A large high-stability waveguide network

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of large high stability waveguide networks, waveguide network presents symmetrical structure, including total mouth and several sub-port, radio frequency signal from the total mouth of the 1 / 4 power divider in the central region, output from four sub-port, each sub-port of the 1 / 4 power divider is responsible for a quadrant, reaches each end sub-port by 5 level power division;According to the relative position between total mouth and end sub-port, along the way configuration straight waveguide and bend waveguide, realize path equal phase matching;In each end sub-port, coaxial transducer is connected, waveguide signal is converted into coaxial signal, and is connected with nearby feed point.The large high stability waveguide network of the present application can realize multiple port synchronous transmission radio frequency signal, and has good environmental adaptability, and can be applied to high-precision high-consistency use occasion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of radio frequency microwave technology, and in particular to a large-scale, highly stable waveguide network. Background Technology

[0002] Waveguides, due to their excellent transmission stability, manufacturability, and adaptability, have long been widely used in various RF signal distribution and transmission applications in the radio frequency and microwave fields. Furthermore, with the diversification of application scenarios, the increasing use of combination technologies, and the expansion of their size to both low-frequency (meter wave) and high-frequency (millimeter wave) bands, their application scenarios cover varying degrees. Their applications are receiving increasing attention, especially in antenna calibration and high-power network transmission. At the same time, the requirements for waveguide network complexity, dimensional accuracy, and performance stability are becoming increasingly stringent. Therefore, there is a need to design a waveguide that can adapt to high-precision and high-stability applications. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the existing technical problems, this invention provides a large-scale, highly stable waveguide network.

[0004] The specific content of this invention is as follows: A large-scale, highly stable waveguide network with a symmetrical structure, including a main port and several branch ports. The radio frequency signal enters from the main port of a 1 / 4 power divider in the central region and outputs from the four branch ports. Each branch port of the 1 / 4 power divider manages one quadrant, and after 5 stages of power division, it reaches each end branch port. According to the relative position between the main port and the end branch ports, straight waveguides and curved waveguides are configured along the way to achieve path matching. A coaxial converter is connected to each end branch port to convert the waveguide signal into a coaxial signal and connect to the nearest feed point.

[0005] Furthermore, the waveguide network performs 5-stage power division through waveguide 1 / 2 power dividers. One input port of each waveguide 1 / 2 power divider is connected to the output port of the previous waveguide 1 / 2 power divider through a straight waveguide, and the two output ports are connected to the input ports of the two waveguide 1 / 2 power dividers of the next stage.

[0006] Furthermore, a tuning waveguide is set in the corresponding link of each end port. The input port of the final waveguide 1 / 2 power divider is connected to the output port of the previous waveguide 1 / 2 power divider through the bend waveguide and the tuning waveguide. The output port is connected to the coaxial converter. After the waveguide network is installed and fixed, the tuning waveguide is tuned to ensure the consistency of the end ports.

[0007] Furthermore, the number of bends in the bent waveguide is 1 or 2.

[0008] Furthermore, the 1 / 4 power divider in the central area includes two-stage waveguide 1 / 2 power dividers. After the radio frequency signal enters from the main port of the 1 / 4 power divider, it first enters the first-stage power divider to be converted into two signal outputs. Each signal then goes through the first-stage power divider to be converted into two outputs.

[0009] Furthermore, the 1 / 4 power divider in the central area is a printed circuit board power divider. A coaxial converter is added to the network port of each quadrant to convert the waveguide signal into a coaxial signal, which is then connected to the four ports of the printed circuit board power divider via cables.

[0010] Furthermore, when assembling the waveguide network, the waveguide network is first segmented and divided into blocks according to the modular assembly conditions of the large structural components, forming several independent block bodies. The block bodies are installed freely between the large structural components and the large structural components, and are fixed to the structural components through a fixing frame to achieve radial two-dimensional constraint. While forming a whole with the modular assembly of the large structural components, several blocks are connected to form a whole through interconnecting waveguides.

[0011] Furthermore, the fixing frame includes several slots, each slot is equipped with a corresponding buckle, and the lower surface of the buckle is provided with two positioning wheels. The block body passes through the space formed between the slot and the buckle, and is allowed to move within a certain range in the length direction.

[0012] Furthermore, the straight waveguide is made of Invar steel and is manufactured using a forming process of drawing waveguide profiles, welding flanges at both ends, and post-welding processing; the waveguide 1 / 2 power divider and the bent waveguide are made of brass and are manufactured using a precision machining combined with high-temperature brazing forming process.

[0013] Furthermore, all waveguide inner surfaces are silver-plated, and the outer surfaces are coated with a protective coating.

