Composite chassis wall with wireless transmission window
View Patent ↗An IHS chassis houses a wireless communications device with an antenna. A IHS chassis wall includes aesthetic fiber layers that are free of a carbon fiber material and that provide both an inner and outer surface of the chassis wall. A plurality of composite fiber layers are located between the aesthetic fiber layers, with each composite fiber layer including a first fiber layer section with a carbon fiber material, and one or more second fiber layer sections that are free of a carbon fiber material and include a non-carbon fiber material that extends between the carbon fiber material in the first fiber layer section. The one or more second fiber layer sections align to provide one or more wireless transmission windows adjacent the antenna. The carbon fiber material and the non-carbon fiber material may have the same tow size to prevent the appearance of seams.
1. A chassis wall, comprising:
an aesthetic fiber layer that is free of a carbon fiber material and that provides a first surface of a chassis wall on a chassis;
a housing layer that provides a second surface of the chassis wall that is opposite the chassis wall from the first surface and that is located immediately adjacent a housing defined by the chassis;
a plurality of carbon fiber layers that are located between the aesthetic fiber layer and the housing layer, wherein each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers includes a carbon fiber material, and wherein the plurality of carbon fiber layers are stacked to provide a carbon fiber layer section of the chassis wall;
at least one non-carbon fiber material that is located between the aesthetic fiber layer and the housing layer and that is free of a carbon fiber material, wherein the at least one non-carbon fiber material is positioned immediately adjacent the carbon fiber layer section of the chassis wall to provide a non-carbon fiber section of the chassis wall; and
an antenna embedded in the non-carbon fiber section of the chassis wall between the aesthetic fiber layer and the housing layer.
2. The chassis wall of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers includes a cut-out portion, and wherein the cut-out portions on each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers align when the plurality of carbon fiber layers are stacked, and wherein the at least one non-carbon fiber material is located in the cut-out portions on each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers.
3. The chassis wall of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers includes an edge, and wherein the edges on each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers align when the plurality of carbon fiber layers are stacked, and wherein the at least one non-carbon fiber material extends from the edges on each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers.
4. The chassis wall of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-carbon fiber material is positioned immediately adjacent the carbon fiber layer section of the chassis wall to provide a first non-carbon fiber section of the chassis wall and a second non-carbon fiber section of the chassis wall that is spaced part from the first non-carbon fiber section by the carbon fiber layer section, and wherein the chassis wall further includes:
a first antenna embedded in the first non-carbon fiber section of the chassis wall between the aesthetic fiber layer and the housing layer; and
a second antenna embedded in the second non-carbon fiber section of the chassis wall between the aesthetic fiber layer and the housing layer.
5. The chassis wall of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers is a composite carbon fiber layer.
6. The chassis wall of claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-carbon fiber material includes at least one non-carbon fiber layer that is located between the aesthetic fiber layer and the housing layer, that extends from at least one of the plurality of carbon fiber layers, and that is free of a carbon fiber material.
7. The chassis wall of claim 6 , wherein the non-carbon fiber material includes at least one of a polymer fiber material, a glass fiber material, and a ceramic fiber material.
8. An information handling system (IHS), comprising:
a wireless communications device;
an IHS chassis housing the wireless communications device, wherein the IHS chassis includes an IHS chassis wall having:
an aesthetic fiber layer that is free of a carbon fiber material and that provides a first surface of the IHS chassis wall;
a housing layer that provides a second surface of the IHS chassis wall that is opposite the IHS chassis wall from the first surface and that is located immediately adjacent a housing defined by the IHS chassis;
a plurality of carbon fiber layers that are located between the aesthetic fiber layer and the housing layer, wherein each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers includes a carbon fiber material, and wherein the plurality of carbon fiber layers are stacked to provide a carbon fiber layer section of the IHS chassis wall; and
at least one non-carbon fiber material that is located between the aesthetic fiber layer and the housing layer and that is free of a carbon fiber material, wherein the at least one non-carbon fiber material is positioned immediately adjacent the carbon fiber layer section of the chassis wall to provide a non-carbon fiber section of the IHS chassis wall; and
an antenna that is coupled to the wireless communication device and that is embedded in the non-carbon fiber section of the IHS chassis wall between the aesthetic fiber layer and the housing layer.
9. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers includes a cut-out portion, and wherein the cut-out portions on each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers align when the plurality of carbon fiber layers are stacked, and wherein the at least one non-carbon fiber material is located in the cut-out portions on each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers.
10. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers includes an edge, and wherein the edges on each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers align when the plurality of carbon fiber layers are stacked, and wherein the at least one non-carbon fiber material extends from the edges on each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers.
11. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the at least one non-carbon fiber material is positioned immediately adjacent the carbon fiber layer section of the IHS chassis wall to provide a first non-carbon fiber section of the IHS chassis wall and a second non-carbon fiber section of the IHS chassis wall that is spaced part from the first non-carbon fiber section by the carbon fiber layer section, and wherein the IHS chassis wall further includes:
a first antenna that is coupled to the wireless communication device and that is embedded in the first non-carbon fiber section of the IHS chassis wall between the aesthetic fiber layer and the housing layer; and
a second antenna that is coupled to the wireless communication device and that is embedded in the second non-carbon fiber section of the IHS chassis wall between the aesthetic fiber layer and the housing layer.
12. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers is a composite carbon fiber layer.
13. The IHS of claim 8 , wherein the at least one non-carbon fiber material includes at least one non-carbon fiber layer that is located between the aesthetic fiber layer and the housing layer, that extends from at least one of the plurality of carbon fiber layers, and that is free of a carbon fiber material.
14. The IHS of claim 13 , wherein the non-carbon fiber material includes at least one of a polymer fiber material, a glass fiber material, and a ceramic fiber material.
15. A method for providing a wireless transmission window in a chassis wall, comprising:
providing an aesthetic fiber layer that is free of a carbon fiber material;
positioning a plurality of carbon fiber layers that each include a carbon fiber layer in a stacked orientation on the aesthetic layer to provide a carbon fiber layer section adjacent the aesthetic fiber layer;
providing at least one non-carbon fiber material that is free of a carbon fiber material on the aesthetic fiber layer such that the at least one non-carbon fiber material is positioned immediately adjacent the carbon fiber layer section to provide a non-carbon fiber section adjacent the aesthetic fiber layer;
embedding an antenna in the non-carbon fiber section adjacent the aesthetic fiber layer; and
positioning a housing layer on the carbon fiber layer section and the non-carbon fiber layer section such that the plurality of carbon fiber layers and the at least one non-carbon fiber material are located between the aesthetic fiber layer an the housing layer.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
providing a cut-out portion in each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers, wherein the cut-out portions on each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers align when the plurality of carbon fiber layers are stacked; and
providing the at least one non-carbon fiber material in the cut-out portions on each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers.
17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
aligning edges on each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers align when the plurality of carbon fiber layers are stacked; and
providing the at least one non-carbon fiber material extending from the edges on each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one non-carbon fiber material is positioned immediately adjacent the carbon fiber layer section to provide a first non-carbon fiber section and a second non-carbon fiber section that is spaced part from the first non-carbon fiber section by the carbon fiber layer section, and wherein the method further include:
embedding a first antenna in the first non-carbon fiber section between the aesthetic fiber layer and the housing layer; and
embedding a second antenna in the second non-carbon fiber section between the aesthetic fiber layer and the housing layer.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of carbon fiber layers is a composite carbon fiber layer.
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one non-carbon fiber material includes at least one non-carbon fiber layer that is located between the aesthetic fiber layer and the housing layer, that extends from at least one of the plurality of carbon fiber layers, and that is free of a carbon fiber material.