Antenna assembly and wireless communication device

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6801171
  • Patent Number
    6,801,171
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, February 12, 2003
    21 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, October 5, 2004
    19 years ago
Abstract
An antenna assembly and a wireless communication device of the invention are disclosed. The wireless communication device includes a casing, an antenna body, a rotary assembly, and a moving member. The antenna body is mounted in a concave portion of the casing for generating electromagnetic signals. The antenna body is rotated at a predetermined angle. The rotary assembly, connected to the antenna body, rotates the antenna body. The moving member, mounted on the casing, immobilizes or releases the antenna body. Therefore, users can rotate the antenna body simply by moving the moving member.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The invention relates to a wireless communication device; in particular, a wireless communication device with an automatic antenna assembly.




2. Description of the Related Art




Wireless communication devices, such as wireless bridges, are more and more popular, providing many conveniences. In the wireless communication device, an antenna is a necessary unit.




In the conventional wireless communication device, the antenna is manually rotated to a predetermined position. However, it is a very inconvenient operation for the user.




In addition, since the wireless communication device is a hi-tech product, the manual rotation does not match its image.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




In order to address the disadvantages of the aforementioned wireless communication device, the invention provides a wireless communication device with an automatic antenna assembly.




The invention provides a wireless communication device, including a casing, an antenna body, a rotary assembly, and a moving member. The antenna body is mounted in a concave portion of the casing for generating electromagnetic signals. The antenna body is rotated at a predetermined angle. The rotary assembly, connected to the antenna body, rotates the antenna body. The moving member, mounted on the casing, immobilizes or releases the antenna body.




In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the antenna body includes a first hole mounted at a front end of the antenna body such that when a first protrusion of the moving member is inserted into the first hole, the antenna body is immobilized, and when the first protrusion of the moving member is disengaged from the first hole, the antenna body is released.




In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the rotary assembly includes a rotating member and a sleeve such that the rotating member is engaged with the antenna body and the sleeve is engaged with the rotating member respectively.




Furthermore, the rotating member includes a groove, and the sleeve includes a bending portion inserted into the groove, so the antenna body is rotated at the predetermined angle when the antenna body via the rotating member deforms the bending portion.




Furthermore, the rotating member includes a first hollow portion and a second protrusion. Thus, the first hollow portion is received the bending portion, and the second protrusion is inserted into a second hole of the antenna body.




Furthermore, the rotating member and the sleeve are received into a second hollow portion of the antenna body.




In another preferred embodiment, the predetermined angle is approximately 90 degree.




The invention also provides an antenna assembly for a wireless communication device. The antenna assembly includes an antenna body, a rotary assembly, and a moving member. The antenna body, having a first hole, generates electromagnetic signals, and rotates at a predetermined angle. The rotary assembly is connected to the antenna body for rotating the antenna body. The moving member, having a first protrusion, immobilizes or releases the antenna body. Thus, the antenna body is immobilized when the first protrusion is inserted into the first hole, and the antenna body is released when the first protrusion is disengaged from the first hole.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The invention is hereinafter described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:





FIG. 1



a


is a schematic view of a wireless communication device as disclosed in the embodiment, wherein an antenna body is located at a first position, and a moving member is located at a third position;





FIG. 1



b


is another schematic view of a wireless communication device as disclosed in the invention, wherein the antenna body is located at a second position, and the moving member is located at a fourth position;





FIG. 2



a


is a schematic view of an antenna assembly in

FIG. 1



a;







FIG. 2



b


is another schematic view of the antenna assembly, wherein the antenna body and a rotary assembly are separated;





FIG. 2



c


is another schematic view of the antenna assembly, wherein a sleeve and a rotating member are separated;





FIG. 3



a


is another schematic view of the antenna assembly, wherein the sleeve is partially cut; and





FIG. 3



b


is a schematic view of the sleeve and the rotating member in

FIG. 2



c


, wherein a bending portion of the sleeve is deformed.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




Referring to

FIG. 1



a


and

FIG. 2



b


, a wireless communication device


100


, as disclosed in the embodiment of the invention, includes a casing


10


, an antenna body


20


, a rotary assembly


30


, and a moving member


40


. An antenna assembly


200


, as disclosed in the embodiment, includes an antenna body


20


, a rotary assembly


30


, and a moving member


40


.




The casing


10


is a basic unit of the wireless communication device


100


, and includes required devices of the wireless communication device


100


therein. Since the required devices are the same as those of the conventional wireless communication device, their description is omitted. In addition, the casing


10


includes a concave portion


11


for receiving the antenna body


20


.




