Phase shifters and antennas

Abstract

The present invention provides a phase shifter and an antenna, the technical solution of which is that the phase shifter includes a cavity and a circuit board installed in the cavity, a phase shift network and a transmission terminal are provided on the circuit board, the phase shift network is provided in the cavity and has an input / output port, the transmission terminal is connected to the input / output port and can extend out of the cavity, the transmission terminal is a microstrip line structure, and the transmission terminal includes a transmission layer electrically connected to the phase shift network to realize the function of transmitting electrical signals and a grounding layer electrically connected to the cavity. By providing the transmission terminal on the circuit board, the transmission terminal can extend out of the cavity and be electrically connected to other radio frequency components of the antenna, and the transmission layer of the microstrip line structure is connected to the phase shift network to transmit signals with the radio frequency components outside the phase shifter, avoiding the use of cables for connection and transmission, reducing insertion loss, and making the connection structure between the phase shifter and other radio frequency components more streamlined, thereby improving the producibility of the product.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of mobile communications, and in particular to a phase shifter and an antenna. Background Art

[0002] Phase shifters are the core components of electrically adjustable base station antennas. With the development of technology, low intermodulation, low insertion loss, high integration, and high manufacturability have become the research hotspots of phase shifter technology. At present, cavity-type sliding dielectric phase shifters have become the main research and design direction in the industry. This phase shifter uses dielectric sliding to change the coverage area of ​​the dielectric material on the signal transmission path to achieve the effect of phase shifting. Therefore, it has obvious intermodulation advantages over the traditional solution of changing the electrical length by metal sliding.

[0003] With the development of technology, base station antennas need to have higher integration, higher manufacturability and lower insertion loss. However, the existing cavity-type sliding dielectric phase shifters require a large number of cable transfers, which is not conducive to improving integration and is prone to insertion loss. Summary of the invention

[0004] The primary object of the present invention is to provide a phase shifter which can reduce cable switching.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide an antenna using the above phase shifter.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0007] A phase shifter comprises a cavity and a circuit board installed in the cavity, wherein a phase shift network and a transmission terminal are arranged on the circuit board, wherein the phase shift network is arranged in the cavity and has an input / output port, wherein the transmission terminal is connected to the input / output port and can extend out of the cavity, wherein the transmission terminal is a microstrip line structure, and wherein the transmission terminal comprises a transmission layer electrically connected to the phase shift network to realize a function of transmitting an electrical signal, and a ground layer electrically connected to the cavity.

[0008] It is further provided that: a side wall of the cavity is provided with an installation notch along its length direction for inserting the circuit board into the cavity.

[0009] It is further configured that: a welding layer which can be welded and fixed to the cavity is also provided on the circuit board near the mounting notch.

[0010] Further configuration: the welding layer is provided on both the front and back sides of the circuit board, and metal vias are opened on the circuit board to connect the welding layers on the front and back sides to each other, the transmission layer and the grounding layer are arranged on both sides of the circuit board, and the welding layer close to the side of the grounding layer is connected to the grounding layer.

[0011] It is further configured that the welding layer is distributed in multiple sections at intervals or continuously along the length direction of the circuit board.

[0012] It is further configured that a mounting groove for inserting and fixing the circuit board is provided on a side wall of the cavity away from the mounting notch.

[0013] It is further configured that: a limiting portion is protruded on one side of the circuit board away from the transmission terminal, and a limiting hole for the limiting portion to pass through is opened on a side wall of the cavity away from the installation notch.

[0014] It is further configured that: an extension portion corresponding to the transmission terminal is protruded from one side of the circuit board close to the transmission terminal, and the transmission layer and the grounding layer are respectively arranged on the front and back sides of the extension portion.

[0015] It is further configured that: the phase-shifting network includes a phase-shifting circuit and a power division circuit, and the phase-shifting network includes at least two output ports.

[0016] The present invention also provides an antenna, comprising the above-mentioned phase shifter.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the solution of the present invention has the following advantages:

[0018] 1. In the phase shifter involved in the present invention, by arranging a transmission terminal on the circuit board, the transmission terminal can extend out of the cavity and be electrically connected to other RF components of the antenna, and the transmission layer of the microstrip line structure is connected to the phase shifting network to transmit signals with the RF components outside the phase shifter, thereby avoiding the use of cables for connection and transmission, reducing insertion loss, and making the connection structure between the phase shifter and other RF components more streamlined, thereby improving manufacturability and production efficiency.

