GNSS antenna and method of assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of antenna equipment, and discloses a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) antenna and an assembly method thereof. The mounting bracket comprises a first supporting part, a mounting part and a limiting part, the mounting part is connected with the circuit board, and the limiting part is arranged between the first supporting part and the circuit board; the radiation unit is arranged on the supporting part, and one end of the radiation unit penetrates through the limiting part and then is connected to the circuit board; and the feed unit is arranged in the limiting part and is abutted against or coupled with the radiation unit, and one end of the feed unit is connected to the circuit board. According to the GNSS antenna, the mounting bracket is arranged between the circuit board and the radiation unit, and the radiation unit is arranged on the mounting bracket, so that the radiation unit can be prevented from falling off due to vibration in the use process, the stability of the GNSS antenna structure is improved, and all parts in the GNSS antenna can be quickly and firmly assembled together.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of antenna equipment, and in particular to a GNSS antenna and an assembling method thereof. Background Art

[0002] GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) antennas are receiving antennas in the global satellite navigation system and can be used for high-precision positioning. They are particularly important in new energy vehicles, smart cars, and autonomous driving. GNSS antennas mainly include ceramic antennas (also known as dielectric antennas) and low-noise amplifiers connected to them. The ceramic antennas receive satellite signals, and the low-noise amplifiers amplify the signals to compensate for the attenuation of the signals during transmission and improve the signal-to-noise ratio. The performance of this type of antenna mainly depends on the ceramic antenna. There are currently multiple satellite navigation system suppliers, such as the Beidou Satellite Navigation System (BDS), the Global Positioning System (GPS), etc., and their operating frequency bands are different. If GNSS antennas are to adapt to these navigation systems, they need to have a wider operating frequency band, that is, they can receive satellite signals in a wider frequency band range.

[0003] Since the production cost of ceramic antennas is relatively high and they are limited by their own materials, the bandwidth is relatively narrow. If improvements are made to this part to expand the bandwidth, there will be a high cost problem, and its own size will also increase significantly, which does not meet the requirements of miniaturization and lightweight parts in automobiles. If a traditional metal vibrator is used as the antenna body, it is easy to separate from the main board due to vibration and other reasons during the driving of the vehicle. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention is made to solve the above technical problems, and one of its purposes is to provide a GNSS antenna with low cost, small size and stable structure.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide a GNSS antenna with a wider operating frequency band.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide an assembly method for quickly assembling a GNSS antenna.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a GNSS antenna, comprising: a circuit board; a mounting bracket, comprising a first supporting portion, a mounting portion and a limiting portion, wherein the mounting portion is connected to the circuit board, and the limiting portion is arranged between the first supporting portion and the circuit board; a radiating unit, which is arranged on the supporting portion and has one end connected to the circuit board after passing through the limiting portion; and a feeding unit, which is arranged in the limiting portion, abutted or coupled to the radiating unit, and has one end connected to the circuit board.

[0008] As an embodiment, a first limiting bar hole and a second limiting bar hole are formed on the limiting portion, one end of the radiation unit is inserted into the first limiting bar hole, and the feeding unit is inserted into the second limiting bar hole.

[0009] As an embodiment, the first limiting bar hole and the second limiting bar hole are arranged in parallel; the portion of the radiation unit located in the first limiting bar hole is the first coupling portion; the portion of the feeding unit located in the second limiting bar hole is the second coupling portion, and the second coupling portion is coupled to the first coupling portion.

[0010] As an embodiment, the radiation unit includes four radiators arranged sequentially along the circumference of the feeding unit, and the main body of the radiator is attached to the first supporting portion; the feeding unit includes two cross-arranged, U-shaped feeders, and the second coupling portion is formed at two ends of the feeder, and one end of the feeder is connected to the circuit board.

[0011] As an embodiment, the main body of the radiator is in a fan-shaped structure, on which T-shaped and / or strip-shaped gaps are formed; the length of the gap is 1 / 10λ-1 / 4λ, and λ is the wavelength corresponding to the center frequency of the GNSS antenna.

[0012] As an embodiment, the mounting bracket includes four limiting portions.

[0013] As an embodiment, the mounting bracket also includes a second supporting portion extending toward one side of the circuit board along the outer circumference of the first supporting portion; the GNSS antenna also includes a parasitic unit attached to the first supporting portion and the second supporting portion and opposite to the radiation unit, and one end of the parasitic unit is connected to the circuit board.

[0014] As an implementation manner, the coupling gap between the parasitic unit and the radiation unit is 1 / 20λ-1 / 10λ, where λ is the wavelength corresponding to the center frequency of the GNSS antenna.

