GB2487853A

GB2487853A - Roof mount antenna device for vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2487853A
Application number: GB1205016.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Junichi Kawahata
Original assignee: Harada Industry Co Ltd
Current assignee: Harada Industry Co Ltd
Priority date: 2009-08-27
Filing date: 2010-08-26
Publication date: 2012-08-08
Anticipated expiration: 2030-08-26
Also published as: JP5422306B2; CN102576926B; GB2487853B; WO2011024885A1; JP2011049872A; CN102576926A; GB201205016D0; MX2012002457A

Abstract

A roof mount antenna device for a vehicle, having high waterproof characteristics and a simple configuration and capable of being assembled easily. A roof mount antenna device for a vehicle is provided with an antenna base (10), a molded resin (20), an antenna cover (30), and a seal pad (40). The antenna base (10) is a plate-like body and is provided with a screw hole (11) for antenna connection and also with a screw hole (12) for fixation to the roof, the screw holes (11, 12) penetrating from the front surface side to the rear surface side of the antenna base. The molded resin (20) has formed thereon a side wall (21) which has an opening open in the axial direction of the screw hole (12) for fixation to the roof and which protrudes in the axial direction so as to surround a periphery of the screw hole (12) for fixation to the roof, said periphery being located on the front surface side of the antenna base (10). The antenna cover (30) is provided with a lid section (31) for covering the front surface side of the antenna base (10) and engaging with the side wall of the molded resin (20) to seal the opening of the side wall of the molded resin.

Description

DESCRIPTION

VEHICLE ROOF MOUNT ANTENNA DEVICE

Technical Field

[00011 The present invention relates to a vehicle roof mount antenna device, and more particularly to a vehicle roof mount antenna device having a simple structure capable of being manufactured at low cost.

Background Art

10002J As a vehicle roof mount antenna device, especially, a roof mount antenna device for fixing a rod antenna to a vehicle roof, there exist a foldable type one capable of adjusting the angle of the antenna rod and a fixed type one not capable of adjusting the same. Such roof mount antennas are designed to be inserted into an antenna device fixing hole formed in a vehicle roof and screwed thereinto, [00031 For example, Patent Document 1 proposed by the present inventor discloses a vehicle roof mount antenna device attachment mechanism having a simple structure and capable of being easily produced and assembled. The attachment mechanism has a structure in which an antenna base is fixed by a bolt to a vehicle roof. More specifically, the bolt head is positioned inside the antenna body, and the bolt tip end is inserted into a vehicle body and fixed by a nut. In the structure of the device disclosed in Patent Document 1, water that has entered the inside of an antenna cover is prevented from flowing to the inner space of the vehicle by a water leakage preventing ring projection formed to the inner circumferential surface of a bolt insertion hole formed in a pad disposed between the antenna base and the vehicle roof.

Citation List Patent Document [00041 Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Kokai Publication No. 6-188614

Disclosure of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention [00051 Howevei in the antenna device disclosed in Patent Document 1, water that has entered the antenna cover and reached the bolt may lead to oxidation and corrosion of the bolt. Further, only the water leakage preventing ring projection plays a role for preventing the water from flowing to the inner space of the vehicle through the bolt, resulting in insufficient waterproof performance. Furthermore, the number of required parts, such as the bolt and nut, tends to be increased.

[00061 in view of the above situation, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle roof mount antenna device having high waterproof performance, having a simple structure, and capable of easy assembling Means for Solving the Problems [00071 To achieve the above object of the present invention, a vehicle roof mount antenna device according to the present invention includes: an antenna base being a plate-like body and having an antenna connection screw hole and a roof fixation screw hole, which screw holes penetrate the antenna base from a front surface side thereof to a rear surface side; a molded resin formed from the front surface to rear surface of the antenna base so as to cover at least a part of the antenna base and forming a sidewall which protrudes in an axial direction of the roof fixation screw hole so as to surround a periphery of the roof fixation screw hole on the front surface side of the antenna base and which has an opening opened in the axial direction of the roof fixation screw hole; an antenna cover covering the front surface side of the antenna base and having a lid portion fitted to the sidewall of the molded resin so as to seal the opening of the sidewall of the molded resin; and a seal member sealing a gap between the molded resin and a vehicle roof.

