WO2008086903A1

WO2008086903A1 - Base for antennas and antenna using said base.

Info

Publication number: WO2008086903A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/056601
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giovanna Collareda; Rudy Piccolo
Original assignee: Calearo Antenne S.P.A.
Priority date: 2007-01-17
Filing date: 2007-06-29
Publication date: 2008-07-24
Also published as: ITVI20070013A1; EP2122748A1

Abstract

The invention is a base (1) for antennas (A) comprising a support plate (2) that rests on a bearing surface (S) and a fixing device (3) suited to constrain the support plate (2) over a through opening (P). The fixing device (3) comprises: a sliding unit (5) associated with the support plate (2) and having a shaped 5 profile; a first shaped body (13) that can be inserted in the through opening (P), integral during rotation with the support plate (2) through the sliding unit (5) and mobile with respect to the support plate (2) along the longitudinal development axis (X) defined by the sliding unit (5); a second shaped body (10) interposed between the first shaped body (13) and the support plate (2), 10 wherein the shaped body (10) can be inserted in the through opening (P), is rotatingly associated with the support plate (2) and has a profile that can be conjugated with the profiles of one section (7) of the sliding unit (5) and of the surface (6) of the support plate (2); elastic means (18) suited to force the first shaped body (13) against the bearing surface (S); means (16) for constraining 15 the shaped bodies (10, 13) to the support plate (2).

Description

"BASE FOR ANTENNAS AND ANTENNA USING SAID BASE".

DESCRIPTION

The present invention concerns a base for antennas particularly suitable for fixing said antennas to a bearing surface that is generally constituted by the body of a motor vehicle.

The present patent also concerns an antenna using the above mentioned base.

It is known that motor vehicles are usually equipped with at least one antenna for receiving and sending radio-frequency signals for applications like reception of radio stations, mobile telephony, television or the like.

Said antennas can be arranged on various points of the motor vehicle, like for example the heated rear window, but in most cases they are positioned on the roof of the motor vehicle, to which they are attached via a base equipped with fixing means. The base, in particular, usually comprises a support plate, to which the antenna is fixed, said plate being attached to the body of the vehicle by means of screws and/or bolts.

This solution, though fixing the antenna to the vehicle, however poses an acknowledged drawback represented by the fact that during installation tightening the screws is quite uncomfortable, since it is necessary to tighten them from the inside, at the same time holding the antenna in place on the outside of the vehicle.

In order to overcome the above mentioned drawback, different embodiments of bases for antennas have been devised, all characterized in that they are provided with fixing means comprising elastic means that keep the antenna in place once they have been inserted in a suitable through opening.

Said opening in obtained in the bearing surface belonging to the vehicle, which is generally constituted by the roof of the vehicle itself.

A common drawback posed by these embodiments lies in that in any case the installer must use screw means to push the elastic means against the bearing surface in order to stabilize the constraint they create after insertion in the through opening.

The object of the present invention is to overcome all the above-mentioned drawbacks that are typical of the bases for antennas of known type. In particular, it is a first object of the present invention to construct a base for - 7 -

antennas that allows said antennas to be applied to a vehicle working exclusively from the outside of the vehicle itself.

It is another object of the present invention to construct a base for antennas that allows said antennas to be applied to a vehicle with no need for the installer to use screw means.

The aims described above have been achieved through the construction of a base for antennas according to the contents of the main claim, to which the reader should refer for the sake of brevity.

The successive claims concern details regarding the base for antennas that is the subject of the invention, as well as an antenna equipped with the base described above that achieves the set objects.

The connections between the shaped bodies, the sliding unit and the base plate allow the first shaped body to perform exclusively movements to approach and to move away from the base plate along the longitudinal development axis of the sliding unit, while they allow the second shaped body to perform also rotary movements with respect to the base plate along the longitudinal development axis of the sliding unit.

In this way, as will be explained in greater detail below, a rotary movements of the second shaped body with respect to the base plate makes it possible to match the shaped profiles of the second body and of the base, so that they fit into each other.

Said penetrating movement leaves the first shaped body enough space to approach the base plate until resting against the bearing surface.

The force with which said contact is generated, exerted by the elastic means, creates a stable constraint between the base for antennas and the bearing surface.

It can be inferred, therefore, that the coupling of the base for antennas that is the subject of the invention to the bearing surface advantageously takes place through a single rotary movement. Still advantageously, the coupling operation can be performed by the installer while remaining outside the vehicle and with no need to use screw means successively.

