EP0390290B1 - Antenna arrangement on a vehicle - Google Patents

Antenna arrangement on a vehicle Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0390290B1
EP0390290B1 EP90200756A EP90200756A EP0390290B1 EP 0390290 B1 EP0390290 B1 EP 0390290B1 EP 90200756 A EP90200756 A EP 90200756A EP 90200756 A EP90200756 A EP 90200756A EP 0390290 B1 EP0390290 B1 EP 0390290B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
antenna unit
antenna
lever element
swivelling axis
instrument space
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP90200756A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0390290A1 (en
Inventor
Tapio Salminen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus
Original Assignee
Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus filed Critical Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus
Publication of EP0390290A1 publication Critical patent/EP0390290A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0390290B1 publication Critical patent/EP0390290B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
    • H01Q1/27—Adaptation for use in or on movable bodies
    • H01Q1/32—Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles
    • H01Q1/3208—Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles characterised by the application wherein the antenna is used
    • H01Q1/3216—Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles characterised by the application wherein the antenna is used where the road or rail vehicle is only used as transportation means

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an antenna arrangement as defined in the introductory part of claim 1.
  • German patent application DE-A-2204448 An antenna arrangement of the above type is disclosed by German patent application DE-A-2204448.
  • the instrument space is very small and thus one disadvantage is that serving the antenna unit inside it requires stopping the vehicle and turning the antenna unit into its working condition.
  • An other disadvantage is that it requires severe modifications of the vehicle at the location where the antenna arrangement is to be mounted.
  • the antenna arrangement inside the instrument space is unprotected against weather or additional measures should be taken to provide such protection.
  • the antenna unit of the arrangement can take only few positions or can be aimed into only few directions without moving the vehicle.
  • the antenna arrangement is easy to install in a normal freight vehicle or a truck by simply attaching it to the ceiling close to the loading opening of the vehicle. No modifications on the construction of the truck are needed. No extra boxes have to be installed.
  • the entire antenna arrangement can easily be serviced in the storage position of the antenna unit, even during travelling. Since the vehicle can be any normal truck it needs not to be dedicated only to transporting an antenna system, but it can transport at the same time also normal goods inside the freight space.
  • the antenna system is as well protected against the weather as other goods inside such freight space.
  • the lever element has an angular shape in the plane perpendicular to the swivelling axis. This makes it possible to install and operate the antenna unit in a normal freight unit of a truck without effecting on the construction of the freight space. No cut outs or extra openings at all are needed. Just the ordinary door opening at the rear end of the truck will be sufficient.
  • a power means e.g. an electric motor
  • the power means can be a motor belonging to the antenna operating equipment used for adjusting the antenna position. This shared use of this power means makes the arrangement less complex and thus cheaper to manufacture, to use and to maintain.
  • the Japanese patent application JP-A-60260204 discloses an antenna arrangement mounted on the roof of a vehicle. If not in operation an antenna unit of the arrangement is turned down against the outside roof. To obtain an operational state the antenna unit is turned upwardly around a swivelling axis. Motors are controlled in the operational state to adjust the elevating angle and the azimuth angle of the antenna unit.
  • the antenna arrangement comprises an antenna unit 1, which in this case consists of a paraboloidal mirror, suspension and operating equipment 2 supporting the antenna unit 1, and an instrument space 3 accommodating the antenna unit 1.
  • the suspension and operating equipment 2 comprises rotating and turning means, consisting of two power means such as electric motors 7, 8, an antenna support 9, a transmitter/receiver support 10 for holding the transmitter/receiver 11, a lever element 4 and a supporting element 5.
  • the instrument space 3 consists of a mobile space, in this case the freight space of a truck or trailer truck or a transportable container.
  • the space 3 is provided with an opening 6 for the antenna unit 1.
  • This opening may naturally consist of the normal loading opening provided in the rear wall of the carrier vehicle, which can be closed with the doors belonging to it.
  • the antenna unit 1, together with the antenna support 9 and electric motor 8, is mounted on the supporting element 5, which is attached to the ceiling of the instrument space 3 near the opening 6.
  • the lever element 4 is turnably mounted on the supporting element 5.
  • the swivelling axis D-D of the lever element is parallel to the edge 6a of the opening 6.
  • the lever element has an angular form, i.e. it consists of at least two parts with an angle between them as seen in the plane perpendicular to the swivelling axis D-D (fig. 1).
  • the lever element is thus provided with a cut-out for the edge of the ceiling 3a of the instrument space 3.
  • the lever element be at least partially curved in the plane perpendicular to the swivelling axis D-D.
  • the antenna arrangement of the invention works as follows.
  • the antenna unit 1 is in its storage/transport position C within the instrument space 3.
  • the antenna unit 1 is turned from its storage/transport position to the working position within the working range between positions A and B, indicated by broken lines in fig. 1.
  • the antenna unit 1 can be turned back from the working position A,B to the transport position C when the unit is not being used or when it is to be prepared for transportation.
  • the lever element 4 can be turned using a power means 7 connected to its shaft D-D.
  • this power means is the same as that used for adjusting the antenna unit's position in the vertical plane. In this case, no separate power means for turning the antenna unit from its storage/transport position C to the working position and vice versa is needed.
  • the angle of rotation i.e. the azimuth angle of the antenna can be freely adjusted in the range 0 - 360° by means of the other electric motor 8.

