A liquid metal reconfigurable antenna and antenna array

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of antenna technology, and discloses a liquid metal reconfigurable antenna and an antenna array. The liquid metal reconfigurable antenna comprises a first antenna tube and a second antenna tube that are interconnected, and a piston and a piston rod are arranged in each antenna tube. The piston rod can drive the piston to move along the axial direction of the antenna tube, and the first antenna tube and the second antenna tube are filled with liquid metal. The present invention drives the piston to move along the axial direction of the antenna tube by moving the piston rod, changes the liquid level of the liquid metal in the first antenna tube and the second antenna tube, and realizes the continuous reconstruction of the reconfigurable antenna shape. At the same time, the cross-sectional area of ​​the second antenna tube is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first antenna tube, so the liquid level of the first antenna tube changes more significantly, and the antenna shape can be precisely controlled, which greatly broadens the working frequency band of the antenna. The reconfigurable antenna is sealed at both ends to avoid leakage of liquid metal when tilted, and increase environmental adaptability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of antenna technology, and in particular to a liquid metal reconfigurable antenna and an antenna array. Background Art

[0002] In the field of wireless communication, antennas, as a component for transmitting or receiving electromagnetic waves, are widely used in engineering systems such as radio communication, broadcasting, television, navigation, radar, and measurement and control. With the advancement of science and technology and the improvement of people's living standards, the number of users and demands for communication systems has increased sharply, making wireless communication systems develop in the direction of large capacity, multi-function, and ultra-wideband. This has led to an increasing number of antennas on the same platform, making the size of the entire communication system larger and heavier. At the same time, the increase in antenna density has also led to serious electromagnetic interference between antennas, and the overall performance of the communication system has decreased. On the one hand, antennas need to work in multiple frequency bands to achieve multi-function and multi-working mode signal transmission; on the other hand, antennas must also consider miniaturization, light weight, low cost, and good electromagnetic compatibility. The emergence of the above contradictions has become a bottleneck restricting the development of wireless communication systems. The concept of reconfigurable antennas has solved the above problems very well. Reconfigurable antennas aim to use one antenna to achieve the functions of multiple antennas to meet a variety of system requirements and adapt to complex and changing application environments.

[0003] At present, reconfigurable antennas usually use micro-electromechanical control systems or switching elements such as PIN diodes to switch between different working structures of the antenna to achieve the selection of multiple working modes of the antenna. However, the control state of these control elements is relatively simple, and the antenna aperture can only be reconstructed in a local area, and the reconstruction capability is limited. In addition, these control elements will introduce strong nonlinear effects, affecting the antenna's transmit and receive sensitivity. Summary of the invention

[0004] 1. Technical issues to be resolved

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a liquid metal reconfigurable antenna with a simple structure and convenient adjustment, so as to solve the problems of limited reconfiguration capability and low transceiver sensitivity of existing reconfigurable antennas.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide an antenna array using the above-mentioned liquid metal reconfigurable antenna to meet the needs of reconfiguring multiple antennas separately.

[0007] (II) Technical solution

[0008] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a liquid metal reconfigurable antenna, comprising a first antenna tube and a second antenna tube which are interconnected, the cross-sectional area of ​​the second antenna tube being larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first antenna tube; a first piston which is sealingly and slidingly matched with the inner surface of the first antenna tube is arranged in the first antenna tube, the first piston is connected to a first piston rod, and the first piston rod can drive the first piston to move axially along the first antenna tube; a second piston which is sealingly and slidingly matched with the inner surface of the second antenna tube is arranged in the second antenna tube, the second piston is connected to a second piston rod, and the second piston rod can drive the second piston to move axially along the second antenna tube; the closed cavity formed among the first antenna tube, the first piston, the second antenna tube and the second piston is filled with liquid metal; the second piston is provided with a feeder connector for connecting the liquid metal and the feeder.

[0009] Wherein, the first piston rod and the second piston rod are both connected to a driving mechanism, and the driving mechanism is used to drive the first piston rod and the second piston rod to move simultaneously.

[0010] Wherein, the driving mechanism comprises a first driving mechanism and a second driving mechanism, the first piston rod is connected to the first driving mechanism, and the second piston rod is connected to the second driving mechanism.

[0011] Wherein, the driving mechanism is fixed on the first antenna tube or the second antenna tube.

[0012] Wherein, the driving mechanism is connected to a controller, and the controller is used to control the driving mechanism so that the driving mechanism drives the first piston rod and the second piston rod to move according to a preset program.

