Apple patents watch antenna that makes screen repair easier
Apple describes a wristwatch design where the display screen doubles as part of the radio antenna. A small, angled coil spring connects the screen to the metal housing, allowing the display to be popped off for repair without welding or permanent glue.
In the filing’s own words
An electronic device such as a wristwatch may be provided with a housing and an antenna. The housing may include conductive sidewalls, a conductive turret, and a conductive bridge. The turret may be separated from the sidewalls by a slot. The bridge may couple the turret to the sidewalls across the slot. A display may be mounted to the turret. A canted coil spring may be disposed in a recess of the conductive turret and may couple conductive structures from the display to the turret. The conductive structures, the turret, and the canted coil spring may collectively form a patch antenna resonating element for the antenna. Since the canted coil spring and conductive turret are not permanently affixed or welded to the display, the display may be easily removed from the device for repair or replacement.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. An electronic device comprising: a housing having conductive sidewalls, a conductive turret, and a conductive bridge; a slot that separates the conductive sidewalls from the conductive turret, wherein the conductive bridge couples the conductive turret to the conductive sidewalls across the slot; a display mounted to the conductive turret and having conductive structures; a canted coil spring that couples the conductive structures in the display to the conductive turret; and an antenna having a patch element formed from the conductive turret, the canted coil spring, and the conductive structures and having an antenna ground that includes the conductive sidewalls.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- Electronic device having display antenna with canted coil spring
- Patent number
- US12771014B2
- Application number
- 18320971
- Filed
- May 20, 2023
- Granted
- Oct 20, 2026
- Inventors
- 4
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
H01Q 1/273 Electricity & electronicsG04G 17/045 Physics & computingG04G 21/04 Physics & computingH01Q 1/48 Electricity & electronicsH01Q 9/045 Electricity & electronicsMore from Apple in Wearables
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.