GB2219142A - Indoor television aerial - Google Patents

Abstract

An indoor television aerial has a UHF aerial (6) and a VHF aerial (8) projecting from an upper cup-shaped member (2) of a frame (1) of the aerial. The frame (1) has a base (9) as a flat part of a lower cup-shaped member (3). A ring (4) links the parts 2 and 3 so that the aerials 6, 8 can be turned relative to the base 9. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVED INDOOR TELEVISION AERIAL This invention relates to an indoor television aerial which can be placed on the television set it is supplying with an aerial signal or on another piece of furniture, and is designed so that it can be orientated as wished (e.g. to optimise signal strength) without the risk of damaging the surface on which it is placed.

An aerial in accordance with this invention is of the type which includes a frame in which the electrical and/or electronic components of an electrical circuit of the aerial are housed, and in which a straight telescopic rod is mounted on the outside, which constitutes the VHF aerial and an open, closed or yagi" type dipole, which forms the UHF aerial, both being connected to the circuit housed within the frame from which an output cable also leaves for connecting the aerial to a television set.

In aerials of the type disclosed, the frame forms a single body with respect to which the rods can be partially orientated, specially the rod which defines the VHF aerial.

However the rod or rods forming the dipole which serves as a UHF aerial is/are usually in a fixed position with respect to the frame, at least in a horizontal direction, so it is/they are orientated by moving the said frame.

This movement produces friction on the surface of the furniture where the aerial is placed, which can lead to scratching the supporting surface and consequently damaging the furniture.

One aim of this invention is to provide an aerial of the type mentioned in which both the UHF and VHF rods can be orientated without having to move the support base of the frame with respect to the surface on which the said base rests, thereby eliminating the risk of damaging the surface of the furniture on which the aerial is placed.

A further aim of the invention is to provide an indoor television aerial whose frame has a geometrical configuration which, together with the external rods, creates an attractive unit.

According to the invention there is provided an indoor television aerial having VHF and UHF aerial rods and an electrical circuit linking said rods with an output cable of the aerial, which aerial includes a frame in the form of a body of revolution, comprising three separate parts, one upper part and one lower part in the form of approximately hemispherical caps, and an intermediate part in the form of a narrow ring, the three parts being coupled together and fixed by a fixing member extending coaxially in the frame; the lower cap having a flattened external part with a flat surface parallel to the edge of the lower cap, to define a support base through which the said fixing member passes, this cap being coupled to the ring with the possibility of turning movement with respect thereto; the upper cap having three openings for receiving the rods of the UHF and VHF aerials and being fixedly coupled to the ring without a facility to turn relative to it; the intermediate ring having anchoring means to fix a plate holding electric and/or electronic components of the electrical circuit.

The ring which forms part of the frame can have two annular channels in its flat surface, one opposite the edge of each of the caps. At the same time, throughout the length of the edge, the said caps can have a rib which fits into the channel opposite the ring. The rib of the upper cap and the channel facing it can be provided with two confronting interruptions, forming a groove, which prevents any relative turning between the said upper cap and the ring. The rib of the lower cap, throughout its length and over an angular amplitude of approximately 900, can have a recess designed to hold a projection formed in the bottom of the opposite channel of the ring; this projection being of reduced length and of the same height as the depth of the recess.As the lower cap turns with respect to the ring, the recess in the bottom of the channel opposite the ring collides with the transversal edges which limit the recess of the cap rib, thus acting as an element limiting the turning magnitude of the lower cap with respect to the ring.

With the arrangement disclosed, the position of the aerials can be orientated by turning the upper cap and ring with respect to the lower cap which remains in a fixed position, thereby avoiding the risk of scratches and damage being caused to the surface of furniture on which the aerial rests.

The telescopic rod which defines the VHF aerial is desirably fixed to the frame through a hinge. On the other hand, the rod or rods of the dipole forming the UHF aerial is preferably partially inserted at its ends into the frame through holes formed in the upper cap, crossing a partition of the intermediate ring, to finally be anchored in bushings fixed to the plate holding the electric and/or electronic components.

