Abstract:
An antenna mounting assembly includes a stopper, a side wall, a retainer, and a fall-prevention latch on an instrument panel side of the assembly as an integral part of the panel. The fall-prevention latch and a folded part are engaged with each other for holding an antenna body. On the other hand, the antenna body is released from the instrument panel by disengaging the fall-prevention latch from the folded part.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-211239 filed on Aug. 2, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
   FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
   The present disclosure generally relates to a vehicular antenna structure for mounting and dismounting an antenna assembly on an instrument panel. 
   BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
   There is a recent tendency to multi-function vehicles possessing not only such basic functions as running, turning and stopping but also a navigation function which utilizes position measurement by a Global Positioning System (GPS) and a vehicle-to-vehicle communication function. This tendency is becoming more and more conspicuous in quick tempo. Besides, importance is being attached to the design in both interior and exterior of a vehicle. Keeping steps with such a tendency, there also is a tendency that various parts and parts assemblies for fulfilling various functions are attached to the inside of an instrument panel. For example, an antenna assembly for receiving radio waves from road machines such as a GPS and an Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system is also attached to the inside of an instrument panel. As shown in  FIG. 9 , the antenna assembly is attached to a central position of a vehicle front portion in order to keep a good radio wave receiving condition. In  FIG. 10 , a central part in the transverse direction of a vehicle is cut in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and the result is shown in terms of a schematic sectional view. An approximate position of an antenna assembly attached to the inside of the instrument panel is shown in the same figure. 
   In connection with a configuration for mounting the antenna assembly to the instrument panel of a vehicle, such a technique as shown in  FIGS. 11 to 13  is disclosed in Japanese patent literature JP-2004-276770A.  FIG. 11  is a sectional view wherein the antenna assembly and the vicinity thereof shown in  FIG. 10  are enlarged and the appearance of the antenna assembly as attached to the instrument panel is shown in more detail. In the illustrated configuration, an antenna body  31 , together with a bracket  13 , constitutes an antenna assembly  30  (see also  FIGS. 12A and 12B ). Further, the antenna assembly  30  is fixed to an instrument panel  10  together with a bracket  12  which is clamped and fixed with screws  14  to a mounting boss  11  of the instrument panel  10 . 
   In order to effect such an assembly as shown in  FIG. 11 , first, as a preliminary operation, the antenna body  31  is attached to the bracket  13  to complete the antenna assembly  30 , as shown in  FIGS. 12A and 12B . Thereafter, the antenna assembly  30  is attached to the bracket  12  and lastly the bracket  12  is secured with screws  14  to the mounting boss  11  of the instrument panel  10 . 
   In the above configuration, as shown in  FIGS. 13A and 13B , the mounting of the antenna assembly  30  to the bracket  12  is performed by fitting engagement between a fitting portion  15  which is formed on the bracket  12  so as to project upward and a fitting hole  16  formed in the bracket  13 . The mounting in question is easy and does not require such parts as screws. Thus, the configuration is simplified. A worker for the mounting is merely required to slide the bracket  13  in A′ direction until fitting of the fitting portion  15  into the fitting hole  16  along with a guide portion  17  of the bracket  12 . 
   There sometimes is a case where the check of performance and replacement of antenna is required after mounting the antenna assembly  30  to the bracket  12  and fixing it to the instrument panel  10 . In this case, by disengaging the fitting portion  15  and the fitting hole  16  from each other and sliding the antenna assembly in the direction of A, the antenna assembly  30  can be removed easily from the instrument panel  10  (the bracket  12  integral with the instrument panel  10 ). 
   At present, since there are a wide variety of vehicle models, the shape of an instrument panel and the layout of parts attached to the instrument panel differ each vehicle model. It is an essential premise that an antenna assembly should be mounted without interference with other parts attached to the instrument panel. 
   However, in the mounting structure referred to above in connection with the description of the background, in order to avoid the above-mentioned interference, it is necessary that the bracket  12  for fixing the antenna assembly  30  to the instrument panel  10  be designed and fabricated correspondingly to the instrument panel shape and parts layout which differ for each vehicle model. Besides, the bracket  12  is absolutely necessary. Thus, there is a problem of an increase in the number of parts. Moreover, the screws  14  are needed for securing the bracket  12  to the instrument panel. Also in this point the problem of an increase in the number of parts is encountered. 
