Antenna module

Abstract

The present invention provides an antenna module, including a feeding power division network, a radiating unit array and a phase shifter; the feeding power division network includes a feeding power division network substrate and a feeding power division network circuit arranged on the feeding power division network substrate; the radiating unit array includes a plurality of radiating units, each radiating unit is supported and arranged on the front of the feeding power division network substrate and is electrically connected to the feeding power division network circuit; the phase shifter is arranged on the back of the feeding power division network substrate, the phase shifter includes a phase-shifting power division network, a shielding cover and a dielectric slide, the phase-shifting power division network includes a phase-shifting power division network substrate and a phase-shifting power division network circuit arranged on the phase-shifting power division network substrate, the phase-shifting power division network circuit is electrically connected to the feeding power division network circuit; the phase-shifting power division network substrate and the feeding power division network substrate are both made of plastic material and the two are integrally injection molded. The present invention is simple to process, reduces assembly steps, improves production efficiency, is low in cost and light in weight.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of mobile communications, and in particular relates to an antenna module. Background Art

[0002] As the exit and entrance of radio waves, the antenna has an irreplaceable function and role in the coverage of mobile communication networks. The base station antennas used for macro coverage of mobile signals are mostly electrically adjustable antennas. The electrically adjustable antennas optimize the base station sector coverage by changing the downtilt angle. The key to changing the downtilt angle lies in the phase shifter. With the development of mobile communications, higher requirements are placed on the miniaturization, lightweight and production efficiency of antennas. In traditional technologies, the phase shifter, reflector, power division network and radiation unit of the antenna are usually designed separately and assembled together with screws, rivets and plastic clips. The power division network adopts a double-sided microstrip PCB structure, which has problems such as a large number of components, complex assembly, low production efficiency, high cost, and heavy weight. Summary of the invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide an antenna module, which is intended to solve the problems of the existing antenna having a large number of components, complex assembly, low production efficiency, high cost, and heavy weight.

[0004] The present invention is achieved in that:

[0005] The present invention provides an antenna module, comprising a feeding power division network, a radiation unit array and a phase shifter;

[0006] The feeding power division network comprises a feeding power division network substrate and a feeding power division network circuit arranged on the feeding power division network substrate;

[0007] The radiation unit array includes a plurality of radiation units, each of which is supported and arranged on the front side of the feeding power division network substrate and is electrically connected to the feeding power division network circuit;

[0008] The phase shifter is arranged on the back side of the feeding power division network substrate, the phase shifter comprises a phase shifting power division network, a shielding cover arranged outside the phase shifting power division network, and a dielectric slide slidably arranged in the gap between the phase shifting power division network and the shielding cover, the phase shifting power division network comprises a phase shifting power division network substrate and a phase shifting power division network circuit arranged on the phase shifting power division network substrate, and the phase shifting power division network circuit is electrically connected to the feeding power division network circuit;

[0009] The phase-shift power division network substrate and the feed power division network substrate are both made of plastic material and are integrally injection-molded.

[0010] Furthermore, it also includes a reflection plate, which is embedded in the feeding power division network substrate by means of insert molding.

[0011] Furthermore, a plurality of supporting columns for supporting each radiating unit are provided on the feeding power division network substrate, and each of the supporting columns is integrally injection-molded with the feeding power division network substrate.

[0012] Furthermore, a first clamping block is provided on the top of the support column, a first clamping slot is provided on the radiation unit, and the first clamping block extends into the first clamping slot and is fixed by reflow soldering.

[0013] Furthermore, the feeding power division network circuit is plated on the feeding power division network substrate by means of electroplating metal layer; the phase shifting power division network circuit is plated on the phase shifting power division network substrate by means of electroplating metal layer.

[0014] Furthermore, the feeding power division network circuit and the phase-shifting power division network circuit are electrically connected via a metal circuit electroplated on a feeding power division network substrate.

[0015] Furthermore, the phase-shifting power division network substrate and the feeding power division network substrate are arranged vertically.

[0016] Furthermore, a metal layer is plated on the back side of the feeding power division network substrate around the phase-shifting power division network, and the shielding cover is fixed to the metal layer by welding.

[0017] Furthermore, a second card block is provided on a side of the phase-shift power division network substrate away from the feeding power division network substrate, and a second card slot is provided on the shielding cover corresponding to the position of the second card block, and the second card block passes through the second card slot and is fixed by reflow soldering.

[0018] Furthermore, a transverse slide groove is provided on the phase-shift power division network substrate, and the dielectric slide comprises two dielectric sheets respectively located on both sides of the phase-shift power division network substrate, the two dielectric sheets are connected by a convex column, and the convex column passes through the slide groove and can slide along the slide groove.