[0015] As an embodiment, a limiting groove is formed on the second supporting portion; and a connecting portion that is clamped in the limiting groove is formed at one end of the parasitic unit.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an assembly method for assembling the above-mentioned GNSS antenna, comprising: fixing the mounting portion of the mounting bracket on the circuit board; passing one end of the radiation unit through the limiting portion of the mounting bracket and connecting it to the circuit board, and the main body of the radiation unit is attached to the first supporting portion of the mounting bracket; installing the feeding unit in the limiting portion, and abutting or coupling with the radiation unit, and connecting one end to the circuit board; fixing the shielding cover on the side of the circuit board away from the radiation unit.

[0017] According to the above description and practice, the GNSS antenna of the present invention can prevent the radiation unit from falling off due to vibration during use by setting a mounting bracket between the circuit board and the radiation unit, and setting the radiation unit on the mounting bracket, thereby improving the stability of the GNSS antenna structure. Compared with traditional ceramic antennas, the GNSS antenna can maintain low cost and volume while expanding the bandwidth by setting a separate radiation unit. In addition, when assembling the GNSS antenna, the radiation unit, the feeding unit and other parts that are not easy to be firmly connected to the circuit board are further fixed by the mounting bracket, and based on the structure of the mounting bracket, the two parts will not interfere when they are installed one after another, which facilitates the quick completion of the assembly operation of the GNSS antenna. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 and Figure 2 The figure is a schematic diagram of the structure of a GNSS antenna involved in an embodiment of the present invention at two different viewing angles.

[0019] Figure 3 The figure is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a GNSS antenna involved in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 4 and Figure 5 The figure is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of a GNSS antenna involved in one embodiment of the present invention at two different viewing angles. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure will be more comprehensive and complete and fully convey the concepts of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0022] In addition, the accompanying drawings are only schematic illustrations of the present disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same reference numerals in the figures represent the same or similar parts, and thus their repeated descriptions will be omitted. It should be noted that in the present disclosure, the terms "including", "configured with", and "set in" are used to express the meaning of open-ended inclusion, and mean that in addition to the listed elements / components / etc., there may be other elements / components / etc.; the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used as marks, and are not restrictions on the number or order of their objects; the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", etc. indicate the orientation or position relationship based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0023] Unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected" and "connected" 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 a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0024] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a GNSS antenna is provided. Figures 1 to 5 The GNSS antenna includes a circuit board 1, a mounting bracket 2, a radiation unit 3 and a feeding unit 4. The radiation unit 3 and the feeding unit 4 are connected to the circuit board 1 through the mounting bracket 2, which can not only realize the feeding of the radiation unit 3, but also prevent the radiation unit 3 from falling off due to vibration during use, thereby improving the stability of the GNSS antenna structure.

[0025] Specifically, the mounting bracket 2 includes a first supporting portion 21, a mounting portion 23 and a limiting portion 24. The mounting portion 23 is connected to the circuit board 1, for example, the two can be fixed together by bolts, and the structure is relatively stable when in use. The limiting portion 24 is provided between the first supporting portion 21 and the circuit board 1 to further limit the feeding unit 4 and the radiating unit 3, thereby improving the structural stability of the feeding unit 4 and the radiating unit 3 when in use.

[0026] like Figures 1 to 3As shown, the main part of the radiation unit 3 is arranged on the first support part 21, and one end thereof is connected to the circuit board 1 after passing through the limiting part 24. Among them, the main part of the radiation unit 3 is attached to the surface of the first support part 21, and it is not easy to shake in the longitudinal direction when in use. In one embodiment, the main part of the radiation unit 3 can also be bonded to the first support part 21 to further improve the stability of the connection between the two. One end of the radiation unit 3 passes through the limiting part 24 and is then connected to the circuit board 1, wherein the limiting part 24 can form a lateral limit on the radiation unit 3, further improving the structural stability of the radiation unit 3. The radiation unit 3 can use a metal vibrator, which can maintain a lower cost, volume and weight while expanding the bandwidth compared to the traditional ceramic antenna.

[0027] The feeding unit 4 is disposed in the limiting portion 24 and coupled to the radiating unit 3, one end of which is connected to the circuit board 1, and can couple and feed the radiating unit 3. In other embodiments, the feeding unit 4 can also be directly connected to the radiating unit 3 in the limiting portion 24 for feeding.

