Assembly for mounting antenna on vehicle body

• US 4,424,515 A
• Filed: 07/27/1981
• Issued: 01/03/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard Hirschmann Radiotechnisches WERK
• Original Assignee: Richard Hirschmann Radiotechnisches WERK
• Inventors: Arbter, Erhard, Steinhauer, Ernst
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieberman, Eli
• Application Number:
  US06/286,895
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 343/715, 343/889, 343/900, 343/901, 174/152 A, 174/153 A, 174/153 G
• US Class Current: 343/715
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1214 through a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/32 Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles

Abstract

An assembly for mounting an antenna on the body of an automotive vehicle comprises a substantially cylindrical mounting sleeve with an outwardly facing circumferential groove for gripping the edge of a preformed hole in the vehicle body upon an insertion of the sleeve through the hole in a mounting operation. The sleeve is formed with a substantially spherical inner surface in the region of the groove for engaging a matching spherical surface at one end of an antenna casing, the matching spherical surfaces providing a water-tight seal while enabling the casing to assume any of a plurality of orientations with respect to the vehicle body. The sleeve has a bellows-like wall formed at an end opposite the groove with a bead for engaging a cylindrical surface of the antenna casing in a water-tight form fit regardless of the orientation of the casing with respect to the body. A mounting bracket provides mechanical support and an electrical ground for the antenna casing.

Claims

1. An assembly for fastening a retractable antenna to the body of an automotive vehicle, comprising:

an antenna casing in the form of a tube;

an electrically conductive rod slidably inserted and retractable in said casing, said casing being provided with means for facilitating the connection of an electrically conductive cable to said rod; and

an elastic mounting sleeve provided at one end with an outwardly facing circumferential groove for receiving, flanking and gripping an edge of a preformed hole in said body upon an insertion of said sleeve through said hole during a mounting operation, said sleeve having a substantially spherical inner surface at said one end, said casing having at one end a distended section with a substantially spherical outer surface engaging said inner surface in a pressure fit and hugging said inner surface over a substantial part of the area thereof upon an insertion of said casing into said sleeve during said mounting operation, said spherical surfaces coacting to facilitate an inclination, within limited angles, of said casing and said rod with respect to a surface of said body in a region about said hole, said casing having a substantially cylindrical outer surface and an annular shoulder projecting therefrom and spaced from said spherical outer surface, said sleeve having in an unstressed state a substantially cylindrical wall formed with bellows-like undulations and at an end of said sleeve opposite said groove with an annular bead for gripping said cylindrical outer surface and for engaging said shoulder regardless of the angle of inclination of said casing with respect to a surface of said body in a region about said hole.

2. The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said sleeve consists of a soft elastic material resistant to weather, fuel and washing solutions.

3. The assembly defined on claim 1, or 2 wherein said sleeve is provided in region about said groove with a circumferential wedge-shaped sealing lip projecting longitudinally in the direction of said bead, said lip bending radially outwardly to form a fluid-tight engagement with an outer surface of said body upon an insertion of said sleeve through said hole during said mounting operation.

4. The assembly defined in claim 3 wherein said casing is provided with a longitudinally extending flange, further comprising a bracket securable to said flange and to said body for fixing said casing thereto.

7. The assembly defined in claim 4 wherein said bracket is provided with a slot for enabling the mounting thereof at different locations on said body and on different vehicle bodies.

5. The assembly defined in claim 14 wherein said casing consists of a metallic material, said flange and said bracket being formed from an electrically conductive material for grounding said casing.

6. The assembly defined in claim 14 wherein said casing is formed with a recess having teeth engageable with said bracket for facilitating the support of said casing in any of a plurality of orientations with respect to a surface of said body in a region about said hole.

8. An assembly for fastening a retractable antenna to the body of an automotive vehicle comprising:

an antenna casing in the form of a tube;

an electrically conductive rod slidably inserted and retractable in said casing, said casing being provided with means for facilitating the connection of an electrically conductive cable to said rod;

a mounting sleeve of soft elastic material provided at one end with an outwardly facing circumferential groove for receiving, flanking and gripping an edge of a preferred hole in said body upon an insertion of said sleeve through said hole during a mounting operation, said sleeve having a substantially spherical inner surface at said one end, said casing having at one end a distended section with a substantially spherical outer surface engaging said inner surface in a pressure fit and hugging said inner surface over a substantial part of the area thereof upon an insertion of said casing into said sleeve during said mounting operation, said spherical surfaces coacting to facilitate an inclination, within limited angles, of said casing and said rod with respect to a surface of said body in a region about said hole, said casing having a substantially cylindrical outer surface and an annular shoulder projecting therefrom and spaced from said spherical outer surface, said sleeve having in an unstressed state a substantially cylindrical wall formed with bellows-like undulations and at an end of said sleeve opposite said groove with an annular bead for gripping said cylindrical outer surface and for engaging said shoulder regardless of the angle of inclination of said casing with respect to a surface of said body in a region about said hole, said sleeve being provided in region about said groove with a circumferential wedge-shaped sealing lip projecting longitudinally in the direction of said bead, said lip bending radially outwardly to form a fluid-tight engagement with an outer surface of said body upon an insertion of said sleeve through said hole during said mounting operation, said casing being provided with a longitudinally extending flange; and

a bracket securable to said flange and to said body for fixing said casing thereto, said casing consisting of a metallic material, said flange, and said bracket being formed from an electrically conductive material for grounding said casing, said casing being formed with a recess having teeth engageable with said bracket for facilitating the support of said casing in any of a plurality of orientations with respect to a surface of said body in a region about said hole, said bracket being provided with a slot for enabling the mounting thereof at different locations on said body and on different vehicle bodies.