BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of antenna mounts and more particularly to the field of such mounts with adjustable feet securable to a variety of surfaces and structures.
2. Discussion of the Background
Antenna mounts are commonly used to support antennas on a wide variety of structures having a wide variety of shapes including flat and slanted roofs, walls, and parts of structures such a roof rafters. Some areas are relatively easy to access for installations such as roofs but some are less accessible and often cramped such as in an attic. In all cases, it is advantageous that the mount be relatively easy to install and avoid having any complicated installation instructions as well as complicated and often expensive parts. In virtually all cases, it is desirable that the antenna mount have a main mast with at least a section that can be supported in a vertical position to receive the antenna (e.g., satellite dish or over-the-air antenna) as most antennas are designed to be adjusted, calibrated, and operated based on being mounted and oriented in an initial, vertical position.
With this and other matters in mind, the present invention including its multi-directional foot assembly was developed. In it, the multi-directional foot assembly allows the antenna mount to be secured to a number of different support structures with a wide variety of shapes to position the antenna in the desired, initial vertical orientation for preferred installation and operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention involves an antenna mount for a satellite dish or other antenna to send or receive signals. The mount includes a plurality of legs with at least one of the legs having a multi-directional foot assembly adjustably securable to a number of different structures having a wide variety of shapes including flat and slanted roofs, walls, and parts of structures such a roof rafters. The foot assembly has a raised or domed portion with a slot through it extending along an arcuate path that receives a portion of an attaching member such as a carriage bolt. The raised or domed portion of the foot assembly is preferably surrounded by an annular, planar portion adjustably securable to the support structure in a number of fixed positions relative to it. One end portion of the one leg is then adjustably securable to the attaching member and to the raised portion of the foot assembly in a number of fixed positions relative to each other. The other end portion of the one leg in turn is adjustably securable to a second or mast leg of the antenna mount in a plurality of relative, fixed positions. In operation and with at least a section of the second or mast leg preferably aligned vertically, the respective legs at their feet can be secured in place to the support structure and secured at their other ends to each other with the antenna element then attached to the upstanding, vertical mast section.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1a-1e are views of the antenna mount of the present invention positioned on an inclined or slanted roof.
FIGS. 2a-2c are views of the antenna mount positioned on a vertical wall.
FIGS. 3a-3b are views of the antenna mount as positioned on roof rafters (FIG. 3a) and wall studs (FIG. 3b). The antenna element is not shown in these views for clarity.
FIG. 4a is an enlarged view of the multi-directional foot assembly of one of the legs of the antenna mount as secured to a support structure such as the ones of FIGS. 1a-1e and 2a-3b.
FIG. 4b is an exploded view of the foot assembly of FIG. 4a.
FIGS. 5a-5f are views of the raised or dome-shaped portion of the preferred embodiment of the foot assembly and the annular, planar portion surrounding it.
FIGS. 6a-6f further illustrate the foot assembly and schematically indicate by the arrows in FIGS. 6a and 6c the wide range of adjustability of the foot assembly about multiple axes to accommodate a wide variety of support structures and shapes including the slanted roof, vertical wall, roof rafters, and wall studs of FIGS. 1a-3b.
FIGS. 7a-7d are views of the antenna mount and in particular one manner in which the three legs of the antenna mount can be affixed to each other.
FIG. 8a-8c are view similar to FIGS. 1a-1e further illustrating the ability of the multi-directional foot assembly to accommodate and be secured to a variety of differently oriented support structures and surfaces such as found in a compound roof. The antenna element is not shown in these views for clarity.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As shown in FIGS. 1a-1e, the antenna mount 1 of the present invention preferably includes a plurality of at least three legs 3,5,7. Two of the legs or struts 3,5 preferably have multi-directional foot assemblies 11 and the third leg 7 preferably is a conventional mast with the antenna element 13 attached (e.g., by bolts or clamps) to it. The antenna mount 1 as illustrated in FIGS. 1a-3b can be secured to a number of support structures including the inclined or slanted roof 2 of FIGS. 1a-1e, the vertical wall 4 of FIGS. 2a-2c, the horizontal roof rafters 6 of FIG. 3a, and the vertical wall studs 8 of FIG. 3b.
