Vehicle antenna

Abstract

Vehicle Antenna The invention relates to a vehicle antenna comprising a housing with a peripheral sealing gasket, several elastic brackets being provided on the underside of the housing. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Vehicle antenna

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle antenna which includes a housing having a peripheral sealing gasket on its edge.

[0002] Such antennas are generally known, for example, as roof antennas, and are most often fixed using a fitting screwed into an opening in the vehicle body.

[0003] The present invention aims to produce a vehicle antenna that is particularly economical to manufacture and can be mounted quickly, in particular without tools.

[0004] The solution to this problem is provided by the features of claim 1 and in particular by a tool-free vehicle antenna comprising a housing having a peripheral sealing gasket on its edge, several elastic brackets being arranged on an underside of the housing, by means of which the housing can be clipped tightly into an opening in the bodywork. The elastic bracket has a looped portion, in particular U-shaped, open towards the underside of the housing.

[0005] The vehicle antenna according to the invention can be manufactured at a very low cost, as no clamping bracket, counter-support, screw fitting, or other similar element is required for mounting the vehicle antenna. The peripheral sealing gasket located on the outer edge of the housing, combined with the elastic brackets, prevents any liquid or moisture from entering the body opening once the vehicle antenna is clipped into the body opening. At the same time, mounting is extremely quick and easy, as it is simply a matter of pushing the vehicle antenna or its housing into the body opening, after which the vehicle antenna is held firmly and securely in place. Thanks to the looped section facing the underside of the housing, the housing can be inserted into the body opening without tools while maintaining a watertight seal.Furthermore, the looped section can serve as a sliding surface when inserting the vehicle antenna into the bodywork opening.

[0006] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the description, figures and dependent claims.

[0007] In a first advantageous embodiment, the elastic stirrups can be manufactured as a single unit with a metal base plate. Such an embodiment not only allows for inexpensive manufacturing, but also provides an electrically conductive connection between the antenna, the base plate, and all the elastic brackets and the bodywork, because after the antenna is mounted, the elastic brackets press against the edge of the opening in the bodywork and thus establish an electrical contact.

[0008] According to another advantageous embodiment, the base plate can be a stamped and folded piece, which reduces manufacturing costs.

[0009] According to another advantageous embodiment, the base plate may be polygonal in top view, for example quadrangular or approximately triangular, with at least one elastic stirrup on each side of the base plate. In principle, the base plate may have any shape, for example also a circular shape or an approximately rectangular shape with at least one small rounded side. The presence of at least one elastic stirrup on each side ensures secure mounting in all cases. In the case of approximately circular or oval base plates, regular spacing of the elastic stirrups along the perimeter may be advantageous.

[0010] According to another advantageous embodiment, at least one engagement recess may be provided on an upper face of the housing, into which a tool for removing the vehicle antenna can be inserted. This allows, for example, a screwdriver to be inserted into the engagement recess to remove the vehicle antenna, enabling the antenna to be lifted out of the body opening by means of leverage. In this case, it may be advantageous for the vehicle antenna to be reversibly mounted in a body opening, i.e., for it to be removable from the body opening after mounting without damaging the antenna or the vehicle.

[0011] According to another advantageous embodiment, a portion of the housing surface can be designed as a stop surface for a respective elastic bracket, each elastic bracket bearing against the housing. The elastic brackets can thus be made of a relatively thin material, because after the vehicle antenna is inserted into an opening in the bodywork, the stop surface prevents the elastic brackets from bending further in the area of ​​the stop surface. The stop surface thus exerts an opposing force on the supporting elastic bracket. It is then sufficient to dimension it so that the elastic force exerted by the elastic bracket itself holds the vehicle antenna securely and tightly in the bodywork opening.

[0012] According to another advantageous embodiment, the loop portion may have a cutout which is, in particular, surrounded on all sides by the material of the elastic bracket. Thus, the elastic bracket is deliberately weakened at its loop to allow for greater flexibility and therefore easier insertion of the vehicle antenna into the bodywork opening.

[0013] According to another advantageous embodiment, the free end of at least one elastic bracket can be bent several times towards the housing. Thus, the elastic bracket can be made such that its free end slides along the edge of the opening during an initial step of inserting the vehicle antenna into an opening in the bodywork, and is compressed to the maximum at a bending point during further insertion, and then relaxes slightly.

