Antenna quick connect system and method

[0002] The present application claims the priority of pending U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/266,485 filed Feb. 6, 2001 for “Antenna Provisional,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. This application is related to and is being concurrently filed with commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/893,010, entitled Spring Loaded Antenna Mounting System and Method now U.S. Pat. No. 6,456,258 and Ser. No. 09/893,013, entitled Geared Antenna Aiming System and Method, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. The present invention relates generally to antennae mounting systems and methods for wireless communication systems, and more specifically to antennae mounting systems and methods for millimeter wave point-to-multipoint communication systems.

[0003] Point-to-multipoint millimeter wave wireless communication systems are well know and are described, e.g., in the commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,313, entitled “System and Method for Broadband Millimeter Wave Data Communication.” Such systems generally consist of one or more hubs each servicing a plurality of remote nodes. The antennae of such systems are highly directional and it is critical to the successful operation of the communication system that each antennae be correctly aimed in both azimuth and elevation. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a novel antennae mounting system which may be selectively aimed in both azimuth and elevation.

[0004] Point-to-multipoint communication systems are generally modular with reconfiguration of the coverage of the antennae required, e.g., as the number of subscribers increases within a sector, as subscribers come on line in sectors previously not serviced, as the communication traffic increases within a sector, etc. It is therefore another object of the present invention to provide a novel antennae mounting system and method in which antennae be easily added or moved to effect reconfiguration of the antennae system to accommodate the dynamic changes in the communication system.

[0005] Antennae in such systems are often mounted on preexisting structures and there are often physical limitations placed on the construction of new antenna support structures. It is accordingly a further object of the present invention to provide a novel antennae mounting system and method in which the antennae which may be easily and quickly installed on a variety of support structures.

[0006] Further, there are difficulties in the installation and aiming of directional antennae, where space is confined and a single installer may be faced with the simultaneous positioning and installation of an antenna at a significant elevation exposed to adverse wind conditions. It is accordingly yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel antennae mounting system and method in which the antennae may be quickly removed or quickly installed and thereafter selectively secured and aimed.

[0007] These and other objects and advantages will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the appended drawings.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a typical point-to-multipoint hub antenna.

[0009] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of one embodiment of the spring loaded antenna mount of the present invention.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a pictorial view of an embodiment of a parabolic antenna mount of the present invention illustrating two degrees of adjustment.

[0011] FIG. 4 is a pictorial view of an embodiment of a dipole antenna mount of the present invention illustrating two degrees of adjustment.

[0012] FIG. 5 is a schematic exploded view of one mechanism for achieving the two degrees of adjustment in the embodiments of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

[0013] FIG. 6 is a pictorial view of one embodiment of the quick connect/disconnect latch mechanism of the present invention in the open position.

[0014] FIG. 7 is a pictorial view of the embodiment of the quick connect/disconnect latch mechanism illustrated in FIG. 6 in the latched or closed position.

[0015] FIG. 8 is a schematic exploded illustration of the embodiment of the latch illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0016] FIGS. 9(a) through 9(d) are schematic illustrations of the operation of the embodiment of the quick connect/disconnect latch mechanism of FIGS. 6-8.

[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates a typical hub mounting for plural antennae in a millimeter wave point-to-multipoint wireless communication system. In the embodiment shown, there is a mounting plate 10 secured in a conventional manner to a tubular support 12. Two rows of antennae are illustrated, with the top row 14 having a different degree of elevation than the bottom row 16 to service relatively far and near subscribers respectively. Within each row, each highly directional antennae 18 is offset in azimuth by fifteen degrees to service an area approximately sixty degrees wide.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, the mounting plate 10 may be mounted on the pole 12 (not shown) by means of a mounting bracket 20 notched to receive the pole and having two notched backing members 22 secured thereto by way of four bolts 24. The upper and lower flanges 26 of the pole bracket 20 desirably include a central opening 28 and two generally arcuate slots 30 into which are received three protrusions of a top and bottom plate 32,34. Disposed between the flanges 26 is a spring biased pin comprising a central tube 36 which houses a coil spring (not shown) held under relatively slight compression by two end protrusions 38. The protrusions 38 are restrained by any suitable conventional means from completely exiting the tube 36. The pole bracket is relatively easy to install because of its small size and light weight.

[0019] With continued reference to FIG. 2, the mounting plate 10 may then be secured to the mounting bracket 20 without the necessity for precise alignment. One of he pins 38 may be depressed into the tube 36 against the pressure of the spring sufficiently to permit the flange of the mounting bracket to slide over the plates 32,34 to align the holes 40 therewith, at which point the pins 38 extend through the holes 40 under the bias of the spring within the tube 36. At this point, the bracket 10 is secured to the mounting bracket 20 and the installer no longer has to deal with the weight of the mounting bracket.

