Patent Publication Number: US-2010127946-A1

Title: Adjusting Apparatus for Satellite Antenna

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to pedestals for adjusting satellite antennas, and more particularly, to an adjusting apparatus for a satellite antenna, capable of fine adjusting horizontal and perpendicular orientations of the satellite antenna accurately. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Referring to the use of the satellite antennas, such as bow-tie antennas, for obtain better receiving angles, a conventional way is to dispose an adjusting pedestal, capable of adjusting angles, between the dish body of the satellite antenna and an antenna support. The adjusting pedestal provides adjusting operations along X and Y directions, by the adjustment allocation along X and Y directions, obtaining the most suited receiving angle, so that the electronic apparatus can obtain the clear and impurity-free signal receiving effect. 
     The angle adjusting mechanisms of the conventional adjusting pedestals for the satellite antennas ordinarily use hole-to-hole manner, or single-to-elongate hole-to-hole manner for contraposition, in order to obtain the adjustment effect for the fixing range. However, the hole-to-hole manner could not obtain the accurate fine adjustment effect because of its large band range. The single-to-elongate hole-to-hole manner merely adjusts by the operation experience and is difficult to operate. Moreover, after the adjustment, the screw is needed to lock up, for obtaining the final adjusting position. Thus, in the adjustment process, the no-band elongate-hole can not be positioned immediately, therefore, in the process of locking the screw, the pre displaced adjustment range is easily be influenced and further loses the accurate adjustment effect. 
     From the above descriptions, the existed holes alignment adjusting structure, not only is difficult to operate, and of complicated components, but also is not accurate enough, and not polish in use, and can merely serve as a coarse adjustment manner, therefore, searching for the solution is necessarily. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     The present invention provides an adjusting apparatus for a satellite antenna, by means of the meshing relation between the gear and the row teeth, the satellite antenna can, relative to the antenna support, obtain the accurate and inerrant fine adjustment effect along the horizontal and perpendicular directions, and the adjusting apparatus is easy to operate and is of the simple structure. 
     The adjusting apparatus for a satellite antenna of the present invention, for connecting between a satellite antenna and an antenna support, comprises a dish support for coupling to a dish of the satellite antenna; a supporting base coupled to the antenna support; a connecting base connected between the dish support and the supporting base; an X-direction fine adjusting mechanism comprising at least a group composed by a gear and a row teeth, and being coupled between the supporting base and the connecting base, by means of the meshing relation between the gear and the row teeth, connecting the dish support, inducing the satellite antenna, relative to the antenna support, generate a tiny range of motions along X-direction; and a Y-direction fine adjusting mechanism comprising at least a group composed by a gear and a row teeth, and being coupled between the connecting base and the dish support, by means of the meshing relation between the gear and the row teeth, connecting the connecting base and the dish support, inducing the satellite antenna, relative to the antenna support, generate a tiny range of motions along Y-direction. 
     The dish support includes a bottom bracket, a clawed fixing bracket and a coupling bracket, the fixing bracket being coupled to the dish of the satellite antenna, the bottom bracket outwardly extending from the fixing bracket, inducing the peripheral fringe of the satellite antenna abut against the bottom bracket, the coupling bracket extending from the fixing bracket toward a direction remote from the dish of the satellite antenna; the supporting base including a supporting dish and a socket pipe, the socket pipe being connected to the antenna support, the supporting dish being arranged on the socket pipe; the connecting base including a bottom wall and two sidewalls; the X-direction fine adjusting mechanism including a first gear and a first row teeth meshed with the first gear, the first gear being pivoted on the supporting dish of the supporting base, the first row teeth being disposed on the side end surface of the bottom wall of the connecting base; the Y-direction fine adjusting mechanism including a second gear and a second row teeth meshed with the second gear, the second gear being pivoted on the coupling bracket of the dish support, the second row teeth being disposed on the side end surface of the sidewall of the connecting base. 
     The first row teeth is in an arc shape, the supporting dish of the supporting base having an arced elongate slot, the elongate slot being configured to match the curve of the first row teeth. 
     The second row teeth is in an arc shape, the coupling bracket of the dish support having an arced elongate slot, the elongate slot being configured to match the curve of the second row teeth. 
     The dish support includes a main base and a plurality of lugs, the lugs being locked to the dish of the satellite antenna, the supporting base including a bottom wall, two sidewalls, an indent portion, and at least a fine adjusting hole disposed on at least one of the sidewalls, the indent portion being clasped and abutting on the antenna support; the connecting base including a bottom wall, two sidewalls, an inner lining plate, an outer lining plate, and at least an adjusting hole disposed on at least one of the sidewalls; the X-direction fine adjusting mechanism including a first gear and a first row teeth meshed with the first gear, the first row teeth being disposed at the periphery of the fine adjusting hole of the supporting base, the first gear being received in the fine adjusting hole and pivoted on the outer lining plate of the connecting base; the Y-direction fine adjusting mechanism including a second gear and a second row teeth meshed with the second gear, the second row teeth being disposed at the periphery of the adjusting hole of the connecting base, the second gear being received in the adjusting hole and pivoted on the inner lining plate of the connecting base. 