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

[0020] In the antenna module provided by the present invention, the phase-shifting power division network substrate and the feeding power division network substrate are integrally injection molded, which is simple to process, reduces assembly steps, and improves production efficiency. Moreover, both the phase-shifting power division network substrate and the feeding power division network substrate are made of plastic material, which is low in cost and light in weight. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 A front schematic diagram of an antenna module provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2A schematic diagram of the back side of an antenna module provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a phase shifter provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 A front view of an antenna module provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Cross-sectional view at AA in the middle;

[0026] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A partial enlarged view of point B in the middle.

[0027] Explanation of the accompanying drawings: 1-feeding power division network substrate, 2-radiation unit, 3-feeding power division network line, 4-first card block, 5-first card slot, 6-boundary plate, 7-reflection plate, 8-phase-shifting power division network, 9-dielectric slide, 10-shielding cover, 11-phase-shifting power division network substrate, 12-phase-shifting power division network line, 13-slide, 14-second card block, 15-second card slot, 16-support column. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] like Figures 1 to 4As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides an antenna module, including a feeding power division network, a radiation unit array and a phase shifter. The feeding power division network includes a feeding power division network substrate 1 and a feeding power division network circuit 3 arranged on the feeding power division network substrate 1. In this embodiment, the front and back sides of the feeding power division network substrate 1 are provided with a feeding power division network circuit 3, wherein the feeding power division network circuit 3 on the back side is not shown in the figure. The radiation unit array includes a plurality of radiation units 2, each of which is supported and arranged on the front side of the feeding power division network substrate 1 and is electrically connected to the feeding power division network circuit 3 on the front side of the feeding power division network substrate 1. The phase shifter is arranged on the back of the feeding power division network substrate 1, and the phase shifter includes a phase shifting power division network 8, a shielding cover 10 arranged outside the phase shifting power division network 8, and a dielectric slide 9 slidably arranged in the gap between the phase shifting power division network 8 and the shielding cover 10. The phase shifting power division network 8 includes a phase shifting power division network substrate 11 and a phase shifting power division network circuit 12 arranged on the phase shifting power division network substrate 11. The phase shifting power division network circuit 12 is electrically connected to the feeding power division network circuit 3. The phase of the phase shifter is adjusted by sliding the dielectric slide 9 relative to the phase shifting power division network 8, thereby adjusting the phase of the antenna. The phase shifting power division network substrate 11 and the feeding power division network substrate 1 are both made of plastic material and are integrally injection molded.

[0030] In the above antenna module, the phase-shift power division network substrate 11 and the feeding power division network substrate 1 are integrally injection molded, which is simple to process, reduces assembly steps, and improves production efficiency. Moreover, both the phase-shift power division network substrate 11 and the feeding power division network substrate 1 are made of plastic material, which is low in cost and light in weight.

[0031] Preferably, the feeding power division network circuit 3 is plated on the feeding power division network substrate 1 by electroplating a metal layer; the phase shifting power division network circuit 12 is plated on the phase shifting power division network substrate 11 by electroplating a metal layer. By electroplating a metal layer on the substrate to form the corresponding power division network circuit, the processing is simple, and the volume is small and the weight is light.

[0032] like Figure 2 As shown, in this preferred embodiment, the phase-shift power division network substrate 11 is vertically arranged with the feed power division network substrate 1, which is more convenient for electroplating circuits and reduces the difficulty of processing compared to the parallel arrangement of the two. Preferably, the antenna module also includes a reflector 7, which optimizes the radiation direction of the antenna. The reflector 7 is embedded in the feed power division network substrate 1 by insert molding, which is convenient to mold and has a small overall volume. Figure 1 As shown, two of the feed power division network substrates 1 are also formed with boundary plates 6. Under the action of the boundary plates 6, the radiation pattern of the antenna can be further optimized and the performance indicators of the antenna module can be improved.

[0033] like Figure 5 As shown, further, the feed power division network substrate 1 is provided with a plurality of support columns 16 for supporting each radiation unit 2, and each of the support columns 16 is integrally injection molded with the feed power division network substrate 1, which further simplifies the assembly steps. The support column 16 is provided with a balun line connecting the feed power division network line and the radiation unit 2. Preferably, a first card block 4 is provided on the top of the support column 16, and a first card slot 5 is provided on the radiation unit 2. The first card block 4 extends into the first card slot 5 and is fixed to the first card slot 5 after being hot-melted by reflow soldering, thereby realizing the fixing of the radiation unit 2 and the feed power division network substrate 1, and the fixing is convenient and firm.

