EP0941555B1

EP0941555B1 - A bracket for mounting of a parabolic antenna

Info

Publication number: EP0941555B1
Application number: EP97942818A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Egon Janum
Original assignee: Triax AS
Current assignee: Triax AS
Priority date: 1996-10-01
Filing date: 1997-09-30
Publication date: 2001-07-04
Anticipated expiration: 2017-09-30
Also published as: EP0941555A1; PT941555E; AU4451497A; ATE202875T1; ES2158586T3; WO1998015026A1; DK107396A; DE69705536D1; GR3036789T3

Abstract

For the mounting of a parabolic antenna (1) the invention provides a bracket consisting of a first part (6) and a second part (10). The first part may e.g. be mounted on a mast, while the second part may be mounted on the parabolic antenna. The first part has a groove (9) which may engage a bead (20), thereby providing a snap connection between the first and second parts. Alternatively, the parts may be pushed on each other. The bracket of the invention provides an easier way of mounting a parabolic antenna, in particular when standing on a ladder, as the parabolic antenna may be secured to the mast in a few seconds. The parabolic antenna is additionally easy to adjust, as the first part may slide relative to the second part via the groove (9)/bead (20). Further clamping means (13) are provided on the second part, so that, when the adjustment of the vertical (elevation) and horizontal directions (azimuth) has been performed, the second part may be clamped fixedly and securely around the first part.

Description

The invention relates to a bracket for mounting of a parabolic antenna on a mast or another mounting place, such as a wall or a gable, according to the preamble of Claim 1.

Parabolic or dish antennas are frequently mounted at a height from the surface of the ground, requiring an installer to stand on a ladder and mount the dish on a bracket which is secured e.g. to a gable. A pipe on which the parabolic antenna may be fixed is usually secured to the gable. A known way of clamping a parabolic antenna to a pipe comprises using a single bracket, where a U-shaped hanger is placed around the mast and the legs of the U-shaped hanger are passed through holes in the bracket, following which the bracket is clamped by means of nuts which cooperate with threads on the legs of the U-shaped bracket.

A somewhat safer attachment device for parabolic antennas comprises a bracket which consists of two parts, one part of which is secured to the parabolic antenna, while the other part is a loose part which may be secured to a pipe by means of a U-shaped hanger, said other part being formed with holes into which the legs of the U-shaped hanger may extend, and when the other part is then placed on the mast, the legs of the U-shaped hanger may be passed through holes in the first part and then clamp the entire antenna.

The above-mentioned ways of securing parabolic antennas to masts usually ensure a rather stable mounting of a parabolic antenna once it has been mounted.

However, it is not quite easy for an installer to handle the mounting of the bracket, as he normally stands on a ladder and has to hold the parabolic antenna by one hand, while the other hand works with the brackets. This means that quite inexpedient working operations may be involved, in particular if the parabolic antenna is large, such as a diameter of 70 cm or more, and therefore rather heavy to handle in the mounting. It should be noted in this connection that nuts have to be screwed quite far on to the U-shaped hangers before a reasonable attachment occurs.

From SE 8 504 702 A there is known an adjustable fixture for a parabolic TV aerial having all the features of the preamble of Claim 1. Furthermor, FR 2 733 633 A1 discloses a directional azimuth antenna orientation device for cellular radio communication.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a bracket which can be handled more readily and easily by an installer when he e.g. stands on a ladder and mounts a parabolic antenna.

The object of the invention is achieved by the features of Claim 1 wherein the bracket consists of a first part for mounting on or formed as part of the parabolic antenna and a second part for mounting on the mast, the wall or the gable, and that the two parts may be engaged with each other by snap engagement, or that mounting takes place by pushing on the parts.

This provides a very simple way of mounting the parabolic antenna, as all initial work may be performed by first placing the other part on the mast, and then quite simply clicking or moving the parabolic antenna with the first bracket into position.

When the snap engagement is provided as a depression on the first part which may receive a bead on the second part, or the first part is formed with a bead which may be received by a depression on the second part, it is advantageously ensured that once the dish is arranged with its two parts in engagement, then the dish will be locked by its own weight, it being moreover quite simple to adjust the dish to the correct angle in a vertical direction (elevation).

