AND A VEHICLE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an antenna housing, a combined antenna and indicator module and a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

Modern vehicles require a plurality of antenna elements for receiving and transmitting radio transmissions such as AM/FM radio, WiFi, cellular, remote keyless entry, GPS, Bluetooth, etc. A known solution to this requirement is in the form of a multiband roof mounted "shark fin" antenna module, having a plurality of antenna elements and associated electrical circuitry disposed beneath a shark fin-shaped outer cover.

In some applications, it may also desirable to incorporate a lighting system as part of the module to provide information to viewers exterior to the vehicle. An aesthetic feature which is becoming more desirable is achieving an even (uniform or homogenous) area luminance with a light emitting diode (LED) input. An LED is a directional light source having a relative luminous intensity that decreases as the viewing angle is increased. This may result in the appearance of bright or hot spots to an external viewer of the lighting system.

Additionally, the presence of a lighting system and associated electrical circuitry within close proximity of the antenna can degrade characteristics of the antenna by blocking radio waves and/or through electromagnetic interference (EMI).

It is against this background and the problems and difficulties associated therewith that the present invention has been developed.

SUMMARY

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an antenna housing for mounting on a vehicle, in particular on a vehicle roof surface, and being adapted to house an electrical circuit including at least one source element for emitting luminescent radiation, the at least one source element being located internally within the housing so as not to be visible externally, an indicating element for releasing luminescent radiation received from the at least one source element for viewing externally, and an optical conduit for providing an optical couple between the at least one source element and the indicating element.

In one form, the antenna housing further comprises an electrical circuit receiving recess configured to receive or support the electrical circuit.

In one form, the antenna housing further comprises a vehicle roof surface engaging portion, in particular disposed around the electrical circuit receiving recess.

In one form, the antenna housing is mounted on a vehicle roof surface such that the recess projects into a corresponding recess or aperture within the vehicle roof surface.

In one form, the housing includes a window for releasing luminescent radiation with the window preferably being positioned adjacent to the indicator element.

In one form, the window allows light transmission of between 5-75% preferably between 10-75%.

In one form, the housing comprises an opaque inner layer and a tinted outer layer, with the opaque inner layer preferably including the window.

In one form, the indicating element and the optical conduit form part of a light guide, the light guide preferably having a unitary body.

In one form, the optical conduit has a plurality of legs, preferably each of the legs being associated with one source element.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a combined antenna and indicator module for mounting on a vehicle, in particular on a vehicle roof surface, including the antenna housing as described above and at least one antenna element or antenna module supported by or within the housing.

In one form, the electrical circuit is shielded to prevent or reduce electromagnetic interference with the, or each, antenna element or module, with preferably the optical conduit and/or the light guide being positioned adjacent the antenna element or antenna module.

In one form, the, or, each antenna element has a projected pattern for receiving or transmitting radio transmissions.

In one form, at last part of the indicating element and/or at least part of the optical conduit is/are positioned within the projected pattern of the, or each, antenna element.

In one form, the electrical circuit is positioned outside of the projected pattern of the, or each, antenna element.

In one form, the combined antenna and indicator module comprises a lighting module, which comprises a cover element through which protrudes the light emitting surface and the electrical circuit.

In one form, the indicating element features discrete optics, in particular in the form of a plurality of angled surfaces, which direct light toward the light emitting surface.

In one form, the combined antenna and indicator module comprises at least one reflector element, with preferably a first reflector element being positioned at a bend in the light guide and/or a second reflector element being positioned under the indicating element, in particular under the optics of the indicating element.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle with at least one combined antenna and indicator module as described above, preferably attached or attachable to a roof surface of the vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will be discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a partial rear perspective view of a vehicle with two indicator modules mounted to its roof;

Figure 2a is a rear perspective view of an indicator module in an unlit state; Figure 2b is a rear perspective view of the indicator module in a lit state;

Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the indicator module of Figure 2a, with the light transmissive outer layer of the enclosure element removed;

Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of an lighting module, according to an embodiment of the

invention;

Figure 5 is a rear perspective view of the lighting module of Figure 4 with the cover element removed;

Figure 6a is a side view of the lighting module of Figure 4 with the cover element removed to reveal the light guide and electrical circuit;

Figure 6b is a detail view of a portion of the light guide of Figure 6a;

Figure 7 is a partial longitudinal cross-sectional view of the indicator module of Figure 2a;

Figure 8 is a lateral cross-sectional view of the indicator module of Figure 2a;

Figure 9 is diagram illustrating the ideal radiation pattern for the antenna elements;

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the lighting module of Figure 4 detailing the location of the reflector elements; and

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the lighting module of Figure 4 detailing the location of the light guide. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

For ease of understanding, the description and drawings present an embodiment of the invention comprising a combined antenna and indicator module, including an antenna housing and at least one antenna element supported by or within the housing.