[00081 The plate-like antenna base may be folded so as to have a reference plate surface and a folded plate surface, and the roof fixation screw hole and the antenna connection screw hole may be formed in the reference plate surface and the folded plate surface, respectively.

[00091 The antenna base may have conductivity and electrically connect an antenna and a roof fixation screw.

[0010] The antenna connection screw hole and/or roof fixation screw hole of the antenna base may be subjected to a burring process.

[00111 A protruding amount of the sidewall of the molded resin may be set to such a degree that a space for accommodating a tip end of a screw to be screwed into the roof fixation screw hole is ensured.

[00121 The sidewall of the molded resin may have an annular convex portion formed on a fitting surface between the sidewall and a lid portion of the antenna cover.

[00131 The molded resin and the antenna cover may each have a latch claw for engaging with each other.

[0014] The vehicle roof mount antenna device may further include a foldable structure that makes the antenna swingable. The foldable structure may be fixed to the antenna connection screw hole.

Advantages of the Invention [0015] The vehicle roof mount antenna device according to the present invention has advantages in high waterproof performance and simple structure, and easy assembling work.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[00161 FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a vehicle roof mount antenna device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the vehicle roof mount antenna device according to the present invention.

FiG, 3 is a view for explaining a foldable type vehicle roof mount antenna device according to the present invention.

Preferred Embodiments of the Invention [00171 Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a vehicle roof mount antenna device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the vehicle roof mount antenna device according to the present invention. As illustrated, the vehicle roof mount antenna device according to the present invention is mainly constituted by an antenna base 10, a molded resin 20, an antenna cover 30, and a seal pad 40.

[00181 The antenna base 10 is provided with an antenna connection screw hole 11 and a roof fixation screw hole 12 as an antenna connection portion and a roof fixation portion, respectively. The antenna connection screw hole Ii and the roof fixation screw hole 12 are each formed so as to penetrate the antenna base 10 from the front surface side thereof to the rear surface side. More specifically, the antenna base 10 is a plate-like body.

In the illustrated example, the antenna base 10 having the plate-like body is folded so as to have a reference plate surface 15 and a folded plate surface 16. The roof fixation screw hole 12 is provided in the reference plate surface 15, and the antenna connection screw hole 11 is provided in the folded plate surface 16. The antenna connection screw hole 11 and the roof fixation screw hole 12 in the illustrated example are each subjected to a burring process in which a hole is formed through extrusion to thereby fbrm a screw thread inside the hole. In the illustrated example, a joint portion 51 of an antenna 50 is screwed into the antenna connection screw hole 11.

In addition, the angle of the antenna 50 is defined by the folding angle of the antenna base 10. The antenna base 10 has a conductive property and thus has a function of electrically connecting the antenna 50 to a screw 60 such as a bolt screwed into the roof fixation screw hole 12. Further, the antenna base 10 is preferably made of an alloy steel such as stainless steel, plated alloy steel, or the like having high corrosion resistance and high water resistance.

[00191 The molded resin 20 is formed from the front surface to rear surface of the antenna base 10 so as to cover at least a part of the antenna base 10.

