METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR MOUNTING A DIRECTIONAL ANTENNA IN AN ADJUSTABLE TILTED POSITION

Abstract: A panel antenna (25) is mounted in an adjustable tilted position to an at least approximately vertical mast member (23) through the intermediary of a holding fixture (10), formed as a connected unit and comprising two elongate legs (11, 12), which may be swung a limited angle relatively to each other around a transverse swivelling axis (13), located near their one ends, and which may be releasably locked in desired swivelling positions relatively to each other. One leg (11) of the holding fixture (10) is mounted in a vertical position to the mast member (23) and the antenna (25) is mounted to the other leg (12) of the holding fixture (10) which is set in a position relatively to the first-mentioned leg (11) corresponding to the desired tilt of the antenna (25).

Description: Method and arrangement for mounting a directional antenna in an adjustable tilted position The present invention relates to a method for mounting a directional antenna in an adjustable tilted position to an at least approximately vertical mast member or other at least approximately vertical supporting means. The invention especially relates to such a method, which is suited to be utilized for mounting directional antennas formed as panel antennas. Normally, a panel antenna is provided with mountings which are located at the upper and lower ends of the antenna and by means of which the antenna may be mounted in a vertical position to a mast member or other supporting means. If the antenna is not to be mounted in a strictly vertical position but in an ad¬ justable tilted position, it has previously been mounted to said supporting means through the intermediary of two separate connecting means, namely on the one hand a pivot joint, installed between the mounting provided at one end of the antenna and the supporting means, and on the other hand a rigid rod, installed between the other mounting and the supporting means and movably connected to the supporting means and/or the other mounting in order hereby to permit an adjustment of the tilt of the antenna. However, this method for mounting the antenna is unfavourable in several respects. Firstly, it normally makes it necessary to use different connecting means for antennas of different types as well as for antennas of different size. This is the case especially when it is desired that the possible variation range for the tilt of the antenna should be equal for antennas of different types and sizes. Furthermore, when utili¬ zing said method, it usually is not possible to determine the tilt of the antenna in a convenient and easy manner. The invention has for its purpose to provide an improved method of the kind initially specified, which avoids the above-described and other drawbacks of the previously known method. The method according to the invention proposed for said purpose is primarly characterized by mounting the antenna to said supporting means through the inter¬ mediary of a holding fixture, formed as a connected unit and comprising two elongate legs, which may be swung a limited angle relatively to each other around a transverse swivelling axis, located near their one ends, and which may be releasably locked in desired swivelling positions relatively to each other, one leg of the holding fixture being mounted in a vertical posi- tion to the supporting means and the antenna being mounted to the other leg of the holding fixture which is set in a position relatively to the firstmentioned leg cor¬ responding to the desired tilt of the antenna. The invention eliminates the prior need for having available, when mounting an antenna, connecting means which are especially adapted to the type and size of the antenna in question. The reason is that one and the same holding fixture of the above kind may be uti¬ lized for mounting antennas of various types as well as antennas of various size. Moreover, since the tilt angle of the antenna will correspond to the angle formed between the two legs of the holding fixture, the inven¬ tion also permits the tilt of the antenna to be determined in an easy manner. According to the invention, the antenna may prefer¬ ably be mounted to said other leg of the holding fixture through the intermediary of a rod or other elongate member, which is mounted to said leg in a position in which it extends parallel to said leg. The antenna may be mounted to said rod by means of the fastening means normally delivered together with the antenna to facili- tate its mounting in a vertical position to a vertical mast member. The invention also relates to an arrangement for mounting a directional antenna in an adjustable tilted position to an at least approximately vertical mast member or other at least approximately vertical suppor¬ ting means. The main characteristic features of said arrangement are set forth in claim 3. Further charac¬ teristic features are set forth in claims 4 to 7. Below, the invention is described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention, selected by way of example, and Figure 2 shows a partial perspective view on an enlarged scale of an upper portion of said arrangement. The arrangement shown in the drawings is intended to be utilized for mounting a panel antenna or other directional antenna in an adjustable tilted position to an at least approximately vertical mast member or other at least approximately vertical supporting means, for instance an outer wall of a building. The arrangement comprises an antenna holding fix¬ ture, generally designated 10 and formed as a connected unit. Holding fixture 10 comprises two elongate legs 11 and 12 having the shape of straight tubular members of rectangular cross-section which preferably may consist of aluminium or a suitable aluminium alloy. At their one ends, legs 11 and 12 are pivotally connected to each other by means of a pivot bolt 13 which is supported by two bearing plates 14, fixed to leg 11 and projecting therefrom, and which extends in a transversal direction through leg 12. The other ends of legs 11 and 12 are connected to each other by means of a lockable toggle joint arrangement comprising two pairs of links 15 and 16, having the shape of compara- tively short flat bars. At their one ends, the two links 15 and 16 of each pair are pivotally connected each to one leg 11 and 12, respectively, by means of pivot bolts 17 and 18, respectively, which extend in a trans- versal direction through the legs. Moreover, at their other ends, the two legs 15 and 16 of each pair are pivotally connected to each other by means of a pivot bolt 19 which extends in a transversal direction through the two link pairs and a spacing tube 20 located there- between. At their one ends, all bolts 13, 17, 18 and 19 are provided with enlarged bolt heads, while at their other ends, they have threaded end portions on which nuts are mounted. Hereby, the members pivotally connected to each other by each bolt may be effectively locked in their desired swivelling positions relatively to each other. In order to make it possible to lock the adjacent ends of legs 15 and 16 to each other in an especially effective manner, a toothed washer 21 (Figure 2) is placed on bolt 19 between the two legs of each pair. At each of its two ends, each leg 11 and 12, res¬ pectively, is provided with a mounting 22, welded to the side of said leg turned away from the other leg and formed by two interconnected short L-profile members which extend perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the leg in question. Hereby, each mounting 22 com¬ prises a mounting flange 22A which is displaced in a lateral direction from the leg in question. Figure 1 shows in dash-dotted lines how, by means of its mountings 22, leg 11 may easily be mounted in a vertical position to a vertical mast member 23. If the surface of mast member 23, against which leg 11 is in¬ tended to be applied with its mountings 22, is not strictly vertical but slightly inclined, a shim of suitable thickness may be placed between one mounting and the mast member to make sure that leg 11 will never¬ theless assume a vertical position. Furthermore, Figure 1 also illustrates how a rod 24 may be fixed to leg 12 in a position parallel to said leg in order to carry a panel antenna 25 mounted to said rod. The above-described construction of holding fixture 10 makes it possible in an easy manner to mount antenna 25 to mast member 23 in a tilted position that may be adjusted by means of the holding fixture. Moreover, the utilization of rod 24 makes it possible without difficulty to utilize holding fixture 10 also for mounting an antenna having a vertical length substantial¬ ly longer than the length of holding fixture 10. In order to make it possible in an easy manner to determine the tilt angle of antenna 25 corresponding to the angle between the two legs 11 and 12 of holding fixture 10, the holding fixture is provided with an indication arrangement. This indication arrangement is formed by a thin plate 26 secured to leg 11 and pro- vided with a diagrammatically indicated scale permitting a visual reading of the existing angle between leg 12 and leg 11. The invention is not restricted to the embodiment above described and shown in the drawings. Instead, many other embodiments are feasible within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

