Array antenna and assembling method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses an array antenna and an assembly method thereof, and relates to the technical field of communication equipment. The array antenna comprises a metal shell, a metal plate, a feed network and at least two radiation units, each radiation unit is arranged on the metal shell or the metal plate, the metal plate and the metal shell are arranged in a split mode and connected to form a containing cavity, the feed network is arranged in the containing cavity, and the feed network is arranged in the containing cavity. And the feed port of each radiation unit is electrically connected with the feed network. According to the scheme, the problems that the feed network of the existing array antenna is inconvenient to assemble and the closed cavity is easy to deform in the transportation process can be solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of communication equipment, and specifically relates to an array antenna and an assembly method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Antennas used in communication equipment such as base stations are intermediate components for transmitting and receiving signals, and can convert guided waves propagating on the line and electromagnetic waves radiated in space. At present, with the rapid development of communication technology, miniaturization, high gain, and high intermodulation have become the mainstream development direction of antennas.

[0003] As a type of antenna, the array antenna's feed network is usually set in a closed cavity. During the assembly process, it can only be assembled manually, with poor consistency and low production efficiency. In addition, in order to facilitate the installation of structures such as the feed network, various avoidance or hollowing designs are usually required on the closed cavity, which makes the closed cavity easy to deform during transportation, thereby affecting the passive intermodulation index of the entire array antenna, and further affecting the sensitivity of its received signal. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the embodiments of the present application is to provide an array antenna and an assembly method thereof, which can solve the problems that the current array antenna's feeding network is inconvenient to assemble and the closed cavity is prone to deformation during transportation.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, this application is implemented as follows:

[0006] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an array antenna, comprising a metal shell, a metal plate, a feeding network and at least two radiating units, each of the radiating units being arranged in the metal shell or the metal plate, the metal plate and the metal shell being separately arranged and connected to form a accommodating cavity, the feeding network being arranged in the accommodating cavity, and the feeding ports of each of the radiating units being electrically connected to the feeding network.

[0007] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an assembly method of an array antenna, which is applied to the above-mentioned array antenna, and the assembly method includes:

[0008] S100, installing the feeding network in a metal casing or on a metal plate;

[0009] S200, connecting the metal plate and the metal shell to form a receiving cavity, wherein the feeding network in the receiving cavity is electrically connected to a radiation unit.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present application, the metal plate and the metal shell are separately provided. In this case, during the assembly of the array antenna, the feeding network can be first installed in the metal shell or on the metal plate by a robot, and then the metal plate and the metal shell are connected to form a accommodating cavity, thereby facilitating the installation of the feeding network. When the array antennas are mass-produced, the use of a robot for installation can ensure the installation consistency of the feeding network and improve the production efficiency of the array antenna. In addition, when the metal plate and the metal shell are separately provided, during transportation, the avoidance or hollowed-out parts of the metal plate and the metal shell can be supported to prevent deformation thereof, so as to improve the passive intermodulation index of the array antenna after installation, thereby improving the sensitivity of the received signal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the array antenna disclosed in the embodiment of the present application;

[0012] Figure 2 An exploded diagram of the array antenna disclosed in the embodiment of the present application;

[0013] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the array antenna disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0014] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view showing a metal plate and a metal shell of an array antenna disclosed in an embodiment of the present application connected by laser penetration welding;

[0015] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of a metal plate and a metal shell of an array antenna disclosed in an embodiment of the present application connected by laser welding of the side surfaces of the contact surfaces;

[0016] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of a metal plate and a metal shell of an array antenna disclosed in an embodiment of the present application being connected by laser welding after being assembled by inserting a seam;

[0017] Figure 7 A flowchart of an assembly method of an array antenna disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0018] in, Figures 4 to 6 The arrow line in the figure indicates the welding direction.

[0019] Description of reference numerals:

[0020] 100-metal shell, 110-plug-in portion, 120-housing, 130-partition;

[0021] 200-metal plate, 210-plug hole;

[0022] 300 -feeding network, 310 -first sub-feeding network, 320 -second sub-feeding network;

[0023] 400-radiation unit, 410-first radiator, 420-second radiator, 430-feeding probe;

[0024] 510-first support member, 520-second support member;

[0025] 600-Adapter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0027] The terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of the present application are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the data used in this way can be interchangeable under appropriate circumstances, so that the embodiments of the present application can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described here, and the objects distinguished by "first", "second", etc. are generally of one type, and the number of objects is not limited. For example, the first object can be one or more. In addition, "and / or" in the specification and claims represents at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the objects associated with each other are in an "or" relationship.