In the present specification, the rear surface of the antenna base 10 is defined as a surface opposite to a vehicle roof R, and the front surface of the antenna base 10 is defined as a surface opposite to the rear surface. In the illustrated example, the molded resin 20 is formed by, e.g., insert molding so as to cover the front and rear surfaces of the reference plate surface 15 other than the folded plate surface 16 of the antenna base 10. The molded resin has a sidewall 21 formed thereon. The sidewall 21 protrudes in the axial direction of the roof fixation screw hole 12 so as to surround the periphery of the roof fixation screw hole 12 on the front surface side of the antenna base 10. Further, the sidewall 21 has an opening opened in the axial direction of the roof fixation screw hole 12, i.e., a space defined by the sidewall 21 is not closed at the top thereof. The protruding amount of the sidewall 21 formed on the molded resin 20 is set to such a degree that a space for accommodating the tip end of the screw 60 to be screwed into the roof fixation screw hole 12 is ensured. That is, the sidewall 21 has a height greater than the height of the roof fixation screw hole 12 that has been subjected to a burring process and protrudes to such a degree that the screw tip end is fitted inside the sidewall 21. In general, the tip end of the screw has no screw thread but has a tapered shape. Thus', the tip end of the screw 60 protrudes to some extent outside the roof fixation screw hole 12 that has been subjected to the burring process from the top portion of the screw hole 12, so that a corresponding clearance is prepared. Further, there may be a case where the protruding amount of the tip end of the screw is increased depending on a difference in the thickness of the vehicle roof R even if the length of the screw 60 is adjusted, so that a certain allowance is set for the protruding amount of the sidewall 21.

[00201 Furthei the molded resin 20 in the illustrated example has formed thereon a temporarily locking claw 23 for fixation to the vehicle roof R. The temporarily locking claw 23 is formed so as to protrude from the rear side of the antenna base 10 at a portion near the periphery of the roof fixation screw hole 12 in the axial direction of the roof fixation screw hole 12. When the vehicle roof mount antenna device is installed onto the vehicle roof R, the temporarily locking claw 23 is inserted into an installation hole formed in the vehicle roof R for engagement. This configuration facilitates fastening of the vehicle roof mount antenna device to the vehicle roof R made by using the screw 60 from inside the vehicle. Note that the temporarily locking claw need not always be provided, and may be omitted.

[00211 Further, the molded resin 20 in the illustrated example has formed thereon a rotation preventing protrusion 24 for preventing occurrence of relative rotation between the vehicle roof R and the vehicle roof mount antenna device. The protrusion 24 is formed corresponding to an opening formed in the vehicle roof R and is inserted into the opening when the vehicle roof mount antenna device is installed onto the vehicle roof R. Therefore, the vehicle roof mount antenna device is fixed onto the vehicle roof R at two points of the protrusion 24 and screw 60, thereby preventing the vehicle roof mount antenna device from rotating in the axial direction of the screw 60. Note that the protrusion need not always be provided, and may be omitted. Alternatively, for example, a configuration may be possible in which a square screw opening is formed and a temporarily locking claw, etc., is formed so as to be fitted to the opening.

[0022] The antenna cover 30 is provided so as to cover the front surface side of the antenna base 10 as described above. A lid portion 31 is provided on the antenna cover 30 and extended therefrom so as to be fitted to the sidewall 21 of the molded resin 20. As a result, the opening of the sidewall 21 of the molded resin 20 is tightly sealed by the lid portion 31. Thus, water that has entered the inside of the antenna cover 30 is prevented from flowing into the roof fixation screw hole 12, enhancing waterproof performance. In the illustrated example, the sidewall 21 of the molded resin 20 has an annular convex portion 22 formed on the fitting surface between the sidewall 21 and the lid portion 31 of the antenna cover 30.

The formation of the annular convex portion 22 allows the sidewall 21 and the lid portion 31 to be tightly sealed to each other. In addition, water that has entered the inside of the antenna cover 30 flows out through a gap around between the antenna cover 30 and the molded resin 20. The sidewall 21 of the molded resin 20 and the lid portion 31 of the antenna cover 30 may be firmly fixed to each other by, e.g., ultrasonic welding or simply fitted to each other so as to allow the antenna cover 30 to be detached from the sidewall 21 for maintenance purpose.