The outlet of the output (usually coaxial) cable is desirably made in the frame through a hole formed in the bottom flat base of the lower cap; this cap has a radial channel with alternating ribs which form a labyrinth for the said output cable to pass and be secured thereby.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front elevation of one embodiment of indoor aerial constructed according to the invention, Figure 2 is a plan view of the aerial of Figure 1 in which the outer rods have been deleted, Figure 3 is a cross-section taken on the line III-III of Figure 2, Figures 4 and 5 are upper and lower plan views respectively of the intermediate ring of the frame of the aerial of Figure 1, Figure 6 is a plan of the lower cap of the frame of the aerial of Figure 1 seen from above, Figure 7 corresponds to detail A of Figure 3, on a larger scale and with the caps and ring partly separated, Figure 8 corresponds to detail B of Figure 3, on a larger scale, and also with the caps and intermediate ring separated, Figure 9 is a cross-section, on a larger scale, taken on the line IX-IX of Figure 3, Figure 10 is an elevation view of the components of the hinge for assembling the rod of the VHF aerial in the frame, Figure 11 is a cross-section taken on the line XI-XI of Figure 10, and Figure 12 is a diametrical cross-section of one of the fixing caps of the rod or rods of the UHF aerial.

As can be seen in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the aerial includes a spherical frame, marked generally with reference 1, comprising an upper cap 2 and a lower cap 3, each approximately hemispherical in shape, and a central ring 4.

The upper cap 2 has two front holes 5 through which rods 6 of a dipole forming a UHF aerial are inserted, and a hole and rear housing 7 in which a hinge is mounted, to which a telescopic rod 8 is fixed, constituting a VHF aerial.

The lower cap has a flattened part 9, parallel to the free edge of the said cap, which defines a support base for the aerial. From this support base 9, the lower cap 3 has a cylindrical recess 10 (see Figures 3 and 6), from which a radial channel 11 extends, the channel 11 leading to the side surface of the cap 3. From the longitudinal walls of the channel 11, alternating transverse ribs 12 protrude, which throughout the length of the said channel form a labyrinth-like path.

A central hole 13 is provided in the bottom of the recess 10, through which an axial fixing member 14 passes, screw-threaded over its end portion 15 for fixing it to a threaded hole formed in an internal projection 16 of the upper cap 2. This screwed member 14 serves as an element for joining the caps 2 and 3 and the intermediate ring 4 together, the penetration of the screw-thread 15 in the hole 16 being limited so that it does not create excessive pressure between the caps 2, 3 and the ring 4.

In the bottom of the cylindrical recess 10 there is a second hole 17 through which a coaxial cable (not shown) will leave the frame 1 to pass along the length of the channel 11 and be retained therein by the ribs 12.

As can be seen from Figures 4, 5 and 9, in its flat surfaces, the intermediate ring 4 has two annular channels 19 and 20, opposite the edge of the upper cap 2 and the lower cap 3, respectively. On the edge facing the ring, the upper cap 2 has an annular ring 21 with the same dimensions as the channel 19, to fit into it. Likewise, on its free edge, the lower cap 3 has a rib 22 sized to fit into the channel 20 of the ring 4.

The upper channel 19 of the ring 4 has a break or gap 23 (Figures 4 and 7). Likewise, the rib 21 of the upper cap 2 has a break 24 of the same length as the break 23 in the channel 19, both gaps fitting into each other and forming a stop which prevents the upper cap 2 turning with respect to the ring 4.

As can be seen in Figures 6 and 8, in the rib 22, the lower cap 3 has a span 25 with a longitudinal recess, said recess subtending an angle of approximately 900 at the centre of the frame 1. The lower channel 20 of the ring 4 has a short projection 26 in the bottom, the same height as the depth of the recess of span 25. With this construction, when the projection 26 is fitted into the recess 25, the lower cap 3 can turn partially with respect to the ring 4 through an angle, equal to that of the span 25 of rib 22, since at the extremities of this angle the projection 26 of the bottom of the channel of ring 4 will contact the transverse limits 27 of the said recess 25, restricting the possibility of turning movement between the lower cap 3 and the ring 4.

With the arrangement described, the upper cap 2 and the ring 4 can turn through 900 with respect to the lower cap 3, allowing the aerial to be orientated without having to move the lower support base 9 of the assembly on the surface on which it rests.