[0028] The array antenna and the assembly method thereof provided in the embodiments of the present application are described in detail below through specific embodiments and their application scenarios in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0029] like Figures 1 to 6As shown, an embodiment of the present application discloses an array antenna, and optionally, the array antenna can be a base station antenna. The array antenna includes a metal shell 100, a metal plate 200, a feed network 300 and at least two radiation units 400. Optionally, the metal shell 100 can be a sheet metal part, and the sheet metal part can be formed into a concave surface by a bending process, so as to facilitate cooperation with the metal plate 200 to form a receiving cavity. Optionally, the radiation unit 400 can be made by metal die-casting, metal injection molding and other processes, or can be in the form of a PCB board, and the embodiment of the present application does not impose specific restrictions on this. Each radiation unit 400 is arranged on the metal shell 100 or the metal plate 200 to form a modular structure, so as to facilitate assembly. The metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 are separately arranged and connected to form a receiving cavity, that is, the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 are respectively formed and then connected. The feeding network 300 is arranged in the accommodating cavity, and the feeding ports of each radiating unit 400 are electrically connected to the feeding network 300, and the feeding network 300 is used to supply power to each radiating unit 400 so that the radiating unit 400 is in working state. Optionally, the radiating part of each radiating unit 400 is located outside the accommodating cavity, and in this case, the side of the metal shell 100 or the metal plate 200 facing the radiating part can be a reflecting surface, so that the electromagnetic waves radiated by the radiating part are radiated in a direction away from the reflecting surface. In this case, each radiating unit 400 is a directional antenna, which is conducive to improving the gain and anti-interference ability of the array antenna, and the security and privacy of the directional antenna are good.

[0030] It should be noted that, when each radiation unit 400 is arranged on the metal shell 100, the metal shell 100 and the radiation unit 400 are located on the same side of the metal plate 200, and the radiation part of the radiation unit 400 is located on the side of the metal shell 100 away from the metal plate 200; when each radiation unit 400 is arranged on the metal plate 200, the radiation part of the radiation unit 400 is located on the side of the metal plate 200 away from the metal shell 100.

[0031] In the embodiment of the present application, the metal plate 200 is separately provided from the metal shell 100. In this case, during the assembly of the array antenna, the feeding network 300 can be first installed into the metal shell 100 by a robot, and then the metal plate 200 can be connected to the metal shell 100 to form a receiving cavity, thereby facilitating the installation of the feeding network 300. When the array antennas are mass-produced, the use of a robot for installation can ensure the installation consistency of the feeding network 300 and improve the production efficiency of the array antenna. In addition, when the metal plate 200 is separately provided from the metal shell 100, during transportation, the avoidance or hollowed-out parts of the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 can be supported to prevent deformation thereof, thereby improving the passive intermodulation index of the array antenna after installation, and thereby improving the sensitivity of its received signal.

[0032] Optionally, the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 can be detachably connected by connecting members such as bolts and screws; or, in other optional embodiments, the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 are welded. Since welding has the characteristics of good connection performance and large structural rigidity, the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 are connected by welding, which is conducive to improving the connection firmness between the two. Optionally, the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 can be welded by argon arc welding, ultrasonic welding, etc., and the embodiments of the present application do not specifically limit this.

[0033] like Figure 6 As shown, in a further optional embodiment, the metal plate 200 is provided with a plug hole 210, and the metal shell 100 is provided with a plug portion 110, the plug portion 110 is plugged and matched with the plug hole 210, and the peripheral surface of the plug portion 110 is welded to the side wall of the plug hole 210. In this solution, the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 are first plugged and matched with the plug portion 110 and the plug hole 210, and then welded, which is conducive to increasing the connection area between the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200, thereby improving the connection firmness between the two. At the same time, the plug-in fit between the plug portion 110 and the plug hole 210 can realize the positioning between the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200, which is convenient for implementing the welding operation.

