AU611093B2 - Mobile boot mount - Google Patents

Description

III I 11111 11111 HD/ Li _.4 I iff i i; i i -a 3187-P1/JRW/LMP/2905T.2 AUSTRALIA 6 1 PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: MOBILE ONE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS PTY LTD Address of Applicant: 17 SLOANE STREET MARRICKVILLE NSW 2204 Actual Inventor: GREGORY OWEN ACKMAN Address for Service: ARTHUR S. CAVE CO.

Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Goldfields House 1 Alfred Street SYDNEY N.S.W. 2000

AUSTRALIA

Complete Specification for the invention entitled MOBILE BOOT

MOUNT.

The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me:-

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1 ASC 49 Si ~ce 0t00 0 0000 0 0.4- 4 0 00O O 0 e 0 0 4 0 0 4t 0 4o 044460 0 #t MOUNTING DEVICE FOR AERIAL MOUNTING BASE The present invention relates to a device for the purpose of enabling an aerial mounting base to be attached to an edge of a vehicle panel such as a boot or bonnet.

Because of the almost unlimited variety of vehicle designs and especially the designs of the components of vehicles to which an aerial mounting base is usually attached, different arrangements need to be made for affixation of an aerial mount to a particular vehicle.

In the past, aerial mounting bases have been fitted at various locations on a car including the front fenders, the roof, the rear fenders, the roof drainage gutters or on roof racks.

In the case of application of the mounting base to the fenders of a vehicle the panel is usually drilled to enable the base to be attached by means of an anchor bolt, for instance, to enable cabling to be attached to the aerial.

The present invention provides a device for attachment to a preferably planar edge panel of a car, to provide a platform on which an aerial mounting base can be mounted without causing any damage to the vehicle bodywork.

The invention seeks to provide certain versatility in the mounting, location and attachment of an aerial mounting base to a vehicle.

Presently, when an aerial mounting base is fitted to the panels of a car the predesignated position of the base is usually permanent due to the requisite and necessary interference with the panel such as the drilling of a hole for j 2 3302a hPU the radio cable and holding down bolt.

The device of the present invention avoids the committment to one position on a vehicle for the mounting base, as it enables locational versatility without the need for inflicting damage to the vehicle panels. To this extent the mounting device is almost universally adaptable to many locations on a vehicle such as on hatch doors, boots, bonnets and other areas.

Preferably the device is adapted for mounting on the boot of a vehicle, however it is conceivable that -the'device can be suitably mounted on another edge panel such as the bonnet without modification to the device. The mounting device can be aS positioned" along the edge of a suitable panel in any one of o0 "0o numerous selected positions.

00 0 go One advantage of the device is that no damage is caused to 0 a the bodywork of the vehicle when the device is fitted due to the cushioning lugs which are adapted to the device.

Certain limitations are imposed by the particular design o oo 0000 of the mounting device, however the same purpose can be 00 0 achieved with minor variation to the gripping channel which .oo contacts the edge surface of the panel to which it is fitted.

For instance, the throat of the gripping channel could be So°° widened for affixation to thick edge panels.

In one broad form the present invention comprises a device for attachment to a vehicle and which is adapted to receive and support an aerial mounting base said device comprising: a resilient body having at least one planar element, at least one return portion continuous with said element forming a 3 /f 0 4z I, -e Y L*i.

downwardly depending channel which is adapted to grippingly engage a vehicle edge panel; and a cantilevered element which is connected to the said resilient body but in a plane substantially in alignment with the plane of the said planar element or elements, wherein when the said channel engages the vehicle edge panel said cantilevered element bears on a surface adjacent said edge panel. In another form the invention comprises: a device for attachment to a vehicle and which is adapted to receive and support an aerial said device comprising: a resilient body having at least one planar element at least a portion of which forms a mounting platform, at least 0000 one return portion attached to or continuous with said planar oso element forming a channel having means to grippingly engage an 00o o edge of a vehicle body panel, 00 o °wherein where said device is attached to said body panel 0o0 edge by said clamping means said platform enables support of said aerial.

