Abstract:
Several different embodiments are illustrated for attaching, supporting or mounting a portable satellite antenna on a vehicle or supported by the vehicle. In two of the embodiments, the satellite antenna is secured to the roof rack of the vehicle. In a third embodiment, the satellite antenna is secured to the upper ends of the sides of a pickup truck. Alternative methods for mounting or supporting the portable satellite antenna are also disclosed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to a means for mounting a portable satellite antenna on a vehicle and more particularly to a means for mounting a portable satellite antenna on the roof rack of a vehicle or on the sides of the box of a pick-up truck. This invention further relates to an antenna supporting structure which is stabilized by a tire of a vehicle. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Many ways of mounting a portable satellite antenna have been previously provided but it is not believed that any of the previous devices enable a portable satellite antenna to be quickly and easily mounted on the roof rack of a vehicle or on the box of a pick-up truck. In any device for mounting a portable satellite antenna on a vehicle, a problem encountered is that the vehicle will not always be perfectly level with the result being that the mast of the satellite antenna will not be plumb. It is important to be sure that the mast is level or plumb in any installation. If it is not plumb, the elevation setting of the antenna will be incorrect. Further, the problem encountered in the mounting of a portable satellite antenna on a vehicle is that the antenna does not interfere with the normal use of the vehicle which is extremely important when the vehicle is being used for tailgating functions or the like. A further problem encountered in the mounting of a portable satellite antenna on a vehicle is that the vehicle must not interfere with the reception of the satellite signal by the antenna. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Four different methods of mounting or supporting a portable satellite antenna on a vehicle are disclosed with two of the methods enabling the portable satellite antenna to be mounted on the roof rack of a vehicle with the third method enabling the portable satellite antenna to be mounted on the box of a pick-up truck. The fourth method of supporting the satellite antenna includes a tire of the vehicle. In the first mounting method, the mounting structure for the antenna is secured to and is extended between the longitudinally extending side rails of the roof rack. In the second method, the mounting structure for the antenna is secured to and extends between a pair of transversely extending rack members which are selectively slidably mounted on the side rails of the roof rack. In the third method, the mounting structure is secured to and is extended between the upper ends of the side walls of the box of the pick-up truck. In the fourth method, a tire of a vehicle is positioned upon a base plate with a mast or pole extending upwardly therefrom upon which the antenna is adjustably mounted. 
         [0006]    In the first three installations, a vertically disposed tubular member is connected to an adjustable base plate with the base plate being secured to the upper end of a swivel with the lower end of the swivel being secured to a fixed plate positioned below the base plate with the fixed plate being secured to a mounting structure. A bubble level is provided on the base plate so that the tubular member may be oriented in a plumb condition regardless of the attitude or levelness of the vehicle. The mast of the satellite antenna is slipped over the upstanding tubular member and is held in place by means of a locking bolt or stud. Preferably, a compass is also provided on the upper surface of the base plate to aid a person in rotating the mast with respect to the tubular member so that the proper azimuth alignment of the antenna is achieved. The fourth installation also includes the adjustable mounting structure so that the proper azimuth alignment of the antenna is achieved. A fourth structure is also described for mounting the antenna on a picnic table or the like. Yet another structure is disclosed for mounting a flag on the roof rack of the vehicle. 
         [0007]    It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide novel means for mounting or supporting a portable satellite antenna on or with a vehicle. 
         [0008]    A further object of the invention is to provide a means for mounting a portable satellite antenna on the roof rack of a vehicle. 
         [0009]    Yet another object of the invention is to provide a means for mounting a portable satellite antenna on the upper ends of the side walls of a pick-up truck box. 
         [0010]    A further object of the invention is to provide a mounting means for a portable satellite antenna including means for quickly and easily plumbing a supporting tube so that the mast of the antenna when placed thereon will be plumb. 
         [0011]    Yet another object of the invention is to provide a means for mounting a portable satellite antenna on a vehicle which is quickly and easily mounted thereon. 
