JPH07202557A - Radical waveguide type beam tilt antenna equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To miniaturize a motor, to reduce the thickness of the whole of an antenna equipment, to reduce the power consumption, to improve the reliablity, and to reduce the cost by rotating and driving an upper conductor to a lower conductor to sufficiently drive the antenna with the motor of small torque and eliminating a need of rotary joints. CONSTITUTION:Different diameters are given to cylinders of an upper conductor 11 of a radial waveguide and a lower conductor 13 of a radial waveguide, and the cylinder part or the lower conductor 13 is inserted into that of the upper conductor 11. The peripheral wall part on the side face of the upper conductor 11 is provided with a recessed part 23, and that of the lower conductor 13 is provided with a projecting part 25, and the projecting part 25 is engaged with the recessed part 23 to freely rotatably connect the upper conductor 11 and the lower conductor 13, and a resonance cavity is formed inside. A motor 19 and the lower conductor 13 are fixed by a fixing plate 9, and a revolving shaft 7 of the motor 19 is fixed to a roll 5, and the roll is engaged with the side face of the upper conductor 11 to rotate the upper conductor 11.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a planar antenna with a beam tilt, and more particularly to a radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device using a radial waveguide.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As antennas for receiving satellite broadcasts in ordinary homes, various types of antennas such as parabola type and flat type have been put on the market. Among them, one of the highly efficient antennas is a radial waveguide feed type planar antenna shown in FIG. Since this planar antenna uses the waveguide type radial waveguide 71 in the feeding circuit, the feeding loss is very small and the antenna as a whole achieves very high efficiency.

In the above antenna, the front of the antenna was directed toward the satellite, but in order to mount the antenna on the wall of the house and receive the satellite broadcast, the beam is directed toward the satellite by controlling the phase of the antenna element. A beam-tilt type radial waveguide-fed planar antenna that tilts to the side has also been developed.

As a new requirement, satellite broadcasting reception by moving bodies such as passenger planes, ships, trains and automobiles is considered. As an example, a beam tilt type radial waveguide feed type plane as shown in FIG. 10 is used. A receiving device using an antenna has been considered. With the beam tilt type radial waveguide feed type planar antenna facing the zenith, the entire antenna is rotated by the motor 75 in the azimuth direction so that the beam can be directed to the satellite.

The problem here is the motor 75 and the rotary joint 79. A large torque motor is required because the entire heavy antenna must be rotated in azimuth to direct the beam towards the satellite. As a result, the motor becomes larger, which makes it unsuitable for making the antenna thinner, and also consumes more power.

Furthermore, since the entire antenna rotates, a rotary joint 79 is required between the antenna and the receiver to transmit the received signal. This rotary joint 79
Has a precise structure to transmit high frequencies, and is weak in mechanical wear and unreliable, so it must be replaced periodically. Moreover, since the rotary joint 79 is a very expensive part, it has a drawback that the entire apparatus becomes very expensive.

[0007]

As described above, in the conventional radial waveguide feed type planar antenna device for a mobile body for receiving satellite broadcasting, a motor having a large torque is required, so that the motor becomes large in size. However, it is difficult to reduce the thickness of the antenna device as a whole, and power consumption increases. In addition, since a rotary joint is also required, it is very expensive in itself, and periodical replacement is required, which results in a very expensive device as a whole.

The present invention has been invented in order to improve the drawbacks of the conventional example, and can be sufficiently driven by a motor having a torque smaller than that of the conventional example and does not require a rotary joint. It is an object of the present invention to provide a radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device that can be reduced in thickness, thinned as a whole antenna device, reduced in power consumption, improved in reliability, and reduced in cost.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, a radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device of the present invention is provided with an upper conductor having a radiating element on its upper side surface and a gap with the upper conductor. The gist of the present invention is to have a lower conductor that is disposed so as to face each other and forms a radial waveguide, and a drive unit that rotationally drives the upper conductor with respect to the lower conductor.

Preferably, the upper part is a closed surface having an opening for exciting the radiation element, the lower part is an opening, and a cylindrical upper conductor is provided, and the radiation element is provided outside the closed surface of the upper conductor. A dielectric plate, and a cylindrical lower conductor whose lower part is a closed surface in which the power feeding means of the radiating element is provided in a substantially central part and whose upper part is an opening, and which is provided between the upper conductor and the lower conductor. It is preferable to include a connecting means for rotatably connecting and a rotating means for engaging the side surface of the upper conductor to rotate the upper conductor.

That is, not the entire antenna but only the upper conductor having the dielectric plate provided with the radiation element of the radial waveguide is rotated by the rotating means using a motor or the like. Moreover, since a rotary joint is not required, downsizing of the motor,
It is possible to reduce the thickness of the antenna device as a whole, reduce power consumption, improve reliability, and reduce cost.

