Electronic device with antenna grounding springs and pads
An electronic device may be provided with peripheral conductive housing structures having a segment that forms a resonating element for an antenna. A speaker may be mounted to a mid-chassis of the electronic device. A printed circuit may be mounted to the speaker and may have a ground trace for the antenna. A conductive spring may extend through the printed circuit and the speaker to couple the ground trace to the mid-chassis. A conductive contact pad may be welded to an aluminum layer such as an aluminum layer used to form the mid-chassis. A conductive spring such as the conductive spring coupled to the ground traces may press against the contact pad. The contact pad may include gold or nickel-plated stainless steel. The contact pad may provide a strong electrical connection between the conductive spring and the aluminum layer.
1 . An electronic device comprising:
peripheral conductive housing structures;
an antenna having an antenna resonating element formed from a segment of the peripheral conductive housing structures;
a printed circuit that includes a ground trace;
a transmission line path on the printed circuit and including a signal conductor coupled to the segment;
a conductive layer;
a speaker; and
a conductive spring that couples the ground trace to the conductive layer through the speaker.
2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a tuner mounted to the printed circuit, wherein the tuner is coupled to the ground trace and the signal conductor.
3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , further comprising:
a housing wall mounted to the peripheral conductive housing structures, the housing wall including a dielectric cover layer and a conductive support plate; and
a conductive interconnect structure that couples the tuner to the conductive support plate.
4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the speaker is at least partially interposed between the printed circuit and the conductive layer.
5 . The electronic device of claim 4 , further comprising:
a display mounted to the peripheral conductive housing structures, the conductive layer being interposed between the speaker and the display.
6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the conductive spring comprises a pogo pin, a leaf spring, a coil spring, or a goose neck spring.
7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the speaker comprises:
a substrate having a cavity; and
a speaker driver disposed in the cavity.
8 . The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein a portion of the conductive spring is embedded in the substrate.
9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the conductive layer comprises an aluminum layer of a housing for the electronic device.
10 . The electronic device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a contact pad on the aluminum layer, wherein the conductive spring presses against the contact pad and the contact pad comprises gold or nickel-plated stainless steel.
11 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the printed circuit includes an opening and at least part of the conductive spring is disposed in the opening.
12 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the speaker comprises dielectric, at least part of the conductive spring being embedded in the dielectric.
13 . The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the dielectric comprises injection-molded plastic.
14 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the antenna comprises a ground path that includes the ground trace and the conductive spring.
15 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the conductive layer comprises an aluminum layer.
16 . The electronic device of claim 15 , further comprising:
a contact pad welded to the aluminum layer, the conductive spring being pressed against the contact pad.
17 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the contact pad comprises gold.
18 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the contact pad comprises nickel-plated stainless steel.
19 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the conductive spring comprises a pogo pin that extends through a cavity of the speaker.
20 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the conductive spring comprises a leaf spring that extends through a cavity of the speaker.