Automatic Antenna Tilt Adjustment Device and Method, Industrial IoT Gateway Equipment

Abstract

This application relates to an automatic tilt adjustment device and method for a signal antenna, and an industrial Internet of Things (IoT) gateway device. The device includes a horizontal fixing component and a tilt adjustment component. The horizontal fixing component includes a first horizontal connecting component and a second horizontal connecting component. The first horizontal connecting component is fixed to the gateway body, and the second horizontal connecting component is hinged to the signal antenna. The tilt adjustment component includes a first tilt adjustment component and a second tilt adjustment component. The first tilt adjustment component is fixed to the gateway body, and the second tilt adjustment component is coaxially fixed to the signal antenna and slidably connected to the gateway body. Depending on the tilt direction of the signal antenna, the first tilt adjustment component and the second tilt adjustment component generate an attractive or repulsive force through magnetic pole conversion, causing the signal antenna to automatically return to its original position, thus achieving automatic adjustment when the signal antenna is tilted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of Internet of Things (IoT) engineering technology, and in particular to an automatic antenna tilt adjustment device and method, and an industrial IoT gateway device. Background Technology

[0002] IoT gateways can realize protocol conversion between sensing networks and communication networks, as well as between different types of sensing networks. They can achieve both wide-area interconnection and local-area interconnection. Professional IoT gateways can collect data under encrypted conditions, enabling remote data collection and transmission.

[0003] When a fault occurs during equipment operation, the IoT cloud platform will push alarm information to the equipment manager. The equipment manager can log in to the cloud platform to check the fault and remotely monitor and debug the equipment through the IoT gateway. The IoT gateway can realize protocol conversion to achieve local interconnection.

[0004] In existing technologies, the placement angle of the signal antenna of an IoT gateway determines the network coverage. However, IoT gateways cannot perform self-tests or retrieve the placement angle of the signal antenna. As a result, the signal antenna will tilt over time, and it is impossible to adjust it in time when it tilts. This tilting of the signal antenna can cause gaps in the previously unobstructed network coverage, preventing some devices from collecting and transmitting information. This poses a significant hidden danger for industry. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a signal antenna tilt automatic adjustment device and method, and an industrial IoT gateway device that can automatically adjust the signal antenna when it is tilted, in order to address the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0006] An automatic tilt adjustment device for a signal antenna includes a gateway body, a signal antenna, a horizontal fixing component, and a tilt adjustment component;

[0007] The horizontal fixing component includes a first horizontal connecting component and a second horizontal connecting component that is plugged into and engaged with the first horizontal connecting component. The first horizontal connecting component is fixed to the gateway body, and the second horizontal connecting component is hinged to the signal antenna.

[0008] The tilt adjustment assembly includes a first tilt adjustment assembly and a second tilt adjustment assembly. The first tilt adjustment assembly is fixed on the gateway body, and the second tilt adjustment assembly is coaxially fixed with the signal antenna and slidably connected to the gateway body. Depending on the tilt direction of the signal antenna, the first tilt adjustment assembly and the second tilt adjustment assembly generate an attractive or repulsive force through magnetic pole conversion, causing the signal antenna to automatically return to its original position.

[0009] In one embodiment, the first horizontal connection component includes: an outer sleeve fixedly connected to the gateway body, a rubber sleeve disposed inside the outer sleeve and fixed coaxially with the outer sleeve, and an interface disposed inside the rubber sleeve and clearance-fitted with the rubber sleeve.

[0010] In one embodiment, the second horizontal connection assembly includes: an extension rod, a circular plate fixedly connected to one end of the extension rod, a plug fixed to the other end of the circular plate, a clamping plate surrounding the plug, and a closing block.

[0011] In one embodiment, the first tilt adjustment component includes a first magnet consisting of a conductive metal part and a helical wire wound around the conductive metal part.

[0012] In one embodiment, the second tilt adjustment component includes: a connecting component, a sleeve component that abuts against the bottom of the connecting component, and a swing component that is clearance-fitted with the sleeve component.

[0013] In one embodiment, the connecting assembly includes: a connecting plate, an extension rod coaxially fixed to the connecting plate, a second magnet disposed on the edge of the connecting plate, and a gravity member fixedly connected to the extension rod;

[0014] In one embodiment, the sleeve assembly includes: a ring sleeve, a ring sleeve plate fixedly disposed at the bottom of the ring sleeve, and a power block fixedly disposed on the side of the ring sleeve;

[0015] The gravity component is placed inside the ring and abuts against the ring and the ring plate;

[0016] The ring sleeve is fitted inside the limiting component and has a clearance fit with the limiting component.

