Antenna system

Abstract

An antenna system comprises at least one antenna, a feeding line and a cable guide for a line not feeding the at least one antenna. The at least one antenna has a feeding portion to which the feeding line is assigned. The cable guide has an opening that is provided in the feeding portion.

Claims

1. An antenna system comprising at least one antenna, a feeding line and a cable guide for a line not feeding the at least one antenna, wherein the at least one antenna has a feeding portion to which the feeding line is assigned, and wherein the cable guide has an opening that is provided in the feeding portion, wherein the opening is located at a lateral side of the feeding portion.

2. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the feeding portion has an axial end to which the feeding line is connected.

3. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the opening has a center axis that is inclined with respect to the lateral side of the feeding portion by an inclination angle.

4. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one antenna has a flared horn portion and a center axis, wherein the opening is orientated in the feeding portion such that the line guided through the opening runs substantially along the center axis in the space limited by the flared horn portion.

5. The antenna system according to claim 4, wherein the center axis relates to a rotationally symmetric axis of the at least one antenna.

6. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the feeding portion comprises a waveguide section and a feed point.

7. The antenna system according to claim 6, wherein the waveguide section comprises an electromagnetically conductive section.

8. The antenna system according to claim 7, wherein the opening is provided in the electromagnetically conductive section.

9. The antenna system according to claim 7, wherein the electromagnetically conductive section merges partially into a flared horn portion of the at least one antenna.

10. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the cable guide has several openings for several lines.

11. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one antenna is a coaxial horn antenna.

12. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the antenna system relates to an omnidirectional antenna system, wherein the at least one antenna is an omnidirectional antenna.

13. The antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the antenna system has a first antenna and a second antenna which are stacked over one another.

14. The antenna system according to claim 13, wherein the second antenna is a biconical antenna.

15. An antenna system comprising: at least one antenna; a feeding line; and a cable guide for a line not feeding the at least one antenna, wherein the at least one antenna has a feeding portion to which the feeding line is assigned, wherein the cable guide has an opening that is provided in the feeding portion, wherein the at least one antenna has a flared horn portion and a center axis, and wherein the opening is orientated in the feeding portion such that the line guided through the opening runs substantially along the center axis in the space limited by the flared horn portion.

16. The antenna system according to claim 15, wherein the center axis relates to a rotationally symmetric axis of the at least one antenna.

17. An antenna system comprising at least one antenna, a feeding line and a cable guide for a line not feeding the at least one antenna, wherein the at least one antenna has a feeding portion to which the feeding line is assigned, and wherein the cable guide has an opening that is provided in the feeding portion, wherein the feeding portion comprises a waveguide section and a feed point, wherein the waveguide section comprises an electromagnetically conductive section, and wherein the electromagnetically conductive section merges partially into a flared horn portion of the at least one antenna.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of the claimed subject matter will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically shows a sectional view of an antenna system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2 schematically shows an isometric view of an antenna system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

(4) FIG. 3 schematically shows a sectional view of the antenna system shown in FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 schematically shows a sectional view of a detail of an antenna system according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

(6) FIG. 5 shows an isometric view of an antenna system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure without feeding line of the first antenna;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the antenna system shown in FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a side view of the antenna system according to FIGS. 5 and 6 wherein a cable is guided within the cable guide;

(9) FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of the antenna system shown in FIG. 7;

(10) FIG. 9 shows a detail of an antenna system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

(11) FIG. 10 shows a cross sectional view of FIG. 9 in a first example; and

(12) FIG. 11 shows a cross sectional view of FIG. 9 in a second example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(13) The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings, where like numerals reference like elements, is intended as a description of various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter and is not intended to represent the only embodiments. Each embodiment described in this disclosure is provided merely as an example or illustration and should not be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. The illustrative examples provided herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the claimed subject matter to the precise forms disclosed.

(14) In FIG. 1-3, an antenna system 10 according to a first embodiment is shown that comprises a first antenna 12 and a second antenna 14 that are stacked over one another. The antenna system 10 relates to an omnidirectional antenna system, as both antennas 12, 14 relate to omnidirectional antennas. In some embodiments, the first antenna 12 corresponds to a coaxial horn antenna, whereas the second antenna 14 corresponds to a biconical antenna, as will be described hereinafter in more detail.

(15) As shown in FIG. 1, the antenna system 10 comprises a housing 16 in which the first antenna 12 as well as the second antenna 14 are located. In the illustrations according to FIGS. 2 and 3, the housing 16 is not shown. The antenna system 10 also comprises a feeding line 18 that is electrically connected with the first antenna 12 in order to forward electrical signals to the first antenna 12.

