Breakaway mast

• US 9,559,410 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Grodahl, Jason, Steines, Andrew R., Patil, Ravindragouda K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duckworth, Bradley
• Application Number:
  US14/501,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20160093945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 248/548, 248/900
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0063 using adhesive means, e.g. hook and loop fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0085 with adjustment by rotation in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/18 movable or with movable sections, e.g. rotatable or telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/187 with hinged sections
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/2269 in a socket
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2021 around a horizontal axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/044 for balancing rotational movement of the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/12 Supports; Mounting means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1235 Collapsible supports; Means for erecting a rigid antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3275 mounted on a horizontal surface of the vehicle, e.g. on roof, hood, trunk

Abstract

A sensor mounting bracket for attachment to a vehicle including a mast configured to support a sensor at a first end, a base pivotably connected to the mast at a second end, a shock absorber attached between the mast and the base, wherein the base is attached to a vehicle and the shock absorber predisposes the mast to either a deployed position or a stowed position.

Claims

1. A sensor mounting bracket for attachment to a vehicle comprising:

a mast configured to support a sensor at a first end;

a base, pivotably connected to the mast at a second end;

a shock absorber, attached between the mast and the base;

a channel disposed between the mast and the base wherein the channel is attached to the base at a pivot point and the shock absorber is attached to the mast at one end and the channel at its other end;

a breakaway connection wherein the breakaway connection comprises fasteners connecting the base to the channel, wherein the fasteners are comprised of material which is weaker than material forming the base and channel; and

wherein, the base is attached to a vehicle and the shock absorber predisposes the mast to either a deployed position or a stowed position.

2. The sensor mounting bracket of claim 1, wherein the mast can rotate about the pivot point when the breakaway connection is disengaged from the base or channel.

3. The sensor mounting bracket of claim 2, wherein the mast pivots from the deployed position to the stowed position if impacted while the vehicle is traveling in a forward direction.

4. The sensor mounting bracket of claim 3, wherein the mast pivots from the deployed position to a recoverable position if impacted while the vehicle is traveling in a rearward direction and the impact disengages the breakaway connection fastener from the base or channel.

5. The sensor mounting bracket of claim 4 further comprising a bumper disposed within the base wherein the bumper cooperates with the mast when in the stowed position.

6. A vehicle sensor mounting assembly comprising:

a mast adapted to support a sensor at one end;

a base adapted to attach to a vehicle,

a channel disposed within the base and connected to the base at a pivot point wherein the channel is pivotably attached to the mast at a second end;

a breakaway connection wherein the breakaway connection comprising fasteners connecting the base to the channel, wherein the fasteners are comprised of material which is weaker than material forming the base and channel;

a shock absorber connected to the mast at one end and the channel at the other end;

wherein the mast can be positioned in either a deployed position or stowed position and the shock absorber predisposes the mast to one of those positions.

7. The sensor mounting assembly of claim 6, wherein the mast can rotate about the pivot point when the breakaway connection is disengaged from the base or channel.

8. The sensor mounting assembly of claim 7, wherein the mast pivots from the deployed position to the stowed position if impacted while the vehicle or mast is traveling in a forward direction.

9. The sensor mounting assembly of claim 8, wherein the mast pivots from the deployed position to a recoverable position if impacted while the vehicle or mast is traveling in a rearward direction and the impact disengages the breakaway connection fastener from the base or channel.

10. The sensor mounting assembly of claim 9 further comprising a bumper disposed within the base wherein the bumper cooperates with the mast when in the stowed position.

11. A vehicle mounted sensor bracket comprising:

a mast configured to receive a sensor at a first end;

a base configured to pivotably attach to the mast at a second end;

a shock absorber mounted to the mast at one end and the base at its other end;

the base comprising a channel portion and a vehicle mount portion, wherein the channel portion is attached to the mast, the channel portion is attached to the vehicle mount portion at a pivot point, and the shock absorber is mounted to the mast at one end and the channel portion at its other end;

the base comprising a breakaway connection between the channel portion and the vehicle mount portion wherein the breakaway connection comprises fasteners connecting the channel portion to the vehicle mount portion, wherein the fasteners are comprised of material which is weaker than material forming the channel portion and the vehicle mount portion; and

wherein the base is configured to attach to a vehicle and the shock absorber predisposes the mast to either a deployed position or a stowed position.

12. The sensor bracket of claim 11, wherein the mast rotates from the deployed position to the stowed position upon impact when the vehicle or mast is moving in a forward direction.

13. The sensor bracket of claim 12, wherein the mast rotates from a deployed position to a recoverable position when the breakaway connection is disengaged from the channel portion or the vehicle mount portion upon impact when the vehicle or mast is traveling in a rearward direction.

14. The sensor bracket of claim 13 further comprising a bumper disposed within the base adapted to cooperate with the mast when in the stowed position.