As can be seen in Figure 3, a mass 28 (illustrated by dotted lines) is housed inside the lower cap 3. This mass serves as a counterweight to stabilise the aerial.

In the flat support base 9 there are some small hollows 29 in which some rubber blocks are fixed to provide resilient feet on which the aerial is supported.

Returning to Figures 4 and 5,it can be seen that the ring 4 has two internal partitions 30, one of which is provided with holes 31 through which the rods 6 of the dipole can pass, and the other of which has a hole 32 to accommodate the hinge end of the telescopic rod 8. Between the partitions 30, the plate (or PC board) holding the electric and/or electronic components of the aerial is fixed. One of the partitions 30 has holes 33 capable of receiving set screws of the said plate.

In Figures 10 and 11 the hinge is illustrated for fixing the telescopic rod 8, which is made up of a forked bracket 34, with a fixing shank 35 to the frame and parallel branches 35a with a confronting through-hole 36 in both branches. The hinge also includes a bushing 37 in which the end of the telescopic rod is located and fixed.

The bottom end of the bushing 37 has a diametrical axial fin 38, with a hole 39 opposite to the holes 36 of the fins of the forked part, to hold a screw which serves as a hinge pin.

In Figure 12 a bushing 40 is illustrated for fixing the end of the rods 6, the bushing 40 having a radial hole 41 designed to hold a pressure screw, thereby guaranteeing good electrical contact and secure fixing of the rod 6.

The bushing 40 has a peripheric recess 42 which forms a step for coupling and joining to the plate of the electronic circuit; this joint can be made by riveting or welding.

The particular embodiment described can be modified in a number of respects within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (8)

1. An indoor television aerial having VHF and UHF aerial rods and an electrical circuit linking said rods with an output cable of the aerial, which aerial includes a frame in the form of a body of revolution, comprising three separate parts, one upper part and one lower part in the form of approximately hemispherical caps, and an intermediate part in the form of a narrow ring, the three parts being coupled together and fixed by a fixing member extending coaxially in the frame; the lower cap having a flattened external part with a flat surface parallel to the edge of the lower cap, to define a support base through which the said fixing member passes, this cap being coupled to the ring with the possibility of turning movement with respect thereto; the upper cap having three openings for receiving the rods of the UHF and VHF aerials and being fixedly coupled to the ring without a facility to turn relative to it; the intermediate ring having anchoring means to fix a plate holding electric and/or electronic components of the electrical circuit.

2. An aerial according to claim 1, in which the body of revolution has a spherical configuration.

3. An aerial according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the VHF aerial is a single rod fixed to the frame via a hinge, said hinge comprising a forked bracket, provided with a pin fixed to the frame, and with a bushing provided on the outside, from the bottom, with a diametrical axial fin which can be inserted between the branches of the forked bracket, to which it is connected by means of a hinge pin.

4. An aerial according to any preceding claim, in which two rods forming the UHF aerial are inserted by their ends into the frame through two of the three holes made in the upper cap, said rods being electrically connected to bushings fixed to the plate holding the electric and/or electronic components.

5. An aerial according to any preceding claim, in which the outside of the lower cap, in the flat surface which defines the support base, has a cylindrical recess from which a radial channel extends; said recess having two holes therein, one hole in the middle for the fixing member serving to hold the three parts making up the frame together and the other hole serving to accommodate the output cable; the radial channel having alternating ribs which form a labyrinth for securing the output cable in the channel.

6. An aerial according to claim 4, in which the bushings for fixing the rod or rods of the UHF aerial have a threaded radial hole in their wall for a pressure screw, and on the outside have a peripheric recess adjacent to one of its bases, which form a step for the support on the plate holding the electric and/or electronic components.

7. An aerial according to any preceding claim, in which the ring has two annular channels in its flat surfaces confronting the edges of the caps, each said cap having a rib fitted in a respective one of the channels, the rib of the upper cap and the channel opposite it having two confronting breaks, forming a groove which prevents relative turning between the said upper cap and the ring; whereas the rib in the lower cap, throughout its length and over an angular amplitude of approximately 900, has a recess designed to hold a projection of the same height and reduced length, formed in the bottom of the channel opposite the ring, to limit the turning movement of the lower cap with respect to the ring.

8. An indoor television aerial substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.