This structure allows even rather large dishes to be mounted without requiring as large an overhang as has previously been necessary.

It is an additional advantage if the first part has additional clamping means for stronger attachment of the second part to the first part, which means that once the vertical angle has been set, extremely tight attachment of the parabolic antenna may be provided with the two brackets. A self-locking effect ensures that it is not necessary to use tools, such as screwdrivers, screw hangers for clamping, to the same extent as previously. It is e.g. possible to use wing nuts, thereby obviating the need for tools. Even strong wind impacts can thus be absorbed, without the settings of the parabolic antenna being affected by this. It is noted in this connection that a movement of the parabolic antenna of just one or 2 centimetres will be able to remove the signal from a television receiver which is directed toward a given satellite. To enable adjustment of the vertical setting of the parabolic antenna, an angular scale is provided along the depression or bead of the first part, which angular scale, when the second part is engaged with the first part, may cover two different angular areas with respect to the vertical which depend on how the mounting position of the second part has been provided, said second part being able to assume two positions which are 180° offset.

It should be noted in this connection that nothing prevents a horizontal (azimuth) adjustment from being provided in a similar manner with a groove and a bead.

To facilitate the mounting of a parabolic antenna additionally, it is expedient, as stated in claim 7, that the first part additionally mounts a pivotable holding means which is arranged to carry one or more LNB heads.

The holding means may hereby be pivoted into the dish of the parabolic antenna during transport, and as soon as the parabolic antenna is to be mounted, the arm may be pivoted out and the LNB heads be arranged.

Owing to the adjustment and the attachment of the holding means to a first part in an accurate position, which is required in connection with the mounting of LNB heads, it is an advantage that the holding means may be snap-locked to the first part in its one outer position.

Expedient embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims in general.

The invention will now be explained more fully with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing, in which

fig. 1 shows a parabolic antenna with a part of the mounting bracket according to the invention,

fig. 2 shows the mounting bracket with its two parts according to the invention, seen from a first side,

fig. 3 shows the mounting bracket, seen from a second side, and

fig. 4 shows a part of the mounting bracket according to the invention which may be secured to a mast.

In fig. 1, an ordinary parabolic antenna dish, which may be constructed with various diameters, is designated by 1. Parabolic antennas having a diameter of from 40 cm to 90 cm are typical for domestic use. Fig. 1 additionally shows a holding means 2, here shown as an arm whose one end is adapted to receive a reception means 15 for an LNB head 3. The holding means 15 may be constructed to receive one or more LNB heads. This holding means 15 is moreover adapted such that it may be snap-locked to the arm 2 via a tongue 16, which is able to engage a hole 16' in the arm 2. This, however, will not be explained in more detail as it forms no part of the invention. Fig. 1 additionally shows a connection unit 4 for a line (not shown) which is to feed a signal received from the parabolic antenna 1 via the LNB head 3 to a receiver. The line (not shown) may expediently be passed in a concealed manner through the arm 2 which is hollow. The arm 2 is shown in an inwardly pivoted position at 2', which takes place about a pivot 5 which may be provided in that the material of the arm 2 is pressed into the material of a first part 6 of the bracket, which forms part of the present invention, cf. the following description. Finally, fig. 1 shows that the arm 2 may be snap-locked to the first part 6 of the bracket via a snap locking part 17, which is not shown in great detail, and which does not form part of the present invention either.

Fig. 2 shows the bracket of the invention. This consists of a first part 6 which is adapted to be mounted on a parabolic antenna 1, cf. fig. 1. Mounting on the parabolic antenna 1 may e.g. be performed with screws, rivets, etc., or in that material from the bracket is deformed into the dish itself to secure the bracket 6, or the dish 1 may be provided with tongues on its outer side 18 which may engage pockets (not shown) on the bracket. It is moreover possible that bracket and dish may be constructed as an independent unit in a tool.

