Vehicle roof antenna attachment

• US 7,088,297 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2005
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harada Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Harada Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: Maeda, Hiroyuki, Nagasawa, Satoshi, Ishibayashi, Katsushiro, Nakano, Kazuya
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THO GIA
• Application Number:
  US11/137,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20050237248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 343/711, 343/713, 343/715, 343/882, 403/197, 403/252
• US Class Current: 343/713
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/20 Connections with hook-like parts gripping behind a blind side of an element to be connected
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1207 for fastening a rigid aerial element
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk

Abstract

Comprised of an antenna base in which a protruding portion is formed on a bottom face and tapered faces are formed on shoulder portions of the protruding portion, a legged washer in which leg portions whose tip ends have an external diameter larger than the internal diameter of a mounting hole and which has an elasticity and leg portions, which are bent into a crank-like section so that the diameter of the tip ends is increased and in which the inside face of the crank portion makes contact with the tapered faces when the axial length of the bolt is decreased with respect to the antenna base by tightening the bolt so that the tip ends are expanded, are formed integrally with the ring portion, and a bolt which is fastened to the protruding portion of the antenna base through the legged washer.

Claims

1. A vehicle antenna attachment to be installed and fixed with a vehicle roof panel nipped from vehicle compartment side by inserting part thereof into a mounting hole formed in the vehicle roof panel from external side of the vehicle, comprising:

an antenna base disposed on external side of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle roof panel;

a protruding portion which is formed on the face on the side of the vehicle roof panel of the antenna base and to be inserted into the mounting hole while tapered faces expanded from the tip end side thereof to the proximal end side and a first threaded portion are formed on at least part of an outer peripheral portion thereof;

a tightening member having a second threaded portion which fastens to the first threaded portion and to be tightened to the protruding portion; and

a legged washer comprised of a sheet-like washer ring through which the tightening member passes, a first leg portion which is extended from this washer ring toward the mounting hole and whose tip ends are formed to be larger than the internal diameter of the mounting hole and has an elasticity, and a second leg portion which is extended from the washer ring toward the mounting hole and whose part of the inside face makes contact with the tapered face as the washer ring approaches the mounting hole when the tightening member is tightened so that the tip ends are expanded outward of the mounting hole.

2. The vehicle roof antenna attachment according to claim 1, wherein the legged washer is so constructed that the thickness of the first leg portion is 30 to 50% the thickness of the second leg portion.

3. The vehicle roof antenna attachment according to claim 1, wherein the antenna base is provided with contacting devices, which are formed at positions corresponding to the tip ends of at least one of the first leg portion and the second leg portion.

4. The vehicle roof antenna attachment according to claim 1, wherein the legged washer is formed integrally by punching out metallic material.

5. The vehicle roof antenna according to claim 1, wherein the tightening amount of the tightening member is restricted by a contact between the protruding portion and the washer ring.

6. The vehicle roof antenna according to claim 1, wherein the tip ends of the leg portions have a portion whose both ends are formed at a sharp angle.

7. The vehicle roof antenna attachment according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion is provided with a stopper for the rotation of the legged washer.

8. A vehicle antenna attachment to be installed and fixed with a vehicle roof panel nipped from vehicle compartment side by inserting part thereof into a mounting hole formed in the vehicle roof panel from external side of the vehicle, comprising:

an antenna base disposed on external side of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle roof panel;

a protruding portion which is formed on the face on the side of the vehicle roof panel of the antenna base and to be inserted into the mounting hole and in which a first threaded portion is formed;

a tightening member having a second threaded portion which fastens to the first threaded portion and is to be tightened to the protruding portion; and

a legged washer comprised of a sheet-like washer ring through which the tightening member passes, a first leg portion which is extended from this washer ring toward the mounting hole and whose tip ends are formed to be larger than the internal diameter of the mounting hole and has an elasticity, and a second leg portion which is extended from the washer ring toward the mounting hole and whose tip ends are capable of being accommodated in the internal diameter of the mounting hole, and a bent portion which is formed on at least one of the washer ring and the second leg portion so as to expand the tip ends of the second leg portions outward of the mounting hole when the tightening member is tightened.

9. The vehicle roof antenna attachment according to claim 8, wherein the antenna base is provided with contacting devices, which are formed at positions corresponding to the tip ends of at least one of the first leg portion and the second leg portion.

10. The vehicle roof antenna attachment according to claim 8, wherein the legged washer is formed integrally by punching out metallic material.

11. The vehicle roof antenna according to claim 8, wherein the tightening amount of the tightening member is restricted by a contact between the protruding portion and the washer ring.

12. The vehicle roof antenna according to claim 8, wherein the tip ends of the leg portions have a portion whose both ends are formed at a sharp angle.

13. The vehicle roof antenna attachment according to claim 8, wherein the protruding portion is provided with a stopper for the rotation of the legged washer.

14. A vehicle antenna attachment to be installed and fixed with a vehicle roof panel nipped from vehicle compartment side by inserting part thereof into a mounting hole formed in the vehicle roof panel from external side of the vehicle, comprising:

an antenna base disposed on external side of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle roof panel;

a protruding portion which is formed on the face on the side of the vehicle roof panel of the antenna base and to be inserted into the mounting hole and in which a first threaded portion is formed;

a tightening member having a second threaded portion which fastens to the first threaded portion and is to be tightened to the protruding portion; and

a legged washer comprised of a washer ring through which the tightening member passes and first leg portions having a projecting portion and extended from this washer ring toward the mounting hole and in which at least part between the tip end portion and the proximal end portion is disposed outside of the internal diameter of the mounting hole and whose tip ends are disposed in the internal diameter of the mounting hole and a contacting pawls provided on the outer face of the first leg portion and between the projecting portion and the tip end.

15. The vehicle roof antenna attachment according to claim 14, further comprising a restricting portion provided on the tip end of the first leg portion and for restricting the tip ends from being expanded wider than the internal diameter of the mounting hole.

16. The vehicle roof antenna attachment according to claim 15, wherein the legged washer is formed integrally by punching out metallic material.

17. The vehicle roof antenna according to claim 15, wherein the tightening amount of the tightening member is restricted by a contact between the protruding portion and the washer ring.

18. The vehicle roof antenna according to claim 15, wherein the tip ends of the leg portions have a portion whose both ends are formed at a sharp angle.

19. The vehicle roof antenna attachment according to claim 15, wherein the protruding portion is provided with a stopper for the rotation of the legged washer.