It can also be advantageously inferred that the operation for coupling the base for antennas of the invention to the bearing surface is simpler than that required by equivalent bases for antennas belonging to the known art. The aforesaid objects and advantages, and others that are described in greater detail below, will be highlighted in the description of preferred embodiments of the invention, provided here as non-restrictive examples, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: - Figure 1 is an exploded axonometric view of the base for antennas carried out according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is an axonometric view of the base for antennas carried out according to the invention;

- Figures from 3 to 6 show an operating sequence of connection of the base for antennas that is the subject of the invention to the roof of a vehicle;

- Figure 7 shows a variant of the base shown in Figure 1.

The base for antennas A that is the subject of the invention is represented in Figures 1 and 2 where it is indicated as a whole by 1 and where it can be observed that it comprises a support plate 2 that rests on a bearing surface S and a fixing device 3 suited to constrain the support plate 2 to said bearing surface S over a through opening P. According to the invention, the fixing device 3 comprises:

- at least one sliding unit 5 associated with the support plate 2 and having a shaped profile; - at least one first shaped body 13 that can be inserted in the through opening P of the bearing surface S, integral during rotation with the support plate 2 through the sliding unit 5 and mobile with respect to the support plate 2 itself along the longitudinal development axis X of the sliding unit 5;

- at least one second shaped body 10, interposed between the first shaped body 13 and the support plate 2, wherein said shaped body 10 can be inserted in the through opening P of the bearing surface S, is rotatingly associated with the support plate 2 through the sliding unit 5 and has a profile that can be conjugated with the profiles of at least one section 7 of the sliding unit 5 and of the surface 6 of the support plate 2 facing towards the first shaped body 13 to allow the second shaped body 10 to move along the longitudinal development axis X towards the support plate 2;

- elastic means 18 suited to force the first shaped body 13 against the bearing surface S when the second shaped body 10 performs its movement towards the support plate 2; - means 16 for constraining the shaped bodies 10, 13 to the support plate 2. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention described herein, the sliding unit 5 is constituted by a shaped projection present on the surface 6 of the support plate 2 facing towards the bearing surface S. Said embodiment of the invention is not intended to represent a limitation for different embodiments of the invention according to which, for example, the sliding unit is constituted by a shaped projection present on the surface of the first shaped body facing towards the second shaped body or, again, the sliding unit is constituted by several projections present on the first shaped body, on the second shaped body and/or on the support plate. It is understood that the above is not intended to exclude further different embodiments of the invention according to which the sliding unit is an independent body constrained to the support plate and/or to the first shaped body, or the sliding unit is an extension of the constraining means. In the preferred embodiment of the invention represented in the figures, the second shaped body 10 is provided with a first shaped hole 11 whose internal perimeter can be conjugated with the shaped profile of a first section 7 of the sliding unit 5.

As regards the first shaped body 13, it is provided with a second shaped hole 14 whose internal perimeter 15 is conjugated with the shaped profile of a second section 8 of the sliding unit 5.

In this way, when the base 1 for antennas is assembled, both the first shaped body 13 and the second shaped body 10 are coupled with the sliding unit 5 as represented in Figure 2. Furthermore, as already explained, the special shaping of the first section 7 of the sliding unit 5 and of the first shaped hole 11 of the second shaped body 10 must be such as to allow the second shaped body 10 to slide along the sliding unit 5 according to the longitudinal development axis X of the same sliding unit 5 as well as to rotate, according to the same axis X, around the sliding unit 5. On the contrary, the shaped profile of the second shaped hole 14 of the first shaped body 13 must be conjugated with the shaping of the second section 8 of the sliding unit 5 so that the first shaped body 13 is allowed to slide along the sliding unit 5 according to the longitudinal development axis X, while their mutual rotation is not allowed. In this regard, any rotary movement of the support plate 2 according to the axis X involves in the same rotary movement the first shaped body 13 but not necessarily the second shaped body 10.

