A retractable dipole antenna

Abstract

This application belongs to the field of antenna technology and relates to a retractable dipole antenna, comprising: four dipole arms and a feed port, the feed port including an inner conductor and an outer conductor; the central axes of two opposing dipole arms are collinear to form a dipole; one corresponding end of two adjacent dipole arms is connected to the inner conductor, and one corresponding end of the other two adjacent dipole arms is connected to the outer conductor; the other corresponding ends of the two adjacent dipole arms and the other corresponding ends of the other two adjacent dipole arms extend in four directions respectively; each dipole arm includes a hollow inflatable membrane and radiating strips disposed on the surface of the inflatable membrane, the inflatable membrane being made of a foldable non-metallic material to form a retractable dipole antenna. Using this application, gain can be improved and bandwidth extended without increasing size and weight.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of antenna technology, and in particular to a retractable dipole antenna. Background Technology

[0002] Antennas are a crucial component of wireless communication, determining its quality. As technology advances and wireless communication becomes the mainstream method, higher demands are placed on its quality; simultaneously, antennas are constantly being innovated to adapt to these advancements.

[0003] Currently, the wire antenna is the most common type of antenna in practical applications. It has the advantages of stable performance, simple structure and high gain. Therefore, the wire antenna has been widely used in various places.

[0004] In the existing technology, the most widely used antenna types among linear antennas are dipole antennas or vibrating element antennas. In some larger applications, it is necessary to increase the size to achieve higher gain and a wider communication range.

[0005] However, the above-mentioned antennas face the following problems:

[0006] 1) The antenna is large in size, often measured in meters;

[0007] 2) The antenna is basically made of pure metal, which makes it heavy;

[0008] 3) Many linear antennas are narrowband antennas with insufficient bandwidth.

[0009] In summary, existing wire antennas still have certain limitations in terms of size, weight, and bandwidth. Researching how to reduce the size and weight of wire antennas for easier transportation, as well as improving gain and increasing bandwidth to enable the antenna to transmit and receive more signals, will be of great significance to the development and application of wire antennas. Summary of the Invention

[0010] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a retractable dipole antenna to address the aforementioned technical problems. The antenna is characterized by its ability to improve gain and expand bandwidth without increasing size and weight.

[0011] A retractable dipole antenna includes: four dipole arms and a feed port, the feed port including an inner conductor and an outer conductor;

[0012] The central axes of the two opposing oscillator arms are collinear to form a dipole;

[0013] One corresponding end of each of the two adjacent oscillating arms is connected to the inner conductor, and one corresponding end of each of the other two adjacent oscillating arms is connected to the outer conductor. The other corresponding ends of the two adjacent oscillating arms and the other corresponding ends of the other two adjacent oscillating arms extend in four directions respectively.

[0014] The vibrating arm includes a hollow inflatable membrane and radiating strips disposed on the surface of the inflatable membrane. The inflatable membrane is made of a foldable non-metallic material to form a retractable vibrating antenna.

[0015] In one embodiment, the central axes of two adjacent oscillator arms are perpendicular, and the central axes of the four oscillator arms are coplanar.

[0016] In one embodiment, the inflatable membrane comprises: a first portion and a second portion;

[0017] The first part is a conical structure, and the second part is a frustum-shaped structure. The bottom surface of the conical structure coincides with the bottom surface of the frustum-shaped structure, and the top surface of the frustum-shaped structure is connected to the inner conductor or the outer conductor.

[0018] In one embodiment, it further includes: a connection component;

[0019] The connection assembly includes: an inner connection post and two outer connection posts;

[0020] One corresponding end of each of two adjacent oscillator arms is connected to the inner conductor via the inner connecting post, and one corresponding end of each of the other two adjacent oscillator arms is connected to the outer conductor via an outer connecting post.

[0021] In one embodiment, the inner connecting column includes: three "I"-shaped columns, any two of which are perpendicular to each other;

[0022] One corresponding end of the three pillars is connected, and the other corresponding end is connected to the inner conductor and the upper base of the two frustum-shaped structures respectively.

