Abstract:
The present invention relates to a system for mounting a satellite antenna in a manner to facilitate adjustment of the elevation angle without the use of tools or the need of significant artificial light. The system includes a movable bracket pivotably mounted to a fixed bracket. The satellite antenna is mounted to the movable bracket. A manually operable connector is connected to the movable bracket and the fixed bracket to permit manual adjustment of the elevation angle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/180,202, filed Feb. 4, 2000, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to a mechanism by which the elevation angle of a satellite antenna can be adjusted without the use of tools.  
           [0004]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0005]    With the increased popularity and availability of satellite-based information and entertainment transmissions, such as satellite-based television programming, and internet, satellite antennas (e.g., dish antennas) for receiving satellite signals are being mounted on mobile vehicles, such as recreational vehicles and semi tractors, to provide satellite signal access for the mobile vehicle.  
           [0006]    In order to receive satellite signals, the satellite antenna must be placed in an orientation by which the signals can reach the antenna and be focused and reflected into a receiver. This requires that the azimuth and the elevation angle of the antenna be adjusted to preferred settings depending on the location of the satellite antenna relative to the transmitting satellite. With fixed-based satellite antennas, such as those used on residential homes, the proper azimuth and elevation angles are set with tools in the day time at antenna installation, and because the satellites used for transmitting signals are geosynchronous, the angles do not need to be further adjusted.  
           [0007]    With vehicle-based satellite antennas, on the other hand, the azimuth and elevation angles cannot be set one time and thereafter left unadjusted. For one thing, some satellite antennas must be stowed when the vehicle is actually moving to prevent damage to the satellite antenna due to wind and debris. Thus, the orientation of the antenna cannot be left unchanged when the satellite antenna is stowed, and the azimuth and elevation angles must be reset every time the antenna is re-deployed, both during the day and night. Furthermore, because the vehicle is mobile, the location at which the satellite antenna is deployed changes from deployment to deployment. Therefore, the satellite antenna&#39;s position relative to the geosynchronous satellites changes. Thus, the azimuth and elevation angles must be reset every time the antenna is re-deployed both during the day and night.  
           [0008]    There are presently a number of commercially available mechanisms for mounting satellite antennas to vehicles. One such mechanism for deployably mounting a satellite antenna to the back surface of a vehicle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,092, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference, and is commercially available from Satellite Mobile Systems, Incorporated of Madison, Ala. under the trade name Polekat™. Another mechanism for deployably mounting a satellite antenna, such as a dish, to a vehicle is commercialized by Winegard, Inc. of Burlington, Iowa. Another commercially available mechanism for mounting a satellite dish to a vehicle has been commercialized by Datron, a division of Transco, Inc. which is based in Simi Valley, Calif., DBS-3000”, “DBS-4000” and “CruiseTV.” Another commercially available mechanism for mounting a satellite antenna to a vehicle has been commercialized by KVH Industries, Inc., which is based in Middletown, R.I., under the trademark “TracVision.” 
           [0009]    These mechanisms have some means by which the azimuth angle of the satellite dish can be adjusted and set at the time of deployment. For example, with the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,092, the satellite antenna is mounted atop a rotatable pole that is telescopically coupled to another fixed pole. The antenna can be rotated atop the rotatable pole to thereby adjust the azimuth angle of the antenna, and a locking mechanism is provided to selectively lock the rotatable pole with respect to the fixed pole to thereby set the azimuth angle. Setting the elevation angle is not, however, so easy. The satellite antenna is typically carried on a bracket that can pivot in a vertical plane to allow the elevation angle to be adjusted. A nut and bolt arrangement is provided to arrest the pivoting motion of the bracket to thereby fix the selected elevation angle of the antenna. Accordingly, at least one tool, such as a wrench, is required to selectively loosen or tighten the bolt and nut of the pivoting bracket to thereby allow the antenna elevation angle to be adjusted and to thereafter fix the antenna in the desired elevation angle. In addition, the elevation angle indicators stamped on the side of the bracket cannot be easily read at night even with the aid of artificial light.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    There is consequently a need in the art for a mechanism to mount a satellite antenna to a vehicle in manner that easily facilitates manual adjustment of the elevation angle of the satellite antenna without the need for tools, or other adjustment devices, and can be done during the day or at night.  
