US3439310A - Terminal board assembly - Google Patents

Description

April 15, 1969 F. E. RYDER TERMINAL BOARD ASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 27. 1966 INVENTOR. Franc 's E. Ryder His Arr' s United States Patent US. Cl. 339-33 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A television antenna terminal board for supporting an indoor UHF loop antenna and providing a plurality of universal terminals capable of alternatively accepting female spade-type connectors, soldered joints or strain relief fastening of a single conductor plus providing terminals for VHF twin lead cable.

This invention relates to an antenna board assembly for use in conjunction with television sets. More particularly, it relates to a sub-assembly which can be mounted on the back panel of a television set or the preparation of the back of a plastic television set for the retaining of a loop type of UHF antenna in adjustably mounted position.

With the addition of UHF channels on television sets, it has become necessary to provide a specialized antenna capable of receiving the ultra high frequencies utilized by all channels having a numerical designator higher than 13. Many approaches have been taken to the solution of this problem but invariably, certain of the clips and other fastening devices which have been used to mount such antennas have failed through continuous usage.

The assembly comprises an apertured terminal board, each aperture being formed to receive and retain an inserted terminal when the terminal is moved laterally in the aperture. A terminal screw engages portions of each terminal and prevents lateral movement of the terminal. The board has aligned pairs of tubular projection means adapted to receive linear pairs of tubular projection means adapted to receive linear conductor means (of the antenna), which are each secured under a screw head.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sub-assembly board which is capable of mounting a UHF loop type antenna on the back panel of a television set.

Another object of the invention is to provide a specialized sheet metal terminal which can be mounted in the dielectric board and is adapted to accept a screw fastener by cooperative action between the terminal and a specially prepared aperture in the dielectric board.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means on such a dielectric board to accept the legs of a loop type antenna in movable mechanical relationship to the board while at the same time maintaining proper electrical connections. Still another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive sub-assembly wherein the terminal can be rapidly assembled with the dielectric board as well as the terminals providing a multiplicity of alternative means of fastening a conductor to an extremity of the terminal.

'Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the specification is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation showing an embodiment of the present invention in mounted position on the back of a TV setand retaining a loop type UHF antenna in mounted relation thereto;

FIG. 2 is a perspective View of the embodiment of the present invention showing one of the components in exploded view;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the same embodiment 70 showing additional details; and

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FIG. 4 is a view along one edge as seen along lines 44 in FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawing wherein similar numerals are utilized to indicate similar parts throughout the drawing; the embodiment of the present invention, namely, an antenna board assembly 10 supporting a loop type UHF antenna is mounted on the back panel of a television set 14 as shown in FIG. 1. The antenna board 10' is preferably an injection molded dielectric plastic material which is rigid in nature. A plurality of apertures 18 are provided in a row medially of the board. Each of the apertures 18 has a noncircular lower portion 20, in the preferred embodiment; this is generally rectangular with a flat lower wall, as viewed in the drawings, and a semicircular upper portion 22. Intermediate the lower portion 20 and the upper portion 22 are a pair of laterally extending slots 24.

Telescopically associated within each of the apertures 18 is a terminal 30. 'Each terminal includes a head 32 and a shank 34 having shoulder means 36 spaced from the head a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the dielectric board 10 at reinforcing bosses 4-8. Intermediate the shoulder means 36 and the head 32 is a reduced neck portion 38 having a plurality of screw engaging means or tabs 40 which in the preferred embodiment are struck from the material of neck portion 38. The end of the terminal opposite the head presents a fiat noncircular extremity 42. End 42 is provided with. a pair of apertures of differing size with the larger aperture being designated by the numeral 44 and the smaller aperture by the numeral 46.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, a terminal 30 is axially telescoped into aperture 18 by introducing the end 42 within the slots 24 until the head 30 engages the front side of panel 10 and the shoulders 36 have passed behind the reinforcing bosses 48 which are utilized to strengthen the board 10. The terminal is then moved downwardly, as viewed in the drawing, with the reduced neck portion 38 being brought into contact with the flat wall of the lowerportion '20 and shoulder means 36 locking behind the face or boss 48. A screw 50 is then introduced into the aperture with its threads engaging the tabs 40 and the wall of the semicircular portion 22. Being, preferably, of a spaced thread variety, the screw will form an impression in the dielectric plastic material and particularly the semicircular upper portion 22 with the tensile strength of the plastic wall of the bore being reinforced by the screw engaging means or tabs 40 and terminal 30* being nonremovable as long as the screw is in place.

