A high isolation flat panel array antenna designed in integration with a structural member

Abstract

The application discloses a high-isolation flat panel array antenna integrated with a structural member, which comprises the structural member and a plurality of antenna units embedded in the structural member, wherein the antenna unit comprises a microstrip patch, a feed network, an insulator probe and a radio frequency connector, the upper surface of the microstrip patch is located in the same plane as the upper surface of the structural member, the feed network is assembled between the microstrip patch and the structural member, the microstrip patch and the feed network are electrically connected through the insulator probe, and the radio frequency connector at the back is connected to the feed network. The application has the characteristics of high isolation, low profile, simple installation, firmness and reliability, easy conformation and the like, and solves the technical problem of poor decoupling effect of the current circularly polarized array antenna unit.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application belongs to the field of array antenna design, and particularly relates to a high-isolation flat panel array antenna designed in an integrated manner with a structural member. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the rapid development of satellite navigation and communication technology, the structure of the system is becoming more and more complex, and the requirements for the performance of the antenna are also becoming higher and higher. Due to the limitation of the space of the system equipment, in many applications, multiple antennas need to be placed together, or multiple antenna units need to be combined to work as an array. Research data shows that when the spacing between the array antenna units is reduced, strong mutual coupling will be formed between the units. The strong mutual coupling between the array elements not only deteriorates the matching of the antenna, but also causes distortion of the antenna pattern and a decrease in the gain; at the same time, the strong mutual coupling effect will cause the signal correlation to deteriorate, resulting in the performance of the array antenna far from the expected effect, so reducing the coupling between the array antenna units is one of the key problems to be solved in the design of the array antenna.

[0003] The manifestation of mutual coupling is that energy from one port of an antenna unit enters another port of another antenna unit. In order to reduce mutual coupling, the exchange of energy between antenna units needs to be prevented. There are three forms of methods for improving the port isolation of an array: one is to design a device for improving isolation in the unit, such as designing an isolation stub; two is to add a design for improving isolation in the feed network, such as adding a decoupling network; three is to add a device for improving isolation between units, such as adding an isolation wall, a resonant structure or a defective ground structure, etc. In addition, many decoupling methods are cross-used with the above three forms, such as adding a metasurface above the antenna to reduce the coupling of the space field; covering the electromagnetic bandgap structure on the antenna floor to form a frequency bandgap and suppress the propagation of surface waves; adding a metasurface structure around or directly above the antenna unit, etc. However, due to the lack of extra available space on the densely distributed antenna array surface, it is difficult to decouple by adding a metasurface or a resonant structure, etc. Moreover, the floor of the array antenna is generally a full-metal structure, so it cannot be decoupled by a defective ground structure. If there is a strict requirement for the profile of the array antenna, it also cannot be decoupled by adding a space metasurface or an isolation wall, etc.

[0004] Circularly polarized antenna has the advantages of anti-multipath interference, high communication capacity, anti-rain and fog interference, etc., and is widely used in satellite navigation and communication system. When the spacing between the elements of circularly polarized array antenna is large, the influence of mutual coupling is small, and it does not need to be considered too much. Then, with the wide application of compact and small aperture array antenna, the spacing between the elements of circularly polarized array antenna is getting smaller and smaller, and the mutual coupling is getting stronger and stronger, which seriously affects the overall performance of the array antenna. At present, most of the research work is mainly to decouple the single linear polarization or double linear polarization antenna, and mainly to decouple the binary array antenna. In addition, the circularly polarized antenna generally needs to add decoupling structure around, so many methods in linearly polarized antenna with good decoupling effect have limited effect when applied to circularly polarized antenna. At present, there is not much work on decoupling of circularly polarized array antenna elements, and the decoupling effect is not very good. SUMMARY

[0005] The application provides a high-isolation flat panel array antenna designed in an integrated manner with a structural member, which has the characteristics of high isolation, low profile and easy conformability, and solves the technical problem of poor decoupling effect of the current circularly polarized array antenna elements.

[0006] The application achieves the above purpose by the following technical scheme.

[0007] The application provides a high-isolation flat panel array antenna designed in an integrated manner with a structural member, which has the characteristics of high isolation, low profile and easy conformability, and solves the technical problem of poor decoupling effect of the current circularly polarized array antenna elements.

[0008] Further, the structural member is disc-shaped or regular polygonal.

[0009] Further, the antenna elements are seven, one of which is distributed at the center position, and the other six are uniformly distributed around the center position.

[0010] Further, the six antenna elements distributed around the center position are arranged in a center-symmetrical manner with an angle of 60° between any two adjacent antenna elements.

[0011] Further, the antenna element further comprises a screw, which is used to press the microstrip patch and the feed network against the structural member.

