JP7491797B2 - Antenna Device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an antenna device that can be attached to a work vehicle, etc.

An antenna device is known that has a case body in which a substrate is housed in a base and an antenna is housed in a protrusion that protrudes upward from the base, and that is attached to a mounting member that fits along the bottom of the case body (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The case body of this type of antenna device is usually configured with a cover member that has a base and a protrusion and an opening in the bottom, and a bottom plate member that covers the opening, and known mounting structures for the mounting member include a mounting structure in which the bottom plate member is fixed to the mounting member, and a mounting structure in which the cover member is fixed to the mounting member using a mounting bolt that passes through the bottom plate member and the cover member.

JP 2017-46142 A

However, in an attachment structure in which a bottom plate member is fixed to a workpiece, when an external force acts on the cover member, a load acts on the joint between the cover member and the bottom plate member, which may cause damage or reduce waterproofing. Also, in an attachment structure in which a cover member is fixed to a workpiece using an attachment bolt that penetrates the cover member and bottom plate member, the tightening force of the attachment bolt acts on the bottom plate member, which may reduce waterproofing near the bolt penetration part.

The present invention has been created in consideration of the above-mentioned actual situation and with the aim of solving these problems. The invention of claim 1 is an antenna device comprising a case body in which a substrate is accommodated in a base and an antenna is accommodated in a protrusion protruding upward from the base, and the antenna device is attached to a mounting member along the bottom of the case body, the case body comprising a cover member having the base and the protrusion, and having an opening in the bottom, and a bottom plate member covering the opening, the cover member further comprising a mounting bolt penetration portion through which a mounting bolt can be passed in the vertical direction, the mounting bolt penetration portion comprising a penetration portion main body, and a bottom plate penetration portion extending downward from the penetration portion main body and penetrating the bottom plate member to abut the mounting member, and a step portion formed between the penetration portion main body and the bottom plate penetration portion, and an annular waterproof member is arranged between the step portion and the bottom plate member.
The invention of claim 2 is the antenna device described in claim 1, characterized in that the cover member is provided with a bolt head accommodating recess for accommodating the bolt head of the mounting bolt, and a drainage groove for draining water from within the bolt head accommodating recess.
The invention of claim 3 is an antenna device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower end of the cover member is located lower than the lower end of the bottom plate member, the board is a receiving board that receives a predetermined radio signal via the antenna and is equipped with a channel setting dial for setting a receiving channel, and the bottom plate member is provided with a dial operation window that allows the channel setting dial to be operated from the outside, and a waterproof film that is attached to the lower surface of the bottom plate member and covers the dial operation window.

According to the invention of claim 1, the mounting bolt penetration part of the cover member comprises a penetration part main body and a bottom plate penetration part that extends downward from the penetration part main body and penetrates the bottom plate member to abut against the mounted member, so that it is possible to prevent the tightening force of the mounting bolt from acting on the bottom plate member. Also, the mounting bolt penetration part comprises a step part formed between the penetration part main body and the bottom plate penetration part, and an annular waterproof member is disposed between the step part and the bottom plate member, so that good waterproofing can be maintained without being affected by the tightening force of the mounting bolt.
According to the invention of claim 2, the cover member has a bolt head accommodating recess for accommodating the head of the mounting bolt, so that the height position of the mounting bolt can be made as low as possible and the effect on the antenna can be suppressed. Also, the cover member has a drainage groove for draining water from within the bolt head accommodating recess, so that corrosion of the mounting bolt due to water accumulated in the bolt head accommodating recess can be prevented.
According to the invention of claim 3, the bottom plate member has a dial operation window through which the channel setting dial can be operated from the outside, and a waterproof film attached to the underside of the bottom plate member and covering the dial operation window, so that not only can the channel be changed by simply peeling off the waterproof film without opening the case body, but also the waterproofness can be restored by replacing the waterproof film. Also, since the lower end of the cover member is located lower than the lower end of the bottom plate member, peeling off of the waterproof film due to contact with the mounting member can be prevented.

1 is a perspective view of a riding rice transplanter to which an antenna device according to one embodiment of the present invention is attached. 1 is a perspective view showing an attached state of an antenna device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a side view showing an installation state of an antenna device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing an attached state of an antenna device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a bottom view of the antenna device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a cover member of the antenna device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the antenna device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing the inside of the antenna device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

[Work vehicle]
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In Fig. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a running machine body of a riding rice transplanter P which is a work vehicle. A planting work machine 3 is connected to the rear of the running machine body 1 via a lifting link mechanism 2 so as to be able to rise and fall.