[0014] It may also be advantageous for at least one elastic bracket to have three or more flat surface portions adjacent to each other at an angle, which cause a different compression of the elastic bracket during insertion of the vehicle antenna into the body opening.

[0015] According to another advantageous embodiment, a particularly good attachment of the vehicle antenna can be obtained by the fact that at least one elastic bracket is present on each side of the base plate and that at least two elastic brackets are present on two opposite sides.

[0016] According to another advantageous embodiment, the sealing joint can constitute The only sealing gasket for the vehicle antenna, the sealing gasket can notably be made of silicone foam. Such a material has proven particularly advantageous in ensuring both a good seal and easy insertion of the antenna.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, it also relates to a vehicle equipped with a vehicle antenna of the type described above. It is understood that the vehicle antenna described herein is also suitable for aircraft and boats.

[0018] The invention will be described below by way of example using an advantageous embodiment and with reference to the accompanying drawings. The figures show:

[0019] [Fig-1] a perspective view of a vehicle antenna.

[0020] [Fig.2] an enlarged side view of the vehicle antenna of [Fig.1].

[0021] [Fig.3] a perspective view of the base plate of the vehicle antenna figures 1 and 2.

[0022] [Fig.4] a partial enlarged view of the base plate of [Fig.3], which is inserted in an opening in the bodywork.

[0023] Figure 1 shows a vehicle antenna which, in particular, can be mounted without tools, comprising a housing 10 having an upper part 12 and a lower part 14 which are securely connected to each other, for example by screwing or clipping. The interior of the housing 10 can contain electrical and / or electronic components of the antenna, an antenna connector 16 being provided on the underside of the lower part 14, allowing the antenna signal to exit the housing.

[0024] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the upper part of the housing 12 protrudes slightly from the outer edge of the lower part 14, and a sealing gasket The peripheral 18 is provided in the transition zone between the upper part 12 and the lower part 14, which extends along the outer edge of the housing 10, specifically between the outer circumference of the upper part 12 and the outer circumference of the lower part 14. The sealing gasket 18 can be made, for example, of silicone foam. In particular, the sealing gasket 18 can be manufactured as a single unit with the housing 10 and, in particular, with the upper part 12, using a two-component process. Reference numeral 11 designates centering ribs arranged along the circumference of the housing 10.

[0025] In the embodiment shown, the sealing gasket 18 does not protrude from the housing 10 or the upper part 12 at its outer edge. On the contrary, the sealing gasket 18 is flush with the upper part 12 at the transition between the upper part 12 and the sealing gasket 18.

[0026] Furthermore, the housing 10 is equipped on its underside with several elastic clips 20 which allow the housing 10 to be clipped securely into an opening in a body 22 ([Fig. 4]). The elastic force of the elastic clips 20 is directed away from the housing 12.

[0027] In the illustrated embodiment, the vehicle antenna is rectangular in top view, with two elastic brackets 20 provided on the two long sides of the vehicle antenna and one elastic bracket 20 provided on each of the short sides. In the embodiment, all the elastic brackets 20 are U-shaped and have a downward-facing open loop portion, formed in one piece with a metal base plate 24 that is designed as a stamped and folded part. As shown in particular in [Fig. 3], the base plate 24 has a recess 26 for the antenna connector 16 and includes several openings 28 through which mounting screws 30 can pass to screw the base plate 24 to the housing 10.

[0028] Thanks to the base plate 24 screwed to the housing 10, the antenna described above can be easily and securely clipped into an opening in a body 22 by pushing the antenna from above into the opening. This first pushes all the elastic clips 20 inwards towards the housing 12. After being fully inserted, these clips rebound slightly, thus holding the vehicle antenna securely and securely in the opening. On one side, the elastic clips rest against the edge of the opening. This position is shown in [Fig. 4]. On the other side, each elastic clip 20 rests against the housing 10 by the portion of the loop 36 extending from the base plate 24.

