Phase shifter, antenna and communication base station

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a phase shifter, an antenna and a communication base station, relates to the technical field of communication, and aims to solve the problems of large transmission loss and large size of the phase shifter. The phase shifter comprises a bearing plate, a metal shell, a fixed medium, a sliding medium and a metal feed sheet. Wherein the bearing plate comprises a first metal layer arranged on one side; the metal shell is fixedly attached to the surface of the first metal layer and electrically connected with the first metal layer. The fixed medium is fixedly installed in the metal shell, and the metal shell and the fixed medium define a sliding cavity. The relative dielectric constant of the fixed medium is greater than 1. The sliding medium is arranged in the sliding cavity, and the sliding medium located in the sliding cavity can slide relative to the fixed medium; the sliding medium is provided with a sliding groove with an opening facing the fixed medium. The metal feed sheet is installed on the fixed medium and comprises a phase shift circuit extending into the chute. The phase shifter can be applied to an antenna and a communication base station.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of communication equipment, and in particular to a phase shifter, an antenna and a communication base station. Background Art

[0002] With the development of communication technology, MIMO (multiple input multiple output) technology is used to increase channel capacity and improve network speed; this also leads to the need for larger antenna arrays, more antenna elements, and more complex antenna feeding circuits for antennas in communication base stations; at the same time, greater power is required to improve the coverage of antenna beams and signal quality.

[0003] The phase shifter is a key component in the antenna feed circuit, which is used to adjust the transmission phase of the antenna feed circuit to achieve the beamforming of the antenna array. The size of the phase shifter and the size of the transmission loss affect the size and transmission loss of the antenna and base station. However, the phase shifter in the related art has the problems of large transmission loss and large size. Summary of the invention

[0004] The embodiments of the present application provide a phase shifter, an antenna, and a communication base station, which are used to improve the problems of large transmission loss and large size of the phase shifter.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of the present application adopt the following technical solutions:

[0006] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a phase shifter, which includes a carrier plate, a metal shell, a fixed medium, a sliding medium and a metal feed sheet. The carrier plate includes a first metal layer arranged on one side; the metal shell is mounted and fixed on the surface of the first metal layer and is electrically connected to the first metal layer.

[0007] The fixed medium is fixedly installed in the metal shell, and the metal shell and the fixed medium are enclosed to form a sliding cavity; the relative dielectric constant of the fixed medium is greater than 1. The sliding medium is arranged in the sliding cavity, and the sliding medium in the sliding cavity can slide relative to the fixed medium; the sliding medium has a sliding groove opening toward the fixed medium. The metal feed sheet is installed on the fixed medium and includes a phase shift circuit extending into the sliding groove.

[0008] In the phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present application, the sliding medium, the metal shell, the metal feed plate and the fixed medium together constitute a stripline structure, which has the advantage of low insertion loss compared to the PCB microstrip line in the related art; thus, it is beneficial to reduce the transmission loss of the phase shifter; and the fixed medium has a high relative dielectric constant, which is beneficial to reduce the size of the phase shifter. In addition, the metal shell is fixedly connected to the carrier board by mounting, which can simplify the connection structure and connection method, thereby helping to reduce the size of the phase shifter; and further, it is beneficial to miniaturize the phase shifter.

[0009] In some embodiments, the metal shell and the first metal layer are fixed by welding or conductive adhesive. In the phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present application, different mounting and fixing methods can be applied, and the mounting operation is simple and easy to implement, which is conducive to reducing the assembly difficulty and assembly cost of the phase shifter.

[0010] In some embodiments, the metal shell is provided with a positioning pin protruding toward the carrier plate, and the carrier plate is provided with a positioning hole that cooperates with the positioning pin; when the metal shell and the first metal layer are mounted and fixed, the positioning pin extends into the positioning hole. Through the cooperation of the positioning pin and the positioning hole, the accuracy of the relative position of the metal shell and the first metal layer can be ensured during and after the mounting and fixing of the metal shell and the first metal layer.

[0011] In some embodiments, the portion of the metal housing that contacts the first metal layer includes a plurality of spaced connection portions and an overflow notch at the edge of the connection portion; the connection portion is mounted and fixed to the first metal layer. By providing a plurality of spaced connection portions, it is beneficial to reduce the connection area while ensuring the connection reliability, thereby helping to save costs. By providing an overflow notch, it is possible to avoid the overflow of mounting materials (such as solder paste and conductive glue) between the connection portion and the first metal layer and affecting other structures.

[0012] In some embodiments, the metal housing includes a connecting plate, a first side plate and a second side plate; the first side plate and the second side plate are arranged opposite to each other on the same side of the connecting plate and are respectively connected to the connecting plate.

[0013] The fixing medium is located between the first side plate and the second side plate, and the first side plate and the second side plate are respectively connected to two side surfaces of the fixing medium.

[0014] In the phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present application, the metal shell adopts a U-shaped structure, and the fixed medium is installed in the accommodating cavity of the U-shaped structure and surrounds it to form a sliding cavity; the structure is simple, easy to assemble, and occupies a small volume.

[0015] In some embodiments, the outer side surface of the first side plate or the second side plate is mounted and fixed to the first metal layer; or, the outer side surface of the connecting plate is mounted and fixed to the first metal layer; or, the end surfaces of the first side plate and the second side plate away from the connecting plate are mounted and fixed to the first metal layer.

