BAFFLE BOARD FOR BASE STATION ANTENNA AND BASE STATION ANTENNA ARRAY STRUCTURE

Abstract

This application discloses a type of reflecting plate and base station array for base station antennas. The main part of the reflecting plate is mono- or multi-layer reflector chamber, the inside of each layer placed with at least one phase shift cavity, guide groove and projection, the phase shift cavity for holding components of the phase shifter, while guide groove and projection for fixing them, allowing removable dielectric insulation medium of the phase shifter to move within the guide groove. The reflecting plate and the phase shift cavity are designed in integrative structure, achieving good consistency, less soldering and easy installation, costing less time and fewer raw materials, and high efficiency and low cost as well.

Claims

1. A reflecting plate for base station antennas characterized in that its main body is single- or multi-layer reflector chamber, the inside of each comprising at least one phase shift cavity in an integrative structure with the reflecting plate. Each layer of the reflector chamber for holding its related components is placed with guide groove and projection designed to fasten and limit the phase shift components, enabling, the removable dielectric insulation medium to move within the guide groove.

2. The reflecting plate of claim 1, wherein both sides of the plate surface are placed with slender grooves parallel and connected to the guide groove for easy connection between the phase shifter and the related drive mechanism.

3. The reflecting plate of claim 1 wherein fastener holes are designed on the reflecting plate surface to fixedly connect the radiation device and fasten the phase shifter substrate at the same time.

4. The reflecting plate of claim 1 wherein each layer of the chamber on both sides of the central axis of the reflecting plate contains symmetrical square cavities extending along the length of the plate, parallel to the guide grooves and for handling input and output ports of the phase shifter. Correspondingly the plate surface has rectangular orifices for feed cables to pass through and metal side walls between for isolating polarizations and restraining mutual coupling.

5. A type of base station antenna array comprising the reflecting plate according to claims 1 to 4, adapter plate, radiation device, phase shifter and drive mechanism, the adapter plate fixed on one end of the reflecting plate in an integrative structure; the radiation device placed on the plate surface; the phase shifter placed in the phase shift cavity, fixed by the guide groove and projection; the drive mechanism placed on the reflecting plate surface, its sliding would guide the phase shifter to move within the guide groove.

6. The base station antenna array of claim 5 wherein the drive mechanism consists of drive shaft support, drive shaft and rotating plate, the drive shaft support embedded in the reflector chamber, the drive shaft implanted in the reflecting plate, one end fixed on the drive shaft support, the other end on the adapter plate, the rotating carriage connected to the drive shaft along which it can exploit a reciprocating motion, and designed with two pillars on both ends to drag the dielectric components of the phase shifter.

7. The base station antenna array of claim 6 wherein both ends of the rotating plate are fixedly connected to the phase shifter inside the reflecting chamber via the slender slot on the reflecting plate surface.

8. The base station antenna array of claim 5 wherein a nonmetallic dielectric film is placed between the radiation device and the reflecting plate surface to avoid passive intermodulation.

9. The base station antenna array of claim 5 wherein the antenna reflecting plate and the phase shift cavity are formed in an integrative structure.

10. The base station antenna array of claim 5 wherein the phase shifter consists of slide dielectric block, dielectric slot, rod, dielectric substrate and metal strip lines, the rod placed in the guide groove, the slide dielectric block connected to the dielectric slot embedded in the projection, convenient for the rod to pull the phase shifter to glide accurately within the guide groove. The dielectric substrate is fixed on the phase shift cavity to support the metal strip lines.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates the base station antenna array according to one embodiment of this application, comprising a group of radiation devices, phase shifter, drive mechanism, reflecting plate, end closure and joints.

[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates specifics of the bottom structure of the base station antenna array according to the embodiment of this application, mainly comprising a group of radiation devices, phase shifter, drive mechanism, reflecting plate, end closure and joints.

[0025] FIG. 3 illustrates specifics of top structure of the base station antenna array according to the embodiment of this application, comprising a reflecting plate, phase shift cavity, installation.

[0026] FIG. 4 illustrates specifics related to the interior of the phase shifter of the base station antenna array according to the embodiment of this application, comprising a dielectric block and strip lines.

[0027] FIG. 5 illustrates the base station antenna array according to another embodiment of this application, comprising a monolayer reflecting plate, a phase shifter, a drive mechanism, a reflecting plate, end closure and joints.

