Removable mountable aerodynamic bayonet antenna apparatus and method

• US 7,268,734 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2006
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Antenex, Inc. (Laird Limited)
• Inventors: Cislo, Donald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hoang V.
• Application Number:
  US11/345,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20070176844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 343/711, 343/713, 343/878
• US Class Current: 343/713
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/005 Damping of vibrations; Means for reducing wind-induced forces
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/088 Quick-releasable antenna elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of mountable antenna apparatuses and methods are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, a mountable antenna apparatus generally includes a housing member, a bayonet adapter, and an antenna assembly disposed within the housing member. The housing member may include an aerodynamic configuration for reducing drag on and for eliminating or reducing fatigue as well as flutter of the antenna assembly. The aerodynamic configuration may include a feature such as an ogive, an ogivoid, a semi-ogivoid, a hemi-ogivoid, and a quasi-ogivoid.

Claims

1. A mountable antenna apparatus, comprising:

a housing member;

a bayonet adapter; and

an antenna assembly being disposed within the housing member,

wherein the housing member comprises a housing recess formed in its bottom surface,

wherein the housing member comprises an annulus having at least one bayonet pin thereon formed and being disposed within the housing recess,

wherein the bayonet adapter comprises at least one ramped recess formed on its outer surface for engaging each corresponding at least one bayonet pin and having an internal threading for mating an NMO mount, and

wherein the antenna assembly comprises a contact being disposed through the housing member and within the housing recess.

2. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing member comprises an aerodynamic configuration.

3. An apparatus, as recited in claim 2, wherein the aerodynamic configuration comprises at least one feature selected from a group consisting essentially of an ogive, an ogivoid, a semiogivoid, a hemi-ogivoid, and a quasi-ogivoid.

4. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing member comprises a convex feature for facilitating manual installation and repositioning of the antenna assembly.

5. An apparatus, as recited in claim 4, wherein the convex feature comprises at least one configuration selected from a group consisting essentially of a parabola, a paraboloid, a semi-paraboloid, a hemi-paraboloid, a quasi-paraboloid, an ellipse, an ellipsoid, a semi-ellipsoid, a hemi-ellipsoid, and a quasi-ellipsoid.

6. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1,

wherein the at least one bayonet pin is disposed at an angular location greater than zero degrees from a centerline of the housing for facilitating positioning of the antenna assembly,

wherein the bayonet adapter comprises at least one insertion notch formed on its outer surface for facilitating positioning of the antenna assembly,

wherein the bayonet adapter comprises at least one setback for assisting an installer in identifying the desired ultimate orientation of the housing, and

wherein the bayonet adapter comprises a seat formed in its bottom surface and a seal disposed therein for interfacing the NMO mount.

7. An apparatus, as recited in claim 6,

wherein the seal comprises an O-ring, a washer, and a gasket, and

wherein the seal comprises an elastic material selected from a group consisting essentially of a silicone, a rubber, a fluorinated polymer, and an ethylenepropylenediene monomer.

8. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a housing gasket disposed on a bottom surface of the housing member.

9. An apparatus, as recited in claim 8, wherein the housing gasket is adhered to the housing member bottom surface.

10. An apparatus, as recited in claim 9, wherein the housing member comprises a material selected from a group consisting essentially of a polymer and a composite material.

11. An apparatus, as recited in claim 10, wherein the polymer comprises a plastic selected from a group consisting essentially of a molded ABS plastic and an injection molded ABS plastic.

12. An apparatus, as recited in claim 8, wherein the housing gasket comprises at least one material selected from a group consisting essentially of a polymer, a foam, a rubber, a silicone, and a composite material.

13. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing member is disposed with a leading edge oriented toward the front of a vehicle and a trailing edge oriented toward the rear of the vehicle.

14. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing member is disposed with a leading edge and a trailing edge being oriented outboard of the vehicle.

15. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein the bayonet adapter comprises a material selected from a group consisting essentially of chromium and chrome plating.

16. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein the annulus comprises a material selected from a group consisting essentially of brass, brass plating, chromium, and chrome-plating.

17. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein the antenna assembly comprises a frequency range of approximately 150 MHz to approximately 155 MHz.

18. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein the antenna assembly comprises a bandwidth of approximately 5 MHz at approximately 2.0:

1 VSWR.

19. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein the antenna assembly comprises a VSWR of approximately less than 2.0:

1.

20. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein the antenna assembly comprises a nominal gain of approximately 0 dBMEG.

21. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein the antenna assembly comprises a maximum power of approximately 60 W.

22. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein the antenna assembly comprises a nominal impedance of approximately 50 Ω

.

23. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein the antenna assembly comprises a nominal ground plane requirement range of approximately 34 inches in diameter to approximately 36 inches in diameter.

24. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein the antenna assembly comprises an omni-directional radiation pattern.

25. An apparatus, as recited in claim 1, wherein the antenna assembly comprises a vertical polarization with field diversity.

26. A mountable antenna apparatus, comprising:

a housing member;

a bayonet adapter; and

an antenna assembly being disposed within the housing member,

wherein the housing member comprises a housing a recess formed in its bottom surface,

wherein the housing member comprises an annulus having at least one bayonet pin thereon formed and being disposed within the housing recess,

wherein the bayonet adapter comprises at least one ramped recess formed on its outer surface for engaging each corresponding at least one bayonet pin and having and internal threading for mating with an antenna mount,

wherein the antenna assembly comprises a contact being disposed through the housing member and within the housing recess,

wherein the housing member comprises an aerodynamic configuration, and

wherein the aerodynamic configuration comprises at least one feature selected from a group consisting essentially of an ogive, an ogivoid, a semi-ogivoid, a hemi-ogivoid, and a quasi-ogivoid.

27. A method of mounting an antenna apparatus including a housing member having a recess formed in its bottom surface and an annulus with at least bayonet pin thereon formed and disposed within the housing recess, a bayonet adapter having at least one ramped recess formed on its outer surface for engaging each corresponding at least one bayonet pin and having internal threading for mating an NMO mount, and having at least one insertion notch formed on its outer surface for facilitating positioning of the antenna assembly, and an antenna assembly within the housing member, the method comprising:

removing a preexisting NMO ring from an NMO mount;

retrofitting the NMO mount with the bayonet adapter, thereby effecting a retrofitted NMO mount;

fastening the antenna assembly within the housing member to the retrofitted NMO mount,

wherein the fastening step comprises;

positioning the at least one bayonet pin in the corresponding at least one insertion notch; and

downwardly rotating the housing member, thereby sliding the at least one bayonet pin into at least one corresponding terminal position in the ramped recess.

28. A method, as recited in claim 27, wherein the housing member includes an aerodynamic configuration comprising at least one feature selected from a group consisting essentially of an ogive, an ogivoid, a semi-ogivoid, a hemi-ogivoid, and a quasi-ogivoid.

29. A method, as recited in claim 28, wherein the housing member includes a convex feature for facilitating manual installation and repositioning of the antenna assembly, wherein the convex feature comprises at least one configuration selected from a group consisting essentially of a parabola, a paraboloid, a semi-paraboloid, a hemi-paraboloid, a quasi-paraboloid, an ellipse, an ellipsoid, a semi-ellipsoid, a hemi-ellipsoid, and a quasi-ellipsoid.