         [0012]    These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the means for mounting a portable satellite antenna on a vehicle; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the structure of  FIG. 2  with portions thereof cut away to more fully illustrate the invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of a vehicle having a satellite antenna mounted on the roof rack of a vehicle by way of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a partial perspective view of the roof rack of the vehicle of  FIG. 4  and the mounting structure of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a rear perspective view illustrating the means for mounting a portable satellite antenna on the sides of a pickup truck; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a rear view of the structure shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is a partial perspective view of one end of the mounting structure which secures the mounting structure to the pickup truck of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is a partial perspective view of a means for mounting a flag on the roof rack of the vehicle; 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is a partial perspective view illustrating another embodiment for mounting a portable satellite antenna on the roof rack of a vehicle; 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  is a partial perspective view of illustrating an embodiment wherein the antenna mounting structure is secured to a picnic table or the like; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of illustrating a further means for supporting a satellite antenna structure on a vehicle. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    In the drawings, the numeral  10  refers to vehicle such a van, SUV or the like which has a roof rack  12  mounted thereon. Roof rack  12  normally includes a pair of longitudinally and horizontally spaced apart side rack members or rails  14  and  16  and which has two or more transversely extending rack members or rails  18  and  20  slidably adjustably mounted on the rails  14  and  16 . 
         [0026]    In  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the numeral  22  refers to a pick-up truck having a box or bed which includes upstanding side walls  24  and  26  having upper ends. 
         [0027]    In the drawings, the numeral  28  refers to a conventional satellite antenna including a reflector or dish  30 , reflector support  32 , LNB horn  36 , and an LNB support arm  38  extending therefrom to the mounting bracket assembly  40  of the antenna  28 . The mounting bracket assembly  40  includes conventional means for adjusting the elevation of the reflector  30  and means for adjusting the skew of the reflector  30 . Normally, a mast extends from the mounting bracket assembly  40  for connection to another mounting bracket which may be secured to a post, building, etc. In this case, the conventional mast has been replaced by a tubular mast member referred to generally by the reference numeral  42 . A threaded bolt extends inwardly in to the mast member  42  and is referred to generally by the reference numeral  44 . 
         [0028]    The numeral  46  refers to the first mounting means of this invention while the numeral  48  refers to the second mounting means of this invention with the numeral  50  referring to the third mounting means of this invention. A mounting means  51  is also described for supporting the satellite antenna with the tire of a vehicle. 
         [0029]    Mounting means  46  includes a support structure  52  which is length adjustable and which has brackets or connectors  54  and  56  secured to the outer ends thereof. The brackets or connectors  54  and  56  are secured to the side rails  14  and  16  of the roof rack  12  of the vehicle, as seen in  FIG. 4 . As seen, the brackets  54  and  56  are C-shaped in cross section and are adapted to receive the inner sides of the rails  14  and  16 . Locking bolts  58  and  60  extend downwardly through the brackets  54  and  56  respectively for engagement with the upper surface of the rails  14  and  16  respectively to hold the support structure  52  in place. 
         [0030]    Plate  62  is secured to and extends between the support members  64  and  66  of support structure  52  by welding or the like and is adapted to rotatably support the lower ends of three adjustment bolts  68 ,  70  and  72  which extend upwardly therefrom. 
         [0031]    A collar  74  is welded to plate  62  and receives the lower end of swivel ball assembly  76  therein. The upper end of the swivel ball assembly  76  is welded to plate  78  which is adjustably positioned above plate  62 . Three lock nuts  80  are welded to the underside of plate  78  and threadably receive the adjustment bolts  68 ,  70  and  72  therein. The upper ends of the bolts  68 ,  70  and  72  each have a wing nut  82  welded thereto. 
