More particularly, the antenna is positioned on the support so that the pads connect to a corresponding conductive track. The antenna thus communicates information to the electronic component and vice versa via a link between each of the connection pads and the electronic component.

  To disconnect the antenna of the electronic component, it is known electronic devices having connectors for receiving corresponding complementary coaxial connectors. These complementary connectors are responsible for switching the antenna ie disconnecting the electronic component. It is known from the state of the art a connector mounted on a printed circuit designed to receive an external antenna. This printed circuit is preferably disposed inside a housing of a mobile phone. The connector receiving the external antenna also makes it possible to switch the connection between the printed circuit and an internal antenna, or between the printed circuit and the external antenna. For this purpose, it comprises contact blades arranged orthogonally to the printed circuit. These blades have a certain flexibility around an axis perpendicular to a plane of the printed circuit. One can also find contacts arranged parallel to the printed circuit.

  For example, in the case where the contact blades are erected orthogonally to the printed circuit, the connector comprises two blades preferably arranged vis-à-vis one another. At least one of the blades has a curvature such that this curvature comes into elastic contact with the second blade. When the external antenna is inserted between these two blades, then the first curved blade now constrains against the antenna. In this position, the first elastic blade is no longer in contact with the second blade. But the second blade is connected to the internal antenna. So by moving this first blade, we switch between the first antenna and the second antenna.

  The solution of the state of the art poses a problem because, it is necessary to position a connector capable of receiving a coaxial connector on the printed circuit and to connect this connector to the antenna. Such a connector clutters the housing. The electronic device comprising this connector is therefore not compatible with the miniaturization requirements imposed by the market.

  To solve this problem, the invention provides for producing an antenna comprising an integrated disconnection device. This disconnection device can form an elastic tongue placed between each connection pad of the antenna and the printed track on the support. This tongue is made in such a way that it can be reversibly separated from the connection pad by means of a plug which interposed between the connection pad and the tongue disconnects the antenna of the track. By disconnecting the antenna from the track this plug also disconnects the antenna of the electronic component.

  This plug has a first face intended to be in contact with the connection pad and a second face intended to be in contact with the tongue. The first face is coated with a dielectric material at least on a surface corresponding to a surface of the connection pad against which the plug is intended to rest. The second face is made of electrically conductive material on at least one surface necessary for an electrical connection between the plug and the track is established.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, this plug is connected to an external antenna for deporting the transmitting antenna or receiving signal relative to the electronic device.

  According to a variant of the invention, this plug is connected to a measuring apparatus for testing the various electronic components placed in the apparatus.

  The subject of the invention is therefore an electronic apparatus comprising - an antenna provided with a first connection pad and a second connection pad, - a dielectric support coated with a first electrically conducting strip and a second an electrically conductive track; and an electronic component connected to the tracks of the support, characterized in that the antenna comprises a first electrically conductive tab and a second electrically conductive tab, each connecting a pad corresponding to the component. electronic via a track, and - the antenna is reversibly disconnectable from the electronic component by interposing an intermediate device between each of the pads and corresponding tabs.

  The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows and on examining the figures which accompany it. These are given only as an indication and in no way limit the invention. The figures show - Figure 1: a schematic representation of an electronic device, according to the invention, - Figure 2: an enlarged view of Figure 1; - Figure 3: a schematic representation in perspective of three tongues, according to the invention; - Figure 4: a perspective representation of an antenna according to the invention; - Figure 5: an enlarged view showing an arrangement of the tabs of the antenna, according to the invention; - Figure 6: an enlarged view of the antenna before insertion of a plug; - Figure 7: an enlarged view of the antenna after inserting a plug.

  FIG. 1 represents an electronic device 1 comprising a dielectric support 2, an antenna 3, and at least one electronic component 5, according to the invention. This device 1 can be a mobile phone or any other device requiring the use of an antenna to receive information by radio frequency. The support 2 is coated with a first electrically conductive track 4, a second electrically conductive track 7 and a third central electrically conductive track 6. These tracks may be transmission lines of the microband line type, or of the ribbon line type or of the coplanar line type. These tracks connect the component 5 to the antenna 3.

  2, the antenna 3 comprises a first connection pad 8, a second connection pad 10, and a third connection pad 9, each of these pads being intended to be connected to the first strip 4, to the second strip 7 and at the third track 6 respectively. The third connection pad 9 forms a mass and is placed between the first pad and the second pad. The connection pads previously mentioned are formed by an electrically conductive product such as copper or silver.

  The electronic component 5 is placed on the support 2 while being connected to the conductive tracks 4, 6 and 7. The electronic component 5 can thus process information received and transmitted by the antenna 3 via the conductive tracks.

  According to the invention, the antenna 3 comprises a first tongue 12, a second tongue 14 and a third tongue 13, FIGS. 1 and 3. Each of these tongues is intended to connect the first stud 8, the second stud 10 and the third plot 9 at the first track 4, the second track 7 and the third track 6 respectively.