[0014] The large-scale, high-stability waveguide network of this invention can realize synchronous transmission of radio frequency signals at multiple ports and has good environmental adaptability, making it suitable for high-precision and high-consistency applications. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the waveguide network of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of region A (waveguide network 1 / 4);

[0018] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of region B in the middle;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a 1 / 4-dimensional schematic diagram of a waveguide network;

[0020] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Schematic diagram of area C in the middle;

[0021] Figure 6 for Figure 4 Schematic diagram of area D in the middle;

[0022] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a waveguide 1 / 2 power divider;

[0023] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of a straight waveguide;

[0024] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of a curved waveguide;

[0025] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a coaxial converter;

[0026] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of waveguide configuration;

[0027] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of a waveguide 1 / 4 power divider;

[0028] Figure 13 Schematic diagram of a 1 / 4 power divider on a printed circuit board;

[0029] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the waveguide network fixing structure;

[0030] Figure 15 for Figure 14 Schematic diagram of area E in the middle;

[0031] Figure 16 This is a diagram showing the correspondence between the equivalent phase distribution and the waveguide network;

[0032] Figure 17 This is a diagram showing the effect of network temperature gradient on antenna beam pointing;

[0033] Figure 18 yes Figure 17 Enlarged view with a mid-angle between -0.04 and 0.04.

[0034] Among them, 1. Waveguide 1 / 2 power divider, 2. Straight waveguide, 3. Bent waveguide, 4. Coaxial converter, 5. Tuning waveguide, 6. Waveguide 1 / 4 power divider, 7. Printed circuit board 1 / 4 power divider, 8. Mounting bracket. Detailed Implementation

[0035] Combination Figures 1-18 The specific technical solution of the large-scale high-stability waveguide network of the present invention is as follows:

[0036] like Figures 1-3The network is symmetrically distributed vertically and horizontally, consisting of seven levels of waveguide 1 / 2 power dividers (1), several straight waveguides (2), curved waveguides (3), and coaxial converters (4), achieving a 1 / 128 power ratio. The radio frequency signal enters from the main port of the 1 / 4 power divider (6) in the central area, outputs from four branch ports, each branch port serving a quadrant, and reaches the various terminal ports after five stages of power division. Straight waveguides (2) and curved waveguides (3) are configured along the path according to the relative positions of the main port and branch ports to ensure path matching. Each branch port connects to a coaxial converter (4) to convert the waveguide signal into a coaxial signal, which is then connected to the nearest feed point using a short cable.

[0037] To further improve the phase consistency of each port, a modulating waveguide 5 is set in the corresponding link of each port of the network. After the network is installed and effectively fixed on the large structural component, the phase of each port is tested and modulated according to the actual situation. This can effectively release the errors in the processing and assembly process and ensure port consistency.

[0038] like Figures 4-11 The waveguide network is composed as follows: the waveguide network performs 5-stage power division through waveguide 1 / 2 power dividers. One input port of each waveguide 1 / 2 power divider is connected to the output port of the previous waveguide 1 / 2 power divider through a straight waveguide, and the two output ports are connected to the input ports of the two waveguide 1 / 2 power dividers of the next stage.

[0039] The input port of the final waveguide 1 / 2 power divider is connected to the output port of the previous waveguide 1 / 2 power divider through a bend waveguide and a tuned waveguide. The output port is connected to a coaxial converter. After the waveguide network is installed and fixed, the consistency of the end ports is ensured by tuning the tuned waveguide.

[0040] The number of bends in a bent waveguide is either 1 or 2. The number of bends is adaptively set according to the specific object being connected by the bent waveguide and the structure of the waveguide network.

[0041] like Figure 12 As shown, the central region waveguide 1 / 4 power divider 6 described in this paper consists of two-stage waveguide 1 / 2 power dividers. The RF signal enters from the main port of the 1 / 4 power divider, first passing through a first-stage power divider to be converted into two signal outputs. Each signal then passes through another first-stage power divider to be converted into two outputs, finally entering the four quadrants of the waveguide network, and then passing through the waveguide 1 / 2 power divider to enter the next stage of power division. It can also be replaced with a printed circuit board power divider 7, as needed, depending on the actual application. Figure 13 As shown, a coaxial converter 4 is added to the network port of each quadrant to convert the waveguide signal into a coaxial signal, which is then connected to the four ports of the printed circuit board power divider 7 via a short cable.

[0042] Based on the actual network coverage, combined with the current state of processing technology and the modular assembly conditions of large structural components, the waveguide network's distribution path is rationally segmented and divided into blocks, with interconnecting waveguides used to achieve block connections. During assembly, network blocks are assembled in parallel with the large structural components, forming several independent block bodies. These block bodies are loosely mounted to the large structural components, secured to the structural bodies via special fixing brackets 8, achieving radial two-dimensional constraints. Length movement is allowed within a certain range to avoid internal stress caused by inconsistent material thermal expansion between the waveguide network and the structural bodies. While forming a whole through modular assembly with the large structural components, the several blocks are connected to form a unified whole via interconnecting waveguides. This modular connection method significantly improves the network's manufacturability.