[0016] In the phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present application, the metal housing and the first metal layer can be mounted in a variety of different ways, with flexible mounting and good adaptability; and can be suitable for different application scenarios.

[0017] In some embodiments, the end surfaces of the first side plate and the second side plate away from the connecting plate are mounted and fixed to the first metal layer.

[0018] The first side plate and the second side plate both include a side plate end away from the connecting plate, and the side end includes a positioning pin protruding toward the carrier plate, and the carrier plate is provided with a positioning hole that cooperates with the positioning pin; when the metal shell and the first metal layer are mounted and fixed, the positioning pin extends into the positioning hole. Through the cooperation of the positioning pin and the positioning hole, the accuracy of the relative position of the metal shell and the first metal layer can be ensured during and after the mounting and fixing of the metal shell and the first metal layer.

[0019] In some embodiments, the end surfaces of the first side plate and the second side plate away from the connecting plate are mounted and fixed to the first metal layer.

[0020] The first side plate and the second side plate both include a side plate end away from the connecting plate, the side plate end includes a plurality of connecting parts spaced apart along the length direction, the connecting parts are mounted and fixed to the first metal layer; the side plate end also includes an overflow notch located at the edge of the connecting part in the length direction.

[0021] By providing a plurality of spaced connection parts, it is beneficial to reduce the connection area while ensuring the connection reliability, thereby saving costs. By providing an overflow notch, it is possible to prevent the overflow of mounting materials (such as solder paste and conductive glue) between the connection part and the first metal layer from affecting other structures.

[0022] In some embodiments, the first side plate and the second side plate further include a limiting opening, which passes through the end face of the first side plate and the second side plate away from the connecting plate; the fixing medium is provided with a limiting protrusion; when the fixing medium is connected to the metal shell, the limiting protrusion extends into the limiting opening. In the phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present application, the metal shell and the fixing medium adopt the method of matching the limiting opening and the limiting protrusion to achieve the limiting fixation of the two, which has a simple structure and does not require an additional connecting device, which is conducive to reducing the size of the phase shifter.

[0023] In some embodiments, the metal shell further includes an opening baffle, which is arranged opposite to the connecting plate and connected to both the first side plate and the second side plate; the fixing medium is located on a side of the opening baffle close to the connecting plate. By providing the opening baffle, the metal shell can form a closed surrounding structure, which is conducive to improving the stability and reliability of the metal shell and is conducive to forming a shielding cavity with better shielding effect.

[0024] In some embodiments, the metal housing further includes a partition plate connected to the connecting plate, wherein the partition plate is located between the first side plate and the second side plate and is parallel to the first side plate and the second side plate.

[0025] The fixing medium includes a first fixing medium and a second fixing medium respectively located on both sides of the partition plate.

[0026] The sliding cavity comprises a first sliding cavity formed by a first fixing medium and a metal shell, and a second sliding cavity formed by a second fixing medium and a metal shell.

[0027] The sliding medium includes a first sliding medium and a second sliding medium respectively located in the first sliding cavity and the second sliding cavity. The first sliding medium located in the first sliding cavity can slide relative to the first fixed medium, and the second sliding medium located in the second sliding cavity can slide relative to the second fixed medium. The first sliding medium has a first sliding groove opening toward the first fixed medium, and the second sliding medium has a second sliding groove opening toward the second fixed medium.

[0028] The metal feeding plate includes a first circuit part and a second circuit part respectively located on both sides of the partition plate. The first circuit part is installed on the first fixed medium and includes a phase shifting circuit extending into the first slide groove; the second circuit part is installed on the second fixed medium and includes a phase shifting circuit extending into the second slide groove.

[0029] The phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present application may have two or more accommodating cavities, and a stripline structure may be formed in each accommodating cavity; thereby facilitating the integration of more phase shifting circuits, forming a more complex antenna feeding circuit, and facilitating improving the integration of the phase shifter.

[0030] In some embodiments, the metal feed sheet further includes an inter-cavity circuit portion connecting the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion; and the partition plate is provided with an inter-cavity opening for allowing the inter-cavity circuit portion to pass through. In the phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present application, the circuit portions located in different accommodating cavities can be interconnected, thereby facilitating the formation of a more complex antenna feeding circuit and improving the integration of the phase shifter.

[0031] In some embodiments, the first circuit portion includes at least two phase shifting circuits extending into the first slide slot; and / or, the second circuit portion includes at least two phase shifting circuits extending into the second slide slot. In the phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present application, more than one phase shifting circuit can be arranged in the accommodating cavity, which is conducive to forming a more complex antenna feeding circuit and improving the integration of the phase shifter.

[0032] In some embodiments, the metal feed plate includes a phase shift circuit and a power division circuit. Such a design is conducive to forming a more complex antenna feeding circuit and improving the integration of the phase shifter.

[0033] In some embodiments, the metal feed sheet includes a connecting pin, and the connecting pin is electrically connected to the second metal layer on the carrier board; or the connecting pin is suspended relative to the carrier board. In the case where the connecting pin is suspended relative to the carrier board, a direct connection between the connecting pin and the connecting device can be achieved, thereby eliminating the need for switching of the carrier board or cable, which is beneficial to reducing transmission loss.

[0034] In some embodiments, the metal feed sheet is a sheet metal strip line. Such a design can reduce the processing difficulty and processing cost of the metal feed sheet.

