An unobstructed antenna with air arm support

Abstract

The present invention discloses an unobstructed antenna with air arm support, including a main reflector antenna and a sub-reflector antenna, the sub-reflector antenna is connected with a plurality of air arms in the circumference, the sub-reflector antenna is supported above the reflection cavity of the main reflector through the air arms, and the air arms are made of non-metallic materials; the antenna sub-reflector includes an air bag, a partition is provided in the inner cavity of the air bag, the partition separates the inner cavity of the air bag into an upper chamber and a lower chamber isolated from each other, the edge of the partition is connected to the inner wall at the edge of the air bag, and the lower surface of the partition is provided with a flexible reflective surface. The present invention has a good wave transmission effect, is not blocked by the support arm, and has no influence on the wave transmission performance of the support structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of inflatable antennas, and in particular relates to an unobstructed antenna with air arm support. Background Art

[0002] To meet the demands of radio astronomy, antenna apertures are becoming larger, operating frequencies are increasing, and antenna structures are becoming increasingly complex. This has led to increasing complexity and weight in large antennas, limiting the expansion of their aperture. Structural design of large antennas has become a crucial step in the design process. Large antenna design typically involves optimizing the antenna mount structure, increasing the structural rigidity of the mount backing to meet the antenna's overall rigidity and tracking speed. Traditional azimuth and elevation antenna mounts and XY-type antenna mounts suffer from shortcomings such as complex structure, large size and mass, the need for slip rings and joints for continuous antenna rotation, and tracking blind spots. These issues are increasingly hindering the accuracy and speed of radio astronomy technology.

[0003] Furthermore, the antenna head, another major component of a large antenna, has been overlooked. The antenna head structure of a large antenna, primarily referring to the antenna surface and associated radiating beams and sub-surface supports, plays a crucial role: on the one hand, the root mean square of the antenna's reflective surface; on the other hand, the overall weight of the antenna head exerts pressure on the antenna mount. Another aspect is the pressure exerted on the system by the obstruction of the sub-surface supports. Structural deformation and index deterioration in the above three aspects directly affect the accuracy of the antenna. Therefore, the antenna head structure is the most critical part of the antenna structure, directly affecting whether the system's accuracy can meet the design goals. When the antenna is used outdoors for extended periods, its surface is susceptible to wind erosion and decay, causing "distortion" in the shape of the reflective surface. Therefore, the structural design of the main surface of a large antenna is a crucial step in the design process of a large antenna. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to avoid the deficiencies in the above-mentioned background technology and provide an unobstructed antenna with air arm support, and the antenna of the present invention has the characteristics of long life, high durability, not easy to deform, and low maintenance cost.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solutions:

[0006] An unobstructed antenna with air arm support includes a main reflector antenna and a sub-reflector antenna. The characteristic is that a plurality of air arms are connected to the circumference of the sub-reflector antenna, and the sub-reflector antenna is supported on the main reflector antenna by the air arms. The air arms are inflatable cylindrical bags woven from flexible non-metallic materials.

[0007] Furthermore, the sub-reflector antenna includes a sub-reflector and an airbag, wherein the sub-reflector is a flexible reflector, a partition is provided in the inner cavity of the airbag, and the flexible reflector is arranged on the lower surface of the partition, and the lower surface of the partition matches the theoretical shape of the sub-reflector and corresponds to the main reflector; the partition divides the inner cavity of the airbag into an upper chamber and a lower chamber isolated from each other, and the edge of the partition is connected to the inner wall at the edge of the airbag.

[0008] Furthermore, both the upper chamber and the lower chamber are provided with air column inner frames for tensioning the airbag, and the partition is sandwiched between the two air column inner frames.

[0009] Furthermore, the partition extends out of the gap between the two air column inner frames and is connected to the supporting air ring of the partition, and the supporting air ring is clamped around the gap position of the outer contour of the two air column inner frames.

[0010] Furthermore, the air arms are evenly distributed around the sides of the airbag, the number of the air arms is an even number, and each air arm is provided with another air arm at a mirror-symmetrical position.

[0011] Furthermore, the outer edge of the airbag is hexagonal or circular.