[0013] A first limit block is provided on the first antenna tube to enable the first piston rod to move along the axial direction of the first antenna tube; a second limit block is provided on the second antenna tube to enable the second piston rod to move along the axial direction of the second antenna tube.

[0014] The ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the first antenna tube to the cross-sectional area of ​​the second antenna tube ranges from 1:2 to 1:100.

[0015] Wherein, the first piston rod is marked with scales, and / or the second piston rod is marked with scales.

[0016] Wherein, the melting point range of the liquid metal is -45°C to 50°C.

[0017] The present invention also provides an antenna array using the above-mentioned liquid metal reconfigurable antenna, comprising a plurality of the liquid metal reconfigurable antennas and a master controller, wherein the master controller is used to control the first piston rod and the second piston rod of any of the liquid metal reconfigurable antennas to move according to a preset program.

[0018] (III) Beneficial effects

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0020] The present invention provides a liquid metal reconfigurable antenna and antenna array, wherein the liquid metal reconfigurable antenna drives the piston to move axially along the antenna tube by moving the piston rod, changes the liquid level height of the liquid metal in the first antenna tube and the second antenna tube, and realizes continuous reconstruction of the reconfigurable antenna shape, breaking through the shortcoming that the existing antenna has fewer reconfigurable shapes. At the same time, the cross-sectional area of ​​the second antenna tube is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first antenna tube, so the liquid level change of the first antenna tube is more significant, and the antenna shape can be precisely controlled, which greatly broadens the working frequency band of the antenna. The reconfigurable antenna is sealed at both ends to avoid leakage of liquid metal when tilted, and does not limit the installation angle and position of the antenna, thereby increasing environmental adaptability. In addition, since no switch control element is introduced, the nonlinear effect of the antenna is reduced and the sensitivity is improved.

[0021] The present invention also provides an antenna array using the above-mentioned liquid metal reconfigurable antenna, which can meet the needs of reconfiguring multiple antennas separately and is suitable for places such as airplanes or ships with limited installation space and harsh operating environment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a liquid metal reconfigurable antenna in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a driving mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of another liquid metal reconfigurable antenna in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 is a structural schematic diagram of a liquid metal reconfigurable antenna array in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Description of reference numerals:

[0027] 1: first antenna tube; 2: second antenna tube; 31: first limit block;

[0028] 32: second limit block; 33: driving mechanism fixing block; 4: liquid metal;

[0029] 5: first piston rod; 6: second piston rod; 7: driving mechanism;

[0030] 71: first driving mechanism; 711: first driving wheel; 712: second driving wheel;

[0031] 72: second driving mechanism; 81: first piston; 82: second piston;

[0032] 9: Controller; 10: Power supply; 11: Antenna row;

[0033] 12: Main controller; 13: Main power supply. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the invention clearer, the technical solution in the invention will be clearly described below in conjunction with the drawings and specific embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in the invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0035] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "first", "second", etc. are for the purpose of clearly describing the numbering of product components and do not represent any substantial difference. "Up", "down", "left", and "right" are all based on the directions shown in the accompanying drawings. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0036] It should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the term "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0037] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a liquid metal reconfigurable antenna in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides a liquid metal reconfigurable antenna, comprising a first antenna tube 1 and a second antenna tube 2 that are interconnected. The upper end of the first antenna tube 1 is open and connected to the atmosphere, and the lower end of the first antenna tube 1 is connected to the second antenna tube 2; the upper end of the second antenna tube 2 is connected to the lower end of the first antenna tube 1, and the lower end of the second antenna tube 2 is open and connected to the atmosphere. The connection between the first antenna tube 1 and the second antenna tube 2 can be welded or threaded, and preferably, integrated molding is adopted.