[0023] In one embodiment, the external connecting column comprises: two L-shaped support columns;

[0024] One corresponding end of each of the two pillars is connected to the outer conductor, and the other corresponding end is connected to the upper base of the other two frustum-shaped structures respectively.

[0025] In one embodiment, the connection component further includes: four connection disks;

[0026] The connecting plate is a plate-shaped structure. One side of each of the four plate-shaped structures is coplanar with the upper base of each of the four frustum-shaped structures, and the other side of each of the four plate-shaped structures is connected to an inner connecting column or an outer connecting column.

[0027] In one embodiment, the number of the radiating strips is multiple, and the multiple radiating strips are arranged in an array along the circumference of the inflatable membrane;

[0028] One corresponding end of the radial strip is connected to the apex of the conical structure, and the other corresponding end extends at an interval to the junction of the frustum-shaped structure and the connecting disk.

[0029] In one embodiment, the central axis of both the inner conductor and the outer conductor is perpendicular to the plane containing the central axes of the four oscillator arms.

[0030] In one embodiment, the inner conductor is a cylindrical structure, the outer conductor is an annular structure sleeved on the outside of the inner conductor, and a dielectric layer is provided between the inner conductor and the outer conductor.

[0031] The aforementioned retractable dipole antenna features a conical dipole arm structure, forming two dipoles. This improves the antenna's gain and radiation performance, increases bandwidth, allows for the transmission and reception of more signals, expands the communication range, and enhances antenna utilization. It also improves the omnidirectionality of the antenna's radiation pattern, extending the range of transmitted and received signals and enabling the antenna to transmit and receive signals from more directions, thus reducing signal blind spots. Furthermore, the antenna utilizes a thin-film material for the inflatable membrane and incorporates metal radiating strips on its surface, making it an inflatable antenna. Both components are made of lightweight, bendable materials, enabling the antenna to be inflatable, foldable, and retractable. The retracted size is significantly smaller than when inflated, and the weight is considerably lighter compared to other pure metal antennas and other retractable antennas. This makes it easy to store, transport, and carry, solving the problems of large size, volume, weight, and difficult handling associated with current large antennas. Furthermore, this application features a simple structure, ease of fabrication, a large tolerance for error, and stable antenna performance. It can be applied in various complex and variable communication scenarios or environments, such as wireless communication systems, the Internet of Things, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) networks, and base stations, demonstrating broad development prospects. In summary, the antenna of this application reduces size and weight without sacrificing antenna performance, while increasing gain and expanding bandwidth, making it a viable alternative to existing metal antennas. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 This is an overall structural diagram of a retractable dipole antenna in one embodiment;

[0033] Figure 2 This is a detailed view of the central structure of a retractable dipole antenna in one embodiment.

[0034] Figure 3 This is a detailed view of the end structure of a retractable dipole antenna in one embodiment;

[0035] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the VSWR curve of a retractable dipole antenna in the prior art;

[0036] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the VSWR curve of a retractable dipole antenna in one embodiment;

[0037] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the input impedance curve of a retractable dipole antenna in one embodiment;

[0038] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the gain curve of a retractable dipole antenna in the prior art;

[0039] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the gain curve of a retractable dipole antenna in one embodiment;

[0040] Figure 9 This is a radiation pattern of a retractable dipole antenna at 1 GHz in one embodiment;

[0041] Figure 10 The radiation pattern of a retractable dipole antenna at 1.5 GHz is shown in one embodiment.

[0042] Figure 11 The radiation pattern of a retractable dipole antenna at 2 GHz is shown in one embodiment.

[0043] Figure 12 The radiation pattern of a collapsible dipole antenna at 2.5 GHz is shown in one embodiment.

[0044] Figure 13 The radiation pattern of a retractable dipole antenna at 3 GHz is shown in one embodiment.

[0045] Figure 14 This is a radiation pattern of a retractable dipole antenna at 3.5 GHz in one embodiment.