[0043] like Figure 14 and 15 As shown, the fixing frame 8 includes several slots, each slot is equipped with a corresponding buckle, and the lower surface of the buckle is provided with two positioning wheels. The block body passes through the space formed between the slot and the buckle.

[0044] In terms of material selection and surface treatment, Invar steel with a low coefficient of linear expansion is used for the straight sections of the network. Invar steel is a common name for Invar alloy (4J36), which has a very low coefficient of thermal expansion (1.8×10-6 / ℃) below the Curie temperature (230℃), about 1 / 10 that of stainless steel. Straight waveguide sections are manufactured using a forming process of drawn waveguide profiles + welded flanges at both ends + post-weld processing to reduce temperature deformation. Brass is used for the network distribution sections and bends. Waveguide 1 / 2 power dividers and bent waveguides are manufactured using a relatively mature precision machining combined with high-temperature brazing forming process to ensure good machinability and reduce costs. All waveguide inner surfaces are silver-plated to reduce transmission loss; the outer surfaces are sprayed with a protective coating to improve corrosion resistance.

[0045] The straight sections of the network are made of Invar steel with low linear expansion, while brass is used only in the distribution and bend sections to minimize the impact of ambient temperature on network transmission performance, achieving good temperature stability and high transmission efficiency. With advancements in manufacturing technology, the network can be gradually upgraded to use all Invar steel. Adjacent waveguides within the network are connected by flanges to form a unified network, and are mounted independently of structural components.

[0046] In an application scenario where an antenna is installed within this waveguide network, both the antenna and the network are located in an environment with a temperature gradient of ±3℃. Based on the waveguide network distribution diagram and the temperature environment in which the network is located, the changes in the network's beam pointing with the temperature gradient can be analyzed through combined thermal, mechanical, and electrical calculations.

[0047] The calculation method is as follows: Based on the temperature gradient distribution, the temperature value of each point on the waveguide network is determined, the deformation (expansion / contraction size) of the waveguide network at this local point is calculated, and then the integral is performed along the waveguide path to determine the cumulative deformation from the main port of the waveguide network to the branch port. Based on this deformation, the transmission phase change from the main port to the branch port and its influence on the beam pointing are determined.

[0048] Assuming the temperature gradient changes linearly along the height direction, the mathematical expression for the temperature at any location x on the network can be written as:

[0049]

[0050] Where L is the half-value of the aperture range of the network along the temperature gradient direction.

[0051] Based on the above data, the cumulative path length variation of the waveguide network from the main input port to each branch port within a specific temperature range is calculated, as shown in Table 1. (The final stage waveguide power divider of the network is relatively compact and is considered a single point here. The length variation of this small transmission path segment is ignored. Therefore, the analysis here is performed on a 1 / 64 scale.)

[0052] Table 1. Length deformation of each branch of the waveguide network (unit: mm)

[0053] 1 0.11993 17 0.11993 33 -0.11993 49 -0.11993 2 0.11993 18 0.11993 34 -0.11993 50 -0.11993 3 0.11993 19 0.11993 35 -0.11993 51 -0.11993 4 0.11993 20 0.11993 36 -0.11993 52 -0.11993 5 0.11356 21 0.11356 37 -0.11356 53 -0.11356 6 0.11356 22 0.11356 38 -0.11356 54 -0.11356 7 0.11356 23 0.11356 39 -0.11356 55 -0.11356 8 0.11356 24 0.11356 40 -0.11356 56 -0.11356 9 0.069659 25 0.069659 41 -0.069659 57 -0.069659 10 0.069659 26 0.069659 42 -0.069659 58 -0.069659 11 0.069659 27 0.069659 43 -0.069659 59 -0.069659 12 0.069659 28 0.069659 44 -0.069659 60 -0.069659 13 0.079497 29 0.079497 45 -0.079497 61 -0.079497 14 0.079497 30 0.079497 46 -0.079497 62 -0.079497 15 0.073769 31 0.073769 47 -0.073769 63 -0.073769 16 0.073769 32 0.073769 48 -0.073769 64 -0.073769

[0054] Based on the relative positions and length variations of each port in the network, the equivalent phase deviation of the network coverage area is calculated, see [reference needed]. Figure 16 Calculate the antenna pointing deviation caused by the equivalent phase deviation, see... Figure 17 and 18 .