The antenna body


20


is a transmission interface between the wireless communication device


100


and the environment, generating and transmitting electromagnetic signals. The antenna body


20


is mounted on the casing


10


in a manner such that the antenna body


20


is rotated between a lowered position (as shown in

FIG. 1



a


and hereinafter referred to as a first position) and an upright position (as shown in

FIG. 1



b


and hereinafter referred to as a second position). That is, the antenna body


20


is rotated at a predetermined angle. For example, the predetermined angle is approximately at a range of 90 degree but not limited to 90 degree. Referring to

FIG. 2



b


, the antenna body


20


includes a first hole


21


, a main portion


22


, and a second hollow portion


23


. The first hole


21


is formed at a front end of the antenna body


20


. When the antenna body


20


is located at the first position, the main portion


22


is located in the concave portion


11


of the casing


10


. Furthermore, the rotary assembly


30


is received into the second hollow portion


23


.




The moving member


40


is used for immobilizing or releasing the antenna body


20


. The moving member


40


is mounted on the casing


10


in a manner such that it is rotated between an engagement position (as shown in

FIG. 1



a


and hereinafter referred to as a third position) and a separation position (as shown in

FIG. 1



b


and hereinafter referred to as a fourth position). The moving member


40


includes a first protrusion


41


to be inserted into the first hole


21


of the antenna body


20


. Thus, when the moving member


40


is located at the third position, the first protrusion


41


is inserted into the first hole


21


to immobilize the antenna body


20


at the first position. Furthermore, when the moving member


40


is located at the fourth position, the first protrusion


41


is disengaged from the first hole


21


, and therefore the antenna body


20


is released and rotated round the rotary assembly


30


toward the second position.




The rotary assembly


30


is disposed in the casing


10


, and is connected with the antenna body


20


to rotate the antenna body


20


as shown in

FIG. 2



a


. Referring to

FIG. 2



a


,

FIG. 2



b


,

FIG. 2



c


,

FIG. 3



a


, and

FIG. 3



b


, the rotary assembly


30


includes a rotating member


50


and a sleeve


60


.




The rotating member


50


includes a groove


51


, a first hollow portion


52


, and a second protrusion


53


. The second protrusion


53


is inserted into the second hole


24


of the antenna body


20


so that the rotating member


50


is combined with the antenna body


20


and is rotated along with the antenna body


20


.




The sleeve


60


is disposed in the second hollow portion


23


of the antenna body


20


, and is fixed in the casing


10


at one end. The sleeve


60


includes a bending portion


61


and a third hollow portion


62


. The bending portion


61


is integrally formed on the sleeve


60


. When the sleeve


60


is combined with the rotating member


50


, the bending portion


61


is received in the first hollow portion


52


of the rotating member


52


, and an end portion


611


of the bending portion


61


is located in the groove


51


of the rotating member


50


, and the whole rotating member


50


is received in the third hollow portion


62


.




As stated above, when the moving member


40


is located at the third position, the antenna body


20


via the rotating member


50


deforms the bending portion


61


of the sleeve


60


. At this time, the bending portion


61


forms a 270-degree arc as shown in

FIG. 3



b


. When the moving member


40


is located at the fourth position, the bending portion


61


is released. At this time, the bending portion


61


forms a 180-degree arc as shown in

FIG. 3



a


to rotate the antenna body


20


to the second position via the rotating member


50


.




It is noted that the bending portion


61


is made of elastic material; therefore, when the bending portion


61


is subjected to external force, it is deformed.




It is understood that the antenna body


20


is provided with flush lubricating material in the second hollow portion


23


to allow smooth rotation of the sleeve


60


, and the sleeve


60


is also provided with flush lubricating material in the third hollow portion


62


to allow smooth rotation of the rotating member


50


. Therefore, the antenna body


20


rotates smoothly.




Before the antenna body


20


is raised, the moving member


40


is moved toward a direction as shown in an arrow A of

FIG. 1



b


. Then, the first protrusion


41


of the moving member


40


is disengaged from the first hole


21


of the antenna body


20


. So, the bending portion


61


of the sleeve


60


of the rotary assembly


30


is released to rotate the antenna body


20


to the second position via the rotating member


50


.




When the raised-up antenna body


20


is pressed down, the first protrusion


41


of the moving member


40


is inserted into the first hole


21


of the antenna body


20


. Thus, the antenna body


20


is returned to the casing


10


.