  Each of these three tongues is formed after cutting a sheet of metal which is then stamped. More specifically, the metal sheet is cut to obtain a tongue of oblong rectangular shape, Figure 3. This tongue is then folded at an angle of about 90 so as to define a first portion 18 and a second portion 19 19 and another of a fold 20. In one example, the first portion 18 is directly connected to the corresponding connection pad. The second portion 19 is connected directly to the corresponding track.

  The antenna 3 forms a carrier structure of partially metallized insulating material so as to delimit the different connection pads mentioned above, FIG. 4. The antenna 3 has a bow-tie shape. This antenna 3 has a cross section of generally trapezoidal shape. This trapezoidal shape delimits a large base 24 and a small base 25, each of these bases being located in planes parallel to each other. The antenna 3 is disposed on the support 2 with its small base 25 facing the support 2. A central block 26 is placed between the large base 24 and the small base 25 while joining the large base to the small base. On either side of this central block 26 is delimited a first space 27 and a second space 28.

  The small base 25 and the large base 24 are connected by a first side 29 and a second side 30 each having a preferentially identical length. This first side 29 and this second side 30 serve more particularly to support to extend the first pad 8, the second pad 9 and the third pad 10 respectively in the form of a first arm 32, a second arm 31 and a third arm 33. The first arm 32 extends laterally from the first pad 8 relative to the central block 26. Similarly, the second pad 10 extends laterally to form the second arm 31 relative to the central block 26 and according to a direction opposite to that of the first arm 32. The third arm 33 extends from the third stud 9 while joining one of the two arms 31 or 32 to form an antenna type PIFA (or Planar Inverted F Antenna or Antenna planar shaped F returned).

  The first arm 32 and the second arm 31 can elongate while joining but without touching. A slot 60 can then be delimited, Figure 1. The size of this slot 60 depends on the subsequent uses that will be made. The slot 60 may have any provision, depending on the application or performance of the antenna that is desired. The slot 60 may be formed at equal distance from the first pad and the second pad as shown in FIG. 1. Or the slot 60 may be closer to the first pad with respect to the second pad.

  To increase the performance of the antenna, one end of each of the arms 31 and 32 can also be enlarged. For example, Figure 1, each of the arms covers an entire outer surface of one of the sides 29,30 and a portion of an outer surface of the large base 24. But these arms could only cover a smaller central portion of the outer surface bounded by the sides 29,30 and the large base 24 as shown in dotted lines in FIG.

  The antenna 3 also comprises a first slide 34, a second slide 35 and a third slide 36, FIG. 2. Each of these slides is formed from the small base 25 and is cut into a thickness of the antenna in one direction. perpendicular to a plane formed by the support 2. These slides are also hollowed at least partially over a length L of the antenna, which length is measured along an axis parallel to the plane formed by the support. These slides 34, 35 and 36 respectively allow tabs 12, 13 and 14 to be inserted therein.

  2, each of these slides delimits, along an axis perpendicular to the plane of the support, a first portion 37 extending by a second portion 38, the first portion 37 being narrowed relative to the second portion 38 and opening towards the outside of the antenna 3. Each of these slides then delimits a shoulder 39 between the first part 37 and the second part 38.

  Each of the tongues is inserted into a corresponding slideway by the second portion 19, FIG. 5. To maintain the tongue inside the corresponding slideway, the tongue comprises a third enlarged portion 40 formed at a place situated near or corresponding to the junction or fold 20 of the tongue between the first portion 18 and the second portion 19, Figure 3. This third portion 40 is intended to be inserted into the slideway in the second portion 38 while abutting against an obstacle (not shown) formed by the slide. This third portion is complementarily fitted in the slide in a direction parallel to the plane of the support 2 so as to prevent the tongue out of the slide.

  The tongue is inserted into the second portion 38 of the slide by longitudinal sliding relative to the plane of the support by its second portion 19 until the first portion 18 is in abutment against the corresponding connection pad.

  The tongue has on the first portion 18 a first curved end 21 and on the second portion 19 a second curved end 22. The ends 21 and 22 are bent so that a convex curved surface formed by each of these ends is placed respectively opposite the stud and the corresponding track. More specifically, the tongue 3 is positioned in abutment by its first bent end 21 against a corresponding connection pad in a position perpendicular to the plane formed by the support 2. The tongue 3 is placed in a slideway with its second portion 19 placed in the widened portion 38 of the slide while connecting to the corresponding track by its second curved end 22.

  The second portion 19 is inserted into the slide so that the third portion 40 is placed in abutment against the obstacle formed by the slide at the moment when the first curved end 21 is in abutment against the corresponding connection pad. The second portion 19 is partially inserted in the slide so that the convex surface formed by the second end 22 is placed outside the slide and is intended to be constrained against a corresponding track of the support. The antenna is made in such a way that the tongue is elastically and reversibly constrained between the small base of the antenna and the support 2 when the antenna is placed in abutment against the support by its small base. binding, the tab advantageously provides permanent contact of the antenna with the connection pad on the one hand, and with the corresponding conductive track on the other.