     The first row teeth is in an arc shape, the sidewall of the supporting base having an arced elongate slot, the outer lining plate of the connecting base having a locking hole corresponding to the elongate slot, and being locked to the connecting base, the elongate slot being configured to match the curve of the first row teeth. 
     The second row teeth is in an arc shape, the sidewall of the connecting base having an arced elongate slot, the inner lining plate of the connecting base having a locking hole corresponding to the elongate slot, and being locked to the dish support, the elongate slot and the locking hole being configured to match the curve of the second row teeth. 
     The present invention by means of the meshing relation between the gear and the row teeth, induces both of the orientation adjustments along X and Y directions can obtain the accurate fine adjustment effect, and furthermore, the adjusting apparatus is of simple structure and is easy and rapid to operate. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the first embodiment of the present adjusting apparatus for the satellite antenna; 
         FIG. 2  is another isometric view of the adjusting apparatus for the satellite antenna of the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of an assembly, showing the adjusting apparatus is assembled to the satellite antenna and the antenna support; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear view of the assembly, showing the adjusting apparatus is assembled to the satellite antenna and the antenna support; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged view in partial section of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a top, assembled view of the second embodiment of the present adjusting apparatus for the satellite antenna; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged view in partial section of  FIG. 6 ; and 
         FIG. 8  is a top, assembled view of the adjusting apparatus for the satellite antenna of the second embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present adjusting apparatus for the satellite antenna has the following functions: by means of the meshing relation between the gear and the row teeth, obtaining the accurate fine adjusting effect, and the adjusting apparatus is of the simple structure and easy to operate. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a first embodiment of the present adjusting apparatus for the satellite antenna is for connecting between a satellite antenna  100  and an antenna support  200 . The adjusting apparatus  300  includes a dish support  10 , a supporting base  20 , a connecting base  30 , a first gear  40 , a first row teeth  50 , a second gear  60 , a second row teeth  70 , a plurality of screw bolts  80  and a plurality of screw caps  90 . 
     The dish support  10  is for coupling to a dish  110  of the satellite antenna  100 . The dish support  10  includes a bottom bracket  11 , a clawed fixing bracket  12  and a coupling bracket  13 . The fixing bracket  12  is locked to the dish  110  of the satellite antenna  100  by the screw bolts  80  and the screw caps  90 . The bottom bracket  11  outwardly extends from the fixing bracket  12 , inducing the peripheral fringe of the satellite antenna  100  abut against the bottom bracket  11 . The coupling bracket  13  extends from the fixing bracket  12  toward a direction remote from the dish  110  of the satellite antenna  100 . The coupling bracket  13  is an n-shaped bracket, and is fixed to the rear side of the fixing bracket  12  by the screw bolts  80  and the screw caps  90 . Two sidewalls of the coupling bracket  12  each define an arced elongate slot  131  and a locking hole  132 . 
     The supporting base  20  is coupled to the antenna support  200 . The supporting base  20  includes a supporting dish  21  and a socket pipe  22 . The socket pipe  22  is locked to the antenna support  200  by the screw bolts  80  and the screw caps  90 . The supporting dish  21  is horizontally arranged on the socket pipe  22 . 
     The connecting base  30  is connected between the dish support  10  and the supporting base  20 . The connecting base  30  includes a bottom wall  31  and two sidewalls  32 . Both of the sidewalls  32  are sector plates. 
     The first gear  40  and the first row teeth  50  cooperatively compose of the fine adjusting mechanism along X-direction, and are coupled between the supporting base  20  and the connecting base  30 . The first gear  40  is pivoted on the supporting dish  21  of the supporting base  20 , while the first row teeth  50  is disposed on the side end surface of the bottom wall  31  of the connecting base  30 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  4  and  5 , the first row teeth  50  is in an arc shape, the supporting dish  21  of the supporting base  20  has an arced elongate slot  211 , the elongate slot  211  is configured to match the curve of the first row teeth  50 . A group of screw bolts  80  and screw caps  90  are disposed through the bottom wall  31  of the connecting base  30  and the supporting dish  21 , and the screw bolts  80  just locates in the elongate slot  211 . By means of the meshing relation between the first gear  40  and the first row teeth  50 , indirectly connecting the dish support  10 , so that the satellite antenna  100 , relative to the antenna support  200 , generates a tiny range of motions along X-direction. Referring to the arrow X of  FIG. 4 , the satellite antenna  100  indicated by the imaginary line are capable of pivot to left or to right, further obtains the fine adjustment effect along X-direction, after the adjustment the connecting base  30  are locked together with the supporting base  20  by the screw bolts  80  and the screw caps  90 . 
     The second gear  60  and the second row teeth  70  cooperatively compose of the fine adjusting mechanism along Y-direction, and are coupled between the dish support  10  and the connecting base  30 . The second gear  60  is pivoted on the coupling bracket  13  of the dish support  10 , while the second row teeth  70  is disposed on the end surface of the sector sidewall of the connecting base  30 . 