[0019] 2. In the antenna involved in the present invention, by adopting the above-mentioned phase shifter, the phase shift network realizes signal transmission through the transmission terminal and other radio frequency components, eliminating the use of cables, improving the overall integration level of the antenna, reducing the insertion loss caused by the addition of cables, and improving the performance indicators of the antenna.

[0020] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description, which will become obvious from the following description, or may be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and easily understood from the following description of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a phase shifter in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 A side view of a phase shifter in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the front structure of a circuit board in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the back structure of a circuit board in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the side structure of a cavity in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the back structure of a cavity in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 7 FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a phase shifter in another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and cannot be interpreted as limiting the present invention.

[0030] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the present invention provides an antenna, including a phase shifter, wherein the phase shifter includes a cavity 1, a circuit board 2 installed in the cavity 1, and sliding dielectric plates 3 arranged on both sides of the circuit board 2. In this embodiment, the cavity 1 is only provided with one inner cavity. In other embodiments, the cavity 1 can also be provided with multiple inner cavities, each of which has the same structure and is provided with a circuit board 2 and a sliding dielectric plate 3.

[0031] Combination Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the circuit board 2 is provided with a phase shift network 21 located in the cavity 1 and a transmission terminal 22 connected to the input / output port of the phase shift network 21 and extendable out of the cavity 1. The transmission terminal 22 is a microstrip line structure. The transmission terminal 22 includes a transmission layer 221 electrically connected to the phase shift network 21 to realize the function of transmitting electrical signals and a ground layer 222 electrically connected to the cavity 1. The transmission layer 221 and the ground layer 222 are respectively arranged on the front and back sides of the circuit board 2.

[0032] In the phase shifter of the present invention, a transmission terminal 22 that can extend out of the cavity 1 is provided on the circuit board 2 to connect with other radio frequency components of the antenna, thereby replacing the role of connecting with a feeder cable in the existing phase shifter structure. Since the transmission terminal 22 adopts a microstrip line structure, the transmission layer 221 on the microstrip line structure plays a role in transmitting signals, and plays the same role as the inner conductor of the existing feeder cable. The grounding layer 222 on the microstrip line structure is used to electrically connect with the cavity 1 to form a ground, and plays the same role as the outer conductor of the existing feeder cable. By adopting a structure in which the transmission terminal 22 extends out of the cavity 1, the same transmission function as the existing feeder cable can be played. The transmission terminal 22 can be directly electrically connected to the feeder structure of the radiation unit without the use of a feeder cable, thereby reducing the insertion loss caused by the addition of the feeder cable. In addition, compared with the existing use of a feeder cable for transmission, the layout and fixation of the feeder cable are more troublesome, and it occupies a large space. Transmitting signals through the structure of the transmission terminal 22 greatly reduces the complexity of the antenna, reduces the difficulty of production, and improves production efficiency.

[0033] Further, the phase shift network 21 includes a phase shift circuit and a power division circuit, and the phase shift network 21 includes at least two output ports. In this embodiment, the phase shift network 21 includes one input port and three output ports, and the transmission terminal 22 is correspondingly provided with four. In other embodiments, the phase shift network 21 may only be provided with one input port and one output port, and the number of output ports may also be two or more than three. Multiple output ports may be provided to respectively connect to multiple radiation units.

[0034] In this embodiment, the phase shift network 21 includes metal strips disposed on both sides of the circuit board 2, and the metal strips on both sides of the circuit board 2 are connected to each other through through holes disposed on the circuit board 2. The circuit board 2, the sliding medium plate 3 and the cavity 1 together form a stripline structure, and the transmission terminal 22 is connected to the phase shift network 21 and can pass through the cavity 1, which plays a role in converting the stripline structure into a microstrip line structure.

[0035] Combination Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, a side wall of the cavity 1 is provided with a mounting notch 11 along its length direction for inserting the circuit board 2 into the cavity 1. Specifically, the mounting notch 11 extends to both ends of the cavity 1. When the circuit board 2 is inserted into the cavity 1 along the mounting notch 11, the phase shift network 21 on the circuit board 2 is located in the cavity 1, and the transmission terminal 22 is exposed outside the cavity 1 for connecting with other RF components outside the cavity 1.

