Antenna and method of manufacturing the antenna

Abstract

A slot array antenna where slots are arrayed in two directions is provided for suppressing occurrence of side lobes. An antenna includes a radiation waveguide part and stubs. The radiation waveguide part has two sheets of metal plates facing each other and outwardly radiates a radio wave from a plurality of slots formed in one of the metal plates. Each stub is arranged for every slot to extend inward of the radiation waveguide part from the face where the slots are formed, and changes a transmission mode of the radio wave within the radiation waveguide part. The slots are narrow and arranged at fixed intervals in both a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction of the slots. The stub is disposed for every slot, on either side of the slot in the lateral direction. Between the adjacent slots, the stubs are disposed on the opposite sides in the lateral direction.

Claims

1. An antenna, comprising: a radiation waveguide part including two sheets of metal plates facing each other and configured to outwardly radiate a radio wave from a plurality of slots formed in one of the metal plates; and a stub arranged for every slot to extend inward of the radiation waveguide part from a face of the radiation waveguide part where the slots are formed, and configured to change a transmission mode of the radio wave within the radiation waveguide part, wherein the slots are narrow and arranged at fixed intervals in a longitudinal direction of the slots and in a lateral direction of the slots, respectively, and wherein the stub is disposed for every slot, on either one of sides of the slot in the lateral direction, the adjacent stubs in the lateral direction being disposed on the opposite sides.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the stub has a circular cylindrical shape, and wherein the stub is mechanically press-fitted into the radiation waveguide part.

3. The antenna of claim 2, wherein the radiation waveguide part is formed by a front-face metal plate forming at least a front face of the radiation waveguide part and a back-face metal plate forming at least a back face of the radiation waveguide part, and wherein at least one of the front-face metal plate and the back-face metal plate is bent, and by utilizing a bent portion, the front-face metal plate is connected with the back-face metal plate.

4. The antenna of claim 2, wherein an interval between the slot and the stub is different depending on a position of the stub on the radiation waveguide part.

5. The antenna of claim 2, wherein the antenna is used for meteorological observation.

6. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the radiation waveguide part is formed by a front-face metal plate forming at least a front face of the radiation waveguide part and a back-face metal plate forming at least a back face of the radiation waveguide part, and wherein at least one of the front-face metal plate and the back-face metal plate is bent, and by utilizing a bent portion, the front-face metal plate is connected with the back-face metal plate.

7. The antenna of claim 6, wherein an interval between the slot and the stub is different depending on the position of the stub on the radiation waveguide part.

8. The antenna of claim 6, wherein the antenna is used for meteorological observation.

9. The antenna of claim 1, wherein an interval between the slot and the stub is different depending on a position of the stub on the radiation waveguide part.

10. The antenna of claim 9, wherein the antenna is used for meteorological observation.

11. The antenna of claim 1, wherein the antenna is used for meteorological observation.

12. A method of manufacturing an antenna, comprising: forming a radiation waveguide part to include two sheets of metal plates facing each other and configured to outwardly radiate a radio wave from a plurality of slots formed in one of the metal plates; and forming a stub arranged for every slot to extend inward of the radiation waveguide part from a face of the radiation waveguide part where the slots are formed, and configured to change a transmission mode of the radio wave within the radiation waveguide part, wherein the slots are narrow and arranged at fixed intervals in a longitudinal direction of the slots and in a lateral direction of the slots, respectively, and wherein the stub is disposed for every slot, on either one of sides of the slot in the lateral direction, the adjacent stubs in the lateral direction being disposed on the opposite sides.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an antenna device according one embodiment of this disclosure.

(2) FIG. 2 is a planar view of an antenna.

(3) FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B) show cross-sectional views of a center part and an end part of the antenna, respectively.

(4) FIGS. 4(A)-4(D) show views for describing a part of a flow of manufacturing the antenna.

(5) FIGS. 5(A)-5(C) show views illustrating an example of a shape of stubs and combinations thereof.

(6) FIGS. 6(A) and 6(B) show views illustrating an arrangement of slots of a conventional antenna and a direction of side lobes that occurs with the antenna.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(7) Next, an embodiment of this disclosure is described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an antenna device 1 according one embodiment of this disclosure. FIG. 2 is a planar view of an antenna 10.

(8) The antenna device 1 configures a radar apparatus along with a non-illustrated radio wave generator (e.g., a magnetron), a controller and the like. The antenna device 1 is used, for example, for meteorological observation; however, it can also be used for other applications (e.g., communication).

