This document relates generally to the motor vehicle equipment field and, more particularly, to an antenna mounting device for a motor vehicle that may be used in a number of different configurations in order to mount an antenna and, if desired, additional accessories to a motor vehicle.
Operators of HAM and CB radios are always searching for good locations to mount the HAM and CB radio antennas to their motor vehicles. With the introduction of aluminum bodied vehicles, the ability to mount magnetic based antennas to the hood, roof and bed of the motor vehicle has been compromised. This document relates to a new and improved antenna mounting device that may be utilized in a number of different configurations to mount not only an antenna but other accessories at different, advantageous locations on a motor vehicle. Such a device is particularly useful with pickup trucks including those incorporating aluminum bodies.
An antenna mounting device is provided for a motor vehicle. That antenna mounting device comprises a body having a first mounting end of a first cross section and a second mounting end of a second, different cross section. The antenna mounting device also includes an antenna anchor point carried on that body and adapted to receive and hold an antenna. The body may be made from a lightweight, non-ferromagnetic material while the antenna anchor point may be made from a ferromagnetic material adapted to contact and hold a magnetic base on an antenna to be secured in position by the mounting device.
The body may include a first leg and a second leg. The first mounting end may be provided on the first leg while the second mounting end may be provided on the second leg. Further, the body may be L-shaped.
The antenna mounting device may further include a second body having a third mounting end with the first cross section and a fourth mounting end with the second cross section. In addition, the antenna mounting device may also include an accessory bar that is connected between the body and the second body. In such an embodiment, the body, the second body and the accessory bar may all be made of lightweight non-ferromagnetic material while the antenna anchor point may be made from ferromagnetic material. In addition, a second antenna anchor point may be carried on the second body and adapted to receive and hold the antenna. Still further, the antenna mounting device may include a third antenna anchor point carried on the accessory bar that is also adapted to receive and hold an antenna. More specifically, that accessory bar may include a first end received over the second mounting end and a second end received over the fourth mounting end.
In accordance with an additional aspect, a truck is provided that is equipped with the antenna mounting device set forth in this document. That antenna mounting device may be mounted to the truck by inserting the first mounting end into a stake pocket of the truck or inserting the second mounting end into a trailer hitch receiver carried on the truck. Thus, it should be appreciated that the antenna mounting device provides the necessary versatility to allow the mounting of an antenna to the truck at various locations as suited to the particular needs and applications of the user.
In accordance with still another aspect, a method is provided for mounting an antenna to a motor vehicle using an antenna mounting device having a first mounting end with a first cross section and a second mounting end of a second, different cross section. That method comprises the steps of: (a) securing the antenna mounting device to the motor vehicle by either engaging the first mounting end within a first structure of the motor vehicle or engaging the second mounting end in a second structure of the motor vehicle and (b) mounting an antenna to an antenna anchor point carried on the antenna mounting device.
The method may further include the step of inserting the first mounting end into a stake pocket of a motor vehicle. Alternatively, the method may include the step of inserting the second mounting end into a hitch receiver carried on the motor vehicle.
In addition, the method may include securing a magnetic base of an antenna to the antenna anchor point which may be made from a ferromagnetic material in order to provide magnetic attraction to the magnetic base.
Still further, the method may include the steps of: (a) securing a first component of the antenna mounting device in a first stake pocket of the motor vehicle and a second component of said antenna mounting device in a second stake pocket of the motor vehicle on an opposite side of the motor vehicle from the first stake pocket and (b) connecting an accessory bar between the first and second components of the antenna mounting device so that the accessory bar bridges a payload bed of the motor vehicle. Still further, the method may also include the step of securing the antenna mounting device in the first stake pocket of the motor vehicle by means of a latch mechanism.
In the following description, there are shown and described several preferred embodiments of the antenna mounting device as well as its method of use. As it should be realized, the antenna mounting device and related method are capable of other, different embodiments and their several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the device and method as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the antenna mounting device and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the drawing figures:
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the antenna mounting device, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.
Reference is now made to
As should be appreciated, in the illustrated embodiment, the first mounting end 18 has a first cross section while the second mounting end 20 has a second, different cross section. In one possible embodiment, the first mounting end 18 has a cross section of 2.0 inches by 1.5 inches while the second mounting end 20 has a cross section of 2.0 inches by 1.875 inches. As will be appreciated from the following description, a first mounting end 18 with such a cross section is particularly adapted and shaped to be received in a stake pocket P in the sidewall S of the pickup truck T (see
As further illustrated in
As further illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiment, an antenna anchor point 36, in the form of a metal disc, is carried on/secured to the first body 12. Similar antenna anchor points 38, 40 may be carried on/secured to, respectively, the second body 22 and the accessory bar 30 if desired. In one possible embodiment, the first body 12, the second body 22 and even the accessory bar 30 may all be made of a lightweight, non-ferromagnetic material for ease of handling when assembling or disassembling the antenna mounting device 10. In such an embodiment, the antenna anchor points or discs 36, 38 and 40 may all be made of a ferromagnetic material such as steel to provide for magnetic attraction with any antenna A including a magnetic base B.
