Antenna mast and device for adjusting the orientation of an antenna

• US 7,027,007 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2001
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bouygues Telecom (Bouygues SA)
• Original Assignee: Bouygues Telecom (Bouygues SA)
• Inventors: Hossein, Safakhah
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Shih-Chao
• Assistant Examiner(s): A, MINH D
• Application Number:
  US10/399,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20040027307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,642 Days
• Field of Search: 343/890, 343/891, 343/892, 343/882, 343/874, 343/878, 343/880
• US Class Current: 343/890
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1242 Rigid masts specially adapted for supporting an aerial
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/125 Means for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations

Abstract

A support for at least two panel antennas constituting relay antennas in at least one cellular telecommunications network, the support comprising a mast (1) and means for fixing said two antennas to the mast (1), said means being suitable for allowing the orientation of said antennas to be adjusted in tilt and in azimuth, the support being characterized in that said fixing means comprise, for at least one antenna (2), means (21) that define for said antenna a pivot pin (31) that is eccentric relative to the axis of the mast (1) and such that pivoting the antenna (2) about said pin enables the azimuth orientation of the antenna to be modified.

Claims

1. A support for at least two panel antennae constituting relay antennas for one or more cellular telecommunications networks, the support comprising a fixing element such as a mast (1) and means enabling said two antennas to be fixed to said fixing element, said means being suitable for allowing the orientation of said antennas to be adjusted in tilt and in azimuth, the support being characterized in that for two antennae (2) carried by said fixing element (1) and disposed side by side, it comprises fixing means allowing each of said two antennas (2) to pivot about a respective one of two pivot pins (31), said fixing means being suitable for enabling the antennas (2) to pivot from a configuration in which both antennas are close to each other and oriented in substantially the same azimuth direction and a configuration in which the two antennas are spaced apart from each other and are oriented in distinct azimuth directions.

2. A support according to claim 1, wherein the fixing means comprise means (22, 25, 26, 27) which, in addition to enabling an antenna to pivot about a pin (21) also allow it to tilt about a horizontal pin (24) in order to adjust its tilt orientation.

3. A support according to either preceding claim, wherein an eccentric pivot pin (31) is a vertical pin.

4. A support according to claim 3, further comprising a support which is clamped onto the fixing element (1) and which carries at least one pair of tabs (21) extending one above the other substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the mast (1) and defining supports for an eccentric pivot axis of an antenna.

5. A support according to claim 4, wherein the support comprises a plurality of such pairs of tabs (21).

6. A support for at least one antenna panel constituting a relay antenna in a cellular telecommunications network, the support comprising a fixing element (1) and means enabling said antenna to be fixed to said element (1), said means comprising first link means which are fixed to the fixing element (1) and on which the antenna is hinged to pivot about a horizontal tilt axis and second link means which are adjustable by a user to tilt the antenna about its horizontal axis, the support being characterized in that the second link means comprise at least one arm (8) pivotally hinged at both ends by pivot pins, firstly to the fixing element (1) or to a first intermediate element that is fixed thereto, and secondly to the antenna or to a second intermediate element interposed between the antenna and said arms, the pivot pins (10, 11) of said arms (8) being parallel to the tilt axis of the antenna, adjusting means enabling at least one of the pivot pins to be adjusted in height relative to the fixing element (1) or to the antenna.

7. A support according to claim 6, wherein said adjusting means include a third intermediate element (13) having at least one slot (12) in which one of the pivot pins can slide.

8. A support according to claim 7, wherein said third intermediate element (13) has an adjustment screw (14) extending parallel to said slot (12) and co-operating with a complementary thread passing through the pin that is suitable for moving in said slot or a piece fixed thereto, and also through a complementary thread fixed relative to said intermediate element.

9. A support according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the third intermediate element (13) is a piece fitted on an antenna or on a support carrying the antenna.

10. A support according to claim 9, wherein said piece is a channel section piece received in another piece (9) of complementary shape which constitutes a support carried by the antenna.

11. A support according to claim 10, further comprising a support (4) clamped onto the fixing element (1), said fixing element being a mast (1) on which there are hinged the means which define the tilt axis of the antenna and the means which define the pivot axis of the link arm(s).

12. A support according to claim 11, wherein support (4) is a collar which is extended by at least one fixed arm (7) having one end hinged to the antenna or to a support carrying the antenna allowing it to tilt about a horizontal axis.

13. A support according to claim 12, wherein said arm is perpendicular to the axis of said mast (1).

14. A support for at least one panel antenna which constitutes a relay antenna in a cellular telecommunication network, the support comprising a mast (1) and means for fixing said antenna to the mast (1), said fixing means comprising a holding support on which the antenna is mounted, wherein the holding support comprises at least one stiffener element (9) and an element (18) forming a metal reflector for the antenna, which reflector is interposed between the antenna and the stiffener element, wherein the stiffener element carries the antenna.

15. A support according to claim 14, wherein the stiffener element (9) is a channel section girder.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a tool for adjusting the tilt of a panel type antenna fixed to a fixing element such as a mast (1) by fixing means which enable its orientation to be adjusted, the tool including;

a rigid support (34);

a device (33) suitable for enabling said support to be fixed to said fixing element (1); and

dividers comprising two hinged arms (35, 37) mounted on said support.

17. A tool according to claim 16, wherein the fixing means comprise strap means (33).

18. A tool according to claim 16, wherein the fixing means comprise magnet means.

19. A tool according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein it includes level-setting means (36) suitable for offsetting the divider-forming means relative to the support.