Apparatus for mounting and adjusting a satellite antenna

• US 7,142,168 B1
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Patriot Antenna Systems, Inc. (Cobham PLC)
• Original Assignee: Patriot Antenna Systems, Inc. (Cobham PLC)
• Inventors: Sinclair, Kevin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoang V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Chuc
• Application Number:
  US11/010,042
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 343/757, 343878-882, 343/894, 343/760, 343/840, 343/890, 343/765, 343/880, 248/183, 248/185
• US Class Current: 343/882
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/12 Supports; Mounting means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/125 Means for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/10 using reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/08 for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation

Abstract

An apparatus for mounting and adjusting a satellite antenna in the azimuth and elevational planes. The present invention provides a base having a longitudinal axis adaptable to adjustably receive a mounting pole. A rotational mount is rotatably connected to the base and has a longitudinal axis extending at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the base. A satellite antenna support is adaptable to receive a satellite antenna, and the satellite antenna support is adjustably coupled to the rotational mount for adjustment about a rotational axis wherein the rotational axis is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rotational mount. A first adjustment mechanism is coupled to the base and the rotational mount for providing fine azimuth adjustment of the satellite antenna. A second adjustment mechanism is coupled to the rotational mount and the satellite antenna support for \providing fine elevational adjustment of the satellite antenna.

Claims

1. An apparatus for mounting and adjusting a satellite antenna, comprising:

an adjustable base for providing coarse adjustment of the satellite antenna about an azimuth axis;

a rotational mount rotatably connected to said base;

a satellite antenna support adaptable to support a satellite antenna and coupled to said rotational mount for rotation about an elevational axis for coarse adjustment of the satellite antenna about said elevational axis;

a first adjustment mechanism connected to said base and said rotational mount for providing a fine adjustment of the satellite antenna about said azimuth axis; and

a second adjustment mechanism coupled to said rotational mount and said satellite antenna support for providing fine adjustment of the satellite antenna about said elevational axis.

2. The apparatus stated in claim 1, further comprising:

said base having a longitudinal axis, and said base adjustably connectable to a mounting pole for rotatably adjusting said base about said longitudinal axis.

3. The apparatus stated in claim 2, further comprising:

said rotational mount having a longitudinal axis extending at an acute angle relative to said longitudinal axis of said base.

4. The apparatus stated in claim 1, wherein said first adjustment mechanism further comprises:

a first bracket connected to said base and having a threaded aperture formed therein;

a second bracket connected to said rotational mount;

a first threaded fastener having a threaded blind bore formed therein and a threaded outer periphery wherein said threaded outer periphery is threadably received by said threaded aperture in said first bracket; and

a second threaded fastener received by said second bracket and threadably received by said threaded blind bore in said first threaded fastener.

5. The apparatus stated in claim 4, further comprising:

said first threaded fastener having a thread pitch ratio of said threaded blind bore to said threaded outer periphery of 2;

1.

6. The apparatus stated in claim 1, wherein said second adjustable mechanism further comprises:

a first bracket connected to said rotational mount and having a threaded aperture formed therein;

a second bracket releasably connected to said rotational mount and said satellite antenna support;

a first threaded fastener having a threaded blind bore formed therein and a threaded outer periphery wherein said threaded outer periphery is threadably received by said threaded aperture in said first bracket; and

a second threaded fastener received by said second bracket and threadably received by said threaded blind bore in said first threaded fastener.

7. The apparatus stated in claim 6, further comprising:

said first threaded fastener having a thread pitch ratio of said threaded blind bore to said threaded outer periphery of 2;

1.

8. An apparatus for mounting and adjusting a satellite antenna, comprising:

an adjustable base having a longitudinal axis and adaptable to adjustably receive a mounting pole about said longitudinal axis to provide a coarse adjustment of the satellite antenna about an azimuth axis;

a rotational mount rotatably connected to said base, and said rotational mount having a longitudinal axis extending at an acute angle relative to said longitudinal axis of said base;

a first adjustment mechanism connected to said base and said rotational mount for rotatably adjusting said rotational mount about said longitudinal axis of said rotational mount to provide fine adjustment of said satellite antenna about said azimuth axis;

a second adjustment mechanism connected to said rotational mount;

a satellite antenna support adaptable to support the satellite antenna and adjustably connected to said second adjustment mechanism for rotation of said satellite antenna support about an elevational axis to provide a coarse and a fine adjustment of said satellite antenna about said elevational axis.

