Vehicle antenna fixture assembly

Abstract

Disclosed is a vehicle antenna fixture assembly, including: an antenna base having a coupling part; a fastener having a fastener main body, a plurality of leg parts coupled to the fastener main body and bendable, and an inserting part configured to connect the plurality of leg parts and be fixed to the coupling part; a cap configured to be coupled to the fastener so as to cover the fastener main body; and a fastening bolt inserted into the cap, fixed to the antenna base and configured to compress the fastener such that the leg part is bent.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The present application claims priority to Korea Patent Application No. 10-2024-0195735, filed December 24, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to an antenna for a vehicle, more particularly, a vehicle antenna fixture assembly capable of fixing a vehicle antenna to a roof of the vehicle.BACKGROUND

[0003] In general, a vehicle antenna is mounted to receive or transmit various signals of a radio, a GPS, a DMB, a mobile telecommunication (LTE / 5G) and the like in a vehicle.

[0004] The vehicle antenna in a protruding shape is mounted in a roof of a vehicle, and is also referred to as 'a shark fin antenna' because it reminds of a fin of a shark.

[0005] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a vehicle antenna fixture of Korea Patent No. 10-1203957 which has been patented by the present applicant.

[0006] Referring to FIG. 1, the vehicle antenna fixture includes an antenna base 10 including a fastening part 12 inserted into an installation hole H formed in a roof R of a vehicle, a holder 20 coupled to the fastening part 12 at a lower portion of the fastening part 12, a fastener 30 coupled to the holder 20 at a lower portion of the holder 20, and a fastening bolt 40 configured to couple the antenna base 10, the holder 20, and the fastener 30 to one another.

[0007] The holder 20 serves as a connection ring between the antenna base 10 and the fastener 30, and the fastener 30 is installed below the holder and is tightened by fastening of the fastening bolt 40.

[0008] The above-described vehicle antenna fixture is characterized that it is formed of the antenna base 10, the holder 20, the fastener 30, and the fastening bolt 40 integrally and temporarily assembled to one another.

[0009] When a worker tightens the fastening bolt 40 using a tool from a lower side of the vehicle roof R, the holder 20 and the fastener 30 are forming a gap therebetween and are tightened along an inclined portion of the antenna base 10, and when the fastening bolt 40 is fully tightened, fastening to the roof R can be completed.

[0010] Korea Patent No.10-1203957 (published in November 23, 2012) discloses an antenna fixture for a vehicle.SUMMARY

[0011] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle antenna fixture assembly in a more improved form which can be easily inserted into and installed in an installation hole of a vehicle roof in a state of being temporarily assembled into the antenna base, and can fix the vehicle antenna to the roof in an easy and convenient manner.

[0012] One embodiment is a vehicle antenna fixture assembly, including: an antenna base having a coupling part; a fastener having a fastener main body, a plurality of leg parts coupled to the fastener main body and bendable, and an inserting part configured to connect the plurality of leg parts and be fixed to the coupling part; a cap configured to be coupled to the fastener so as to cover the fastener main body; and a fastening bolt inserted into the cap, fixed to the antenna base and configured to compress the fastener such that the leg part is bent.

[0013] The fastener may include a plurality of catching hooks positioned between the leg parts and coupled to the coupling part.

[0014] The fastener main body may have a hollow tetrahedral shape, and the leg part may consist of total eight, each two for one surface of the fastener main body.

[0015] The leg part may include: an upper leg connected to be folded outward from the inserting part; a center leg connected to be foldable to the upper leg; and a lower leg connected to be foldable to the center leg.

[0016] The leg part may further include a reinforcing protrusion configured to reinforce strength.

[0017] The reinforcing protrusion may include: a center reinforcing protrusion formed on an outside of the center leg connected to be foldable to the upper leg connected to be folded outward from the inserting part; and a lower reinforcing protrusion formed on an outside of the lower leg connected to be foldable to the center leg.

[0018] The catching hook may have a shape of which one end thereof extends from the coupling part and another end thereof is bent outward in a direction of the inserting part from a direction of the fastener main body.

[0019] The another end of the catching hook may come into contact with a lower surface of a roof of a vehicle and fixes the fastener so as to block removal of the fastener inserted into an installation hole of the roof.

[0020] The cap may include: a cap main body configured to cover the fastener so that the fastener main body is covered; a bolt seating part provided in the cap main body; and a bolt hole penetrating the bolt seating part.

[0021] The fastening bolt may include: a head; a flange coupled to the head and in contact with the bolt seating part formed in the cap; and a body extending from the flange and inserted into the bolt hole penetrating the bolt seating part to be fixed to the antenna base.

[0022] The antenna base may further include a bolt fastening part to which a body of the fastening bolt is fastened and fixed.

[0023] A thread may be formed in the body and the bolt fastening part.

[0024] According to an antenna fixture assembly according to the present disclosure, it is possible to install a vehicle antenna in a fully assembled state in a simple way of inserting the fixture assembly, in a state of temporarily assembled into the antenna base, into the installation hole of the vehicle roof to be temporarily fixed, and pushing upward and lightly turning the fastening bolt.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a vehicle antenna fixture of Korea Patent No. 10-1203957 patented by the present applicant. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vehicle antenna fixture assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 shows a state immediately before a fixture assembly in FIG. 2 is inserted into a vehicle roof. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration after a fixture assembly in FIG. 4 is inserted into a vehicle roof. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a procedure in which a fastener of a fixture assembly in FIG. 5 is deformed and fixed. FIG. 7 is a front view of FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is a bottom view of FIG. 7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to exemplary drawings.

[0027] The present disclosure may be variously modified and may have various embodiments, and particular embodiments illustrated in the drawings will be specifically described below. The description of the embodiments is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the particular embodiments, but it should be interpreted that the present disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0028] In the description of the present disclosure, the terms such as "first" and "second" may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one component from another component. For example, a first component may be named a second component, and similarly, the second component may also be named the first component, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0029] The term "and / or" may include any and all combinations of a plurality of the related and listed items.

[0030] When one component is described as being "coupled" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that one component can be coupled or connected directly to another component, and an intervening component can also be present between the components. When one component is described as being "coupled directly to" or "connected directly to" another component, it should be understood that no intervening component is present between the components.

[0031] The terminology used herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. Singular expressions may include plural expressions unless clearly described as different meanings in the context.

[0032] The terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including," "containing," "has," "having" or other variations thereof are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0033] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, may have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains.

[0034] The terms such as those defined in a commonly used dictionary may be interpreted as having meanings consistent with meanings in the context of related technologies and may not be interpreted as ideal or excessively formal meanings unless explicitly defined in the present application.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vehicle antenna fixture assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 shows a state immediately before a fixture assembly in FIG. 2 is inserted into a vehicle roof, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration after a fixture assembly in FIG. 4 is inserted into a vehicle roof, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a procedure in which a fastener of a fixture assembly in FIG. 5 is deformed and fixed, FIG. 7 is a front view of FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is a bottom view of FIG. 7.

[0036] As illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 8, the vehicle antenna fixture assembly 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be configured to include a fastener 100, a cap 200, and a fastening bolt 300.

[0037] The vehicle antenna fixture assembly 1 according to an embodiment may maintain an assembled state usually, unlike the conventional vehicle antenna fixture. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the vehicle antenna fixture assembly 1 according to an embodiment is simply inserted into the installation hole H of the vehicle roof R in a state of being temporarily assembled into the antenna base 11, and thus, can be simply fixed and installed in the roof R, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0038] The antenna base 11 may mean a main body of the vehicle antenna 10 subject to be installed in the vehicle roof R. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the antenna base 11 may include a coupling part 12 and a bolt fastening part 12a.

[0039] The coupling part 12 is a part to which the fastener 100 is coupled, and may include a groove having a quadrangle so that an inserting part 140 of the fastener 100 is inserted thereinto. A shape of the coupling part 12 may be varied according to a shape of the fastener 100.

[0040] The bolt fastening part 12a protrudes in a cylindrical shape from the antenna base 11, and makes a body 330 of the fastening bolt 300 be inserted thereinto and fixed thereto.

[0041] The bolt fastening part 12a may include a bolt hole 12b into which the body 330 of the fastening bolt 300 is inserted and threaded.

[0042] The fastener 100 may include a fastener main body 110, a leg part 120, and the inserting part 140.

[0043] The fastener main body 110 may have a hollow tetrahedral shape. That is, the fastener main body 110 may have a band shape having a quadrangular hollow. It is apparent that the fastener main body 110 may have various shapes. A cap 200 which will be described below is coupled to the fastener main body 110.