[00231 Further, the molded resin 20 and the antenna cover 30 in the illustrated example have latch claws 25 and 32, respectively. When the antenna cover 30 is fitted on the antenna base 10, the lid portion 31 of the antenna cover 30 is fitted to the sidewall 21 of the molded resin 20 and, at the same time, the latch claw 32 of the antenna cover 30 and the latch claw of the molded resin 20 are engaged with each other, whereby the antenna cover 30 is firmly secured to the antenna base 10 side.

{0024J A seal pad 40 is provided as a seal member between the antenna base 10 and the vehicle roof H. The seal pad 40 is provided for sealing a gap between the molded resin 20 and the vehicle roof H. In the illustrated example, the seal pad 40 is provided at the contact surface between the rear surface side (vehicle roof R side) of the molded resin 20 formed on the antenna base 10 and the vehicle roof R. The seal pad 40 has openings at portions corresponding to the protruding portions such as the temporarily locking claw 23 and the protrusion 24 formed on the rear side of the molded resin 20. Flanges 45 are formed around the openings of the seal pad 40 so as to be fitted in annular concave portions 28 formed at base portions of the protruding portions such as the temporarily locking claw 23 and the protrusion 24. With this configuration, it is possible to enhance waterproof performance and to firmly fix the seal pad 40 to the molded resin 20.

Furthei; attachment of the seal pad 40 can be easily made. In addition, the seal pad need not be always provided over the entire antenna base as illustrated. For example, 0-rings or the like may be provided only at the protruding portions such as the temporarily locking claw and the protrusion inserted into the openings so as to seal only the openings formed in the vehicle roof.

[0025] The vehicle roof mount antenna device according to the present invention is installed onto the vehicle roof R and fastened by the screw 60 from the inside of the vehicle whereby the vehicle roof mount antenna device is fixed to the vehicle roof It after the antenna cover 30 is fitted on the antenna base 10 having thereon the molded resin 20 insert-molded therewith and the seal pad 40 is provided therewith. A space in which the tip end of the screw 60 is accommodated is tightly sealed by the sidewall 21 and the lid portion 31, so that even if water enters the inside of the antenna cover 30, the water is firmly prevented from flowing into the space.

Further, the seal pad 40 is interposed between the vehicle roof R and the vehicle roof mount antenna device, so that it is not likely that water enters the inside of the vehicle. In addition, the vehicle roof mount antenna device has a simple structure as described above, so that it can be produced at low cost. Further, simply fitting the antenna cover to the antenna base achieves waterproof effect and the fixation, thereby facilitating an assembly [00261 Further, in the vehicle roof mount antenna device according to the present invention, the joint portion 51 of the antenna 50 is electricilly connected to the screw 60 through the antenna base 10. The screw 60 penetrates a neck portion 70 for connecting a cable 65, a ground line of the cable 65 is connected to a claw washer 71, and a signal line of the cable 65 is electrically connected to the screw 60 through a washer 72. in addition, an insulating body 73 is interposed between the claw washer 71 and the washer 72 for insulation therebetween. The neck portion 70 having such a configuration is used to connect the cable 65 to the vehicle roof mount antenna device. When the vehicle roof mount antenna device is fixed to the vehicle roof R, screwing the screw 60 causes the claw of the claw washer 71 to dig into the vehicle roof R, causing the ground wire of the cable 65 to be electrically connected to the vehicle roof R and causing the screw 60 to be electrically connected to the washer 72, whereby the signal line of the cable is electrically connected to the antenna 50.

[00271 In the example illustrated above, the joint portion 51 of the antenna 50 is directly screwed into the antenna connection screw hole 11 exemplified as an antenna connection portion. However, the present invention is not limited to this, but not only the joint mechanism fixed by being screwed but also a removable joint mechanism may be adopted as an antenna connection portion. The removable joint mechanism is, e.g., a joint mechanism of a twist-lock type disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Kokai Pubhcation No, 2007-124481 proposed by the present inventor.