The latter and the support plate 2 are also provided with a plurality of projections and recesses 71 and 72 that can be mutually conjugated in such a way as to be able to fit into each other when they are aligned. In the specific case of the preferred embodiment of the invention described herein, the projections 71 are present on the support plate 2 and in correspondence with the first section 7 of the sliding unit 5, while the recesses 72 are part of the shaping of the first shaped hole 11 of the second shaped body 10. As can be observed, the projections 71 and the recesses 72 create a key, so that the second shaped body 10 and the support plate 2 are arranged at a predetermined distance when the projections 71 and the recesses 72 mentioned above are not arranged in mutually matching positions, while it is possible for the second shaped body 10 and the support plates 2 to approach each other when the projections 71 and the recesses 72 are arranged in mutually matching positions so that they fit into each other. Also in this case, it is understood that the preferred embodiment of the invention described herein is not intended to represent a limitation for different embodiments of the invention according to which, for example, the projections are present on the second shaped body, while the recesses are present on the support plate.

As regards the elastic means 18, these are generally constituted by a spring 25 that is preferably but not necessarily of the Belleville washer type. Said spring 25 is interposed between the constraining means 16 and the first shaped body 13.

According to the construction variant shown in Figure 7, the sliding unit now indicated by 51 , which is always associated with the support plate 2, features the same first shaped section 7 as the sliding unit 5 of Figure 1 , while the second shaped section 8, which in the example shown in Figure 2 had a substantially parallelepiped outside surface and is indicated by 81 in Figure 7, features now a cylindrical threaded outside surface with two opposite flat sides 82.

These opposite flat sides permit the sliding insertion of the first shaped body 13 that in this case has the shaped hole 141 conjugated with the shaping of said second section 81 so that, as illustrated in the example of Figure 1 , the first shaped body 13 can slide along the section 81 of the sliding unit 51 , without any rotation of the first shaped body 13.

Obviously, rotation is always possible for the second shaped body 10 according to the procedures already illustrated for the example of Figure 1. According to said construction variant, the means for constraining the shaped bodies 10 and 13, instead of comprising the locking screw 20 of Figure 1 , comprises a nut 161 that is screwed on the thread of the second section 81 of the sliding unit 51.

In this way, the hole 21 belonging to the sliding unit 5 is not used for fixing the screw 20 as in the case of Figure 1 , but for the passage of the cables that bring the signal to the antenna.

According to different embodiments of the invention not illustrated or described herein, the spring may constitute the first shaped body.

In this case, its shape will be identical to that of the first shaped body and in any case it will be interposed between the constraining means and the second shaped body.

According to further different embodiments of the invention, the spring can be part of the first shaped body which, in this case, would comprise two parts, a first part suited to rest against the bearing surface and the other constituted by said spring.

The spring may be also carried out in a single body with at least part of the constraining means.

As regards the latter, they generally comprise a screw 20 that passes through the shaped holes 11 , 14 of the shaped bodies and is suited to be coupled with the sliding unit 5.

In particular, the screw 20 is provided with a manoeuvring head 22 that can be used by the installer and is also provided with a threaded end 23 that matches a thread present on the edge 24 of a through hole 21 present in the sliding unit 5. In this way, the threaded end 23 creates a removable constraint between the screw 20 and the sliding unit 5, forcing the elastic means 18 between the screw 20 and the first shaped body 13.

According to different embodiments of the invention, said screw may also be coupled with a nut positioned on the opposite side of the support plate with respect to the shaped bodies and the sliding unit, or according to further different embodiments it may be constituted by at least one section of the same sliding unit.

According to another different embodiment, the constraining means may be constituted by a bolt that can be screwed on a thread present at the end of the sliding unit that is opposite the support plate.

The base 1 for antennas that is the subject of the invention generally comprises also a plurality of spacing projections 30 present on the surface 6 of the support plate 2 facing towards the bearing surface S, said projections being suited to be interposed between the support plate 2 itself and the bearing surface S when the first shaped hole 11 of the second shaped body 10 receives the first section 7 of the sliding unit 5 through a sliding movement. This advantageously makes it possible to insert protective membranes and/or sealing gaskets between the support plate 2 and the bearing surface S. As regards the external profile of the shaped bodies 10, 13, as shown in particular in Figure 2, their cross section is substantially quadrangular and matches the profile of the edge B of the through opening P present in the bearing surface S, being it understood that this is not intended to represent a limitation to different embodiments of the invention in which the profile of the shaped bodies has a shape that is not quadrangular, provided that in any case it can be inserted in the profile of the edge of the through opening.

The important aspect, as will be explained in greater detail below, lies in that during rotation the shaped profile of the second shaped body counteracts the profile of the edge of the through opening, so that if the second body is arranged in correspondence with said through opening, it cannot rotate. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, therefore, said through opening has quadrangular profile when seen from above. As regards the bearing surface S, this is generally constituted by the body of a motor vehicle and, in particular, preferably but not necessarily corresponds to the roof of the vehicle itself. As already explained, the subject of the invention includes also an antenna A for vehicles of the type provided with a base 1 according to the characteristics described up to now.