A positioning frame 4 shaped like a square when viewed from the front is erected on the traveling vehicle body 1. The positioning frame 4 has a pair of left and right vertical frame sections 4a extending upward, and a horizontal frame section 4b connecting the upper ends of the left and right vertical frame sections 4a. Two GNSS antennas 6, 7, which are components of a positioning system 5 (described below), and an antenna device 8 according to an embodiment of the present invention are attached to the horizontal frame section 4b, and a tablet 9 that displays navigation and the like is attached to one of the left and right vertical frames 4a.

The traveling vehicle 1 is equipped with a positioning system 5 and a control unit (not shown) as a control configuration for automatic steering control. For example, an RTK-GNSS positioning system capable of high-precision positioning with an error of a few centimeters is adopted as the positioning system 5. The RTK-GNSS positioning system performs GNSS positioning such as GPS at each of a fixed base station and a moving mobile station, and achieves high-precision positioning with an error of a few centimeters by correcting the positioning data in real time with a correction signal transmitted from the base station to the mobile station. In addition, if two GNSS antennas 6 and 7 are installed at a specified interval on the mobile station, it becomes possible to detect not only the absolute position of the mobile station but also the traveling direction (azimuth) of the mobile station with high precision based on the two positioning results.

Specifically, the positioning system 5 of this embodiment includes a GNSS unit (not shown) which is a control unit that executes RTK-GNSS positioning, a reference GNSS antenna 6 and a direction GNSS antenna 7 which are attached to the horizontal frame portion 4b of the positioning frame 4 at a predetermined interval in the vehicle width direction, and an antenna device 8 which functions as a correction signal receiving device that receives correction signals from a fixedly installed RTK base station. The GNSS unit transmits positioning data (absolute position data and traveling direction data) obtained by RTK-GNSS positioning to the control unit via a wired communication means such as CAN, and transmits it to the tablet 9 via a wireless communication means such as Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[Antenna device]
Next, an antenna device 8 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

The antenna device 8 comprises an antenna 11, a receiving board 13 (board) connected to the antenna 11 via internal wiring 12, external wiring 14 drawn from the receiving board 13 to the outside of the device, and a case body 15 in which the receiving board 13 is housed in a base and the antenna 11 is housed in a protrusion protruding upward from the base, and is attached to a mounting member 16 along the bottom of the case body 15 using a pair of mounting bolts 17 that penetrate the case body 15 in the vertical direction. Note that the mounting member 16 in this embodiment is a flat member fixed horizontally to the horizontal frame portion 4b of the positioning frame 4.

(antenna)
The antenna 11 has a rectangular flat plate shape, and one end of the internal wiring 12 is connected to the lower end of the antenna 11. The other end of the internal wiring 12 is provided with a connector 18 for connection to the receiving board 13.

(Receiving board)
A receiving circuit that receives a correction signal transmitted from an RTK base station via an antenna 11 is mounted on the receiving board 13. A connector connection section 19 to which a connector 18 can be connected from below, and a channel setting dial 20 for setting a receiving channel are mounted on the bottom surface of the receiving board 13. The channel setting dial 20 has a dial operation section 20a on the bottom surface, and the receiving channel is changed in response to the rotation of the dial operation section 20a.

(Case body)
The case body 15 includes a cover member 21 having the above-mentioned base and protrusions and an opening 21a at the bottom, and a bottom plate member 22 covering the opening 21a. The cover member 21 and the bottom plate member 22 are resin molded products, and the cover member 21 is integrally molded with an antenna insertion portion 21b into which the antenna 11 is inserted from below, a board fixing portion 21c to which the receiving board 13 is fixed, a bottom plate fixing portion 21d to which the bottom plate member 22 is fixed, a pair of mounting bolt through portions 21e through which a pair of mounting bolts 17 can pass in the vertical direction, a bolt head accommodating recess 21f for accommodating the bolt heads 17a of the mounting bolts 17, a cover lower end portion 21g which is the periphery of the opening 21a, and an external wiring pull-out portion 21h for pulling the external wiring 14 to the outside of the device.

The antenna insertion portion 21b has a pair of left and right side engagement grooves 21i that engage with the left and right side edges of the antenna 11, and an upper engagement groove 21j that engages with the upper edge of the antenna 11. Notches 21k for passing the internal wiring 12 are formed at the left and right side positions of the antenna insertion portion 21b.

Both the board fixing portion 21c and the bottom plate fixing portion 21d have screw holes, and the receiving board 13 and the bottom plate member 22 are fixed via screws (not shown). The board fixing portion 21c is provided at four locations on the cover member 21, and the bottom plate fixing portion 21d is provided at three locations on the cover member 21.

