Bracket and assembly for remote mounting of police radar warning receiver

• US 5,111,207 A
• Filed: 06/28/1990
• Issued: 05/05/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Escort Acquisition Corp.
• Original Assignee: Cincinnati Microwave, Inc (Bel Tronics Ltd.)
• Inventors: Allen, Paul M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US07/545,996
• Time in Patent Office: 677 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 bracket and assembly for remotely mounting a radar detector includes a bracket that secures a license plate to a first end of the vehicle, with the radar detector supported therebetween and a receiving end of the radar detector facing a bottom edge portion of the bracket. The bottom edge portion includes a horizontally disposed lip that supports a reflector at an angle. The bottom edge portion also has a vertically disposed lip which hides the reflector from view, but is transparent to radar signals. The reflector intercepts police radar signals directed toward the first end of the vehicle and reflects the signals upwardly into the receiving end of the radar detector.

Claims

1. A bracket for mounting a license plate to a vehicle comprising:

bracket means adapted to secure the license plate to a first end of the vehicle with a radar detector located therebetween;

a first edge portion of said bracket means including a first lip perpendicular to a plane to be occupied by the secured license plate; and

a second lip oriented parallel to said plane, at least a section of the second lip being transparent to radar signals to allow radar signals directed at said first end of the vehicle to pass therethrough and between said first lip and a license plate first edge when said license plate is secured thereto.

2. The bracket of claim 1 wherein said section of said second lip is plastic.

3. The bracket of claim 1 and further comprising:

means for laterally holding the sides of a radar detector when the detector is located between the license plate and the vehicle.

4. The bracket of claim 3 wherein said laterally holding means includes spacers held in place against the sides of the detector.

5. The bracket of claim 1 and further comprising:

means for supporting a rearward surface of the radar detector to hold the radar detector to the bracket as a single unit, prior to mounting to the vehicle.

6. The bracket of claim 5 wherein said rearward surface supporting means comprises a strip adapted to encircle the radar detector.

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

a bracket adapted to be attached to a first end of a vehicle;

a license plate secured to the bracket;

a radar detector located behind the secured license plate, a receiving end of the radar detector facing a first edge of the license plate; and

a reflector supported by the bracket at an angle and located adjacent said first edge, the reflector adapted to intercept radar signals directed toward the first end of the vehicle and to reflect said signals into the receiving end of the detector when the bracket is mounted to said first end.

8. The concealed antenna assembly of claim 7 wherein said bracket further comprises:

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

9. The concealed antenna assembly of claim 7 wherein said bracket further comprises:

a substantially horizontal lip for supporting a bottom edge of the reflector.

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

mounting a bracket to a first end of the vehicle;

securing a license plate to the bracket with a radar detector located between the license plate and the first end of the vehicle, the radar detector having a receiving end directed toward a first edge of the license plate; and

supporting a reflector adjacent said first end of the secured license plate, the reflector adapted to receive radar signals directed at said first end of the vehicle and reflect said signals toward the receiving end of the radar detector.

11. 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 behind the license plate, the radar antenna having a receiving end for receiving radar signals, the receiving end facing a first edge of the license plate; and

a reflector located proximate the first edge and oriented at an angle, said reflector adapted to intercept radar signals directed toward said one end of the vehicle and to reflect said signals into the receiving end of said antenna.