Construction for a portable radar detector having a mirror

• US 4,625,210 A
• Filed: 05/21/1984
• Issued: 11/25/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: B.E.L-Tronics Ltd. (Canada) (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: B.E.L-Tronics Ltd. (Canada) (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sagl, Rudolf J. C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hellner, Mark
• Application Number:
  US06/612,090
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: D10/46, D12/188, 350/631, 350/603, 350/606, 343/18 E
• US Class Current: 342/20
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3266 using the mirror of the vehicle

Abstract

A radar detector assembly is provided for portable installation in an automotive vehicle--that is, for detachable attachment within the vehicle--where a substantial portion of the front face of the body of the radar detector is covered with a mirror, and the back face is provided with fastening means to detachably attach the radar detector to the mirror which is permanently installed in the vehicle. Within the body of the radar detector is a microstrip antenna for reception of microwave frequency radar signals, and the microstrip antenna is located within the body of the radar detector at a place where the front face of the body is not covered by the mirror, and the back face of the body is not proximate to the vehicle mirror. Thus, a radar detector that also functions as a full rearview mirror for an automotive vehicle is provided, having unobstructed front and rear exposure to microwave frequency radar transmissions, but having the other circuit components and elements of the radar detector being substantially shielded from microwave and intermediate frequency transmissions by the mirror on the major portion of the front face of the detector assembly and also by the vehicle mirror to which the detector assembly is detachably attached.

Claims

1. A radar detector assembly for portable installation in an automotive vehicle, having a body with a front face and a back face, and a first mirror on a substantial portion of the front face with a minor portion of the front face being not covered by a mirror;

said body having fastener means at the back face thereof for said body to be detachably attached to a mirror permanently installed in said automotive vehicle;

a microstrip antenna for said radar detector being within said body and behind said minor portion of said front face; and

other electrical circuit components of said radar detector being within said body and behind said first mirror on said substantial portion of said front face;

said fastener means being arranged so that when said body is detachably attached to said vehicle mirror, said other electrical circuit components of said radar detector are forward of said vehicle mirror, and said microstrip antenna is positioned so as not to be forward of said vehicle mirror;

said vehicle mirror and said first mirror on said front face of said radar detector body being each substantially opaque to microwave and intermediate frequency transmissions;

and said body at said minor portion of said front face and at the rear face behind said minor portion being substantially transparent to microwave frequency transmissions;

whereby said microstrip antenna has substantially unobstructed front and rear exposure to microwave frequency transmissions, and said other electrical circuit components are substantially shielded to microwave and intermediate frequency signals at the front and rear by said first mirror on said front face of said radar detector body and by said vehicle mirror.

2. The radar detector assembly of claim 1, where said microwave frequency transmissions at which said minor body portion of said front face and at the rear face behind said minor portion are substantially transparent are at the X-band and the Y-band frequencies (10.525 GHz and 24.150 GHz).

3. The radar detector assembly of claim 2, where the intermediate frequency transmissions to which said mirrors are substantially opaque are in the range of 700 MHz to 5.0 GHz.

4. The radar detector assembly of claim 1, where said detector is adapted to be connected to an external source of electrical power.

5. The radar detector assembly of claim 1, where said first mirror is convex.

6. The radar detector assembly of claim 1, where said mirror is adjustable independently of said radar detector body.

7. The radar detector assembly of claim 1, where the material of said body is a moldable thermoplastic material.

8. The radar detector assembly of claim 1, where said first mirror is a translucent plastic material having a light reflective and metallized surface.