[0034] Optionally, the number of the plug-in parts 110 is at least two, and at least two plug-in parts 110 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the metal shell 100. The plug-in holes 210 are arranged one-to-one with the plug-in parts 110, and each plug-in part 110 is plugged and matched with each plug-in hole 210 one-to-one, thereby further increasing the connection area between the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 to enhance the connection firmness therebetween, and multiple plug-in holes 210 and multiple plug-in parts 110 can provide a more reliable positioning effect, which is more conducive to the implementation of welding operations.

[0035] Optionally, the specific welding operation process of the above scheme is as follows: the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 are placed in an upper and lower stacking manner, and the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 are plugged together through the plug-in portion 110 and the plug-in hole 210, and then a laser beam is used to irradiate the joint between the plug-in hole 210 on the side of the metal plate 200 away from the metal shell 100 and the plug-in portion 110 of the metal shell 100, so that the connection between the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 is heated and melted and welded and fixed.

[0036] like Figure 4As shown, in another embodiment, the metal plate 200 may not have a connection hole, and the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 are placed in a stacked manner, and the laser beam is directly used to vertically irradiate the side of the metal plate 200 away from the metal shell 100, and the laser beam is moved on this side according to a preset welding trajectory and a preset welding speed, and the welding operation is performed repeatedly in a continuous cycle, so that the metal plate 200 is heated and melted, and the laser beam penetrates the metal plate 200 and irradiates the metal shell 100 to melt it, thereby welding the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 together. This welding method is conducive to improving the continuity of welding, thereby improving the connection firmness between the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200.

[0037] like Figure 5 As shown, in another embodiment, the metal plate 200 may also not have a connection hole, and the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 are placed in a stacked manner, and the laser beam is directly used to irradiate the joint between the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 at a certain angle, and the laser beam moves along the joint according to a preset welding trajectory and a preset welding speed, and the welding operation is performed repeatedly, and finally the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 are heated and melted and welded together. This welding method causes less damage to the metal plate 200, so the structural strength of the metal plate 200 is better; and, when opening the cavity for maintenance later, only the joint needs to be cut, and there is no need to damage the metal plate 200.

[0038] It should be noted that the above three welding methods all use laser welding, which is a non-contact welding method. The laser beam radiates heat to the surface of the workpiece to be processed (metal plate 200 and metal shell 100), diffuses to the inside of the workpiece to be processed through heat conduction, and then controls the laser parameters such as the width, energy, peak power and repetition frequency of the laser pulse to melt the heated area of ​​the workpiece to be processed to form a specific molten pool, which has the characteristics of small heat-affected zone and high welding precision.

[0039] In another optional embodiment, one of the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 is provided with a snap-fit ​​portion, and the other is provided with a snap-fit ​​groove, and the snap-fit ​​portion and the snap-fit ​​groove are snap-fitted together, which is not only convenient for later disassembly and maintenance, but also helps to improve the connection firmness between the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100. Optionally, the metal plate 200 is a flat plate structure, and even if the snap-fit ​​groove is provided, its structural strength will not be reduced too much, causing it to be easily deformed.

[0040] In another optional embodiment, one of the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 is provided with a sliding portion, and the other is provided with a guide groove, and the sliding portion can slide with the guide groove to connect the metal plate 200 with the metal shell 100. During the installation process, the guide groove has a guiding function, which is conducive to improving the installation efficiency. Further, in order to improve the connection firmness between the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100, when the sliding portion slides into place relative to the guide groove, the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 can be locked by a threaded connector or a snap-on structure, thereby preventing the two from accidentally sliding.

[0041] In an optional embodiment, the metal shell 100 includes a shell 120 and a partition 130, the partition 130 is arranged in the shell 120 to divide the accommodating cavity into a first accommodating cavity and a second accommodating cavity, the feeding network 300 includes a first sub-feeding network 310 and a second sub-feeding network 320 arranged at intervals, the first sub-feeding network 310 is arranged in the first accommodating cavity, and the second sub-feeding network 320 is arranged in the second accommodating cavity, each radiation unit 400 includes a first radiator 410 and a second radiator 420, and optionally, the first radiator 410 and the second radiator 420 can be radiators of different polarizations, that is, the radiation unit 400 is fed by dual polarization, so that the electromagnetic wave radiated by the radiation unit 400 covers a larger area. The first radiator 410 is electrically connected to the first output end of the first sub-feeding network 310, and the second radiator 420 is electrically connected to the second output end of the second sub-feeding network 320. In this solution, the partition 130 separates the first sub-feeding network 310 and the second sub-feeding network 320 to avoid mutual interference between the electrical signals transmitted by the two, thereby improving the radiation performance of the first radiator 410 and the second radiator 420. Of course, the accommodating cavity formed by the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 can also be a continuous accommodating space, that is, the partition 130 does not need to be set in the accommodating cavity.