In one mode of installation as perhaps best seen in FIG. 3a, the mast or third leg 7 is preferably mounted at its lower section 7″ by a mount 15 to the support structure (e.g., the middle roof rafter 6). The foot mount 15 for the mast leg 7 can be any one of a number of designs but preferably supports the mast or third leg 7 for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis such as 17. The axes 19,21 of the upper and lower mast sections 7′,7″ are preferably inclined to one another and intersect (e.g., at 45 degrees). The axes 19,21 are also preferably movable with the mast leg 7 substantially in a vertical plane that is substantially perpendicular to the pivotal axis 17 and contains the axes 19,21. The upper mast section 7′ and its axis 21 can then be positioned vertically to align the attached antenna element such as 13 of FIGS. 1a-2c in the desired, initial vertical orientation for preferred installation and operation.
With the antenna element 13 pre-attached or not to the upper section 7′ of the mast leg 7 in FIG. 3a and with the upper section 7′ aligned vertically, the other two legs 3,5 can then be manipulated to the positions of FIG. 3a and secured to the respective roof rafters 6 of the support structure and to the mast leg 7. In this manner as mentioned above, the upper mast section 7′ of the mast leg 7 is then rigidly fixed in the preferred vertical alignment as is the antenna element 13 once it is secured to the upper mast section 7′.
In this regard and as perhaps best seen in the wall mounted embodiment of FIG. 3b, each of the legs or struts 3,5 extends along a respective axis 23,25 between first and second end portions 3′,3″ and 5′,5″. The respective first end portions 3′,5′ are adjustably securable to the third or mast leg 7. The respective second end portions 3″,5″ are then adjustably securable to a respective multi-directional foot assembly 11 that in turn is adjustably securable to a support structure such as the roof rafters 6 in FIG. 3a and wall studs 8 in FIG. 3b.
The multi-directional or positionable foot assembly 11 as illustrated in FIGS. 4a-4b as well as in FIGS. 5a-5f and 6a-6e includes a first, raised or dome-shaped portion 21 extending about an axis 23 (see FIGS. 5a-5f). The foot assembly 11 further preferably includes a second, preferably annular portion 25 extending outwardly of and about the raised portion 21. The raised or domed portion 21 (see again FIGS. 5a-5f) has a slot 27 through it that extends (e.g., 70-90 degrees) substantially along a substantially arcuate path substantially intersecting the axis 23 of the raised portion 21. The raised portion 21 can have any number of shapes including the substantially spherical section of FIGS. 4a-6f. The raised portion 21 can also extend only partially about the axis 23 if desired. Similarly, the second portion 25 can have any number of shapes (e.g., annular as shown as well as square, hexangular, or triangular) and can also extend only partially about the axis 23 and raised portion 21 if desired.
The raised or central portion 21 of the foot assembly 11 has upper and lower sides facing away from each other and the plane 29 (see FIGS. 5c and 5e) which is substantially perpendicular to the axis 23. The foot assembly 11 further includes an attaching member such as the carriage bolt 31 in FIGS. 4a-4b and 6a-6f. The attaching member 31 extends along an axis 33 between first and second end sections 31′,31″ (FIG. 4b) with the first end section 31′ of the attaching member 31 being receivable in the slot 27 in the raised portion 21 in a direction away from the upper or top side of the raised portion 21. The first end section 31′ of the attaching member 31 is also movable along the arcuate slot 27 in a plane containing the axis 23 and substantially perpendicular to the plane 29 of the annular portion 25. The lower or head section 31″ of the attaching member 31 in this regard is sized to abut and be retained by the tightened nut 35 in FIG. 6f against the lower or underside of the raised portion 21 and not pass through the slot 27. The first end section 31′ of the attaching member 31 is then adjustably securable in a fixed position to the second or lower end portion 3″ of the leg 3.
This installation step can be accomplished (see FIGS. 4a-4b and 6a-6f) by positioning the leg 3 and attaching member 31 as desired and then tightening the nut 35 in place. The raised portion 21 in turn can already be fixedly secured to the support structure at this point or thereafter. Similarly, the first or upper end portions 3′,5′ of the legs 3,5 (see FIGS. 3a-3b and 7a-7d) are respectively adjustably securable in respective fixed positions to the third or mast leg 7. This can be done in a number of ways including by the illustrated clamp assembly of collar members 41 in FIGS. 7a-7d and the securing bolts 43 and nuts 45 (see FIG. 7c). Once the parts of the antenna mount 1 are so assembled and secured in place, the antenna mount 1 creates a rigid and fixed connection between the support structure (e.g., 2, 4, 6, and 8 of FIGS. 1a-3b) and the third or mast leg 7.