   Further, when mounting the bracket  12  to the instrument panel  10 , the instrument panel  10  before mounting thereof to the vehicle is turned inside out and a mounting work is performed, with a back side  10 - 1  up, to tighten the screws  14 . However, the working space is limited because many other parts and parts assemblies are installed in the interior of the instrument panel  10 . Thus, the screwing work is not easy. If the worker should drop any of the screws  14  to the interior of the instrument panel  10  by mistake during the work, it is difficult to recover the dropped screw. 
   SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
   In view of the above and other problems, the present disclosure provides an antenna mounting assembly that allows easy mounting and dismounting of an antenna body without an increase of the number of assembly parts. 
   The antenna mounting assembly of the present disclosure includes an instrument panel side mounting section that is integrally formed with an instrument panel of a vehicle having a first engagement unit formed thereon and a bracket that holds a body of an antenna having a second engagement unit formed thereon. When the first engagement unit and the second engagement unit are engaged with each other, the bracket holding the body of the antenna is mounted on the instrument panel side mounting section, and when the first engagement unit and the second engagement unit are disengaged from each other, the bracket holding the body of the antenna is dismounted from the instrument panel side mounting section. 
   According to this configuration, such first bracket and screws for mounting the antenna assembly to the instrument panel as in the foregoing prior art are no longer needed, and the antenna assembly (here a combined assembly of both the antenna body and bracket) can be mounted on the instrument panel easily without an increase in the number of parts. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an antenna mounting assembly in an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  show perspective views of an instrument panel side mounting section of the assembly; 
       FIG. 3  shows an illustration of a front side pressing portion of the mounting section of the assembly; 
       FIG. 4  shows an illustration of a side portion of the mounting section of the assembly; 
       FIG. 5  shows an illustration of an engagement between the instrument panel side mounting section and a bracket; 
       FIGS. 6A to 6B  show perspective views of a body of the antenna and a bracket of the antenna mounting assembly in an assembly process; 
       FIG. 7  shows of a perspective view of an antenna mounting assembly in the embodiment of the present disclosure in an assembly process; 
       FIG. 8  shows of an enlarged perspective view of an antenna mounting assembly in the embodiment of the present disclosure in an assembly process; 
       FIG. 9  shows an illustration of a position of the antenna mounting assembly in a vehicle; 
       FIG. 10  shows another illustration of a position of the antenna mounting assembly in a vehicle; 
       FIG. 11  shows an illustration of an antenna mounting assembly in a prior art; 
       FIGS. 12A and 12B  show other illustrations of the antenna mounting assembly in a prior art; and 
       FIGS. 13A and 13B  show yet other illustrations of the antenna mounting assembly in a prior art. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   An embodiment of the present invention will be described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing schematically a state in which an antenna assembly  30  is mounted to an instrument panel-side mounting section  20  and is thereby loaded to an instrument panel  10 . (Taking the easiness of seeing the drawing into account, the portion of the instrument panel  10  corresponding to  FIG. 10  is cut out in a square shape and is illustrated so that the interior thereof can be seen through). A description will be given below about the configuration of this embodiment. 
   A positional relation in the vehicle concerned is the same as that described above in connection with the prior art. That is, the antenna assembly  30  is disposed at a central part in the transverse direction of the vehicle and in a front portion of the vehicle. The relation of the antenna assembly  30  to the vehicle in the longitudinal, transverse and vertical directions is as indicated with bidirectional arrows  1  to  3 . 
   The bidirectional arrow  1  indicates the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and the bidirectional arrow  2  indicates the transverse direction of the vehicle. A plane defined by the bidirectional arrows  1  and  2  is a horizontal plane. On the other hand, it is the bidirectional arrow  3  that indicates the vertical direction. A description will be given below first about the instrument panel-side mounting section  20 . 
   The instrument panel-side mounting section  20  is formed integrally with the instrument panel  10  by resin molding when fabricating the instrument panel. The instrument panel-side mounting section  20  is for mounting the antenna assembly  30  to be described later.  FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of the instrument panel-side mounting section  20  and  FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of the instrument panel-side mounting section  20  as seen from below. In  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the instrument panel  10  is not shown in order to make the drawings easy to see. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the instrument panel-side mounting section  20  is roughly made up of front pressing portions  21  for mounting the antenna assembly  30 , side portions  22  for holding and smoothly mounting the antenna assembly  30 , a holding portion  23  for holding the antenna assembly  30 , and an anti-dislodgment portion  24  for fixing the antenna assembly  30  to the instrument panel-side mounting section  20  and preventing it from falling off backward of the vehicle. More detailed structures of these components will be described below. 
