Abstract:
A method of installing a satellite dish mast, comprises providing a mast member including a generally cylindrical wall and having an aperture therethrough, and providing a level mounted interior of the mast member but visible from outside the mast member through the aperture in the mast member; and adjusting the position of the mast member using the level and securing the position of the mast member.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This is a continuation of applicant&#39;s application, Ser. No. 10/621,799, filed Jul. 17, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,873,304, which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to satellite dishes. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   When installing a small satellite dish (e.g., Ku band) of the type used by DirecTV™, DishNetwork™, Sky™, Bell ExpressVu™, Starchoice™, or other satellite programming provider, the most difficult part of the installation is getting a lock on the satellite. Such dishes are manufactured, for example, by ChannelMaster™ of Smithfield, N.C. One of the items important for success, in addition to the need for a clear line of sight, is the need to make sure that the mast is level. If the mast is not level, a seemingly small error is magnified when rotating the dish to try to find a satellite that is miles away in the sky. 
   While a level can be used, and moved to various positions around the top of the mast, the masts are often not completely cylindrical so it can be hard to line up a level around the mast. Additionally, the mast may be installed relatively high up on a house, making manipulation and viewing of a level difficult. Still further, it may be difficult to adjust a satellite dish and hold a level at the same time. Holding and adjusting a dish does not leave any hands free. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention provides a satellite mast including a level. 
   In some aspects of the invention, a mast includes first and second levels supported by a mast member, viewable from an open end of the mast. The levels are stacked one on top of the other, with the first level oriented generally normal to the second level, generally defining a plus sign when viewed from the open end, so that the open end of the mast can be made level both from left to right and from front to back by looking into the open end of the mast. 
   In some aspects of the invention, a mast assembly is provided including a mast member and a level mounted interior of the mast member but visible from the side of the mast member through an aperture in the mast. This allows the dish mount to slide on to the mast without encountering resistance from the level. Additionally, the level can be viewed without having to access and look into the top of the mast. 
   In some aspects of the invention, a mast assembly is provided including a mast member and a level supported by the mast member, the level including at least one surface generally flush with the exterior of the mast member, wherein the level does not impede sliding movement of a dish mount onto or off of the mast. 
   In some aspects of the invention, a mast assembly is provided including a mast member and at least two levels supported by the mast member, one arranged in a first plane, and arranged to be viewed at a front of the mast and viewable from the front of the mast, and another, arranged generally normal to the first level, arranged in the first plane, and viewable from the side of the mast. The first level can be viewed from the front of the mast and the second level can be viewed at the side of the mast. 
   In some aspects of the invention, the level includes fluid that will not freeze or boil at temperatures the dish may encounter. Different specification levels/dishes may be used in different areas. For example, one could use fluid that will not freeze at above −50 degrees nor boil below +50 degrees Celsius for in extreme climate areas; or, for example, fluid will not freeze at above −40 degrees nor boil below +40 degrees in other areas. 
   In some aspects of the invention, a satellite dish assembly is provided including a mast assembly having a mast member and a level supported by the mast member, viewable from outside the mast member, a dish mount slidably receivable on the mast member, a satellite dish, including a concave signal focusing surface, supported by the dish mount, and an LNBF supported by at least one of the dish mount and the dish arranged relative to the dish to collect the focused signal. 
   In some aspects of the invention, the mast member has apertures therethrough and the level is supported by the mast members using the apertures. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the following accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a satellite dish assembly embodying various aspects of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged, cut-away, perspective view of an area  2  indicated in  FIG. 1  of a mast member of the satellite dish assembly. 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the mast member. 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the mast member. 
       FIG. 5  is a front view of the mast member. 
       FIG. 6  is an enlarged perspective view of the area  2  of  FIG. 1  in an alternative embodiment in which a level is supported in apertures through the mast member. 
       FIG. 7  is an enlarged perspective view of the area  2  of  FIG. 1  in an alternative embodiment in which a level has an exterior surface flush with the exterior surface of the mast member. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1  shows a satellite dish assembly  10  embodying various aspects of the invention. The satellite dish assembly  10  includes a dish member  12  which may be circular or elliptical, for example, when viewed from its front, or any other shape conductive to satellite signal reception. 
   The dish assembly further includes a dish mount or support assembly  14 . The support assembly  14  includes a dish bracket  16  having a plurality of apertures  18  aligned with apertures  20  through the dish member  12  for fastening of the dish member  12  to the support assembly with fasteners  22 ,  23 . The dish bracket  16  may have, for example, a shape complementary to the shape of the back of the dish member  12  for supporting the dish member  12 . 