[0042] Optionally, the feed network 300 may be a circuit board, specifically, the first sub-feed network 310 and the second sub-feed network 320 may be circuit boards; or, the feed network 300 may be an air stripline, that is, the stripline used to transmit current is in a bare state, does not need to be wrapped by a dielectric layer, and is directly in contact with the air in the accommodating cavity, and has the characteristics of low loss, small volume, light weight, and wide bandwidth. Specifically, at least one of the first sub-feed network 310 and the second sub-feed network 320 is an air stripline to reduce energy loss, thereby improving the radiation performance of the first radiator 410 and the second radiator 420. Optionally, the stripline in the above-mentioned air stripline is a metal structure, and its current loss is small.

[0043] Optionally, the partition 130 contacts the side of the metal plate 200 facing the top surface of the accommodating cavity, that is, the partition 130 is supported on the metal plate 200; or, in other embodiments, the partition 130 and the metal plate 200 are plugged into each other, thereby increasing the connection area between the two, so as to further improve the connection stability between the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200.

[0044] Optionally, each radiating unit 400 can be electrically connected to the feeding network 300 through a coaxial line; or, in another embodiment, each radiating unit 400 has a feeding probe 430, and the feeding probe 430 has a feeding port, one end of the feeding probe 430 passes through the metal shell 100 or the metal plate 200 and extends into the accommodating cavity and is electrically connected to the feeding network 300, and the other end of the feeding probe 430 is connected to the radiating part of the radiating unit 400. In this embodiment, the feeding probe 430 is directly connected to the feeding network 300 to avoid the use of a coaxial line. The radiating unit 400 is electrically connected to the feeding network 300 in a cable-free manner to shorten the current path, which can not only reduce the amount of coaxial line used, but also reduce the loss of each radiating unit 400; and the internal space of the accommodating cavity can be saved, thereby improving the passive intermodulation index of the array antenna, and then improving the radiation performance of the array antenna.

[0045] Optionally, the feeding probe 430 and the feeding network 300 may be connected by welding, plugging, coupling connection, etc., which is not specifically limited in the embodiment of the present application.

[0046] In an optional embodiment, the first output end of the first sub-feed network 310 is arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the first radiator 410, and the multiple first output ends of the first sub-feed network 310 are electrically connected to the same first input end of the first sub-feed network 310, so as to reduce the number of first input ends and facilitate the electrical connection of the first input end with the feed source. Similarly, the second output end of the second sub-feed network 320 is arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the second radiator 420, and the multiple second output ends of the second sub-feed network 320 are electrically connected to the same second input end of the second sub-feed network 320, so as to reduce the number of second input ends and facilitate the electrical connection of the second input end with the feed source.

[0047] In another optional embodiment, the array antenna further includes a first support member 510 and a second support member 520, and the first support member 510 and the second support member 520 are both arranged in a housing cavity formed by the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100, and the first support member 510, the feed network 300, the second support member 520 and the metal plate 200 are stacked in sequence along the height direction of the housing cavity, and the height of the housing cavity here can specifically be the size of the housing cavity in the vertical direction when the array antenna is placed on a horizontal plane. In this solution, the first support member 510 and the second support member 520 respectively separate the two opposite sides of the feed network 300 from the top and bottom surfaces of the housing cavity, thereby preventing the feed network 300 from contacting the inner wall of the housing cavity and causing a short circuit; in addition, the first support member 510 and the second support member 520 can prevent the feed network 300 from deforming with the housing cavity, and can improve the position accuracy of the feed network 300, so that each radiation unit 400 is electrically connected to the feed network 300.