[0034] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, in one embodiment, the back of the feeding power division network substrate 1 is electroplated with a metal layer (not shown) around the phase-shifting power division network 8, and the shielding cover 10 is buckled on the phase-shifting power division network 8 in a U-shaped cover and the bottom is welded and fixed to the metal layer to achieve the fixing of the shielding cover 10 and the feeding power division network substrate 1. Further, the side of the phase-shifting power division network substrate 11 away from the feeding power division network substrate 1 is provided with a second card block 14, and the shielding cover 10 is provided with a second card slot 15 at a position corresponding to the second card block 14, and the second card block 14 passes through the second card slot 15 and is fixed to the second card slot 15 after being hot-melted by reflow soldering, further achieving the fixing of the shielding cover 10 and the feeding power division network substrate 1, and the fixing is convenient and firm.

[0035] like Figure 3 As shown, further, a transverse slide groove 13 is provided on the phase-shift power division network substrate 11, and the phase-shift power division network line 12 is arranged around the slide groove 13. The dielectric slide 9 includes two dielectric sheets respectively located on both sides of the phase-shift power division network substrate 11, and the two dielectric sheets are connected by a convex column. The convex column passes through the slide groove 13 and can slide along the slide groove 13. The convex column slides in the slide groove 13 to realize the sliding of the dielectric slide 9 relative to the phase-shift power division network 8, thereby realizing the phase shifting function.

[0036] Preferably, the feeding power division network circuit 3 and the phase-shifting power division network circuit 12 are electrically connected through a metal circuit electroplated on the feeding power division network substrate 1, wherein the phase-shifting power division network circuit 12 is connected to the feeding power division network circuit 3 on the front side of the antenna through a via. Compared with the traditional cable connection method, the electroplated metal circuit method eliminates the cable and reduces the solder joints, greatly reduces the weight of the product and reduces the processing time. In addition, the length of the cable is difficult to control. Since the cable length determines the phase, it is easy to have a phase error when using the cable. The present embodiment adopts the electroplated metal circuit method, the length is controllable, and the phase error is avoided.

[0037] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An antenna module, characterized in that: It includes a feeding power division network, a radiation unit array and a phase shifter; The feeding power division network comprises a feeding power division network substrate and a feeding power division network circuit arranged on the feeding power division network substrate; The radiation unit array includes a plurality of radiation units, each of which is supported and arranged on the front side of the feeding power division network substrate and is electrically connected to the feeding power division network circuit; The phase shifter is arranged on the back side of the feeding power division network substrate, the phase shifter comprises a phase shifting power division network, a shielding cover arranged outside the phase shifting power division network, and a dielectric slide slidably arranged in the gap between the phase shifting power division network and the shielding cover, the phase shifting power division network comprises a phase shifting power division network substrate and a phase shifting power division network circuit arranged on the phase shifting power division network substrate, and the phase shifting power division network circuit is electrically connected to the feeding power division network circuit; The phase-shift power division network substrate and the feed power division network substrate are both made of plastic and are integrally injection molded; A second card block is provided on a side of the phase-shift power division network substrate away from the feeding power division network substrate, and a second card slot is provided on the shielding cover corresponding to the second card block. The second card block passes through the second card slot and is fixed by reflow soldering.

2. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein: It also includes a reflector plate, which is embedded in the feed power division network substrate by insert molding.

3. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein: The power feeding network substrate is provided with a plurality of support columns for supporting each radiation unit, and each of the support columns is integrally injection-molded with the power feeding network substrate.

4. The antenna module according to claim 3, wherein: A first clamping block is disposed on the top of the support column, a first clamping slot is disposed on the radiation unit, and the first clamping block extends into the first clamping slot and is fixed by reflow soldering.

5. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein: The feeding power division network circuit is plated on the feeding power division network substrate by means of electroplating metal layer; the phase shifting power division network circuit is plated on the phase shifting power division network substrate by means of electroplating metal layer.

6. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein: The feeding power division network circuit and the phase shifting power division network circuit are electrically connected via a metal circuit electroplated on a feeding power division network substrate.

7. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein: The phase-shift power division network substrate is vertically arranged to the feeding power division network substrate.

8. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein: The back side of the feeding power division network substrate is electroplated with a metal layer around the phase shifting power division network, and the shielding cover is fixed to the metal layer by welding.

9. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein: The phase-shift power division network substrate is provided with a transverse slide groove, and the dielectric slide comprises two dielectric sheets respectively located on both sides of the phase-shift power division network substrate, the two dielectric sheets are connected by a convex column, and the convex column passes through the slide groove and can slide along the slide groove.

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