[0046] Figure label:

[0047] Oscillator arm 1, inflatable membrane 11, radiating strip 12;

[0048] Power supply port 2, inner conductor 21, outer conductor 22;

[0049] Inner connecting post 31, outer connecting post 32, connecting plate 33. Detailed Implementation

[0050] 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. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments in this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0051] It should be noted that all directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of this application 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 indicator will also change accordingly.

[0052] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this application is 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. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. In the description of this application, "multiple sets" means at least two sets, such as two sets, three sets, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0053] In this application, unless otherwise expressly 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 expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0054] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of this application can be combined with each other, but only if they are based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When 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 this application.

[0055] This application provides a retractable dipole antenna, such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, in one embodiment, it includes: four oscillator arms, a power supply port, and a connection assembly.

[0056] The dipole arm is the core component of the dipole antenna. The central axes of two opposing dipole arms are collinear to form a dipole; one corresponding end of each of the two adjacent dipole arms is connected to the inner conductor, and one corresponding end of each of the other two adjacent dipole arms is connected to the outer conductor. The other corresponding ends of the two adjacent dipole arms and the other corresponding ends of the other two adjacent dipole arms extend in four directions respectively.

[0057] Preferably, the central axes of two adjacent dipole arms are perpendicular, and the central axes of the four dipole arms are coplanar, so that the two dipoles are mutually orthogonal, thereby suppressing cross-polarization interference and improving the radiation performance of the antenna.

[0058] More preferably, the central axis of both the inner conductor and the outer conductor is perpendicular to the plane containing the central axes of the four oscillator arms.

[0059] The vibrating arm includes a hollow inflatable membrane and radiating strips on the surface of the inflatable membrane; the inflatable membrane is made of a foldable non-metallic material to form a retractable vibrating antenna.

[0060] The inflatable membrane can be made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC film can be divided into soft film and hard film; this application uses hard PVC film with a relative permittivity of 4 and a density of 1.22 g / cm³). 3 (2mm thick); the inflatable membrane includes: a first part and a second part; the first part is a conical structure, the second part is a frustum structure, the bottom surface of the conical structure coincides with the bottom of the frustum structure, and the top of the frustum structure is connected to the inner conductor or the outer conductor.

[0061] The radiating strips can be made of conductive tape with good conductivity (0.12 mm thickness, conductivity 1x10⁻⁶). 6 (S / m); the number of radiating strips is multiple, and the multiple radiating strips are arranged in an array along the circumference of the inflatable membrane; one corresponding end of the radiating strip is connected at the apex of the conical structure, and the other corresponding end extends at a distance to the junction of the frustum-shaped structure and the connecting disk, so that the antenna current can be concentrated at the tip of the conical dipole arm, thereby further achieving high antenna gain. Preferably, the number of radiating strips is ten, to ensure simple processing while giving the antenna high gain and good impedance matching. It should be noted that the method of fixing the radiating strips to the inflatable membrane is existing technology, such as adhesive bonding.

[0062] The feed port impedance is 50 ohms, which can be well matched with the SMA interface to enable coaxial feeding of the antenna.

[0063] The power supply port includes an inner conductor and an outer conductor; the inner conductor is a cylindrical structure, and the outer conductor is a ring structure sleeved on the outside of the inner conductor, with a dielectric layer between the inner conductor and the outer conductor.

[0064] The connecting assembly connects the four oscillating arms and one power supply port. The connecting assembly includes: one inner connecting post, two outer connecting posts, and four connecting plates. One corresponding end of each of two adjacent oscillating arms is connected to the inner conductor via the inner connecting post, and one corresponding end of each of the other two adjacent oscillating arms is connected to the outer conductor via an outer connecting post.

[0065] The inner connecting column includes: three "1"-shaped columns, any two of which are perpendicular to each other; one corresponding end of the three columns is connected, and the other corresponding end is connected to the inner conductor and the upper base of the two frustum-shaped structures respectively.

[0066] The external connecting post includes two L-shaped support pillars; one corresponding end of each support pillar is connected to the outer conductor, and the other corresponding end is connected to the upper base of two other frustum-shaped structures. Preferably, the central axis of one corresponding end of the external connecting post extends beyond the outside of the feed port, so that there is a gap between the inner and outer connecting posts, thereby reducing interference.