   As shown in  FIG. 3  (showing the front pressing portions  21  as seen in the vehicular transverse direction), the front pressing portions  21  are square pillar shape projections extending downward from the instrument panel  10  at a predetermined spacing in the vehicular transverse direction. At lower ends of the front pressing portions  21  and at the foremost positions thereof in the vehicle there are formed stoppers  21   a  respectively against which a bracket  32  comes into abutment when the antenna assembly  30  is mounted. Further, at the lower end of each front pressing portion  21  and on the rear side thereof in the vehicle, there are formed a horizontal portion  21   b , the horizontal portion  21   b  being adapted to receive pressure upward by the bracket  32  of the antenna assembly  30  and undergo an elastic deformation to prevent wobbling at the time of mounting the antenna assembly, and a slant portion  21   c  for effecting the mounting smoothly. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2A , the side portions  22  and the holding portion  23  are integral with each other. The side portions  22  comprise long plate members extending downward from the instrument panel  10  and disposed through a predetermined spacing. The holding portion  23  is formed by a horizontal plate member disposed so as to connect lower ends of the pair of plate members of the side portions  22 . The holding portion  23  forms a bottom of the instrument panel-side mounting section  20 . That is, when the side portions  22  and the holding portion  23  alone are seen in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, they are in U-shape. Since the instrument panel  10  serves as a ceiling portion, the side portions and the holding portion define a generally square shape portion under the instrument panel  10  and a hollow portion  40 , which is a generally square shape space, is formed inside the said generally square shape portion. By the “predetermined spacing” as referred to herein is meant a width in the vehicular transverse direction. 
   As shown in  FIG. 4  (a sectional view obtained by cutting the instrument panel-side mounting section  20  along a vertical plane in the vehicular longitudinal direction, the side portions  22  corresponding to both sides of the hollow portion  40  have respective guide portions  22   a  (the solid portion in  FIG. 4 ) extending vertically upward from the holding portion  23  which corresponds to a bottom of the hollow portion  40 . The guide portions  22   a , which are located at the lowest end positions of the side portions  22 , function to guide the antenna assembly  30  when mounting the same assembly. 
   Further, in each side portion  22  there is formed a rear pressing portion  22   b  (the portion enclosed with a broken line in  FIG. 4 ) which projects backward of the vehicle from the rear end face  23   a  of the holding portion  23  serving as a bottom, and a rear-end corner thereof is beveled to form a slant  22   c  for smoothing the antenna assembly mounting work. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , grooves  23   b  are formed in an upper surface of the holding portion  23  to prevent interference between the antenna assembly  30  and the holding portion  23  when mounting the antenna assembly and assist the function of the guide portions  22   a.    
   The anti-dislodgment portion  24  is formed in one of the paired side portions  22  and projects from the side portion  22  backward of the vehicle with respect to the end face  23   a  of the holding portion  23 . As shown in detail in  FIG. 5  (viewing the anti-dislodgment portion  24  and the vicinity thereof vertically from above), the anti-dislodgment portion  24  is made up of a plate-like base portion  24 - 1  projecting backward of the vehicle from the end face  23   a  and a bent portion  24 - 2  extending from a rear end of the base portion  24 - 1  and bent to the hollow portion  40  side in the vehicular transverse direction. 
   The base portion  24 - 1  and the bent portion  24 - 2  are formed as an L-shaped projection (the tip is bent toward the central part of the vehicle) when seen vertically from above. As shown in  FIG. 2B , the rear pressing portion  22   b  of one side portion  22  extends so as to cover the L-shaped portion vertically from above to define a space  41 . The space  41  is a space surrounded by both the L-shaped portion and a lower surface of the rear pressing portion  22   b.    
   When the antenna assembly  30  is mounted, a part ( 34  to be described later) of the antenna assembly  30  is inserted into the space  41 , whereby the antenna assembly  30  is fixed so as not to fall off backward of the vehicle. That is, the bent portion  24 - 2  acts to prevent the antenna assembly  30  from falling off backward of the vehicle. This point will be described in detail later. 
