Patent Application
20170244147
Technical Field
The present disclosure is directed to a hitch mount for an antenna, such as a satellite dish.
Description of the Related Art
Antennas, such as satellite dishes, for direct-broadcast satellite (DBS) or broadband antenna systems are generally mounted proximate to a user's house. Many users, however, desire to view television or have broadband internet access while away from their home or while working in the field. For example, many users enjoy having television or broadband internet access while camping, tailgating, or traveling by car. Current solutions for remote television and broadband internet access typically require users to purchase a separate portable antenna system that consists of a scaled-down antenna within a protective housing. This is not ideal for the casual user who wishes to have remote television or broadband internet access occasionally because these portable antenna systems can cost hundreds of dollars. Thus, it is desirable to have a low cost solution for remote television and broadband internet access.
The present disclosure provides an antenna hitch mount for securing an antenna, such as a satellite dish, to a vehicle.
According to one embodiment, the hitch mount includes a hitch mounting portion, a plate coupled to the hitch mounting portion, and an antenna mounting portion coupled to the plate. The hitch mounting portion is configured to be inserted in to a hitch. The hitch mounting portion includes holes that are on opposite sides of the hitch mounting portion and are aligned with each other. In one embodiment, the hitch mounting portion is a square tube. The plate is used to couple the hitch mounting portion and the antenna mounting portion to each other. In one embodiment, the plate is a square plate. The antenna mounting portion is configured to support an antenna. Namely, an antenna is secured to the antenna mounting portion by a fastening device, such as a mast clamp. In one embodiment, the antenna mounting portion is a circular tube.
The antenna hitch mount disclosed herein provides a low cost solution for remote television and broadband internet access by allowing a user to attach the same antenna that is used for his or her home to a vehicle for use at remote locations.
In the following description, certain specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the disclosure. However, one skilled in the art will understand that the disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known details associated with mounts have not been described to avoid obscuring the descriptions of the embodiments of the present disclosure.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
In the drawings, identical reference numbers identify similar features or elements. The size and relative positions of features in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.
The antenna hitch mount 10 is secured to a hitch 14 of the vehicle 12. As is known, the hitch 14 is used to affix or fasten attachments, such as a bike rack or a trailer, to the vehicle 12. As shown in
The antenna hitch mount 10 includes a hitch mounting portion 18, a plate 20, and an antenna mounting portion 22. The hitch mounting portion 18 includes two holes 24 that are on opposite sides of the hitch mounting portion 18 and are aligned with each other. The hitch 14 includes first and second holes 26. The antenna hitch mount 10 will be discussed in further detail with respect to
The antenna hitch mount 10 is inserted in to the hitch 14 until the holes 24 of the hitch mounting portion 18 and the holes 26 of the hitch 14 are all aligned with each other. Once aligned, a pin 28 is inserted through the holes 24 of the hitch mounting portion 18 and the holes 26 of the hitch 14 and secured in position by a clip 30. It should be noted that the pin 28 and the clip 30 are shown for illustrative purposes. The antenna hitch mount 10 may be secured to the hitch 14 by any type of locking pin.
The antenna 16 is secured to the antenna mounting portion 22 of the antenna hitch mount 10 by a mast clamp 32. The antenna 16 may be positioned along any portion of the antenna mounting portion 22. In a preferred embodiment, as shown in
It is beneficial to review
As previously discussed, the antenna hitch mount 10 includes the hitch mounting portion 18, the plate 20, and the antenna mounting portion 22. As best shown in
The hitch mounting portion 18 is configured to be inserted in to the hitch 14. The hitch mounting portion 18 includes the holes 24. As best shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the hitch mounting portion 18, as shown in
The hitch mounting portion 18 may have any shape. In one embodiment, as shown in
The hitch mounting portion 18 has a length that is long enough for the antenna mounting portion 22 to clear the rear of a vehicle when the hitch mounting portion 18 is inserted in to the hitch 14. For example, as shown in
The plate 20, as best shown in
The antenna mounting portion 22 is configured to support an antenna. Namely, an antenna is secured to the antenna mounting portion 22 by a fastening device. For example, as shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the antenna mounting portion 22, as shown in
The antenna mounting portion 22 may have any shape. In a one embodiment, as shown in
The antenna mounting portion 22 may have any length. In a preferred embodiment, the antenna mounting portion 22 has length long enough for an attached antenna to clear the height of a rear of a vehicle. For example, as shown in
The antenna hitch mount 10, including the hitch mounting portion 18, the plate 20, and the antenna mounting portion 22, may be made of any material that is not susceptible to damage or bending when exposed to natural forces, such as wind or rain. In a preferred embodiment, the hitch mounting portion 18, the plate 20, and the antenna mounting portion 22 are made of a metal, such as steel.
The antenna hitch mount 10 disclosed herein results in a hitch mount that secures an antenna, such as a satellite dish, to a hitch of vehicle. The antenna hitch mount 10 provides a low cost solution for remote television or broadband internet access as users are able to use the same antenna system for their home and activities away from their home.
The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of the various patents, applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments.
These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.