Referring to Figures 1 to 10, there is shown a combined antenna and indicator module 100 for mounting on a vehicle 10, including an antenna housing 160, including an electrical circuit 140 including at least one source 142 element for emitting luminescent radiation, the at least one source element 142 being located internally within the housing 160 so as not to be visible externally. The housing 160 further including an indicating element 152 for releasing luminescent radiation received from the at least one source element 142 for viewing externally, and an optical conduit 154 for providing an optical couple between the at least one source element 142 and the indicating element 152. The module 100 further comprising at least one antenna element supported by or within the housing 160.

Referring now to Figure 1 , there is shown a partial rear perspective view of a vehicle 10, having a roof surface 20, on which are mounted two combined antenna and indicator modules 100.

Figures 2a and 2b show rear perspective views of a combined antenna and indicator module 100 in unlit and lit states, respectively. Said module 100 features an antenna housing 160 configured to accommodate the electrical circuit 140, indicating element 152 and optical conduit 154 between the enclosure element provided by the antenna housing 160 and the vehicle 10. The antenna housing 160 comprises, as can be seen best in Figures 7 and 8, an opaque inner layer 162 and a tinted outer layer 163, wherein the antenna housing 160 features a window 161 in the opaque inner layer 162 which allows light to pass through the antenna housing 160. In one form, the window 161 allows light transmission of between 5-75%. In another form, the window 161 allows light transmission of between 10-75%.

Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the combined antenna and indicator module 100 with the outer layer 163 of the antenna housing 160 removed to reveal the inner layer 162 and the window 161. Positioned within the opening created by the window 161 is the light emitting surface 153 of a light guide 150 which will be discussed in further detail below. Figure 8 shows how the light emitting surface 153 is located within the window 161 and adjacent to the outer layer 163 such that light emitted by the light emitting surface 153 is directed toward and through the outer layer 163 of the antenna housing 160. In Figure 2a, the light guide 150 is not visible because the outer layer 163 is tinted. Figure 2b shows that when the light guide 150 is illuminated, the light guide 150 lights up and emits light across its light emitting surface 153 with substantially uniform luminous intensity.

Referring now to Figure 4 where there is shown a rear perspective view of a lighting module 120, according to an embodiment. The lighting module 120 comprises a cover element 130 through which protrudes the light emitting surface 153 of the light guide 150.

Figures 5, 6a and 6b show the lighting module 120 with the cover element 130 removed to reveal the light guide 150 and corresponding electrical circuit 140. The electrical circuit 140 comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) 141 and three source elements for emitting luminescent radiation (light), in this embodiment, the source elements are light emitting diodes (LEDs) 142.

It is desirable that the module 100 is capable of producing multi-coloured light output. This may be achieved through the use of a source element comprising one or more RGB LEDs or three or more single colour chip LEDs, where the single colour chip LEDs are a separate red, a separate green and a separate blue chip LED, both LED solutions being used to mix colours and produce multi-colour outputs.

It will be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, the type and number of LEDs will depend on required light output, colour range and intensity. Electrical circuit 140 may also be configured such that either the combination of RGB LEDs or individual colour chip LEDs may be used with the same light guide 150.

The light guide 150 has a unitary body comprising an indicating element 152 and an optical conduit 154. The indicating element 152 comprises a light emitting surface 153 viewable to an external viewer of the module 100 through the window 161 in the cover element 160. The optical conduit 154 provides an optical couple between the LEDs 142 and the indicating element 152.

In Figure 6b it can be seen that the indicating element 152 features discrete optics in the form of a plurality of angled surfaces 157 which direct light toward the light emitting surface 153. In some embodiments, the optics may be in the form of surface defects or etchings.

The light guide 150 may be manufactured from an acrylic resin or polymer uses the properties of total internal reflection to direct the light from the LEDs 142 toward the light emitting surface 153. Referring now to Figure 8 where it is shown that the optical conduit 154 comprises three legs 155, each having a light receiving surface 156 for receiving luminescent radiation from a corresponding LED 142. The legs 155 join together and connect to the indicating element 152. It will be appreciated that the optical conduit 154 has a defined length to allow colour mixing in the event that separate red, green and blue LEDs are used.

