Antenna with integral alignment devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An antenna, comprising:
- an antenna reflector having a front surface and a rear surface and a centerline;
an alignment housing integrally molded with said rear surface of said antenna reflector; and
a compass supported by said alignment housing for indicating a position of said centerline relative to true north in a horizontal plane.
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Abstract
An antenna that has an alignment device for aligning an antenna with a satellite integrally attached thereto. In one embodiment, the device includes a compass for orienting the antenna at a desired azimuth setting. In another embodiment, the device includes a compass and a level for orienting the antenna at a desired elevation. Another embodiment includes a compass and first and second digital levels that cooperate to emit a skew signal that is indicative of the skew orientation of the antenna when the device is affixed to the antenna.
81 Citations
39 Claims
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1. An antenna, comprising:
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an antenna reflector having a front surface and a rear surface and a centerline;
an alignment housing integrally molded with said rear surface of said antenna reflector; and
a compass supported by said alignment housing for indicating a position of said centerline relative to true north in a horizontal plane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An antenna, comprising:
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an antenna reflector having a front surface and a rear surface and a centerline;
an alignment housing integrally attached to said rear surface of said antenna reflector;
a compass supported by said alignment housing for indicating a position of said centerline relative to true north in a horizontal plane;
a first level supported by said alignment housing; and
a second level supported by said alignment housing. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An antenna, comprising:
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an antenna reflector having a front surface and a rear surface and a centerline;
an attachment block integrally molded with said rear surface of said antenna reflector and protruding therefrom;
a compass supported in a hermetically sealed compass housing, said hermetically sealed compass housing supported by said attachment block;
a level supported in a hermetically sealed level housing, said hermetically sealed level housing supported by said attachment block; and
a power source coupled to said compass and said level. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. An antenna, comprising:
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an antenna reflector having a front surface and a rear surface and a centerline;
an attachment block integrally molded with said rear surface of said antenna reflector and protruding therefrom;
a compass supported in a hermetically sealed compass housing, said hermetically sealed compass housing supported on said attachment block;
a first level supported in a first hermetically sealed level housing, said hermetically sealed level housing supported by said attachment block;
a second level supported in a second hermetically sealed level housing, said hermetically sealed level housing supported by said attachment block; and
a power source coupled to said compass and said first and second levels. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. An antenna, comprising:
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antenna reflector having a front surface and a rear surface and a centerline;
an alignment housing integrally molded with said rear surface of said antenna reflector;
a cover plate removably affixed to said alignment housing and having a seal therebetween; and
a compass supported by said alignment housing.
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35. An antenna, comprising:
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antenna reflector having a front surface and a rear surface and a centerline;
an alignment housing integrally molded with said rear surface of said antenna reflector;
a cover plate removably affixed to said alignment housing and having a seal therebetween;
a compass supported by said alignment housing; and
a first level supported by said alignment housing.
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36. An antenna, comprising:
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antenna reflector having a front surface and a rear surface and a centerline;
an alignment housing integrally molded with said rear surface of said antenna reflector;
a cover plate removably affixed to said alignment housing and having a seal therebetween;
a compass supported by said alignment housing;
a first level supported by said alignment housing; and
a second level supported by said alignment housing.
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37. An antenna, comprising:
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antenna reflector having a front surface and a rear surface and a reflector centerline axis and a major axis that extends along a longest dimension of said antenna reflector and which is perpendicular to said reflector centerline axis, said antenna reflector further having a minor axis that is perpendicular to said major axis and said reflector centerline axis;
an alignment housing attached to said rear surface of said antenna reflector;
a compass supported by said alignment housing; and
a first digital level supported by said alignment housing and having a digital level centerline that is received in a plane defined by said reflector centerline axis and said minor axis of said antenna reflector.
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38. An antenna, comprising:
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an antenna reflector having a front surface, a rear surface, a reflector centerline axis, and a major axis, said major axis extending along a longest dimension of said antenna reflector and being perpendicular to said reflector centerline axis, said antenna reflector further having a minor axis that is perpendicular to said major axis and said reflector centerline axis;
an alignment housing integrally attached to said rear surface of said reflector;
a digital compass supported by said alignment housing;
a first digital level supported by said alignment housing and having a first digital level centerline that is received in a plane defined by said reflector centerline axis and said minor axis of said antenna reflector; and
a second digital level supported by said alignment housing and having a second digital level centerline that is perpendicular to the first digital level centerline.
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39. An antenna, comprising:
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an antenna reflector having a rear surface;
an alignment housing integrally attached to said rear surface of said antenna reflector;
a compass supported by said alignment housing;
a first digital level supported by said alignment housing;
a second digital level supported by said alignment housing;
a microprocessor coupled to said first and second digital levels; and
a digital skew meter display supported in said housing and coupled to said microprocessor.
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Specification