[0055] from Figure 17 and 18 It can be seen that a temperature gradient of ±3℃ caused the antenna beam pointing to shift by 0.022 mrd. See Table 2.

[0056] Table 2. Waveguide network pointing accuracy error caused by temperature gradient

[0057]

[0058] The waveguide network of this invention employs multi-stage waveguide 1 / 2 power dividers to achieve proportional power distribution of radio frequency signals, ultimately forming a 1-to-128 power divider network. Straight and curved waveguides are used along the paths corresponding to each port to achieve equal matching. The straight waveguides are made of Invar steel, significantly reducing temperature deformation. Complex bends and waveguide 1 / 2 combiners are made of copper, achieving good manufacturability. Based on the actual coverage area of ​​the waveguide network and considering assembly and usage conditions, it is rationally segmented and spliced, using interconnecting waveguides to achieve block connections, improving the overall manufacturability of the network. The waveguide network is detached from the main structure, avoiding temperature stress caused by rigid fixing between different materials. This waveguide network is highly implementable, compatible with multiple frequency bands, various size ranges, and multiple port allocations, and can be widely used in large-scale, high-precision radio frequency signal transmission and distribution applications.

[0059] Many specific details have been set forth in the foregoing description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed above. Furthermore, any person skilled in the art can make many possible variations and modifications to the technical solutions of the present invention, or modify them into equivalent embodiments, using the methods and techniques disclosed above, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention, without departing from the content of the present invention, shall still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A large-scale, highly stable waveguide network, characterized in that: The waveguide network has a symmetrical structure, including a main port and several branch ports. The radio frequency signal enters from the main port of the 1 / 4 power divider in the central region and outputs from the four branch ports. Each branch port of the 1 / 4 power divider manages one quadrant. After 5 stages of power division, the signal reaches each terminal branch port. According to the relative position between the main port and the terminal branch ports, straight waveguides and curved waveguides are configured along the way to achieve path matching. A coaxial converter is connected to each terminal branch port to convert the waveguide signal into a coaxial signal and connects to the nearest feed point. The waveguide network performs 5-stage power division through waveguide 1 / 2 power dividers. One input port of each waveguide 1 / 2 power divider is connected to the output port of the previous waveguide 1 / 2 power divider through a straight waveguide, and the two output ports are connected to the input ports of the two waveguide 1 / 2 power dividers of the next stage. In the corresponding link of each end port, a tuning waveguide is set. The input port of the final waveguide 1 / 2 power divider is connected to the output port of the previous waveguide 1 / 2 power divider through the bend waveguide and the tuning waveguide. The output port is connected to the coaxial converter. After the waveguide network is installed and fixed, the tuning waveguide is tuned to ensure the consistency of the end ports.

2. The large-scale high-stability waveguide network according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of bends in the bend waveguide is 1 or 2.

3. The large-scale high-stability waveguide network according to claim 1, characterized in that: The 1 / 4 power divider in the central area includes two-stage waveguide 1 / 2 power dividers. After the radio frequency signal enters from the main port of the 1 / 4 power divider, it first enters the first stage power divider to be converted into two signal outputs. Each signal then goes through the first stage power divider to be converted into two outputs.

4. The large-scale high-stability waveguide network according to claim 1, characterized in that: The 1 / 4 power divider in the central area is a printed circuit board power divider. A coaxial converter is added to the network port of each quadrant to convert the waveguide signal into a coaxial signal, which is then connected to the four ports of the printed circuit board power divider via cable.

5. The large-scale high-stability waveguide network according to claim 1, characterized in that: When assembling the waveguide network, the waveguide network is first segmented and divided into blocks according to the modular assembly conditions of the large structural components, forming several independent block bodies. The block bodies are installed freely between the large structural components and the large structural components. They are fixed to the structural components by a fixing frame to achieve radial two-dimensional constraint. While forming a whole with the modular assembly of the large structural components, the several blocks are connected to form a whole by interconnecting waveguides.

6. The large-scale high-stability waveguide network according to claim 5, characterized in that: The fixing frame includes several slots, each with a corresponding buckle. The lower surface of the buckle has two positioning wheels. The block body passes through the space formed between the slots and the buckles and is allowed to move within a certain range in the length direction.

7. The large-scale high-stability waveguide network according to claim 1, characterized in that: The straight waveguide is made of Invar steel and is manufactured using a forming process of drawing waveguide profiles, welding flanges at both ends, and post-welding processing; the waveguide 1 / 2 power divider and the bent waveguide are made of brass and are manufactured using a precision machining combined with high-temperature brazing forming process.

8. The large-scale high-stability waveguide network according to claim 1, characterized in that: All waveguides have silver-plated inner surfaces and a protective coating applied to the outer surfaces.

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