   For insertion of the antenna assembly  30  into the space  41 , the anti-dislodgment portion  24  is formed so as to deflect in the direction of arrow B in  FIG. 2B  upon application thereto of pressure in the arrow B direction in  FIG. 2A  and revert in the opposite direction upon release of the pressure. 
   As shown in  FIG. 5  (viewing the anti-dislodgment portion  24  and the vicinity thereof vertically from above), at the tip of the bent portion  24 - 2  there are formed a slant portion  24   a  as a beveled corner and a plane portion  24   b . The slant portion  24   a  is for smoothing the antenna assembly mounting work, while the plane portion  24   b  is for causing the aforesaid deflection to be induced by the antenna assembly  30  when mounting the same assembly. 
   For forming the portion of such a complicated shape (the instrument panel-side mounting section  20 ) integrally with the instrument panel  10  by resin molding, there may be used a slide mold. More specifically, a first mold (not shown) for forming the anti-dislodgment portion  24 , a second mold (not shown) for forming the side portions  22  and the holding portion  23 , and a third mold (not shown) for forming the front pressing portions  21 , are combined and resin is poured into the combined mold, then the first mold removed by sliding it downward to form the anti-dislodgment portion  24 . Thereafter, the second mold is removed by sliding it backward of the vehicle to form the side portions  22 , holding portion  23  and space  41 . Further, the third mold is removed downward to form the front pressing portions  21 . When removing the second mold, in order to avoid interference between the mold and the molded products, it is preferable for the plane portion  24   b  of the anti-dislodgment portion  24  not to project to the hollow portion  40  side (the hollow portion  40  defined by a part of the instrument panel  10  as a ceiling, side portions  22  as side faces and the holding portion  23  as a bottom) beyond a plane  22   d  of the side portion  22  concerned, as shown in  FIG. 5 . By so doing, it is possible to decrease the number of times of combining the slide molds and obtain a desired shape. In this embodiment, the two planes in question are assumed to be coplanar. 
   Next, the antenna assembly  30  will be further described with reference also to a perspective view of  FIGS. 6A and 6B . As shown in a perspective view of  FIG. 6A , the antenna assembly  30  is made up of an antenna body  31  and a bracket  32  for mounting the antenna body  31  to the instrument panel-side mounting section  20 . The antenna body  31  and the bracket  32  are combined together into such a form as shown by a perspective view of  FIG. 6B . 
   The antenna body  31  has, in the interior of a housing which is generally rectangular as a whole, an antenna element for ETC, an antenna element for GPS and an antenna element for VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication System in operation in Japan), with two cables being drawn out from the housing, one of the cables being for the ETC antenna element and the other being for both the GPS antenna element and VICS antenna element. Plural mounting pawls (not shown) for positioning and mounting the antenna body  31  to the bracket  32  are formed at predetermined positions in a lower surface of the housing. 
   The bracket  32  is formed by a metallic plate which acts as a ground of the above antenna elements. Plural mounting holes  35  are formed in the bracket  32  in predetermined positions correspondingly to the plural mounting pawls (not shown) formed on the lower surface of the antenna body  31 . Additionally, the bracket  32  is formed with a lug  33  projecting in the vehicular width direction in the mounted state of the antenna assembly  30  to the instrument panel  10  and is also formed with a bent portion  34  correspondingly to the anti-dislodgment portion  24  of the instrument panel  10 . Further, end portions (round portions)  36  each having a curve of a circle with radius R are formed at a front end on the vehicle front side of the bracket  32 . The following description is now provided about these portions. 
   The lug  33  extends from an end of the metallic plate in the same direction as the plate surface. When the antenna assembly  30  is mounted to the instrument panel-side mounting section  20 , the tip of the lug  33  presses a lower surface of the rear pressing portion  22   b  formed at a rear end of the associated side portion  22  of the instrument panel-side mounting section  20 , causing it to deflect and thereby preventing wobbling of the antenna assembly. 
   The bent portion  34  is an L-shaped portion formed by being bent in the vertical direction with respect to the plane of the metallic plate. The bent portion  34  comes into fitting engagement with the anti-dislodgment portion  24 , namely, it is fitted into the space  41  shown in  FIG. 5 , and thereby functions to prevent the antenna assembly  30  from falling off backward of the vehicle from the instrument panel-side mounting section  20 . Further, the bent portion  34  functions like the lug  33  and prevents wobbling when mounting the antenna assembly. 