[0017] In one embodiment, the swing assembly includes: a limiting mechanism, a fixed bracket disposed on the surface of the limiting mechanism, a rotating ring that slides with the fixed bracket, a baffle plate disposed at one end of the rotating ring, and an abutment member disposed on the rotating ring and close to the power block.

[0018] An automatic tilt adjustment method for a signal antenna includes: inserting the plug of a second horizontal connecting component into the interface of a first horizontal connecting component, wherein the first horizontal connecting component and the second horizontal connecting component engage with each other to prevent the second horizontal connecting component from rotating within the first horizontal connecting component, thereby completing the left and right tilt fixation of the signal antenna;

[0019] When the signal antenna tilts forward or backward, the signal antenna causes the connecting component to tilt, which in turn causes the sleeve component that abuts against the connecting component to tilt. When the sleeve component tilts, it moves closer to the swing component, causing the swing component to move up or down, so that one end of the second magnet on the connecting component protrudes and faces the first magnet. The signal antenna automatically returns to its original position through attraction or repulsion.

[0020] An industrial IoT gateway device includes a gateway body, a socket board, and a signal antenna, and also includes an automatic signal antenna tilt adjustment device, which is used to automatically adjust the signal antenna of the industrial IoT gateway device when it is tilted.

[0021] Compared with existing technologies, the automatic antenna tilt adjustment device provided by this invention has the following advantages:

[0022] 1. The signal antenna is fixed by the interlocking of the first horizontal connecting component and the second horizontal connecting component to prevent the signal antenna from tilting left or right.

[0023] 2. There is no need to constantly monitor the antenna angle; the angle is automatically determined, reducing the time spent by users from noticing to making adjustments.

[0024] 3. When the signal antenna is tilted forward or backward, the attraction or repulsion between the magnets overcomes the damping and keeps the signal antenna perpendicular to the ground. This automatically maintains the signal antenna perpendicular to the ground, preventing the signal coverage area from shrinking and causing some devices to lose connection signals and be unable to transmit relevant data. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is an axial view of the automatic antenna tilt adjustment device in one embodiment;

[0026] Figure 2 This is an axis view of a horizontally fixed component in one embodiment;

[0027] Figure 3 Here is an axis view of the tilt adjustment component in one embodiment;

[0028] Figure 4 A second tilt adjustment component axis view in one embodiment;

[0029] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the second tilt adjustment component in one embodiment;

[0030] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an automatic tilt adjustment device;

[0031] Figure 7 An axis view of an industrial IoT gateway device in another embodiment.

[0032] Icon labels:

[0033] Equipment body 1; socket board 2; signal antenna 5;

[0034] The first horizontal connecting assembly consists of an outer sleeve 401, a rubber sleeve 402, and an interface 403.

[0035] Second horizontal connecting assembly, extension rod 3, plug 404; round plate 405; closing block 406; clamping plate 407;

[0036] First tilt adjustment component 4: protective sleeve 7, first magnet 8;

[0037] Second tilt adjustment group 6: connecting plate 601, extension rod 602, gravity component 603, ring sleeve 604, ring sleeve plate 605, power block 606, limiting mechanism 607, fixed bracket 608, rotating ring 609, abutment component 610, partition plate 611, second magnet component 612, counterweight compartment 613. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0039] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0040] Furthermore, in this invention, descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly and specifically defined.

[0041] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, a physical connection, or a wireless communication connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two elements or the interaction between two elements, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0042] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, but only if they are feasible for those skilled in the art. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

[0043] Example 1:

[0044] like Figure 1-6 As shown, this embodiment discloses an automatic antenna tilt adjustment device, which mainly includes a gateway body 1, a signal antenna 5, a horizontal fixing component, and a tilt adjustment component. The horizontal fixing component includes a first horizontal connecting component and a second horizontal connecting component that is plugged into and engaged with the first horizontal connecting component. The first horizontal connecting component is fixed to the gateway body, and the second horizontal connecting component is hinged to the signal antenna. The tilt adjustment component includes a first tilt adjustment component 4 and a second tilt adjustment component 6. The first tilt adjustment component 4 is fixed to the gateway body, and the second tilt adjustment component 6 is coaxially fixed to the signal antenna and slidably connected to the gateway body. Depending on the tilt direction of the signal antenna, the first tilt adjustment component 4 and the second tilt adjustment component 6 generate an attractive or repulsive force through magnetic pole conversion, causing the signal antenna to automatically return to its original position, thus achieving the effect of automatic adjustment when the signal antenna is tilted.

