RFID antenna assembly for a hand-held device for reading RFID tags and method of assembling the same

1 . A radio-frequency identification (RFID) antenna assembly, comprising:

a first printed circuit board (PCB) and a second PCB, spaced apart from and generally parallel to the first PCB, the first PCB and the second PCB configured to operate as an RFID antenna;

a spacer; and

a cable coupled to the first PCB and extending through a passage in the spacer and an opening in the second PCB;

wherein the first PCB is positioned proximate a first side of the spacer and is secured to the spacer;

wherein the second PCB is positioned proximate a second side of the spacer, opposite the first side, and is secured to the spacer; and

wherein a radiation pattern produced by the RFID antenna assembly is substantially directed away from a first side of the first PCB, opposite the spacer.

2 . The RFID antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spacer is electrically non-conductive.

3 . The RFID antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cable is a radio-frequency (RF) coaxial cable that is mechanically and electrically coupled to the first PCB.

4 . The RFID antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the spacer includes a main body, a first plurality of posts extending from the main body on the first side of the spacer, and a second plurality of posts extending from the main body on the second side of the spacer;

the first PCB is mounted on the first plurality of posts such that the first PCB is spaced apart from the main body of the spacer; and

the second PCB is mounted on the second plurality of posts such that the second PCB is spaced apart from the main body of the spacer.

5 . The RFID antenna assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first plurality of posts are positioned outside of a footprint of a first antenna trace on the first PCB and the second plurality of posts are positioned outside of a footprint of a second antenna trace on the second PCB.

6 . The RFID antenna assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first PCB is secured to the first plurality of posts via heat staking and the second PCB is secured to the second plurality of posts via heat staking.

7 . The RFID antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

a first end of the spacer extends outside of a first perimeter of the first PCB and outside of a second perimeter of the second PCB; and

a second end of the spacer, opposite the first end, extends outside of the first perimeter of the first PCB and outside of the second perimeter of the second PCB.

8 . The RFID antenna assembly of claim 7 , comprising a first pad at the first end of the spacer and a second pad at the second end of the spacer.

9 . The RFID antenna assembly of claim 1 , wherein a main body of the spacer is webbed.

10 . A hand-held device for reading radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, comprising:

a housing including a top portion, a front portion, and a handle;

a main printed circuit board (PCB) positioned in the top portion of the housing; and

an RFID antenna assembly positioned in the front portion of the housing and operatively connected to the main PCB;

wherein the RFID antenna assembly comprises:

a first PCB and a second PCB, spaced apart from and generally parallel to the first PCB, the first PCB and the second PCB configured to operate as an RFID antenna;

a spacer; and

a cable coupled to the first PCB and extending through a passage in the spacer and an opening in the second PCB, the cable operatively connecting the first PCB and the main PCB;

wherein the first PCB is positioned proximate a first side of the spacer and is secured to the spacer;

wherein the second PCB is positioned proximate a second side of the spacer, opposite the first side, and is secured to the spacer; and

wherein a radiation pattern produced by the RFID antenna assembly is substantially directed away from a first side of the first PCB, opposite the spacer.

11 . The hand-held device of claim 10 , wherein the spacer is electrically non-conductive.

12 . The hand-held device of claim 10 , wherein the cable is a radio-frequency (RF) coaxial cable that is mechanically and electrically coupled to the first PCB.

13 . The hand-held device of claim 10 , wherein:

the spacer of the RFID antenna assembly includes a main body, a first plurality of posts extending from the main body on the first side of the spacer, and a second plurality of posts extending from the main body on the second side of the spacer;

the first PCB is mounted on the first plurality of posts such that the first PCB is spaced apart from the main body of the spacer; and

the second PCB is mounted on the second plurality of posts such that the second PCB is spaced apart from the main body of the spacer.

14 . The hand-held device of claim 13 , wherein the first plurality of posts are positioned outside of a footprint of a first antenna trace on the first PCB and the second plurality of posts are positioned outside of a footprint of a second antenna trace on the second PCB.

15 . The hand-held device of claim 13 , wherein the first PCB is secured to the first plurality of posts via heat staking and the second PCB is secured to the second plurality of posts via heat staking.

16 . The hand-held device of claim 10 , wherein:

a first end of the spacer extends outside of a first perimeter of the first PCB and outside of a second perimeter of the second PCB and is held between a front half of the front portion of the housing and a rear half of the front portion of the housing; and

a second end of the spacer, opposite the first end, extends outside of the first perimeter of the first PCB and outside of the second perimeter of the second PCB and is held between the front half of the front portion of the housing and the rear half of the front portion of the housing.

17 . The hand-held device of claim 16 , comprising: a first pad located at the first end of the spacer and positioned between the first end of the spacer and the front half of the front portion of the housing; and a second pad located at the second end of the spacer and positioned between the second end of the spacer and the front half of the front portion of the housing.

18 . A method of assembling a radio-frequency identification (RFID) antenna assembly, comprising:

coupling a cable to a first printed circuit board (PCB);

passing the cable through a passage in a spacer;

positioning the first PCB proximate a first side of the spacer and securing the first PCB to the spacer such that a radiation pattern produced by the RFID antenna assembly is substantially directed away from a first side of the first PCB, opposite the spacer;

passing the cable through an opening formed in a second PCB, the first PCB and the second PCB configured to operate as an RFID antenna; and

positioning the second PCB proximate a second side of the spacer, opposite the first side, and securing the second PCB to the spacer.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the spacer is electrically non-conductive.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the cable is a radio-frequency (RF) coaxial cable and coupling the cable to the first PCB comprises mechanically and electrically coupling the cable to the first PCB.

21 . The method of claim 18 , wherein:

the spacer includes a main body, a first plurality of posts extending from the main body on the first side of the spacer, and a second plurality of posts extending from the main body on the second side of the spacer;

positioning the first PCB proximate the first side of the spacer comprises mounting the first PCB on the first plurality of posts such that the first PCB is spaced apart from the main body of the spacer; and

positioning the second PCB proximate the second side of the spacer comprises mounting the second PCB on the second plurality of posts such that the second PCB is spaced apart from the main body of the spacer.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the first plurality of posts are positioned outside of a footprint of a first antenna trace on the first PCB and the second plurality of posts are positioned outside of a footprint of a second antenna trace on the second PCB.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein securing the first PCB to the spacer comprises heat staking the first PCB to the first plurality of posts and securing the second PCB to the spacer comprises heat staking the second PCB to the second plurality of posts.

24 . The method of claim 18 , wherein:

a first end of the spacer extends outside of a first perimeter of the first PCB and outside of a second perimeter of the second PCB and comprises a first pad; and

a second end of the spacer, opposite the first end, extends outside of the first perimeter of the first PCB and outside of the second perimeter of the second PCB and comprises a second pad.