[0067] The connecting plate is a plate-shaped structure. One side of each of the four plate-shaped structures is coplanar with the upper base of each of the four frustum-shaped structures. The other side of each of the four plate-shaped structures is connected to an inner or outer connecting column.

[0068] The connection component has gaps between one inner connecting post and two outer connecting posts, which makes the antenna theoretically form two mutually perpendicular orthogonal dipole antennas.

[0069] It should be noted that the inflatable membrane and dielectric layer are made of non-metallic materials, while the radiation strips, inner conductor, outer conductor, inner connecting post, outer connecting post, and connecting plate are all made of metallic materials.

[0070] The aforementioned retractable dipole antenna features a conical dipole arm structure, forming two dipoles. This improves the antenna's gain and radiation performance, increases bandwidth, allows for the transmission and reception of more signals, expands the communication range, and enhances antenna utilization. It also improves the omnidirectionality of the antenna's radiation pattern, extending the range of transmitted and received signals and enabling the antenna to transmit and receive signals from more directions, thus reducing signal blind spots. Furthermore, the antenna utilizes a thin-film material for the inflatable membrane and incorporates metal radiating strips on its surface, making it an inflatable antenna. Both components are made of lightweight, bendable materials, enabling the antenna to be inflatable, foldable, and retractable. The retracted size is significantly smaller than when inflated, and the weight is considerably lighter compared to other pure metal antennas and other retractable antennas. This makes it easy to store, transport, and carry, solving the problems of large size, volume, weight, and difficult handling associated with current large antennas. Furthermore, this application features a simple structure, ease of fabrication, a large tolerance for error, and stable antenna performance. It can be applied in various complex and variable communication scenarios or environments, such as wireless communication systems, the Internet of Things, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) networks, and base stations, demonstrating broad development prospects. In summary, the antenna of this application reduces size and weight without sacrificing antenna performance, while increasing gain and expanding bandwidth, making it a viable alternative to existing metal antennas.

[0071] In one specific embodiment, the retractable dipole antenna was simulated, analyzed, and optimized using the electromagnetic full-wave simulation software CST. Its structural parameters, VSWR parameters, input impedance parameters, antenna gain, and radiation pattern were studied.

[0072] Figure 4 and Figure 5 The VSWR curve of the antenna is provided. As can be seen from the graph, the bandwidth of prior art antennas (specifically, retractable dipole antennas) with a VSWR less than 2.5 is 1.6-4.2 GHz, while the bandwidth of the antenna in this application is 0.8-3.8 GHz, representing a 15% increase in bandwidth compared to prior art antennas. Furthermore, the VSWR parameter of the antenna in this application is less than 2.5 within the 0.8-3.8 GHz range, indicating that the antenna possesses broadband characteristics, enabling it to transmit and receive signals across more frequency bands, thus improving antenna utilization.

[0073] Figure 6 The input impedance curve of the antenna is given. It can be seen from the figure that the input impedance of the antenna is stable and very close to 50 ohms. It can be approximately equivalent to 50 ohms, which can be well matched with the cable and effectively transmit the signal.

[0074] Figure 7 and Figure 8The antenna gain curve is provided. The graph shows that the maximum gain of existing antennas is 10 dBi, while the maximum gain of the antenna in this application is 12 dBi, representing a 16% increase in gain compared to existing antennas. Furthermore, the antenna in this application exhibits a gain greater than 6 dBi in the 1 GHz-4 GHz range, and reaches a maximum of 11.9 dBi at 3.5 GHz, demonstrating excellent radiation performance. Its gain is comparable to that of a pure metal antenna, making it a viable alternative to metal antennas.