In another form the present invention comprises: An aerial mounting device for detachable attachment to an 0° 4 edge of a support member said device comprising: a mounting platform adapted to receive and support an aerial; a clamp means attached to and continuous with said mounting platform to grippingly engage said edge of said support member, whereby when said device is clamped to said edge, said aerial is supported by said platform.

In its broadest form the present invention comprises a device for attachment to a vehicle and which is adapted to 0225j -4 7 21- Cbc/.~ 1, receive and support an aerial, said device comprising; a resilient body having a supporting base and also having integral therewith a support platform having an opening therethrough adapted to receive an aerial anchorage means for supporting said aerial thereon, a return portion or portions on said resilient body forming downwardly depending clamp or clamps proportioned to grippingly engage an edge of a body panel of a motor vehicle, the return portion or portions so formed having a free end leg substantially narrower than the width of the said supporting base, said support platform being outstanding from the plane of the "O supporting base of said resilient body, I wherein when said device is attached to said vehicle body panel ko by said clamp or clamps said platform provides support for said o o aerial.

o e In the preferred embodiment the resilient body comprises two plannar elements between which is interposed an upstanding

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platform which is adapted to receive an aerial mounting base.

In its broadest form the present invention comprises a device for attachment to a vehicle and which is adapted to receive and support an aerial, said device comprising; a resilient body having a supporting base and also having integral therewith a support platform having an opening therethrough adapted to receive an aeria'l anchorage means for supporting said aerial thereon, a return portion or portions on said resilient body forming a oOo clamp or clamps proportioned to grippingly engage an edge of a oe*0 0 body panel of a motor vehicle, a nee 09 oo said support platform being outstanding from the plane of the 0 0 supporting base of said resilient body, 00 oo wherein when said device is attached to said vehicle body panel by said clamp or clamps said platform provides support for said aerial.

*000 O The planar elements each have at one edge a return which 0*00 °0 a forms a channel along that edge. The said cantilevered element 0 O0 is preferably located midway between the planar elements and is continuous with or attached to the upstanding platform. The 1o said channels are adapted with gripping means to enable affixation of the device to a vehicle body.

Although the device is intended primarily for fitting to a vehicle and in particular to the boot, bonnet or edge panels of a vehicle the device can be adapted for analagous uses.

The invention will now be described in detail according to a preferred but non l.imiting embodiment with reference to the accompanying illustrations wherein: 0177j IVIT 4.

3 Fig. 1 depicts an isometric view of the mounting device according to the preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 shows a side view of the device in situ as it attaches to an edge panel of a vehicle.

Referring to figure 1, there is shown an aerial base mounting device 1 for attachment in the preferred form to the boot of a vehicle.

The mount 1 is constructed of a resilient plastics or metallic material and is preformed in a configuration which provides built-in stiffening members for resistance to a variety of stresses which may be imposed such as bending and shear stresses.

Mount 1 is the preferred form can be formed from a single sheet of material by stamping, pressing or cutting to the i:;

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000 o o 9o 0 0 00 0 0 00 00 t *0' 0 0 0000 00 0 0 00 0 00 0 0 a 00o 0 r

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O1 177j 5a desired shape in planar form then bending the resultant shape to achieve the three dimensional profile.

According to the preferred embodiment, the mount comprises, in completed form, two planar elements 2 and 3 with an upstanding platform 4 interposed there between.

The upstanding platform 4 is adapted to receive an aerial mounting base 18 (see Fig The mounting device is suitable for receiving most aerial mounting bases. The upstanding o°0°o members of the platform impart strength and rigidity to the o°9o °iq.o mount. A recess is created beneath the upstanding platform to allow passage of the aerial cable to the aerial mounting base.