[0028] The GNSS antenna is provided with a mounting bracket 2 between the circuit board 1 and the radiation unit 3, and the radiation unit 3 is provided on the mounting bracket 2. The first support portion 21 and the limit portion 24 of the mounting bracket 2 are used to prevent the radiation unit 3 from falling off due to vibration during use, thereby improving the stability of the GNSS antenna structure. Compared with traditional ceramic antennas, the GNSS antenna can maintain a lower cost, volume and weight while expanding the bandwidth by providing a separate radiation unit 3, meeting the current automotive requirements for miniaturization and lightweight parts.

[0029] Furthermore, if Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the mounting portion 23 is a columnar structure, and a screw hole is formed inside it, which can be connected to the circuit board 1 by bolts, so that the mounting bracket 2 is fixed. The first support portion 21 is a plate-shaped structure opposite to the circuit board 1, and is fixed to the mounting portion 23. A supporting surface for supporting the main part of the radiation unit 3 is formed on the first support portion 21. The limiting portion 24 is fixedly arranged on a side of the first support portion 21 close to the circuit board 1, and a first limiting bar hole 241 and a second limiting bar hole 242 are formed thereon. One end of the radiation unit 3 is inserted into the first limiting bar hole 241, and the feeding unit 4 is inserted into the second limiting bar hole 242. By setting these two limiting bar holes, the feeding unit 4 and the radiation unit 3 can be firmly set on the mounting bracket 2.

[0030] In order to improve the coupling effect between the feeding unit 4 and the radiating unit 3, in this embodiment, the first limiting bar hole 241 and the second limiting bar hole 242 are arranged in parallel. Figure 4 and Figure 5The radiation unit 3 includes four radiators 31 arranged in sequence along the circumference of the feeding unit 4, the main body of the radiator 31 is attached to the first supporting portion 21, and one end of the radiator 31 is bent toward one side of the circuit board 1 to form a first coupling portion 32 located in the first limiting bar hole 241, that is, the portion of the radiation unit 3 located in the first limiting bar hole 241 is the first coupling portion 32. The portion of the feeding unit 4 located in the second limiting bar hole 242 is the second coupling portion 42, and the second coupling portion 42 is coupled to the first coupling portion 32. By arranging the two parallel limiting holes on the limiting portion 24, the coupling effect of the feeding unit 4 and the radiation unit 3 can be improved while fixing the feeding unit 4 and the radiation unit 3. In practical applications, the coupling degree between the first coupling portion 32 and the second coupling portion 42 can also be adjusted by adjusting the distance between the parallel first limiting bar hole 241 and the second limiting bar hole 242.

[0031] In other embodiments, when the feeding unit 4 and the radiating unit 3 are directly connected, the first limiting bar hole 241 and the second limiting bar hole 242 may also be provided with a connecting structure to realize the direct connection between the feeding unit 4 and the radiating unit 3 .

[0032] In order to ensure that the four radiators 31 arranged in sequence along the circumference of the feed unit 4 can all be fed well and stably, in this embodiment, the feed unit 4 includes two cross-arranged, U-shaped feeders 41, and the two ends of the feeder 41 are formed with the second coupling portion 42, and one end of the feeder 41 is connected to the circuit board 1. In this structural form, one end of each feeder 41 receives the electrical signal on the circuit board 1, and then transmits it to the two opposite radiators 31 by coupling to achieve external signal transmission; when the antenna receives the signal, the signal transmission path is opposite. In practical applications, the impedance transformation of 1 / 4 wavelength can also be achieved by adjusting the length and / or width of the second coupling portion 42, so that the antenna can work more stably in its operating frequency band.

[0033] Corresponding to the structure of the feed unit 4 and the radiation unit 3, a total of four limiting parts 24 are provided on the mounting bracket 2, and the first limiting hole and the second limiting hole are formed in each limiting part 24. Furthermore, in order to save manufacturing materials, based on the feature that only one end of the feed body 41 is connected to the circuit board 1, on the two opposite limiting parts 24, only one limiting part 24 has a second limiting hole that penetrates the limiting part 24 body, and the other limiting part 24 is only provided with a second limiting hole of the same length as the second coupling part 42 there. Specifically, Figure 5 As shown, the length of the second limiting holes on two adjacent limiting portions 24 is smaller than the second limiting holes on the other two limiting portions 24 , which can save the manufacturing material of the limiting portions 24 .