[0075] Figures 9 to 14 The radiation patterns of the antenna at different frequencies within the operating frequency band are given. Specifically, Figure 7 The radiation pattern is for 1 GHz. Figure 8 The radiation pattern is for 1.5 GHz. Figure 9 The radiation pattern is for 2 GHz. Figure 10 The radiation pattern is for 2.5 GHz. Figure 11 The radiation pattern is for 3 GHz. Figure 12 The radiation pattern is shown at 3.5 GHz. The pattern reveals a prominent radiation direction, demonstrating that the antenna can transmit and receive signals from multiple directions.

[0076] In summary, the antenna in this application operates in the 0.8-3.8 GHz frequency band, offering a wider bandwidth (15% higher than existing technologies), enabling the transmission and reception of more signals. It also boasts higher gain (16% higher than existing technologies) and superior antenna radiation performance, making it a viable alternative to pure metal antennas. The antenna incorporates metallic radiation strips on the surface of an inflatable film (a thin, inflatable membrane), achieving lightweight and retractable design. This makes the antenna portable. It can be inflated through an inflation port (located at the junction of the first and second parts to avoid pattern distortion and ensure antenna performance) to increase its size for normal operation, or deflated through the inflation port to shrink, allowing for significant size changes (each vibrator arm is 2m long when inflated, and 20% of its original size when shrunk). This facilitates handling and transportation, making it suitable for communication systems requiring frequent relocation.

[0077] 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.

[0078] 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 this patent application. 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 retractable dipole antenna, characterized in that, include: Four oscillator arms and a feed port, the feed port comprising an inner conductor and an outer conductor; The central axes of the two opposing oscillator arms are collinear to form a dipole; One corresponding end of each of the two adjacent oscillating arms is connected to the inner conductor, and one corresponding end of each of the other two adjacent oscillating arms is connected to the outer conductor. The other corresponding ends of the two adjacent oscillating arms and the other corresponding ends of the other two adjacent oscillating arms extend in four directions respectively. The vibrating arm includes a hollow inflatable membrane and radiating strips disposed on the surface of the inflatable membrane. The inflatable membrane is made of a foldable non-metallic material to form a retractable vibrating antenna. The inflatable membrane comprises: a first part and a second part; The first part is a conical structure, and the second part is a frustum structure. The bottom surface of the conical structure coincides with the bottom surface of the frustum structure, and the top surface of the frustum structure is connected to the inner conductor or the outer conductor. It also includes: connection components; The connection assembly includes: an inner connection post and two outer connection posts; One corresponding end of each of two adjacent oscillating arms is connected to the inner conductor through the inner connecting post, and one corresponding end of each of the other two adjacent oscillating arms is connected to the outer conductor through an outer connecting post. The connection assembly also includes: four connection disks; The connecting plate is a plate-shaped structure. One side of each of the four plate-shaped structures is coplanar with the upper base of each of the four frustum-shaped structures. The other side of each of the four plate-shaped structures is connected to an inner connecting column or an outer connecting column. The number of the radiating strips is multiple, and the multiple radiating strips are arranged in an array along the circumference of the inflatable membrane; One corresponding end of the radial strip is connected to the apex of the conical structure, and the other corresponding end extends at an interval to the junction of the frustum-shaped structure and the connecting disk.

2. The retractable dipole antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central axes of two adjacent oscillating arms are perpendicular, and the central axes of the four oscillating arms are coplanar.

3. A retractable dipole antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner connecting column includes: three "1"-shaped columns, with any two columns being perpendicular to each other; One corresponding end of the three pillars is connected, and the other corresponding end is connected to the inner conductor and the upper base of the two frustum-shaped structures respectively.

4. A retractable dipole antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The external connecting column includes: two "L"-shaped support columns; One corresponding end of each of the two pillars is connected to the outer conductor, and the other corresponding end is connected to the upper base of the other two frustum-shaped structures respectively.

5. A retractable dipole antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The central axis of both the inner conductor and the outer conductor is perpendicular to the plane containing the central axes of the four oscillator arms.

6. A retractable dipole antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The inner conductor is a cylindrical structure, and the outer conductor is a ring-shaped structure sleeved on the outside of the inner conductor. A dielectric layer is provided between the inner conductor and the outer conductor.

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