Vehicle antenna

• US 6,011,518 A
• Filed: 07/25/1997
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Harness System Technologies Research, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamagishi, Hiroshi, Tokunaga, Masahiro, Nishiura, Yozo
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malos, Jennifer H
• Application Number:
  US08/900,333
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 343/711, 343/713, 343/700 MS, 359/838, 359/601-604
• US Class Current: 343/713
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3266 using the mirror of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407

Abstract

In the vehicle antenna, a GPS antenna, a radio wave beacon antenna for VICS/automatic rate, and an optical beacon antenna are incorporated into between the mirror of a room mirror and a cover and they are united together into an integrated body. The vehicle antenna is structured such that it is allowed to transmit and receive signals with respect to a GPS, a VICS/automatic rate beacon, and an optical beacon through the windshield of a vehicle. This structure eliminates the need to install the respective antennas of the vehicle antenna onto a vehicle body and an instrumental panel, thereby being able to improve the appearance of the interior of the vehicle. Also, since the vehicle antenna is incorporated in the room mirror, the vehicle antenna is not visible directly to the eyes of a driver and is kept from reflecting its shade into the windshield to thereby prevent interference with the driving operation of the driver.

Claims

1. A vehicle antenna comprising:

a rearview mirror of a vehicle; and

an antenna built in to said rearview mirror,

wherein said rearview mirror comprises a mirror body, a support member for mounting said rearview mirror onto a roof part of the vehicle in vicinity of a windshield of the vehicle, and a box body incorporating therein said built-in antenna, a side surface thereof being covered with said mirror body; and

wherein said built-in antenna or a fixing member for fixing said built-in antenna is fixed to said support member inserted into the interior portion of said box body, and said box body is mounted onto said support member in such a manner that said box body can be freely moved in an arbitrary direction and then can be fixed in said direction, whereby, even if said box body is freely moved and the mounting angle of said mirror main body is thereby changed, the mounting angle of said antenna is left unchanged.

2. A vehicle antenna according to claim 1, wherein said support member has a hollow portion therein, and a feeder cable for said built-in antenna is so arranged as to penetrate the interior of said support member.

3. A vehicle antenna according to claim 1, further comprising:

an antivibration mechanism provided between said box body and said support member so as to relieve the vibration of said vehicle during the running operation thereof due to the freedom of said box body given by a clearance provided between said support member and an insertion opening formed in said box body for insertion of said support member.

4. A vehicle antenna according to claim 3, wherein said antivibration mechanism is a bellows formed of elastic material, said bellows covering said support member, and one end of said bellows being fixed to a peripheral surface of said support member while the other end thereof being fixed to said box body.

5. A vehicle antenna according to claim 3, wherein said antivibration mechanism is an elastic body interposed between an inner peripheral surface of said insertion opening and a peripheral surface of said support member.

6. A vehicle antenna according to claim 3, wherein said antivibration mechanism is a bagged body containing viscous fluid therein interposed between an inner peripheral surface of said insertion opening and a peripheral surface of said support member.