[0034] Furthermore, in order to expand the bandwidth and reduce the volume, in this embodiment, the GNSS antenna is circular as a whole, and the first support portion 21 and the circuit board 1 are two circular plates arranged opposite to each other. Correspondingly, the main parts of the four radiators 31 are fan-shaped, and are combined together to form a circular radiation unit 3, which can cover the surface of the first support portion 21 to the greatest extent, so as not to significantly increase the volume while expanding the bandwidth. T-shaped and / or strip-shaped gaps are formed on each radiator 31, and the length of the gap is 1 / 10λ-1 / 4λ, where λ is the wavelength corresponding to the center frequency of the GNSS antenna. By setting these gaps and utilizing the gaps formed between adjacent radiators 31, the bandwidth can be adjusted so that the antenna reaches the desired bandwidth.

[0035] In addition, in this embodiment, the mounting bracket 2 further includes a second supporting portion 22 extending along the outer circumference of the first supporting portion 21 toward one side of the circuit board 1. The GNSS antenna further includes a parasitic unit 5 attached to the first supporting portion 21 and the second supporting portion 22 and opposite to the radiation unit 3, and one end of the parasitic unit 5 is connected to the circuit board 1. Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the second support portion 22 is annular as a whole, and it forms a hollow semi-shell structure with the first support portion 21. Compared with the solution of using a solid structure to support the radiator 31, such as a traditional ceramic antenna, it can obviously reduce the weight. Furthermore, the first support portion 21, the second support portion 22, the mounting portion 23 and the limiting portion 24 are an integrated structure, for example, integrally formed by injection molding, which can further reduce the weight and facilitate processing and manufacturing.

[0036] There are four parasitic units 5, which are respectively arranged on the outside of four radiators 31. The parasitic unit 5 is arc-shaped as a whole, with one part attached to the second support part 22 and another part attached to the first support part 21, and can be stably connected to the mounting bracket 2. The lower end of the parasitic unit 5 is connected to the circuit board 1, and the upper end is coupled with the radiator 31 to effectively suppress the surface reverse current, thereby effectively resisting multipath interference. In addition, the parasitic unit 5 can expand the ground plane, that is, increase the angular range of receiving satellite signals, thereby expanding the bandwidth and improving the gain.

[0037] Specifically, the coupling gap between the parasitic unit 5 and the radiation unit 3 is 1 / 20λ-1 / 10λ, where λ is the wavelength corresponding to the center frequency of the GNSS antenna. Within this size range, the antenna performance index can be maintained while the antenna size can be effectively controlled.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a limiting groove 221 is formed on the second supporting portion 22; and a connecting portion 51 that is clamped in the limiting groove 221 is formed at one end of the parasitic unit 5. Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, four limiting grooves 221 are arranged on the outer periphery of the second supporting portion 22, and a connecting portion 51 extending into the limiting groove 221 and toward one side of the circuit board 1 is formed at the lower end of the parasitic unit 5, and the lower end of the connecting portion 51 is connected to the circuit board 1, and both sides of the connecting portion 51 are stuck in the limiting groove 221, which further improves the firmness of the connection between the parasitic unit 5 and the mounting bracket 2, ensuring that when the GNSS antenna is in use, the parasitic unit 5 part can not only expand the bandwidth, but also has good structural stability.

[0039] In addition, in this embodiment, the GNSS antenna further comprises a shielding cover 6 fixedly arranged on a side of the circuit board 1 away from the radiation unit 3. Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the shielding cover 6 is fixedly arranged on the lower side of the circuit board 1. In practical applications, it can prevent the wireless signals generated by other electronic devices in the car from interfering with the radiation unit 3, thereby improving the anti-interference ability of the GNSS antenna.

[0040] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is also provided an assembly method for assembling the above-mentioned GNSS antenna, the assembly method comprising the following steps:

[0041] First, the mounting portion 23 of the mounting bracket 2 is fixedly mounted on the circuit board 1, for example, the two are fixedly connected together by bolts, or clamped together. Then, one end of the radiation unit 3 is passed through the limiting portion 24 of the mounting bracket 2 and connected to the circuit board 1, and the main body of the radiation unit 3 is attached to the first supporting portion 21 of the mounting bracket 2. One end of the radiation unit 3 can be clamped or welded to the circuit board 1, and while being further fixed, an electrical connection with the circuit board 1 can be achieved if necessary. Afterwards, the feeding unit 4 is installed in the limiting portion 24, and abutted or coupled with the radiation unit 3, and one end of the feeding unit 4 is connected to the circuit board 1. Finally, the shielding cover 6 is fixedly mounted on the side of the circuit board 1 away from the radiation unit 3.