[0012] Preferably, the connecting means makes the upper conductor and the lower conductor both have different diameters, inserts the other cylinder into one cylinder, and forms a recess in the peripheral wall of the one cylinder. Providing a convex portion on the other cylindrical peripheral wall portion,
The convex portion may be engaged with the concave portion so as to be rotatable.

That is, the concave engaging means is provided on one cylindrical peripheral wall portion, and the convex engaging means is provided on the other cylindrical peripheral wall portion so that the convex portion is rotatably engaged with the concave portion. The upper conductors are joined together to support the upper conductor, so that the upper conductor can be rotatably connected to the lower conductor.

Preferably, the cylindrical shapes of the upper conductor and the lower conductor have different diameters, the other cylinder is inserted into one cylinder, and the space between the closed surface of the one cylinder and the tip of the other opening. It is advisable to provide a radio wave absorber in the gap between the connection parts.
That is, since the radio wave absorber is provided in the gap between the connecting portions rotatably connected by the connecting means, it is possible to prevent radio wave leakage.

Preferably, the cylindrical shapes of the upper conductor and the lower conductor have different diameters, the other cylinder is inserted into one cylinder, and the space between the peripheral walls of both cylinders and the closing surface of one cylinder and the other cylinder With a predetermined distance from the tip of the opening, a dielectric is provided between the closed surface of the cylinder and the tip of the other opening, and the upper conductor is rotatably supported by the dielectric, and It is advisable to construct a choke structure in which the same dielectric serves as a short-circuit surface.

That is, the cylindrical shapes of the upper conductor and the lower conductor have different diameters, the other cylinder is inserted into the one cylinder, and the space between the peripheral walls of both cylinders and between the closed surface of the one cylinder and the opening of the other cylinder is set. There is a predetermined distance from the tip, and a dielectric is provided between the closing surface of the cylinder and the tip of the other opening. Therefore, the dielectric is used to rotatably support the upper conductor, Since the upper conductor and the lower conductor can be connected by forming a choke structure in which the same dielectric serves as a short-circuit surface, it is possible to prevent radio wave leakage.

Preferably, the connecting means is a ball bearing provided between the upper conductor and the lower conductor,
A holding means for holding the connecting portion so as not to come off may be provided. That is, the ball bearing and the holding means for holding the connection portion so as not to come off are provided between the upper conductor and the lower conductor, so that the upper conductor can be rotated with the connection portion not coming off. In addition, by increasing the number of ball bearings, it becomes possible to prevent the leakage of radio waves from the connecting portion.

[0018]

In the radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna apparatus of the present invention, only the upper conductor having the radiating element disposed on the upper side surface is disposed so as to face the upper conductor with a gap, and the radial waveguide is formed. Since it is driven to rotate with respect to the lower conductor to be formed, it can be sufficiently rotated by a motor smaller than conventional ones, and no rotary joint is required, so the motor is made smaller, the antenna device as a whole is made thinner, and power consumption is reduced. It is possible to improve reliability, reduce cost, and the like.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiment particularly shows an example configured as a radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna for mounting on a moving body. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a mounting surface of a radiating element of a radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1 (a), a plurality of single-point feed type circularly polarized patch antenna elements 3 are arranged on a circular dielectric plate 1, and a partially enlarged view of FIG. 1 (b). As shown in FIG. 3, each circularly polarized patch antenna element 3 has a shape in which recesses for degenerate separation are provided on the circumference facing each other at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the feeding point a. The polarization patch antenna element 3 is mounted in a plurality of stages by changing the mounting direction so that the polarization patch antenna element 3 is concentrically arranged, and the roller 5 which rotates around the circumference of the circular dielectric plate 1 in conjunction with the rotary shaft 7.
Are arranged. The shape and number of the circularly polarized wave patch antenna elements 3 shown in FIG. 1 are examples, and normally, a very large number of circularly polarized wave patch antenna elements 3 are arranged in different directions. However, these are common in the following description.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device of FIG. The upper conductor 11 of the radial waveguide is formed in a cylindrical shape having an upper portion as a closed surface having an excitation opening for the circularly polarized patch antenna element 3 and a lower portion as an opening, and is formed outside the closed surface of the upper conductor 11. The dielectric plate 1 provided with the circular polarization patch antenna element 3 is attached, and the excitation pin 15 of the circular polarization patch antenna element 3 is inserted inside the upper conductor 11 through the excitation opening.

The lower conductor 13 of the radial waveguide is formed in a cylindrical shape having a lower surface as a closed surface provided with the feeding pin 21 of the circularly polarized wave patch antenna element 3 in a substantially central portion and an upper portion as an opening. The connector 17 for feeding the radial waveguide is attached to the outside of the substantially central portion of the lower conductor 13, and is connected to the feeding pin 21 through an opening provided in the lower conductor 13 so that a reception signal can be output. .

