Communications: radio wave antennas – Antennas – With support for antenna – reflector or director
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-16
2001-07-17
Ho, Tan (Department: 2821)
Communications: radio wave antennas
Antennas
With support for antenna, reflector or director
C343S878000, C343S892000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06262691
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to assemblies for mounting antennas to poles, and more particularly, to assemblies for mounting antennas to poles wherein the assemblies each include a removable installation tool.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
The present invention is particularly intended for use on directional antennas, although it may be used on omni-directional or sectoral antennas as well. A directional antenna is an antenna with a signal strength that is sensitive to its angular orientation. The angular orientation is commonly measured in terms of azimuth (i.e., horizontal angle) in combination with an elevation (i.e., vertical) angle. An assembly for mounting such an antenna is preferably provided with a bracket that includes a clamp for mounting to a pole and a support structure for supporting the antenna relative to the clamp. The bracket may also have components for adjusting each of the azimuth and the elevation angle so that the signal of the antenna can be maximized. The support structure for the antenna typically is attached to the clamp, and the elevation angle of the support structure and antenna are adjusted with respect to the clamp.
Adjustment of the azimuth is obtained in some conventional mounting assemblies by properly orienting the bracket around the vertical pole. In other words, a separate component may not be provided for adjusting the azimuth. The bracket illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 361,068, for example, provides only an elevation angle adjustment mechanism.
The adjustability of the orientation of the clamp around the pole may not provide a high enough resolution in azimuth, especially for highly directional antennas that permit only a small error in angular orientation. To be installed, the assembly must be lifted up to the desired point on the pole and then rotated horizontally around the pole until the antenna is aligned with a target. This procedure determines the exact orientation for clamping, which orientation must be maintained while attaching the clamp to the pole.
Given such difficulties, many bracket assemblies are provided with an additional component for azimuth adjustment. For example, the assembly illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,132 provides a pole clamp that includes a pair of guide elements which define an arcuate path extending circumferentially around at least a portion of the pole clamp. The assembly further comprises an adjustment screw mounted on the pole clamp that is used to adjust the position of the antenna support structure along the arcuate path. Once the correct azimuth angle is achieved, locking screws secure the antenna support in position relative to the pole clamp. Such a conventional bracket assembly provides for fine adjustment of the antenna relative to the pole.
The assembly, however, has several disadvantages. The assembly comprises numerous parts and requires numerous tightening operations. The adjustment mechanisms, which are the more expensive components of the system, remain permanently attached to the pole after installation. Accordingly, these expensive components must be provided in each individual mounting assembly. Moreover, the permanently mounted adjustment mechanisms are exposed to environmental conditions such that the mechanisms may degrade several years after initial installation of the antenna.
Some of these disadvantages are overcome by using an installation tool that mounts to a pole below the antenna mounting assembly. Such a device, known to be produced by Andrew Corporation of Orland Park, Ill., provides adjustment of the azimuth by pushing the end of a threaded bolt against the assembly. These devices do not allow adjustment of the assembly in an opposite direction by pulling of the assembly toward an adjustment tool. Rather, two adjustment bolts are required to provide adjustment in opposite directions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an antenna mounting assembly that overcomes disadvantages of the prior art. One aspect of the present invention provides a simplified mounting assembly comprised of few parts. Another aspect of the present invention provides an installation tool that allows adjustment of a pole clamp and removal of the installation tool from the permanent mounting once adjustment of the pole clamp is accomplished. Another aspect provides a single adjustment tool that allows adjustment of both the elevation and azimuth angle of an antenna. The invention also provides two-directional adjustment of the antenna away from and toward an adjustment tool.
These features are provided generally in a mounting assembly having an antenna support structure connected to a pole clamp in a manner preferably allowing movement of the support structure relative to the pole clamp. An installation tool is mounted on the pole wherein the pole clamp and the support structure are movable relative to the installation tool during the installation process. Accordingly, the assembly provides a simple, low cost method for attachment of an antenna to a support structure and a pole clamp and aligning of the antenna during installation.
More specifically, in the preferred embodiment, the assembly comprises a simple permanent portion and a separate, removable installer's tool. The permanent portion attaches the antenna to the pole and is left on the pole after alignment. The installer's tool interacts with the permanent portion of the assembly during installation in order to correctly secure the position of the antenna, and contains the more expensive mechanisms that are required for alignment of the antenna. These expensive mechanisms are taken with the installer after alignment is complete, thereby minimizing the cost of materials left on the pole.
The assembly provides two degrees of freedom for aligning the antenna during installation. Initial azimuth adjustments are made by rotating the antenna support structure and the pole clamps together about the mounting pole. The pole clamps are then loosely secured to the pole to secure the pole clamps in this initial position. Initial elevation adjustments are made by rotating the antenna support structure with respect to an elevation plate of one of the pole clamps. A shear pin feature is incorporated into the elevation plate of the pole clamp to provide a fixed pivot point during elevation adjustments. The mounting foot of the antenna is free to rotate under four flange nuts that attach the antenna support structure to the elevation plate. When all initial adjustments to the elevation angle have been made, the flange nuts can be loosely secured to provide a somewhat rigid connection between the antenna support structure and the mounting pole clamp.
Fine adjustments to azimuth and elevation are made by use of two adjuster mechanisms. In the case of azimuth adjustments, a collar on the installer's tool remains fixedly secured to the pole while an adjustment bolt of the collar is manipulated. The adjustment bolt interacts with the pole clamps to force the pole clamps and the antenna to rotate in either a forward or a rearward direction about the pole by movement of the adjustment bolt. Once the correct azimuth angle is achieved, the pole clamps are secured in place. For elevation adjustments, the antenna support structure is forced to rotate in either a forward or a rearward direction about the shear pin in the elevation plate by movement of an adjustment bolt in the elevation adjuster mechanism on the installation tool. The flange nuts on the elevation plate are then tightened once the elevation adjustment has been made. The installer's tool is then removed from the pole without fear of changing the antenna alignment.
It can be seen that such a mounting assembly has several beneficial features. The installation tool of the mounting assembly may be installed on the pole prior to installation of the pole clamps such that the pole clamps are supported by the installation tool during adjustment thereof The present invention includes fewer parts then previous mounting assemblies and requires fewer tighteni
Austin Neal D.
Blasing Raymond R.
Fries David P.
Anderson Edward B.
Endgate Corporation
Ho Tan
McTaggart Ingrid M.
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