9. The apparatus stated in claim 8, further comprising:

said acute angle between said longitudinal axis of said base and said longitudinal axis of said rotational mount extending between twenty to sixty degrees.

10. The apparatus stated in claim 8, wherein said first adjustment mechanism further comprises:

a first bracket connected to and extending from said base, and said first bracket having a threaded aperture formed therein;

a second bracket connected to and extending from said rotational mount;

a first threaded fastener having a threaded blind bore formed therein and a threaded outer periphery, wherein said threaded outer periphery is threadably received by said threaded aperture in said first bracket; and

a second threaded fastener received by said second bracket and threadably received by said threaded blind bore in said first threaded fastener.

11. The apparatus stated in claim 10, further comprising:

said first threaded fastener having a thread pitch ratio of said threaded blind bore to said outer periphery of 2;

1.

12. The apparatus stated in claim 8, wherein said second adjustment mechanism further comprises:

a first bracket connected to and extending from said rotational mount and having a threaded aperture formed therein;

a second bracket releasably connected to said rotational mount and said satellite antenna support;

a first threaded fastener having a threaded blind bore formed therein and a threaded outer periphery wherein said threaded outer periphery of said first threaded fastener is threadably received by said threaded aperture in said first bracket; and

a second threaded fastener received by said second bracket and threadably received by said threaded blind bore in said first threaded fastener.

13. The apparatus stated in claim 12, further comprising:

said first threaded fastener having a thread pitch ratio of said threaded blind bore to said threaded outer periphery of 2;

1.

14. The apparatus stated in claim 8, further comprising:

said satellite antenna support having indicia formed thereon; and

said second adjustment mechanism having a reference marker to indicate the elevational position of said satellite antenna relative to said indicia.

15. A method for mounting and adjusting a satellite antenna, comprising:

providing a base adjustably connected to a rotational mount, coupled to a satellite antenna support, which is adapted to support a satellite antenna;

rotating said base about a longitudinal axis of said base to provide a coarse adjustment of said satellite antenna about an azimuth axis;

mounting said rotational mount such that a longitudinal axis of said rotational mount is at an acute angle with respect to said longitudinal axis of said base;

rotating said rotational mount in a first direction until the satellite antenna receives a predetermined drop in a power signal, and then rotating said rotational mount in an opposite direction until said predetermined drop in said power signal is again realized by said satellite antenna, and then rotating said rotational mount in the first direction halfway between the two power drop locations, thereby providing a fine adjustment of the satellite antenna about the azimuth axis;

rotating said satellite antenna support relative to said rotational mount about an elevational axis to provide a coarse adjustment of said satellite antenna about said elevational axis; and

rotating said satellite antenna support in a first direction until the satellite antenna receives a predetermined drop in the power signal, and then rotating said satellite antenna support in an opposite direction until said predetermined drop in the power signal is again realized, and then rotating said satellite antenna support in the first direction halfway between the two power drop locations, thereby providing a fine adjustment of the satellite antenna about the elevational axis.

16. The method stated in claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

adjustably mounting said base to a mounting pole.

17. The method stated in claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

mounting said rotational mount to said base such that said acute angle is between twenty to sixty degrees.

18. The method stated in claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

utilizing a pair of threadedly mating fasteners having a thread pitch ratio of 2;

1 to rotatably adjust the rotational mount so that when the rotational mount is rotatably adjusted between predetermined power drop locations, the threaded fasteners may be turned to a substantially mid-way point between power drop locations to provide the strongest signal about the azimuth axis.

19. The method stated in claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

utilizing a pair of matingly threaded fasteners having a thread pitch ratio of 2;

1 to rotatably adjust the satellite antenna support so that when the satellite antenna support is rotatably adjusted between predetermined power drop locations, the threaded fastener may be turned to a substantially mid-way point between power drop locations to provide the strongest signal about the elevational axis.

20. The method stated in claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

providing indicia on said satellite antenna support for indicating the position about said elevational axis of said satellite antenna after coarse and fine adjustments are made.