Abstract:
A panel-mounted vehicle antenna module includes exterior and interior components that are joined in a single operation to simultaneously achieve both mechanical fastening of the module and through-the-panel electrical connections of the antenna. The exterior and interior components are equipped with electrical connector terminals that are coupled when the exterior and interior components are joined, and alignment features that ensure accurate alignment of the connector terminals. The exterior component is temporarily retained against the panel, the interior component is temporarily attached to the exterior component, and a bolt is driven from the interior component into the exterior component to complete the mechanical attachment and electrical connections. Electrical cables hard-wired to the interior component are connected to the vehicle wiring harness to complete the installation.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an antenna module for a panel such as the roof of a vehicle, and more particularly to a fastening and electrical connection apparatus for the module. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Factory installation of a panel-mounted vehicle antenna module is often an awkward and time-consuming process. In a typical installation, electrical jumper wires from the antenna module are fed through an opening in the vehicle roof, whereafter the module is fastened to the roof with screws or a threaded nut, and the jumper wires individually connected to a wiring harness in the cabin of the vehicle. See, for example, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,930,643, issued on Aug. 16, 2005, and incorporated herein by reference. What is desired is an antenna module that can be easily and quickly installed without compromising the reliability of the mechanical and electrical connections. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention is directed to an improved panel-mounted antenna module for a vehicle including an exterior component and an interior component that are joined in a single operation to simultaneously achieve both mechanical fastening of the module and through-the-panel electrical connections of the antenna. The interior and exterior components are equipped with electrical connectors that are coupled when the interior and exterior components are joined, and alignment features that ensure accurate alignment of the connector terminals. The exterior component includes a gasket that seals against the panel, and a set of metal tangs that temporarily retain the exterior component in position while the interior component is installed from the panel interior. The interior component includes a set of resilient hooks that engage a shoulder of the exterior component to temporarily retain the interior component in place, and a bolt that is tightened to complete the electrical connections and to permanently join the interior and exterior components. Preferably, the interior component also includes a set of electrical jumper cables that are hard-wired to the respective electrical connectors to simplify connection of the module to the vehicle wiring harness. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a panel-mounted vehicle antenna module according to the present invention; 
           [0005]      FIGS. 2A-2D  are cross-sectional views of interior and exterior components of the antenna module of  FIG. 1  during its installation on a vehicle panel.  FIG. 2A  illustrates the exterior component temporarily retained in place on the panel and an initial positioning of the interior component;  FIG. 2B  illustrates temporary mechanical retention of the interior component;  FIG. 2C  illustrates partially completed permanent attachment of the interior and exterior components and their electrical connector terminals; and  FIG. 2D  illustrates the completed permanent attachment of the interior and exterior components. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0006]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the reference numeral  10  generally designates the panel-mounted antenna module of this invention, disassembled in part to more clearly illustrate its constituent elements, and the reference numeral  12  designates an exterior panel of a vehicle, such as a roof panel. In general, the antenna module  10  includes an exterior component  14  that is installed against an exterior or outside surface of the panel  12 , and an interior component  16  that is installed against an interior or inside surface of the panel  12  (that is, from inside the vehicle cabin if the panel  12  is a roof panel). 
         [0007]    The exterior component  14  of antenna module  10  includes an electrical assembly  18 , a metal retainer clip  20 , a housing  22 , and a rubber or polymeric gasket  24 . The electrical assembly  18  includes a printed circuit board  26  and a three-terminal FAKRA-standard SMB connector  28  electrically coupled at its base  30  to the inboard face of circuit board  26 . A conventional exterior-mount antenna assembly (not shown) such as depicted in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,930,643 is fastened to housing  22  and electrically coupled to the outboard face of circuit board  26 . Various electronic devices (also not shown) mounted on the circuit board  26  condition the received radio frequency signals and couple them to the connector terminals  28   a ,  28   b ,  28   c . The retainer clip  20  includes a set of three prongs or tangs  32   a ,  32   b ,  32   c  that nest between the connector terminals  28   a ,  28   b ,  28   c  and extend toward the panel  12 . The housing  22  has a central Y-shaped boss  34  with a threaded central opening  34   a , and an alignment post  35 . The boss  34  has a first set of peripheral openings  36  through which the connector terminals  28   a - 28   c  pass, and a second set of peripheral openings  38  through which the tangs  32   a - 32   c  of retainer clip  20  protrude. A third set of openings  40  in the inboard face of boss  34  are used for temporary mechanical attachment of the exterior and interior components  14  and  16  as explained below. A standoff post  42  extending out of boss  34  toward panel  12  presets the installed spacing between exterior and interior components  14  and  16 . Finally, the housing  22  includes a trough  44  at its periphery for receiving the outer periphery  24   a  of gasket  24 ; the inner periphery  24   b  of gasket  24  seats against the base of housing  22  adjacent a housing lip  46  surrounding the boss  34  and alignment post  35 . 
         [0008]    The panel  12  is provided with a major opening  50  for receiving the housing boss  34  and terminals  28   a - 28   c , and a minor opening  52  for receiving the housing alignment post  35 . The orientation of the openings  50  and  52  serve to properly align the antenna module  10  relative to the panel  12 . The inner periphery  24   b  of gasket  24  seals around the panel openings  50  and  52 , while the outer periphery  24   a  of gasket  24  seals around the housing  22  of exterior component  14 . The tangs  32 - 32   c  of retainer clip  20  protrude radially outward from the boss openings  38 , and engage the inner periphery of the panel  12  about the major opening  50  when the exterior component  14  is pushed into place on panel  12  by an installer. This temporarily retains the exterior component  14  in place on the panel  12  while the interior component  16  is installed. 