As illustrated in FIGS. 7a-8c and for additional flexibility and versatility in affixing the antenna mount 1 to a wide variety of support structure surfaces, the attaching collar members 41 adjustably securing the upper end portions 3′,5′ of the legs 3,5 to the mast leg 7 are preferably movable or slidable along the mast leg 7 (compare the grayed or dotted position of leg 3 and its collar member 41 in FIGS. 8a-8c to the adjusted position of 3a and 4a in these FIGS. 8a-8c). The collar members 41 are also rotatable about the mast leg 7. Further, the foot assembly 11 of each leg (e.g., 3 in FIGS. 8a-8c) is adjustably securable at 11a to a surface (e.g., 2′) not in the plane of the surface 2. The surface 2′ is also not in the plane of the other foot assembly 11 of the other leg 5 or in that of the mount 15 of the mast leg 7. Such differing surfaces like 2 and 2′ can often be encountered in support structures such as compound roofs. Additionally enhancing this flexibility and versatility as shown in FIGS. 7a-7b and the enlarged views of 4a-4b, the legs 3 and 5 can be telescoping if desired.
The upper end portions 3′,5′ of the legs 3,5 are also preferably pivotally mounted to the respective collar members 41 (e.g., by bolt or other pivot member 43 in FIG. 7c) for movement about the axis 47 in addition to being slidable with the collar members 41 along the mast leg 7 as in FIGS. 8a-8c and rotatable therewith about the mast leg 7. The collar members 41, mast leg 7, and upper end portions 3′,5′ of the legs 3,5 can then all be fixed in the desired relationships when nuts 45 in FIG. 7c are tightened on the bolts 43. The lower end portions 3″,5″ of the legs 3,5 as best seen in FIGS. 4a-4b and 6a-6f also preferably have a substantially planar extension 51. The extension 51 as shown is preferably angled or inclined (e.g., 25-45 degrees) outwardly relative to the longitudinal axes (e.g., axis 23 of leg 3 in FIGS. 4a-4b and 6b) of the respective legs 3,5 and substantially tangent (FIG. 60 to the raised dome portion 21 of the foot assembly 21. The extension 51 has a hole to receive the attaching member 31 and allows the legs 3,5 to be rotated 360 degrees about the bolt axis 33 of the attaching member 31. In this manner, the respective legs 3,5 can assume virtually any position about the axis 33 relative to the attaching member 31 which in turn can assume virtually any number of relative positions along the arcuate slot 27 of the raised portion 21 of the foot assembly 11. Additionally, the upper and lower sections 7′,7″ of the mast leg 7 can also be reversed if desired with the shorter section 7′ being secured to the support structure and the longer section 7″ positioned vertically to receive the antenna element 13.
The raised or dome-shaped portion 21 of the foot assembly 11 and the surrounding annular portion 25 in FIGS. 5a-5f are preferably an integral, one-piece member (e.g., metal or plastic) for ease and low cost of manufacture and installation. The annular portion 25 can also have a variety of hole shapes (see FIGS. 5a and 5f) to receive the securing members (e.g., lag or wood screws 53 in FIG. 4a) that fixedly secure the foot assembly 11 to the support structure such as 2 in FIG. 4a. Also for ease of installation, the attaching member 31 (e.g., carriage bolt) has a section 55 in FIG. 4b sized and shaped (e.g., square or hexagonal) to be received in the slot 27 of the raised portion 21 in a substantially abutting relationship. The section 55 then prevents rotation of the bolt 31 about its axis 33 relative to the slot 27 and raised portion 21 so the nut 55 can be tightened in place as in FIG. 6f.
It is noted that although the foot assembly 11 is shown in its preferred application in an antenna mount, it has equal utility in any environment in which multi-directional or positional attachment of a leg, strut, or other member to a second member or support in a plurality of fixed positions relative to each other is intended or desirable.
The above disclosure sets forth a number of embodiments of the present invention described in detail with respect to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in this art will appreciate that various changes, modifications, other structural arrangements, and other embodiments could be practiced under the teachings of the present invention without departing from the scope of this invention as set forth in the following claims. In particular, it is noted that the word substantially is utilized herein to represent the inherent degree of uncertainty that may be attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement or other representation. This term is also utilized herein to represent the degree by which a quantitative representation may vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter involved.
Patent Application
20190123418
