FRANGIBLE ANTENNA MOUNT

• US 20070182661A1
• Filed: 12/01/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Eby, Adam, Haynes, Clark
• Granted Patent: US 7,443,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/878
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/085 Flexible aerials; Whip aerials with a resilient base
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1207 for fastening a rigid aerial element
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/32 Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles

Abstract

An antenna mount includes a base, a mounting member and a resilient member extending between the mounting member and the base. The resilient member may be removably coupled to the base via a first coupling member and/or coupled to the antenna mount via a second coupling member. The coupling members and the resilient member are configured to release or disengage in response to a force and/or torque exceeding a threshold force and/or torque.

Claims

1. An antenna mount, comprising:

a base;

a mounting member to support an antenna;

a resilient member having a first end and a second end, the resilient member physically coupled to the mounting member proximate the first end of the resilient member; and

a coupling member physically coupled to the base and physically coupled to the resilient member proximate the second end of the resilient member, wherein the resilient member temporarily deforms in response to a force applied to the mounting member and the coupling member releases the resilient member from the base in response to the force applied to the mounting member being greater than a threshold force.

2. The antenna mount of claim 1 wherein the mounting member is a strut.

3. The antenna mount of claim 1 wherein the resilient member is a spring.

4. The antenna mount of claim 1 wherein the resilient member is a coil spring.

5. The antenna mount of claim 1 wherein the threshold force at which the coupling member releases the resilient member is adjustable.

6. The antenna mount of claim 1 wherein the coupling member is an expansion fastening assembly.

7. The antenna mount of claim 6 wherein the base has an opening formed therein, and a portion of the expansion fastening assembly is received within the opening and forms a frictional engagement therewith.

8. The antenna mount of claim 6 wherein the expansion fastening assembly includes an expandable sleeve having a diameter at least partially received by the resilient member and an adjustable fastener at least partially received by the expandable sleeve and operable to adjust the diameter of the sleeve to adjust an amount of force exerted on the resilient member by the diameter of the expandable sleeve.

9. The antenna mount of claim 8 wherein the expandable sleeve includes at least two elongated members that form a cylindrical assembly having a receptacle therebetween to receive the adjustable fastener.

10. The antenna mount of claim 9 wherein the receptacle is dimensioned to threadedly receive the adjustable fastener.

11. The antenna mount of claim 8 wherein the adjustable fastener is tapered along a longitudinal axis thereof.

12. The antenna mount of claim 1, further comprising:

the antenna releasably physically attached to the mounting member.

13. An antenna mount, comprising:

a base;

an antenna; and

coupling means for resiliently and releasably coupling the antenna to the base.

14. The antenna mount of claim 13 wherein the coupling means includes at least one coil spring.

15. The antenna mount of claim 14 wherein the coupling means includes at least one expansion member physically coupling the coil spring to the base.

16. The antenna mount of claim 14 wherein the at least one expansion member includes a plurality of elongated members arranged to form an outer perimeter and an inner receptacle, the outer perimeter centrally received within the coil spring and the outer perimeter having an adjustable diameter to adjustably engage a portion of the coil spring.

17. The antenna mount of claim 14 wherein the coupling means includes at least one adjustable fastener received in the receptacle and moveable therein to adjust the diameter of the outer perimeter.

18. The antenna mount of claim 13 wherein the coupling means includes at least one strut to which the antenna is physically attached.

19. A method of mounting an antenna to an object carrying a base, the method comprising:

attaching a mounting member to a resilient member proximate one end of the resilient member such that the resilient member temporarily deforms in response to a force applied to the mounting member;

attaching the resilient member to a coupling member proximate another end of the resilient member;

attaching the resilient member to a portion of a coupling member proximate another end of the resilient member;

adjustably attaching the coupling member to the base such that the coupling member releases the resilient member from the base in response to the force applied to the mounting member being greater than a threshold force; and

attaching an antenna to the mounting member.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein adjustably attaching the coupling member to the base includes adjusting a dimension of an expansion assembly to adjust a force exerted by the expansion assembly on at least one of the resilient member and the base.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

adjustably reattaching the coupling member to the base in response to the release of the resilient member from the base by the coupling member.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

replacing the coupling member with a new coupling member in response to damage to the coupling member; and

adjustably reattaching the new coupling member to the base.