[00281 The antenna connection portion may have a foldable structure that makes the antenna swingable. FIG. 3 is a view for explaining a foldable type vehicle roof mount antenna device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 (a) is a partly cutaway top view, and FIG. 3 (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along b-b line of FIG. 3 (a). In FIG. 3, the parts having the sa me reference numerals as in FIG. 1 are substantially identical with those of the same reference numbers shown in FIG. 1. The antenna base 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is folded along a folding line extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the plate-like body; however; in the case where the foldable structure is connected, the antenna base is folded along a folding hne extending in the direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the plate-like body so as to have a reference plate surface 15a and a folded plate surface 16a, That is, an antenna base lOa illustrated in FIG. 3 is an L-shape plate-like body before folded, and short side thereof is folded at a right angle. An antenna connection screw hole ha is formed in the folded plate surface la, And a joint portion 55 having a foldable structure is fixed to the antenna connection screw hole ha by a screw 56. Note that the illustrated foldable joint portion 55 is an example of a simple foldable structure having no special mechanism such as a click mechanism, However; the present invention is not limited to this, but a high-level foldable structure having a special mechanism such as a spring or click mechanism may be adopted.

[00291 The vehicle roof mount antenna device according to the present invention is not limited to the above illustrated examples but may be variously modified without departing from the scope of the present invention, Explanation of Reference Symbols [00301 10: Antenna base IL Antenna connection screw hole 12: Roof fixation screw hole 15: Reference plate surface 16: Folded plate surface 20: Molded resin 21 Sidewall -10 - 22: Annular convex portion 23: Temporarily locking claw 24: Protrusion 25, 32: Latch claw 28: Annular concave portion 30:Antenna cover 31: Lid portion 40: Seal pad 45: Flange 50: Antenna 51: Joint portion 55: Joint portion having foldable structure 56: Screw 60: Screw 65: Cable 70: Neck portion 71: Claw washer 72: Washer 73: Insulating body R: Vehicle roof -11 -

Claims

CLAIMS1. A vehicle roof mount antenna device comprising: an antenna base being a plate-like body and having an antenna connection screw hole and a roof fixation screw hole, which screw holes penetrate the antenna base from a front surface side thereof to a rear surface side; a molded resin formed from the front surface to rear surface of the antenna base so as to cover at least a part of the antenna base and forming a sidewall which protrudes in an axial direction of the roof fixation screw hole so as to surround a periphery of the roof fixation screw hole on the front surface side of the antenna base and which has an opening opened in the axial direction of the roof fixation screw hole; an antenna cover covering the front surface side of the antenna base and having a lid portion fitted to the sidewall of the molded resin so as to seal the opening of the sidewall of the molded resin; and a seal member sealing a gap between the molded resin and a vehicle roof.
2. The vehicle roof mount antenna device according to claim 1, in which the plate-like antenna base is folded so as to have a reference plate surface and a folded plate surface, and the roof fixation screw hole and the antenna connection screw hole are formed in the reference plate surface and the folded plate surface, respectively.
3. The vehicle roof mount antenna device according to claim 1 or 2, in which the antenna base has conductivity and electrically connects an antenna and a roof fixation screw.
4. The vehicle roof mount antenna device according to any of claims 1 to 3, in which the antenna connection screw hole and/or roof fixation screw -12 -hole of the antenna base are subjected to a burring process.
5, The vehicle roof mount antenna device according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which a protruding amount of the sidewall of the molded resin is set to such a degree that a space for accommodating a tip end of a screw to be screwed into the roof fixation screw hole is ensured.
6. The vehicle roof mount antenna device according to any of claims 1 to 5, in which the sidewall of the molded resin has an annular convex portion formed on a fitting surface between the sidewall and a lid portion of the antenna cover.
7. The vehicle roof mount antenna device according to any of claims 1 to 6, in which the molded resin and the antenna cover each have a latch claw for engaging with each other.
8. The vehicle roof mount antenna device according to any of claims I to 7, further comprising a foldable structure that makes the antenna swingable, the foldable structure being fixed to the antenna connection screw hole.