Ball Joint Mount With Threaded Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ball joint mounts for wireless customer-premises equipment or customer-provided equipment terminals and antennas require precise adjustment and multiple steps for installation, often necessitating tools and complex assembly, limiting user flexibility and ease of use.
Innovation Solution
A ball joint mount comprising a hollow socket mechanically coupled to a spherical member with a locking mechanism, featuring threaded engagement to securely hold the spherical member in place, allowing for easy adjustment and locking of the antenna's position in three axes without the need for complex assembly or tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional ball joint mount with enclosed bearing stud and socket is used, then the structure is stable and secure, but the installation and adjustment require multiple steps, tools, and complex assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The ball joint mount is divided into separable components: a spherical member with external threads and a hollow socket with internal threads. This segmentation allows the components to be easily assembled and disassembled without complex tools, while still providing stable operation when connected. The spherical member can be independently attached to the antenna, and the hollow socket can be separately mounted to the support structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is extracted from the traditional enclosed ball joint design. Instead of requiring multiple fasteners and tools to lock the antenna in position, the patent uses a simple threaded connection where the hollow socket screws onto the spherical member. This extraction of the locking function simplifies the overall assembly process while maintaining positional stability.
2Measurement precision
If precise azimuth/elevation angle positioning is required, then signal transmission efficiency is improved, but the user must know the probable best position prior to making fine adjustments with limited range
Solution Approach 1:
The ball joint mount provides dynamic adjustability through its spherical geometry and threaded connection. The antenna can be positioned at any orientation within the spherical sector surface range, and the threaded locking mechanism allows for fine adjustments to be made after initial positioning. This dynamic design eliminates the need to pre-know the optimal position, as users can freely adjust and then lock the antenna at the desired azimuth and elevation angles.
3Reliability
If multiple fasteners and tools are used to lock the antenna in position, then the mounting is secure and stable, but the installation process requires several operations and procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting function and locking function are merged into a single threaded connection between the hollow socket and spherical member. This unified design eliminates the need for separate mounting and locking operations, allowing the antenna to be securely attached and positioned in one continuous action. The threads provide both the mechanical connection for stability and the locking mechanism for position fixation.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the bearing stud retains freedom to move within the socket, then the joint allows motion adjustment, but the spherical member cannot readily be held in place
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded connection acts as an intermediary mechanism between the spherical member and hollow socket. The external threads on the spherical member engage with the internal threads of the hollow socket, providing a mechanical interface that allows for both motion during adjustment and secure positioning when locked. The threads translate rotational motion into linear displacement, enabling the spherical member to be held at any position along the threaded engagement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables simplified and flexible installation of antennas, allowing users to adjust and lock the antenna's position efficiently, ensuring optimal signal alignment and stability under various environmental conditions.
Implementation Method 1
threading the locking part with male threads and the hollow socket with female threads, enabling the user to screw the locking part onto the hollow socket holding the spherical member in place
Implementation Method 2
The hollow socket and spherical member can be made with a coarse finish or other way to increase the friction, so when the locking part is tightened even by hand, it can create a strong friction forces sufficient to fix the position of the spherical member
Data Source
AI summary
An improved antenna ball joint mount is provided that includes a hollow socket mechanically coupled to a spherical member with a locking part. The hollow socket and the spherical member are fully detachable to simplify the installation of an antenna. A user is able to set a position of the antenna to any point on a spherical sector surface within a range of motion allowed by a shape of joint components and rotate the antenna around own axis to adjust a polarization plane and then lock the mount in a predetermined position.