Universal use of the antenna cut-out in a vehicle roof

Abstract

The invention relates to an assembly for a roof (1) of a vehicle (3), comprising a base plug-in module (5), an adapter module (7) and an antenna module (9), wherein the base plug-in module (5) is designed to be arranged permanently in an opening of the roof (1) of the vehicle (3), wherein the adapter module (7) is designed to attach an additional structure for the vehicle (3), and wherein antenna module (9) is designed to receive radio signals, wherein the modules can each be connected to one another so fixedly that optionally only the antenna module (9) or only the adapter module (7) or the adapter module (7) and, on the adapter module (7), the antenna module (9) can be arranged on the base plug-in module (5).

Description

[0001] UNIVERSAL USE OF THE ANTENNA CUTOUT IN THE VEHICLE ROOF

[0002] The invention relates to an arrangement for a roof of a vehicle, as well as a vehicle with such an arrangement.

[0003] To receive signals as high and interference-free as possible, vehicle antennas are often mounted on the roof. Such roof antenna modules for vehicles are known in the art:

[0004] In this context, DE 10 2005 044 610 A1 relates to an antenna, in particular a roof antenna, of a vehicle with a support element for fixing the antenna to a vehicle part, wherein the antenna has a base plate on which the support element is arranged, which can be inserted through an opening in the vehicle component, wherein during assembly or after assembly it applies a clamping force acting on the vehicle component by means of a rotary movement without the use of a tool and is further designed such that the antenna is fixed to the vehicle component in the correct position, free of play and in a sealing manner after assembly.

[0005] DE 10 2008 049 247 A1 also relates to a roof antenna designed for mounting on a vehicle roof of a vehicle, wherein the roof antenna has antenna elements arranged on a base plate and an antenna housing for protecting the antenna elements from external influences, wherein the antenna housing surrounds the base plate with its circumferential lower edge, wherein the base plate is formed from an organic material or from plastic at least in an area not sealed against external influences.

[0006] Many vehicle superstructures or add-ons that are subsequently mounted on the roof require electrical connections to the vehicle; for example, signal bridges for police, fire, and rescue vehicles, or taxi roof signs. Vehicles used for special purposes with additional sensor units, such as image cataloging of streets, also require such connections. Often, a separate opening is created in the vehicle roof to route the required cables, or the cables are routed through the door seals into the interior. However, additional openings are complex to create, reduce the resale value, and complicate retrofitting. Cables trapped in the door seals are also prone to failure, for example, cable breakage or the development of leaks, and this can impair the intended use. In this context, roof antenna modules with connectors are also known from the state of the art:

[0007] DE 11 2018 004 935 T5 relates to a vehicle antenna device comprising: an external vehicle antenna having an antenna base, an antenna element, and a coaxial connecting element on the external side of the vehicle antenna, and arranged on the roof of a vehicle; and an internal vehicle antenna module mounted on the external vehicle antenna through the roof, the internal vehicle antenna module comprising: a circuit board on which an amplifier circuit is arranged;a module-side coaxial connector having at least one terminal oriented from the interior of the vehicle toward the exterior vehicle antenna, configured to be attached to the coaxial connector on the exterior side of the vehicle antenna, and disposed on the circuit board with the terminal extending vertically from the interior of the vehicle toward the exterior vehicle antenna; a housing in which the circuit board is housed;and a protective fastening part for slidably securing the circuit board to the housing when the inside vehicle antenna module is attached to the outside vehicle antenna through the roof with a pressing force such that the circuit board is slidably displaced if the force applied to the module-side coaxial connecting element is higher than a predetermined force when the outside vehicle antenna and the inside vehicle antenna module co-rotate due to the attachment, and that the circuit board is not slidably displaced by vibrations of the vehicle.;

[0008] EP 3 932 745 A1 further relates to an antenna device for vehicles, comprising: a first antenna element; and a second antenna element, wherein a resin roof has a protruding portion and a flat portion around a lower end of the protruding portion, at least an upper part of the first antenna element is covered with the protruding portion, and the second antenna element is arranged below the flat portion.

[0009] WO 2019 188041 A1 relates to a connection structure for plug connectors that can compensate for manufacturing deviations and tolerances. The connection structure of the plug connector comprises a first connection assembly, a first protective wall, a second connection assembly, a second protective wall, a guide section, and an elastic element. The first protective wall covers the periphery of the first connection assembly. The second plug assembly is connected to the first plug assembly. The second protective wall covers the periphery of the second plug assembly and is covered by the first protective wall. The second protective wall has a tapered longitudinal sectional shape on its outer surface. The guide unit is slidably provided to fill the gap between the first protective wall and the second protective wall.

[0010] The object of the invention is to make the arrangement of an antenna module on the top of a roof of a vehicle more versatile.

