Patent Publication Number: US-6211845-B1

Title: Bracket mount for precise antenna adjustment

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a mount for antennas, more particularly to an adjustable bracket mount. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Antennas used for digital satellite broadcast (DBS), wireless and TV systems are typically mounted to a structure or planar surface (such as a roof or chimney of a house) by a mounting bracket. To fasten or loosen the antenna to the structure, a single bolt or screw is normally employed. However, positioning the antenna&#39;s direction to obtain desired reception can be a cumbersome task for the owner or user. 
     For instance, when installing an antenna dish for television reception (a DIRECT TV® dish, for example), the owner typically climbs a ladder to his roof or chimney to adjust the antenna by hand. He must first loosen the securing screw, and then manipulate the antenna with his hand in a very small space, while receiving commands from another person who is viewing the television screen to see if the antenna is oriented so as to obtain optimal reception. This can be quite difficult (and dangerous) since the user must balance himself on the ladder while often using both hands to adjust the antenna. 
     This problem is compounded when mounting or adjusting an antenna at the top of a 100-foot tower, in order to provide wireless communications services to a wide area of subscribers. A technician must scale the tower, manipulate the antenna to achieve the desired positioning, and then secure the antenna in place by hand. Therefore, there is a need for a device which makes it easier to manipulate an antenna in a small space so as to obtain the desired reception. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention includes a novel bracket mount including an adjustable bracket for precise antenna adjustment. The bracket includes a lever or mechanical assist to make slight movements to the antenna simply by manipulating the lever with one hand. The adjustable lever can be a built-in cam or yoke, or may be removably attached to the antenna by an anchoring screw which acts to secure the antenna in place once the desired antenna direction is achieved. The bracket mount more preferably includes two adjusting levers, one for adjusting antenna direction in an up/down direction, the other for adjusting the antenna in a left/right direction. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are represented by like reference numerals, which are given by way of illustration only and thus are not limitative of the present invention and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of a bracket mount in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial view of the cross piece and slot in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of the bracket mount in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a bracket mount including a bracket having an adjustable lever, enabling a user to make slight movements to the antenna simply by manipulating the lever with his hand. This mechanical advantage makes for easier and smoother movement of a heavy antenna to allow for more precise alignment of the antenna, thereby obtaining optimal signal strength for antenna operations. Additionally, easier alignment enables cheaper installation and maintenance of the antenna, and allows customers or users to adjust the antenna on their own, thereby preventing costly service visits from installers. 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 2 depicts a partial view of FIG. 1 of the preferred embodiment. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred embodiment comprises a bracket mount  1  which is attached to an antenna  11  by a support plate  10 . Each of the components in bracket mount  1  are fabricated from a weatherable material, preferably a material from a group including, but not limited to: stainless steel, rust resistant alloys, painted or plastic-coated metals, and/or UV-stable plastics. The bracket mount  1  may be secured to antenna  11  by other securing means, such as by welding, with rivets, screws, etc. Antenna  11  may be an antenna which is employed in television, fixed wireless, wireless cable and wireless internet (i.e., cable TV or internet service delivered via airwaves, much like fixed wireless is to telephony), and/or direct broadcast satellite systems, for example. 
     The bracket mount  1  preferably includes a box enclosure  7  which is attached to the rear of the antenna  11  by arms of T-shaped cross pieces  13  and  14  extending through box enclosure  7 . Further, a pair of bracket arms  2  and  3  attached at sides of box enclosure  7  secure box enclosure  7  (and antenna  11 ) to a fixed medium  20  (such as a wall, roof or chimney). Although bracket arms  2  and  3  are shown attached to fixed medium  20  by welds  21 , other securing means such as rivets, heavy duty masonry bolts, etc. may be employed. Alternatively, a single bracket may be employed which is connected in the center of one side of the box enclosure  7  to connect antenna  11  with fixed medium  20 . Further, box enclosure  7  may be directly affixed to fixed medium  20  to support antenna  11  via cross pieces  13  and  14 . 
     In at least one of the brackets (here shown in bracket  2 ) there is a slot  4  through which cross piece  13  protrudes, Slot  4  also extends through box enclosure  7  (i.e., there is a corresponding slot formed on the side of box enclosure  7  which mates with bracket arm  2 ). The slot is preferably C-shaped to permit longitudinal travel of the cross piece  13  therein; however, any shape which promotes a translational motion therein is acceptable. For example, a slot having a plurality of graduated stops may be employed, so that after cross piece  13  has been adjusted (to be discussed hereinafter), it is securedly fixed between stops due to friction between the stops and cross piece  13  within the slot  4 . Cross piece  13  extends within box enclosure  7  and is movable therein, with one end moveably attached within box enclosure  7  in a corresponding slot  25 , and the other protruding through slot  4  and bracket  2 . Slot  25  is a recessed groove within box enclosure  7 . Alternatively, slot  25  may be formed in bracket  25  and on the side of box enclosure  7  that bracket arm  3  so that cross piece  13  extends therethrough. Further, cross piece  13  is preferably T-shaped such that it connected to antenna  11  at support plate  10 , as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. However, any shape or mechanism which translates motion in an up-down direction to antenna  11  (for example, a series of gears) is acceptable for cross piece  13 . 
