Flexible antenna with weatherproof protection system and method of weather proofing and adding a flexible feature to existing antennas

• US 9,419,331 B1
• Filed: 12/27/2013
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: KCF Technologies, Inc. (SKC Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: KCF Technologies, Inc. (SKC Company Limited)
• Inventors: Kraige, David R., Loverich, Jacob J., Wenner, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Graham
• Application Number:
  US14/142,109
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 343/872, 343/873
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/08 Means for collapsing antennas or parts thereof collapsible loop antennas H01Q7/02; means for collapsing H-antennas or Yagi antennas H01Q19/04
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/244 extendable from a housing along a given path
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/40 Radiating elements coated with or embedded in protective material

Abstract

An antenna assembly including an antenna, an antenna cable, a bendable structure, a housing interface, a first protection section and a second protection section. The bendable structure is a malleable material that remains in a bent position when bent. The first protection section covers the antenna and provides a weatherproof cover over the antenna. The housing interface mounts to a housing and covers the antenna cable in an area of the antenna cable adapted to enter the housing and the housing interface prior to entrance providing a weatherproof cover over the area of the antenna cable adapted to enter the housing. The second protection section is overmolded over a portion of the housing interface, the antenna cable, the bendable structure and a portion of the first protection. The second protection section is a flexible material.

Claims

1. An antenna assembly for attachment to a housing, comprising:

an antenna;

an antenna cable connected to said antenna adapted to provide a connection between said antenna and a radio in the housing;

a bendable structure along said antenna cable, said bendable structure of a malleable material that remains in a bent position when said bendable structure is bent into a desired bent configuration;

a first protection section to cover said antenna and said connection between said antenna and said antenna cable, said first protection section providing a weatherproof cover over said antenna and said antenna cable;

a housing interface adapted to mount to the housing, said housing interface covering said antenna cable in an area of said antenna cable adapted to enter the housing and said housing interface prior to entrance providing a weatherproof cover over said area of said antenna cable adapted to enter the housing;

a second protection section having a length, said second protection section is overmolded over a portion of said housing interface, said antenna cable, said bendable structure and a portion of said first protection section to provide a weatherproof seal over said antenna cable and said bendable structure exposed between said housing interface and said first protection section, said second protection section being of a flexible material so said second protection section can bend along said length of said second protection section, said second protection section trapping said bendable structure near said antenna cable so said antenna cable bends when said bendable structure is bent along said second protection section.

2. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein said bendable structure extends into said housing interface with said antenna cable and extends into said first protection section with said antenna cable.

3. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein said bendable structure is a wire.

4. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein said bendable structure contacts said antenna cable.

5. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein said housing interface includes a top end and a bottom end, said top end having at least one corner adapted to catch a corner on the housing to prevent rotation of said housing interface at the housing.

6. The antenna assembly of claim 5, wherein said top end of said housing interface is a square shape.

7. The antenna assembly of claim 5, wherein said bottom end of said housing interface includes a spring tab adapted to lock said housing interface to the housing.

8. The antenna assembly of claim 5, wherein said bottom end includes a seal adapted to provide a seal between said housing interface and the housing.

9. The antenna assembly of claim 5, wherein said top end of said housing interface includes an internal port to provide a surface for said material of said second protection section to adhere to when overmolded.

10. The antenna assembly of claim 9, wherein said internal port includes ribbing to provide additional surfaces for said material of said second protection section to adhere to when overmolded.

11. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein said first protection section includes grooving to provide additional surfaces for said material of said second protection section to adhere to when overmolded.

12. The method of converting an antenna and antenna cable to a flexible weatherproofed antenna system, comprising:

aligning a bendable structure with the antenna cable, where the bendable structure of a malleable material that remains in a bent position when the bendable structure is bent into a desired bent configuration;

sliding a first protection section over an end of the antenna to cover the antenna, part of the coaxial cable and part of the bendable structure, where the first protection section covers a connection between the antenna and antenna cable, and where the first protection section provides a weatherproof cover over the antenna and the antenna cable;

overmolding a housing interface about part of the antenna cable and part of the bendable structure, so that the housing interface is a sealed one piece unit;

overmolding a second protection section over a remaining exposed section between the housing interface and the first protection section which includes a top face of the housing interface, an internal port extending from the housing interface, the coaxial cable, the bendable structure, and a bottom end of the first protection section, where the second protection section provides a weatherproof seal over the antenna cable and the bendable structure exposed between the housing interface and the first protection section, where the second protection section being of a flexible material so the second protection section can bend along the length of the second protection section and held in place due to trapping the bendable structure near the antenna cable so the antenna cable bends when the bendable structure is bent along the second protection section.