[0011] The invention is based on the features of the independent claims. Advantageous developments and refinements are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0012] A first aspect of the invention relates to an arrangement for a roof of a vehicle, comprising a base plug-in module, an adapter module, and an antenna module, wherein the base plug-in module is designed to be permanently arranged at an opening in the roof of the vehicle and has a passage for guiding one or more cables from the interior of the vehicle through the roof and a first fastening interface, wherein the adapter module has a second fastening interface and a third fastening interface and is designed to fix an additional structure for the vehicle, and wherein the antenna module has a fourth fastening interface and is designed to receive radio signals, wherein the first fastening interface and the second fastening interface and wherein the first fastening interface and the fourth fastening interface are each permanently connectable to one another,and wherein the third fastening interface and the fourth fastening interface are permanently connectable to one another, so that either only the antenna module or only the adapter module or the adapter module and the antenna module can be arranged on the base plug-in module, wherein the adapter module has a cable guide for a cable leading between the additional structure on the roof and an interior of the vehicle.

[0013] The base plug-in module is preferably installed in the opening in the roof of the vehicle during series production. Installation is preferably carried out taking sealing requirements into account so that the roof opening is closed against moisture and humidity, but cables can still be routed through the roof opening using a corresponding guide in the base plug-in module. Such cables can be used to supply power to attachments on the vehicle, for example to charge a battery-assisted bicycle carried on the roof of the vehicle or a camera structure on the roof of the vehicle or a roof tent on the vehicle. They can also implement a data bus, not only to transmit the signals received at the antenna module into the interior of the vehicle, but also to establish a data connection to the additional structure.

[0014] The compatibility of the mounting interfaces allows, for example, only the antenna module to be attached to the base plug-in module, so that externally the arrangement differs little or nothing from that of a permanent antenna module on the roof of the vehicle. Instead of the antenna module, however, the adapter module can also be attached to the base plug-in module; this module serves to secure an additional structure to the roof of the vehicle. This can therefore result in significant force transmission between the adapter module and the base plug-in module, as the adapter module must hold a structure in place even when the vehicle accelerates. Another option for users is to plug the adapter module onto the base plug-in module and the antenna module onto the adapter module in addition, so that the adapter module forms a sandwich component.

[0015] The adapter module also preferably has a passage for one or more cables in order to be able to establish a power or data connection between an object attached to the adapter module and a subcomponent on the vehicle, in particular in the interior of the vehicle.

[0016] It is an advantageous effect of the invention that the passage in a roof of a vehicle, which is anyway provided for a cable connection to an antenna on the roof, can be used flexibly to transmit energy or data from or to a structure on the vehicle, without the need for cables necessary to connect the structure to the vehicle to be led through a separate passage through the roof of the vehicle or through a door seal or a window of the vehicle.

[0017] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the arrangement further comprises a first seal which is intended to be arranged between the base plug-in module and the adapter module.

[0018] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the arrangement further comprises a second seal which is intended to be arranged between the adapter module and the antenna module.

[0019] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the adapter module has a passage for passing through the same cable which can be guided through the base plug-in module.

[0020] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the base plug-in module has a third seal which is suitable for establishing a tight connection between the upper side of the roof of the vehicle and the base plug-in module.

[0021] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the first to fourth fastening interfaces have a respective plug connection and / or screw connection.

[0022] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the first fastening interface and the second fastening interface and / or the third fastening interface and the fourth fastening interface are each designed to form a positive connection with one another.

[0023] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the adapter module has a connecting cable in order to supply attachments or superstructures on the roof of the vehicle with electrical energy and / or to transmit data from these to the vehicle.

[0024] A further aspect of the invention relates to a vehicle having an arrangement as described above and below.

[0025] Advantages and preferred developments of the proposed vehicle result from an analogous and analogous transfer of the statements made above in connection with the proposed arrangement.

[0026] Further advantages, features, and details will become apparent from the following description, which – where appropriate with reference to the drawings – describes at least one embodiment in detail. Identical, similar, and / or functionally equivalent parts are provided with the same reference numerals.

[0027] Shown are: Fig. 1: A vehicle with an arrangement on the roof according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0028] Fig. 2: A base plug-in module on the roof of the vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0029] Fig. 3: A basic plug-in module for the roof of the vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0030] Fig. 4: Logical plug-in options for the base plug-in module according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0031] The representations in the figures are schematic and not to scale.

[0032] Fig. 1 shows a vehicle 3 in the form of a passenger car from a bird's eye view. The interior of the vehicle is covered by a roof 1, which has a recess into which a base plug-in module 5 has been inserted since the vehicle was delivered from the factory.

[0033] Fig. 2 shows the base plug-in module 5 on the roof 1 of the vehicle 3 from Fig. 1 in more detail. This base plug-in module 5 has a connector housing arranged in a cutout for the antenna module 9. Various contacts for a data line and / or signal line and / or an electrical power supply are provided on the base plug-in module 5, for example.