[0035] In some embodiments, the metal shell is a sheet metal structure. Such a design can reduce the difficulty and cost of processing the metal shell, and is conducive to reducing the thickness of the metal shell and reducing the occupied volume, thereby facilitating the miniaturization of the phase shifter.

[0036] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application also provides an antenna, which includes an antenna element and a phase shifter as described in the embodiment of the first aspect, wherein the antenna element is electrically connected to the phase shifter.

[0037] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application also provides a communication base station, which includes an antenna and a base station host as described in the embodiment of the second aspect, and the base station host is electrically connected to the antenna.

[0038] The technical effects that can be achieved by the antenna and communication base station provided in the embodiments of the present application are the same as the technical effects that can be achieved by the phase shifter in any of the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Exploded view of the mid-phaser;

[0041] Figure 3 for Figure 1 and Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the metal shell;

[0042] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the metal shell at another angle;

[0043] Figure 5 for Figure 1 and Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the metal feed plate;

[0044] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the metal feed plate at another angle;

[0045] Figure 7 for Figure 1 and Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the fixed medium;

[0046] Figure 8 for Figure 1 and Figure 2 Structural schematic diagram of the metal housing, metal feed plate and fixing structure;

[0047] Fig. 9 for Figure 1 and Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the sliding medium;

[0048] Fig.10 A schematic diagram of the structure of another phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] Fig.11 A schematic diagram of the structure of another phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] Fig.12 A schematic diagram of the structure of another phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] Fig.13 A schematic diagram of the structure of an antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0052] Fig.14 A schematic diagram of the structure of a communication base station provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments.

[0054] In the following, in the embodiments of the present application, the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used for convenience of description and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first", "second", etc. may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0055] In the embodiments of the present application, "up", "down", "left" and "right" are not limited to being defined relative to the orientation of the components schematically placed in the drawings. It should be understood that these directional terms may be relative concepts. They are used for relative description and clarification, and may change accordingly according to changes in the orientation of the components placed in the drawings.

[0056] In the embodiments of the present application, unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims, the term "including" is interpreted as an open, inclusive meaning, that is, "including, but not limited to". In the description of the specification, the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "exemplary embodiments", "exemplarily" or "some examples" and the like are intended to indicate that specific features, structures, materials or characteristics associated with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. The schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. In addition, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be included in any one or more embodiments or examples in any appropriate manner.

[0057] As used herein, "about," "substantially," or "approximately" includes the stated value and an average value that is within an acceptable range of variation from the particular value as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art taking into account the measurements in question and the errors associated with the measurement of the particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system).

[0058] As used herein, "parallel", "perpendicular", and "equal" include the situations described and situations similar to the situations described, and the range of the similar situations is within the acceptable deviation range, wherein the acceptable deviation range is determined by a person of ordinary skill in the art taking into account the measurement in question and the errors associated with the measurement of a particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system). For example, "parallel" includes absolute parallelism and approximate parallelism, wherein the acceptable deviation range of approximate parallelism may be, for example, a deviation within 5°; "perpendicular" includes absolute perpendicularity and approximate perpendicularity, wherein the acceptable deviation range of approximate perpendicularity may also be, for example, a deviation within 5°. "Equal" includes absolute equality and approximate equality, wherein the acceptable deviation range of approximate equality may be, for example, the difference between the two equalities is less than or equal to 5% of either one.

[0059] It will be understood that when a layer or an element is referred to as being on another layer or substrate, it can be directly on the other layer or substrate, or intervening layers may be present between the layer or element and the other layer or substrate.

[0060] In the embodiments of the present application, exemplary embodiments are described with reference to cross-sectional views and / or plan views and / or equivalent circuit diagrams as idealized exemplary drawings. In the drawings, the thickness of the layers and regions is magnified for clarity. Therefore, it is conceivable that the shape changes relative to the drawings are caused by, for example, manufacturing technology and / or tolerances. Therefore, the exemplary embodiments should not be interpreted as being limited to the shapes of the regions shown herein, but include shape deviations caused by, for example, manufacturing. For example, an etched region shown as a rectangle will generally have curved features. Therefore, the regions shown in the drawings are schematic in nature, and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the actual shapes of the regions of the device, and are not intended to limit the scope of the exemplary embodiments.

[0061] The present application embodiment provides a phase shifter 1, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the phase shifter 1 includes a carrier board 2 and a mounting component 7 fixedly mounted on the carrier board 2; wherein the carrier board 2 can be any plate-like structure capable of carrying circuits and devices, such as a printed circuit board (PCB) or a plastic board, etc. The carrier board 2 is provided with a first metal layer 22 on one side for connecting the mounting component 7.

[0062] In this embodiment, if Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the carrier plate 2 includes a substrate 21 and a first metal layer 22. The substrate 21 is a plate-like structure whose thickness direction is parallel to the first direction X. The plate-like structure includes a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite to each other in the first direction X. The first surface and the second surface are both parallel to the second direction Y and the third direction Z. The first direction X, the second direction Y and the third direction Z can be perpendicular to each other. Figure 2 In the orientation shown, the first direction X is the longitudinal direction, and the first surface is located above the second surface, that is, the first surface is the upper surface of the substrate 21, and the second surface is the lower surface of the carrier plate 2. In the carrier plate 2, the first metal layer 22 is arranged on the first surface of the substrate 21.

