Antenna universal mount joint connectors

• US 8,299,372 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2010
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Laird Technologies Incorporated (DuPont de Nemours, Inc.)
• Inventors: Swais, Imad M., Haro, Rafael, Antonio, Robert K.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGO, HUNG V
• Application Number:
  US12/814,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20110303455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 174/377, 361/816, 343/872, 343/878, 296/00, 439/578
• US Class Current: 174/377
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/00 Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas arrangements for varying orientation of directional pattern H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1214 through a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/02 for antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/54 Intermediate parts, e.g. adapters, splitters or elbows
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

An antenna mount assembly is disclosed. The antenna mount assembly includes an output contact and an antenna mount body. The antenna mount body includes an output portion, a shielding compartment for housing and electromagnetically shielding a connection between a coaxial cable and the output contact, and an access port to permit access to the shielding compartment around the connection between the coaxial cable and the output contact. An antenna mount nut is mechanically attachable to the output portion of the antenna mount body. The antenna mount nut is configured for mechanically attaching an antenna to the antenna mount body. The output contact is coupled to the antenna mount body. The output contact extends from the output portion and into the shielding compartment for electrically connecting the coaxial cable to the output portion. Antenna mount bodies, connector assemblies and methods of making and installing antenna mounts, and connectors are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A connector assembly for connecting a coaxial cable to an antenna mount assembly, the connector assembly comprising:

a compatibility adapter for attachment to the coaxial cable, the compatibility adapter having a length from a first end to a second end of the compatibility adapter, the compatibility adapter configured to permit a dielectric core and a center conductor of the coaxial cable to pass from the first end to the second end through the compatibility adapter;

a tubular gate for mechanical attachment to the compatibility adapter and the antenna mount assembly, the tubular gate having an internal passage configured to substantially surround at least part of the compatibility adapter adjacent the second end of the compatibility adapter, the tubular gate configured for sliding insertion into a compartment in the antenna mount assembly; and

a crimp ferrule for substantially surrounding at least part of the compatibility adapter adjacent the first end and coupling a metal shield of the coaxial cable to the compatibility adapter.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the compatibility adapter includes a first aperture substantially perpendicular the length of the compatibility adapter; and

the tubular gate includes a second aperture arranged for alignment with the first aperture to permit an elongate connector to pass through the first and second apertures to mechanically couple the tubular gate to the compatibility adapter.

3. The connector assembly of claim 2 wherein the first and second apertures are further configured for alignment with a third aperture in the antenna mount assembly to permit the elongate connector to pass through the first, second, and third apertures to mechanically couple the tubular gate, the compatibility adapter, and the antenna mount assembly.

4. The connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the compatibility adapter includes an internal passage having a diameter that is about the same as an outer diameter of the dielectric core of the coaxial cable to permit the dielectric core and the center conductor to pass from the first end to the second end through the compatibility adapter.

5. The connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the compatibility adapter includes a threaded portion adjacent the first end for mechanical coupling with the metal shield of the coaxial cable and the crimp ferrule.

6. The connector assembly of claim 5 wherein the compatibility adapter includes a coupling portion adjacent the second end, the coupling portion configured to fit within the internal passage of the tubular gate.

7. The connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the second end of the compatibility adapter includes first and second tabs on the compatibility adapter.

8. The connector assembly of claim 7 wherein the tubular gate is configured to cover an opening between the first and second tabs to prevent access through the compatibility adapter when the tubular gate is mechanically coupled to the compatibility adapter.

9. An antenna mount body for an antenna mount assembly, the antenna mount body comprising:

a shielding compartment for housing a connection between an output contact and a coaxial cable, the shielding compartment having a length with a closed end and an open end opposite the closed end, the open end of the shielding compartment providing an opening to slidingly receive the coaxial cable and a coaxial cable connector into the shielding compartment;

an output portion above the shielding compartment for connection to an antenna;

a retaining hole transverse and intersecting the shielding compartment for receiving a locking pin to retain the coaxial cable and a coaxial cable connector in the compartment;

a shaft between the output portion and the shielding compartment for retaining a contact pin between the output portion and the compartment portion, the shaft transversely intersecting the shielding compartment at a connection location; and

an access port to permit access to the shielding compartment at the connection location and configured to be closed by the coaxial cable connector when the coaxial cable and the coaxial cable connector are positioned in the shielding compartment for retention by the locking pin.

10. The antenna mount body of claim 9 wherein the antenna mount body is monolithically constructed by machining or casting.

11. The antenna mount body of claim 10 wherein antenna mount body comprises a metal, brass, or zinc.

12. The antenna mount body of claim 9 wherein the output portion includes a threaded connector for mechanical attachment of an antenna mount nut.

