Patent Publication Number: US-6661387-B2

Title: Antenna device for attaching onto various objects

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an antenna device, and more particularly to an antenna device for attaching onto various objects with magnetic members. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Typical antenna devices are attached to or received in the front or rear portions of the vehicles, and may be extended outward for receiving signals from the other broadcasting stations. However, the antenna devices may not be moved or changed to the other places or positions. In addition, the antenna devices normally have no light devices for generating warning lights, particularly during the night or in the dark environment. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional antenna devices. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an antenna device for attaching onto various kinds of objects with magnetic members. 
     The other objective of the present invention is to provide an antenna device which may be moved or adjusted to various places or positions of the vehicles. 
     The further objective of the present invention is to provide an antenna device having a light device for generating warning lights during the night or in the dark environment. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an antenna device comprising a seat, an antenna member secured on the seat, a circuit board disposed between the seat and the antenna member, a light device attached to the circuit board, means for energizing the light device, and means for magnetically attracting the seat to an object, such as the vehicle, and for allowing the seat of the antenna device to be attached onto various kinds of objects with the magnetically attracting means, and for allowing the antenna device to be moved or adjusted to any suitable positions or places of the vehicle. The light device may generate the lights or the decorative lights. 
     The magnetically attracting means includes at least one magnetic member secured to the seat for attracting onto the object. 
     The magnetically attracting means includes at least one casing having a space formed therein for receiving the magnetic member. 
     The magnetically attracting means includes a protective cover layer attached to a bottom of the magnetic member for shielding and protecting the magnetic member. 
     The seat includes an upper wall having at least one hub extended upward therefrom, the circuit board includes at least one notch formed therein for receiving the hub and for securing the circuit board on the upper wall of the seat. 
     The antenna member includes a base engaged onto the upper wall of the seat, and includes at least one stud extended downward from the base and engaged with the hub, and a fastener engaged through the hub and engaged with the stud. 
     The seat includes a peripheral recess formed in the upper wall thereof, and a sealing ring engaged in the peripheral recess of the seat and engaged with the antenna member for making a water tight seal between the seat and the antenna device. 
    
    
     Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an antenna device in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the antenna device; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the base portion of the antenna device; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along lines  5 — 5  of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the attachment of the antenna device onto the vehicle; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the other arrangement of the antenna device; 
     FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating one example of the electric circuit of the antenna device; and 
     FIGS. 9,  10 ,  11  are diagrams similar to FIG. 8, illustrating the other examples of the electric circuit of the antenna device. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-5, an antenna device in accordance with the present invention comprises a seat  30  including an upper wall  31 , and a chamber  32  formed therein and formed or defined by a peripheral wall  33 . The seat  30  further includes a peripheral recess  34  formed in the upper portion thereof for receiving a sealing ring  35  therein, and includes one or more hubs  36  extended upward from the upper wall  31  thereof, and includes one or more orifices  37  formed in the hubs  36  respectively and formed through the upper wall  31  thereof, and includes one or more screw holes  38  formed therein. 
     An antenna member  20  includes a base  21  having a cone shape or frustum shape, and having a lower peripheral portion  22  engaged onto the upper wall  31  of the seat  30  and/or engaged onto the sealing ring  35  which may make a water tight seal between the base  21  of the antenna member  20  and the seat  30  (FIG.  3 ). The antenna member  20  includes an extension  23  extended from the base  21 , and includes one or more studs  24  extended inward of the inner space  25  of the base  21 . The extension  23  may be formed into different lengths (FIGS. 1,  7 ). One or more fasteners  26  may engage through the orifices  37  of the hubs  36  and may be threaded to the extensions  23  for securing the antenna member  20  to the seat  30 . 
     A circuit board  40  is disposed on top of the upper wall  31  of the seat  30 , and includes one or more notches  41  formed therein for receiving the hubs  36  and for preventing the circuit board  40  from rotating relative to the seat  30 . One or more light devices  42  (FIGS. 1-3 and  6 - 11 ), such as the light emitting diodes  42  may be attached to the circuit board  40  for generating warning lights or decorative lights. One or more solar cells or the other batteries  47  may be provided and attached to the circuit board  40  for energizing the light devices  42 . 
     One or more switches  43  (FIGS. 1-3 and  6 - 11 ), such as the vibrator switches, or the switches for detecting vibrations or shocks or the like, may further be provided and attached to the circuit board  40 , and may be disposed between the batteries  47  and the light devices  42 , for selectively energizing the light devices  42  when the vehicle  90  (FIG. 6) is on the road, or when vibrations and shocks are transmitted to the antenna device. The circuit board  40  may include the other electric elements or parts, such as a memory or a processor device  80  (FIGS. 8-11) for acting as the typical antenna or for conducting the works of the antenna devices. 
     One or more casings  50  are further provided and received in the chamber  32  of the seat  30 , and each includes a space  51  formed therein, and an orifice  52  formed therein. One or more magnetic members  60  are received in the spaces  51  of the casings  50  respectively, and each includes an aperture  61  formed therein for aligning with the orifices  52  of the casings  50  respectively. One or more fasteners  70  are engaged through the apertures  61  of the magnetic members  60  and the orifices  52  of the casings  50 , and threaded to the screw holes  38  of the seat  30 , for securing the magnetic members  60  to the seat  30 . The fasteners  70  may further be provided and threaded with the screw holes  49  of the circuit board  40  (FIGS. 1,  7 ), for solidly securing the circuit board  40  to the seat  30 . 
     In operation, as shown in FIG. 6, the magnetic members  60  may be used for attracting onto the other metal or magnetic attractable materials, such as the metal outer housing of the vehicle  90 , and for attaching onto various kinds of objects with magnetic members  60 , and for allowing the antenna device to be moved or adjusted to various places or positions of the vehicles  90 . A protective cover layer  71  may further be provided and attached to the bottom of each of the magnetic members  60  or the casings  50 , with such as the adhesive materials, or the hook and loop devices, or the like, for shielding and protecting the magnetic members  60  from being dirtied or rusted. 
     Referring next to FIG. 9, a variable resistor  44  may further be provided and attached to two conductor terminals  81 ,  82  of the processor device  80 , to which the light emitting diode  42  and the switch  43  are coupled thereto. The variable resistor  44  may be used for increasing the flashing or lighting speed of the light devices  42 . Referring next to FIG. 10, a conductor  45  may further be provided and attached to one of the conductor terminals  81  of the processor device  80 . The conductor  45  may be used for decreasing the flashing or lighting speed of the light devices  42 . Referring next to FIG. 11, a photo detector  46  may further be provided and coupled between the light device  42  and the switch  43 , for selectively actuating the light devices  42 , and for generating warning or decorative lights during the night or in the dark environment. 
     The antenna device may thus be selectively attached onto various kinds of magnetically attractable materials of various kinds of objects with the magnetic members  60 , or with the other magnetic devices, such as the electromagnetic devices. The warning lights generated by the light devices  42  may also be used for allowing the vehicle to be seen from the sides of the vehicles, and for preventing the vehicles from being hit by the other vehicles from the side portion thereof. 
     Accordingly, the antenna device in accordance with the present invention may be attached onto various kinds of objects with magnetic members and may be moved or adjusted to various places or positions of the vehicles, and may include a light device for generating warning lights during the night or in the dark environment. 
     Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.