[0029] In order to allow reversible mounting and non-destructive dismounting of the vehicle antenna, several engagement recesses 32 are provided in the example of The illustrated embodiment shows recesses 32 in which a tool, such as a screwdriver, can be inserted to remove the vehicle antenna. In the example shown, engagement recesses 32 are provided on the four sides of the upper part 12, their openings facing the periphery of the housing 10. By inserting one or more screwdrivers into the engagement recesses, the antenna can be easily removed by levering it from the bodywork opening.

[0030] As mentioned previously, all the elastic brackets 20 are initially compressed when the vehicle antenna is inserted into the body opening. To prevent excessive rebound of the elastic brackets 20, the housing 10, in particular the lower portion 14 of the housing 10, has behind each elastic bracket 20 a surface area 34 ([Fig. 2]) which serves as a stop surface for the elastic bracket 20 in contact with the body. Thus, when the vehicle antenna is inserted into the body opening, only the outer free arm, shown in [Fig. 4], of the elastic bracket 20, which is generally U-shaped, is bent, while the right arm, connected to the base plate 24 and substantially flat, rests against the lower portion 14.

[0031] Figure 4 shows an elastic stirrup 20 in a side view (left) and a top view (right). As can be seen, the elastic stirrups 20 are generally U-shaped and curved into a loop 36, the U opening towards the underside of the base plate 24. The looped portion 36 forming the upper face of the elastic stirrup 20 has in its center an approximately rectangular cutout 38 (Figure 4), which is surrounded on all sides by the material of the elastic stirrup 20. Furthermore, the free end, i.e., the left arm of the elastic stirrup 20 shown in Figure 4, is bent several times towards the housing 10.Thus, the elastic stirrup 20 shown has, following the looped portion 36, first a flat surface portion 40 to which a first folding point KL is connected. At this point, the elastic stirrup 20 is folded towards the housing 10, so that it is followed by a second flat surface portion 42 which becomes a third flat surface portion 44 via a second folding point K2. In the unassembled state, the angle between the inner arm 41 and the first flat surface portion 40 can be from about 18° to 22°, in particular about 20°, and the angle between the first flat surface portion 40 and the second flat surface portion 42 can be from about 28° to 32°, in particular about 30°. The angle between the second portion of the flat surface 42 and the third portion of the flat surface 44 can be approximately 28° to 32°.

[0032] It is understood that the specific embodiment of the vehicle antenna described above is only by way of example and that the housing 10 can generally have any shape.

Claims

Demands

1. A vehicle antenna that can be mounted without tools, comprising a housing (10) having a sealing gasket (18) on its edge, and several elastic brackets (20) arranged on an underside of the housing (10), by means of which the housing (10) can be clipped tightly into an opening in the bodywork, the elastic brackets (20) having a looped portion (36) open towards an underside of the housing (10).

2. Vehicle antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that a portion of surface (34) of the housing (10) is designed as a bearing surface for a respective elastic bracket (20) and each elastic bracket (20) rests against the housing (10).

3. Vehicle antenna according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the free end of each elastic bracket (20) is bent several times in the direction of the housing (10).

4. Vehicle antenna according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each elastic bracket (20) has three flat surface portions (40, 42, 44) adjacent to each other forming an angle.

5. Vehicle antenna according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the looped part (36) has a cutout (38) which is in particular surrounded on all sides by the material of the elastic bracket (20).

6. Vehicle antenna according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base plate (24) is quadrangular in top view, in that at least one elastic bracket (20) is present on each side of the base plate (24), and in that at least two elastic brackets (20) are present on two opposite sides.

7. Vehicle antenna according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on an upper face of the housing (10) and above the sealing gasket (18) there is at least one engagement recess (32) into which a tool can be inserted to remove the vehicle antenna.

8. Vehicle antenna according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it can be mounted reversibly in an opening in the bodywork.

9. Vehicle antenna according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sealing gasket (18) is the only sealing gasket of the vehicle antenna, and in that the sealing gasket (18) is in particular made of silicone foam.

10. Vehicle antenna according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elastic brackets (20) are made in one piece with a metal base plate (24) which is a stamped and folded piece.

11. Vehicle equipped with a vehicle antenna according to any one of the preceding claims, which is inserted into an opening in a body (22) of the vehicle.

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