The mounting bolt penetration 21e includes a penetration body 21m and a bottom plate penetration 21n that extends downward from the penetration body 21m, penetrates the bottom plate member 22, and abuts against the mounted member 16. Such a mounting bolt penetration 21e prevents the tightening force of the mounting bolt 17 from acting on the bottom plate member 22.

The mounting bolt penetration 21e also has a step 21p formed between the penetration body 21m and the bottom plate penetration 21n, and an O-ring 23 (annular waterproof member) is disposed between the step 21p and the bottom plate member 22. This configuration allows good waterproofing to be maintained without being affected by the tightening force of the mounting bolt 17.

The bolt head accommodating recess 21f accommodates the bolt head 17a of the mounting bolt 17 in order to make the height position of the mounting bolt 17 as low as possible. This avoids or minimizes horizontal overlap between the mounting bolt 17 and the antenna 11, thereby suppressing the impact on the antenna 11. In addition, the bolt head accommodating recess 21f is formed with a drainage groove 21q that drains water from within the bolt head accommodating recess 21f in a connected manner. This makes it possible to prevent corrosion of the mounting bolt 17 due to water that accumulates in the bolt head accommodating recess 21f.

The lower end of the cover lower end 21g is located below the lower end of the bottom plate member 22 and at the same height as the lower end of the mounting bolt penetration portion 21e so as to abut against the mounted member 16. In addition, the cover lower end 21g is formed with a ventilation notch 21r that communicates with the space below the bottom plate member 22. The notch 21r is formed in at least two places on the cover lower end 21g, improving the ventilation of the space below the bottom plate member 22.

The external wiring pull-out section 21h includes an outlet hole 21s for pulling the external wiring 14 to the outside of the device, an enclosed space 21t in which a sealing material is filled to ensure that the outlet hole 21s is waterproof, a band housing section 21u that houses a wire band 14a attached to the external wiring 14 and restricts the movement of the external wiring 14 in the direction of removal by engaging with the wire band 14a, and an O-ring fitting groove 21v that fits with an O-ring (not shown) attached to the external wiring 14 to enhance waterproofing.

The bottom plate member 22 is integrally molded with an antenna support 22a that supports the antenna 11 from below, a connector support 22b that supports the connector 18 connected to the receiving board 13 from below, a through hole 22c through which the mounting bolt penetration portion 21e of the cover member 21 passes, a screw hole portion 22d that is fixed to the bottom plate fixing portion 21d of the cover member 21, a dial operation window 22e that allows the channel setting dial 20 to be operated from the outside, and an air vent 22f that connects the inside and outside of the case body 15.

The antenna support portion 22a is a convex portion that protrudes upward from the top surface of the base plate member 22, and by abutting against the lower edge of the antenna 11 inserted into the antenna insertion portion 21b of the cover member 21, prevents the antenna 11 from coming out of the antenna insertion portion 21b. This allows the antenna 11 to be supported without using a fixing bracket, etc., and prevents fluctuations in the antenna characteristics due to the fixing bracket.

The connector support portion 22b is a cylindrical protrusion that protrudes upward from the top surface of the base plate member 22, and supports the connector 18 from below via an elastic member 24 that is fitted into the cylindrical protrusion. This prevents the connector 18 from coming loose due to vibrations, etc. In addition, because the connector support portion 22b supports the connector 18 via the elastic member 24, it reduces the load acting on the connector 18 and also prevents damage to the connector 18.

Through holes 22c are provided in two locations corresponding to mounting bolt through-holes 21e of cover member 21, and screw holes 22d are provided in three locations corresponding to bottom plate fixing portions 21d of cover member 21. Through holes 22c are waterproofed by the aforementioned O-ring 23 that is placed on the upper periphery.

The dial operation window 22e is provided at a position facing the channel setting dial 20 on the bottom plate member 22, and allows the channel setting dial 20 to be operated from outside the device. In addition, a cylindrical wall portion 22g that rises upward is formed on the periphery of the dial operation window 22e. This wall portion 22g prevents the screwdriver or the like from coming into contact with the receiving board 13 when the channel setting dial 20 is operated by inserting a screwdriver or the like into the dial operation window 22e from outside the device, thereby preventing damage to the receiving board 13.

The dial operation window 22e is usually covered by a waterproof film 25 that is attached to the underside of the bottom plate member 22. In other words, not only can the channel be changed by simply peeling off the waterproof film 25 without opening the case body 15, but waterproofness can also be restored by replacing the waterproof film 25. In addition, because the cover lower end 21g of the cover member 21 is located lower than the lower end of the bottom plate member 22, peeling off of the waterproof film 25 due to contact with the mounting member 16 can also be prevented.