           [0011]    Consistent with the principles of the present invention as embodied and broadly described herein, an exemplary embodiment includes a satellite antenna mounting system configured to mount a satellite antenna. The mounting system comprises a fixed bracket adapted to be mounted to an object and a movable bracket pivotably attached to the fixed bracket. The satellite antenna is mounted on the movable bracket. The mounting system also includes a manually operable connector connected to the fixed bracket and the movable bracket. The connector is manually loosenable to permit adjustment of an elevation angle of the satellite antenna relative to the fixed bracket and manually tightenable to fix relative positions of the fixed bracket and the movable bracket. The ease of obtaining the elevation angle is enhanced with the utilization of a reflective material having the range of elevation angles printed thereon, and when combined with an elongated pointer, makes setting the elevation angle very easy during the night as well as during the day. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, explain the objects, advantages, and principles of the invention. In the drawings:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mechanism for deployably mounting a satellite antenna to a vehicle, with the antenna in a stowed position;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 illustrates the mechanism of FIG. 1 after deployment of the satellite antenna;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a side view of a satellite antenna and the manually operable mechanism of the present invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the manually operable mechanism of the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a cross-section along line  5 - 5  in FIG. 4;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the manually operable mechanism with the antenna set in a first elevation angle;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the manually operable mechanism with the antenna set in a second elevation angle; and  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a manually operable securing member. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]    The following detailed description of the present invention refers to the accompanying drawings that illustrate exemplary embodiments consistent with this invention. Other embodiments are possible and modifications may be made to the embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Therefore, the following detailed description is not meant to limit the invention.  
         [0022]    A vehicle, generally indicated at  20 , is partially shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the Figures, the vehicle comprises a semi tractor. A satellite antenna  50  is attached to a back surface  22  of the vehicle  20  by means of a mounting mechanism  30  attached to the back surface  22  of the vehicle  20 . In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting mechanism  30  comprises a telescopic pole assembly of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,092 incorporated above. It will be understood, however, that the mechanism of the present invention can be used in conjunction with any mechanism for mounting a satellite antenna to a vehicle.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 shows the mounting mechanism  30  arranged so that the satellite antenna  50  carried thereby is in a stowed position. That is, the satellite antenna  50  is positioned below a top portion  24  of the vehicle  20 . By being stowed below the top portion  24  of the vehicle  20 , the satellite antenna  50  is protected from wind and debris during forward movement of the vehicle  20 .  
         [0024]    In FIG. 2, the mounting mechanism  30  is shown holding the satellite antenna  50  in a deployed position. In the deployed position, the satellite antenna  50  carried by the deployable mounting mechanism  30  is disposed above a top portion  24  of the vehicle  20 , so that the antenna  50  is able to receive satellite signals  40 .  
         [0025]    As shown in FIG. 3, the satellite antenna  50  includes a focusing/reflecting dish  52  and a receiver element  54  operatively positioned on a receiver arm  56  so as to be able to receive satellite signals reflected and focused by the dish  52 .  
         [0026]    The details of the antenna mounting bracket  60  are shown in FIGS.  3 - 5 . As shown in FIG. 4, the antenna mounting bracket  60  includes a U-shaped member  61  defined by a left side panel  66   a  and a right side panel  66   b  which are arranged in generally parallel, spaced relation with respect to each other and are attached to one another at respective upper ends thereof by a connecting panel  66   c . The receiver arm  56  is attached to the mounting bracket  60  between opposed lower attachment flanges  46   a  and  46   b  at the lower ends of the left side panel  66   a  and right side panel  66   b , respectively. The receiver arm  56  is attached to the flanges  46   a  and  46   b  by means of rivets, welding, screws, bolts or other suitable fastening mechanisms.  
