Patent ID: 7592960

Claim:
A high frequency capacitive coupling antenna system for motor vehicles, comprising: a generally planar conductive antenna element adapted to be fixed to a non-conductive component of a vehicle; a bezel having a mounting surface configured to fixedly position the bezel relative to a surface of the non-conductive component of a vehicle and the conductive antenna element, the bezel further including a support surface; a circuit board assembly having a board structure and electrical circuit elements mounted to the board structure; an antenna feed wire electrically connected to the electrical circuit elements, wherein at least a portion of the feed wire extending away from the circuit board towards the conductive antenna element, wherein the antenna feed wire is spaced apart from the conductive antenna element without directly contacting the conductive antenna element; dielectric material encapsulating the antenna feed wire; a housing removably connected to the bezel; a resiliently compressible member secured to the housing and sandwiched between the circuit board and the housing, and wherein: the circuit board is secured to the resiliently compressible member, and the resiliently compressible member biases the circuit board into contact with the support surface of the bezel and positions the circuit board and antenna feed wire relative to the bezel, wherein the bezel includes a plurality of tapered guide surfaces adjacent the support surface, wherein the circuit board is generally planar and defines a peripheral edge, a lower surface adjacent the peripheral edge, and an axis perpendicular to the circuit board, wherein the lower surface of the circuit board contacts the support surface, and the guide surfaces extend away from the support surface at an acute angle relative to the axis, and wherein the bezel comprises an upstanding wall having upper and lower edges and inner and outer surfaces, the bezel further including a flange extending transversely outward from the lower edge, the flange having a lower surface with adhesive disposed thereon to define the mounting surface.