A plurality of tubular projections extend outwardly from the same face of the board as engaged by the head 32 and are integral with the board. In the preferred embodiment two pairs of such projections 60 are placed in axial alignment with the opposite tubular projection of the same pair and with the axis of each pair being slightly offset from one of the apertures 18. The internal bore 62 of each of the projections is designed to have a specific diametral relationship, as will be explained hereinafter. The UHF antenna 12 includes an antenna loop 66 with the terminal portions of the loop being bent downwardly to form a pair of parallel legs 68. The diameter of the wire forming the loop is such that the legs 68 will be freely acceptable within the bore 62 of the tubular projections 60. When the legs 68 are telescoped within bore 62 the head 52 of the screw is in a spaced position relative to the terminal head 32 whereby the legs 68 are captured against lateral movement by the bore 62 and against axial movement by compression of the screw against the leg and thence against the head 32 of the terminal. Thus, not only is the loop rotatable about its central axis to present a smaller wave configuration for reception purposes, but also it is electrically connected to the interior of the set by a pair of terminals 30 utilized for the UHF connection and generally designated by the numeral 72 in FIG. 1. The second pair of apertures 18 and their associated terminals 30 are generally designated by the numeral 74 in FIG. 1 and can be utilized for connection to a VHF antenna either internally or, as illustrated in FIG. 1, to an outside twin lead cable 76 having the opposite terminal end thereof connected to a building mounted antenna.

As best seen in FIG. 4 the flat noncircular extremity 42 can be utilized for a variety of connection means found in the electronics industry. The flat noncircular form can be used as a male spade-type connector with a female connector 80 as shown in phantom at the left hand side of FIG. 4. If desired, an insulated wire can be introduced through aperture 44 and a stripped portion thereof is then fed back through aperture 46 to form a strain relief type of connection as generally indicated in phantom by the numeral 82. The configuratio at the terminal end 42 is also adapted for use as a standard solder type connection as indicated in phantom by the numeral 84. Other types of connections would be also available for use with this universal terminal end such as the wire wrap technique which could be employed in the reduced neck 45 located on the shank 34 between the two apertures 44 and 46.

The board is provided with apertures 70 adapted to accept fastening means for locating the board relative to the back panel or structure of the television set.

While I have disclosed but a single embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications can be made to same and it is my intent that I be limited only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A terminal assembly including a substantially planar member having a plurality of apertures for the acceptance of terminal members therein, at least two tubular projections spaced from said apertures each being axially aligned with a portion of a terminal positioned in said apertures and adapted to accept the extremities of a loop type UHF antenna with said extremities telescopically associated with said tubular projections and adapted to contact one or more of said terminal members, fastener means associated with said terminal means and adapted to contact said extremities of said antenna.

2. A device of the type claimed in claim 1 wherein said apertures are noncircular in configuration and adapted to nonrotatably mount said terminal means therein.

3. A device of the type claimed in claim 1 wherein said tubular projections are integral with said terminal board and are four in number and arranged in axially aligned spaced pairs, the axis of each spaced pair being perpendicular to a plane passing through the apertures of said board and spaced laterally from the axis of said apertures, said terminal means having laterally extending portions overlying said board and adapted to be contacted by the extremities of said antenna when telescopically assembled through said aligned pairs of tubular portions.

4. A device of the type claimed in claim 3 wherein the apertures in said assembly board are noncircular on one sidewall and semicircular on the opposing sidewall, slot means communicating with said aperture and extending laterally intermediate said semi-circular and non-circular portions of said aperature, said terminal being an elongated flat member with a head at one end and complementarily accepted by axial telescoping same into said slot and said terminal having a reduced neck portion adjacent said head, said terminal being adapted to be moved laterally until said neck portion is positioned within said noncircular portion of the aperture, said fastener means including a screw telescopically assembled within said aperture and engaging the opposite face of said terminal from the face of the terminal engaging the noncircular portion of the aperture, said screw also engaging the semicircular portion of the aperture to maintain said terminal in mounted position in said board, the extremities of said antenna being adapted to be positioned between the clamping surface of the head of the screw and the head of the terminal positioned adjacent to said aperture.

