Car antenna

• US 6,486,841 B1
• Filed: 06/27/2001
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harada Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nippon Antena Kabushiki Kaisha (Nippon Antenna Company Limited)
• Inventors: Imahigashi, Hirotsugu
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Tho Gia
• Application Number:
  US09/787,745
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: H01/Q.132, 343/702, 343/713, 343/715, 343/872, 343/906
• US Class Current: 343/715
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1214 through a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk

Abstract

With the object of a single worker being able to mount an automobile antenna, side plates of a board bracket 9 with fixing plate are inserted into a rectangular hole formed in the base portion 3 so that [the side plates] are located on the opposite side surfaces of a rectangular projecting portion projecting from the bottom surface of the base portion 3. Spring pieces 4a are formed on these side plates. When the cylindrical projecting portion 13 extending from the rectangular projecting portion is inserted in the mounting hole formed in the roof panel, the spring pieces 4a formed on the side plates pass through the mounting hole and engage with the back side thereof. The antenna body is thereby temporarily fixed to the roof panel and a worker can remove his or her hands from the antenna body. The worker then goes within the vehicle body, screws the fixing nut 2 onto the cylindrical projecting portion 13, and can thereby fix the automobile antenna on the roof panel.

Claims

1. An automobile antenna base portion for fixing an antenna body having an antenna element to a vehicle body comprising;

a rectangular projecting portion to be inserted in a rectangular mounting hole formed in the vehicle body and a cylindrical projecting portion extending from the rectangular projecting portion and onto which a fixing nut disposed inside the vehicle body is screwed;

a fixing plate having spring portions formed on opposite side plates thereof so as to incline outwards, and the side plates being inserted through holes formed in said base portion and project from a rear surface of said base portion, said spring portions engaging an edge of the mounting hole and temporarily fixing said antenna body to said vehicle body when said rectangular projecting portion is inserted in said mounting hole;

the fixing plate being formed integrally as a single piece with a board bracket for holding a printed wiring board fixed to the surface of said base portion and formed to have a U-shaped cross section.

2. The automobile antenna, according to claim 1, wherein a part of a side surface of said cylindrical projecting portion is notched along the side plates of said fixing plate, so that the surfaces of the side plates of the fixing plates do not project outwards beyond the side surface of said cylindrical projecting portion.

3. An automobile antenna base portion for fixing an antenna body having at least an antenna element to a vehicle body comprising;

a rectangular projecting portion for insertion in a rectangular mounting hole formed in the vehicle body and a cylindrical projecting portion, extending from the rectangular projecting portion and onto which a fixing nut disposed inside the vehicle body is screwed;

a fixing plate having a U-shaped cross section and spring portions formed on opposite side plates thereof, the side plates being inserted through holes formed in said base portion and project from a rear surface of said base portion;

said spring portions engaging an edge of the mounting hole and temporarily fixing said antenna body to said vehicle body when said rectangular projecting portion is inserted in said mounting hole, said fixing plate is held between and fixed to said base portion and a board bracket by fixing the board bracket for supporting a printed wiring board to said base portion.

4. The automobile antenna, according to claim 3, wherein a part of a side surface of said cylindrical projecting portion is notched along the side plates of said fixing plate, so that the surfaces of the side plates of the fixing plates do not project outwards beyond the side surface of said cylindrical projecting portion.