     Attached to cross piece  13  is a first lever  6 . Lever  6  may be a built-in cam or yoke which is held in place by friction created between lever  6  contacting cross piece  13  and bracket arm  2 . Alternatively, lever  6  may be removably connected to the cross piece  13  and bracket arm  2  by an anchoring screw  5 . This anchoring screw  5  can be used in any environment, and is particularly applicable in sea coast environments or in area of high wind conditions. Anchoring screw  5  acts as a securing mechanism to secure the antenna  11  after it is positioned appropriately by using lever  6 . Lever  6  is preferably fabricated from a material having similar properties (for example, a weatherable material) to the other components in the bracket mount  1 . 
     In operation, lever  6  rotates around a pivot  12  which is secured to box enclosure  7  through a hole (not shown) in bracket arm  2 . Alternatively, pivot  12  may be a protrusion molded into bracket arm  2  about which lever  6  rotates. The pivot  12  is provided to shorten the moment arm of the lever  6 , as compared to the case where no pivot is employed (i.e., without pivot  12  lever  6  would act like a wrench). Lever  6  rotates about pivot  12  to translate motion to cross piece  13 , the operation of which is discussed below. Further, lever  6  is preferably shaped such that it is easily grasped and manipulated by the human hand, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Additionally in the preferred embodiment, there is a second lever  9  which is connected to a T-shaped cross piece  14  protruding through the top of box enclosure  7 . Similar to the first lever  6 , second lever  9  rotates about a pivot  16  to move cross piece  14  within a second C-shaped slot  15 . The operation of lever  9  and cross piece  14  will be discussed hereinafter below. 
     FIG. 2 is a partial view of FIG.  1  and illustrates the operation of the first lever  6  and cross piece  13  in accordance with the preferred embodiment. To adjust the antenna in an up and down direction, the user manipulates lever  6  with his hand to translate motion to cross piece  13 . In the case where an anchoring screw  5  is employed, the user first loosens anchoring screw  5  to enable lever  6  to be adjusted. Cross piece  13  moves within slot  4  and a corresponding slot  25 , and although these slots illustrate a wide margin of travel, in practice only slight movements of the antenna are necessary to achieve the desired reception. As shown in FIG. 2, slot  25  is preferably a recess in the opposite side of box enclosure  7 . As cross piece  13  moves up or down within slots  4  and  25  due to the motion imparted by lever  6 , it translates its motion so as to adjust antenna  11  according to the desired movement imparted by the user manipulating lever  6 . Thus, precise up and down movements of the antenna  11  can be achieved simply by adjusting lever  6  by hand. There is sufficient friction at the interface between cross piece  13  and the inner sides of slots  4  and  25  so that the cross-piece maintains its position within slots  4  and  25  upon being manipulated via lever  6  (i.e., antenna orientation is held, the cross-piece does not freely move within slots  4  and  25  due to friction between mating metal or plastic surfaces). Once desired antenna position is obtained, anchoring screw  5  is finally tightened to secure the antenna  11  in place. 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of the preferred embodiment and illustrates the structure of the second lever  9 , which is manipulated for left to right movement of antenna  11 . As discussed above with respect to the first lever  6 , second lever  9  is preferably a cam or yoke which is built in (i.e. secured by friction). Alternatively, lever  9  is removably connected to cross piece  14  by way of an anchoring screw similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the anchoring screw being loosened to allow lever  9  to be manipulated by the user, an then tightened once desired antenna position is achieved. Cross piece  14  is similarly T-shaped like cross piece  13 , and is connected to antenna  11  by the middle of the “T”. 
     To adjust antenna  11  left and right, a user manipulates lever  9  via a pivot  16  to translate motion cross piece  14 . Cross piece  14  moves in a slot  15  and a corresponding recessed slot (not shown for clarity) in the opposite side of box enclosure  7 . As shown in FIG. 3, cross pieces  13  and  14  are slightly offset to prevent one movement (i.e. left-right) from interfering with another movement (i.e. up-down). As discussed above, actual travel within slot  15  is slight, thus only a slight offset between the cross pieces is necessary. Therefore, translational motion imparted to cross piece  14  from lever  9  enables antenna  11  to rotate about an axis in a left or right direction so as to achieve desired antenna reception. 
     Accordingly, the bracket mount  1  of the present invention provides a mechanical advantage in the form of a series of removable levers  6  and  9  which enable a user or operator to easily manipulate a large or heavy object such as an antenna  11  in small spaces simply by adjusting levers  6  and/or  9 . Further, the lever  6  (and lever  9 ) is secured with an anchoring screw  5  which, besides securing the levers to the bracket mount  1 , anchors antenna  11  in place once the desired position is obtained. 
     Therefore, the bracket mount  1  of the present invention allows for more precise alignment of the antenna  11  and enables easier and smoother movement of heavy antennas in a smaller space. The ability to smoothly move the antenna  11  for precise alignment means cheaper installation and maintenance costs to install the antenna  11 , and also allows the owner or user to adjust the antenna  11  on their own, thereby saving additional costs in the form of service fees to adjust the antenna, as well as obtaining optimal signal strength for antenna operations. 
     The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. For example, the shape of cross pieces  13  and  14  is not limited to a T-shape; any type of structural member which transforms motion from one plane or dimension (i.e., horizontal) to another (i.e., vertical) is acceptable. Additionally, servo-controlled actuators may replace levers  6  and  9  such that antenna movement may be initiated electrically from a remote location. The aforementioned variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.