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  • Support Of Aerials (AREA)
  • Details Of Aerials (AREA)
  • Variable-Direction Aerials And Aerial Arrays (AREA)

Abstract

The invention concerns an antenna arrangement comprising an antenna unit consisting of one or more elements, the suspension and operating equipment to which the antenna unit is connected, and an instrument space accommodating the antenna unit. According to the invention, the suspension and operating equipment consists of a lever element (4) and a supporting element (5), the former being rotatably mounted on the latter. The instrument space (3) is provided with an opening (6) for the antenna unit (1), the supporting element (5) being placed inside said space near said opening in such a way that the antenna unit (1) can be turned from its storage or transport position (C) in the instrument space (3) to the working position (A, B) and vice versa by turning the lever element (4) about its swivelling axis (D-D).

Description

  • The present invention relates to an antenna arrangement as defined in the introductory part of claim 1.
  • An antenna arrangement of the above type is disclosed by German patent application DE-A-2204448. With the prior art antenna arrangement the instrument space is very small and thus one disadvantage is that serving the antenna unit inside it requires stopping the vehicle and turning the antenna unit into its working condition. An other disadvantage is that it requires severe modifications of the vehicle at the location where the antenna arrangement is to be mounted. A still further disadvantage is that the antenna arrangement inside the instrument space is unprotected against weather or additional measures should be taken to provide such protection. Still a further disadvantage is that the antenna unit of the arrangement can take only few positions or can be aimed into only few directions without moving the vehicle.
  • It is an object of the invention to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art antenna arrangement.
  • According to the invention said object is obtained by the antenna arrangement according to claim 1. By this the antenna arrangement is easy to install in a normal freight vehicle or a truck by simply attaching it to the ceiling close to the loading opening of the vehicle. No modifications on the construction of the truck are needed. No extra boxes have to be installed. The entire antenna arrangement can easily be serviced in the storage position of the antenna unit, even during travelling. Since the vehicle can be any normal truck it needs not to be dedicated only to transporting an antenna system, but it can transport at the same time also normal goods inside the freight space. The antenna system is as well protected against the weather as other goods inside such freight space.
  • Preferably the lever element has an angular shape in the plane perpendicular to the swivelling axis. This makes it possible to install and operate the antenna unit in a normal freight unit of a truck without effecting on the construction of the freight space. No cut outs or extra openings at all are needed. Just the ordinary door opening at the rear end of the truck will be sufficient.
  • Preferably a power means, e.g. an electric motor, is connected to the shaft of the lever element. The power means can be a motor belonging to the antenna operating equipment used for adjusting the antenna position. This shared use of this power means makes the arrangement less complex and thus cheaper to manufacture, to use and to maintain.
  • The Japanese patent application JP-A-60260204 discloses an antenna arrangement mounted on the roof of a vehicle. If not in operation an antenna unit of the arrangement is turned down against the outside roof. To obtain an operational state the antenna unit is turned upwardly around a swivelling axis. Motors are controlled in the operational state to adjust the elevating angle and the azimuth angle of the antenna unit.
  • In the following, the invention is described by referring to the appended drawings, in which
    • Fig. 1 illustrates the antenna arrangement of the invention, fitted in a transport vehicle, in lateral view and partly sectioned, and
    • Fig. 2 shows the antenna arrangement of fig. 1 as seen from direction E-E.
  • The antenna arrangement comprises an antenna unit 1, which in this case consists of a paraboloidal mirror, suspension and operating equipment 2 supporting the antenna unit 1, and an instrument space 3 accommodating the antenna unit 1.
  • The suspension and operating equipment 2 comprises rotating and turning means, consisting of two power means such as electric motors 7, 8, an antenna support 9, a transmitter/receiver support 10 for holding the transmitter/receiver 11, a lever element 4 and a supporting element 5.
  • The instrument space 3 consists of a mobile space, in this case the freight space of a truck or trailer truck or a transportable container. The space 3 is provided with an opening 6 for the antenna unit 1. This opening may naturally consist of the normal loading opening provided in the rear wall of the carrier vehicle, which can be closed with the doors belonging to it.
  • The antenna unit 1, together with the antenna support 9 and electric motor 8, is mounted on the supporting element 5, which is attached to the ceiling of the instrument space 3 near the opening 6. The lever element 4 is turnably mounted on the supporting element 5. The swivelling axis D-D of the lever element is parallel to the edge 6a of the opening 6.
  • The lever element has an angular form, i.e. it consists of at least two parts with an angle between them as seen in the plane perpendicular to the swivelling axis D-D (fig. 1). The lever element is thus provided with a cut-out for the edge of the ceiling 3a of the instrument space 3. Alternatively, the lever element be at least partially curved in the plane perpendicular to the swivelling axis D-D.
  • The antenna arrangement of the invention works as follows. In fig. 1, the antenna unit 1 is in its storage/transport position C within the instrument space 3. By turning the lever element 4 about its swivelling axis D-D, the antenna unit 1 is turned from its storage/transport position to the working position within the working range between positions A and B, indicated by broken lines in fig. 1. Similarly, the antenna unit 1 can be turned back from the working position A,B to the transport position C when the unit is not being used or when it is to be prepared for transportation.
  • The lever element 4 can be turned using a power means 7 connected to its shaft D-D. In a preferable arrangement, this power means is the same as that used for adjusting the antenna unit's position in the vertical plane. In this case, no separate power means for turning the antenna unit from its storage/transport position C to the working position and vice versa is needed. Within the working range, the angle of rotation, i.e. the azimuth angle of the antenna can be freely adjusted in the range 0 - 360° by means of the other electric motor 8.
  • In the above, the invention has been described by referring to one of its preferred embodiments.