[0044] The leg part 120 is coupled to the fastener main body 110 and may be bendable. The leg part 120 may be provided in plural number, and may connect the fastener main body and the inserting part 140 to each other.

[0045] For example, the leg part 120 may consist of total eight, each two for one surface of the fastener main body 110. At this instance, two leg parts 120 may be spaced apart from each other at a certain interval so that each of them can be disposed outside of an edge of the one surface of the fastener main body 110.

[0046] It is apparent that the number and an arrangement structure of the leg part 120 may be changed and as illustrated in FIG. 8, in total four leg parts 120 are disposed as two leg parts 120 are disposed on both sides of the fastener main body 110 facing each other.

[0047] Here, each leg part 120 may include an upper leg 121, a center leg 122, and a lower leg 123. That is, each leg part 120 may consist of three parts, and a boundary between the legs may be formed to be thinner so that the boundary can be folded or bent.

[0048] The upper leg 121 may be connected to be folded outward from the inserting part 140. For example, the upper leg 121 may be configured such that it can be parted outward toward the center leg 122, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0049] The center leg 122 may be connected to be foldable to the upper leg 121. For example, the center leg 122 may be configured to be inclined so that it can be gathered inward toward the lower leg 123.

[0050] The lower leg 123 may be connected to be foldable to the center leg 122. For example, the lower leg 123 may be configured to maintain perpendicularity or be inclined outward.

[0051] The plurality of leg parts 120 may further include reinforcing protrusions 122a and 123a configured to reinforce strength. For example, the plurality of leg parts 120 may include a center reinforcing protrusion 122a formed on an outside of the center leg 122 and a lower reinforcing protrusion 123a formed on an outside of the lower leg 123.

[0052] Here, the upper leg 121 operates to be bent so as to be folded outward, and is subject to be in contact with a bottom part of the roof R after being bent, and therefore, the reinforcing protrusions 122a and 123a may not be formed therein. It is apparent that the reinforcing protrusion 122a may be formed on an inside of the upper leg 121 as needed.

[0053] The inserting part 140 connects the plurality of leg parts 120 to one another, and may be inserted into the coupling part 12 of the antenna base 11. For example, the inserting part 140 may have a hollow tetrahedral shape like the fastener main body 110.

[0054] Meanwhile, the fastener 100 may include a plurality of catching hooks positioned between the leg parts 120 and extending from the fastener main body 140.

[0055] For example, the catching hook 130 may consist of total two, each one for one surface facing each other of the fastener main body 110, as illustrated in FIG. 8. It is apparent that the number, the position, and the arrangement structure of the catching hook 130 may be changed.

[0056] When the fastener 100 is inserted into the installation hole H of the roof R, the catching hook 130 fixes the fastener 100 to block removal of the fastener 100 inserted into the installation hole H of the roof R. The function of blocking removal of the catching hook 130 may be automatically performed as soon as the fastener 100 is mounted in the roof R.

[0057] To this end, the catching hook 130 has a shape of which one end thereof extends perpendicularly downward from the fastener main body 140 and another end thereof is bent outwardly upward in a direction of the fastener main body 140.

[0058] That is, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the another end of the catching hook 130 contacts the bottom part of the vehicle roof R and fixes the fastener 100 to block removal of the fastener 100 inserted into the installation hole H of the roof R.

[0059] Therefore, the fastener 100 cannot be removed from the installation hole H of the roof R even if it is lifted in a direction reverse to a direction in which the fastener 100 is inserted.

[0060] The fastener 100 including the above-described configuration may be deformed such that the plurality of leg parts 120 is bent when the fastener 100 is installed and fixed to the vehicle roof R. To this end, the fastener 100 may be formed of a metal material of which deformation is made easy.

[0061] The cap 200 is coupled to the fastener 100 to cover the fastener main body 110. The cap 200 serves to compress the fastener 100 when the fastening bolt 300 which will be described below is tightened and fastened to a bolt seating part 220 of the antenna base 11.

[0062] The cap 200 may include a cap main body 210 covering the fastener 100 to cover the fastener main body 110, the bolt seating part 220 provided in the cap main body 210, and a bolt hole 230 penetrating the bolt seating part 220.

[0063] The cap main body 210 may have a quadrangular edge to correspond to the fastener main body 110. On an inside of the cap main body 210, an edge groove (not illustrated) into which the fastener main body 110 can be inserted may be formed.