[0048] In a further optional embodiment, in the height direction of the accommodating cavity, the orthographic projection of the first support member 510 and the orthographic projection of the second support member 520 are both located within the orthographic projection of the feed network 300, that is, in the height direction of the accommodating cavity, the orthographic projection area of ​​the first support member 510 and the orthographic projection area of ​​the second support member 520 are both smaller than the orthographic projection area of ​​the feed network 300, so as to reduce the coverage area of ​​the first support member 510 and the second support member 520 on the feed network 300, thereby increasing the contact area between the feed network 300 and the air, and further reducing the loss of the feed network 300. Furthermore, the first support member 510 and the second support member 520 can adopt a mesh structure, so as to further increase the contact area between the feed network 300 and the air.

[0049] Optionally, in an embodiment where the feeding network 300 includes a first sub-feeding network 310 and a second sub-feeding network 320 that are spaced apart, the first output end of the first sub-feeding network 310 and the second output end of the second sub-feeding network 320 can both be close to the partition 130. At this time, the feeding probe 430 of the first radiator 410 and the feeding probe 430 of the second radiator 420 are staggered with the second support member 520 disposed in the first accommodating cavity and the second support member 520 disposed in the second accommodating cavity, respectively, to facilitate the connection between the feeding probe 430 and the feeding network 300.

[0050] In an optional embodiment, the radiation unit 400 and the metal shell 100 or the metal plate 200 are an integrated structure, which is convenient for installation to improve the assembly efficiency of the array antenna. At the same time, the radiation unit 400 and the metal shell 100 or the metal plate 200 do not need to be assembled, so the assembly process of the array antenna can be reduced and its production efficiency can be improved; and the radiation unit 400 and the metal shell 100 or the metal plate 200 do not need to be connected by other connectors, which can reduce the number of parts of the array antenna and reduce its weight. In addition, this solution can avoid the influence of assembly operations and other connectors on the intermodulation performance of the array antenna, so the intermodulation performance of the array antenna can be improved. Optionally, when the radiation unit 400 and the metal shell 100 or the metal plate 200 are an integrated structure, the two can be integrally injection molded, and the continuity of the connection is better.

[0051] In another embodiment, the array antenna further includes an adapter 600. Optionally, the adapter 600 may be a PCB board or other fixed plate, which is not specifically limited here. The radiation unit 400 is connected to the metal shell 100 or the metal plate 200 through the adapter 600, and the adapter 600 is arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the radiation unit 400. In this solution, the radiation unit 400 and the metal shell 100 or the metal plate 200 adopt a split structure to facilitate later disassembly and maintenance, and convenient transportation; and the setting of the adapter 600 can strengthen the structural strength of the metal shell 100 or the metal plate 200, and improve the installation stability of the radiation unit 400.

[0052] In another optional embodiment, in the height direction of the accommodating cavity, the orthographic projection of the metal shell 100 is located within the orthographic projection of the metal plate 200. The height of the accommodating cavity here can specifically be the size of the accommodating cavity in the vertical direction when the array antenna is placed on a horizontal plane. In this solution, the edge of the metal plate 200 extends relative to the metal shell 100, which not only facilitates the installation of the metal shell 100, but also the metal plate 200 can increase the area of ​​reflected electromagnetic waves to enhance the radiation performance of each radiation unit 400. Of course, in the height direction of the accommodating cavity, the contour line of the orthographic projection of the metal shell 100 and the contour line of the orthographic projection of the metal plate 200 can also coincide.

[0053] Optionally, the number of metal shells 100 can be one; or, the number of metal shells 100 is at least two, and each metal shell 100 is connected in sequence along the length direction of the metal plate 200. At this time, the number of radiation units 400 corresponding to a single metal shell 100 is small, which facilitates the installation of the radiation unit 400.

[0054] like Figure 7As shown, based on the array antenna provided in the embodiment of the present application, the embodiment of the present application further provides an assembly method of the array antenna, which is applied to the array antenna described in any of the above embodiments, and the assembly method includes:

[0055] S100 , installing the feeding network 300 into the metal housing 100 or on the metal plate 200 .

[0056] In this step, the feed network 300 is installed in the metal shell 100 , specifically, the feed network 300 is installed in the accommodation space surrounded by the concave surface of the metal shell 100 facing the metal plate 200 ; the feed network 300 can be installed on the metal plate 200 through an insulating support.

[0057] S200 , connecting the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 to form a receiving cavity, and the feeding network 300 in the receiving cavity is electrically connected to the radiation unit 400 .