Referring now to Figure 10, where there is shown a cross-sectional view of the lighting module 120 where reflector elements 171, 172 may be located to improve the optical efficiency of the lighting module. A first reflector element 171 may be positioned at the bend in the light guide 150, and a second reflector element 172 may be positioned under the optics 157 of the indicating element 152. Figure 11 shows the details of the light guide 150 of the lighting module 120 in cross-section.

It will be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, one or all of the electrical circuit, indicating element and optical conduit could be supported by or within the antenna housing 160, without the need for a discrete lighting module 120 and associated cover element 130.

It will also be appreciated that the lighting module may be separately supplied, or come in multiple variants, such that the antenna housing may be configured to retrofit over said lighting module.

Referring now to Figure 7 where there is shown a partial cross-sectional view of the combined antenna and indicator module 100 of Figure 2 mounted on the vehicle roof surface 20. It can be seen that the antenna housing 160 is configured to accommodate a utility item, such as an antenna module comprising one or more antenna elements. An antenna module 1 10 is located in a forward portion of the antenna housing 160, such that it is enclosed between the antenna housing 160 and the roof surface 20 of the vehicle 10. Located rearward of the antenna module 1 10 is the lighting module 120, which is also located between the antenna housing 160 and the roof surface 20 of the vehicle 10.

It can be seen in both Figure 7 and Figure 8 that the lower portion of cover element 130 features an electrical circuit receiving recess 131 configured to receive or support the electrical circuit 140. It can also be seen that the housing comprises a vehicle roof surface engaging portion 164 disposed around the perimeter of the housing 160 where it comes in contact with the vehicle roof surface 20, and around the electrical circuit receiving recess 131. It will be appreciated that when the housing 160 is mounted on a vehicle roof surface 20, the recess 131 may project into a corresponding recess or aperture within the vehicle roof surface 20 such that the recess 131 and the electrical circuit 140 sit below the vehicle roof surface 20. The antenna module 110 houses at least one antenna element for receiving and/or transmitting radio transmissions, wherein in use, the or each antenna element will have a corresponding radiation or receiving pattern, relating to the directivity of the or each antenna element.

It will be appreciated that said antenna element(s) is/are for transmitting or receiving signals to and from corresponding antenna located externally to the vehicle 10, such that an ideal radiation or receiving pattern (referred to as the ideal pattern) of the or each antenna element projects outwardly from the roof 20 of the vehicle 10. Figure 9 provides a diagram illustrating an idealised projected radiation pattern 1 1 1 for the antenna elements located within the antenna module 1 10.

It can be seen in Figure 7 that the electrical circuit 140 (including the LEDs 142) is mounted below the antenna module 1 10 such that it is positioned outside of the projected pattern of the or each antenna element. By positioning the electrical circuit 140 below the antenna module 1 10, the antenna elements are less likely to be affected by the electrical circuit 140, and the characteristics of the antenna elements can be maintained.

It can be seen in Figure 7 that the light guide 150 is positioned adjacent to the antenna module 1 10 such that it is positioned substantially within the ideal pattern of the antenna elements. The light guide 150 will have negligible (if any) influence on the characteristics of the antenna elements by virtue of the fact that it is a non-metallic optical couple, which does not act as an antenna producing electromagnetic interference.

It will be appreciated that it in alternative embodiments, one or more of the antenna elements may be directly or indirectly supported by or within the antenna housing 160, without the need for a discrete antenna module.

It will also be appreciated that an antenna module may be separately supplied for installation on a vehicle and that the antenna housing may be configured to be retrofit over said antenna module.

It will be appreciated that the use of the light guide 150 provides luminescent radiation from the indicating element 152, at a position within the projected pattern of the antenna elements while all electronic and metallic componentry is able to be mounted as low as possible relative to the antenna elements, thus reducing the inhibition of radio waveforms to and from the antenna elements.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is not restricted in its use to the particular application described. Neither is the present invention restricted in its preferred embodiment with regard to the particular elements and/or features described or depicted herein. It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth and defined by the following claims. Please note that the following claims are provisional claims only, and are provided as examples of possible claims and are not intended to limit the scope of what may be claimed in any future patent applications based on the present application. Integers may be added to or omitted from the example claims at a later date so as to further define or re-define the invention.

Reference signs list vehicle

roof surface

combined antenna and indicator module antenna module

radiation pattern

lighting module

cover element

receiving recess

electrical circuit

printed circuit board (PCB)

source element light emiting diode (LEDs) light guide

indicating element

emitting surface

optical conduit

legs

light receiving surface

angled surfaces, optics

antenna housing

window

opaque inner layer

tinted outer layer

engaging portion

reflector element