[0020] With the pins 38 extended, the bolts 42 may be positioned in the holes 44 in the mounting bracket, through the holes in the plates 32 and the arcuate slots 30. The mounting bracket 10 may then be turned in azimuth relative to the pole bracket 20 and tightened to fix the position thereof relative to the slots 30. Minor adjustments in azimuth may thus be made in the orientation of the mounting bracket 10 without the need for adjusting the mounting of the pole bracket 20 to the pole 12.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the flanges of the mounting bracket may be provided with pre-punched holes and lines 46 indicating the alignment of antenna elements relative to the bracket and thus to each other. Installation of the individual antennae to the bracket 10 may thus be facilitated and the relative alignment of the antennae secured without individually aligning the antenna elements.

[0022] Note that at no point in the installation is the installer required to deal with the weight of a pre-assembled antenna nor individually adjust the antenna elements.

[0023] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, adjustments in elevation must be made by the adjustment of the antenna bracket 10 to the pole 12 or the individual antennas (not shown) to the bracket 10. However, FIGS. 3-5 illustrate an antenna bracket which facilitates adjustments in both elevation and azimuth. With reference to FIGS. 3-5 where like functional elements have been given like numeric designations, the pole mounting bracket 60 may be attached to the pole or other supporting structure in any suitable conventional way such as the manner illustrated in FIG. 2. The pole mounting bracket 60 supports the antenna mount 61 in the manner to be described infra. The antenna unit 62 including the actual antenna 64 is in turn supported by antenna mount 61.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and schematically illustrated in FIG. 5, the pole bracket 60 includes a pivotal support 66 for a first adjustment member 68 the manually rotatable knob 70 of a threaded screw 72.

[0025] The first adjustable member 68 carries an arcuate threaded surface 74 which mates with the screw 72 when the first adjustable member is pivotally supported by the pin 66. In this way, the manual rotation of the knob 70 effects rotation of the first adjustable member 68 about the pin 66 to position the antenna in one orthogonal direction, azimuth or elevation as determined by the orientation of the pole mount 60.

[0026] The first adjustable member includes a pivotal support for a second adjustable member 76 and includes threaded manually operable knob 78 for a screw which engages a threaded arcuate surface 80 on the second adjustment member 76. In this way, rotation of the knob 78 effects rotation of the second adjustment member about the pin 82 to provide a second degree of adjustment orthogonal to the degree of adjustment provided by the first adjustment member.

[0027] The latching of the antenna unit to the second adjusting member may be accomplished in several ways. However, it is highly desirable that the antenna be quickly and easily replaced in both an individual node mount or as an element in a hub array. The quick disconnect latch shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is illustrated more clearly in FIGS. 6-8 and the operation thereof is schematically illustrated in FIG. 9.

[0028] With reference to FIGS. 6-8, the latch generally includes a first member 90 adapted to be carried by the second adjustment member of the mounts of FIGS. 3-5. The first member 90 includes a first forward facing hook or first male member 92 at the lower edge of the center section adapted to engage an element on the antenna. The center section of the first member also desirably carries a spring biased element 94 adapted to engage one of the slots or female connectors 96 in the antenna to provide stability of the antenna during the latching operation.

[0029] The flanges 98 of the first member 90 may be provided with apertures to receive a pin 100 which passes through a hole 102 adjacent one end of the flat member 104 of a second member 106 so that the flat member may pivot about the pin 100. Approximately midway along the flat member 104 is hinged a curved member 108 which has at the distal end thereof a second hook or second male member 110 adapted to engage an element of the antenna.

[0030] Alternatively, suitable protrusions from the sides of the flat member 104 may engage a detent on the curved member 108 to provide the pivotal connection.

[0031] In operation, and as shown in FIG. 9(a), the first member is placed against the antenna with the lower hook or first male member 92 engaged and both the flat member 104 and the curved member 108 out of contact with the antenna. As shown in FIG. 9(a), both the flat and curved members may then be rotated counterclockwise to position the hook or second male member 110 in position to engage the antenna as shown in FIG. 9(b). Once the hook 110 is engaged, the flat member 104 may be rotated clockwise as shown in FIG. 9(c) into the latched position shown in FIG. 9(d) and in FIG. 7.

[0032] As shown in various of the figures, the antenna is desirably provide with latch receiving means on the back, ends and sides so that the antenna may be selectively latched to the mounting member in the orientation dictated by the antenna element itself.

[0033] It should be understood that the foregoing description of preferred embodiments is illustrative only and that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.