US 9,425,501 B2Granted

Composite thermoformed assembly

AssigneeEthertronics, Inc.

InventorsLaurent Desclos, Jeffrey Shambiin

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Methods for producing cost effective and reliable antennas and circuits for wireless devices are disclosed. The antennas and circuits are formed by applying a conductive layer to one side of a carrier sheet and attaching a second carrier sheet to encapsulate and protect the conductive layer. The combination of the two carrier sheets and the conductive layer are then formed into one or more three-dimensional antenna structures or circuits in a thermoforming process. This technique enables high volume production of antennas and RF circuits in a fast, reliable, and cost-efficient manner that provides for encapsulation of the conductive layer. The plurality of antennas and circuits formed in this fashion may then be separated by a cutting apparatus to obtain individual devices that are ready for integration into myriad communication devices.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A method for manufacturing a plurality of composite thermoformed antennas, comprising:

providing a first electrically non-conductive carrier sheet having a first surface and a second surface opposite of the first surface;
applying at least a first conductive layer on the first surface of the first carrier sheet, the first conductive layer including a plurality of conductive portions, each of the conductive portions forming one of:
an antenna radiating element, a parasitic element, or an antenna tuning circuit;
providing a second electrically non-conductive carrier sheet;
combining the second carrier sheet with the first carrier sheet such that the first conductive layer is disposed therebetween, wherein the first carrier sheet, first conductive layer, and second carrier sheet form a multi-layer assembly;
applying heat, vacuum, or a combination thereof to the multi-layer assembly to form a multi-antenna array including a plurality of three-dimensional antennas thereof;
and
cutting the multi-antenna array to produce a plurality of three-dimensional antennas.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/449,283Filed 17 Apr 2012 · continuation in part
Priority: 17 Mar 2008
Published: US 2012/0285611 A115 Nov 2012
Granted: 23 Aug 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H01Q 1/38
Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewith: formed by a conductive layer on an…
H01P 11/003
Manufacturing waveguides or transmission lines of the waveguide type: manufacturing lines with conductors on a substrate, e.g. strip lines, slot lines
H01Q 1/40
Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas: radiating elements coated with or embedded in protective material
H01Q 5/378
Arrangements for providing operation on different wavebands: combination of fed elements with parasitic elements

Family

Application61/037,278Us provisional application · filed 17 Mar 2008
Application12/337,639Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 18 Dec 2008
Application61/496,878Us provisional application · filed 14 Jun 2011
US 2012/0285611 A1Pre-grant publication · published 15 Nov 2012
US 8,179,323 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2009/0231206 A1Published application
US 9,425,501 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.