[0063] Please continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , a mounting component 7 is fixedly mounted on the carrier board 2, and the mounting component 7 includes a metal shell 6, a fixed medium 4, a sliding medium 5 and a metal feed sheet 3. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the metal shell 6 includes a connecting plate 61, a first side plate 62, a second side plate 64 and a partition plate 63, and the first side plate 62, the second side plate 64 and the partition plate 63 are all vertically arranged on one side of the connecting plate 61. Exemplarily, the first side plate 62, the second side plate 64 and the partition plate 63 are all vertically connected to the connecting plate 61.

[0064] The first side plate 62 and the second side plate 64 can adopt the same plate-like structure and are arranged opposite to each other; the first side plate 62 and the second side plate 64 arranged opposite to each other can be connected to the two opposite sides of the connecting plate 61 respectively. The first side plate 62, the second side plate 64 and the connecting plate 61 form a U-shaped structure, and the U-shaped structure surrounds and forms the accommodating cavity 8. The partition plate 63 is a plate-like structure parallel to the first side plate 62 and the second side plate 64. The plate-like structure is arranged between the first side plate 62 and the second side plate 64, and divides the accommodating cavity 8 into two. The accommodating cavity 8 is divided by the partition plate 63 into a first accommodating cavity 81 and a second accommodating cavity 82 located on both sides of the partition plate 63 respectively.

[0065] The metal shell 6 can be a sheet metal structure formed by a profile through a sheet metal process. Such a design can reduce the thickness of the metal shell 6, thereby making it easier to miniaturize the phase shifter 1; in addition, the sheet metal process can also reduce the processing difficulty of the metal shell 6 and improve the processing efficiency of the metal shell 6.

[0066] In the phase shifter 1 provided in the embodiment of the present application, the fixed installation of the mounting component 7 and the carrier board 2 can be achieved by mounting and fixing the metal shell 6 and the first metal layer 22, and the metal shell 6 and the first metal layer 22 can also be electrically connected therebetween by mounting and fixing.

[0067] In this embodiment, the mounting and fixing of the metal shell 6 and the first metal layer 22 is achieved by welding the end surfaces of the first side plate 62 and the second side plate 64 to the first metal layer 22, that is, the first side plate 62 and the second side plate 64 include the end of the side plate away from the connecting plate 61; when the metal shell 6 is mounted and fixed to the first metal layer 22 on the carrier plate 2, the end surface of the end of the side plate is attached to the first metal layer 22, and the metal shell 6 is welded and fixed to the first metal layer 22 by the SMT (Surface Mounted Technology) process, and the electrical connection between the metal shell 6 and the first metal layer 22 is achieved at the same time. Among them, the SMT process includes applying solder paste on the first metal layer 22, then attaching the end surface of the end of the side plate to the surface of the first metal layer 22, and then mounting and fixing the metal shell 6 and the first metal layer 22 by reflow soldering.

[0068] like Figure 1As shown, after the metal shell 6 is mounted and fixed to the first metal layer 22, the connecting plate 61 in the metal shell 6 is parallel to the carrier plate 2, that is, it is a plate-like structure parallel to the second direction Y and the third direction Z, and the first side plate 62, the second side plate 64 and the partition plate 63 are all vertically connected to the carrier plate 2, that is, they are all plate-like structures parallel to the first direction X and the second direction Y. In addition, the first side plate 62, the partition plate 63 and the second side plate 64 are arranged at intervals along the third direction Z. The opening of the U-shaped structure formed by the first side plate 62, the second side plate 64 and the connecting plate 61 faces the carrier plate 2; the accommodating cavity 8, the first accommodating cavity 81 and the second accommodating cavity 82 are all cavity structures that penetrate the metal shell 6 in the second direction Y.

[0069] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the end of the side plate includes a plurality of spaced connection portions 66 in the length direction. It should be noted that the length direction of the end of the side plate here is the length direction of the first side plate 62 and the second side plate 64, that is, the direction parallel to the second direction Y. When the end of the side plate contacts the first metal layer 22, the metal shell 6 and the carrier plate 2 can be mounted and fixed by welding the connection portion 66 and the first metal layer 22. By providing a plurality of spaced connection portions 66, the metal shell 6 and the first metal layer 22 can be connected at intervals, thereby reducing the welding area while ensuring the reliability of the connection between the metal shell 6 and the carrier plate 2, which is conducive to reducing costs.

[0070] The end of the side plate may further include an overflow notch 67 located at the edge of the connection portion 66 in the length direction (parallel to the second direction Y). By providing the overflow notch 67, the connection portion 66 and other structures on the end of the side plate can be separated to prevent the solder from overflowing to other parts of the bottom of the metal shell 6 during welding. When the contact area between the connection portion 66 and the first metal layer 22 is large, or when all the end surfaces of the end of the side plate are connected to the first metal layer 22 by welding, the solder overflow situation will be improved, so the overflow notch 67 may not be provided.

[0071] In some embodiments, the end of the side panel also includes a positioning pin 65 extending toward the carrier board 2, and the positioning pin 65 protrudes from the end face; a positioning hole cooperating with the positioning pin 65 is provided on the carrier board 2, and when the metal shell 6 is mounted and fixed to the carrier board 2, the positioning pin 65 extends into the positioning hole, and through the cooperation between the positioning pin 65 and the positioning hole, the relative position between the carrier board 2 and the metal shell 6 is restricted, thereby ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the relative position between the two during and after the mounting and fixing of the metal shell 6 and the carrier board 2.

