Device having an extendable antenna
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorsJames P. Dickie, Dennis R Esterberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device includes a first enclosure and a second enclosure. A first edge of the second enclosure is coupled to an edge of the first enclosure. The device also includes an antenna, located within the second enclosure, wherein the antenna is coupled to a linkage that cooperates with the first enclosure to extend the antenna when an edge opposite the first edge of the second enclosure is rotated about the edge of said first enclosure.
Claims30
A device having an extendable antenna, comprising:
- a first enclosure;
- a second enclosure, wherein a first edge of said second enclosure is coupled to an edge of said first enclosure;
- and
- an antenna, located within said second enclosure, said antenna being coupled to a linkage that cooperates with said first enclosure to extend said antenna when an edge opposite said first edge of said second enclosure is rotated about said edge of said first enclosure, said linkage comprising a resilient element coupled to said antenna, said resilient element being relaxed when said antenna is extended.
In a device that includes a first and second enclosure, a method for extending an antenna from said second enclosure, comprising:
- said second enclosure rotating about an edge that couples said first and second enclosures;
- wrapping one of a cable and a ribbon around a surface, said surface being substantially stationary relative to said second enclosure, said wrapping action subtracting a first amount of length of said one of said ribbon and said cable;
- and
- extending said antenna from said second enclosure, said extending being caused by a resilient element being extending to a relaxed position by an amount proportional to said first amount of length.
A linkage which causes an antenna to extend from within an enclosure when said enclosure is rotated in a first direction about an edge, said edge being coupled to an edge of a second enclosure, said linkage comprising:
- means for predisposing said antenna toward an extended position;
- means for applying a force to retract said antenna from said enclosure when said enclosure is rotated about said edge in a direction opposite said first direction;
- and
- means for producing said force in response to said enclosure being rotated about said edge in a direction opposite said first direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.