Reference is now made to
Reference is now made to
Reference is now made to
Reference is now made to
Consistent with this description, it should be appreciated that the antenna mounting device 10 is useful in a method of mounting an antenna A to a motor vehicle or truck T. That method may be described as comprising the steps of: (a) securing an antenna on a mounting device 10 to the motor vehicle T by either engaging the first mounting end 18 of the body or component 12 within a first structure of the motor vehicle or engaging the second mounting end 20 in a second structure of the motor vehicle and (b) mounting an antenna A to the antenna anchor point 36 carried on the antenna mounting device 10.
In one possible configuration illustrated in
In a third configuration illustrated in
The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3148856 | Orlando | Sep 1964 | A |
3241516 | Hopkins | Mar 1966 | A |
3369247 | Bacow | Feb 1968 | A |
4028705 | Loyd | Jun 1977 | A |
4035806 | Powell | Jul 1977 | A |
4037229 | Dunk | Jul 1977 | A |
4065092 | Spinks, Sr. et al. | Dec 1977 | A |
4109252 | Hacker et al. | Aug 1978 | A |
4110757 | Sieber | Aug 1978 | A |
4114159 | Verini | Sep 1978 | A |
4114160 | Verini | Sep 1978 | A |
4150381 | Verini | Apr 1979 | A |
4151533 | Vogt | Apr 1979 | A |
4158844 | Wood | Jun 1979 | A |
4173761 | Liautaud | Nov 1979 | A |
4198636 | Canterbury | Apr 1980 | A |
4209788 | Plantier | Jun 1980 | A |
4249182 | Rupley | Feb 1981 | A |
4574726 | Sullivan | Mar 1986 | A |
4632354 | Asciutto | Dec 1986 | A |
4685646 | Harrison | Aug 1987 | A |
4927117 | Gainey | May 1990 | A |
5020765 | Evans | Jun 1991 | A |
5031874 | Shannon | Jul 1991 | A |
5157409 | Hamin | Oct 1992 | A |
5389942 | Oglesby, Jr. | Feb 1995 | A |
5483916 | Kolvites | Jan 1996 | A |
5561439 | Moilanen | Oct 1996 | A |
5583522 | Radomski | Dec 1996 | A |
5585151 | Bruning | Dec 1996 | A |
5892488 | Dulon | Apr 1999 | A |
5961092 | Coffield | Oct 1999 | A |
5995053 | Curtis | Nov 1999 | A |
6557483 | Nathan | May 2003 | B2 |
6808098 | Bickett, III | Oct 2004 | B1 |
7030822 | Grabowski | Apr 2006 | B1 |
7121585 | Cole | Oct 2006 | B2 |
7266431 | Jackson | Sep 2007 | B2 |
7594478 | Karnes | Sep 2009 | B2 |
8475098 | Marlow | Jul 2013 | B2 |
9159254 | Oyoung | Oct 2015 | B2 |
9200729 | Hobbs | Dec 2015 | B2 |
9620845 | Sullivan | Apr 2017 | B1 |
9630304 | Nolan, III | Apr 2017 | B1 |
9688127 | Hemphill | Jun 2017 | B2 |
9701254 | O'Regan | Jul 2017 | B2 |
9914403 | Richardson | Mar 2018 | B1 |
20020063438 | Rusu | May 2002 | A1 |
20020148124 | Strange | Oct 2002 | A1 |
20030016185 | Morooka | Jan 2003 | A1 |
20030057676 | Griggs | Mar 2003 | A1 |
20030094473 | Moore | May 2003 | A1 |
20030164437 | Wilson | Sep 2003 | A1 |
20030205599 | Brown | Nov 2003 | A1 |
20030213881 | McCoy | Nov 2003 | A1 |
20050093762 | Pick | May 2005 | A1 |
20050146483 | Levasseur | Jul 2005 | A1 |
20060027719 | Klein | Feb 2006 | A1 |
20060119124 | Briggs | Jun 2006 | A1 |
20060261815 | Martin | Nov 2006 | A1 |
20080054136 | Gou | Mar 2008 | A1 |
20080303740 | Schipper | Dec 2008 | A1 |
20090079640 | Gray | Mar 2009 | A1 |
20100220021 | Khreizat | Sep 2010 | A1 |
20110140474 | Smith | Jun 2011 | A1 |
20120085269 | Ohide | Apr 2012 | A1 |
20120292360 | O'Regan | Nov 2012 | A1 |
20120318189 | Oyoung | Dec 2012 | A1 |
20130176182 | Stolz | Jul 2013 | A1 |
20140319298 | O'Regan | Oct 2014 | A1 |
20150283957 | Dickinson | Oct 2015 | A1 |
20160001711 | Hughes | Jan 2016 | A1 |
20160082880 | Co | Mar 2016 | A1 |
20160259374 | Breiwa | Sep 2016 | A1 |
20170106809 | Tirrell | Apr 2017 | A1 |
20170151844 | Stanifer | Jun 2017 | A1 |
20180111562 | Crandall | Apr 2018 | A1 |
20180245734 | Kim | Aug 2018 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20170229766 A1 | Aug 2017 | US |