[0072] The above-mentioned structures of the metal shell 6 at the end of the side panel, such as the connecting portion 66, the overflow notch 67 and the positioning pin 65, can be formed by stamping the first side panel 62 and the second side panel 64. Such a design can reduce the processing difficulty of the metal shell 6 and realize the one-piece molding of the structure.

[0073] In some embodiments, the metal shell 6 may also include an opening baffle, which is arranged opposite to the connecting plate 61 and is connected to both the first side plate 62 and the second side plate 64; by setting the opening baffle, a closed enclosing structure can be formed; it is beneficial to fix the mounting component 7 and form a shielding cavity with better shielding effect.

[0074] Please continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The fixed medium 4, the sliding medium 5 and the metal feed sheet 3 are installed in the accommodating cavity 8 surrounded by the metal shell 6, wherein Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the metal feed sheet 3 can be a sheet metal strip formed by a sheet metal bending process, and the sheet metal strip forms an antenna feeding circuit by a winding design. The antenna feeding circuit may include two or more phase shifting circuits, and may also include a power division circuit for realizing power distribution. The metal feed sheet 3 also includes a connecting pin 35 for realizing the input and output of the antenna feeding circuit. The connecting pin 35 may include an RF input pin and an RF output pin, and the number of the RF input pin and the RF output pin may be determined according to the design of the antenna feeding circuit.

[0075] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, after the mounting component 7 is assembled with the carrier board 2, the connecting pins 35 in the metal feed sheet 3 can be electrically connected to the second metal layer provided on the carrier board 2, and the second metal layer integrates a circuit for switching the connecting pins 35.

[0076] Please continue to refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 In this embodiment, the metal feed sheet 3 includes a first circuit portion 3a, a second circuit portion 3b and an inter-cavity circuit portion 3c, and the first circuit portion 3a and the second circuit portion 3b are respectively located on both sides of the partition plate 63, that is, respectively located in the first accommodating cavity 81 and the second accommodating cavity 82. At least one phase shifting circuit can be provided in each of the first circuit portion 3a and the second circuit portion 3b.

[0077] The inter-cavity circuit portion 3c includes a sheet metal strip line segment for electrically connecting the first circuit portion 3a and the second circuit portion 3b. The sheet metal strip line segment can electrically connect the first circuit portion 3a and the second circuit portion 3b located in the first accommodating cavity 81 and the second accommodating cavity 82, respectively, according to the design of the antenna feeding circuit. Figure 4As shown, the partition plate 63 of the metal housing 6 is provided with an inter-cavity opening 69 for allowing the inter-cavity circuit portion 3c to pass through.

[0078] For example, Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the first circuit part 3a includes a first phase-shifting segment 31 and a second phase-shifting segment 32 arranged in the second direction Y, and the first phase-shifting segment 31 and the second phase-shifting segment 32 are both sheet metal strip line segments extending a certain length in the second direction Y. The second circuit part 3b includes a third phase-shifting segment 33 and a fourth phase-shifting segment 34 arranged in the second direction Y, and the third phase-shifting segment 33 and the fourth phase-shifting segment 34 are both sheet metal strip line segments extending a certain length in the second direction Y. In the metal feed sheet 3, the first phase-shifting segment 31, the second phase-shifting segment 32, the third phase-shifting segment 33 and the fourth phase-shifting segment 34 belong to four different phase-shifting circuits respectively.

[0079] The metal feed plate 3 also includes a T-shaped section for realizing a power distribution function, as well as a radio frequency input pin and four radio frequency output pins.

[0080] In some other embodiments, the first circuit portion 3a and / or the second circuit portion 3b may include only one phase shifting circuit, or include multiple phase shifting circuits arranged in the second direction Y, and the specific number of phase shifting circuits may be determined according to the design of the antenna feeding circuit.

[0081] In some other embodiments, the metal feeding plate 3 may also only include a phase shifting circuit but not a power division circuit.

[0082] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 The fixing medium 4 is disposed between the first side plate 62 and the second side plate 64 and is located in the end cavity portion of the accommodating cavity 8 away from the connecting plate 61. The first side plate 62 and the second side plate 64 are in contact with the two side surfaces of the fixing medium 4 in the second direction Y, respectively. The fixing medium 4 and the connecting plate 61, the first side plate 62 and the second side plate 64 in the metal shell 6 are surrounded to form a sliding cavity 9, and the sliding cavity 9 penetrates the metal shell 6 in the second direction Y.

[0083] In the embodiment where the metal housing 6 has an opening baffle, the fixing medium 4 is located on a side of the opening baffle close to the connecting plate 61 .

[0084] The fixing medium 4 is provided with a mounting groove for mounting the metal feed sheet 3, and part of the winding of the metal feed sheet 3 extends in the mounting groove, and the connecting pin 35 in the metal feed sheet 3 can be formed by bending the sheet metal strip line in the mounting groove. In this embodiment, the fixing medium 4 is provided with a pin notch that passes through the mounting groove at the bottom away from the connecting plate 61, and the connecting pin 35 is formed by bending the sheet metal strip line in the mounting groove toward the pin notch. When the mounting component 7 is fixedly mounted on the carrier board 2, the connecting pin 35 can contact the carrier board 2 and be electrically connected to the second metal layer provided on the carrier board 2.

