Patent Publication Number: US-6215445-B1

Title: Antenna holder assembly for a cellular phone

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an antenna holder assembly for a cellular phone, and more particularly to a simple structure of antenna holder assembly that enables the installed antenna to be smoothly turned to the desired angular position. 
     A cellular phone may be equipped with an antenna holder assembly for holding an antenna, enabling the antenna to be turned to the desired angular position. FIG. 1 illustrates an antenna holder assembly for this purpose. This structure of antenna holder assembly comprises a holder  10 , a top cap  16 , a tubular screw member  17 , a shell  18 , and an induction coil  19 . The holder  10  comprises a vertical receiving chamber  21 , and two pivot holes  22  transversely aligned at two opposite sides of the vertical receiving chamber  21 . The antenna  13  has a flat bottom end  14  inserted into the vertical receiving chamber  21 , and pivotably connected between the pivot holes  22  by a pivot  15 . The holder  10  is supported on the induction coil  19 , having a shoulder  100  stopped below an inward top flange  160  of the top cap  16 . Because the induction coil  19  imparts an upward pressure to the holder  10 , a friction force is produced between the shoulder  100  and the top flange  160  when the holder  10  is rotated to adjust the antenna  13  to the desired angle. Therefore, much effort should be applied to the holder  10  when rotating the holder  10  to the desired angle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an antenna holder assembly which enables the antenna to be smoothly adjusted to the desired angle. According to one aspect of the invention, the antenna holder assembly comprises a mount fixedly fastened to the shell of an antenna, a holder supported on the mount, the holder having a downward mounting rod inserted into the center through hole of the mount, an end cap fastened to the downward mounting rod to secure the holder to the mount, enabling the holder to be rotated on its own axis, and a spring bushing mounted within the center through hole of the mount around the downward mounting rod of the holder. According to another aspect of the present invention, the size of the downward mounting rod of the holder, the springy bushing and the center through hole of the mount can be designed subject to the size of the antenna to be held. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an antenna holder assembly according to the prior art. 
     FIG. 2 is an elevational view of an antenna holder assembly according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the antenna holder assembly shown in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view in an enlarged scale of the antenna holder assembly shown in FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 2, an antenna holder assembly is shown comprised of a holder  20 , a mount  30 , which carries the holder  20 , and a screw cap  40 , which secures the holder  20  to the mount  30 . The holder  20  comprises a vertical receiving chamber  21 , and two pivot holes  22  transversely aligned at two opposite sides of the vertical receiving chamber  21 . An antenna can be mounted in the receiving chamber  21 , and pivoted to the pivot holes  22 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the holder  20  comprises a downward mounting rod  24  perpendicularly raised from the bottom side wall  23  thereof. The downward mounting rod  24  has its bottom end terminating in a screw rod  25 . The mount  30  comprises an upward flange  32  raised from the flat top side wall  33  thereof around the border, a center through hole  31  vertically extended through the center of the flat top side wall  33 . The diameter of the center through hole  31  is greater than the diameter of the downward mounting rod  24  of the holder  20 . The screw cap  40  is a stepped member having a part inserted into the center through hole  31  from the bottom side, and a part stopped outside the bottom side wall of the mount  30 . The screw cap  40  comprises a screw hole  41  threaded onto the screw rod  25  of the downward mounting rod  24  of the holder  20  to secure the holder  20  to the mount  30 , enabling the bottom side wall  23  of the holder  20  to be supported on the upward flange  32  of the mount  30 . Further, a springy bushing  50  is mounted within the center through hole  31  of the mount  30  around the downward mounting rod  24  of the holder  20 . The springy bushing  50  is a cylindrical member made of metal, having a horizontal top ring portion  51 , a horizontal bottom ring portion  52 , and a plurality of longitudinal slots  53  equiangularly spaced around the periphery between the horizontal top ring portion  51  and the horizontal bottom ring portion  52 . The springy bushing  50  supports the downward mounting rod  24  of the holder  20  in the center through hole  31  of the mount  30 , enabling the downward mounting rod  24  to be rotated with the holder  20  in the center through hole  31 . 
     When an antenna having a different length and diameter is pivoted to the holder  20 , a different pressure is given to the receiving chamber  21  and the pivot holes  22 . The antenna holder assembly can be modified to fit the antenna to be matched. For example, the diameter of the downward mounting rod  24  can be relatively increased, or the diameter of the center through hole  31  can be relatively reduced. On the contrary, when a shorter or lighter antenna is used, the length of the downward mounting rod  24  can be relatively shortened, or the diameter of the center through hole  31  can be relatively increased. 
     While only one embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that various modifications and changes could be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention disclosed.