[0012] Further, the antenna element comprises four screws respectively located at the four corners.

[0013] The mounting steps of the array antenna are as follows: first, mounting the radio frequency connector on the structural member; second, welding the insulator probe to the feed network; third, fixing the feed network on the structural member and welding the connection between the feed network and the radio frequency connector; fourth, screwing the microstrip patch and the feed network to the structural member with screws; and fifth, welding the connection between the insulator probe exposed on the top of the microstrip patch and the microstrip patch.

[0014] The beneficial effects of the present application are as follows:

[0015] 1) High isolation and low profile. Compared with the array antenna of non-integrated structure, the isolation of the array antenna of the present application can be improved. Each antenna unit of the present application adopts the form of metal cavity packaging, and the antenna unit is installed in the metal cavity of the structural member. The interference between the antenna units is shielded by the structural member, and the mutual coupling between the antenna units is reduced. Moreover, since no super surface or decoupling surface structure is added above the antenna, the profile of the overall structure of the antenna is not additionally increased.

[0016] 2) Easy installation, firm and reliable. The installation steps of the antenna unit of the present application integrated with the structural member are as follows: first, mounting the radio frequency connector on the structural member; then, welding the insulator probe to the feed network; then, fixing the feed network on the structural member and welding the radio frequency connector; then, screwing the microstrip patch and the feed network to the structural member with screws; and finally, welding the insulator probe exposed on the top of the microstrip patch. The antenna unit of the present application is embedded in the cavity of the structural member for installation, and is fixed around with screws, which can ensure that the structure of the array antenna is more firm, and the microstrip patch is fully supported and protected.

[0017] 3) Easy conformability. The high-isolation flat panel array antenna of the present application is integrated with the structural member, and can be easily conformed to the structural member. In order to conform to the aircraft and other equipment, the form of the antenna array surface is various and the size is different. However, the medium substrate with large size is not easy to process and is easy to deform, so the array antenna with special-shaped structure and large size generally does not use a whole printed board. The metal structural member is used as the substrate in the present application, and the conformability is realized through the structural member. Only the mounting position of each antenna unit is left, and then the microstrip patch and the feed network are mounted on the metal structural member.

[0018] The present application can also be applied to the base station antenna of the mobile communication system and other similar array antenna fields

[0019] The foregoing main scheme and each further selected scheme of the present application can be freely combined to form multiple schemes, all of which are the schemes of the present application and are claimed by the present application; and the present application can also be freely combined between each non-conflicting selected scheme and between and other selected schemes. Those skilled in the art can understand that there are multiple combinations according to the prior art and common knowledge after understanding the schemes of the present application, all of which are the technical schemes claimed by the present application, and are not listed here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 is a structural perspective view of the present application.

[0021] Figure 2 is a structural top view of the present application.

[0022] Figure 3 is a structural perspective view of the antenna unit of the present application.

[0023] Figure 4 is a structural top view of the antenna unit of the present application.

[0024] Figure 5 is an exploded schematic view of the antenna unit of the present application.

[0025] In the figure: 1 - structural member, 2 - antenna unit, 3 - microstrip patch, 4 - feed network, 5 - insulator probe, 6 - radio frequency connector, 7 - screw. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The following non-limiting examples are intended to illustrate the present application.

[0027] Example 1:

[0028] Reference Figures 1-5 As shown in the figure, a high-isolation flat panel array antenna designed in an integrated manner with a structural member includes a structural member 1 and a plurality of antenna units 2 embedded in the structural member 1, and each antenna unit 2 includes a microstrip patch 3, a feed network 4, an insulator probe 5, a radio frequency connector 6 and a screw 7.

[0029] The structural member 1 is disc-shaped or regular polygonal. There are seven antenna units 2, and the structures of the seven antenna units 2 are completely the same and are obtained by translation and rotation respectively. One antenna unit 2 is distributed at the center position, and the remaining six antenna units 2 are uniformly distributed around the center position. The six antenna units 2 distributed around the center position in the antenna unit 2 are arranged in a central symmetry of two by two, and the included angle between the adjacent two antenna units 2 is 60°.

[0030] The upper surface of the microstrip patch 3 is in the same plane as the upper surface of the structure 1, without protruding structure. The feed network 4 is assembled between the microstrip patch 3 and the structure 1, and the electrical connection between the microstrip patch 3 and the feed network 4 is realized by two insulating probe pins 5, and the back external radio frequency connector 6 is connected to the feed network 4. The antenna unit 2 comprises four screws 7 respectively located at four corners, and the microstrip patch 3 and the feed network 4 are pressed on the structure 1 by the screws 7.

[0031] The high-isolation flat panel array antenna designed in an integrated manner with the structure is to place the antenna unit 2 in the metal cavity of the structure 1, and reduce the mutual coupling between the array antenna units through the metal cavity.