[0045] Specifically, the first horizontal connection component includes: an outer sleeve 401, a rubber sleeve 402, and an interface 403; the outer sleeve 401 is fixed to the surface of the device body 1, and the corresponding fixed position is selected according to the position of the signal antenna 5; the rubber sleeve 402 is coaxially fixed inside the outer sleeve 401; the interface 403 is coaxially fixed inside the rubber sleeve 402, and there is a gap between the interface 403 and the rubber sleeve 402.

[0046] The second horizontal connection assembly includes: an extension rod 3, a plug 404, a circular plate 405, a closing block 406, and a clamping plate 407. One end of the extension rod 3 is hinged to the signal antenna 5, allowing the signal antenna to move back and forth but not left and right. One end of the circular plate 405 is connected to the extension rod 3, and the other end is coaxially fixed with the plug 404. The closing block 406 is arranged around the plug 404 and is also fixed to the circular plate 405. At the end of the closing block 406 away from the circular plate 405, the clamping plate 407 is fixedly installed inward. The plug 404 is sized to match the interface 403, allowing for plug-in and plug-out engagement. The plug 404 and interface 403 are wireless connectors. The closing block 406 has a crater-shaped cavity structure with a strip-shaped notch, and the opening is larger than that of the rubber sleeve 402. The opening of the outer sleeve 401 is larger than the cross-section of the circular plate 405. The outer sleeve 401 is fitted onto the side surface of the circular plate 405. There are two clamping plates 407, which are symmetrically arranged on the closing block 406. The rubber sleeve 402 protects the interface 403.

[0047] In use, the IoT gateway device is placed on the ground. The user makes the signal antenna 5 perpendicular to the ground and inserts the second horizontal connecting component toward the gateway body 1. At this time, the closing block 406 is inserted into the outer sleeve 401. As the closing block 406 is inserted deeper into the outer sleeve 401, the opening of the closing block 406 is squeezed and closed by the outer sleeve 401. At this time, the plug 404 and the interface 403 are connected, that is, the connector is connected, and the rubber sleeve 402 will be fitted onto the surface of the plug 404. Subsequently, as the opening of the closing block 406 is closed, the closing block 406 uses the clamping plate 407 to clamp the rubber sleeve 402. The rubber sleeve 402 is clamped by the closing block 406 and a dent is created. The dent, together with the clamping plate 407, prevents the closing block 406 from rotating on the surface of the rubber sleeve 402, thereby fixing the position of the circular plate 405. This prevents the extension rod 3 from rotating, causing the signal antenna 5 to tilt left and right, affecting the IoT gateway signal.

[0048] The first tilt adjustment assembly 4 includes a first magnet 8 and a protective sleeve 7. The first magnet 8 consists of a conductive metal component and a spiral wire wound around the conductive metal component. It is horizontally fixed to the gateway body 1. The conductive metal component is strip-shaped, and the spiral wire is the power line of the gateway body 1. Magnetism is generated through the interaction of the iron column with the power line of the gateway body 1. The protective sleeve 7 is made of insulating material and is also horizontally fixed to the gateway body and sleeved on the first magnet 8. One end of the first magnet 8 is close to the gateway body 1, and the other end is close to the second tilt adjustment assembly 6, with the end close to the second tilt adjustment assembly 6 being of the N-pole orientation. In this embodiment, the conductive metal component is preferably an iron column, and the protective sleeve 7 is preferably plastic.

[0049] The second tilt adjustment component 6 is slidably connected to the gateway body 1, including a connecting component, a sleeve component that abuts against the bottom of the connecting component, a swing component that is gap-fitted with the sleeve component, and a counterweight compartment 613 sleeved on the second tilt adjustment component 6.

[0050] The connecting components include: a connecting plate 601, an extension rod 602, a gravity component 603, and a second magnet component 612; the sleeve assembly includes: a ring sleeve 604, a ring sleeve plate 605, and a power block 606; the swing assembly includes: a limiting mechanism 607, a fixed bracket 608, a rotating ring 609, an abutment component 610, and a partition plate 611. The ring sleeve 604 is a hollow cylindrical structure, and the limiting mechanism 607 is a ring-shaped structure with a groove. The bottom of the limiting mechanism 607 is fixedly connected to the gateway body 1.