   The support assembly  14  further includes a support arm  24  for supporting one or more LNBFs  26  in signal collecting relation relative to the front of the dish member  12 . The LNBF  26  and support arm  24  respectively have aligned apertures  28  and  30  using which the LNBF is secured to the support arm  24  in a proper position using a fastener  32 ,  33  such as a nut and bolt, screw or screws, or other fastener. The LNBF(s)  26  may have a multi-switch built in to allow switching between multiple satellites in the dish member  12  is of the type that can collect signals from two adjacent satellites or a multi-switch may be provided in a coax line downstream of the LNBF. 
   The support assembly  14  further includes a mast clamp  34  including a clamp member  36 , typically having an inner cylindrical surface, which receives an upper portion or mast member  40  of mast  42  up to pivot bolt  44 . The mast clamp  34  also includes spaced apart pivot arms  45  on either side of the clamp member  36 . The dish bracket  16  is pivotable relative to the clamp area  36  about pivot bolt  44  to set dish elevation angle. The mast clamp  34  is pivotable about the top end  40  of the mast  42 . 
   The components of  FIG. 1  discussed so far are generally conventional in nature, and any alternative satellite dish assembly design could be employed, except that, in some embodiments, one or both of the pivot arms  45  includes an expanded or additional aperture  36  through which a level  48  or  50 , which will be described below, can be viewed. Additionally, or alternatively, clamp member  36  includes one or more apertures  46  through which the level  48  or  50  can be used. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2–5 , mast  42  is provided including a mast member or upper portion  40  having an open end  52 , and one or more levels  48 ,  50  are mounted interior of the mast member  40  and visible through the open end  52  of the mast member  40 . The mast  42  may also include a pivotable mounting foot  43 . The level or levels  48 ,  50  are supported in the mast  42  by any appropriate means, such as glue, recesses, apertures through the mast  42 , or supports such as those used to hold up hanger rods in closets glued or welded to the inside of the mast  42 . The level or levels  48 ,  50  each include clear glass or plastic housing  54  containing liquid  55  and having therein a bubble  56  which, when the upper portion  40  of the mast is level, will be located between markings  58  and  60  on the housing  54  which are visible from outside the housing  54 . More particularly, in the illustrated embodiment, the level  48  is mounted in the mast member  40  generally normal to the cylinder axis of the mast member  40 . 
   In some aspects of the invention, as shown in  FIG. 3 , mast  42  includes first and second levels  48 ,  50  supported by the mast member  40 , viewable from the open end  52  of the mast  42 . The levels  48  and  50  are stacked one on top of the other, with the first level  48  oriented generally normal to the second level  50 , generally defining a plus sign when viewed from the open end  52 , so that the open end  52  of the mast can be made level both from left to right and from front to back by looking into the open end  52  of the mast  42 . 
   In some aspects of the invention, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the level or levels  48 ,  50  are mounted interior of the mast member  40  but are visible from the side  62  or  66  of the mast member through an aperture  64  or  68  in the mast member  40 . This allows the dish mount  14  to slide on to the mast member  40  without encountering resistance from the level or levels. Additionally, the level or levels can be viewed without having to access and look into the top of the mast. 
   In some aspects of the invention, shown in  FIG. 7  a level or levels  70 ,  72  include at least one surface  74 ,  76  generally flush with the exterior of the mast member, wherein the level does not impede sliding movement of a dish mount onto or off of the mast. The level can have the shape of a portion of a toroid, or have a surface flush with the exterior cylindrical surface of the mast member  40 . Alternatively, the one or two levels can be of a conventional tubular shape, and be mounted interior of the mast member though not necessarily in the general shape of a plus sign when viewed from the open end (e.g., proximate the cylinder wall of the mast). The level may include a peripheral arcuate surface, flush with the exterior cylindrical surface of the mast member  40 , which lies in a circle having a center along the cylinder axis of the mast member  40 . 
   In some aspects of the invention, one or both levels include fluid that will not freeze or boil at temperatures the dish may encounter. Different specification levels/dishes may be used in different areas. For example, one could use fluid that will not freeze at above −50 degrees nor boil below +50 degrees Celsius for in extreme climate areas; or, for example, fluid will not freeze at above −40 degrees nor boil below +40 degrees in other areas. 
   In some aspects of the invention, shown in  FIG. 6 , the mast member  40  has apertures  68  therethrough and the level is supported in the mast member  40  by the apertures  68 . 
   It will be apparent that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.