Remotely mounted police radar warning receiver

• US 4,952,937 A
• Filed: 11/13/1989
• Issued: 08/28/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Escort Acquisition Corp.
• Original Assignee: Cincinnati Microwave, Inc (Bel Tronics Ltd.)
• Inventors: Allen, Paul M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US07/434,426
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 342/20, 342/70, 342/73, 342/89, 455/345, 455/346, 455/347, 455/353
• US Class Current: 342/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/022 Road traffic radar detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/32 Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3233 particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3283 side-mounted antennas, e.g. bumper-mounted, door-mounted mounted on windscreens H01Q1/1271

Abstract

A remotely mounted radar detector is mounted vertically behind a license plate with a reflector attached to the horn at an angle such that the reflector extends beyond one edge of the license plate to reflect incoming, horizontal radar signals into a vertically oriented plane and to the horn antenna. Preferably, a bracket snugly secures the license plate to the one end of the vehicle, with the radar detector sandwiched therebetween and facing downardly. The bottom portion of the bracket has a horizontal lip spaced from the bottom edge of the license plate so as not to obstruct incoming radar signals that pass therebetween enroute to the reflector. The bottom portion also has a vertical lip with a window, thereby to substantially hide the reflector from view and at the same time to permit passage therethrough of radar signals to the reflector.

Claims

1. A concealed antenna assembly for a remotely mounted radar warning receiver comprising:

a license plate mounted at one end of a vehicle in substantially vertical orientation;

a radar antenna mounted closely behind the license plate, the radar antenna having a receiving end for receiving radar signals, the receiving end located adjacent a first edge of the license plate; and

a reflector located proximate to the receiving end of the radar antenna at an angle and extending outwardly beyond said first edge of said license plate, said reflector adapted to intercept horizontal radar signals directed toward said end of the vehicle and to reflect said signals into a vertical plane and into the receiving end of said antenna.

2. The concealed antenna assembly of claim 1 wherein the antenna has a major longitudinal axis and is oriented with said axis parallel to the license plate and said reflector extends from said receiving end at an angle of approximately 45°

to the plane of the license plate.

3. The concealed antenna assembly of claim 1 and further comprising:

a rectangular license plate bracket attachable to the vehicle in a manner to engage at least one edge of the license plate other than said first edge to hold the license plate to the vehicle when secured thereto, the bracket having a first portion corresponding to said first edge.

4. The concealed antenna assembly of claim 3 wherein the first portion further comprises:

a lip oriented perpendicular to a plane occupied by said license plate and spaced from the first edge of the license plate, and

a lip oriented parallel to and located outward of the first edge of the license plate and the reflector to substantially hide the reflector from view, at least a section of said parallel lip being transparent to radar to permit passage therethrough of said horizontal signals.

5. The concealed antenna assembly of claim 4 wherein said bracket is plastic.

6. The concealed antenna assembly of claim 1 wherein the first edge of the license plate is the bottom edge, the first side portion of the bracket is the lowermost part of the bracket, the receiving end of the radar antenna opens downwardly and the reflected signals are reflected upwardly into said receiving end.

7. The concealed antenna assembly of claim 6 and further comprising:

a horizontal lip spaced from the first edge of the license plate; and

a vertical lip located outward of the first edge of the license plate and the reflector to substantially hide the reflector from view, at least a section of said vertical lip being transparent to radar to permit passage therethrough of said horizontal signals.

8. The concealed antenna assembly of claim 7 wherein an unattached edge of the reflector extends toward said vertical lip at an angle and is supported upon said horizontal lip.

14. The method of claim -3 and further comprising the step of:

securing the license plate to the vehicle with a bracket, the bracket having a first portion parallel to said first edge, said first portion having a horizontal lip spaced from said license plate so as not to obstruct passage therebetween of said horizontal signals enroute to said reflector, said first portion also having a vertical lip located outward of and parallel to id license plate to substantially hide the reflector from view, at least a section of the vertical lip being transparent to permit passage therethrough of said horizontal signals.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said radar detector is mounted such that said receiving end opens downwardly.

9. A concealed antenna assembly for a remotely mounted radar detector comprising:

a license plate mounted in a vertical orientation at one end of a vehicle;

a radar detector mounted behind the license plate in parallel relationship therewith, a receiving end of the radar detector facing downwardly and terminating adjacent a horizontal plane occupied by a bottom edge of the license plate;

a reflector attached at a 45°

angle to the receiving end of the radar detector unit, the reflector extending below said horizontal plane; and

a rectangular bracket attachable to the vehicle to engage at least one edge of the license plate other than the bottom edge in order to secure the license plate to the vehicle, the bracket having a lower portion with a horizontal lip spaced from the bottom edge of the license plate so as to not obstruct transverse passage therebetween of horizontal radar signals enroute to the reflector for reflection into the receiving end of the radar detector.

10. The concealed antenna assembly of claim 9 wherein said lower portion of said bracket further comprises:

a vertical lip located in front of the reflector to hide the reflector from view, the vertical lip having a radar transparent window to permit passage therethrough of said horizontal signals to said hidden reflector.

11. The concealed antenna assembly of claim 9 wherein an unattached edge of said reflector is supported on said horizontal lip.

12. The concealed antenna assembly of claim 9 and further comprises:

mounting means for firmly attaching the bracket to the vehicle with the detector held therebetween.

13. A method of installing a radar detector on a vehicle comprising the steps of:

providing a radar detector having a reflector attached to a receiving end thereof; and

mounting the radar detector behind and substantially parallel with a license plate located at one end of the vehicle in a manner such that the receiving end is located proximate a first edge of the license plate and the reflector extends outwardly beyond said first edge, the reflector adapted to receive horizontal radar signals directed at said vehicle and to reflect said signals into a vertical direction toward said receiving end.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said providing step further comprises:

attaching the reflector to the receiving end of the radar detector at an angle of about 45°

.