The cylindrical shapes of the upper conductor 11 and the lower conductor 13 have different diameters, the cylindrical portion of the lower conductor 13 is inserted into the cylindrical portion of the upper conductor 11, and the recess 23 is formed in the peripheral wall portion on the side surface of the upper conductor 11. And a convex portion 25 is provided on the side wall of the lower conductor 13, and the convex portion 25 is engaged with the concave portion 23 so that the lower conductor 13 is rotatable and the upper conductor 11 and the lower conductor 13 are connected to each other. Is formed. The fixing plate 9 is used to fix the motor 19 and the lower conductor 13, the rotating shaft 7 of the motor 19 is fixed to the roller 5, and the roller 5 is engaged with the side surface of the upper conductor 11 to rotate the upper conductor 11. ing.

The operating principle of the embodiment will be described below. First, a circularly polarized wave patch antenna element 3 receives radio waves from a satellite, the excitation pin 15 transmits a signal into the radial waveguide, and the power supply pin 21 collects the signals from the respective excitation pins 15 to supply a power supply connector 17 Is output from. Since the circularly polarized wave patch antenna elements 3 are arranged so that their mounting directions are changed, the feeding phase of each circularly polarized wave patch antenna element 3 can be controlled, so that the beam as the array antenna can be tilted. It is assumed that this causes the beam to be tilted in the elevation direction.

Next, by rotating the motor 19, the roller 5 rotates, and the upper conductor 11 also rotates. A circular polarization patch antenna element 3 is arranged on the dielectric plate 1 attached to the upper conductor 11, and circular polarization can be received even if the upper conductor 11 of the radial waveguide rotates.

As a result, the beam tilted in the elevation direction can be tilted in the azimuth direction as well.
If this antenna is mounted on a moving body, even if the moving direction is changed while the moving body is moving, only the lightweight dielectric plate 1 and the upper conductor 11 provided with the circular polarization patch antenna element 3 are rotated. The motor 19 having smaller torque than the conventional motor can always receive the beam in the satellite direction. Further, since only the upper conductor 11 rotates and the lower conductor 13 does not rotate, a rotary joint is unnecessary.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the side of a radial waveguide beam tilt antenna device. In the figure, the same components as those shown in FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. In FIG. 2, a recess 23 is provided in the upper conductor 11 of the radial waveguide, and
3, the convex portion 25 is provided, and the convex portion 25 is engaged with the concave portion 23 so as to be rotatably connected. However, as shown in FIG. 3, the convex portion 27 is provided on the upper conductor 11 and the lower conductor is provided. A recess 29 may be provided in 13 for connection.

A radio wave absorber 31 is provided inside the resonance cavity formed by the upper conductor 11 and the lower conductor 13 along the inner wall of the side surface of the lower conductor 13, and the upper portion of the radio wave absorber 31 is placed above the upper conductor 11. Is arranged close to the closed surface of the upper conductor to prevent leakage of radio waves from the gap of the connecting portion, and the upper conductor 11
The rotatability of is secured.

FIG. 4 is a structural view of a radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device as seen from the side, showing a third embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same components as those shown in FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. Both the cylindrical shapes of the upper conductor 11 and the lower conductor 13 have different diameters, the cylindrical portion of the lower conductor 13 is inserted into the cylindrical portion of the upper conductor 11, and the cylindrical portion between the peripheral walls 33 and 35 of both cylinders and the cylindrical portion of the upper conductor 11 are inserted. A dielectric 37 having a substantially U-shaped cross section is fitted to the peripheral wall 35 of the lower conductor 13 at a predetermined distance between the closed surface of the cylinder and the tip of the opening of the lower conductor 13.
The upper conductor 11 is rotatably supported by. Also,
The length L of the portions of the peripheral wall 33 and the peripheral wall 35, which are arranged so as to face each other, is set to a length corresponding to about 1/4 of the wavelength of the radio wave excited in the resonance cavity, the end is opened, and the portion of the dielectric 37 is short-circuited. The surface choke structure is used to prevent the leakage of radio waves from the resonance cavity.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device as seen from the side, showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same components as those shown in FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. Both the cylindrical shapes of the upper conductor 11 and the lower conductor 13 have different diameters, the cylindrical portion of the lower conductor 13 is inserted into the cylindrical portion of the upper conductor 11, and the tip of the peripheral wall 39 of the upper conductor 11 is bent inward to fix the fixing piece. Is provided, a ball bearing 45 is provided on the fixed piece, the tip of the peripheral wall 41 of the lower conductor 13 is bent outward to provide the fixed piece, and the ball bearing 43 is provided on the fixed piece.