[0034] Fig. 3 shows the modular structure of the arrangement, starting from the base plug-in module 5, which is permanently installed in a recess through the roof 1 of the vehicle 3. In the interior of the vehicle, i.e. on an inner side of the roof 1, a cable 11 runs through the base plug-in module 5. The base plug-in module 5 offers the user of the vehicle 3 freedom, since either an adapter module 7 or an antenna module 9 can be plugged onto the base plug-in module 5, for details see Fig. 4. The base plug-in module 5 is sealed to the roof 1 of the vehicle 3 by a third seal 25 to prevent moisture from penetrating the interior of the vehicle 3 from the outside. Furthermore, a first seal 21 can be arranged between the base plug-in module 5 and the adapter module 7, and a second seal 23 can be arranged between the adapter module 7 and the antenna module 9. The seals are preferably made of elastomer plastic.The cable 11, which leads from the inside of the roof 1 through the base plug-in module 5 to the outside of the roof 1, is led out through a corresponding guide on the adapter module 7 in order to be available for an additional structure for the vehicle 3 on the roof 1 of the vehicle 3.

[0035] Fig. 4 shows a conceptual structure of the arrangement, with partial images A to C showing alternative plug-in variants of the antenna module 9 and the adapter module 7, each in relation to the base plug-in module 5. A first fastening interface 3 is arranged on the top side of the base plug-in module 5, onto which both the fourth fastening interface 19 of the antenna module 9 and the second fastening interface 15 of the adapter module 7 fit. Therefore, either the antenna module 9 or the adapter module 7 can be plugged onto the base plug-in module 5, as sketched in partial images A and B.However, the adapter module 7 has a third mounting interface 17, onto which the fourth mounting interface 19 of the antenna module 9 can also be plugged (see partial figure C), so that a series arrangement of the base plug-in module 5 in the roof 1 of the vehicle 3 with the adjoining adapter module 7 and the antenna module 9, which in turn are adjoining, can be constructed. In principle, it is also possible to plug neither the adapter module 7 nor the antenna module 9 onto the base plug-in module 5.

[0036] Although the invention has been illustrated and explained in detail by preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples, and other variations may be derived therefrom by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. It is therefore clear that a multitude of variations exist. It is also clear that exemplary embodiments are truly only examples and should not be construed as limiting the scope, possible applications, or configuration of the invention in any way.Rather, the preceding description and the description of the figures enable the person skilled in the art to implement the exemplary embodiments in concrete terms. With knowledge of the disclosed inventive concept, the person skilled in the art can make various changes, for example, with regard to the function or arrangement of individual elements mentioned in an exemplary embodiment, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the claims and their legal equivalents, such as further explanations in the description. List of reference symbols.

[0037] I Roof

[0038] 3 vehicles

[0039] 5 basic plug-in module

[0040] 7 Adapter module 9 Antenna module

[0041] II Cable

[0042] 13 first mounting interface

[0043] 15 second mounting interface

[0044] 17 third mounting interface 19 fourth mounting interface

[0045] 21 first seal

[0046] 23 second seal

[0047] 25 third seal

Claims

Patent claims 1. An arrangement for a roof (1) of a vehicle (3), comprising a base plug-in module (5), an adapter module (7), and an antenna module (9), wherein the base plug-in module (5) is designed to be permanently arranged at an opening in the roof (1) of the vehicle (3) and has a passage for guiding one or more cables (11) from the interior of the vehicle (3) through the roof (1), as well as a first fastening interface (13), wherein the adapter module (7) has a second fastening interface (15) and a third fastening interface (17) and is designed to fix an additional structure for the vehicle (3), and wherein the antenna module (9) has a fourth fastening interface (19) and is designed to receive radio signals,wherein the first fastening interface (13) and the second fastening interface (15), and wherein the first fastening interface (13) and the fourth fastening interface (19) are each permanently connectable to one another, and wherein the third fastening interface (17) and the fourth fastening interface (19) are permanently connectable to one another, so that either only the antenna module (9) or only the adapter module (7) or the adapter module (7) and the antenna module (9) can be arranged on the base plug-in module (5), wherein the adapter module (7) has a cable guide for a cable leading between the additional structure on the roof (1) and an interior of the vehicle (3).

2. Arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a first seal (21) which is intended to be arranged between the base plug-in module (5) and the adapter module (7).

3. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a second seal (23) which is intended to be arranged between the adapter module (7) and the antenna module (9).

4. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the adapter module (7) has a passage for passing through the same cable (11) which can be guided through the base plug-in module (5).

5. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the base plug-in module (5) has a third seal (25) which is suitable is to establish a tight connection between the top of the roof (1) of the vehicle (3) and the base plug-in module (5).

6. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first to fourth fastening interfaces (19) have a respective plug connection and / or screw connection.

7. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first fastening interface (13) and the second fastening interface (15) and / or the third fastening interface (17) and the fourth fastening interface (19) are each designed to form a positive connection with one another.

8. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the adapter module (7) has a connecting cable to supply attachments or superstructures on the roof (1) of the vehicle (3) with electrical energy and / or to conduct data from these to the vehicle.

9. Vehicle (3) with an arrangement according to one of the preceding claims.

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