         [0027]    The antenna mounting mechanism  60  further includes a fixed portion  62  that is fixed to the deployable mounting mechanism  30  and with respect to which the U-shaped member  61  can pivot. In the illustrated embodiment, the fixed portion  62  is a cylindrical clam style bracket which is attached to the telescopic pole of the mounting mechanism  30  and is secured thereto by means of bolts  78  tightening the fixed portion  62  onto the telescopic pole. The U-shape member  61  is pivotally attached to the fixed portion  62  by means of a pivot pin  64 . In the illustrated embodiment, pivot pin  64  comprises a bolt extending through aligned apertures formed in the left side panel  66   a , the fixed portion  62 , and the right side panel  66   b.    
         [0028]    The elevation angle of the focusing/reflecting dish  52  can be adjusted and set by pivoting the U-shaped member  61  with respect to the fixed portion  62  fixed to the deployable mounting mechanism  30  and thereafter fixing the U-shaped portion  61  in a desired angle with respect to the fixed portion  62 . As shown in FIG. 5, a securing tab  72   b  extends laterally from a lower end of the fixed portion  62  of the mounting bracket  60 . FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-section of the mounting bracket  60 , and therefore, only the right side securing tab  72   b  is shown. A left side securing tab extends laterally from a left side of the fixed portion  62  but is not shown in the Figures. An appropriately shaped aperture is formed through the right side securing tab  72   b , and a right side securing post  74   b  extends through the aperture formed in the securing tab  72   b  and through a right side arcuate slot  68   b  formed in the right side panel  66   b . In the preferred embodiment, the aperture formed through the right side securing tab  72   b  is a square opening, and the right side securing post  74   b  is a carriage bolt having a square boss formed beneath a head thereof configured and sized to be operatively received within the square aperture formed in the securing tab  72   b . A right side manually operable securing member  70   b  engages the right side securing post  74   b  on the side of the right side panel  66   b  opposite the securing tab  72   b  and can be tightened onto a post  74   b  to draw the securing tab  72   b  into frictional engagement with an inner surface of the right side panel  66   b  to thereby secure the U-shape member  61  with respect to the fixed portion  62 . As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and  6 - 7 , the antenna mounting brackets also includes a left side manually operable securing member  70   a  that engages a left side securing post (not shown) extending through a left side arcuate slot  68   a  formed in the left side panel  66   a.    
         [0029]    As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the manually operable securing members  70   a ,  70   b  are manually operable connectors including a handle portion  82  and a cylindrical portion  84  having an internally threaded bore formed therein that engages the external threads of the associated securing post extending through the corresponding arcuate slot  68   a ,  68   b . As shown, the handle portion  82  is triangular in shape with three apexes  80 . The triangular shape and the apexes  80  permit the securing members  70   a ,  70   b  to be manually tightened and loosened onto and from the securing posts. Accordingly, the U-shaped member  61  of the antenna mounting bracket  60  and the focusing/reflecting dish  52  attached to the U-shaped member  61  can be pivoted with respect to the fixed portion  62  and, by means of the manually operable securing members  70   a ,  70   b  and their associated securing posts, can be fixed in a desired elevation angle without the need for tools.  
         [0030]    An angular scale  76  is preferably provided along a lower edge of the left side arcuate slot  68   a  formed in the left side panel  66   a . The scale  76  assists a user in setting the dish  52  at a specified elevation angle. Typically, an operator can determine a preferred elevation angle for a given location by searching through a database, and determining the required elevation angle for a given location. For example, a truck driver at a rest stop can look-up the elevation angle and other signal acquisition information based on, for example, the zip code of the location at which he happens to be. Thereafter, knowing this information, the truck driver can then set the dish  52  at the desired elevation angle, using the scale  76  and without the need for tools, before deploying the satellite antenna  50  and while it is in a position that is easily accessible. Furthermore, with the utilization of a reflective surface material  90  having the elevation angles printed thereon and an elongated pointer  95  connected to the pivot pin  64  to indicate a selected angle (e.g., constructed of brass or other similar material), setting the elevation angles becomes very easy during the night as well as during the day.  
         [0031]    The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments provides an illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible consistent with the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention.