Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6801171
-
Patent Number
6,801,171
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, February 12, 200321 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, October 5, 200419 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Vannucci; James
- A; Minh Dieu
Agents
- Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 343 702
- 343 700 MS
- 343 872
- 343 846
- 343 848
- 455 90
-
International Classifications
-
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.
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Tran |
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B1 |
6353414 |
Jones et al. |
Mar 2002 |
B1 |
6388627 |
Masaki et al. |
May 2002 |
B1 |
6501429 |
Nakamura et al. |
Dec 2002 |
B2 |