[0028] FIG. 6 illustrates variants of the reflecting plate in this application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0029] The reflecting plate and related elements of the new base station antenna array includes the integrative mono- or multi-layer reflector chambers, wherein the phase shifter plus the guide groove and projection are settled to guide and limit the corresponding components of the phase shifter. The radiation device is settled on central axis of the reflecting plate surface, pedestal of the radiation device equipped with holes, the corresponding reflecting plate also equipped with holes. Each radiation device is fixedly fastened on the reflecting plate surface by several rivets or fasteners. Similarly, there are holes on the phase shifter corresponding to the reflecting plate surface and the pedestal of the radiation device, so when fastening the radiation device, the phase shifter is fastened at the same time. The phase shift cavity is in an integrative structure with the reflecting plate surface on which single pair or double pair of edges is employed, each pair of edges parallel to each other and corresponding to the two edges symmetrically positioned along the central axis. A slender slot is configured nearby parallel to the edge of the reflecting plate surface. The shift phase drive mechanism on the reflecting plate would lead, via a thread screw, the slide carriage which is connected to the phase shift components by fasteners to exploit straightline reciprocating motion in the slender slot. The phase shifter can adjust the beams in the vertical plane when the slide carriage is exploiting straightline reciprocating motion. There are symmetrical square cavities on both sides of the reflecting plate central axis. There are rectangular orifices on the reflecting plate, under the radiation device, to connect the radiation device feed cable to the input port of the phase shifter. There is metal side wall between the rectangular orifices for the purpose of isolating polarizations and restraining mutual coupling. The input connector is positioned at bottom of the antenna and securely fixed on the adaptor plate which is securely fixed on the reflecting plate and connects antenna stand by fasteners. The reflecting plate surface is designed with signal input ports to which coaxial cables of the joint are soldered. In addition, a shield plate is designed among the radiation device to restrain mutual coupling.

[0030] The reflecting plate and the phase shift cavity are of an integrative structure, by metal extrusion, or non-metallic material pultrusion and plating metal on the surface afterwards, or by 3D printing. The reflector chamber can be composed of single-, double- or multi-layer cavities, and can be composed of overlying single-layer cavities by riveting or soldering. The reflecting plate structure comprises a traditional single-layer reflecting plate overlaying with single- or multi-layer phase shift cavity by means of riveting or soldering, each cavity divided into several sub-cavities in accordance with the design. The reflecting chamber is positioned with guide groove and projection. There are symmetrical small cavities on both sides of the reflecting plate central axis. The reflecting plate surface has side edge, and one end of the reflecting plate surface is designed with slender groove.

[0031] The feed network is of non-cable, the drive mechanism settled on the reflector surface, the joint input cable on the reflector surface and the input port on the reflector surface. The input port has input conductor, between which and the reflecting plate is settled with a nonmetallic dielectric film, and among the input ports is settled with metal isolation plate. The radiation device is fixedly settled on the reflecting plate, between the pedestal of the radiation device and the reflecting plate is equipped with a nonmetallic dielectric film, among the radiation device is equipped with metal isolation plate which is fixedly settled on the reflecting plate, and between the metal isolation plate and the reflecting plate is equipped with a nonmetallic dielectric film. The isolation plate can be made of a nonmetallic film coated with metal. There are holes on the reflecting plate under the pedestal of the radiation device, and among the holes are metal side walls. The height of the radiation device and the reflecting surface is less than 0.15λ in center frequency. Top of the radiation device is conductor sheet supported by insulation medium, around it are even-distributed conductor bars.

[0032] The following embodiments in combination with the figures are provided to assist in further stating this application. The following embodiments are used merely for understanding and stating this application, but should not be interpreted as a limitation to this application.