[0085] The metal feed sheet 3 also has a part of the winding located outside the fixed medium 4 and extending into the sliding cavity 9; the metal feed sheet 3 located in the sliding cavity 9 includes a phase shifting circuit. The fixed medium 4 is made of a material with a relative dielectric constant greater than 1, such as plastic, ceramic, etc.; by providing the fixed medium 4, the relative dielectric constant of the medium filled in the accommodating cavity 8 can be increased, which is conducive to shortening the winding length of the metal feed sheet 3, and can reduce the size of the phase shifter 1, thereby facilitating the improvement of the integration of the phase shifter 1, and facilitating the miniaturization of the phase shifter 1.

[0086] In order to achieve the reliability of the connection between the metal shell 6 and the fixed medium 4, it is necessary to fix the relative position of the metal shell 6 and the fixed medium 4. The relative position between the metal shell 6 and the fixed medium 4 can be fixed by the interference fit between the metal shell 6 and the fixed medium 4, or by bonding the metal shell 6 and the fixed medium 4 in the contact area with a connecting glue, or by a limiting structure. Among them, the limiting structure may include a limiting protrusion 43 provided on the fixed medium 4, and a limiting opening 68 provided on the metal shell 6. When the fixed medium 4 is connected to the metal shell 6, the limiting protrusion 43 extends into the limiting opening 68, and the relative position of the fixed medium 4 and the metal shell 6 is limited by the cooperation of the limiting protrusion 43 and the limiting opening 68.

[0087] In this embodiment, if Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the fixed medium 4 includes a first fixed medium 41 and a second fixed medium 42 disposed on both sides of the partition plate 63, that is, the first fixed medium 41 and the second fixed medium 42 are respectively located in the first accommodating chamber 81 and the second accommodating chamber 82. The first fixed medium 41, the first side plate 62, the partition plate 63 and the connecting plate 61 together form a first sliding chamber 91 extending in the second direction Y, and the second fixed medium 42, the second side plate 64 and the partition plate 63 and the connecting plate 61 together form a second sliding chamber 92. In other words, the sliding chamber 9 is divided into a first sliding chamber 91 and a second sliding chamber 92 by the partition plate 63. The first phase shifter 31 and the second phase shifter 32 in the metal feed plate 3 are located in the first sliding chamber 91, and the third phase shifter 33 and the fourth phase shifter 34 in the metal feed plate 3 are located in the second sliding chamber 92.

[0088] The first fixing medium 41 is provided with a first limiting protrusion on the outer side away from the second fixing medium 42, and the first side plate 62 is provided with a first limiting opening matched with the first limiting protrusion, and the first limiting opening penetrates the end face of the first side plate 62 away from the connecting plate 61 along the first direction X. The second fixing medium 42 is provided with a second limiting protrusion on the outer side away from the first fixing medium 41, and the second side plate 64 is provided with a second limiting opening matched with the second limiting protrusion, and the second limiting opening penetrates the end face of the second side plate 64 away from the connecting plate 61 along the first direction X. When the metal shell 6 is assembled with the fixing medium 4, the metal shell 6 can be matched with the fixing medium 4 along the first direction X, the first limiting protrusion is inserted into the first limiting opening, and the second limiting protrusion is inserted into the second limiting opening, so as to realize the limiting match between the fixing medium 4 and the metal shell 6.

[0089] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Fig. 9 The sliding medium 5 is arranged in the sliding cavity 9 and is a rod-shaped structure in contact with the fixed medium 4. The rod-shaped structure extends along the second direction Y and extends out of at least one end of the sliding cavity 9. Under the contact support of the fixed medium 4, the sliding medium 5 can slide in the sliding cavity 9 along the second direction Y. The sliding medium 5 is provided with a slide groove with an opening toward the fixed medium 4 on the side close to the fixed medium 4. The slide groove has a certain length extending in the second direction Y, and the phase shift circuit located in the sliding cavity 9 extends into the slide groove. During the movement of the sliding medium 5 along the second direction Y, the sliding medium 5 covering the phase shift circuit can be changed, thereby realizing the phase shift function.

[0090] It can be seen from the above description that the fixed medium 4 has multiple functions. On the one hand, it can be connected to the metal shell 6 to form a sliding cavity 9 that allows the sliding medium 5 to slide; on the other hand, it can fix the metal feed plate 3 and shorten the winding length of the metal feed plate 3 by increasing the relative dielectric constant; on the other hand, it can achieve contact support for the sliding medium 5 and provide a structural basis for the sliding of the sliding medium 5.

[0091] Please continue to refer to Fig. 9 In this embodiment, the sliding medium 5 includes a first sliding medium 51 and a second sliding medium 52 located on both sides of the partition plate 63, wherein the first sliding medium 51 includes a first slide groove 53, and the first phase shifting section 31 and the second phase shifting section 32 are both located in the first slide groove 53. The second sliding medium 52 has a second slide groove 54, and the third phase shifting section 33 and the fourth phase shifting section 34 are both located in the second slide groove 54. The first sliding medium 51 and the second sliding medium 52 can be independent structures fixed together and sliding synchronously, or can be an integrated structure, or can be independent structures sliding separately.