Claims: C l a ims 1. A method for mounting a directional antenna in an adjustable tilted position to an at least approximately vertical mast member or other at least approximately vertical supporting means, characterized by mounting the antenna (25) to said supporting means (23) through the intermediary of a holding fixture (10) , formed as a connected unit and comprising two elongate legs (11, 12), which may be swung a limited angle relatively to each other around a transverse swivelling axis (13), located near their one ends, and which may be releasably locked in desired swivelling positions relatively to each other, one leg (11) of the holding fixture (10) being mounted in a vertical position to the supporting means (23) and the antenna (25) being mounted to the other leg (12) of the holding fixture (10) which is set in a position relatively to the first entioned leg (11) corresponding to the desired tilt of the antenna (25) 2. A method according to claim 1, characterized by mounting the antenna (25) to said other leg (12) of the holding fixture (10) through the intermediary of a rod or other elongate member (24) , which is mounted to said leg (12) in a position in which it extends parallel to said leg. 3. An arrangement for mounting a directional antenna in an adjustable tilted position to an at least approxi¬ mately vertical mast member or other at least approxima¬ tely vertical supporting means, characterized in that it comprises a holding fixture (10) for the antenna (25), formed as a connected unit and comprising two elongate legs (11, 12), which may be swung a limited angle relatively to each other around a transverse swivelling axis (13), located near their one ends, and which may be releasably locked in desired swivelling positions relatively to each other, the holding fixture ( 10) being arranged to be mounted with its one leg (11) in a vertical position to the supporting means (23) and to carry the antenna (25) at its other leg ( 12), which may be set in a position relatively to the first- mentioned leg (11) corresponding to the desired tilt of the antenna (25). 4. An arrangement according to claim 3, characterized m that, at their other ends, the two legs (11, 12) of the holding fixture (10) are connected to each other by a lockable toggle joint arrangement (15 - 19) by means of which the two legs (11, 12) may be locked in desired swivelling positions relatively to each other. 5. An arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the toggle joint arrangement (15 - 19) comprises at least one pair of links (15, 16) which, at their one ends, are pivotally connected each to one leg (11, 12) of the holding fixture (10) and which, at their other ends, are pivotally connected to each other, locking means (19, 20, 21) being provided for releasably locking the two links (15, 16) in desired swivelling positions relatively to each other. 6. An arrangement according to any of claims 3 - 5, characterized in that each leg (11, 12) is provided with two mountings (22), which are located at or near respective ends of the leg and by means of which the leg (11, 12) may be connected to said supporting means (23) or to the antenna (25), respectively. 7. An arrangement according to any of claims 3 - 6, characterized in that the holding fixture (10) is pro- vided with indication means (26) for indicating the angle between the two legs (11, 12) of the holding fix¬ ture ( 10) .

Inventors: HEMMERVALL JAN-OLOF, HEMMERVALL, JAN-OLOF
Applicants: CUE DEE PRODUKTER AB, HEMMERVALL JAN OLOF, HEMMERVALL, JAN-OLOF
Application year: 1997
Main classification: H01Q1
IPC codes: H01Q1