The ventilation hole 22f keeps the internal pressure of the case body 15 constant by connecting the inside and outside of the case body 15. The ventilation hole 22f is covered with a waterproof breathable film 26 such as Gore-Tex (registered trademark). In this way, it is possible to keep the internal pressure of the case body 15 constant while maintaining the waterproofness. In addition, the cover lower end 21g of the cover member 21 is located below the lower end of the bottom plate member 22 and has a ventilation notch 21r that communicates with the space below the bottom plate member 22, so not only is the breathability of the space below the bottom plate member 22 increased, but peeling of the breathable film 26 due to contact with the attached member 16 can also be prevented.

[Effects of the embodiment]
According to the present embodiment configured as described above, an antenna device 8 is provided with a case body 15 having a base in which a receiving board 13 is housed and an antenna 11 housed in a protrusion protruding upward from the base, and is attached to a mounting member 16 along the bottom of the case body 15. The case body 15 has a base and a protrusion, and is provided with a cover member 21 having an opening 21a at the bottom, and a bottom plate member 22 covering the opening 21a. The cover member 21 has a mounting bolt penetration through which a mounting bolt 17 can be passed in the vertical direction. The mounting bolt penetration portion 21e further comprises a penetration portion main body 21m, a bottom plate penetration portion 21n extending downward from the penetration portion main body 21m and penetrating the bottom plate member 22 to abut against the mounted member 16, and a step portion 21p formed between the penetration portion main body 21m and the bottom plate penetration portion 21n, and an O-ring 23 is arranged between the step portion 21p and the bottom plate member 22, so that not only is it possible to prevent the tightening force of the mounting bolt 17 from acting on the bottom plate member 22, but good waterproofing is also maintained.

The cover member 21 also includes a bolt head recess 21f that accommodates the bolt head 17a of the mounting bolt 17, and a drainage groove 21q that drains water from within the bolt head recess 21f. This not only makes it possible to lower the height of the mounting bolt 17 as much as possible and suppress the impact on the antenna 11, but also prevents corrosion of the mounting bolt 17 due to water that has accumulated in the bolt head recess 21f.

The receiving board 13 receives a predetermined radio signal via the antenna 11 and is equipped with a channel setting dial 20 for setting the receiving channel, and the bottom plate member 22 is provided with a dial operation window 22e through which the channel setting dial 20 can be operated from the outside, and a waterproof film 25 attached to the underside of the bottom plate member 22 and covering the dial operation window 22e, so that not only can the channel be changed by simply peeling off the waterproof film 25 without opening the case body 15, but waterproofness can also be restored by replacing the waterproof film 25. In addition, the lower end of the cover member 21 is located lower than the lower end of the bottom plate member 22, so peeling off of the waterproof film 25 due to contact with the mounting member 16 can also be prevented.

Description of the Reference Signs: 8 Antenna device 11 Antenna 13 Receiving board 15 Case body 16 Mounting member 17 Mounting bolt 17a Bolt head 18 Connector 20 Channel setting dial 21 Cover member 21a Opening 21b Antenna insertion portion 21c Board fixing portion 21e Mounting bolt through portion 21f Bolt head accommodating recess 21g Cover lower end portion 21m Through portion main body 21n Bottom plate through portion 21p Step portion 21q Drain groove 21r Cutout portion 22 Bottom plate member 22a Antenna support portion 22b Connector support portion 22e Dial operation window 22f Ventilation hole 23 O-ring 25 Waterproof film 26 Breathable film

Claims (3)

An antenna device comprising a case body having a base in which a substrate is housed and an antenna housed in a protrusion protruding upward from the base, the antenna device being attached to a mounting member along a bottom of the case body,
The case body is
a cover member having the base and the protrusion and having an opening at a bottom;
A bottom plate member that covers the opening,
The cover member further includes an attachment bolt through-hole through which an attachment bolt can be passed in the vertical direction,
The mounting bolt penetration portion is
A penetration body;
a bottom plate penetration portion extending downward from the penetration portion main body and penetrating the bottom plate member to abut against the mounting member;
A step portion formed between the penetration portion main body and the bottom plate penetration portion,
The antenna device according to claim 1, further comprising an annular waterproof member disposed between the step portion and the bottom plate member. The cover member is
a bolt head accommodating recess for accommodating a bolt head of the mounting bolt;
2. The antenna device according to claim 1, further comprising a drainage groove for draining water from within the bolt head accommodating recess. A lower end of the cover member is located below a lower end of the bottom plate member,
the board is a receiving board for receiving a predetermined radio signal via the antenna, and is provided with a channel setting dial for setting a receiving channel;
The bottom plate member is
a dial operation window through which the channel setting dial can be operated from the outside;
3. The antenna device according to claim 1, further comprising a waterproof film attached to a lower surface of the bottom plate member and covering the dial operation window.

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