Low profile television antenna for vehicles

• US 5,262,793 A
• Filed: 11/18/1991
• Issued: 11/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Winegard Company
• Original Assignee: Winegard Company
• Inventors: Sperry, Randy L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ho, Tan
• Application Number:
  US07/793,868
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 343/713, 343/711, 343/714, 343/795, 343/823
• US Class Current: 343/713
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/005 Damping of vibrations; Means for reducing wind-induced forces
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/084 Pivotable antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk

Abstract

A low profile, compact television antenna for use on vehicles such as recreational vehicles. The antenna of the present invention uses snap-fastening assembly for ease of assembly and disassembly. The overall profile of the antenna has been reduced to two inches to reduce the effects of wind resistance against the antenna as the vehicle on which it is mounted is moved. The antenna also has improved stability. The angle of bend of the wing tips of the antenna wings have also been reduced to reduce the overall profile and to reduce oscillation of the wing tips against the roof of the vehicle. The antenna of the present invention also includes an integral leveling block for engagement with an antenna support boom. The leveling block is integrally molded with the housing to provide a stronger, lighter weight, more compact structure than the prior separable leveling blocks.

Claims

1. An external low profile antenna for closely abutting the roof of a recreational vehicle when in a lowered position, said antenna comprising:

opposing outwardly extending antenna elements, each of said antenna elements terminating in a tip;

housing means for encapsulating at least a portion of said opposing antenna elements, said housing means including;

(a) an upper housing section;

(b) a lower housing section; and

(c) means on said upper housing section and on said lower housing section for resiliently engaging said sections to securely fasten said upper housing section and said lower housing section together wherein said housing means further includes a substantially elliptically contoured shape having a maximum profile height of about 2.25 inches, wherein said means on said upper housing section for resiliently engaging said engaging means of said lower housing section includes a front surface on said upper housing section having slots formed therein and a rear surface on said upper housing section having tabs formed thereon; and

said means on said lower housing section for resiliently engaging said engaging means of said upper housing section includes a front surface on said lower housing section having tabs formed thereon for engaging said slots of said upper housing section and a rear surface on said lower housing section having slots formed therein for engaging said tabs on said housing section;

the ratio of the distance from the top of said housing means in said lowered position to said roof to the distance from the bottom of said housing means to said roof forming a top ratio greater than 9, the ratio of the distance from the tip of said element to said roof to the distance from the bottom of said housing means to said roof in said lowered position forming a bottom ratio greater than 2 so as to provide said low profile antenna in close abutment to said roof.

2. The antenna of claim 1 wherein said housing means includes leveling block means for engaging an antenna support, wherein said leveling block means is integrally formed in said housing means.

3. The antenna of claim 2 wherein said leveling block means includes a substantially U-shaped bracket integrally molded to said housing means wherein said antenna support is engaged in said U-shaped bracket.