     Cooperatively referring to  FIG. 3 , the second row teeth  70  is in an arc shape, the curve of the second row teeth  70  is configured to match the configuration of the elongate slot  131  of the coupling bracket  13  of the dish support  10 . A group of screw bolts  80  and screw caps  90  are disposed through the coupling bracket  13  and the sidewalls  32  of the connecting base  30 , and the screw bolts  80  just locates in the elongate slot  131  of the coupling bracket  13 . By means of the meshing relation between the second gear  60  and the second row teeth  70 , connecting the connecting base  30  and the dish support  10 , so that the satellite antenna  100 , relative to the antenna support  200 , generates a tiny range of motions along Y-direction. Referring to the arrow Y in  FIG. 3 , the satellite antenna  100  indicated by the imaginary line are capable of pivot upwardly or downwardly, further obtains the fine adjustment effect along Y-direction, after the adjustment the connecting base  30  are locked together with the dish support  10  by the screw bolts  80  and the screw caps  90 . 
     From the above descriptions, in the present adjusting apparatus for the satellite antenna, the adjustment manner of the gear and the row teeth cooperating with the elongate slot to operate synchronous adjustment, not only brings the satellite antenna  100  have the left and right offset adjustments and the upside and downside elevation adjustments, but also by means of the meshing relation between the gear and the row teeth, inducing the adjustment range be more superfine and accurate, therefore obtaining the accurate fine adjustment effect. Furthermore, the adjusting apparatus  300  is of simple structure and easy to operate, and is conduced to be assembled. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a second embodiment of the present adjusting apparatus for the satellite antenna is for connecting between a satellite antenna  100  and an antenna support  200 . The adjusting apparatus  400  includes a dish support  500 , a supporting base  600 , a connecting base  700 , a first gear  40 , a first row teeth  50 , a second gear  60 , a second row teeth  70 , a plurality of screw bolts  80  and a plurality of screw caps  90 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the dish support  500  includes a main base  510  and a plurality of lugs  520 . The lugs  520  are locked to the dish  110  of the satellite antenna  100 . 
     The supporting base  600  includes a bottom wall  610 , two sidewalls  620 , an indent portion  630 , and a fine adjusting hole  640  disposed on one of the sidewalls  620 . The indent portion  630  being assisted by a clip  650 , together with the screw bolts  80  and the screw caps  90  are clasped and abut on the antenna support  200 . 
     The connecting base  700  includes a bottom wall  710 , two sidewalls  720 , an inner lining plate  730 , an outer lining plate  740 , and an adjusting hole  750  disposed on one of the sidewalls  720 . 
     The first gear  40  and the first row teeth  50  cooperatively compose of the fine adjusting mechanism along X-direction. The first row teeth  50  is disposed at the periphery of the fine adjusting hole  640  of the supporting base  600 , while the first gear  40  is received in the fine adjusting hole  640  and pivoted on the outer lining plate  740  of the connecting base  700 . The first row teeth  50  is in an arc shape, the sidewall  620  of the supporting base  600  has an arced elongate slot  621 , the outer lining plate  740  of the connecting base  700  has a locking hole  741  corresponding to the elongate slot  621 , and is locked to the connecting base  700  by the screw bolts  80  and the screw caps  90 . The elongate slot  621  is configured to match the curve of the first row teeth  50 . 
     The second gear  60  and the second row teeth  70  cooperatively compose of the fine adjusting mechanism along Y-direction. The second row teeth  70  is disposed at the periphery of the fine adjusting hole  750  of the connecting base  700 , while the second gear  60  is received in the fine adjusting hole  750  and pivoted on the inner lining plate  730  of the connecting base  700 . The second row teeth  70  is in an arc shape, the sidewall  720  of the connecting base  700  has an arced elongate slot  721 , the inner lining plate  730  of the connecting base  700  has a locking hole  731  corresponding to the elongate slot  721 . The connecting base  700  is locked to the dish support  500  by the screw bolts  80  and the screw caps  90 . The elongate slot  721  is configured to match the curve of the second row teeth  70 . 
     From the above descriptions, in the second embodiment of the present adjusting apparatus for the satellite antenna, both of the adjust manners along X and Y directions are using the gear and the row teeth cooperating with the elongate slot to operate synchronous adjustment, so that the satellite antenna  100  obtains the fine adjustment effect along the horizontal and perpendicular directions, for obtaining the accurate fine adjustment effect. To match different parts of the present embodiment, the gear and the row teeth are applied to the elongate and wide-plated adjusting apparatus  400 , other functions and usages of the present embodiment are the same as the first embodiment. 
     Worthy mentioning is, in the above two embodiments, by means of the combination of the first gear and the first row teeth, and the combination of the second gear and the second row teeth respectively obtaining the fine adjustment along the X-direction and the Y-direction, are the best modes of the present invention. Furthermore, because both of the connecting base and the supporting base have two sidewalls, arranging two groups of the first gear and the first row teeth, and two groups of the second gear and the second row teeth on the above sidewalls can also obtain the prospective efficacy. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a plurality of indicating lines can also be disposed on the dish support  10 , for indicating the deflecting angles along the X-direction. 
     The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein, including configurations ways of the recessed portions and materials and/or designs of the attaching structures. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.