Dish antenna rotation apparatus

Details Dish antenna rotation apparatus Dish antenna rotation apparatus

2000-12-11

2002-09-03

Ho, Tan (Department: 2821)

Communications: radio wave antennas

Antennas

With support for antenna, reflector or director

C343S880000, C343S878000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06445361

ABSTRACT:

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The present application claims priority from Taiwan Patent Application No. 089209347, entitled “Dish Antenna Rotation Apparatus,” filed on May 24, 2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention provides a dish antenna rotation apparatus. The apparatus comprises a dish bracket and an elevation bracket. The dish bracket can more easily and exactly adjust a rotation angle. The elevation bracket can more easily and exactly adjust an elevation angle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A synchronous direct broadcast satellite (DBS) is a one point to multi-points communication system in which signals from the DBS can be received by a small antenna and a tuner device. Generally speaking, the DBS can receive signals from a specific earth surface transmitter, and then the DBS can send the signals to multiple earth surface receivers. After an earth surface receiver collects the signals of the DBS into a dish reflector, the signals are focused on at least one low noise block with feed convertor (LNBF), which is in the rear of the dish reflector. The LNBF can selectively receive the signal. The LNBF has the same functions as those for a filter and an amplifier, and further comprises a forward waveguide antenna and a backward component. The forward waveguide antenna can receive the signals, and the backward component can transform the radio frequency signals into the intermediate frequency signals to the tuner devices.
For the better communications between a receiver and a DBS, the receiver needs to be positioned based on the difference of longitudes and latitudes of the receiver and the DBS. In other words, the receiving angles of the receiver, such as a rotation angle, an elevation angle and an azimuth angle, have to be adjusted based on the location of the DBS.
According to the foregoing, a multi-beam antenna rotation apparatus can be used for receiving the signals of multiple satellites. The rotation apparatus can be adjusted to a selected rotation angle, to a selected elevation angle and to an azimuth angle of a dish antenna. Taking the U.S. and the PRC, for example, three DBSs are respectively located at 101 degrees west longitude, 110 degrees west longitude, and 119 degrees west longitude. Thus, the rotation angle of the apparatus ranges between +55 degrees and −55 degrees, and the elevation angle ranges between 0 degree and 65 degrees.
In addition, because the receiver is sensitive to the position of the DBSs and has to be able to endure 60 m/s of wind pressure, the receiver is more difficult to manufacture. Therefore, the design of a rotation apparatus of the receiver becomes very important.
FIG. 1
illustrates a present rotation apparatus for a dish antenna. The apparatus comprises a dish
10
, an elevation bracket
20
, a clamp
31
, a mast
32
and a pedestal
33
. The dish
10
includes two sides. One side is concave. The other side forms a flange
11
. The flange
11
includes a pair of bolts
12
and a concentric axle
13
. The elevation bracket
20
further comprises a pair of fold wings
22
and a bolt
23
. The bolt
23
passes through the fold wings
22
. Each of the fold wings
22
further comprises a first wing
221
and an adjacent second wing
222
. Each first wing
221
is perpendicular to the respective adjacent second wing
222
. Each first wing
221
further comprises a respective vertical groove
24
, and each second wing
222
further comprises a respective horizontal groove
21
. At least one of the second wings
222
further comprises an extending arm
223
. The extending arm
223
comprises a concentric axle hole
25
. The concentric axle hole
25
is coupled to the concentric axle
13
of the dish
10
in order to rotate the dish
10
. After the dish
10
is rotated, the horizontal grooves
21
are coupled to the pair of bolts
12
to securely combine the dish
10
with the elevation bracket
20
.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, a clamp
31
is attached to one of the fold wings
22
. The bolt
23
passes through holes
36
in the fold wings
22
and through holes
37
in the clamp
31
. The bolt
23
operates as a pivot to permit the clamp
31
to move with respect to the fold wings
22
. The clamp
31
can rotate about the pivot
23
to a specific elevation angle. Then the clamp
31
is fixed in the vertical grooves
24
of the fold wings
22
. The clamp
31
is further attached to the mast
32
. The mast
32
further couples to the pedestal
33
. The pedestal
33
supports the dish
10
.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, the elevation bracket
20
comprises the two separating fold wings
22
. The fold wings
22
are fixed to the pair of bolts
12
of the flange
11
of the dish
10
by only two screws. For the rotation apparatus of
FIG. 1
, the receivers have to be adjusted in accordance with the position of a selected one of the DBSs, and the receivers have to be able to endure 60 m/s of wind pressure. Also, because the fold wings
22
of the elevation bracket
20
include both the vertical grooves
24
and the horizontal grooves
21
, the vertical grooves
24
and horizontal grooves
21
cannot be independently adjusted. In other words, once the position of one of the grooves is changed, the positions of the other grooves also have to be readjusted.
Furthermore, the fold wings
22
are coupled to each other by only the bolt
23
. This causes the symmetry of the fold wings to be weak. Thus, the fold wings cannot be symmetrically rotated with the dish
10
, which results in a poor receiving precision. Furthermore, once the fold wings
22
are respectively readjusted, the fold wings
22
may change shape due to forced pulling and forced dragging. The changed shapes of the fold wings may further result in rough rotating when the next adjustment is made, which makes it more difficult to adjust the position of the clamp
31
for an accurate elevation angle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to strengthen a rotation apparatus of a dish antenna as mentioned above, the present invention is directed to a dish bracket that provides a support for strengthening a rotation apparatus and a dish. Further, the invention uses three screws in triangular form to strongly secure an elevation bracket and the dish bracket.
In order to avoid readjusting a rotation angle that results in an elevation angle readjustment, the invention separates the relationship between a rotation angle and an elevation angle so that the two angles can be adjusted independently. Only the horizontal grooves are included as part of the elevation bracket. The vertical grooves are included as part of the dish bracket. Therefore, there is no need to readjust the elevation angle when the rotation angle is readjusted.
In addition, because the fold wings have a design that differs from the prior art, the fold wings are symmetrically rotated. The shapes of the fold wings do not change, and thus the clamp does not encounter rough movement when it is re-rotated.
In order to solve the foregoing problems of the prior art, the invention provides two fold wings that are coupled by a bottom portion. The fold wings and the bottom portion comprise an organic whole that operates as an elevation bracket. Because the bottom portion of the elevation bracket is close to the dish bracket, the bottom portion of the elevation bracket and the dish bracket can be rotated smoothly. In other words, the present invention solves the problem of unsymmetrical rotating so that exact adjustment of a rotation angle and an elevation angle can be accomplished. Furthermore, the fold wings also may advantageously include a trimmer device for providing better precision adjustment of the elevation angle.
In preferred embodiments, the dish bracket further includes a related peripheral device for installation as required by a multi-beam reflection antenna such as installing a multi-switch bracket for a multi-switch device and installing an arm for LNBFs.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5122810 (1992-06-01), Nisbet et al.
patent: 6081240 (2000-06-01), Hemmingsen, II
patent: 6188372 (2001-02-01), Jackson

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Dish antenna rotation apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Dish antenna rotation apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Dish antenna rotation apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2861857