(9) As illustrated in FIG. 1, the antenna device 1 includes the antenna 10, a transmission part 20, and a pedestal 50. The antenna 10 is configured to be rotatable in vertical directions (directions of changing an elevation angle) and horizontal directions (directions of changing an azimuth).

(10) The pedestal 50 has legs and a supporting plate fixed to the legs. Respective components (e.g., a gear and a waveguide) configuring the transmission part 20 are attached to this supporting plate. Further, a motor (not illustrated) configured to rotate the antenna 10 in the vertical directions and a motor (not illustrated) configured to rotate the antenna 10 in the horizontal directions are attached to this pedestal 50.

(11) The transmission part 20 can rotate the antenna 10 in the vertical and horizontal directions by using gears and the like to transmit powers of these motors. Moreover, the transmission part 20 includes a non-illustrated waveguide configured to transmit, to the antenna 10, a radio wave (electromagnetic wave) generated by the radio wave generator.

(12) The antenna 10 includes a radiation waveguide part 11 and stubs 18. This radiation waveguide part 11 has a front-face metal plate 15 and a back-face metal plate 16.

(13) The front-face metal plate 15 is a member forming a front face (radio wave reflection face) of the radiation waveguide part 11. Slots 17 are formed and stubs 18 are disposed in the front surface of this front-face metal plate 15. The slots 17 and the stubs 18 are described later in detail.

(14) The back-face metal plate 16 is a member forming a back face (opposite face to the radio reflection face) of the radiation waveguide part 11. In this back-face metal plate 16, non-illustrated opening(s) are formed to connect with, for example, the waveguide of the transmission part 20.

(15) End parts of the front-face metal plate 15 and the back-face metal plate 16 are attached, at their end portions, by a fixing member 31 as illustrated in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3(B).

(16) Specifically, the front-face metal plate 15 is bent (stamped) at three positions, and channel-shaped portions (substantially U-shaped portions) 15a and a connecting portion 15b are formed. The channel-shaped portions 15a form a side face of the radiation waveguide part 11. The connecting portion 15b is used to connect the front-face metal plate 15 with the back-face metal plate 16.

(17) Moreover, the back-face metal plate 16 is bent at one position, and a connecting portion 16a is formed. This connecting portion 16a is attached to the connecting portion 15b by the fixing member 31 described above. Moreover, although a part of the side face of the radiation waveguide part 11 is opened even when the front-shape metal plate 15 is attached to the back-face metal plate 16 as described above, the opening part is closed by, for example a metal tape.

(18) As above, in the radiation waveguide part 11, a space surrounded by conductive members can be achieved.

(19) The slots 17 are penetrating holes for radiating outside a radio wave propagated inside the space of the radiation waveguide part 11. Moreover, each slot 17 is a long hole and formed to be arrayed in longitudinal and lateral directions thereof (see FIG. 2). Moreover, an arrangement interval of the slot 17 with another one in its longitudinal direction and an arrangement interval of the slot 17 with another one in its lateral direction are respectively fixed.

(20) The stubs 18 are cylindrical members. Each stub 18 is attached on either one of sides of slot 17 in the lateral direction, for every slot 17. Moreover, whether the stub 18 is formed on the side or the other side in the lateral direction is different (the stubs 18 are alternately disposed) between the slots adjacent to each other in up-and-down directions or left-and-right directions. As illustrated in FIG. 3(A), the stubs 18 are disposed to extend from the front-face metal plate 15 toward the back-face metal plate 16.

(21) With this configuration, the transmission mode of the radio wave in the space of the radiation waveguide part 11 can be changed. Therefore, even when the slots 17 are arrayed symmetrically as described above, the radio waves to be radiated can be prevented from cancelling each other out. Moreover, since the slots 17 are arrayed symmetrically, occurrence of side lobes in the directions illustrated in FIG. 6(B) can be suppressed. Thus, the radio wave suppressed in occurrence of side lobes can be radiated outside from the radiation waveguide part 11.

(22) The radio wave radiated by the radiation waveguide part 11 reflects on rain, cloud and the like. The antenna device 1 receives this reflection wave in a reverse flow inside the path of the radio wave described above. Then, for example, the controller of the radar apparatus analyzes this reflection wave and, thus, the antenna device 1 can obtain position, size, and density of water droplet.

(23) Next, a method of forming the slots 17 and the stubs 18 in the front-face metal plate 15 is described above. FIGS. 4(A)-4(D) show views for describing a part of a flow of manufacturing the antenna 10 (particularly the radiation waveguide part 11).

(24) First, the front-face metal plate 15 cut into a predetermined shape is prepared (FIG. 4(A)). Then, the slots 17 are formed in the back face of this front-face metal plate 15 by, for example, turret punch press (FIG. 4(B)).