[0064] The bolt seating part 220 may have a shape recessed from the cap main body 210. For example, the bolt seating part 220 may have a recess depth sufficient to make the fastening bolt 300 be inserted thereinto, seated therein and not protrude outward.

[0065] The bolt hole 230 may penetrate a center region of the bolt seating part 220 so that the body 330 of the fastening bolt 300 is inserted thereinto. A small amount of a thread may be formed in the bolt hole 230 so that when the body 330 of the fastening bolt 300 is fastened thereto, the body 330 cannot be removed randomly.

[0066] The cap 200 which includes the above-described configuration covers the fastener 100, and according to tightening of the fastening bolt 300, an external force is applied to the fastener 100, and the cap 200 serves to transfer a force to the fastener 100 so that the fastener 100 can be easily bent. To this end, the cap 200 may be formed of a plastic material which is light and has strength.

[0067] The fastening bolt 300 may be inserted into the cap 200, fixed to the antenna base 11, and compress the fastener 100 so that the leg part 120 of the fastener 100 can be bent. That is, the fastening bolt 300 is assembled into the antenna base 11, and serves to press the cap 200 when it is tightened.

[0068] To this end, the fastening bolt 300 may include a head 310, a flange 320 coupled to the head 310 and in contact with the bolt seating part 220 of the cap 200, and a body 330 extending from the flange 320 and fixed to the antenna base 11 after being inserted into the bolt hole 230 of the cap 200.

[0069] The head 310 may have a hexahedral shape so that an operation thereof using a tool such as a hex wrench, a spanner wrench, and the like can be made easy, and a wrench hole may be included on an inside.

[0070] The flange 320 may have a wider area than that of the head 310 below the head 310, and may be configured to facilitate the fastening bolt 300 to come into close contact with the bolt seating part 220. For example, the flange 320 may have a disc shape. It is apparent that the flange 320 may have various shapes, rather than the disc shape.

[0071] The body 330 extends to be elongated at a center region of the flange 320, and may have a cylindrical shape. A thread is formed on an outside of the body 330 and therefore, the body 330 may be threaded to the bolt fastening part 12a which has been described above.

[0072] An operation of the vehicle antenna fixture assembly 1 of an embodiment which includes the above-described configuration will be described below with reference to the drawings described above.

[0073] First, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the vehicle antenna fixture assembly 1 is positioned on the vehicle roof R in a state in which it is temporarily assembled into the antenna base 11. Then, the vehicle antenna fixture assembly 1 is inserted into the installation hole H of the roof R in an order of the fastening bolt 300, the cap 200, and the fastener 100.

[0074] At this instance, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the catching hook 130 of the fastener 100 has a shape of being bent outward, and therefore, the catching hook 130 is gathered inward and then, can pass through the installation hole H of the roof R.

[0075] However, as soon as the fastener 100 passes through the installation hole H of the roof R, the catching hook 130 is parted outward again, and another end of the catching hook 130 is in contact with the bottom part of the roof R and fixes the fastener 100 inserted into the installation hole H of the roof R such that removal of the fastener 100 therefrom can be blocked.

[0076] Therefore, even if the fastener 100 is lifted in a direction reverse to the direction in which it is inserted, the fastener 100 cannot be removed from the installation hole H of the roof R. Under such a condition, as illustrated in FIG. 5, when a worker lifts the fastening bolt 300 perpendicularly like the arrow, the catching hook 130 serves as a bearing point, and the fastener 100 may be deformed such that the plurality of leg parts 120 is bent.

[0077] Therefore, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the upper leg 121 of the leg part 120 may be deformed to be folded in contact with the bottom part of the roof R. That is, using only a force of lifting upward, it is possible to deform the fastener 100 and make it come into close contact with the roof R.

[0078] Next, when fastening and fixing the body 330 of the fastening bolt 330 to the bolt fastening part 12a of the antenna base 11 while lightly turning the fastening bolt 300, the vehicle antenna 10 can be completely assembled into the vehicle roof R and installed therein.

[0079] As described above, according to the vehicle antenna fixture assembly 1 of the present disclosure, in a manner of simply inserting the fixture assembly 1 in a state of being temporarily assembled into the antenna base 11 into the installation hole H of the vehicle roof R, and lifting upward and lightly turning the fastening bolt 300, the vehicle antenna can be completely assembled and installed.