[0036] In this embodiment, the circuit board 2 protrudes on one side near the transmission terminal 22 to form an extension portion 23 corresponding to the transmission terminal 22, and the transmission layer 221 and the ground layer 222 are respectively arranged on the front and back sides of the extension portion 23. In other embodiments, the protruding extension portion 23 may not be provided, that is, the side of the circuit board 2 provided with the transmission terminal 22 is a straight structure. By protruding on the side of the circuit board 2 to form an extension portion 23 for providing the transmission terminal 22, it can save the material of the circuit board 2 and make the transmission terminal 22 more obvious, making it easier to align and fix when connected with other radio frequency components. In addition, the protruding structure of the extension portion 23 can also pass through the reflector plate to penetrate into the radiation unit for connection, making the overall structure of the antenna more compact and improving the integration of the antenna.

[0037] In this embodiment, the mounting notch 11 on the cavity 1 is provided on a side close to the transmission terminal 22, and when the circuit board 2 is inserted into the cavity 1, a side of the circuit board 2 away from the transmission terminal 22 is inserted into the cavity 1. In other embodiments, the mounting notch 11 of the cavity 1 may also be provided on a side away from the transmission terminal 22, and when the circuit board 2 is inserted into the cavity 1, a side of the circuit board 2 close to the transmission terminal 22 first passes through the mounting notch 11 and passes out from the other side wall of the cavity 1.

[0038] Furthermore, a mounting groove 12 for inserting and fixing the circuit board 2 is provided on a side wall of the cavity 1 away from the mounting notch 11. The mounting groove 12 is opposite to the mounting notch 11 and is located in the same plane. The mounting notch 11 and the mounting groove 12 together provide support and clamping and fixing for the circuit board 2, ensuring the stability of the mounting and fixing of the circuit board 2 and the cavity 1.

[0039] Combination Figure 6 As shown, further, a limiting portion 24 is protruded on one side of the circuit board 2 away from the transmission terminal 22, and a plurality of the limiting portions 24 are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the circuit board 2, and a limiting hole 13 for the limiting portion 24 to pass through is provided on a side wall of the cavity 1 away from the mounting notch 11, and a plurality of the limiting holes 13 are provided corresponding to the limiting portion 24. Specifically, the limiting holes 13 are arranged in the mounting groove 12. In other embodiments, the mounting groove 12 may not be provided on the inner wall of the cavity 1, and only the limiting holes 13 may be provided, and the limiting portion 24 is fixed by passing through the limiting holes 13.

[0040] Thanks to the special structure of the cavity 1 with an installation notch 11 opened on the side wall, which is different from the existing cavity 1 structure, the circuit board 2 is inserted into the cavity 1 from the side wall of the cavity 1, so that the limiting portion 24 on the circuit board 2 can be inserted into the limiting hole 13 on the side wall of the cavity 1, thereby limiting the movement of the circuit board 2 along the length direction of the cavity 1, thereby improving the reliability of the connection between the circuit board 2 and the cavity 1.

[0041] In this embodiment, a welding layer 25 that can be welded and fixed to the cavity 1 is further provided on the circuit board 2 near the mounting notch 11. Specifically, after the circuit board 2 is inserted into the cavity 1, the welding layer 25 is exposed outside the cavity 1 and is located near the mounting notch 11 of the cavity 1. The circuit board 2 is welded and fixed to the side wall of the cavity 1 through the welding layer 25, and the solder welding is formed between the circuit board 2 and the side wall of the cavity 1 by manual welding. The welding reliability is high and the phenomenon of false solder joints and leaked solder joints is not easy to occur.

[0042] Preferably, the welding layer 25 is provided on both the front and back sides of the circuit board 2, and metal vias 26 are opened on the circuit board 2 to connect the welding layers 25 on the front and back sides to each other. A double-sided welding layer 25 structure is adopted, and the circuit board 2 is welded and fixed to the cavity 1 on both sides, thereby further improving the connection reliability between the circuit board 2 and the cavity 1.

[0043] In one embodiment, the soldering layer 25 may be distributed in multiple sections along the length direction of the circuit board 2 , and a portion of the soldering layer 25 close to the grounding layer 222 is connected to the grounding layer 222 .