[0092] In some other embodiments, the first sliding medium 51 may include a first sub-sliding medium 5 and a second sub-sliding medium 5 disconnected in the second direction Y, the first sub-sliding medium 5 having a first sub-sliding groove cooperating with the first phase-shifting segment 31, and extending out from the first sliding cavity 91 near the end of the first phase-shifting segment 31; the second sub-sliding medium 5 having a second sub-sliding groove cooperating with the second phase-shifting segment 32, and extending out from the first sliding cavity 91 near the end of the second phase-shifting segment 32; through the first sub-sliding medium 5 and the second sub-sliding medium 5, independent phase shift control of the first phase-shifting segment 31 and the second phase-shifting segment 32 can be achieved, and the control is more flexible.

[0093] Similarly, the second sliding medium 52 may include a third sub-sliding medium 5 and a fourth sub-sliding medium 5 disconnected in the second direction Y, the third sub-sliding medium 5 having a third sub-sliding groove cooperating with the third phase-shifting segment 33, and extending out from the end of the third phase-shifting segment 33 in the second sliding cavity 92; the fourth sub-sliding medium 5 having a fourth sub-sliding groove cooperating with the fourth phase-shifting segment 34, and extending out from the end of the fourth phase-shifting segment 34 in the second sliding cavity 92; through the third sub-sliding medium 5 and the fourth sub-sliding medium 5, independent phase shift control of the third phase-shifting segment 33 and the fourth phase-shifting segment 34 can be achieved, and the control is more flexible.

[0094] The assembly process of the phase shifter 1 having the above structure is as follows: the metal feed sheet 3 is mounted on the fixed medium 4, and then the sliding medium 5 is placed on the fixed medium 4, and the phase shift circuit is extended into the sliding groove of the sliding medium 5; then the metal shell 6 is connected to the fixed medium 4 to realize the integrated composition of the mounting component 7. After the mounting component 7 is assembled, the metal shell 6 is mounted and fixed to the carrier board 2.

[0095] It can be seen from the above description of the phase shifter 1 that in the phase shifter 1 provided in the embodiment of the present application, the assembly of the mount component 7 is achieved only by relying on its own structural design, without the need for additional fixing devices and connectors; and the mounting method of the mount component 7 and the carrier board is mount fixing, which also does not require additional fixing devices and connectors; such a design is conducive to reducing the volume of the mount component 7 and realizing the miniaturization of the mount component 7; at the same time, it is conducive to reducing the volume of the phase shifter 1 and realizing the miniaturization of the phase shifter 1.

[0096] In the phase shifter 1 provided in the embodiment of the present application, the sliding medium 5, the metal housing 6, the metal feed plate 3 and the fixed medium 4 together constitute a stripline structure, which has the advantage of low insertion loss compared to the PCB microstrip line in the related art. And the fixed medium 4 has a high relative dielectric constant, which is conducive to reducing the size. In addition, the metal feed plate 3 can realize the integration of the power division circuit and the phase shifting circuit, and the integration is high; it is conducive to the miniaturization of the phase shifter 1.

[0097] In the above embodiment, the connecting pin 35 is electrically connected to the second metal layer on the carrier board 2, but the embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto. For example, Fig.10 As shown, the connecting pin 35 can be suspended relative to the carrier board 2. Such a design can achieve direct connection with the connecting device 10, which can be a connector, a filter, etc.; thereby eliminating the carrier board 2 and cable switching, and reducing transmission losses.

[0098] In the above embodiment, the metal shell 6 and the carrier plate 2 are mounted and fixed by welding the end faces of the first side plate 62 and the second side plate 64 to the first metal layer 22. This article defines this assembly method as "normal installation"; however, the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this.

[0099] For example, Fig.11 As shown, the mounting and fixing method of the metal shell 6 and the carrier board 2 can be side mounting, that is, the metal shell 6 and the carrier board 2 are mounted by welding the outer side surface of the first side plate 62 or the second side plate 64 to the first metal layer 22.

[0100] For example, Fig.12 As shown, the mounting and fixing method of the metal shell 6 and the carrier board 2 can be flip-chip, that is, the outer side of the connecting plate 61 away from the accommodating cavity 8 is welded to the first metal layer 22 to realize the mounting of the metal shell 6 and the carrier board 2.

[0101] In the above embodiments, the mounting fixation and electrical connection are achieved by welding as an example to illustrate the solution, but the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this. For example, the mounting fixation and electrical connection can also be achieved by bonding with conductive adhesive.

[0102] The present application embodiment also provides an antenna, such as Fig.13 As shown, the antenna 100 includes an antenna element 11 and a phase shifter 1 electrically connected to the antenna element 11. The antenna 100 can be applied to communication devices that require antennas, such as communication base stations and radars.

[0103] The present application embodiment also provides a communication base station, such as Fig.14 As shown, the communication base station 200 includes a base station host 210 and an antenna 100 electrically connected to the base station host 210, wherein the base station host 210 may include a baseband processing unit (Building Base band Unite, abbreviated as BBU) and a remote radio unit (Remote Radio Unit, abbreviated as RRU).

