Omni-directional antenna in an hourglass-shaped vase housing

• US 8,299,976 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2010
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VOXX International Corporation
• Original Assignee: Audiovox Corporation (VOXX International Corporation)
• Inventors: Lenzi, Louis E., Caskey, Henry D., Tinaphong, Prapan Paul, Benedetti, David A., Hung, Chung Hua, Yin, Hong
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancuso, Huedung
• Application Number:
  US12/655,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20100289716A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 343/793, 343/895, 343/770, 343/702, 343/915
• US Class Current: 343/793
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/27 Spiral antennas

Abstract

An antenna structure for receiving digital television broadcast signals includes a vase antenna housing having a generally hourglass shape with conically-shaped upper and lower segments joined together to define a narrower diameter middle portion. The antenna structure further includes a signal receiving antenna etched on the inner surface of the vase antenna housing. The signal receiving antenna conforms to the shape of the vase antenna housing and thereby exhibits an arcuate, partial hourglass shape. The signal receiving antenna may be a cloverleaf antenna or a spiral antenna.

Claims

1. A television broadcast signal receiving antenna structure, which comprises:

a vase antenna housing, the vase antenna housing having a generally hourglass shape and including a generally conically-shaped lower segment, a generally conically-shaped upper segment mounted on and joined to the generally conically-shaped lower segment, each of the upper segment and lower segment having relatively larger and smaller diameter portions, the relatively smaller diameter portions of the upper and lower segments being joined together to define the generally hourglass-shaped vase antenna housing with one of a centered and off-centered relatively narrower diameter middle portion, the generally hourglass-shaped vase antenna housing having at least one of an inner surface and an outer surface extending in a longitudinal direction; and

a signal receiving antenna, the signal receiving antenna being situated on the at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the vase antenna housing and thereby conforming to the shape thereof to exhibit an arcuate, partial hourglass shape.

2. A television broadcast signal receiving antenna structure as defined by claim 1, wherein the signal receiving antenna has a feedpoint, and wherein the feedpoint is longitudinally in alignment with the relatively narrower diameter middle portion of the vase antenna housing.

3. A television broadcast signal receiving antenna structure as defined by claim 1, wherein the signal receiving antenna is configured as a cloverleaf antenna formed of two overlapping bowtie antennas, each bowtie antenna having a center, the center of each bowtie antenna being situated in proximity to the relatively narrower diameter middle portion of the vase antenna housing, each bowtie antenna having a pair of bow antenna elements, one bow antenna element of each bowtie antenna being disposed longitudinally above the relatively narrower diameter middle portion of the vase antenna housing, and the other bow antenna element of each bowtie antenna being disposed longitudinally below the relatively narrower diameter middle portion of the vase antenna housing.

4. A television broadcast signal receiving antenna structure as defined by claim 3, wherein each bow antenna segment of each bowtie antenna includes a main portion and an extension portion, the extension portion being separated from the main portion by a slot.

5. A television broadcast signal receiving antenna structure as defined by claim 3, wherein each bow antenna segment of each bowtie antenna is formed generally in the shape of an equilateral triangle.

6. A television broadcast signal receiving antenna structure as defined by claim 1, wherein the signal receiving antenna is configured as a spiral antenna, the spiral antenna having a center, the center being situated in proximity to the relatively narrower diameter middle portion of the vase antenna housing.

7. A television broadcast signal receiving antenna structure as defined by claim 1, wherein the generally conically-shaped upper segment of the vase antenna housing is smaller in length measured along the longitudinal axis of the housing than the length of the conically-shaped lower segment of the vase antenna housing measured along the longitudinal axis of the housing.

8. A television broadcast signal receiving antenna structure as defined by claim 1, wherein the signal receiving antenna is formed as a metallic paint painted or etched on at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the vase antenna housing.

9. A television broadcast signal receiving antenna structure as defined by claim 1, wherein the signal receiving antenna is formed from a flexible sheet of electrically conductive material which is mounted on at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the vase antenna housing.