[0038] The first antenna tube 1 and the second antenna tube 2 are both hollow tubes of equal cross-section, and the cross-sections of the first antenna tube 1 and the second antenna tube 2 can be triangular or quadrilateral. Preferably, the first antenna tube 1 and the second antenna tube 2 are both circular tubes. The cross-sectional area of ​​the second antenna tube 2 is greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first antenna tube 1. Further, the ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the first antenna tube 1 to the cross-sectional area of ​​the second antenna tube 2 is in the range of 1:2 to 1:100. Taking the ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the first antenna tube 1 to the cross-sectional area of ​​the second antenna tube 2 as 1:80 as an example, when the liquid level of the liquid metal 4 in the second antenna tube 2 moves up by 1 cm, the liquid level of the liquid metal 4 in the first antenna tube 1 moves up by 80 cm, which is equivalent to amplifying the liquid level signal in the second antenna tube 2 by eighty times. By adjusting the liquid level of the liquid metal 4 in the second antenna tube 2, the reconstruction of the antenna shape can be achieved more quickly and timely. At the same time, when the liquid metal 4 in the first antenna tube 1 needs to move up 1 cm, the liquid level in the second antenna tube 2 only needs to move up 0.0125 cm, and 0.0125 cm is a very small displacement value. If the liquid level in the second antenna tube 2 is adjusted by conventional mechanical means, it is difficult to achieve such precise adjustment. However, directly adjusting the liquid level in the first antenna tube 1 can simply achieve precise control of the liquid level. Therefore, by adjusting the liquid levels in the first antenna tube 1 and the second antenna tube 2 at the same time, both continuous and rapid reconstruction of the antenna shape and precise control can be achieved.

[0039] The first antenna tube 1 is provided with a first piston 81 which is sealed and slidably matched with the inner surface thereof. Here, the sealed and slidably matched means that the first piston 81 is closely fitted with the inner wall surface of the first antenna tube 1 and can also slide relative to each other, that is, the first piston 81 can overcome the friction between the first antenna tube 1 and the inner wall surface and slide up and down. The first piston 81 can prevent the liquid metal 4 in the first antenna tube 1 from leaking and prevent external impurities, such as dust and water, from contaminating the liquid metal in the first antenna tube 1. At the same time, the sliding of the first piston 81 can change the liquid level of the liquid metal 4 in the first antenna tube 1. The first piston 81 is connected to the first piston rod 5, and the first piston rod 5 can drive the first piston 81 to move along the axial direction of the first antenna tube 1. Specifically, the axis of the first piston rod 5 is parallel to the axis of the first antenna tube 1, and the first piston rod 5 is fixedly connected to the first piston 81. Preferably, the first piston 81 is made of elastic material, such as rubber or silicone. Furthermore, lubricating oil may be used between the first piston 81 and the inner wall surface of the first antenna tube 1 to reduce the movement resistance of the first antenna tube 1 and enhance the sealing effect on the liquid metal in the first antenna tube 1 .

[0040] Similarly, a second piston 82 is provided in the second antenna tube 2 in sealing and sliding cooperation with its inner surface. Here, sealing and sliding cooperation means that the second piston 82 is tightly fitted with the inner wall surface of the second antenna tube 2, and relative sliding can also occur, that is, the second piston 82 can overcome the friction between the second antenna tube 2 and the inner wall surface and slide up and down. The second piston 82 can not only prevent the liquid metal 4 in the second antenna tube 2 from leaking, but also prevent external impurities, such as dust and water, from contaminating the liquid metal in the second antenna tube 2. At the same time, the sliding of the second piston 82 can change the liquid level of the liquid metal 4 in the second antenna tube 2. The second piston 82 is connected to the second piston rod 6, and the second piston rod 6 can drive the second piston 82 to move along the axial direction of the second antenna tube 2. Specifically, the axis of the second piston rod 6 is parallel to the axis of the second antenna tube 2, and the second piston rod 6 is fixedly connected to the second piston 82. Preferably, the second piston 82 is made of elastic material, such as rubber or silicone. Furthermore, lubricating oil may be used between the second piston 82 and the inner wall surface of the second antenna tube 2 to reduce the movement resistance of the second antenna tube 2 and enhance the sealing effect on the liquid metal in the second antenna tube 2.

[0041] The closed cavity formed between the first antenna tube 1, the first piston 81, the second antenna tube 2 and the second piston 82 is filled with liquid metal 4. The closed cavity formed between the first antenna tube 1 is filled with liquid metal; the first antenna tube 1 mainly plays the role of storing liquid metal. When liquid metal 4 needs to be injected, the first piston 81 can be placed in the first antenna tube 1 first; then the opening of the second antenna tube 2 is facing upwards, and the liquid metal 4 is injected into the second antenna tube 2; then the second piston 82 is placed in the second antenna tube 2 to achieve sealing of both ends of the liquid metal; finally, the first antenna tube 1 is placed upwards. In addition to the above method, the second piston 82 can also be placed in the second antenna tube 2 first, and then the opening of the first antenna tube 1 is facing upwards, and the liquid metal 4 is directly injected from the opening of the first antenna tube 1. After filling, the first piston 81 is placed in the first antenna tube 1.