13. The antenna mount body of claim 12 wherein the output portion is configured to electrically connect the contact pin to an antenna when the antenna is mechanically connected to the antenna mount body via the antenna mount nut.

14. An antenna mount assembly comprising the antenna mount body of claim 13 and an antenna mount nut including threads for mating engagement with the threaded connector of the output portion.

15. The antenna mount assembly of claim 14 wherein the antenna mount nut is configured for mechanical attachment of the antenna mount assembly to a generally planar surface and mechanical attachment of the antenna to the antenna mount assembly.

16. An antenna mount assembly comprising:

an output contact;

an antenna mount body including;

a shielding compartment for housing and electromagnetically shielding a connection between a coaxial cable and the output contact; and

an access port to permit access to the shielding compartment around the connection between the coaxial cable and the output contact; and

an output portion for coupling radio frequency signals between the coaxial cable and an antenna when attached to the antenna mount assembly;

an antenna mount nut mechanically attachable to the output portion of the antenna mount body, the antenna mount nut configured for mechanically attaching an antenna to the antenna mount body;

a coaxial feed portion configured to receive the coaxial cable coupled to a coaxial cable connector;

the output contact coupled to the antenna mount body and extending from the output portion and into the shielding compartment for electrically connecting the coaxial cable to the output portion.

17. The antenna mount assembly of claim 16 further comprising an insulator coupled to the antenna mount body and extending between the output portion and the shielding compartment, the insulator surrounding at least part of the output contact to electrically insulate the output contact from the antenna mount body.

18. The antenna mount assembly of claim 16 wherein the antenna mount nut and the antenna mount body cooperatively define a clamping area for attaching the assembly to a mounting surface to which the assembly is to be mounted by clamping a portion of the mounting surface in the clamping area with the antenna mount body and the antenna mount nut.

19. The antenna mount assembly of claim 18 further comprising a mechanical seal adjacent the antenna mount nut in the clamping area.

20. The antenna mount assembly of claim 16 further comprising a releasable retainer for releasably retaining the coaxial cable in the shielding compartment and releasably retaining the coaxial cable connector in a position closing the access port of the shielding compartment.

21. An antenna mount comprising the antenna mount assembly of claim 20 mounted to a mounting surface and a coaxial cable connector coupled to a coaxial cable, wherein:

the output portion of the antenna mount body is positioned adjacent a first side of the mounting surface;

the shielding compartment is adjacent a second side of the mounting surface;

at least part of the coaxial cable and the coaxial cable connector are positioned in the shielding compartment and retained therein by the releasable retainer;

a center conductor of the coaxial cable is electrically coupled to the output contact in the shielding compartment; and

the coaxial cable connector is closing the access port.

22. The antenna mount assembly of claim 16 wherein the antenna mount assembly provides a minimum gain loss for RF signals of about −

3 decibels for frequencies of up to about six gigahertz.

23. A method of installing an antenna mount, the antenna mount including an antenna mount body with an output portion, a shielding compartment having an open end, an output contact extending between the output portion and the shielding compartment, and an access port for accessing the shielding compartment, the method comprising:

mounting the antenna mount body to a mounting surface with the output portion extending through an opening in the mounting surface;

coupling a connector assembly to a coaxial cable;

inserting the coaxial cable and the connector assembly into the shielding compartment via the open end;

connecting a center conductor of the coaxial cable to the output contact through the access port; and

closing the access port to shield the connection between the center conductor and the output contact.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein:

the connector assembly comprises a compatibility adapter; and

the method further comprises selecting a compatibility adapter having an internal passage with a diameter approximately the same as an outer diameter of a dielectric core surrounding the center conductor of the coaxial cable.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein coupling the connector assembly to the coaxial cable includes attaching the compatibility adapter to the coaxial cable with the dielectric core positioned in the internal passage of the compatibility adapter, a portion of the center conductor of the coaxial cable extending beyond the dielectric core, and a portion of a metal shield of the coaxial cable surrounding a portion of an external surface of the compatibility adapter.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein coupling the connector assembly to the coaxial cable includes positioning a tubular gate around the compatibility adapter with the center conductor of the coaxial cable exposed, the tubular gate configured for sliding movement relative to the compatibility adapter and having an external size for sliding insertion into the shielding compartment via the open end of the shielding compartment.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein closing the access port includes sliding the tubular gate farther into the shielding compartment to close the access port with a portion of the tubular gate.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising inserting a locking pin through the antenna mount body, the locking pin intersecting at least part of the tubular gate and the compatibility adapter to retain the coaxial cable, the tubular gate, and the compatibility adapter in their positions relative to the antenna mount body.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising attaching a crimping ferrule around at least part of the portion of the metal shield of the coaxial cable surrounding the external surface of the compatibility adapter to couple the metal shield to the compatibility adapter.