Automobile antenna system

• US 4,819,001 A
• Filed: 11/25/1985
• Issued: 04/04/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kondo, Hiroshi, Ohe, Junzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wise, Robert E.
• Application Number:
  US06/801,310
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 343/711, 343/712, 343/713, 343/741, 343/842, 343/866, 343/872
• US Class Current: 343/712
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3283 side-mounted antennas, e.g. bumper-mounted, door-mounted mounted on windscreens H01Q1/1271

Abstract

An automobile antenna system mounted on a vehicle body electromagnetically detects surface currents induced on the vehicle body by broadcast waves. The antenna system includes a casing, a loop antenna and circuitry housed in the casing. A part of the loop antenna which is exposed from an opening provided in the casing is mounted on the vehicle body in proximity to a marginal edge portion thereof. The casing has a metallic electrostatically shielded portion for housing the circuitry.

Claims

1. An automobile antenna system comprising:

a first casing mode of synthetic resin and having an elongated opening at one end;

loop antenna means fixed and secured within said first casing and having a portion arranged facing the opening of said first casing, said loop antenna means being provided for detecting surface currents induced on a vehicle body by broadcast waves;

a second casing made of metal and integrally connected to said first casing;

circuit means housed and electrostatically shielded within said second casing and connected to said loop antenna means for processing a signal detected by said loop antenna means;

said first casing, said second casing, said loop antenna means and said circuit means comprising a high-frequency pickup; and

mounting means for mounting said high-frequency pick up at a given position in proximity to a marginal edge portion of the vehicle body where the induced surface currents are concentrated.

2. An automobile system according to claim 1, said mounting means including a bracket for fastening said high-frequency pickup to the vehicle body, said bracket being made of a synthetic resin.

3. An automobile antenna system according to claim 2, wherein said bracket which attaches said high-frequency pickup to the vehicle body is screwed to said second casing through a slot for adjusting the retaining position of the screw, so that the positional relationship between said high-frequency pickup and the vehicle body can be adjusted as desired by varying the position of the screw.

4. An automobile antenna system according to claim 1, a variable capacitor being connected to said loop antenna means.

5. An automobile antenna system according to claim 1, said loop antenna means being secured, in said first casing, by the opening provided in said first casing and by reinforcing ribs provided in said first casing.

6. An automobile antenna system according to claim 1, said loop antenna means being fixed and secured in said first casing by filling material.

7. An automobile antenna system according to claim 6, wherein said filling material is a dielectric material of a low dielectric constant.