         [0032]    The upper surface of plate  78  is provided with a bubble level  84  and is also provided with a compass  86 . A tubular support  88  has its lower end secured to the center of plate  78  by any convenient means and extends upwardly therefrom. The tubular support  88  is adapted to be selectively rotatably received by the lower end of mast member  42 , as seen in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0033]    The length adjustable support structure  52  is positioned between the rails  14  and  16  of the roof rack  12  and adjusted until the brackets  54  and  56  receive the rails  14  and  16 , as seen in  FIG. 4 . The locking bolts  58  and  60  are then threadably rotated until the lower ends thereof engage the rails  14  and  16  to maintain the support structure  52  and the mounting means  46  in place on the roof rack  12 . The vehicle may be driven to the desired location for tailgating, picnics, etc. At that time, the adjustment bolts  68 ,  70  and  72  are adjusted so that plate  78  is level and the tubular support  88  is plumb, as indicated by the bubble level  84 . The antenna  28  may then be mounted on the tubular support  88  by lowering the mast member  42  onto the support  88 . The antenna may then be rotated with respect to support  88  until the antenna is aimed along the proper azimuth as indicated by the compass  86 . The locking bolt  44  is then tightened to maintain the antenna  28  in position. The azimuth, elevation and skew of the antenna is determined by way of a look up table based on the zip code of the location of the vehicle. The fact that the tubular support  88  is plumb, regardless of the levelness of the vehicle, ensures that the elevation and skew of the receiver will be accurate which is not possible if the tubular support  88  and mast member  42  are not plumb. 
         [0034]    The television in the vehicle or adjacent the vehicle may then be turned on to enhance the tailgating and/or picnic activities. 
         [0035]    The mounting means  48  is quite similar to the mounting means  46  except it is positioned between the transversely extending rails  18  and  20  and clamped thereto, as illustrated in  FIG. 10 , rather than being extended between the rails  14  and  16  and secured thereto. As seen in  FIG. 10 , the mounting means  48  includes a clamping structure  90  which is clamped onto the rails  18  and  20 . The remaining structure on mounting means  48  is identical to mounting means  46  except that the plate  78  has downwardly extending flanges F. 
         [0036]    The mounting means  50  is almost identical to mounting means  46  except that the brackets  54  and  56  are secured to the upper ends of the side walls  24  and  26  of the pickup truck  22  and that the locking bolts  58 ′ and  60 ′ extend downwardly through the brackets  54  and  56  rather than upwardly through the brackets  54  and  56 , respectively. The positioning of the bolts  58 ′ and  60 ′ in mounting means  50  is merely to avoid upwardly extending protrusions which might be a nuisance. 
         [0037]      FIG. 9  illustrates a mounting structure  92  for a flag  94  which may be clamped onto rails  18  and  20  of rack  12 . Structure  92  includes a tubular support  96  which extends upwardly from mounting structure  92  which is adapted to receive the pole  98  of the flag  94 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 11  illustrates a mounting structure  100  which is substantially identical to mounting structure  50  except that the brackets  54 ′ and  56 ′ in the  FIG. 11  structure corresponding to brackets  54  and  56  in mounting structure  50  face inwardly towards one another so that the brackets  54 ′ and  56 ′ at the opposite ends of structure  100  may receive the side edges of a picnic table  102  or the like and be clamped onto the table  102 . The mounting structure  100  is identical to mounting structure  50  in all other aspects. 
         [0039]      FIG. 12  illustrates a further means for supporting a satellite antenna by a vehicle and which is referred to by the reference numeral  51 . In  FIG. 12 , a rectangular, flat plate  104  is placed on the ground and is adapted to have a vehicle tire or wheel  105  positioned thereon. A support channel  106  is welded to one end of plate  104  and has a tubular support  108  extending upwardly therethrough. Pipe  110  is selectively mounted on tubular support  108  and held in place by locking bolt  112 . A tubular support  114  extends downwardly from base plate  62  and which is received by the upper end of pipe  110  and selectively rotatably maintained therein by locking bolt  116 . All of the antenna mounting structure above plate  62  is identical to that shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0040]    In use, plate  104  is placed on the ground and the vehicle is driven so as to place one of the tires thereof thereon. Pipe  110  is placed on tubular support  108  and locked in place by locking bolt  112 . The tubular support  114  and the mounting structure thereabove and the antenna are then mounted on the upper end of pipe  110 . The plate  78  is then leveled as described hereinabove so that the tubular support  88  is plumb. The mast member  42  is then rotated until it is aligned on the proper azimuth, at which time the locking bolt  44  is tightened. The weight of the vehicle on the plate  104  stabilizes the antenna  28 . 
         [0041]    Thus it can be seen that a novel means has been provided for mounting a portable satellite antenna on a vehicle which includes adjustment means to ensure that the mast of the antenna will be plumb. It can also be seen that the means of this invention enables a satellite antenna to be quickly installed on a vehicle and quickly and easily adjusted. 
         [0042]    Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.