# US 2014/0191910 A1 · Housing, handheld device, and manufacturing method of housing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191910 A1 - Document ID: US20140191910A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/154,199 - Filed: 2014-01-14 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2009-10-09 - Assignees: HTC Corporation - Applicants: HTC Corporation - Inventors: Cheng-Han Chung; Chih-Kuang Wang; Yen-Liang Kuo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191910A1 ## CPC - H01Q 1/243: {with built-in antennas} - H01Q 1/40: Radiating elements coated with or embedded in protective material - H01Q 1/44: using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna {, e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspect}(H01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence) - Y10T 29/49016: Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A housing, a handheld device and a manufacturing method of a housing are provided. The housing includes a body, a metal antenna layer, and a conductive element. The body includes a through hole and an appearance surface and an inner surface opposite to the appearance surface. The metal antenna layer is disposed on the appearance surface and covers the through hole, wherein an edge of the metal antenna layer is connected to the appearance surface seamlessly, and a surface of the metal antenna layer is at least partially exposed by the body. The conductive element is disposed in the through hole and directly contacts the metal antenna layer to transmit signals received by the metal antenna layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A housing comprising: a body, having a through hole, an appearance surface and an inner surface opposite to the appearance surface, wherein the through hole extends from the appearance surface to the inner surface; a metal antenna layer, disposed on the appearance surface of the body and covering the through hole, wherein an edge of the metal antenna layer is connected to the appearance surface seamlessly, and a surface of the metal antenna layer is at least partially exposed by the body; and a conductive element, disposed in the through hole and directly contacting the metal antenna layer to transmit signals received by the metal antenna layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein a part of surface of the metal antenna layer where the through hole is located is smooth. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body further has a recess region located on the appearance surface, and the metal antenna layer is disposed in the recess region. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The housing as claimed in claim 3, wherein a depth of a periphery of the recess region is larger than a depth of a center of the recess region. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The housing as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a grounding pad disposed on the inner surface of the body, covering the through hole and directly contacting with the conductive element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The housing as claimed in claim 5, wherein the metal antenna layer, the grounding pad and the conductive element are integrated. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein a thickness of the metal antenna layer is from 20 μm to 200 μm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein a diameter of the through hole at the appearance surface is smaller than a diameter of the through hole at the inner surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The housing as claimed in claim 8, wherein the through hole comprises two pillar spaces with different dimensions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The housing as claimed in claim 8, wherein the through hole is a cone. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The housing as claimed in claim 8, wherein the diameter of the through hole at the appearance surface is from 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A handheld device comprising: a host; and the housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing encases the host. ### Claim 13 A manufacturing method of a housing, comprising: providing a body, wherein the body has a through hole, an appearance surface and an inner surface opposite to the appearance surface, and the through hole extends from the appearance surface to the inner surface; electroplating a metal antenna layer formed on the appearance surface of the body, wherein the metal antenna layer covers the through hole, an edge of the metal antenna layer is connected to the appearance surface seamlessly, and a surface of the metal antenna layer is at least partially exposed by the body; and disposing a conductive element in the through hole and directly contacting the metal antenna layer, wherein the conductive element is adapted to transmit signals received by the metal antenna layer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The manufacturing method of a housing as claimed in claim 13, wherein the step of forming a metal antenna layer by electroplating comprises: activating a part of the appearance surface of the body to form an activated region; forming a plating seed layer in the activated region; and electroplating a plating metal layer formed on the plating seed layer, wherein the metal antenna layer comprises the plating seed layer and the plating metal layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The manufacturing method of a housing as claimed in claim 14, wherein when electroplating the plating metal layer, disposing a mask above the plating seed layer so as to shield an edge of the plating seed layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The manufacturing method of a housing as claimed in claim 15, wherein when the plating metal layer is electroplated, a distance between the mask at the edge of the plating seed layer and the plating seed layer is smaller than a distance between the mask away from the edge of the plating seed layer and the plating seed layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The manufacturing method of a housing as claimed in claim 13, further comprising disposing a grounding pad on the inner surface of the body, wherein the grounding pad covers the through hole and directly contacts with the conductive element. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The manufacturing method of a housing as claimed in claim 17, wherein the grounding pad and the conductive element are formed together when the metal antenna layer is electroplated. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The manufacturing method of a housing as claimed in claim 13, wherein the step of forming a through hole comprises: drilling the body from the inner surface to obtain a first pillar space; and drilling the body from a bottom surface of the first pillar space to obtain a second pillar space, wherein a dimension of the first pillar space is smaller than a dimension of the second pillar space. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The manufacturing method of a housing as claimed in claim 13, wherein the step of forming a through hole comprises drilling the body from the inner surface to obtain the through hole in a cone-shaped.