Each of the planar elements 2 and 3 terminate at one edge in a return which forms a channel The short leg 6 is adapted with screw shanks 7 which is adjustable according to the thickness of the material which is S grippingly engaged within the channel.

a A wall 8 of the upstanding platform 4 terminates in a cantilever 9 which is preferably disposed in the same horizontal plane as planar elements 2 and 3, however it is 808808 conceivable that the function performed by the cantilever can be performed as effectively by a cantilevered member which is in a different plane from the planar elements or which is disposed vertically.

Ideally the mount 1 is fitted to the boot of a car.

Figure 3 depicts a side elevational view of the mount 1 in situ. In use, to position the mount, screw shanks 7 are retracted from within the channel 5 to provide a clear entry for boot edge panel 10. The panel 10 is inserted within the -6- 3302a

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1 i channel 5 such that edge 11 engages wall 12 of the channel.

Once the panel is inserted and the mount correctly oriented, the screw shanks 7 are tightened against the underside 13 of the panel 10 so that the mount tightly engages the panel. In order to protect the painted surface 15 of the panel 10 the mount is fitted with cushioning lugs 14 which are compressed between the planar elements 2 and 3 and surface 15. The lugs are preferably made from rubber and provide a friction grip S between the mount and the panel against the load imposed on the underside of the panel by screw shanks 7. The aerial mount E when attached to the boot of a vehicle travels with the boot.

When the boot is closed wall 12 is interposed between panel and an adjacent panel 16 which could be the top of a mudguard or fender. At the same time the cantilever 9 bears down on Si6't panel 16 via lug 17 which prevents metal on metal contact.

Where the cantilever 9 is in a different plane from the planar members the resultant gap between it and the surface onto which it bears can be filled by the bearing load transfer lugs.

When the boot of the vehicle (not shown) is closed, it is virtually impossible to remove the mount as there is no access to the screw shanks 7. The design of the upstanding platform also makes it virtually impossible to transfer with and release the means of affixation of the aerial mounting base from the boot mount.

It will be recognised by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and modifications can be made to the mounting device without departing from the overall spirit and scope of the invention as broadly described herein.

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Claims (9)

1. A device for attachment to a vehicle and which is adapted to receive and support an aerial, said device comprising; a resilient body having a supporting base and also having integral therewith a support platform having an opening therethrough adapted to receive an aerial anchorage means for supporting said aerial thereon, a return portion or portions on said resilient body forming downwardly depending clamp or clamps proportioned to grippingly engage an edge of a body panel of a motor vehicle, the return portion or portions so formed having a free end leg substantially narrower than the width of the said supporting base, said support platform being outstanding from the plane of the supporting base of said resilient body, wherein when said device is attached to said vehicle body panel by said clamp or clamps said platform provides support for said aerial.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the said return portion or portions forming said clamp or clamps comprises a channel adapted to receive and conform to the shape of a vehicle edge panel.

3. A device according to claim 2 characterised in that each of the clamps comprise at least one adjustable screw penetrating into said channel via a hole in the channel wall and which engages the said edge of said body panel.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein the said channel is formed below said supporting base and along its outer edge.

A device according to claim 4 wherein the said platform 0225j 8- P also comprises along one edge a horizontal lip which is co-planar with said base and is adapted to abut on an edge of an adjacent body panel.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein the said platform is profiled to accommodate an aerial mounting base which is mounted thereto by bolting.

7. A device according to claim 6 wherein the platform extends in a direction away from the throat of the channel/s which form the clamp/s.

8. A device according to any of the foregoing claims characterised in that the surfaces of contact between said o device and said panel or panels are fitted with cushioning lugs. 0 0 0 0

9. A device as hereinbefore described and with reference to 000 o O the accompanying illustrations. 00 0 000 0 0o 0 000 oo 0 °oo, DATED this 9th day of January, 1991. MOBILE ONE COMMUNICATIONS o0 SYSTEMS PTY LTD 0 By Its Patent Attorneys ARTHUR S. CAVE CO. S 0 225j 9 S t T icc~ c 225 9 J