Antenna mount for air drag reduction equipment for motor vehicles

• US 6,204,820 B1
• Filed: 10/21/1999
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William L. Jensen Jr
• Original Assignee: William L. Jensen Jr
• Inventors: Jensen, William L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): VANNUCCI, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US09/422,709
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 343/713, 296/180.1, 248/539
• US Class Current: 343/713
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/005 Damping of vibrations; Means for reducing wind-induced forces
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk

Abstract

A device for mounting an antenna to a motor vehicle is arranged externally on air drag reduction equipment of the motor vehicle. The mounting device can be affixed to an external surface of the fairing, can be mounted in an opening cut from the fairing, or can be integrally defined on the outer surface of the fairing. The mounting device is arranged relative to the fairing so that it is at an optimum position and elevation relative to the top of the fairing and the roof of a trailer following behind the fairing so as to optimize signal transmission and reception, but avoid damage to the antenna during operation of the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A supporting element for an antenna for a motor vehicle, said supporting element being mounted to drag reduction equipment of said motor vehicle such that at least a portion of an antenna carried by said supporting element extends beyond the outer surface of said drag reduction equipment, said supporting element being oriented relative to said drag reduction equipment such that the top of said antenna does not extend beyond the highest elevated position of said drag reduction equipment.

2. The supporting element as claimed in claim 1 wherein said supporting element is oriented relative to said drag reduction equipment such that the top of said antenna carried by said supporting element is lower than the highest elevated position of said drag reduction equipment.

3. The supporting element as claimed in claim 1 wherein said supporting element is oriented relative to said drag reduction equipment such that the top of said antenna is between 0-6 inches below said highest elevated position of said drag reduction equipment.

4. The supporting element as claimed in claim 1 wherein said supporting element is oriented relative to said drag reduction equipment such that the angle of orientation of said antenna carried by said supporting element relative to a horizontal plane is greater than 0 degrees.

5. The supporting element as claimed in claim 4 wherein said angle of orientation is in a range of between 0 degrees-12 degrees.

6. The supporting element as claimed in claim 1 wherein said supporting element is oriented relative to said drag reduction equipment such that the antenna carried by said supporting element extends beyond the outer surface of said drag reduction equipment in its entirety.

7. The supporting element as claimed in claim 1 further including means for mounting said supporting element to the outer surface of said drag reduction equipment.

8. The supporting element as claimed in claim 1 including means for mounting said supporting element to said drag reduction equipment through an opening defined in said outer surface of said drag reduction equipment such that only a portion of said antenna carried by said supporting element extends beyond an outer surface of said drag reduction equipment.

9. The supporting element as claimed in claim 1 further including means for mounting said supporting element to said drag reduction equipment such that said supporting element is spaced a predetermined distance beyond an outer surface of said drag reduction equipment.

10. The supporting element as claimed in claim 1 wherein said supporting element is formed integrally with said drag reduction equipment.

11. The supporting element as claimed in claim 10 wherein said supporting element defines a recessed space extending inwardly into said drag reduction equipment.

12. The supporting element as claimed in claim 1 further including a cover removably mountable over said supporting element and said antenna carried by said supporting element.

13. A supporting element for an antenna mounted to a roof fairing on the cab of a motor vehicle, said cab adapted to tow a rear trailer, said supporting element oriented relative to said roof fairing and said rear trailer of said motor vehicle such that the top of an antenna carried by said supporting element does not extend above either the highest elevation of said roof fairing and the highest elevation of a roof of said trailer, said supporting element being oriented such that the angle of said antenna carried by said supporting element relative to said roof of said rear trailer is greater than 0 degrees.

14. The supporting element as claimed in claim 13 wherein said supporting element is mounted, at least in part, to an outer surface of said roof fairing.

15. The supporting element as claimed in claim 13 wherein said supporting element is integrally formed with said roof fairing.

16. A communication system for a motor vehicle, said communication system comprising an antenna and a supporting element for said antenna, said supporting element for said antenna being operatively associated with drag reduction equipment of said motor vehicle, said supporting element being oriented relative to said drag reduction equipment such that at least a portion of said antenna carried by said supporting element extends beyond an outer surface of said drag reduction equipment and the top of said antenna does not extend above the highest elevated portion of said drag reduction equipment, said supporting element being oriented relative to said drag reduction equipment such that the angle of said antenna relative to a horizontal plane over which said motor vehicle is driven is greater than 0 degrees.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16 further including a cover removably mountable to said supporting element and over said antenna carried by said supporting element.

18. The system as claimed in claim 16 further including a cover disposed over said antenna carried by said supporting element, said cover being integrally formed with said drag reduction equipment.

19. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein said supporting element is mounted, at least in part, to the outer surface of said drag reduction equipment.

20. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein said supporting element is integrally formed with said drag reduction equipment.

21. A communication system for a motor vehicle, said communication system comprising drag reduction equipment operatively associated with said motor vehicle, and an antenna and a supporting element for said antenna;

said supporting element for said antenna being mounted to said drag reduction equipment, and said antenna being fixedly mounted to said supporting element;

said supporting element being oriented relative to said drag reduction equipment such that at least a portion of said antenna carried by said supporting equipment extends beyond an outer surface of said drag reduction equipment and the top of said antenna does not extend above the highest elevated portion of said drag reduction equipment;

said supporting element being oriented relative to said drag reduction equipment such that the angle of said antenna relative to a horizontal plane over which said motor vehicle is driven is greater than 0 degrees.