[0058] In the embodiment of the present application, the metal plate 200 is separately provided from the metal shell 100. In this case, during the assembly of the array antenna, the feeding network 300 can be first installed into the metal shell 100 by a robot, and then the metal plate 200 can be connected to the metal shell 100 to form a receiving cavity, thereby facilitating the installation of the feeding network 300. When the array antennas are mass-produced, the use of a robot for installation can ensure the installation consistency of the feeding network 300 and improve the production efficiency of the array antenna. In addition, when the metal plate 200 is separately provided from the metal shell 100, during transportation, the avoidance or hollowed-out parts of the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 can be supported to prevent deformation thereof, thereby improving the passive intermodulation index of the array antenna after installation, and thereby improving the sensitivity of its received signal.

[0059] In an optional embodiment, the connecting of the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 in step S200 specifically includes:

[0060] S210 , welding the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 .

[0061] In this solution, since welding has the characteristics of good connection performance and greater structural rigidity, the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 are connected by welding, which is conducive to improving the connection firmness between the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100. Of course, the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 can be detachably connected by connecting parts such as bolts and screws.

[0062] In a further optional embodiment, the welding in step S210 may specifically include laser penetration welding, side laser welding of the contact surface, and laser welding after seam assembly.

[0063] Among them, the specific operation process of laser penetration welding is as follows: Figure 4 As shown, the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 are placed in an up-and-down stacking manner, and a laser beam is used to vertically irradiate the side of the metal plate 200 that is away from the metal shell 100, and the laser beam is moved on this side according to a preset welding trajectory and a preset welding speed, and the welding operation is performed in a continuous cycle for multiple times, and finally the metal plate 200 is penetrated, so that the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 are welded together.

[0064] The specific operation process of the side laser welding of the contact surface is as follows: Figure 5 As shown, the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 are placed in an up-and-down stacking manner, and a laser beam is used to irradiate the joint between the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 at a certain angle. The laser beam is moved along the joint according to a preset welding trajectory and a preset welding speed, and the welding operation is performed in a continuous cycle for multiple times, and finally the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 are welded and fixed together.

[0065] The specific operation process of laser welding after seam assembly is as follows: Figure 6 As shown, the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 are placed in an up-and-down stacking manner, and the metal shell 100 is provided with a plug-in portion 110 at one end facing the metal plate 200, and the metal plate 200 is provided with a plug-in hole 210. After the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 are connected by plugging the plug-in portion 110 and the plug-in hole 210, a laser beam is used to weld and fix the metal plate 200 at the joint between the plug-in hole 210 on the side of the metal plate 200 away from the metal shell 100 and the plug-in portion 110 of the metal shell 100.

[0066] Optionally, the number of the plug-in parts 110 may be at least two, and in this case, each plug-in part 110 may be a plug pin, thereby increasing the connection area between the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 .

[0067] Optionally, the radiation unit 400 may be disposed on the metal housing 100 or the metal plate 200 .

[0068] In one embodiment, when the radiation unit 400 is disposed in the metal shell 100, the radiation unit 400 and the metal shell 100 may be an integrated structure or a split structure, so as to facilitate transportation and subsequent disassembly and maintenance. When the radiation unit 400 and the metal shell 100 are a split structure, before step S100, the following steps are further included:

[0069] S310 , installing at least two radiation units 400 to the metal housing 100 .

[0070] In this solution, before installing the feeding network 300, the radiation unit 400 and the metal shell 100 are first installed to form a module structure, and then the feeding network 300 is installed in the metal shell 100 so that the feeding network 300 is electrically connected to the radiation unit 400 on the metal shell 100; or, the feeding network 300 is installed on the metal plate 200, and then the metal plate 200 is installed on the metal shell 100, and at the same time, the feeding network 300 is electrically connected to the radiation unit 400.

[0071] In another embodiment, when the radiation unit 400 is disposed on the metal plate 200, the radiation unit 400 and the metal plate 200 may be an integrated structure or a split structure, so as to facilitate transportation and subsequent disassembly and maintenance. When the radiation unit 400 and the metal plate 200 are a split structure, before step S100, the following steps are further included:

[0072] S320 , installing at least two radiation units 400 on the metal plate 200 .