5. An electrical terminal adapted to be mounted in an apertured panel, said terminal including an elongated substantially flat shank portion and a head projecting laterally from one extremity of said shank, said shank having shoulder means spaced from said head and adapted to maintain said terminal in mounted position on the apertured board with the head engaging one surface of said board and the shoulder means engaging the opposite surface of said board, screw engaging means extending laterally from said shank intermediate said head and said shoulder means, the extremity of said terminal shank opposite said head being substantially flat and noncircular in configuration, a pair of apertures axially spaced along said shank adjacent said opposite extremity whereby said shank is adapted to alternatively accept a slip-on terminal or a soldered wire connection or a strain relief connection for a single wire slipped through each of said two apertures.

6. A device of the type claimed in claim 5 wherein said shank is partially struck from material from said head and bent perpendicularly to said head to thereby form a U-shaped head.

7. A device of the type claimed in claim 6 wherein said thread engaging means includes a plurality of spaced tabs struck from said shank and adapted to engage a plurality of threads on a complementary mating screw.

8. A device of the type claimed in claim 7 wherein said terminal is adapted to be mounted in a panel board, said panel board having an irregularly shaped aperture, one extremity of said aperture being noncircular in configuration and adapted to nonrotatively accept the portion of said shank between said head and said shoulder means, the opposite extremity of said aperture being semicircular in configuration and adapted to accept the shank of a complementary screw with which said terminal is to be associated, a pair of slots extending laterally from said aperture and positioned intermediate said noncircular and semicircular portions of said aperture wall, said shank of said terminal being reduced in width and said shoulder means having a width substantially equal to the diametral dimension of said slots whereby said terminal may be axially telescoped through said slots and thence move radially into nonrotative engagement with said noncircular portion of said aperture with said head engaging one side of said panel board and said shoulder means engaging the opposite side of said panel board.

9. A terminal board assembly including a dielectric terminal board having a plurality of apertures, said apertures each being elongated in configuration and having a semicircular portion at one extremity of said aperture, a square end at the opposite extremity of said aperture and a pair of oppositely extending slot means positioned intermediate said square and semicircular extremities, said slot means falling in a plane substantially perpendicular to a plane passing through the opposite extremities of said aperture, a plurality of terminals each adapted to be positioned in one of said apertures, said terminals each including a head and a fiat shank equal extending perpendicular to said head, shoulder means projecting laterally from said shank in spaced opposition to said head, screw engaging means extending laterally from said shank intermediate said shoulder means and said head means for engaging electrical conducting means at the extremity of said shank opposite to said head, the shank of said terminal being telescoped into said slot and then moved laterally to be positioned within said aperture in the noncircular extremity thereof with the head engaging one surface and the shoulder means engaging the opposite surface of said board, screw means equal in number to said apertures adapted to be telescopically associated between the thread engaging means on said shank and the semicircular portion of said aperture, tubular projection means extending laterally from the same surface of said board as is engaged by the head of the terminals, the axis of said tubular projection means being parallel to said last mentioned surface and said axis of said tubular projection means being perpendicular to and offset laterally from at least one of said apertures, said tubular projection means being adapted to accept a linear conductor means telescopically associated with said tubular projection means, said conductor means further being positioned in contact with the head of an associated terminal, the associated screw means having a laterally extending clamping surface adapted to overlie the head end of the associated terminal means with which said screw means is to be telecopically associated and to clampingly engage said linear conductor means between the clamping sur- 1 face of said screw means and the head of said terrnmal. a

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1925 Kvaal 339-214 X 10/1929 Hengstenberg 339-219 5/1930 Rosen 339263 X 5/1953 Alden 339-275 X 1/1957 Pifer 339-198 5/1960 Purpura et a1. 339258 X 4/1963 Wright 339-17 X 2/1966 Reynolds 343--702 10/1967 Siebold 343-702 RICHARD F. MOORE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

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