[0104] The technical effects that can be achieved by the antenna 100 and the communication base station 200 provided in the embodiments of the present application are the same as the technical effects that can be achieved by the phase shifter 1 in any of the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0105] The above is only a specific implementation of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art who is familiar with the present technical field can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, which should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A phase shifter, characterized in that: include: A carrier plate, the carrier plate comprising a first metal layer disposed on one side; A metal shell, the metal shell is mounted and fixed on the surface of the first metal layer and is electrically connected to the first metal layer; A fixed medium, wherein the fixed medium is fixedly installed in the metal shell, and the metal shell and the fixed medium are surrounded to form a sliding cavity; the relative dielectric constant of the fixed medium is greater than 1; A sliding medium, wherein the sliding medium is disposed in the sliding cavity, and the sliding medium in the sliding cavity is capable of sliding relative to the fixed medium; The sliding medium has a slide groove opening toward the fixed medium; and A metal feed plate is mounted on the fixed medium and comprises a phase shift circuit extending into the slide slot.

2. The phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The metal shell and the first metal layer are fixed by welding or conductive adhesive bonding.

3. The phase shifter according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The metal shell is provided with a positioning pin protruding toward the carrier plate, and the carrier plate is provided with a positioning hole matched with the positioning pin; when the metal shell is mounted and fixed to the first metal layer, the positioning pin extends into the positioning hole.

4. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The portion of the metal shell in contact with the first metal layer includes a plurality of connection parts arranged at intervals and overflow notches located at the edges of the connection parts; the connection parts are mounted and fixed to the first metal layer.

5. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The metal shell includes a connecting plate, a first side plate and a second side plate; the first side plate and the second side plate are arranged opposite to each other on the same side of the connecting plate and are respectively connected to the connecting plate; The fixing medium is located between the first side plate and the second side plate, and the first side plate and the second side plate are respectively connected to two side surfaces of the fixing medium.

6. The phase shifter according to claim 5, characterized in that The outer side surface of the first side plate or the second side plate is fixedly mounted to the first metal layer; Alternatively, the outer side surface of the connecting plate is mounted and fixed to the first metal layer; Alternatively, the end surfaces of the first side plate and the second side plate away from the connecting plate are mounted and fixed to the first metal layer.

7. The phase shifter according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: The end surfaces of the first side plate and the second side plate away from the connecting plate are mounted and fixed to the first metal layer; The first side plate and the second side plate each include a side plate end away from the connecting plate, the side end portion includes a positioning pin protruding toward the bearing plate, and the bearing plate is provided with a positioning hole matched with the positioning pin; When the metal shell is mounted and fixed to the first metal layer, the positioning pin extends into the positioning hole.

8. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that: The end surfaces of the first side plate and the second side plate away from the connecting plate are mounted and fixed to the first metal layer; The first side plate and the second side plate each include a side plate end away from the connecting plate, the side plate end includes a plurality of connecting portions spaced apart along the length direction, and the connecting portions are mounted and fixed to the first metal layer; The end of the side plate also includes an overflow notch located at the edge of the connecting portion in the length direction.

9. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that: The first side plate and the second side plate further include a limiting opening, and the limiting opening penetrates the end surface of the first side plate and the second side plate away from the connecting plate; the fixing medium is provided with a limiting protrusion; When the fixing medium is connected to the metal shell, the limiting protrusion extends into the limiting opening.

10. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that: The metal shell further includes an opening baffle, which is arranged opposite to the connecting plate and connected to both the first side plate and the second side plate; The fixing medium is located on a side of the opening baffle close to the connecting plate.

11. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 5 to 10, characterized in that: The metal shell further comprises a partition plate connected to the connecting plate, wherein the partition plate is located between the first side plate and the second side plate and is parallel to the first side plate and the second side plate; The fixing medium comprises a first fixing medium and a second fixing medium respectively located on both sides of the partition plate; The sliding cavity comprises a first sliding cavity formed by the first fixing medium and the metal shell, and a second sliding cavity formed by the second fixing medium and the metal shell; The sliding medium includes a first sliding medium and a second sliding medium respectively located in the first sliding cavity and the second sliding cavity, wherein the first sliding medium located in the first sliding cavity can slide relative to the first fixed medium, and the second sliding medium located in the second sliding cavity can slide relative to the second fixed medium; The first sliding medium has a first slide groove opening toward the first fixed medium, and the second sliding medium has a second slide groove opening toward the second fixed medium; The metal feeding plate includes a first circuit part and a second circuit part respectively located on both sides of the partition plate, the first circuit part is installed on the first fixed medium and includes a phase shifting circuit extending into the first slide groove; the second circuit part is installed on the second fixed medium and includes a phase shifting circuit extending into the second slide groove.

12. The phase shifter according to claim 11, characterized in that The metal feed sheet further includes an inter-cavity circuit portion connecting the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion; The partition plate is provided with an inter-cavity opening for allowing the inter-cavity circuit part to pass through.

13. The phase shifter according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that: The first circuit portion includes at least two phase shifting circuits extending into the first slide slot; And / or, the second circuit portion includes at least two phase shifting circuits extending into the second slide slot.

14. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that: The metal feeding plate includes a phase shift circuit and a power division circuit.

15. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that: The metal feed sheet includes a connecting pin, and the connecting pin is electrically connected to the second metal layer on the carrier plate; Alternatively, the connecting pins are suspended relative to the carrying board.

16. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that: The metal feeding plate is a sheet metal strip line.

17. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that: The metal shell is a sheet metal structural component.

18. An antenna, characterized in that: include: Antenna element; as well as The phase shifter according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the antenna element is electrically connected to the phase shifter.

19. A communication base station, characterized in that: include: The antenna as claimed in claim 18; as well as A base station host is electrically connected to the antenna.

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