   The round portions  36  are for smoothing the mounting of both the antenna assembly  30  and instrument panel-side mounting section  20 . 
   Now, with reference to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the following description is provided about in what procedure the antenna assembly  30  is mounted to the instrument panel  10 . 
   This procedure is roughly performed as follows. First, a preparatory work is conducted. As shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , the mounting pawls (not shown) of the antenna body  31  are hooked (fitted into) the mounting holes  35  formed in the bracket  32  to mount the antenna body  31  to the bracket, thereby constituting the antenna assembly  30 . In this way the preparatory work for the antenna assembly  30  is completed. 
   Next, as shown in a perspective view of  FIG. 7 , the antenna assembly  30  is slid in the direction of arrow C (advancing toward the vehicle front side from the vehicle rear side) along the side portions  22  and the holding portion  23  of the instrument panel-side mounting section  20  and is started to be inserted into the hollow portion  40 . 
   When starting this insertion, the bracket  32  and the bent portion  24 - 2  of the anti-dislodgment portion  24  may contact each other. However, since the round portions  36  are formed at the front end of the bracket  32  and the slant portion  24   a  is formed at the rear-end corner of the bent portion  24 - 2 , these portions permit more smooth insertion of the bracket  32 . Besides, since the antenna assembly  30  is inserted into the pocket-like hollow portion  40  enclosed with the pair of side portions  22  and the holding portion  23 , it is easy for a worker to set a target for the insertion and mount the antenna assembly  30  to the instrument panel-side mounting section  20  in comparison with the mounting structure that does not have the hollow portion  40 . 
   As the insertion of the antenna assembly  30  in the direction of C in  FIG. 7 , the front end of the bracket  32  reaches the end face  23   a  of the holding portion (also serving as end faces of the guide portions  22   a ) shown in  FIG. 4 . Also in this case, since the front end of the bracket is formed with round portions  36 , the insertion of the bracket  32  inside the guide portions  22   a  can be done smoothly. 
   As the insertion is further continued, an upper surface of the lug  33  of the bracket  32  comes into contact with the slant portion  22   c  of the rear pressing portion  22   b  positioned on the left side and the bent portion  34  comes into contact with the slant portion  24   a  of the anti-dislodgment portion  24  of the instrument panel. Upon further continuance of the insertion, since a back side (vertically lower side) of the bracket  32  is in contact with the upper surface of the holding portion  23 , the bracket  32  itself is in a fixed condition in terms of its vertical movement and the inserted lug  33  presses the lower surface of the rear pressing portion  22   b  upward. As a result, a lower end portion of the rear pressing portion  22   b  undergoes an elastic deformation. On the other hand, the bent portion  34  is moved in the direction of insertion by the slant portion  24   a  of the bent portion  24  of the instrument panel  10  and thereafter presses the horizontal portion  24   b  in the direction of arrow B (in the vehicle transverse direction) shown in  FIG. 8 . Consequently, the whole of the anti-dislodgment portion  24  deflects in the direction of arrow B. 
   As the insertion further continues, an upper end of the bent portion  34  comes into contact with the lower surface of the rear pressing portion  22   b  located on the right side and is pushed in toward the vehicle front side while pressing the lower surface of the rear pressing portion  22   b  upward. In this case, since the rear pressing portion  22   b  is formed with the slant portion  22   c , the insertion of the bracket  32  can be done smoothly. Further, as noted above, since the back side (vertically lower side) of the bracket  32  is in contact with the upper surface of the holding portion  23 , the bracket  32  itself is in a fixed condition in terms of its vertical movement. Consequently, as a result of the upper end of the bent portion  34  being pushed in toward the vehicle front side, the upper end causes the rear pressing portion  22   b  to be elastically deformed upward. At the same time, a front end of the bracket  32  reaches the front pressing portions  21 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the upper surface of the holding portion  23  and the horizontal portions  21   b  of the front pressing portions  21  are substantially flush with each other (that is, the lower surface of the bracket  32  and the horizontal portion  21   b  are substantially flush with each other), but also in this case the slant portions  21   c  permits smooth insertion of the bracket  32  and an upper surface of the bracket  32  is inserted while pressing the horizontal portions  21   b  upward. 