[0042] The second piston 82 is also provided with a feeder connector (not shown in the figure), which is used to connect the liquid metal 4 and the feeder (not shown in the figure). The feeder connector on the second piston 82 is a female connector, and the conductive element in the connector is always in contact with the liquid metal 4. The connector on the external feeder uses a matching male connector, and the male and female connectors cooperate with each other to achieve signal transmission. The feeder connector on the second piston 82 can be an SMA connector, a TNC connector, an N connector, or a DIN connector, or can also be a universal connector type specified in other national standards.

[0043] The liquid metal reconfigurable antenna provided in this embodiment changes the liquid level of the liquid metal in the first antenna tube and the second antenna tube by moving the first piston rod to drive the first piston to move axially along the first antenna tube and moving the second piston rod to drive the second piston to move axially along the second antenna tube, thereby realizing continuous reconstruction of the reconfigurable antenna shape, and breaking through the shortcoming that the existing antenna has fewer reconfigurable shapes. At the same time, the cross-sectional area of ​​the second antenna tube is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first antenna tube, so the liquid level change of the first antenna tube is more significant, and the antenna shape can be precisely controlled, which greatly broadens the working frequency band of the antenna. The reconfigurable antenna is sealed at both ends to avoid leakage of liquid metal when tilted, and does not limit the installation angle and position of the antenna, which increases environmental adaptability.

[0044] Furthermore, if Figure 1 As shown, the first piston rod 5 and the second piston rod 6 are both connected to the driving mechanism 7, and the driving mechanism 7 is used to drive the first piston rod 5 and the second piston rod 6 to move simultaneously. The number of the driving mechanism 7 can be one, and a single driving mechanism 7 includes two driving units, each driving unit corresponding to a piston rod. The driving mechanism can adopt an electric screw or a gear rack transmission form. Preferably, the driving wheel clamping and propulsion method is adopted, such as Figure 2 As shown, the first driving mechanism 71 includes a first driving wheel 711, a second driving wheel 712 and a motor (not shown in the figure), the first driving wheel 711 and the second driving wheel 712 clamp the first piston rod 5, the motor drives the first driving wheel 711 to rotate counterclockwise, and drives the second driving wheel 712 to rotate clockwise, so that the first piston rod 5 moves upward under the friction of the two driving wheels. Specifically, the first driving wheel 711 and the second driving wheel 712 are U-shaped pulleys, and the first piston rod 5 is clamped in the U-shaped grooves of the left and right U-shaped pulleys. The first driving wheel 711 and the second driving wheel 712 simultaneously apply pressure to the first piston rod 5 to clamp the first piston rod 5, and the inner wall of the U-shaped groove is provided with textures to increase the surface roughness of the wall, increase the friction between the driving wheel and the piston rod, and drive the first piston rod 5 to move.

[0045] Furthermore, the two drive units included in the drive mechanism 7 can be regulated by independent motors, thereby improving the flexibility of regulating the two piston rods. In addition, the two drive units can also be controlled by the same motor at the same time. At this time, a transmission ratio can be changed between the two drive wheels by using a variable speed gear, chain drive or belt drive, etc. The transmission ratio can be selected according to the ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the first antenna tube 1 to the cross-sectional area of ​​the second antenna tube 2 and the efficiency of the two drive wheels in clamping and propelling. Using one motor control can save costs and simplify the control process.

[0046] Furthermore, the number of the driving mechanisms 7 can also be two, such as Figure 3As shown, the driving mechanism 7 includes a first driving mechanism 71 and a second driving mechanism 72, the first piston rod 5 is connected to the first driving mechanism 71, and the second piston rod 6 is connected to the second driving mechanism 72. When the shape of the first antenna tube is a broken line, an angle is formed between the first piston rod 5 and the second piston rod 6, and the first driving mechanism 71 is used to control the first piston rod 5 alone, and the second driving mechanism 72 is used to control the second piston rod 6 alone, thereby increasing the control accuracy.