Since the structure of said antennas A is characterized by the presence of a base 1 as explained above, its description is omitted as it can be substantially obtained from the above. In practice, the base 1 for antennas A that is the subject of the invention is generally supplied pre-assembled, that is, as shown in the Figures 2 and 3, provided with the shaped bodies 10, 13 arranged in correspondence with the second section 8 of the sliding unit 5 and held in position by the elastic means 18 and by the constraining means 16.

In this configuration, the projections 71 and the recesses 72 do not match each other, so that the second shaped body 10 remains spaced from the support plate 2. The shaped bodies 10, 13 are thus at the maximum distance from the base plate 2 and the elastic means 18 are compressed.

The user, to install the antenna A, proceeds to insert the base 1 in the through opening P arranging, as shown in Figure 4, the spacing projections 30 of the support plate 2 in contact with the bearing surface S. In particular, the second shaped body 10 is included within the thickness of the bearing surface S.

As shown in Figure 5, a rotary movement of the base 1 sets rotating the support plate 2, the first shaped body 13, the elastic body 18 and the constraining means 16, while the second shaped body 10 is held still by the edge B of the through opening P. The rotation thus makes it possible to arrange the projections 71 in correspondence with the recesses 72 so that they fit into each other, but also arranges the first shaped body 13 in such position that its external profile cannot be inserted in the through opening P any longer. In this configuration both the shaped bodies 10 and 13 can perform a movement to approach the support plate 2, a movement that takes place owing to the partial relaxation of the elastic means 18. The second shaped body 10 thus approaches the support plate 2 through the through opening P until they come into contact with each other, while the first shaped body 13, as shown in Figure 6, is pushed in contact with the bearing surface S.

Since the elastic means are still partially compressed, the contact between the first shaped body 13 and the bearing surface S constrains the antenna A permanently to the vehicle. Advantageously, it is thus clear that to install an antenna using the base 1 that is the subject of the invention, it is sufficient to insert and rotate the antenna from the outside of the vehicle, with no need to carry out any operation from the inside.

During maintenance, if it is necessary to remove the antenna from the roof, the user will unscrew the constraining means 16 separating them from the support plate 2.

For the reasons explained above, the base for antennas that is the subject of the invention, as well as the antenna using said base, achieve all the set objects.

In particular, the invention achieves the object to construct a base for antennas that allows said antennas to be applied to a vehicle working exclusively from the outside of the vehicle itself.

The invention also achieves the aim to construct a base for antennas that allows said antennas to be applied to a vehicle with no need for the installer to use screw means. Upon implementation, further construction variants of the base for antennas that is the subject of the invention may be carried out.

These variants, although not represented and not described herein, must all be considered protected by the present patent, provided that they fall within the scope of the following claims. Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference sings have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1 ) Base (1 ) for antennas (A) comprising a support plate (2) that rests on a bearing surface (S) and a fixing device (3) suited to constrain said support plate (2) to said bearing surface (S) over a through opening (P), characterized in that said fixing device (3) comprises:

- at least one sliding unit (5) associated with said support plate (2) and having a shaped profile;

- at least one first shaped body (13) that can be inserted in said through opening (P) of said bearing surface (S), integral during rotation with said support plate (2) through said sliding unit (5) and mobile with respect to said support plate (2) itself along the longitudinal development axis (X) defined by said sliding unit (5);

- at least one second shaped body (10) interposed between said first shaped body (13) and said support plate (2), wherein said shaped body (10) can be inserted in said through opening (P) of said bearing surface (S), is rotatingly associated with said support plate (2) through said sliding unit (5) and has a profile that can be conjugated with the profiles of at least one section (7) of said sliding unit (5) and of the surface (6) of said support plate (2) facing towards the first shaped body (13) to allow the second shaped body (10) to move along said longitudinal development axis (X) of said sliding unit (5) towards said support plate (2);

- elastic means (18) suited to force said first shaped body (13) against said bearing surface (S) when said second shaped body (10) performs said movement towards said support plate (2); - means (16) for constraining said shaped bodies (10, 13) to said support plate (2).

