Antenna and method for mounting an antenna on a vehicle by clipping, preferably produced by pivoting

• US 20060103579A1
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hirschmann Car Communication GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Hirschmann Car Communication GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Blickle, Gunther
• Granted Patent: US 7,436,367 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/711
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/02 Releasable fastening devices locking by rotation with snap-action F16B21/06; studs or coupling pins with resilient protrusions F16B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/10 by means of bayonet connections F16B5/0092 takes precedence; fastening devices locking by rotation F16B21/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1214 through a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk

Abstract

The invention relates to an antenna (1), in particular a roof antenna (1), of a vehicle with a support element for securing the antenna (1) on a vehicle part, the antenna (1) having a base plate (2) that carries a mounting element that fits through a hole in a vehicle part (17a), whereby according to the invention during mounting or after mounting a pivoting movement effects a gripping of the vehicle part (17a) without the use of a tool and furthermore that it is so constructed that the antenna (1) after mounting is in the desired end position, cannot move, and is sealed to the vehicle part (17a).

Claims

1. An antenna (1), in particular a roof antenna, of a vehicle with a support element for securing the antenna (1) on a vehicle part (17a), the antenna (1) having a base plate (2) that carries a mounting element that fits through a hole in a vehicle part (17a), characterized in that during mounting or after mounting a pivoting movement effects a gripping of the vehicle part (17a) without the use of a tool and furthermore that it is so constructed that the antenna (1) after mounting is in the desired end position, cannot move, and is sealed to the vehicle part (17a).

2. The antenna (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a lower face of the base plate (2) carries a bayonet plate (9) that can be passed in a predetermined direction through a complementary hole in the vehicle part (17a) on mounting of the antenna (1) and that moves underneath the vehicle part (17a) to spatially overlap it such that movement of the bayonet plate (9) out of the hole of the vehicle part (17a) in a direction perpendicular to the upper face of the vehicle part (17a) is no longer possible.

3. The antenna (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the bayonet plate (9) has a splined, triangular, quadrilateral, generally polygonal or other nonround outer shape by means of which it is possible after fitting the bayonet plate (2) through the complementary hole in the vehicle body (17a) to produce overlapping or engagement under the vehicle part (17a).

4. The antenna (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that on continuing to move in the predetermined mounting direction beyond fitting of the antenna (1) in the desired end position on the vehicle body (17a) there is an automatic gripping of the vehicle part (17) and a compression of a seal between the antenna (1) and the vehicle part (17a).

5. The antenna (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a spring element is provided that is prestressed to produce the necessary gripping force.

6. The antenna (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the spring element is a spiral spring, a spring washer, or a stack of spring washers.

7. The antenna (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the spring element and the bayonet plate (9) form a single unit.

8. The antenna (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that assembly is effected by the following steps:

transverse fitting of the support element, in particular the bayonet plate (9), through the opening in the vehicle part (17a) and subsequent engagement under the vehicle part (17a) by means of pivoting movement.

9. The antenna (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the support element is formed as a bayonet plate (6), that a threaded connection has at least one screw (3) and/or a nut (5), that the bolt connection includes a snap ring, a key, or a formation holding the support element, that the connection is a spring (compression spring 8) that produces a force between the base plate (2) and the bayonet plate (6), that between the base plate (2) and bayonet plate (6) there are guide elements (bolts (15), slots (16), and/or ridges (7), that fit with abutments in the hole in the vehicle body (17a) and that between the base plate (2) and the bayonet plate (9) there are spacer elements (ridges (7), bumps (19)) with complementary seats (segmental notches (10)) in the second part that in one position of the base plate (2) relative to the bayonet plate (9) space the base plate (2) from the bayonet plate (9) and in another position engage in the cutouts (segmental notches (10)).

10. The antenna (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the guide is slots (16) in the base plate (2) or preferably in the bayonet plate (9) that interfit with bolts (15) that are fixed on the bayonet plate (9) or preferably on the base plate (2).

11. The antenna (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the guide elements are ridges (7) preferably on the base plate (2) or on the spacer sleeve (6) that coact with segmental cutouts (10) preferably in the bayonet plate (9) or that ridges (7) and segmental notches (10) are provided on other parts.

12. The antenna (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the limiting elements are bumps (13) on the bayonet plate (9) projecting toward the base plate (2).

13. The antenna (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the circular bayonet plate (9) has outwardly projecting bayonet teeth (12).

14. The antenna (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the bumps (13) are provided on the edges of the bayonet teeth (12).

15. The antenna (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the bayonet teeth (12) are provided angularly adjacent the bumps (13) with recesses.

16. The antenna (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the recesses (14) extend to the center ring (11).

17. The antenna (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening in the vehicle part (17a) has a central circular hole (17) into which bayonet notches (18) corresponding to the bayonet teeth (12) open.

18. The antenna (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the spacer elements are bumps projecting from the base plate (2) which are pivotally dependent on the raised parts (13) on the bayonet teeth (12).

19. The antenna (1) according to claim 18, characterized in that the threaded connection is a screw (3) that is threaded into the base plate (2) and surrounded by a compression spring (8).

20. The antenna (1) according to claim 19, characterized in that between the base plate (2) and the screw head or washer (4) there is a spacer sleeve (6).

21. An antenna (1) according to claim 19, characterized in that the spacer sleeve (6) if angularly fixed on the base plate (2) and the spacer sleeve (6) has ridges (7 and 7a) on its outer surface that fit with complementary segmental notches (10) in a centra bore in the bayonet plate (9) such that the edges of the ridges (7 and 7a) form spacer elements for the bayonet plate (9) relative to the base plate (2) in one angular position of the bayonet plage (9) and that the ridges (7 and 7a) engage in the other angular position into the segmental notches (10).

22. A method of mounting an antenna (1) according to claim 1 on a vehicle body, characterized in that the bayonet plate (9) is mounted on the base plate (2) such that the spacer elements (bumps 13, bumps 19, ridges 7 and 7a, and bayonet plate (9) produce a space with the base plate (2), that the bayonet plate (9) is first fitted with the bayonet teeth (12) through the bayonet notches (18) through the vehicle part (17a) and then the base plate (2) is turned relative to the bayonet plate (9) fixed on the vehicle body until the spacer elements (ridges 7 and 7a or bumps 19) engage in the spaces between the bayonet teeth (12) or segmental notches (19) that as a result the bayonet plate (9) is shifted toward the base plate (2) and the force of the compression spring presses the bayonet plate (9) solidly and without platy between the base plate and the bayonet plate and simultaneously one or several seal regions between the vehicle body and the base plate (2) are compressed to form a tight seal.

23. A tool for uninstalling the antenna (1) according to claim 1 from a vehicle body, characterized by a base body (23) with two fork-like bars (22) whose thickness generally corresponds to a height of the spacers and with at least one handle (24), the bars (22) having flattened outer ends.

24. A method of uninstalling an antenna according to claim 23 from a vehicle body, characterized in that the tool (21) with the bars (22) is pivoted between the vehicle body (17a) and the base plate (2) until the spacer elements (ridges 7 and 7a and bumps 19) are lifted out of the spaces between the segmental notches (10), that the base plate (2) is shifted relative to the bayonet plate (9) so far that the spacer elements bear on the bayonet plate (9) and that the bayonet teeth (12) are aligned in the bayonet notches (18) and the roof antenna can be lifted out.