# US 10,483,620 B2 · Embedded antenna structures > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,483,620 B2 - Document ID: US10483620B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/862,032 - Filed: 2015-09-22 - Published: 2016-03-24 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-23 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Benjamin M. Rappoport; Bruce E. Berg; John Raff; Stephen R. McClure - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10483620B2 ## CPC - H01Q 1/243: {with built-in antennas} - B29C 45/14655: {connected to or mounted on a carrier, e.g. lead frame} - B29C 45/14819: {the inserts being completely encapsulated} - H01Q 1/48: Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises - H01Q 9/42: with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength - B29K 2055/02: ABS polymers, i.e. acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymers - B29K 2069/00: Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material - B29L 2031/3456: {Antennas, e.g. radomes} - B29L 2031/3481: {Housings or casings incorporating or embedding electric or electronic elements} - Y10T 29/49016: Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An electronic device may be provided with antenna structures that are embedded in a dielectric such as plastic. The plastic may be molded over the antenna structures using molding equipment. Antenna structures may be embedded in molded plastic structures such as plastic electronic device housing structures. The plastic electronic device housing structures may form housing structures such as housing wall structures. The antenna structures may be embedded within the housing wall structures in the vicinity of an exterior surface of the housing wall structures. Embedded antenna structures may also be mounted under other dielectric structures such portions of a display cover layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic device with opposing front and rear exterior surfaces and an interior, comprising: a metal housing with an elongated opening that runs along an edge of the metal housing, wherein the metal housing has opposing first and second surfaces, wherein the first surface forms a first portion of the rear exterior surface of the electronic device, and wherein the second surface faces the interior of the electronic device; a display mounted in the metal housing that faces the front exterior surface and is overlapped by a cover glass; a plastic housing structure in the opening that forms a second portion of the rear exterior surface of the electronic device, wherein the plastic housing structure is a unitary housing structure, and wherein the plastic housing structure is curved to couple to the cover glass; a first conductive antenna element that is embedded in the plastic housing structure, wherein the first conductive antenna element is completely surrounded by and in direct contact with the plastic housing structure, wherein the first conductive antenna element comprises a parasitic antenna element, and wherein the first conductive element is parallel to the curved plastic housing structure; and a second conductive antenna element formed in the interior of the electronic device and spaced apart from the plastic housing structure and from the second surface of the metal housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the first conductive antenna element is separated from the second portion of the exterior surfaces of the electronic device by less than 3 mm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the electronic device further comprises an additional conductive antenna element that is embedded in the plastic housing structure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electronic device defined in claim 3, wherein the additional conductive antenna element is an antenna resonating element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electronic device defined in claim 1, wherein the first conductive antenna element comprises a ground structure. ### Claim 6 A method of forming electronic device structures for an electronic device with opposing front and rear exterior surfaces and an interior, wherein the front surface is formed from a transparent member that overlaps a display, and wherein the rear exterior surface is formed by a metal housing having first and second opposing surfaces, the method comprising: forming a first shot of plastic; forming antenna structures for the electronic device on the first shot of plastic, wherein the antenna structures comprise a conductive antenna element; and overmolding a second shot of plastic over the first shot of plastic and the conductive antenna element to form a plastic housing structure over the conductive antenna element, wherein the plastic housing structure forms a portion of the rear exterior surface of the electronic device, wherein the plastic housing structure is formed in an opening in the metal housing, wherein a portion of the plastic housing structure contacts the transparent member that overlaps the display, wherein the first surface of the metal housing forms an additional portion of the rear exterior surface of the electronic device, wherein the second surface faces the interior of the electronic device, wherein the first and second shots of plastic completely fill the opening in the metal housing and extend from the first surface of the metal housing to the second surface of the metal housing, and wherein the conductive antenna element is completely surrounded by and in direct contact with the plastic housing structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method defined in claim 6, wherein overmolding the second shot of plastic comprises forming the plastic housing structure over the conductive antenna element so that the conductive antenna element is separated from an exterior surface of the plastic housing structure by less than 3 mm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method defined in claim 6, wherein the conductive antenna element comprises a parasitic antenna element, and wherein overmolding the second shot of plastic over the conductive antenna element comprises overmolding the second shot of plastic over the parasitic antenna element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method defined in claim 6, wherein the conductive antenna element comprises a ground structure, and wherein overmolding the second shot of plastic over the conductive antenna element comprises overmolding the second shot of plastic over the ground structure. ### Claim 10 An electronic device with opposing front and rear exterior surfaces and an interior, comprising: a metal housing with an elongated opening that runs along an edge of the metal housing, wherein the metal housing has opposing first and second surfaces, wherein the first surface forms a first portion of the rear exterior surface of the electronic device, and wherein the second surface faces the interior of the electronic device; a display mounted in the metal housing, wherein the display is overlapped by a transparent member that forms the front exterior surface; a molded plastic housing structure that completely fills the opening and extends from the first surface of the metal housing to the second surface of the metal housing, wherein the molded plastic housing forms a second portion of the rear exterior surface of the electronic device, wherein the molded plastic housing structure is formed from first and second shots of plastic, and wherein a portion of the molded plastic housing structure contacts the transparent member; and an antenna element that is embedded in the molded plastic housing structure, wherein the antenna element is interposed between the first and second shots of plastic. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The electronic device defined in claim 10, wherein molded plastic of the molded plastic housing structure directly contacts and completely surrounds at least a portion of the antenna element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The electronic device defined in claim 10, wherein the antenna element is a metal antenna element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The electronic device defined in claim 10 wherein the molded plastic housing is overmolded around the antenna element to completely surround at least a portion of the antenna element.