[0032] The mounting steps of the array antenna are as follows: first, the radio frequency connector 6 is mounted on the structure 1; second, the two insulating probe pins 5 are welded to the feed network 4; third, the feed network 4 is fixed on the structure 1, and the connection between the feed network 4 and the radio frequency connector 6 is welded; fourth, the microstrip patch 3 and the feed network 4 are screwed onto the structure 1 by the screws 7; and fifth, the connection between the insulating probe pin 5 exposed on the top of the microstrip patch 3 and the microstrip patch 3 is welded.

[0033] The seven antenna units of the array antenna are in the same assembly manner.

[0034] The simulation example shows that, compared with the seven-unit array antenna (the antenna unit protrudes from the structure) in a non-integrated structure, the isolation degree of each port of the high-isolation flat panel array antenna designed in an integrated manner with the structure can be improved by 1-4 dB, the gain of the antenna is basically unchanged, and the profile of the overall structure of the array antenna is not increased.

[0035] The foregoing basic example and each further selected example of the present application can be freely combined to form a plurality of embodiments, all of which are embodiments that can be adopted and claimed by the present application. In the present application scheme, each selected example can be arbitrarily combined with any basic example and selected example.

[0036] The above only describes the preferred embodiments of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. Any modification, equivalent replacement and improvement made within the spirit and principle of the present application shall be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A high isolation flat panel array antenna designed integrally with a structural member, comprising a structural member (1) and a plurality of antenna elements (2) embedded in the structural member (1), characterized in that: The antenna unit (2) comprises a microstrip patch (3), a feed network (4), an insulator probe (5) and a radio frequency connector (6), the upper surface of the microstrip patch (3) is in the same plane as the upper surface of the structural member (1), the feed network (4) is assembled between the microstrip patch (3) and the structural member (1), the microstrip patch (3) and the feed network (4) are electrically connected through the insulator probe (5), and the radio frequency connector (6) on the back is connected to the feed network (4); The antenna unit (2) is seven, one antenna unit (2) is distributed at the center position, and the remaining six antenna units (2) are uniformly distributed around the center position; The six antenna units (2) distributed around the antenna unit (2) are arranged in a central symmetry in pairs, and the included angle between the adjacent two antenna units (2) is 60°; The antenna unit (2) further comprises a screw (7), and the microstrip patch (3) and the feed network (4) are pressed on the structural member (1) by the screw (7); The antenna unit (2) comprises four screws (7) respectively located at four corners.

2. The high isolation flat panel array antenna integrated with a structural member of claim 1, wherein: The structural member (1) is disc-shaped or regular polygonal.

3. The high isolation flat panel array antenna integrated with a structural member of claim 1, wherein: The installation steps of the array antenna are as follows: first, install the radio frequency connector (6) on the structural member (1); second, weld the insulator probe (5) to the feed network (4); third, fix the feed network (4) on the structural member (1), and weld the connection between the feed network (4) and the radio frequency connector (6); fourth, tighten the microstrip patch (3) and the feed network (4) to the structural member (1) by the screw (7); fifth, weld the connection between the insulator probe (5) exposed on the top of the microstrip patch (3) and the microstrip patch (3). The antenna unit (2) comprises a microstrip patch (3), a feed network (4), an insulator probe (5) and a radio frequency connector (6), the upper surface of the microstrip patch (3) is in the same plane as the upper surface of the structural member (1), the feed network (4) is assembled between the microstrip patch (3) and the structural member (1), the microstrip patch (3) and the feed network (4) are electrically connected through the insulator probe (5), and the radio frequency connector (6) on the back is connected to the feed network (4); The antenna unit (2) is seven, one antenna unit (2) is distributed at the center position, and the remaining six antenna units (2) are uniformly distributed around the center position; The six antenna units (2) distributed around the antenna unit (2) are arranged in a central symmetry in pairs, and the included angle between the adjacent two antenna units (2) is 60°; The antenna unit (2) further comprises a screw (7), and the microstrip patch (3) and the feed network (4) are pressed on the structural member (1) by the screw (7); The antenna unit (2) comprises four screws (7) respectively located at four corners. The structural member (1) is disc-shaped or regular polygonal. The installation steps of the array antenna are as follows: first, install the radio frequency connector (6) on the structural member (1); second, weld the insulator probe (5) to the feed network (4); third, fix the feed network (4) on the structural member (1), and weld the connection between the feed network (4) and the radio frequency connector (6); fourth, tighten the microstrip patch (3) and the feed network (4) to the structural member (1) by the screw (7); fifth, weld the connection between the insulator probe (5) exposed on the top of the microstrip patch (3) and the microstrip patch (3).

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