As stated above, the user can raise the antenna body


20


simply by moving the moving member


40


; thus, it is more convenient than rotating the antenna body manually.




Furthermore, since the main portion


22


of the antenna body


20


can be disposed in the concave portion


11


of the casing


10


, the appearance of the wireless communication device


100


is neater and more appealing.




It is noted that the design of the antenna assembly of the wireless communication device as disclosed in the embodiment is also applicable to wireless bridge and others.




While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be readily appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that the claims be interpreted to cover the disclosed embodiment, those alternatives which have been discussed above, and all equivalents thereto.



Claims
  • 1. A network device for wireless communication comprising:a casing; an antenna body mounted in a concave portion of said casing for generating and transmitting electromagnetic signals, wherein said antenna body is rotated at a predetermined angle; a rotary assembly connected to said antenna body for rotating said antenna body; and a moving member mounted on said casing for immobilizing or releasing said antenna body.
  • 2. The network device as recited in claim 1, wherein said antenna body comprises a first hole mounted at a front end of the antenna body such that when a first protrusion of the moving member inserted into the first hole, the antenna body is immobilized, and when the first protrusion of the moving member is disengaged from the first hole, the antenna body is released.
  • 3. The network device as recited in claim 1, wherein said predetermined angle is approximately at a range of 0 to 90 degree.
  • 4. A wireless communication device comprising:a casing; an antenna body mounted in a concave portion of said casing for generating and transmitting electromagnetic signals, wherein said antenna body is rotated at a predetermined angle; a rotary assembly connected to said antenna body for rotating said antenna body, wherein said rotary assembly comprises a rotating member and a sleeve that said rotating member is engaged with said antenna body and said sleeve is engaged with the rotating member respectively; and a moving member mounted on said casing for immobilizing or releasing said antenna body.
  • 5. The network device for wireless communication as recited in claim 4, wherein said rotating member comprises a groove and said sleeve, said sleeve comprising a bending portion inserted into said groove such that said antenna body is rotated to said predetermined angle when said antenna body via said rotating member deforms said bending portion.
  • 6. The network device for wireless communication as recited in claim 4, wherein said rotating member comprises a first hollow portion and a second protrusion, whereby said first hollow portion is received said bending portion and the second protrusion is inserted into a second hole of the antenna body.
  • 7. The network device for wireless communication as recited in claim 4, wherein said rotating member and said sleeve are received into a second hollow portion of the antenna body.
  • 8. An antenna assembly, for used in a network device for wireless communication, comprising:an antenna body having a first hole for generating and transmitting electromagnetic signals, wherein said antenna body is rotated to a predetermined angle; a rotary assembly connected to said antenna body for rotating said antenna body; and a moving member for immobilizing or releasing said antenna body, providing a first protrusion, whereby said antenna body is immobilized when said first protrusion is inserted into said first hole and said antenna body is released when said first protrusion is disengaged from said first hole.
  • 9. The antenna assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein said predetermined angle is approximately at a range of 0 to 90 degree.
  • 10. An antenna body having a first hole for generating and transmitting electromagnetic signals, wherein said antenna body is rotated to a predetermined angle;a rotary assembly connected to said antenna body for rotating said antenna body, wherein said rotary assembly comprises a rotating member and a sleeve, said sleeve having a bending portion and a third hollow portion, whereby said sleeve is engaged with said rotating member and said rotating member is engaged with said antenna body; and a moving member for immobilizing or releasing said antenna body, providing a first protrusion, whereby said antenna body is immobilized when said first protrusion is inserted into said first hole and said antenna body is released when said first protrusion is disengaged from said first hole.
  • 11. The antenna assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein said rotating member comprises a groove, a first hollow portion, and a second protrusion, whereby said groove and said first hollow portion are inserted by the bending portion such that said antenna body via said rotating member deforms said bending portion when said antenna body is rotated to said predetermined angle, and said second protrusion is inserted into a second hole of said rotary assembly.
  • 12. The antenna assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein said rotating member and said sleeve are inserted into a second hollow portion of said antenna body.
  • 13. The antenna assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein said third hollow portion of said sleeve comprises a or smoothing said rotating member.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Number Name Date Kind
6215454 Tran Apr 2001 B1
6353414 Jones et al. Mar 2002 B1
6388627 Masaki et al. May 2002 B1
6501429 Nakamura et al. Dec 2002 B2