2) Base (1 ) for antennas (A) according to claim 1 ), characterized in that said sliding unit (5) is constituted by a shaped projection present on the surface (6) of said support plate (2) facing towards said bearing surface (S). 3) Base for antennas according to claim 1), characterized in that said sliding unit is constituted by a shaped projection present on the surface of said first shaped body facing towards said second shaped body.

4) Base (1 ) for antennas (A) according to claim 2), characterized in that said second shaped body (10) is provided with a first shaped hole (11 ) whose internal perimeter can be conjugated with the shaped profile of a first section (7) of said sliding unit (5).

5) Base (1 ) for antennas (A) according to claim 4), characterized in that said first shaped body (13) is provided with a second shaped hole (14) whose internal perimeter (15) is conjugated with the shaped profile of a second section (8) of said sliding unit (5).

6) Base (1 ) for antennas (A) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second shaped body (10) and said support plate (2) are provided with projections (71 ) and recesses (72) that can be conjugated. 7) Base for antennas according to claim 6), characterized in that said projections can be identified on said second shaped body and said recesses can be identified on said support plate.

8) Base (1 ) for antennas (A) according to claim 6), characterized in that said recesses (72) can be identified on said second shaped body (10) and said projections (71 ) can be identified on said support plate (2).

9) Base (1 ) for antennas (A) according to claim 8), characterized in that said recesses (72) can be identified on the perimeter of said first shaped hole (11 ) of said second shaped body (10).

10) Base (1 ) for antennas (A) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said elastic means (18) comprise at least one spring (25).

11 ) Base (1 ) for antennas (A) according to claim 10), characterized in that said spring (25) is interposed between said constraining means (16) and said first shaped body (13). 12) Base for antennas according to claim 10), characterized in that said spring constitutes said first shaped body.

13) Base (1 ) for antennas (A) according to any of the claims from 10) to 12), characterized in that said spring (25) is of the Belleville washer type.

14) Base (1) for antennas (A) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said constraining means (16) comprise a screw (20).

15) Base for antennas according to claim 14), characterized in that the end of said screw can be coupled with a nut arranged on the opposite side of said support plate with respect to said shaped bodies.

16) Base (1 ) for antennas (A) according to claim 14), characterized in that said screw (20) is provided with a manoeuvring head (22) that can be used by the installer and is provided with a threaded end (23) that is suited to be coupled with a thread present on the edge (24) of a through hole (21) present in said sliding unit (5).

17) Base for antennas according to claim 14) or 15), characterized in that said screw is constituted by a section of said sliding unit.

18) Base for antennas according to claim 14) or 15), characterized in that said screw passes at least through said sliding unit.

19) Base (1) for antennas according to any of the claims from 1 ) to 13), characterized in that said constraining means (16) comprise a nut (161 ) that engages in the threaded section (81 ) of the sliding unit (51 ).

20) Base (1) for antennas (A) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises one or more spacing projections (30) present on the surface (6) of said support plate (2) facing towards said bearing surface (S) and suited to be interposed between said support plate (2) and said bearing surface (S).

21 ) Base (1) for antennas (A) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said shaped bodies (10, 13) have quadrangular cross section.

22) Base (1) for antennas (A) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said through opening (P) has quadrangular profile when seen from above.

23) Base (1) for antennas (A) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said bearing surface (S) is the body of a vehicle.

24) Antenna (A) for vehicles of the type equipped with a base (1 ), comprising a support plate (2) that rests on a bearing surface (S) and a fixing device (3) suited to constrain said support plate (2) to said bearing surface (S) over a through opening (P), characterized in that said fixing device (3) comprises:

- at least one first shaped body (13) that can be inserted in said through opening (P) of said bearing surface (S), integral during rotation with said support plate (2) through said sliding unit (5) and mobile with respect to said support plate (2) along the longitudinal development axis (X) defined by said sliding unit (5); - at least one second shaped body (10) interposed between said first shaped body (13) and said support plate (2), wherein said shaped body (10) can be inserted in said through opening (P) of said bearing surface (S), is rotatingly associated with said support plate (2) through said sliding unit (5) and has a profile that can be conjugated with the profiles of at least one section (7) of said sliding unit (5) and of the surface (6) of said support plate (2) facing towards said first shaped body (13) to allow said second shaped body (10) to move along said longitudinal development axis (X) of said sliding unit (5) towards said support plate (2); - elastic means (18) suited to force said first shaped body (13) against said bearing surface (S) when said second shaped body (10) performs said movement towards said support plate (2);

- means (16) for constraining said shaped bodies (10, 13) to said support plate (2).