Mounting structure for combined automotive trim accessory and antenna

• US 5,812,095 A
• Filed: 10/06/1995
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Talty, Timothy Joseph, Adrian, Andrew, Nordstrom, Tamara Jean, Jones, Bruce Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Hoanganh T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ho, Tan
• Application Number:
  US08/540,114
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 343/711, 343/712, 343/713, 343/715, 343/906, 343/742, 343/744, 248/539
• US Class Current: 343/713
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/10 using reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop

Abstract

A vehicular radio reception antenna is concealed within a body trim piece such as a spoiler or a luggage rack. A supporting body panel is utilized as a ground plane and a conductive loop is concealed within the trim piece. A transmission line connects two opposite sides of the resulting slot. Capacitors are used to connect the conducting loop to the sheet metal ground plane in order to form a dual slot/monopole antenna for receiving both FM and AM signals. An integrated mounting structure provides both mechanical and electrical connection of the trim piece and antenna in a single integrated assembly part.

Claims

1. An attachment structure for a dual slot/monopole antenna having a conducting loop passing through an exterior trim piece mounted on a sheet metal body panel of a vehicle, said attachment structure comprising:

an electrically conducting bolt having a bolt head bearing against said exterior trim piece and having a shaft passing through said sheet metal body panel, said bolt head having said conducting loop electrically attached thereto;

an insulating washer retained on said shaft, said insulating washer bearing against said sheet metal body panel and electrically insulating said bolt from said sheet metal body panel; and

an electrically conducting nut retained on said shaft and bearing against said insulating washer;

wherein said electrically conducting nut overlaps an area of said sheet metal body panel and is separated from said sheet metal body panel by said insulating washer in order to form a capacitor providing an electrical connection between said conducting loop and said sheet metal body panel for predetermined radio frequency signals.

2. The attachment structure of claim 1 wherein said electrically conducting nut includes a flange bearing against said insulating washer.

3. The attachment structure of claim 1 wherein said insulating washer is comprised of plastic.