MXPA03010767A - Automobile antenna system. - Google Patents

Abstract

An automobile, and particularly a passenger automobile, is generally provided with one or several antenna systems useful for different applications, such as an ultra-short wave antenna for the radio reception; a SAT antenna for the television signal reception; a GSM antenna for the mobile radiotelephony reception, or a GPS antenna for finding a location or for the vehicle navigation system, thereby requiring different design features for mount ing one or several antennas, depending on the needs of the customer. The purpose of the present invention is to simplify the mounting of one antenna or a combination thereof during the manufacturing process of the vehicle, or in case of a subsequent fitting of an additional or substitute antenna. The aforesaid purpose is achieved by means of a dismountable device (3,4) fitted to the automobile body (2) having several different fittings for selective mounting of one or more different antenna elements (5, 6) via plug-in connections. The system provides the possibility of mounting a plurality of antennas on automobiles in a single unit, regardless of the current or future requirements of the customer, thereby simplifying fittings for complementing or replacing antennas..

Description

ANTENNA SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILES The present invention relates to a system of antennas for automobiles in accordance with the superior concept of the requirement 1. The invention is applicable to any type of automobile that works for different purposes of communication or control with a transmission , wireless information in various frequency ranges and, therefore, requires specially dimensioned antennas in the respective range of frequencies for reception and in certain case also the sending. There are currently several application areas for wireless transmissions of this nature. For the reception of AM or FM radio, especially in the ultra-short wave range, mast antennas in the form of a telescope or mast antennas with constant length are usually used, which, for example, are mounted so that they can be introduced in the body or that are screwed in a proper device on the roof of the car. The frequency range for ultra-short waves is approximately 80 - 100 MHz. For the direct recéption of radio signals transmitted via satellite (SAT reception), especially for television, on the other hand, other antennas are required, since the Satellite television reception is done in a high frequency range. The so-called mobile radio, also designated GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), ie the telephone traffic to and from a car, works with a frequency of 800 MHz, for which it is required to use other antennas.

- - Another area of application is the so-called GPS (Global Positioning System), in which, by evaluating signals from several satellites, the determination of the respective location of the car can be made. For the GPS system, other special antennas are again required. It is clear that the extremely diverse ranges of frequencies of different applications require antennas of varying sizes and shapes. That is why it is impossible to process all the signals of a procedure, transmission of this type with a single antenna. This leads to each car having to be equipped according to the individual wishes of the customer with one or a combination of the aforementioned different antennas. Also a subsequent retrofitting, ie the replacement of one antenna by another for another purpose of use or the extension of the set of mounted antennas for a new field of application therefore normally causes a work and notorious costs. The invention is based on the task of creating an antenna system of the type described, in which the individual equipment of the automobile is simplified as far as the antenna system is concerned and also to the subsequent retrofitting in terms of application purposes and number of antennas Said task is solved by the invention described in requirement 1. Exemplary embodiments and further developments of the invention are indicated in the requirements. In the case of the invention, there is thus provided a unit mountable on the outside of the vehicle body, especially on the roof of the car, with several different receiver devices for optionally connecting an antenna or a combination of different antennas. In this way, the following advantages are achieved in particular: A motor vehicle can be manufactured in such a way by a solution according to the invention, which can be equipped with little work for any of the different antennas or also for any combination of several said antennas. Therefore, for the placement of the antennas in the vehicle, only a design solution is required, independent of the original or subsequent wishes of the respective customer. This way, it is also considerably easier to equip it later, for example the subsequent mounting of more antennas for new application areas or the exchange of one antenna for another of another application., thus reducing the work, time and costs required for such retrofits. In the case of one of the execution models of the invention, the unit consists of two parts with electrical contacts, of which the first contains the connections for the processing of signals of the antenna within the car and is intended for its assembly to the interior of the body, while the second part contains the receiver devices for the antennas and is intended for mounting on the outside of the body. The advantage is that both parts are assemblable, involving the body wall. When the two parts are assembled, a mechanical coupling of both parts to each other and an electrical connection of the contacts of both parts is carried out simultaneously. In another of the execution models, the second part contains contacts, which are connected during the assembly of both parts to both sides of the body wall in the corresponding contacts on the upper side of the first part. In another of the execution models, a contact connection or a screw connection is preferably provided between the respective reception in the second part and the base of the corresponding antenna. In the case of a further development of the invention, a part or area for subsequent mounting of the unit with the numerous different receiving devices has been provided within the body wall, especially in the roof of the car. This means that it is no longer necessary to perform equipment actions in the case of later equipping the car with one or more antennas. The advantage is that each receiving device is provided with a cover that protects it from the intrusion of contaminants, humidity and the like in the case of not equipping with an antenna, and that can be removed or turned manually to insert an antenna. The invention is detailed below based on a drawing in several execution models. In said drawings are shown: Figure 1: a car with the unit according to the invention in simplified representation, Figure 2: the individual parts of the antenna system shown in Figure 1., Figure 3: a part of a vehicle body with the unit according to the invention and two different antennas, Figure 4: a perspective representation of the antenna system shown in Figures 2 and 3, and - Figure 5: a bottom view of the device of Figure 4. Figure 1 shows in a simplified manner a passenger car 1 with a roof 2. In the roof 2 a device has been mounted for the reception of various antennas. This consists of an outer part 3 and an inner part 4, between which is the wall of the body of the roof 2. The parts 3 and 4 respectively contain contacts for the electrical connection of an antenna with the respective processing unit in the car and they are connected mechanically and electrically by the ceiling of the body of the roof 2. The exterior part 3 contains 4 receiving devices represented in symbolic form by stripes, different by their design for various antennas, whose bases also vary in their design. An ultrashort wave antenna 5 has been shown, which can only be mounted on the first receiving device of the outer part 3, and an antenna provided for the reception of SAT or satellite 6 television signal, which can only be inserted in the second receiving device of the outer part 3. Each of the receiving devices of the outer part 3 contain electrical connectors which are connected by passing through the body wall. The contacts on the inner part 4 are connected through separate cables 7 with four processing switches for the various application areas. A part for reception of AM / FM radio is shown, especially for the reception of ultra-short waves, a part for the reception of ultra-short waves, a part for reception SAT, especially the reception of television signal, a piece of reception GSM for mobile radio and a piece of reception of GPS for the determination of the location of the car through satellite signals.