[0051] More specifically, the top of the connecting plate 601 is fixedly connected to the signal antenna 5, and an extension rod 602 is fixedly installed at the center of the bottom. A gravity member 603 is fixedly installed at the end of the extension rod 602 away from the connecting plate 601. The gravity member 603 is placed inside the ring 604, and its surface abuts against the ring 604. A ring plate 605 is encapsulated at the bottom of the ring 604. Power blocks 606 are fixedly installed on the left and right sides of the ring 604. The outer side of the ring plate 605 is fitted into the groove of the limiting mechanism 607 and is in contact with the ring. The limiting mechanism 607 has a certain gap. A fixed bracket 608 is fixedly installed on the top of the limiting mechanism 607. The fixed bracket 608 consists of a straight rod and a half ring. The half ring is fixed on the top of the straight rod. The half ring has an L-shaped groove that is compatible with the rotating ring 609. The L-shaped groove is slidably connected to the rotating ring 609. An abutment 610 is fixedly installed on the bottom of the rotating ring 609. There are four abutment 610s, two in a group. The abutment 610s in a group are respectively placed on the front and back sides of the power block 606.

[0052] A partition plate 611 is fixedly installed on the side of the rotating ring 609. A second magnet 612 is fixedly installed at the bottom of the connecting plate 601 near its edge. The second magnet 612 is located behind the partition plate 611. A counterweight chamber 613 is fixedly installed on the side of the connecting plate 601. The counterweight chamber 613 is a cylindrical hollow structure. It is worth noting that the gravity component 603, the power block 606, and the abutment component 610 can be irregular polygonal structures, such as cubes, hexagons, spheres, etc. In the embodiment provided by the present invention, the gravity component 603 is a sphere, the power block 606 is a trapezoid, and the abutment component 610 is also a sphere.

[0053] The inclined surface of the power block 606 abuts against the abutting part 610. The partition 611 is located between the magnet 612 and the counterweight chamber 613. The counterweight chamber 613 has a slot on the side near the first tilt adjustment component 4. The partition 611 is located between the magnet 612 and the slot. The first magnet 8 and the second magnet 612 are at the same height. The second magnet 612 is placed vertically. The upper part of the magnet 612 is the S pole, and the lower part is the N pole.

[0054] When the angle between the extension rod 3 and the signal antenna 5 is not 90 degrees, it indicates that the signal antenna 5 is not perpendicular to the ground, and the signal coverage of the industrial IoT gateway is affected. At this time, the signal antenna 5 will drive the extension rod 602 to deflect. The extension rod 602 extends to increase the moving distance of the gravity member 603. The gravity member 603 pushes the ring 604. Since the extension rod 3 is fixed by the first horizontal connecting component and cannot rotate, and the signal antenna 5 is hinged to the extension rod 3 to limit the tilting surface of the signal antenna 5, the signal antenna 5 can only rotate with the connection point between it and the extension rod 3 as the center. The ring plate 605 and the limiting mechanism 607 cooperate to prevent the ring 604 from disengaging. The movement of the ring 604 drives the power block 606, and the power block 606 squeezes the abutment member 610.

[0055] When the bottom of the signal antenna 5 tilts towards the gateway body 1, the power block 606 presses against the abutment 610 near the partition 611, causing the rotating ring 609 to rotate. This causes the partition 611 to move upward, allowing the N pole of the lower half of the second magnet 612 to protrude from the opening of the counterweight compartment 613. Since the first magnet 8 has its N pole facing away from the gateway body 1, the first magnet 8 generates a repulsive force on the second magnet 612. This causes the second tilt adjustment assembly 6 to move away from the first magnet 8, overcoming the damping between the extension rod 3 and the signal antenna 5 to restore the signal antenna 5 to a vertical position. When the signal antenna 5 is perpendicular to the ground, the gravity member 603 no longer acts on the ring 604. The partition 611 further separates the first magnet 8 from the second magnet 612. When the bottom of the signal antenna 5 is tilted away from the gateway body 1, the opposite occurs. As soon as the signal antenna 5 deflects, it will be restored by the second tilt adjustment component 6. Therefore, the gap between the counterweight 613 and the fixed bracket 608 is sufficient for the counterweight 613 to move. This allows the application of external force using the power line of the IoT gateway itself. By utilizing the different positions of the second magnet 612 after tilting, attraction and repulsion are generated to overcome damping and make the signal antenna 5 perpendicular to the ground. This automatically maintains the signal antenna 5 perpendicular to the ground, maintains the signal coverage of the IoT gateway, and avoids the signal coverage becoming smaller, which would cause some devices to have no connection signal and be unable to transmit relevant data.

[0056] Example 2:

[0057] This embodiment discloses an automatic tilt adjustment method for a signal antenna, comprising the following steps:

[0058] Step 102: Insert the plug of the second horizontal connecting component into the interface of the first horizontal connecting component. The first horizontal connecting component and the second horizontal connecting component engage with each other, preventing the second horizontal connecting component from rotating within the first horizontal connecting component, thus completing the left and right tilt fixation of the signal antenna.