(16) The first antenna 12 comprises a feeding portion 20 to which the feeding line 18 is connected. The feeding portion 20 of the first antenna 12 is generally configured to generate electromagnetic waves that are radiated by the antenna system 10, as will be described later. In some embodiments, the feeding portion 20 corresponds to a coaxial feeding portion, which has an inner conductor and an outer conductor, as will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 9-11.

(17) As shown in FIG. 1, the feeding line 18 is connected with an axial end 22 of the feeding portion 20, which merges into a cylindrical, for example circular cylindrical, waveguide section 24. The feeding portion 20 also has a feed point 26 that is surrounded by the waveguide section 24.

(18) In some embodiments, the feed point 26 is electrically connected with the feeding line 18 so as to receive the electrical signals forwarded via the feeding line 18. The feed point 26 electromagnetically interacts with the waveguide section 24, for example an electromagnetically conductive section of the waveguide section 24, in order to generate electromagnetic waves.

(19) The electromagnetic waves propagate along the waveguide section 24 towards an open end of the first antenna 12, namely an aperture A of the first antenna 12. Via the aperture, the electromagnetic waves are radiated in an omnidirectional manner, as indicated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 by the respective lines.

(20) The waveguide section 24 partially merges into a flared horn portion 28 at which opposite end, an open end is provided. The flared horn portion 28 widens towards the open end. The waveguide section 24 also partially merges into an assigned antenna portion 29. The electromagnetic waves to be radiated propagate between the flared horn portion 28 and the assigned antenna portion 29, as indicated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4.

(21) As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the inner conductor of the coaxial feeding portion 20 is connected with the flared horn portion 28, whereas the outer conductor of the coaxial feeding portion 20 is connected with the assigned antenna portion 29. The flared horn portion 28 and/or the assigned antenna portion 29 are/is rotationally symmetric such that the center axis C corresponds to an axis of symmetry. In some embodiments, the flared horn portion 28 may have the shape of a cone or rather a frustum.

(22) The antenna system 10 further comprises a cable guide 30 for a line 32 that is not feeding the first antenna 12. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the line 32 is guided via the cable guide 30 towards the second antenna 14. Hence, the line 32 may correspond to a feeding line for the second antenna 14 that is stacked over the first antenna 12. However, the line 32 may also correspond to a power line for an electrical load or any other power-consuming component that is located on top of the first antenna 12.

(23) In some embodiments, the line 32 may be of any type of cable. Thus, the line 32 may correspond to a coaxial cable, a power cable, a hollow conductor, a tube, a wire or any other kind of cable may be guided or rather routed by the cable guide 30 that is located in the feeding portion 20 of the first antenna 12. Generally, the line 32 may be used to conduct an electromagnetic signal or a medium such as a liquid or a gas.

(24) The cable guide 30 has at least one opening 34 provided in the feeding portion 20 of the first antenna 12. The opening 34 is located in a lateral side 36 of the feeding portion 20 that corresponds to the waveguide section 24.

(25) The at least one opening 34 has a center axis O that is inclined with respect to the lateral side 36 of the feeding portion 20 by an inclination angle. The inclination angle may range from 5° to 85°. The inclination generally ensures that the line 32 is routed along the cable guide 30, for example its opening 34, such that the line 32 runs towards the center axis C of the first antenna 12.

(26) Since the feeding portion 20 can be a coaxial feeding portion, two openings 34 are provided that are assigned to the inner conductor and the outer conductor, as will be described later with respect to FIG. 9-11. This ensures that the line 32 can be guided from the outer environment of the feeding portion 20 into the space limited by the inner conductor of the coaxial feeding portion 20.

(27) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the line 32 runs along the center axis C within the flared horn portion 28 of the first antenna 12. Put differently, the line 32 substantially runs along the center axis C of the first antenna 12 within the space defined or rather limited by the flared horn portion 28.

(28) Accordingly, the cable length of line 32 running along the center axis C is minimized This avoids line losses due to a too long length of the line 32. In addition, the radiation pattern of the first antenna 12 is disturbed minimally, as the line 32 runs within the flared horn portion 28 of the first antenna 12 along the center axis C such that its influence on the radiation pattern is symmetrical or rather homogenously distributed.

(29) In FIG. 4, an alternative embodiment is shown in which the cable guide 30 comprises several openings 34, namely at least four openings 34, which are provided in the respective feeding portion 20, namely at opposite lateral sides 36 and within the inner conductor and the outer conductor of the coaxial feeding portion 20. Hence, more than one external line 32, namely more than one line not feeding the first antenna 12 having the cable guide 30, are provided so that these lines 32 can be routed through the feeding portion 20 of the first antenna 12.

(30) Thus, three or more antennas may be stacked over each other. Furthermore, several electrical loads or other components may be located on top of the first antenna 12 having the cable guide 30 in its feeding portion 20.