- - The receiving devices on the outside 3 and the bases of each of the antennas, of which only two are shown in Figure 1, are shaped by design in such a way that a given antenna can only be inserted into the receiving device provided for it on the outside 3. This excludes the possibility of inserting an incorrect antenna into a specific receiving device. By means of this solution, the car can be equipped without any risk of confusion and in a simple manner with any antenna desired for the aforementioned application areas or for a combination of several of said antennas. Figure 2 again shows the two antennas 5, 6 as well as the outer part 3. Four receiving devices 8, 9, 10 and 11 prvovistds with electrical contacts on the external part 3 are displayed. For example, the AM / FM antenna or ultrashort wave 5, it is only pluggable in the receiving device 8 due to the shape of the corresponding receiving device and of the base of the antenna, while the SAT 6 antenna can only be inserted in the receiving device 9. The two receiving devices 9, 10 and 11 are then provided respectively for the GSM or mobile radio antennas and the GPS antenna. The advantage is that each of the receiving devices 8-11 is provided with a cover so that, if not used, the optical aspect of the receiving device is improved and in order to protect it from the intrusion of foreign bodies, contaminants or humidity. To insert an antenna into a receiving device, the lid is removed or turned.

Figure 3 shows, similarly to Figure 2 a first antenna 12, for example a SAT-GPS or GMS 12 antenna, and the AM / FM antenna 5. The outer part 3 with the corresponding receiving devices 8-1 of the Figure 2 - is insertable from above in a hole 13 of the vehicle roof 2, introducing 2 bolts in the lower part of the outer part 3 in the corresponding holes in the roof 2. The inner part 4 in figure 3 is not shown. figure 4 again shows the outer part 3 with an antenna 5 inserted and four contacts 14 corresponding to the receiving devices 8-1 of figure 2, which are introduced through the corresponding holes in the roof 2 in four contacts in the inner part 4 on the underside of the roof 2. The inner part 4 is again connected with a total of four cables 7 according to figure 1 with the four processing units in the car 1. Figure 5 shows a bottom view of the device. Figure 4 shows a part of the roof 2, the inner part 4 and the cables 7. The invention is not limited to a certain number of antennas and receiving devices or to a particular design of receiving devices and antenna bases. Basically, the unit can also be mounted on other parts of the vehicle body, for example on a fender, on the engine cover, on a side wall, or on the trunk lid.

- -DE REFERENCE SYMBOLS Passenger car Ceiling Exterior part Inner part Ultra-short-wave antenna Antenna SAT Cables Receiving device Receiving device Receiving device Receiving device Antenna Hole / Opening Contact

Claims (9)

1. CLAIMS 1. Antenna system for automobiles with several different antennas for different application areas and frequency ranges, characterized by a unit (3,4) mountable on the outside of the vehicle body (2) with several different receiver devices (8) -11) for the optional connection of an antenna or a combination of several different antennas (5-6). Antenna system according to claim 1, characterized in that the unit consists of two parts (3,4), of which the first (4) contains the connections to the processing units within the automobile ( 1) and is intended to be arranged in the interior part of the bodywork, and the second part (3) contains the receiving devices (8-11) for the antennas (5,6) and is provided for its arrangement on the outside of the body (2). Antenna system according to claim 2, characterized in that both parts (3,4) are assemblable involving the body wall (2). 4. Antenna system according to claim 3, characterized in that when both parts are assembled (3,4) involving the body wall (2) simultaneously the mechanical engagement of both parts is performed (3,4 ) to each other and an electrical contact of the connectors of both parts. Antenna system according to claim 2, characterized in that the second part (3) exhibits plug-in contacts (14) on its underside, which are inserted during the assembly of both parts (3,4) to the two sides of the body (2) in the corresponding connectors in the upper part of the first part. (4). Antenna system according to claim 2, characterized in that a connection is provided between the receiver 8-11 in the second part 3 and the base of the respective antenna (5,6). Antenna system according to claim 2, characterized in that a screw connection between a receiver device (8-11) in the second part (3) and the base of the respective antenna (5) is respectively provided. , 6). Antenna system according to claim 1, characterized in that a part or an area is provided on the wall of the body (2) of the car (1). rear mounting of the unit (3,4) provided with several different receiving devices (8-11). Antenna system according to claim 1, characterized in that a receiving device (8-11) is provided respectively with a cover that can be removed or rotated to insert an antenna (5,6) into the device receiver.