[0012] By adopting the above technical solution, the beneficial effects produced by the present invention are:

[0013] 1. The sub-reflector antenna uses an air arm as its supporting structure, which has a good wave transmission effect and has no effect on the wave transmission performance of the reflecting surface.

[0014] 2. An inflatable sub-reflector antenna is used. The inflatable antenna has a low weight and good overall structural integrity, and has good market prospects and plasticity.

[0015] 3. The present invention has the highest adaptability for antennas that are large-scale, high-precision, overhead tracking, light-weight, free of deformation distortion, and have a higher operating frequency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the sub-reflector

[0017] Figure 2 This is the connection structure diagram between the secondary reflector and the air arm;

[0018] Figure 3 It is a structural diagram of the hexagonal gas column inner frame.

[0019] Figure 4 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the present invention.

[0020] In the figure: upper chamber 1a, lower chamber 1b, air column inner frame 1c, supporting air ring 1e, partition 1f, and air arm 3a. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The following is based on the attached Figure 1-4 The present invention will be further described:

[0022] An unobstructed antenna with air arm support includes a primary reflector antenna and a secondary reflector antenna. Multiple air arms 3a are connected circumferentially to the secondary reflector antenna, supporting the secondary reflector antenna on the primary reflector antenna via the air arms. The air arms are inflatable cylindrical bags woven from a flexible non-metallic material. The secondary reflector antenna includes a secondary reflector and an air bag. The secondary reflector is a flexible reflector. A partition 1f is provided within the air bag cavity. The flexible reflector is arranged on the lower surface of the partition, matching the theoretical shape of the secondary reflector and corresponding to the primary reflector. The partition divides the air bag cavity into an isolated upper chamber 1a and a lower chamber 1b. The edges of the partition are connected to the inner wall of the air bag at the edges. Because the secondary reflector antenna and the multiple air arms supporting it are both inflatable structures, weight is significantly reduced. Furthermore, because the air arms are woven from a flexible non-metallic material, they do not obstruct the antenna signal, ensuring excellent wave transmission.

[0023] To ensure the tension of the secondary reflector, both the upper and lower chambers are equipped with air column inner frames 1c for tensioning the airbags. The interlayer is sandwiched between the two air column inner frames. The interlayer 1f extends out of the gap between the two air column inner frames and connects to the interlayer's support air ring 1e, which is clamped around the gap between the outer contours of the two air column inner frames.

[0024] To ensure good supporting properties of the air arms, the outer edge of the airbag is set to be hexagonal or circular, and the air arms are evenly distributed on the side of the airbag. The number of air arms is an even number, and another air arm is set at the mirror-symmetrical position of each air arm. The two air arms that are mirror-symmetrical to each other and the airbag together form an "arch" shape.

Claims

1. An unobstructed antenna with air arm support, comprising a main reflector antenna and a sub-reflector antenna, characterized in that: The sub-reflector antenna is connected to a plurality of air arms (3a) in the circumferential direction. The sub-reflector antenna is supported on the main reflector antenna by the air arms. The air arms are inflated cylindrical bags. The bags are woven from flexible non-metallic materials. The sub-reflector antenna comprises a sub-reflector and an air bag. The sub-reflector is a flexible reflector. A partition (1f) is provided in the inner cavity of the air bag. The flexible reflector is arranged on the lower surface of the partition. The lower surface of the partition matches the theoretical shape of the sub-reflector and corresponds to the main reflector. The partition divides the inner cavity of the air bag into upper chambers that are isolated from each other. (1a) and a lower chamber (1b), the edge of the partition is connected to the inner wall at the edge of the airbag; the upper chamber and the lower chamber are both provided with an air column inner frame (1c) for tensioning the airbag, and the partition is sandwiched between the two air column inner frames; the partition (1f) extends out of the gap between the two air column inner frames and is connected to the supporting air ring (1e) of the partition, and the supporting air ring (1e) is clamped around the gap position of the outer contour of the two air column inner frames; the air arms are evenly distributed on the side periphery of the airbag, the number of air arms is an even number, and another air arm is provided at the mirror-symmetrical position of each air arm.

2. The unobstructed antenna with air arm support according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer edge of the airbag is hexagonal or circular.

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