Vehicle-mount antenna assemblies having outer covers with back tension latching mechanisms for achieving zero-gap
AssigneeLaird Technologies, Inc.
InventorsHasan Yasin, Hela Loudhaief
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An antenna assembly generally includes an antenna module mountable to a vehicle body wall. The antenna base module may include a base, an inner (e.g., environmental protective cover, etc.) cover coupled to the base, at least one antenna element disposed within an enclosure defined by the inner cover and the base, and one or more latching members. An outer (e.g., cosmetic, styled, and/or aerodynamic, etc.) cover may include one or more snap clip members engageable with the one or more latching members when the outer cover is positioned over the inner cover. The snap clip members may include curved portions and flex points.
Claims20
An antenna assembly for installation to a vehicle body wall, the antenna assembly comprising:
- an antenna base module mountable to the vehicle body wall and including one or more latching members;
- an outer cover having one or more snap clip members engageable with the one or more latching members when the outer cover is positioned generally over the antenna base module to connect the outer cover to the antenna base module, each of the snap clip members including a curved portion and a flex point;
- and
- the snap clip members and the latching members are configured such that the snap clip members flex at their respective flex points and exert back tension on the latching members when the snap clip members engage the latching members.
An antenna assembly for installation to a vehicle body wall, the antenna assembly comprising:
- an antenna base module mountable to the vehicle body wall and including at least one latching member;
- an antenna cover having at least one snap clip member engageable with the latching member when the antenna cover is positioned generally over the antenna base module to connect the antenna cover to the antenna base module, the at least one snap clip member including a curved portion and a flex point;
- the snap clip member and the latching member being configured such that, when engaged, the snap clip member flexes at the flex point to exert back tension against the latching member;
- and
- whereby, in a final installed position of the antenna assembly to the vehicle body wall, a portion of the antenna assembly conforms against the vehicle body wall substantially without any gap therebetween.
A method relating to installation of an antenna assembly to a vehicle body wall, the method comprising connecting an antenna cover to an antenna base module by moving an end portion of at least one snap clip member of the antenna cover along a corresponding portion of at least one latching member of the antenna base module so that the end portion of the at least one snap clip member moves past a latching surface of the at least one latching member, the at least one snap clip member including a curved portion and a flex point, whereby in a final installed position, the at least one snap clip member flexes at the flex point which positions the end portion of the at least one snap clip member underneath the latching surface and exerts back tension on the at least one latching member, such that a portion of the antenna assembly conforms against the vehicle body wall substantially without any gap therebetween.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.