(31) In FIGS. 5-8, the antenna system 10, for example the first antenna 12 comprising the cable guide 30, is shown in different views, for example without (FIGS. 5 and 6) and with the external line 32 routed via the cable guide 30 (FIGS. 7 and 8). Thus, the respective routing of the external line 32, namely the line not feeding the first antenna 12, is clearly visible.

(32) In general, the opening 34 of the cable guide 30 is located in the feeding portion 20 of the first antenna 12, namely within the lateral side 36 of the waveguide section 24. Thus, the opening 34 is provided in an electrically conductive section of the waveguide section 24 that electromagnetically interacts with the feed point 26, which in turn is connected with the feeding line 18 for receiving the electrical signals to be converted into the electromagnetic waves. Thus, the line 32 routed via the cable guide 30 disturbs the radiation pattern of the first antenna 12 in a minimized manner.

(33) Furthermore, the overall radiation pattern of the antenna system 10 is disturbed in a minimized manner, as the respective antennas 12, 14 are stacked over one another while being omnidirectional antennas, resulting in an omnidirectional antenna system 10.

(34) In FIG. 9-11, the feeding portion 20 is shown in more detail. The feeding portion 20 shown in FIGS. 9-11 may relate to the one shown in the previous FIGURES in which the antenna system 10 is shown.

(35) In some embodiments, it becomes obvious that the feeding portion 20 of the first antenna 12 relates to a coaxial feeding portion, as it comprises an inner conductor 38 and an outer conductor 40. Hence, the waveguide section 24 is also a coaxial one, as it comprises the inner conductor 38 and the outer conductor 40 at least partly.

(36) The cable guide 30 comprises two openings 34, wherein a first opening 34a is provided in the outer conductor 40 and a second opening 34b is provided in the inner conductor 38. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the feeding portion 20, namely the inner conductor 38 as well as the outer conductor 40, are penetrated by the line 32, as the line 32 is routed through the respective openings 34.

(37) The line 32 guided through the openings 34 may be (electrically) connected with the first opening 34a and/or the second opening 34b, namely the respective openings 34 in the inner conductor 38 and/or the outer conductor 40. Put differently, the line 32, for example its electromagnetically conductive outer surface portion, may be electrically connected with the inner conductor 38 and/or the outer conductor 40 by the edge of the respective opening 34.

(38) The respective electrical connection may depend on the characteristics to be achieved. In case of two electrical connections, namely an electrical connection between the line 32 and the inner conductor 38 as well as an electrical connection between the line 32 and the outer conductor 40, a ferrite member 42, for instance a ferrite ring, may be provided as shown in FIG. 11.

(39) In any case, it is ensured that the at least one line 32 is guided by the cable guide 30 through the feeding portion 20 of the at least one antenna 12.

(40) The feeding portion 20 may relate to a coaxial feeding portion such that the line 32 runs through openings 34 of the cable guide 32 that are assigned to the inner conductor 38 and the outer conductor 40. In other words, the line 32 penetrates the inner conductor 38 and the outer conductor 40 in order to reach the center axis C.

(41) Then, the line 32 is guided along the center axis C towards the open end of the flared horn portion 28 so as to disturb the overall radiation pattern of the antenna system 10, for example the first antenna 12, in a minimized manner.

(42) Accordingly, an omnidirectional antenna system 10 is provided that has an optimized radiation pattern because the line loss, for example for feeding the second antenna 14, is minimized and the radiation pattern of each antenna 12, 14 is disturbed in a minimized manner. Thus, the overall radiation performance of the antenna system 10 is improved.

(43) Generally, the characteristics and features of the different embodiments shown can be combined in an arbitrary manner.

(44) The present application may reference quantities and numbers. Unless specifically stated, such quantities and numbers are not to be considered restrictive, but exemplary of the possible quantities or numbers associated with the present application. Also in this regard, the present application may use the term “plurality” to reference a quantity or number. In this regard, the term “plurality” is meant to be any number that is more than one, for example, two, three, four, five, etc. The terms “about,” “approximately,” “near,” etc., mean plus or minus 5% of the stated value. For the purposes of the present disclosure, the phrase “at least one of A and B” is equivalent to “A and/or B” or vice versa, namely “A” alone, “B” alone or “A and B.”. Similarly, the phrase “at least one of A, B, and C,” for example, means (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B, and C), including all further possible permutations when greater than three elements are listed.

(45) The principles, representative embodiments, and modes of operation of the present disclosure have been described in the foregoing description. However, aspects of the present disclosure which are intended to be protected are not to be construed as limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. Further, the embodiments described herein are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. It will be appreciated that variations and changes may be made by others, and equivalents employed, without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that all such variations, changes, and equivalents fall within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, as claimed.