Adjustable industrial antenna mount

Abstract

A field device including a housing having an outer surface and an inner surface surrounding a main cavity. The housing further includes an aperture extending from the main cavity to the outer surface. An electrical component is located within the main cavity of the housing. An antenna is in electrical communication with the electrical component. The field device further includes a rotatable mount attached to the housing. The mount has a channel extending from a first end to a second end of the mount. A cable is electrically connected to the electrical component and the antenna and the cable extends through at least a portion of the channel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a process environment illustrating a field hardened industrial device with which an adjustable industrial antenna mount in accordance with the present disclosure is particularly useful.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the field device of FIG. 1, illustrating an electrical circuit coupled to an antenna at a rotatable mount according to one illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the field device of FIG. 1, illustrating an industrial antenna mount according to one illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the industrial antenna mount of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the field device of FIG. 3 taken along line 5-5.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged portion of the cross sectional view of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is cross sectional view of an industrial antenna mount including a sleeve extending into a portion of the mount according to one illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of an industrial antenna mount including a sleeve extending from one end of the antenna mount to the other according to one illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of an industrial antenna mount having a sleeve extending through the mount with a notch formed therein according to one illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of an industrial antenna mount having an embedded ferrite element formed therein according to one illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 11A is a cross sectional view of an industrial antenna mount having an attachment for a base of an antenna integrated into the mount according to one illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 11B is a cross sectional view of an industrial antenna mount having an attachment for a base of an antenna with a conductive portion of the attachment in electrical communication with the mount according to one illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 11C is an enlarged portion of the industrial antenna mount of FIG. 11B detailing a connection between the attachment and mount according to one illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the field device of FIG. 3 with a radome attached to the antenna mount in one orientation according to one illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the field device of FIG. 12 with the antenna mount in another orientation.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an antenna mount having a generally straight configuration according to one illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart depicting a method of positioning an antenna on a wireless field device according to one illustrative embodiment.

Claims

1. A field device, comprising: a housing having an outer surface, an inner surface surrounding a main cavity, and an aperture extending from the main cavity to the outer surface;an electrical component located within the main cavity of the housing;an antenna in electrical communication with the electrical component;a rotatable mount attached to the housing and having a channel extending from a first end to a second end;a cable electrically connected to the electrical component and the antenna; andwherein the cable extends through at least a portion of the channel.

2. The field device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the rotatable mount comprises a polymer material.

3. The field device of claim 2, wherein the rotatable mount further comprises: a generally hollow sleeve formed from a conductive material, wherein the sleeve is positioned within and attached to at least a portion to the channel.

4. The field device of claim 3, wherein the sleeve extends from the first end to the second of the channel.

5. The field device of claim 3, wherein the sleeve has a notch formed into it between the first end and the second end.

6. The field device of claim 1, wherein the rotatable mount has a first portion and second portion wherein the first portion is configured to be inserted into the aperture.

7. The field device of claim 6, wherein the first portion is positioned at an angle with respect to the second portion.

8. The field device of claim 7, wherein the first portion is positioned at about a 45-degree angle with respect to the second portion.

9. The field device of claim 6, and further comprising: a sealing element attached to the first portion of the rotatable mount; andwherein the housing includes a feature adjacent the aperture and wherein the sealing element is positioned to engage the feature when the rotatable mount is attached to the housing.

10. The field device of claim 1, and further comprising: a circuit board positioned at least partially within the rotatable mount;a connector attached to the circuit board; andwherein the antenna is coupled to the connector.

11. The field device of claim 10, and further comprising: a filtering component positioned on the circuit board.

12. The field device of claim 1 and further comprising: a ferrite element coupled to the rotatable mount and positioned to receive and surround a portion of the cable.

13. The field device of claim 1 and further comprising: a cover attached to the rotatable mount wherein the at least a portion of the antenna is positioned within the cover.

14. An antenna mount for a field hardened industrial device, comprising: a first portion having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a first segment of an internal channel that extends from a first end to an aperture at the outer surface of a second end;a second portion having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a second segment of the internal channel in communication with the first segment that extends from a first end to an aperture at the outer surface of a second end;wherein the first and second portions are attached to each other along a generally planar attachment surface at their first ends and wherein the attachment surface is not perpendicular to the any of the outer surface at the second ends of the first and second portions.

15. The antenna mount of claim 14, wherein the first and second portions are first and second portions extend away from each other at the generally planar attachment surface at about a 45-degree angle.

16. The antenna mount of claim 14 and further comprising: a generally hollow sleeve attached to and positioned within the second segment of the internal channel.

17. The antenna mount of claim 16, wherein at least a portion of the hollow sleeve extends into the first segment of the internal channel.

18. A method of attaching an antenna to a field hardened industrial device, comprising: attaching a rotatable mount to a housing of the field hardened industrial device;providing an electrical connection between an antenna to an electrical component located within the housing; androtating the mount relative to the housing to adjust the position of the antenna.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of providing the electrical connection includes connecting a cable between the antenna and the electrical component.

20. The method of claim 18 and further comprising: positioning a sealing element onto a first portion of the rotatable mount; andwherein the step of attaching the rotatable mount to a housing includes inserting the first portion of the rotatable mount into an aperture located on the housing.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the housing includes an interior feature adjacent the aperture and wherein the step of inserting the first portion of the mount into the aperture includes inserting the first portion until the sealing element engages the interior feature.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of rotating the mount includes rotating the mount along an axis that is generally perpendicular with respect to the aperture.