         [0009]    The interior component  16  includes a connector assembly  60  and a clamp assembly  62 . The connector assembly  60  has a housing  64  in which are mounted a set of three FAKRA-standard SMB connector terminals  65  designed to mate with the connector terminals  28   a - 28   c  of exterior component  14 . A set of cables  66  applied to the connector terminals  65  pass through a sidewall of housing  64 , and terminate in connectors (not shown) for attachment to a wiring harness in the vehicle cabin. The housing  64  also includes an opening  67  for receiving the standoff post  42  of exterior component  14 , and a set of three integrally fashioned finger hooks (hidden in  FIG. 1 ) that are received in the boss openings  40  of exterior component  14  to effect temporary mechanical attachment of the interior and exterior components  14  and  16  during their installation on panel  12 . The clamp assembly  62  includes a three-legged metal clip  68  and a captive bolt  70  that is received in the threaded opening  34   a  of boss  34  for permanent attachment of the exterior and interior components  14  and  16 . The legs  72  of clip  68  pass through suitable openings in the connector assembly housing  64 , and the bolt  70  passes through a central opening  74 . The clip  68  is retained in the housing  64  by tangs  76  formed on the ends of the legs  72 . 
         [0010]    The sectional views of  FIGS. 2A-2D  are taken through the bolt  70  and alignment post  35 , and illustrate an installation of the exterior and interior components  14  and  16  of antenna module  10  on panel  12  and the functionality of the aforementioned constituent elements.  FIGS. 2A-2D  depict one of the previously mentioned but un-shown finger hooks  80  of interior component housing  64 . 
         [0011]    In the view of  FIG. 2A , the exterior component  14  is placed in position on the exterior surface of panel  12 , with the boss  34 , connector terminals  28  and retainer tangs  32   a  passing through the major opening  50  of panel  12 , and the alignment post  35  passing through the minor opening  52 . Significantly, the tangs  32   a - 32   c  of retainer clip  20  seat against the inside surface  12   a  of panel  12  to temporarily retain the exterior component  14  in place while the interior component  16  is being installed.  FIG. 2A  also depicts the interior component  16  being positioned from inside the vehicle cabin for attachment to the installed exterior component  14 . In the illustrated position of interior component  16 , the finger hooks  80  of connector assembly housing  64  have not yet protruded through the openings  40  of boss  34 , and the standoff post  42  has not yet entered the opening  74  of housing  64 . 
         [0012]    In the view of  FIG. 2B , the circuit board  26 , connector terminals  28  and gasket  24  have been omitted for convenience, and the interior component  16  is advanced toward the installed exterior component  14  so that the unthreaded stub  70   a  of bolt  70  is piloted into the opening  34   a  of boss  34 . Also, the standoff post  42  has entered the opening  74  of connector assembly housing  64 . The interface between bolt stub  70   a  and the opening  34   a  of boss  34  centers the interior component  16  with respect to the exterior component  14 , while the interface between standoff post  42  and the opening  74  of housing  64  ensures accurate initial alignment of the connector terminals  28  and  65 . At the same time, the finger hooks  80  of connector assembly housing  64  protrude through the boss openings  40  and resiliently engage an internal shoulder  75  of boss  34  to temporarily attach the interior component  16  to the installed exterior component  14 . At this stage, the finger hooks  80  temporarily attach both the exterior and interior components  14  and  16  to panel  12 , and such components do not need to be manually held in place by the installer. 
         [0013]      FIGS. 2C and 2D  illustrate the process of permanently attaching the exterior and interior components  14  and  16  to panel  12  by driving the bolt  70  into the threaded opening  34   a  of boss  34 . In the view of  FIG. 2C , the bolt  70  has been advanced to the point where the legs  72  of clip  68  contact the interior surface of panel  12 . Also, the electrical terminals  28  and  65  of exterior and interior components  14  and  16  begin to engage, and complementary features on the boss  34  and the connector assembly housing  64  ensure accurate alignment of the connector terminals  28 ,  65  as they come together. In the view of  FIG. 2D , the bolt  70  has been driven to the point where the base of clip  68  adjacent the bolt  70  engages the standoff  42  of boss  34 , limiting the travel of bolt  70 . At this point, the connector terminals  28 ,  65  are fully coupled and the gasket  24  is pressed against the exterior surface of the panel  12 . The legs  72  of clip  68  are allowed to yield or buckle as shown in this final stage of attachment, which compensates for variations in the thickness of panel  12  and cumulative dimensional variations in the antenna assembly due to individual component tolerances. Once the antenna module  10  has been so installed, the cables  66  are connected to the vehicle wiring harness, completing the installation. 
         [0014]    In summary, the present invention provides an antenna module that is easily and quickly installed by one person if desired, while ensuring secure mechanical attachment and reliable electrical connections. While the present invention has been described with respect to the illustrated embodiment, it is recognized that numerous modifications and variations in addition to those mentioned herein will occur to those skilled in the art. For example, the antenna module  10  may be mounted on a panel other than a roof panel, the standoff post  42  could be mounted on the interior component  16  instead of the exterior component  14 , and so on. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but that it have the full scope permitted by the language of the following claims.