Antenna window bracket

Disclosed herein is a portable antenna window bracket that securely supports a satellite dish or other over the air type antenna outside a window without the need to drill into or make permanent physical attachment to the window or structure surrounding the window. The portable antenna bracket allows an antenna mounted thereon to be positioned beneath the window, thereby maintaining a clear and unobstructed view through the window. An extender is provided with an antenna receiver and a bridge on distal and proximal ends of the extender, respectively, as well as an interior support of the bridge positioned opposite the extender. An extender support is also provided with first and second edges, with the second edge adapted to abut a surface beneath the window, to support antenna weight and stabilize the antenna bracket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for antenna mounting using a portable bracket that is mountable and dismountable without making a permanent attachment to a window within which the antenna is mounted and that allows reversible antenna positioning.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art

U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,106 to Deeby discloses a window antenna mount with a control to remotely rotate an antenna mounted therein. Deeby teaches a window mount that includes a corner bracket that rests on a sill portion of a window. Deeby utilizes a corner bracket having horizontal and vertical corner braces that attach to respective sides of an exterior of the window by screwing into the window and/or clamping to the exterior windowsill.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,185 to Hacker et al. discloses an antenna support that is mountable on an exterior of a window and is adapted for use with a citizen's band antenna. Hacker et al. provides a bracing member that is secured within a window frame and includes a plurality of horizontal ground plane elements with a boom assembly having a supporting member with a mount section. However, the tensioning of the horizontal members between exterior sides of a window frame taught by Hacker et al. only allows for support of lightweight antennas.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,734,830 to Bickham discloses a portable adjustable stand for mounting and supporting a digital satellite dish antenna without the need to drill holes or to make a permanent physical attachment to a surface of a dwelling, such as by use of screws, bolts, or other fasteners. Bickham provides a stand having a pair of parallel laterally adjustable longitudinal bracket mounting members and a first and second transverse cross member. Bickham requires a horizontal support surface and is not usable in a window.

However, the securing arrangements of such conventional antenna mounts and brackets are incompatible to serve as window mounts, can support only lightweight antennas, or will damage windowsills, which is unacceptable to people who rent or have restricted ownership rights such as condominium or cooperative owners. In addition, conventional antenna brackets undesirably position the antenna in the line of sight that blocks a portion of the view from a window.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes shortcomings of conventional devices by providing a portable apparatus that does not damage a window in which the apparatus is installed, and allows positioning of the antenna beneath a bottom windowsill so as to not impede a line of sight of a building occupant out of the window.

An object of the present invention is to provide a portable bracket installable in a window for mounting an antenna outside and beneath the window. The bracket includes an extender with a mast receiver and a bridge on respective distal and proximal ends thereof. The antenna bracket includes an interior support of the bridge positioned opposite the extender and at least one extender support. The extender support has a first edge and a second edge, with the second edge adapted to abut a surface beneath a window within which the bridge and interior support are positioned, to support the weight of an antenna, regardless of shape or size.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a window antenna bracket having an extender formed in a flat triangular shape provided on a first level thereof. A bridge is provided with a first edge at the first level and a second edge provided at a second level, with a predefined elevation separating the first level of the first edge from the second level of the second edge. A channel is formed in the bridge having a depth that matches the predefined elevation for positioning over a sill of a window to support and facilitate ease of installation of the bracket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1-5illustrate an antenna window bracket100that is mountable on a sill320portion of a window300. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 5, antenna106is installed in an inverted position to provide an unobstructed view through window300. As shown inFIGS. 1-5, the antenna bracket100preferably includes an extender130or external support plate that provides a surface that extends out from the window300in which the bracket100is installed.

The extender130includes an antenna receiver110, also referred to herein as a mast receiver, on a distal end112thereof. As shown in FIGS.1and3-4, one or more mast locks are provided on antenna receiver110, such as set screws108, to fix an antenna mast104and position of antenna106in the mast receiver110. The mast receiver110can be formed as a hollow tube116, as shown inFIG. 2.

A rotation point is preferably provided to alternatively position antenna106in upright or inverse positions. For example, before installing the bracket100, antenna106is affixed to the antenna mast104, which is fixed in the mast receiver110, with the antenna106in an upright position. When in the upright position, a user can easily pass the antenna bracket100with the antenna106through an open window300, and secure the bracket100in the window300, as described below. The user then remotely rotates the antenna106via operation of the rotation joint (not shown), preferably by releasing a safety release pin to allow the mast receiver110to rotate to an inverted position, in which the antenna106rests completely below the line of sight outside of the window300to avoid impairing visibility through window300.

A compass190is preferably fixed on an upper side of the extender130in a position viewable by the user to facilitate exact directional positioning of antenna106, thereby maximizing antenna reception.

The antenna bracket100includes a bridge150at a proximal end114of the extender130. The bridge150includes an interior support180positioned opposite the proximal end114of the extender130. The bridge150also preferably includes a pair of risers on an upper surface thereof that are widthwise adjustable to closely accommodate a bottom edge of the window when closed onto the bridge150, thereby minimizing drafts.

Tighteners184(FIG. 3) are provided to engage and push against an interior portion of the sill320when tightener controllers186(FIGS. 1-3,5) are operated to cinch a first bridge edge152(FIG. 2) against an outer vertical surface of sill320, thereby forming an airtight seal to avoid energy loss when the window300is closed with the antenna bracket100in place. As shown inFIG. 2, the first edge152is preferably substantially parallel to a second bridge edge154.

As shown inFIG. 3, a channel151is preferably provided between the first bridge edge152and the second bridge edge154. As shown inFIG. 5, the channel151fits over a sill320of the window300. In addition, as shown inFIGS. 3-4, a bridge extension159is preferably provided as a channel extender to act as an insulator to prevent draft and heat loss. A plurality of bridge extensions159are preferably provided of a narrower width to match the width of the sill320, thereby stabilizing the antenna bracket100during installation and use with windows of varied dimensions.

A passage159is provided in the bridge extension159to accommodate the coaxial cable165to connect the antenna106to a television167(FIG. 5) or other user device. A balun160is preferably mounted on an underside of the extender130to protect the balun160from rain and other elements. The balun160provides an electrical connection between the antenna106and the television167, with an electrical connection between balun160and television167preferably provided by a flat-type coaxial cable165.

The antenna bracket100includes a plurality of extender supports140, each having a first edge142and a second edge144, which preferably are substantially perpendicular. As shown inFIG. 5, the second edge144abuts a surface330beneath a window300within which the bridge150is installed, thereby supporting the weight of various size antennas106mounted on distal end112of the extender130. The second edge144of the extender support140is preferably provided with rubber non-marring pads to avoid damage to surface330.

The extender130is preferably formed in a flat triangular shape, and preferably is fabricated of metal or composite material with high stiffness. As shown inFIG. 1, the extender130is provided at a first level153shared by the first bridge edge152. The second bridge edge154is provided at a second level155separated from the first level143of the first edge152by a predefined elevation157, which forms a depth of the channel151, to facilitate ease of installation of the bracket100in window300.

The triangular shape of extender130has three sides. As shown inFIG. 2, the first edge152of the bridge150is substantially parallel with a first side132of the extender130. The second side134and the third side136of extender130support a first edge142of respective extender supports140.

As shown inFIGS. 1-2and4-5, elongated slots149are preferably provided on the second side134and on the third side136of extender130to variably position the respective extender support140, thereby allowing for accommodation of windows300that are recessed varied depths from the exterior building surface330.