   Lastly, when the bent portion  34  passes the slant portion  24   a  and then the plane portion  24   b  completely, the pressure which has pressed the anti-dislodgment portion  24  in the direction of B is relieved and the deflected anti-dislodgment portion  24  reverts to its original state. As a result, the bent portion  34  is fitted into the space  41  and is fixed while being covered with the bent portion  24 - 2  from the rear side of the vehicle. That is, the bent portion  24 - 2  acts to prevent the antenna assembly  30  from falling off backward of the vehicle. At the same time, an upper surface of the bent portion  34  presses the lower surface of the associated rear pressing portion  22   b  and causes it to deform elastically. Further, the front end of the bracket  32  presses at two positions the horizontal portions  21   b  of the front pressing portions  21  upward, causing the horizontal portions to deform elastically, and at the same time comes into abutment against the stoppers  21   a  and is fixed thereby with respect to the front side of the vehicle. 
   Thus, in this embodiment, the bracket  32  is positioned and disposed on the upper surface of the holding portion  23 , the front end of the bracket  32  is pressed at two positions by the horizontal portions  21   b  of the front pressing portions  21 , and the upper surface of the lug  33  of the bracket  32  and the upper end of the bent portion  34  of the bracket are pressed against the lower surfaces of the rear pressing portions  22   b  respectively, whereby the antenna assembly  30  is loaded to the instrument panel-side mounting section  20 . In other words, the bracket  32  is pressed upward from below by the holding portion  23  and is pressed downward from above by both the front and rear pressing portions  21 ,  22   b , whereby the bracket  32  is held among those portions and the antenna assembly  30  is loaded to the instrument panel-side mounting section  20 . In this state, the antenna assembly  30  is fixed from the front side of the vehicle and is prevented from falling off to the rear side of the vehicle. Consequently, the mounting of the antenna assembly  30  to the instrument panel  10  becomes stable. 
   With the grooves  23   b  formed in the holding portion  23 , the mounting pawls of the antenna body can slide without interference with the holding portion  23  when mounting the antenna body; besides, since it is possible to assist the function of the guide portions, the mounting operation can be done smoothly. 
   Now, with reference to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the following description is provided about the procedure for removing the antenna assembly  30  from the instrument panel  10 . First, pressure is applied in the direction of arrow B in  FIG. 8  to the anti-dislodgment portion  24  of the instrument panel  10 , causing it to deflect. In this state, the antenna assembly  30  is slid in the direction of arrow C′ (backward of the vehicle) in  FIG. 7  and is removed from the instrument panel-side mounting section  20 , whereby the antenna assembly  30  can be removed from the instrument panel  10 . Since the anti-dislodgment portion  24  is provided in one of the paired side portions  22 , the worker can remove the antenna assembly easily, for example, by deflecting the anti-dislodgment portion  24  with his or her one hand and pulling out the antenna assembly with the other hand. 
   According to the structure described above, the antenna assembly  30  is fixed by the instrument panel-side mounting section  20  with ease by sliding the bracket  32  into the hollow space  40  without increasing the number of parts for assembly, thereby increasing the convenience of the worker and reducing the production cost. In addition, the bracket  32  can easily be released from the fixed position by releasing the bent portion  34  from the anti-dislodgement portion  24 , thereby increasing the convenience of the worker for having an access to the body of the antenna. Further, the antenna assembly  30  and the bracket  32  are elastically engaged with each other, thereby being prevented from wobbling. 
   Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. 
   For example, the slant portion  24   a  and the plane  22   d  may not be in the condition of coplanar. That is, the plane  22   d  may protrudes toward the hollow space  40 . 
   Further, a lower surface of the horizontal portion  21   b  and of the rear pressing portion  22   b  may have a small projected portion that extends downward therefrom for preventing wobbling by receiving an upward pressure from the antenna assembly  30 . 
   Furthermore, the number of the front pressing portions  21  may be more than two, or just one instead of two as described in the above embodiment. 
   Furthermore, the holding portion  23  is in a U shape together with the side portions when seen from a rear or a front of the vehicle. That is, the holding portion brides the pair of the side portions. However, the holding portion  23  may not necessarily bridges the side portions. More practically, a portion between two grooves  23  in  FIG. 2A  is not required. By omitting this portion, the amount of the resin for forming this portion is reduced. 
   Furthermore, the antenna body  31  may house a single element antenna such as a GPS antenna element instead of an integrated element antenna having plural elements. 
   Such changes and modifications are to be understood as being within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.