[0044] Combination Figure 7 As shown, in another embodiment, the welding layer 25 can be continuously distributed along the length direction of the circuit board 2 and extend to both ends of the circuit board 2, and the welding layer 25 close to the ground layer 222 is connected to the ground layer 222.

[0045] The welding layer 25 is connected to the grounding layer 222 to achieve grounding of the grounding layer 222, so that the cavity 1 and the phase shift network 21 on the circuit board 2 form a closed stripline structure to ensure the stability of circuit transmission in the cavity 1.

[0046] Preferably, a relief notch 14 is provided on the side wall of the cavity 1 near the transmission terminal 22 . The relief notch 14 can prevent the transmission layer 221 on the transmission terminal 22 from contacting the side wall of the cavity 1 , thereby avoiding affecting signal transmission.

[0047] In summary, the solution of the present invention has the following advantages:

[0048] 1. In the phase shifter involved in the present invention, by setting a transmission terminal 22 on the circuit board 2, the transmission terminal 22 can extend out of the cavity 1 and be electrically connected to other RF components of the antenna, and a transmission layer 221 of a microstrip line structure is connected to the phase shift network 21 to transmit signals with RF components outside the phase shifter, thereby avoiding the use of cables for connection and transmission, reducing insertion loss, and making the connection structure between the phase shifter and other RF components more streamlined, thereby improving manufacturability and production efficiency.

[0049] 2. In the phase shifter involved in the present invention, a semi-enclosed cavity 1 structure with an installation notch 11 opened on the side wall is adopted, so that the circuit board 2 can be inserted into the cavity 1 from the side wall of the cavity 1, and the limiting portion 24 on the circuit board 2 can be inserted into the limiting hole 13 of the cavity 1, thereby limiting the movement of the circuit board 2 along the length direction of the cavity 1, thereby improving the connection reliability between the circuit board 2 and the cavity 1.

[0050] The above descriptions are only some embodiments of the present invention. It should be pointed out that, for ordinary technicians in this technical field, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the present invention. These improvements and modifications should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A phase shifter, comprising a cavity and a circuit board installed in the cavity, Its characteristics are: The circuit board is provided with a phase shift network and a transmission terminal, the phase shift network is provided in the cavity and has an input / output port, the transmission terminal is connected to the input / output port and can extend out of the cavity, the transmission terminal is a microstrip line structure, the transmission terminal includes a transmission layer electrically connected to the phase shift network to realize the function of transmitting electrical signals and a grounding layer electrically connected to the cavity; the phase shift network includes metal strips provided on the front and back sides of the circuit board, and the metal strips on the front and back sides of the circuit board are connected to each other through through holes provided on the circuit board; A side wall of the cavity is provided with a mounting notch along its length direction for the circuit board to be inserted into the cavity; A welding layer which can be welded and fixed to the cavity is also provided on the circuit board near the mounting notch; The soldering layer is provided on both the front and back sides of the circuit board, and metal vias are provided on the circuit board to interconnect the soldering layers on the front and back sides. The transmission layer and the grounding layer are arranged on both sides of the circuit board, and the soldering layer close to the grounding layer is connected to the grounding layer.

2. The phase shifter according to claim 1, Its characteristics are: The welding layer is distributed in multiple sections at intervals or continuously along the length direction of the circuit board.

3. The phase shifter according to claim 1, Its characteristics are: A mounting groove for inserting and fixing the circuit board is provided on a side wall of the cavity away from the mounting notch.

4. The phase shifter according to claim 1, Its characteristics are: A limiting portion is protruded on one side of the circuit board away from the transmission terminal, and a limiting hole for the limiting portion to pass through is provided on a side wall of the cavity away from the mounting notch.

5. The phase shifter according to claim 1, Its characteristics are: An extension portion corresponding to the transmission terminal is protruded from one side of the circuit board close to the transmission terminal, and the transmission layer and the grounding layer are respectively arranged on the front and back sides of the extension portion.

6. The phase shifter according to claim 1, Its characteristics are: The phase shift network includes a phase shift circuit and a power division circuit, and the phase shift network includes at least two output ports.

7. An antenna, Its characteristics are: Comprising the phase shifter as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.

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