  The antenna 3 is reversibly disconnectable from the electronic component 5 in the following manner. The reversible disconnection is obtained by interposing between each of the connection pads and the first end 21 of each of the corresponding tabs an intermediate device or a plug 43 which disconnects the pads of the corresponding tracks. The tongues are also made in such a way that when the plug 43 is removed from between the tongues and the connection pads, the tongues are again in abutment against the corresponding connection pads, again ensuring a connection of the antenna with the electronic component 5.

  The plug 43 has a flat shape and is provided with a metal cover 44 and an insulator 45. The insulator 45 is partially encased in the cover 44 so that the insulator defines a protrusion 46 located outside the lid. This protuberance 46 preferably comprises a planar parallelepipedal shape with a first face 47 and a second face 48. The first face 47 opposite to the second face 48 is intended to be placed facing the corresponding connection pad. The second face 48 is intended to be placed opposite the corresponding tongue.

  The second face 48 has a first electrical contact 54 and a second electrical contact 55 respectively. The first contact 54 and the second contact 55 are placed on the second face 48 of the insulator 45, FIG. 6. A third electrical contact 56 is placed between the first and second contacts while being connected to the cover 44. This third contact forms a mass.

  The curved shape of the first end 21 of the first portion 18 of the tongue defines an opening 57 between the tongue and the corresponding connection pad, Figure 7. This opening 57 facilitates the insertion of the plug 43 between the tongue and the corresponding connection pad. The curved shape of this end 21 also strengthens the elasticity of the tongue and promotes a better support of the tongue against the corresponding connection pad and therefore a better contact of the tongue against the connection pad.

  To reconnect the pad to the track, simply remove the plug 43 between the tab and the corresponding connection pad. The first end 21 then folds against the connection pad to physically bond to the corresponding connection pad.

  This plug 43 may be connected to an external antenna (not shown). Or this plug 43 can be connected to another device (not shown) responsible for testing the electronic components contained in a housing of the device.

  To prevent the plug 43 from sinking further along an axis perpendicular to the plane of the support and toward the support when the plug 43 is inserted between the tongues and the studs, the plug 43 has a border 58, FIG. The protrusion of the plug 43 sinks into the central block 26 of the antenna through a cavity 59 of complementary shape to this protuberance, Figure 1. The protrusion sinks until the edge comes in abutment against a rim delimiting the cavity 59 and bypassing the cavity 59. This cavity 59 serves to guide the sliding of the protuberance 46 in the central block 26 of the antenna so that the protuberance comes to position itself with its contacts. look and in contact with the corresponding tongue. This cavity 59 is hollowed out from the large base 24 of the antenna.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the antenna 3 is of differential or symmetrical type and the electronic component is a differential type transmitter / receiver as well.

  The antenna thus forms a switch because it makes it possible to perform two functions. The first function of the antenna allows the antenna to act as an antenna transmitting or receiving radio signals. This first function can be exerted via the tongue which is in direct contact with its first portion 18 with the corresponding connection pad. A connection of the connection pad with the corresponding track then made via the tongue.

  The second function of the antenna allows the antenna to serve as a relay base for an electrical outlet or plug intended to be interposed between the pad and the tongue. This plug is inserted between the tongue and the stud by spacing the tongue of the stud. The insertion of this plug momentarily interrupts the connection of the antenna with the corresponding pad. Thus, the antenna is put on standby either to allow insertion of a plug deporting an antenna to another location, or to allow a plug to test the various electronic components present in the electronic device.

  This antenna combines three antenna design techniques, namely, the dipole which is in our case folded, the grounding as used on a PIFA type antenna (Planar Inverted F Antena) and finally the technique of the slot or slots.

  Another technique used to improve the performance of the antenna is from the feed points of the portions to gradually widen the width of the portions as one approaches their end.

  To wedge the antenna on the support, the support can be dug a recess to accommodate the small base 25 of the antenna.

Claims (7)

  1 - Electronic device (1) comprising - an antenna (3) provided with a first connection pad (8) and a second connection pad (10), a dielectric support (2) coated with a first conducting strip of electricity (4) and a second electrically conductive track (7), and - an electronic component (5) connected to the tracks of the support, characterized in that - the antenna comprises a first electrically conductive tab (12) and a second electrically conductive tab (14), each connecting a pad corresponding to the electronic component through a track, and - the antenna is reversibly disconnectable from the electronic component by interposition of an intermediate device (43) between each of the pads and corresponding tabs.   2 - Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the antenna comprises an intermediate disconnecting device, the device comprising areas for contacting the pads and derive a signal produced by the electronic component.   3 - Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 2 characterized in that the tongue forms a metal blade bent at an angle of about 90.   4 - Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the antenna is of the differential type and is connected to a differential type electronic component.   - Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first connection pad and the second connection pad are extended respectively by a first arm (31) and a second arm (32), - the first arm and the second arm meet without touching while delimiting a slot (60).   6 - Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the first arm and the second arm meet without touching while widening at their respective ends.   7 - Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the antenna forms a bow tie structure.   8 - Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the antenna is of type PIFA (or Planar Inverted F Antena).