[0059] Step 104: When the signal antenna tilts forward or backward, the signal antenna causes the connecting component to tilt, which in turn causes the sleeve component that abuts against the connecting component to tilt. When the sleeve component tilts, it moves closer to the swing component, causing the swing component to move up or down, so that one end of the second magnet on the connecting component protrudes and faces the first magnet. The signal antenna automatically returns to its original position through attraction or repulsion.

[0060] Example 3:

[0061] like Figure 7 As shown, this embodiment discloses an industrial IoT gateway device, which includes a gateway body 1, a socket board 2, and a signal antenna 5. The device adopts the signal antenna tilt automatic adjustment device of Embodiment 1 and completes the automatic adjustment of the signal antenna on the industrial IoT gateway device when it is tilted through the signal antenna tilt automatic adjustment method of Embodiment 2.

[0062] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0063] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A signal antenna tilt automatic adjustment device comprising a gateway body, a signal antenna, characterized in that, Also includes: Horizontal fixing components and tilt adjustment components; The horizontal fixing component includes a first horizontal connecting component and a second horizontal connecting component that is plugged into and engaged with the first horizontal connecting component. The first horizontal connecting component is fixed to the gateway body, and the second horizontal connecting component is hinged to the signal antenna. The tilt adjustment assembly includes a first tilt adjustment assembly and a second tilt adjustment assembly. The first tilt adjustment assembly is fixed on the gateway body, and the second tilt adjustment assembly is coaxially fixed with the signal antenna and slidably connected to the gateway body. According to the tilt direction of the signal antenna, the first tilt adjustment assembly and the second tilt adjustment assembly generate an attractive or repulsive force through magnetic pole conversion to make the signal antenna automatically return to its original position. The first tilt adjustment assembly includes: a first magnet consisting of a conductive metal part and a helical wire wound around the conductive metal part; The second tilt adjustment assembly includes: a connecting assembly, a sleeve assembly that abuts against the bottom of the connecting assembly, and a swing assembly that is clearance-fitted with the sleeve assembly; The connecting assembly includes: a connecting plate, an extension rod coaxially fixed to the connecting plate, a second magnet disposed on the edge of the connecting plate, and a gravity member fixedly connected to the extension rod; The sleeve assembly includes: a ring sleeve, a ring sleeve plate fixedly disposed at the bottom of the ring sleeve, and a power block fixedly disposed on the side of the ring sleeve; The gravity component is placed inside the ring and abuts against the ring and the ring plate; The ring sleeve is fitted in the limiting assembly and has a clearance fit with the limiting assembly; The swing assembly includes: a limiting mechanism, a fixed bracket disposed on the surface of the limiting mechanism, a rotating ring that slides with the fixed bracket, a baffle plate disposed at one end of the rotating ring, and an abutment disposed on the rotating ring and close to the power block.

2. The signal antenna tilt automatic adjustment apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by, The first horizontal connection component includes: an outer sleeve fixedly connected to the gateway body, a rubber sleeve disposed inside the outer sleeve and fixed coaxially with the outer sleeve, and an interface disposed inside the rubber sleeve and clearance-fitted with the rubber sleeve.

3. The automatic antenna tilt adjustment device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second horizontal connection assembly includes: an extension rod, a circular plate fixedly connected to one end of the extension rod, a plug fixed to the other end of the circular plate, a clamping plate surrounding the plug, and a closing block.

4. A method for automatically adjusting the tilt of a signal antenna, characterized in that, The signal antenna tilt automatic adjustment device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the method includes: inserting the plug of the second horizontal connecting component into the interface of the first horizontal connecting component, the first horizontal connecting component and the second horizontal connecting component engaging to prevent the second horizontal connecting component from rotating in the first horizontal connecting component, thereby completing the left and right tilt fixation of the signal antenna; When the signal antenna tilts forward or backward, the signal antenna causes the connecting component to tilt, which in turn causes the sleeve component that abuts against the connecting component to tilt. When the sleeve component tilts, it moves closer to the swing component, causing the swing component to move up or down, so that one end of the second magnet on the connecting component protrudes and faces the first magnet. The signal antenna automatically returns to its original position through attraction or repulsion.

5. An industrial Internet of Things (IoT) gateway device, comprising a gateway body, a port board, and a signal antenna, characterized in that, The automatic tilt adjustment device for the signal antenna as described in any one of claims 1-3 is used to complete the automatic tilt adjustment of the industrial Internet of Things gateway device.

Images