(25) Next, by bending (stamping) the front-face metal plate 15 as described above, the channel-shaped portions 15a and the connecting portion 15b are formed (FIG. 4(C)).

(26) Next, the stubs 18 are piled (press-fitted; FIG. 4(D)) from the back surface of the front-face metal plate 15 by a press-fitting machine, for example. Moreover, in the press-fitting work, burrs may be created in a face opposite to the worked face. The burrs created in the metal plate can easily be removed; however, if the burrs exist in the space of the radiation waveguide part 11, the radio wave propagating in this space may be slightly distorted. In this regard, in this embodiment, the configuration is adopted, in which the stubs 18 are piled from the back face of the front-face metal plate 15; therefore, the existence of burrs in the space of the radiation waveguide part 11 can surely be prevented.

(27) Then, the front-face metal plate 15 is connected with the back-face metal plate 16 as described above. As described above, the radiation waveguide part 11 can be created. Note that, the manufacturing method given here is an example, and, for example, the order of the flow and the machine utilized in each step of the flow can suitably be changed. For example, the step of forming the slots 17 and the step of press-fitting the stubs 18 can be switched.

(28) Next, another example of the stubs 18 is described. In this embodiment, a configuration in which the stubs 18 prevent the radio waves to be radiated from cancelling each other out is adopted. Here, as for the position, size, and shape and the like of the stubs 18, the example given in the above embodiment is not necessarily optimal, and it is considered that an antenna property and the like are improved by suitably changing them.

(29) For example, the position where the stub 18 is formed (a distance between the slot 17 and the stub 18) may be changed according to, for example, the piled position, instead of the position being fixed. Moreover, the size or the shape of the stub, or whether to pile may be changed. Further, a configuration may be adopted, in which the size or the shape changes according to the piled position. By changing the distance between the slot 17 and the stub 18, the strength of the radio wave to be radiated from the antenna 10 can be changed.

(30) The stub 18 may have, as a stub 18a in FIG. 5(A), a shape (T-shape) in which the diameter of a part fixed to the front-face metal plate 15 is larger than other part (the part protruding inward of the radiation waveguide part 11). Moreover, the stub 18 may have, as a stub 18b in FIG. 5(B), a shape in which the diameter of a part fixed to the front-face metal plate 15 is smaller than the other part.

(31) As a combination of the stubs 18, they may be disposed such that the stubs 18a are adjacent to each other, or the stubs 18b are adjacent to each other. Moreover, the stub 18a and the stub 18b may be disposed adjacent to each other. Note that, when disposing the stubs 18a to be adjacent, since the parts having large diameters interfere with each other, a distance d between the stubs is restricted.

(32) Moreover, even when the stub 18 is formed into a planar plate instead of a pillar shape, the effect of this application can be exerted. However, by forming into the pillar shape, whether to pile can be controlled finely, and therefore, satisfactory antenna property can possibly be obtained.

(33) As described above, the antenna 10 includes a radiation waveguide part 11 and the stubs 18. The radiation waveguide part 11 has the two sheets of metal plates opposing to each other, and the radio wave is radiated outside from the plurality of slots 17 formed in one of the metal plates. Each stub 18 is disposed for every slot 17 to extend inward of the radiation waveguide part 11 from the face where the slots 17 are formed, and changes the transmission mode of the radio wave inside the radiation waveguide part 11. The slots 17 are narrow and arranged at fixed intervals in the longitudinal direction and in the lateral direction, respectively. The stub 18 is disposed for every slot 17, on either one of the sides of the slot 17 in the lateral direction. With the adjacent slots 17, the stubs are disposed on the opposite sides in the lateral direction.

(34) Although the preferred embodiment of this disclosure is described above, the above configurations may be modified as follows, for example.

(35) The radiation waveguide part 11 is not limited to have the configuration in which the metal plates are directly coupled to each other, and may be coupled to each other via other member.

(36) The radiation waveguide part 11 may be formed by connecting the front-face metal plate 15 bent a plurality of times and the back-face metal plate 16 that is not bent.

(37) The stub 18 is not limited to have the configuration of being mechanically press-fitted, and may have a configuration of being attached by a person with a thread, for example. Moreover, the shape of the stub 18 is also not limited to the configuration described above and may be any arbitrary shape.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERAL(S)

(38) 1 Antenna Device 10 Antenna 11 Radiation Waveguide Part 15 Front-face Metal Plate 16 Back-face Metal Plate 17 Slot 18 Stub