Similarly, a plurality of ball bearings 47 and 49 and the like are provided on the fixed piece provided on the peripheral wall 39 and the fixed piece provided on the peripheral wall 41, and the closed surface of the upper conductor 11 is covered by the ball bearings 43 and 47 and the like. It is slidably supported and supported by the ball bearings 45 and 49 and the like.
Since the fixed piece formed in No. 1 is slidably supported, the rotatability of the upper conductor 11 can be ensured and the leakage of radio waves from the resonance cavity can be prevented. Also,
By setting the lengths of the fixing pieces of the upper conductor 11 and the lower conductor 13 to appropriate dimensions, it is possible to hold the connecting portion so as not to come off.

As described above, according to the present invention, only the upper conductor 11 provided with the circularly polarized patch antenna element 3 is rotated, not the entire antenna, so that a motor smaller than the conventional one can rotate sufficiently and the rotary Since no joint is required, the motor can be downsized, the antenna device as a whole can be made thinner, the power consumption can be reduced, the reliability can be improved, and the cost can be reduced. Further, if an ultrasonic motor is used as the motor, there are advantages that it can be made small and thin, and power consumption can be reduced.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the circularly polarized patch antenna element 3 has been described as the radiating element, but the following radiating element can be used.

FIG. 6 is a constitutional view of a radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device viewed from the side, showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same components as those shown in FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

The difference from FIG. 2 is that a helical antenna element 51 is used in place of the circular polarization patch antenna element 3 so as to receive circular polarization from a satellite. It is configured in the same way as.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a mounting surface of a radiation element of a radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device showing a sixth embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same parts as those shown in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. Figure 1
The difference is that, instead of the circularly polarized patch antenna element 3, two slots 53 that are arranged apart from each other in a substantially T shape as shown in the partially enlarged view of FIG. 7B are used. The two slots 53 are arranged spirally on the dielectric plate 1 so that the relative positions of the two slots 53 are not changed and the overall directions are changed. Therefore, the circularly polarized wave from the satellite can be received as in the case of FIG. 1 using the circularly polarized wave patch antenna element 3.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the method of exciting the circular polarization patch antenna element 3 by the excitation pin 15 is used, but the circular polarization patch antenna element is coupled by the coupling element such as the feeding slot 55 shown in FIG. The same effect can be obtained by an electromagnetic coupling system in which a radiating element such as 3 is excited.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a mounting surface of a radiating element of a radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device showing a seventh embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same parts as those shown in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

The difference from FIG. 1 is that instead of exciting the circularly polarized wave patch antenna element 3 with the excitation pin 15, a feeding slot 55 is used, and the feeding slot from the rear side to the feeding point of the circularly polarized wave patch antenna element 3 is used. The power is supplied by 55 for excitation, and the circularly polarized wave patch antenna element 3 is arranged in a spiral shape on the dielectric plate 1. As in the case where the excitation pin 15 is used, It is possible to receive circularly polarized waves from.

In the above embodiment, the case of receiving is explained, but the same effect can be obtained in the case of transmitting.
As described above, the present invention can be variously modified and used without departing from the gist thereof.

As described above, according to this embodiment, since only the upper conductor having the dielectric plate provided with the radiating element is rotated, it can be sufficiently driven by the low torque motor and the rotary Since no joint is required, it is possible to improve reliability, reduce the size and thickness of the entire antenna, reduce power consumption, and reduce the cost of the entire antenna.

[0042]

As described above, in the radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device of the present invention, only the upper conductor having the radiating element disposed on the upper side surface is rotationally driven.
It is possible to provide a beam tilt type antenna with a low torque motor with a simple configuration.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a mounting surface of a radiation element of a radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device, showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention as seen from a side surface of a radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device as seen from a side, showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device as seen from a side, showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device as seen from a side surface, showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a mounting surface of a radiating element of a radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device, showing a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a mounting surface of a radiating element of a radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device showing a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a radial waveguide feed type planar antenna showing a conventional example.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a beam tilt type radial waveguide feed type planar antenna device showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Dielectric Substrate 3 Circularly Polarized Patch Antenna Element 5 Roller 7 Rotating Axis 9 Fixing Plate 11 Upper Conductor 13 Lower Conductor 15 Excitation Pin 17 Connector 19 Motor 21 Power Feeding Pin 23, 29 Recess 25, 27 Convex 31 Electromagnetic Wave Absorber 33, 35, 39, 41 Peripheral wall 37 Dielectric 43, 45, 47, 49 Ball bearing 51 Helical antenna element 53 Slot 55 Feed slot

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An upper conductor on which an radiating element is disposed on an upper side surface, a lower conductor which is disposed so as to face the upper conductor with a gap therebetween and forms a radial waveguide, and a lower conductor with respect to the lower conductor. A radial waveguide type beam tilt antenna device, comprising: a driving unit that rotationally drives the upper conductor.