The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 18, 1996
Filed:
Mar. 07, 1995
William J Sherwood, West Burlington, IA (US);
Charles E Rodeffer, Burlington, IA (US);
Mark A Rodeffer, Burlington, IA (US);
Winegard Company, Burlington, IA (US);
Abstract
A deployable satellite antenna system permits an antenna with elevation and azimuth control to be mounted to the roof of a vehicle. The elevation control assembly for the antenna system has a base with two parallel tracks and a slider that moves along these tracks. The antenna reflector is connected to a support frame pivotably attached to the slider. Pivot arms are pivotally attached between the reflector and the base adjacent to the parallel tracks. The elevational position of the antenna is adjusted by a motor that controls the position of the slider along the parallel tracks between a stowed position in which the reflector is stowed facing the vehicle and a deployed position in which the reflector is rotated to a maximum elevational angle. In one embodiment, a feed arm supporting the feed horn extends outward from the antenna support frame adjacent to the lower edge of the antenna. The base of the feed arm is pivotably attached to the support frame so that the feed horn is stored beneath the antenna in its stowed position and moves to a predetermined point relative to the antenna in its deployed position. The azimuth of the antenna is controlled by a rotating assembly mounted to the roof of the vehicle beneath the base of the elevation control assembly.