Claims (3)

  1. Antenna arrangement of a vehicle, comprising an antenna unit (1), consisting of one or more elements, a suspension and operating equipment (4, 5) to which the antenna unit is connected, and an instrument space (3), the suspension and operating equipment consisting of a lever element (4) and a supporting element (5), the former being rotatably mounted on the latter through a swivelling axis (D-D) of the lever element (4), such that the antenna unit (1) can be turned from its storage or transport position (C) to a working position (A, B) and vice versa by turning the lever element (4) about its swivelling axis (D-D), characterized in that the instrument space (3) is provided with a loading opening (6) of the transporting vehicle for the antenna unit (1), which loading opening (6) is closable by means of doormeans, that the supporting element (5) is placed inside said instrument space (3) attached to the ceiling (3a) of the instrument space (3) near said opening (6), that the swivelling axis (D-D) runs parallel to the edge (6a) of the opening (6), that the antenna unit (1) in its storage or transport position (C) is situated under shelter inside the instrument space (3), and that the lever element (4) is at least partially curved in the plane perpendicular to the swivelling axis (D-D).
  2. Antenna arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the lever element (4) has an angular shape in the plane perpendicular to the swivelling axis.
  3. Antenna arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a power means (7), e.g. an electric motor, is connected to the shaft (D-D) of the lever element.
EP90200756A 1989-03-29 1990-03-28 Antenna arrangement on a vehicle Expired - Lifetime EP0390290B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FI891516 1989-03-29
FI891516A FI82324C (en) 1989-03-29 1989-03-29 ANTENNANORDNING.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0390290A1 EP0390290A1 (en) 1990-10-03
EP0390290B1 true EP0390290B1 (en) 1995-02-15

Family

ID=8528142

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP90200756A Expired - Lifetime EP0390290B1 (en) 1989-03-29 1990-03-28 Antenna arrangement on a vehicle

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0390290B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE118654T1 (en)
DE (1) DE69016810T2 (en)
FI (1) FI82324C (en)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6075496A (en) * 1997-01-16 2000-06-13 Flash Comm, Inc. Shunt feed antenna for large terrestrial vehicles
US5950372A (en) * 1997-03-10 1999-09-14 International Design Systems Company Sheltering apparatus and method of sheltering same
FR2970993A1 (en) * 2011-02-02 2012-08-03 Comrod France Handling device for handling elongate element e.g. radio mast to be mounted along support of vehicle, has attachment assemblies moving elongate element to position in which elongate element is placed along wall parallel to direction

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3646564A (en) * 1969-03-03 1972-02-29 Raytheon Co Antenna slew system
DE2204448A1 (en) * 1972-01-31 1973-08-09 Rohde & Schwarz DEVICE FOR BIAXIAL PIVOTING OF THE REFLECTOR OF A DIRECTIONAL ANTENNA, IN PARTICULAR OF A MOBILE SATELLITE TRACKING SYSTEM
DE3428051A1 (en) * 1984-07-30 1986-03-06 Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-Gmbh, 6000 Frankfurt ACTUATOR UNIT

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69016810T2 (en) 1995-08-17
FI82324B (en) 1990-10-31
ATE118654T1 (en) 1995-03-15
EP0390290A1 (en) 1990-10-03
FI891516A0 (en) 1989-03-29
DE69016810D1 (en) 1995-03-23
FI82324C (en) 1991-02-11

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