[0042] During the assembly process, the radiation unit 3, the feed unit 4 and other parts that are not easily firmly connected to the circuit board 1 are further fixed by the mounting bracket 2, and based on the structure of the mounting bracket 2, the two parts will not interfere with each other when they are installed one after another, which is convenient for quickly completing the assembly of the GNSS antenna. For example, although the radiation unit 3 is located on the periphery of the feed unit 4, it does not affect the subsequent installation of the feed unit 4. After the radiation unit 3 is installed, the feed unit 4 can be directly installed from above into the limiter 24. In addition, during the installation process, when the later parts are installed, the earlier parts are fixed by the mounting bracket 2, and will not shake or fall off.

[0043] Especially when the radiation unit 3 is composed of multiple radiators 31 and the feeding unit 4 is composed of multiple feeders 41, based on the limiting bar holes set on the mounting bracket 2, the positions of each radiator 31 and feeder 41 can be quickly located to complete the installation and fixation.

[0044] After setting up multiple parasitic units 5, after completing the installation of the radiation unit 3 and the feeding unit 4, the connecting part 51 of each parasitic unit 5 can be connected to the circuit board 1 and snapped into the limiting groove 221 to achieve connection with the circuit board 1 and the mounting bracket 2.

[0045] The assembly method can quickly and firmly assemble the various parts of the GNSS antenna together, thereby improving the manufacturing efficiency, operation stability and service life of the GNSS antenna.

[0046] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential features of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and it is intended that all variations falling within the meaning and scope of the equivalent elements of the claims be included in the invention. Any reference numeral in a claim should not be considered as limiting the claim to which it relates.

Claims

1. A GNSS antenna, characterized in that: include: Circuit boards; A mounting bracket, comprising a first supporting portion, a mounting portion and a limiting portion, wherein the mounting portion is connected to the circuit board, and the limiting portion is arranged between the first supporting portion and the circuit board; A radiation unit, arranged on the support portion, one end of which passes through the limiting portion and is connected to the circuit board; A feeding unit, arranged in the limiting portion, abutting or coupled to the radiation unit, and having one end connected to the circuit board; The shielding cover is fixedly arranged on a side of the circuit board away from the radiation unit.

2. The GNSS antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first limiting bar hole and a second limiting bar hole are formed on the limiting portion, one end of the radiation unit is inserted into the first limiting bar hole, and the feeding unit is inserted into the second limiting bar hole.

3. The GNSS antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first limiting strip hole and the second limiting strip hole are arranged in parallel; The portion of the radiation unit located in the first limiting strip hole is the first coupling portion; The portion of the feeding unit located in the second limiting bar hole is a second coupling portion, and the second coupling portion is coupled to the first coupling portion.

4. The GNSS antenna according to claim 3, characterized in that: The radiation unit comprises four radiators arranged in sequence along the circumference of the feeding unit, and the main body of the radiator is attached to the first supporting part; The feeding unit comprises two U-shaped feeding bodies which are cross-arranged, the second coupling parts are formed at two ends of the feeding bodies, and one end of the feeding body is connected to the circuit board.

5. The GNSS antenna according to claim 4, characterized in that: The main body of the radiator is in a fan-shaped structure, with T-shaped and / or strip-shaped gaps formed thereon; The length of the slot is 1 / 10λ-1 / 4λ, where λ is the wavelength corresponding to the center frequency of the GNSS antenna.

6. The GNSS antenna according to claim 4, characterized in that: The mounting bracket includes four limiting parts.

7. The GNSS antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The mounting bracket further includes a second supporting portion extending along the outer periphery of the first supporting portion toward one side of the circuit board; The GNSS antenna further includes a parasitic unit attached to the first supporting portion and the second supporting portion and opposite to the radiation unit, and one end of the parasitic unit is connected to the circuit board.

8. The GNSS antenna according to claim 7, characterized in that: The coupling gap between the parasitic unit and the radiation unit is 1 / 20λ-1 / 10λ, where λ is the wavelength corresponding to the center frequency of the GNSS antenna.

9. The GNSS antenna according to claim 7, characterized in that: A limiting groove is formed on the second supporting portion; A connecting portion which is clamped in the limiting groove is formed at one end of the parasitic unit.

10. An assembly method for assembling the GNSS antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: include: The mounting portion of the mounting bracket is fixedly mounted on the circuit board; One end of the radiation unit is passed through the limiting portion of the mounting bracket and then connected to the circuit board, and the main body of the radiation unit is attached to the first supporting portion of the mounting bracket; The feeding unit is installed in the limiting part and abutted or coupled with the radiation unit, and one end is connected to the circuit board; The shielding cover is fixedly mounted on a side of the circuit board away from the radiation unit.

Images