[0047] Furthermore, the driving mechanism 7 is fixed on the first antenna tube 1 or the second antenna tube 2. Specifically, Figure 1 As shown, the drive mechanism 7 is fixed to the first antenna tube 1 through the drive mechanism fixing block 33, which can be fixed in the form of a clamp. The drive mechanism 7 can also be fixed to the second antenna tube 2. In addition, as Figure 3 As shown, when the first antenna tube 1 is in the form of two broken lines, there are two drive mechanism fixing blocks accordingly. The first drive mechanism 71 is fixed at the upper broken line section of the first antenna tube 1 through one of the drive mechanism fixing blocks 33, and the second drive mechanism 72 is fixed at the lower broken line section of the first antenna tube 1 through another drive mechanism fixing block 33, and both can be fixed in the form of a clamp. The actual fixing position of the drive mechanism can be determined according to the shape of the antenna tube and the adjustable length of the piston rod.

[0048] Furthermore, the driving mechanism 7 is connected to the controller 9, and the controller 9 is used to control the driving mechanism 7 so that the driving mechanism 7 drives the first piston rod 5 and the second piston rod 6 to move according to a preset program. Before reconstructing the antenna, the antenna parameters in various states can be measured by a network analyzer, and the state parameters of the driving mechanism at this time can be recorded, and the state parameters of the driving mechanism and the antenna parameters can be correlated and calculated, and the calculation results can be entered into the controller 9. When a reconfigurable antenna with specified parameters is required, the controller 9 will automatically analyze the parameter requirements and output a preset program to control the state parameters of the driving mechanism 7 to achieve accurate reconstruction of the antenna. Furthermore, a power supply 10 is also included to power the controller 9.

[0049] Furthermore, a first stopper 31 is provided on the first antenna tube 1 so that the first piston rod 5 moves along the axial direction of the first antenna tube 1. Specifically, mounting holes are provided on the opposite sides of the tube wall of the first antenna tube 1, and the first stopper 31 can pass through the two mounting holes and be fixed at the corresponding position of the first antenna tube 1. At the same time, a through hole is also provided on the first stopper 31 along the axial direction of the first antenna tube 1, and one end of the first piston rod 5 passes through the through hole to connect with the first piston 81, and the diameter of the through hole is greater than the outer diameter of the first piston rod 5, so the first piston rod 5 can move freely in the through hole. By providing the first stopper 31, the first piston rod 5 can move along the axial direction of the first antenna tube 1 without being skewed, and at this time, the transmission efficiency of the first piston rod 5 to the pulling force or thrust of the first piston 81 is the largest. At the same time, the position of the first stopper 31 can be selected according to the maximum liquid level that the liquid metal 4 in the first antenna tube 1 can reach, and the maximum stroke boundary of the first piston 81 is limited by the first stopper 31, so as to avoid the over-range adjustment of the liquid metal level. Similarly, a second limiting block 32 is provided on the second antenna tube 2 to enable the second piston rod 6 to move along the axial direction of the second antenna tube 2 .

[0050] Furthermore, the first piston rod 5 is marked with a scale, and / or the second piston rod 6 is marked with a scale. The position of the first piston 81 in the first antenna tube 1 and the position of the second piston 82 in the second antenna tube 2 can be known through the scale, and then the liquid level position of the liquid metal 4 can be known. The liquid level of the liquid metal in the antenna tube can be obtained by observing the scale on the piston rod, and the material of the antenna tube can be not limited. The antenna tube can be made of transparent material or non-transparent material, which has no effect on the liquid level representation of the liquid metal.

[0051] Furthermore, the melting point range of liquid metal is -45℃~50℃. Liquid metal can be a gallium-indium alloy with a melting point of 15.6℃, or a gallium-indium-tin alloy with a melting point of 11℃. Other liquid metals with melting points within the above temperature range are also acceptable. Liquid metal is a type of low-melting-point metal with a melting point below 300℃. Metals that are liquid at room temperature are also called room temperature liquid metals. Liquid metal has good rheological properties, conductivity and self-healing properties, and is easy to control in shape, so it has significant reconfigurable advantages.

[0052] Furthermore, the first antenna tube 1, the second antenna tube 2, the first limit block 31, the second limit block 32, the drive mechanism fixing block 33, the first piston rod 5 and the second piston rod 6 are all made of non-metallic insulating materials, which can be organic glass or polytetrafluoroethylene.