[0073] In this solution, before installing the feeding network 300, the radiation unit 400 and the metal plate 200 are first installed to form a module structure, and then the feeding network 300 is installed in the metal shell 100, and then the metal shell 100 is installed to the metal plate 200, and at the same time, the feeding network 300 is electrically connected to the radiation unit 400; or, the feeding network 300 is installed on the metal plate 200 so that the feeding network 300 is electrically connected to the radiation unit 400 on the metal plate 200, and then the metal shell 100 is installed on the metal plate 200.

[0074] The embodiments of the present application are described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the present application is not limited to the above-mentioned specific implementation methods. The above-mentioned specific implementation methods are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Under the guidance of the present application, ordinary technicians in this field can also make many forms without departing from the purpose of the present application and the scope of protection of the claims, all of which are within the protection of the present application.

Claims

1. An array antenna, characterized in that: The invention comprises a metal shell (100), a metal plate (200), a feeding network (300) and at least two radiating units (400), wherein each of the radiating units (400) is arranged on the metal shell (100) or the metal plate (200), the metal plate (200) and the metal shell (100) are arranged separately and connected to form a receiving cavity, the feeding network (300) is arranged in the receiving cavity, and the feeding port of each of the radiating units (400) is electrically connected to the feeding network (300).

2. The array antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The metal plate (200) is welded to the metal shell (100).

3. The array antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that: The metal plate (200) is provided with a plug hole (210), and the metal shell (100) is provided with a plug portion (110). The plug portion (110) is plugged into and matched with the plug hole (210), and the peripheral surface of the plug portion (110) is welded to the side wall of the plug hole (210).

4. The array antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The metal shell (100) comprises an outer shell (120) and a partition (130), wherein the partition (130) is arranged in the outer shell (120) to divide the accommodating cavity into a first accommodating cavity and a second accommodating cavity; the feeding network (300) comprises a first sub-feeding network (310) and a second sub-feeding network (320) which are arranged at intervals; the first sub-feeding network (310) is arranged in the first accommodating cavity; and the second sub-feeding network (320) is arranged in the second accommodating cavity; each of the radiation units (400) comprises a first radiator (410) and a second radiator (420); the first radiator (410) is electrically connected to a first output end of the first sub-feeding network (310), and the second radiator (420) is electrically connected to a second output end of the second sub-feeding network (320).

5. The array antenna according to claim 4, characterized in that: At least one of the first sub-feed network (310) and the second sub-feed network (320) is an air stripline.

6. The array antenna according to claim 4, characterized in that: The partition plate (130) is plug-fitted into the metal plate (200).

7. The array antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the radiation units (400) has a feeding probe (430), the feeding probe (430) has the feeding port, and one end of the feeding probe (430) passes through the metal shell (100) or the metal plate (200) and extends into the accommodating cavity and is electrically connected to the feeding network (300).

8. The array antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The array antenna further comprises a first support member (510) and a second support member (520), wherein the first support member (510) and the second support member (520) are both arranged in the accommodating cavity, and the first support member (510), the feeding network (300), the second support member (520) and the metal plate (200) are stacked in sequence along the height direction of the accommodating cavity.

9. The array antenna according to claim 8, characterized in that: In the height direction of the accommodating cavity, the orthographic projection of the first support member (510) and the orthographic projection of the second support member (520) are both located within the orthographic projection of the feeding network (300).

10. The array antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The radiation unit (400) and the metal shell (100) or the metal plate (200) are an integrated structure; or, The array antenna further comprises an adapter (600), the radiation unit (400) is connected to the metal shell (100) or the metal plate (200) via the adapter (600), and the adapter (600) and the radiation unit (400) are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence.

11. The array antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the height direction of the accommodating cavity, the orthographic projection of the metal shell (100) is located within the orthographic projection of the metal plate (200).

12. A method for assembling an array antenna, characterized in that: Applied to the array antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 11, the assembly method comprises: S100, installing the feeding network in a metal casing or on a metal plate; S200, connecting the metal plate and the metal shell to form a receiving cavity, wherein the feeding network in the receiving cavity is electrically connected to a radiation unit.

13. The assembly method according to claim 12, characterized in that: The step S200 of connecting the metal plate and the metal shell specifically includes: S210, welding the metal plate and the metal shell.

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