Embodiment One

[0033] The base station antenna array structure is shown in FIGS. 1-4, as shown in FIG. 1, comprising a group of radiation devices 1, phase shifters 2, a drive mechanism 3, a reflecting plate 4, an end closure 5, joints 6, cables 7, an adaptor plate 8. The reflecting plate 4 is smaller than existing antenna reflecting plates. As can be seen from the FIGS, the reflecting plate 4 is designed to be an integrative structure of double-layer cavity, inside each of which is positioned with a phase shifter 2 whose design responds to the cavity. The group of radiation devices 1 is fixedly positioned on the reflecting plate by fasteners 11. The drive mechanism 3 is positioned on the antenna reflecting plate surface in order to save space of the back of the antenna and reduce the thickness of the antenna as a result. The adaptor plate 8, made from die-cast zinc-aluminum alloys, is positioned inside the cavity and fixedly positioned on the reflecting plate by fasteners 8a which connect a bracket for installing and adjusting. The end closure 5 and the joints 6 are fixedly positioned on the adaptor plate 8, and one end of each of the cable 7 is soldered to the joint, the other end soldered to the input port of the antenna, and cables 7 are on the reflecting plate.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows bottom of the base station antenna array structure, comprising the whole drive mechanism 3, end closure 5, joints 6, cables 7 and adaptor plate 8. Drive mechanism 3 is positioned on the reflecting plate surface, drive shaft support 3a holding one end of drive shaft 3b on reflecting plate 4, the other end passing through adaptor plate 8 and concentric hole 3e on end closure 5, and being concentric with them. Rotating carriage 3c is in cooperation with drive shaft 3b. There are small holes 3d on both ends of rotating carriage 3c, and on the reflecting plate near the ends of rotating carriage 3c there are slender grooves 4a which are parallel to the central axis of the reflecting plate. Center of small hole 3d coincide with center of the slender groove, and the hole on the phase shifter slide screw coincide with the center of small hole 3d and center of slender groove 4a, so that rotating carriage 3c can correlates with the phase shifter by just using fasteners. When rotating carriage 3c moves back and forth in slender groove 4a, phase shifter 2 can adjust the slanting angle of the directivity diagram related to the vertical plane of the antenna.

[0035] FIG. 3 shows top of the base station antenna array structure, comprising the radiation device 1, phase shifter 2 and reflecting plate 4 which is of double-layer cavity. 4e is the guide groove of the reflecting plate, and 4d is projection. The slide bar in phase shifter 2 would slide in guide groove 4e and projection 4d. Guide groove 4e guides in the vertical direction and projection 4d limits space in the horizontal direction. Square cavities 4c are distributed on both sides along the central axis of the reflecting plate, and are where the input port of the phase shifter is positioned, and restrain mutual coupling. Holes 4b are fastener holes, through which adjusting bracket of the antenna can be fixedly positioned. Fasteners 11a help to fix radiation device 1 onto reflecting plate 4, between which and pedestal 1a of the radiation device is planned with a nonmetallic dielectric film 12a which can prevent passive intermodulation.

[0036] FIG. 4 shows the internal part of phase shifter 2 of the base station antenna, comprising slide dielectric block 2a, throttle 2c, dielectric block guide groove 2b, dielectric substrate 2d, metal strip line 2e. Throttle 2c is positioned in guide groove 4e of the reflecting plate, and projection 4d is positioned in dielectric block guide groove 2b, so that the slide bar of the phase shifter can slide back and forth accurately. Dielectric medium 2d supports metal strip line 2e, and fasteners 11a fixedly holds dielectric substrate 2d.

Embodiment Two

[0037] The base station antenna array as claimed in this application as shown in FIG. 5, adopting single-layer cavity structure. Other designs are exactly the same with that illustrated in embodiment one, so the description will not be repeated again here.

[0038] In this embodiment, the antenna would be smaller in size due to the utilization of single-layer cavity structure.

Embodiment Three

[0039] This is a further study on the reflecting plate structure based on embodiment one and two, and the result reflects, as FIG. 6, the reflecting plate can be designed as single-, double- or multilayer structure according to different needs. Projection can be positioned on the reflecting plate surface in accordance with the installation of the drive mechanism to help the drive mechanism to slide accurately.

[0040] Respecting to the reflecting plate and the corresponding base station antenna array structure as claimed in this application, the phase shift cavity is designed to be an integrative structure with the reflecting plate, characterized in good consistency, few soldering, easy installing, high efficiency, and costing fewer raw materials, thus low-cost. In addition, in the base station antenna array structure, the adaptor plate is designed to be an integrative structure with the reflecting plate, which also decrease soldering points and is easy to assemble. This technology can be used to antennas of any other frequency, therefore the above is just a preferred implementation of this application, imposing no restrictions to the technical range related to this application. Technical personnel in this field can make some modifications inspired by this technical proposal. Any modification or equivalent change to the above embodiments according to the essence of this technology is within this claimed technical proposal.