[0053] like Figure 4As shown, the present invention also provides an antenna array using the above-mentioned liquid metal reconfigurable antenna, including multiple liquid metal reconfigurable antennas and a master controller 12, the master controller 12 is used to control the first piston rod 5 and the second piston rod 6 of any liquid metal reconfigurable antenna to move according to a preset program. The antenna array also includes a main power supply 13 for powering the master controller 12. Multiple liquid metal reconfigurable antennas can be arranged in a vertical and horizontal array, including m antenna rows 11, and each antenna row 11 includes n reconfigurable antennas. Among them, the value range of m is 1 to 20, and the value range of n is 1 to 20. Specifically, the driving mechanism 7 of each reconfigurable antenna can be directly connected to the master controller 12 respectively, and then the master controller 12 directly sends a control signal to each driving mechanism 7. It is also possible that the driving mechanisms 7 in each antenna row 11 are connected in series, and then each antenna row 11 outputs a signal line connected to the master controller 12. In addition to the above method, each reconfigurable antenna can be provided with an independent controller 9, and then each controller 9 is connected to the main controller 12 through wired or wireless communication. When the number of antennas in the antenna array is large, the independent controller 9 can share the computing pressure of the main controller 12 and improve the adjustment speed of the overall array.

[0054] It can be seen from the above embodiments that the liquid metal reconfigurable antenna provided by the present invention includes a first antenna tube and a second antenna tube with different cross-sectional areas. The first piston rod is moved to drive the first piston to move axially along the first antenna tube, and the second piston rod is moved to drive the second piston to move axially along the second antenna tube to change the liquid level of the liquid metal in the first antenna tube and the second antenna tube, so as to realize the continuous reconstruction of the shape of the liquid metal reconfigurable antenna, and break through the shortcomings of the existing antenna reconfigurable shape. At the same time, the cross-sectional area of ​​the second antenna tube is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first antenna tube, so the liquid level change of the first antenna tube is more significant, and the precise control of the antenna shape can be realized, which greatly broadens the working frequency band of the antenna. The two ends of the liquid metal reconfigurable antenna are sealed to avoid the leakage of liquid metal when tilted, and the installation angle and position of the antenna are not limited, which increases the environmental adaptability. In addition, since the switch control element is not introduced, the nonlinear effect of the antenna is reduced and the sensitivity is improved.

[0055] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A liquid metal reconfigurable antenna, characterized in that: It comprises a first antenna tube and a second antenna tube which are interconnected, wherein the cross-sectional area of ​​the second antenna tube is larger than that of the first antenna tube; a first piston which is sealingly and slidingly matched with the inner surface of the first antenna tube is arranged in the first antenna tube, the first piston is connected to a first piston rod, and the first piston rod can drive the first piston to move along the axial direction of the first antenna tube; a second piston which is sealingly and slidingly matched with the inner surface of the second antenna tube is arranged in the second antenna tube, the second piston is connected to a second piston rod, and the second piston rod can drive the second piston to move along the axial direction of the second antenna tube; a closed cavity formed between the first antenna tube, the first piston, the second antenna tube and the second piston is filled with liquid metal; a feeder connector for connecting the liquid metal and a feeder is arranged on the second piston; The first piston rod and the second piston rod are both connected to a driving mechanism, and the driving mechanism is used to drive the first piston rod and the second piston rod to move simultaneously; A first limit block is provided on the first antenna tube to enable the first piston rod to move along the axial direction of the first antenna tube; a second limit block is provided on the second antenna tube to enable the second piston rod to move along the axial direction of the second antenna tube.

2. The liquid metal reconfigurable antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving mechanism comprises a first driving mechanism and a second driving mechanism, the first piston rod is connected to the first driving mechanism, and the second piston rod is connected to the second driving mechanism.

3. The liquid metal reconfigurable antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving mechanism is fixed on the first antenna tube or the second antenna tube.

4. The liquid metal reconfigurable antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving mechanism is connected to a controller, and the controller is used to control the driving mechanism so that the driving mechanism drives the first piston rod and the second piston rod to move according to a preset program.

5. The liquid metal reconfigurable antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the first antenna tube to the cross-sectional area of ​​the second antenna tube ranges from 1:2 to 1:

100.

6. The liquid metal reconfigurable antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first piston rod is marked with scales, and / or the second piston rod is marked with scales.

7. The liquid metal reconfigurable antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The melting point of the liquid metal ranges from -45°C to 50°C.

8. An antenna array using the liquid metal reconfigurable antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The invention comprises a plurality of the liquid metal reconfigurable antennas and a master controller, wherein the master controller is used for controlling the first piston rod and the second piston rod of any of the liquid metal reconfigurable antennas to move according to a preset program.

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