As will be seen in figs. 2 and 3, the bracket of the invention consists of a first part 6 which, as explained before, is adapted to be mounted on the parabolic antenna 1, and of a second part 10 which, cf. fig. 4, is adapted to be mounted on a pipe or possibly a mast. Mounting of the second part on the pipe may take place in an ordinary manner. A toothed surface 19 on the second part 6 may e.g. be engaged with the pipe and be clamped easily by means of U-shaped hangers 19, whose legs, which are formed with threads, are passed through holes 11 in the second part. An additional bracket with holes, through which the legs may be passed, may be arranged oppositely to the first part on the pipe, and the second part and the additional bracket may be clamped against the pipe by means of nuts which cooperate with the threads on the legs. When this has been done, the first part 6 of the bracket of the dish may be engaged with the second part by snap engagement by means of two grooves formed on each side of the first part. As will be seen in fig. 4, the second part has two beads 20, which may extend in the grooves 9 on the first part. The engagement takes place by moving the first part obliquely toward the second part and pressing one side of the first part against one side of the second part to provide locking between the grooves and the beads. It should be noted in this connection that as soon as the first part has been secured to the second part, it will be clamped because of the weight of the dish, as the second part will be subjected to a downward pressure from the first part inwardly toward the mast, while the upper portion of the second part will be subjected to a pull from the first part. Thus, there is no risk of the dish sliding out of its engagement, although it is still "loosely" mounted. For adjusting the dish relative to a vertical position,

scales

7, 8 and 21 are provided on each side of the first part, as illustrated in figs. 2 and 3, showing the adjustment relative to the vertical direction (elevation). The first part may easily be caused to slide with respect to the second part. When the desired angle has been found, which may e.g. be done by setting the mark 20' on the second part at the desired position on the angular scale 21, the parts may be clamped, thereby providing a very firm grip between the first and second parts.

As will be seen in fig. 3, the second part 10 is turned 180°, and the graduation on the scale is changed with respect to the one shown in fig. 2, it being now possible to set the dish in another angular area because of the structure of the second part.

For the sake of completeness it is noted that the horizontal angle (azimuth) may be set before the second part is clamped, merely by rotating the second part with respect to the mast.

It is noted in this connection that the angular scale in fig. 2 lends itself for use in parabolic antenna installations which are performed in Central and Southern Europe and farther south, while installations performed as shown in fig. 3 may advantageously be used in Central and Southern Europe as well as in the Scandinavian countries.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the invention provides an extremely stable and strong bracket which enables mounting of even rather large dishes in a relatively simple manner.

Claims

A bracket for the mounting of a parabolic antenna (1) on a mast or on another mounting place, such as a wall or a gable, said bracket comprising a first part (6) and a second part (10), one for mounting on or being formed as part of the parabolic antenna (1), and the other for mounting on the mast, wherein the first part (6) comprises a depression, such as a groove (9), adapted to receive engagement means (20) for securing said two parts (6, 10) to one another, said depression/groove (9) being arc-shaped so as to permit an angular adjustment of the first part (6) with respect to the second part (10), characterized in that said engagement means (20) is secured to or integral with said second part (10), said first part (6) and said second part (10) further being formed so as to permit a snap engagement of said engagement means (20) with said depression/groove (9).
A bracket according to claim 1, characterized in that the engagement means (20) is formed as a bead having a contour corresponding to said depression/groove (9) such as to be slidable in said depression/groove (9) when the two parts (6, 10) have been brought into snap engagement.
A bracket according to claim 1, characterized in that the engagement means comprises bolts which may be received in the depression.
A bracket according to claim 1 or 2 and comprising additional securing means (13) for establishing an angular setting.
A bracket according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said first or second part (6, 10) is formed as an integral part of a parabolic antenna (1).
A bracket according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that an angular scale (7) is arranged along said arc-shaped groove/depression (9), or along said engagement means when formed in accordance with claim 2.
A bracket according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first part additionally mounts a pivotable holding means (2) which is adapted to carry one or more LNB heads (3).
A bracket according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the pivotable holding means is coupled to the first part by a deformation of the material of the holding means into the first part.
A bracket according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the pivotable holding means may be snap-locked (17) to the first part at its one extreme position.
A bracket according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first part is adapted to be mounted on the parabolic antenna, either by using screws/bolts or by frictional locking, such as tongues which are provided on the rear side of the parabolic antenna and which may cooperate with pockets on the first part.