[0080] While the present disclosure has been described with reference to the specific embodiments, the specific embodiments are only for specifically explaining the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments. It is apparent that the present disclosure may be modified or altered by those skilled in the art without departing from the technical spirit of the present disclosure.

[0081] All the simple modifications or alterations to the present disclosure fall within the scope of the present disclosure, and the specific protection scope of the present disclosure will be defined by the appended claims. REFERENCE NUMERALS 1 :vehicle antenna fixture assembly10 :vehicle antenna11 :antenna base12 :coupling part12a :bolt fastening partH:installation holeR:roof100 :fastener110 :fastener main body120 :leg part121 :upper leg122 :center leg122a :center reinforcing protrusion123 :lower leg123a :lower reinforcing protrusion130 :catching hook140 :inserting part200 :cap210 :cap main body220 :bolt seating part230 :bolt hole300 :fastening bolt310 :head320 :flange330 :body

Claims

1. A vehicle antenna fixture assembly (1), comprising: an antenna base (11) having a coupling part (12); a fastener (100) having a fastener main body (110), a plurality of leg parts (120) coupled to the fastener main body (110) and bendable, and an inserting part (140) configured to connect the plurality of leg parts (120) and be fixed to the coupling part (12); a cap (200) configured to be coupled to the fastener (100) so as to cover the fastener main body (110); and a fastening bolt (300) inserted into the cap (200) and fixed to the antenna base (11), characterized in that the fastening bolt (300) is configured to compress the fastener (100) such that each of the plurality of leg parts (120) is bent.

2. The vehicle antenna fixture assembly (1) according to claim 1, wherein the fastener (100) comprises a plurality of catching hooks (130) positioned between the leg parts (120) and coupled to the coupling part (12).

3. The vehicle antenna fixture assembly (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fastener main body (110) has a hollow tetrahedral shape, and wherein the leg part (120) consists of total eight, each two for one surface of the fastener main body (110).

4. The vehicle antenna fixture assembly (1) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the leg part (120) comprises: an upper leg (121) connected to be folded outward from the inserting part (140); a center leg (122) connected to be foldable to the upper leg (121); and a lower leg (123) connected to be foldable to the center leg (122).

5. The vehicle antenna fixture assembly (1) according to any one of claims from 1 to 4, wherein the leg part (120) further comprises a reinforcing protrusion configured to reinforce strength.

6. The vehicle antenna fixture assembly (1) of claim 5, wherein the reinforcing protrusion comprises: a center reinforcing protrusion (122a) formed on an outside of the center leg (122) connected to be foldable to the upper leg (121) connected to be folded outward from the inserting part (140); and a lower reinforcing protrusion (123a) formed on an outside of the lower leg (123) connected to be foldable to the center leg (122).

7. The vehicle antenna fixture assembly (1) according to any one of claims from 1 to 6, wherein the fastener (100) comprises a plurality of catching hooks (130) positioned between the leg parts (120) and coupled to the coupling part (12); and wherein each catching hook (130) has a shape of which one end thereof extends from the coupling part (12) and another end thereof is bent outward in a direction of the inserting part (140) from a direction of the fastener main body (110).

8. The vehicle antenna fixture assembly (1) of claim 7, wherein the another end of the catching hook (130) comes into contact with a lower surface of a roof (R) of a vehicle (10) and fixes the fastener (100) so as to block removal of the fastener (100) inserted into an installation hole (H) of the roof (R).

9. The vehicle antenna fixture assembly (1) according to any one of claims from 1 to 4, wherein the cap (200) comprises: a cap main body (210) configured to cover the fastener (100) so that the fastener main body (110) is covered; a bolt seating part (220) provided in the cap main body (210); and a bolt hole (230) penetrating the bolt seating part (220).

10. The vehicle antenna fixture assembly (1) according to any one of claims from 1 to 4, wherein the fastening bolt (300) comprises: a head (310); a flange (320) coupled to the head (310) and in contact with the bolt seating part (220) formed in the cap (200); and a body (330) extending from the flange (320) and inserted into the bolt hole (230) penetrating the bolt seating part (220) to be fixed to the antenna base (11).

11. The vehicle antenna fixture assembly (1) of claim 10, wherein the antenna base (11) further comprises a bolt fastening part (12a) to which a body (330) of the fastening bolt (300) is fastened and fixed.

12. The vehicle antenna fixture assembly (1) of claim 11, wherein a thread is formed in the body (330) and the bolt fastening part (12a).

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