Antenna array plane and receiving front end thereof

Abstract

According to the antenna array plane and the receiving front end thereof, a double-layer mirror image structure design is adopted, two micro-strip plates are installed in installation cavities in the two side faces of a basic panel respectively and packaged through a cover plate, the double-face integrated design of the receiving front end is achieved, and the two-in-one performance is achieved on the basis that no extra structural part is added; functions of two receiving front ends can be realized only by using one basic panel, so that the number of modules of an antenna array plane is reduced by half, connection structures and installation interfaces required in traditional design are further reduced, the integration level of the system is remarkably improved, and meanwhile, by directly reducing the number of the receiving front ends, the cost is reduced. The overall weight and the assembly complexity of the array plane are greatly reduced, and the light weight requirement is realized, so that the high integration level is realized, and meanwhile, the antenna has the characteristics of light weight, high precision, easy maintenance and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of radar antennas, and in particular relates to an antenna array and a receiving front end thereof. Background Art

[0002] As modern radar systems develop towards high performance, high integration, and lightweight, the receiving front end, as the core equipment carrier for realizing radar signal detection, frequency conversion, and acquisition functions, faces multiple stringent requirements for structural design, such as high precision, high integration, and lightweight. The receiving front end needs to provide an installation base for key components such as the front-end chip, microstrip board, and connector. However, its internal cavity structure is limited by the size of the microwave module, and its external envelope is constrained by the installation interface, resulting in limited space for lightweight design. Currently, the lightweight design of the receiving front end is mainly achieved by adding weight-reducing slots, reducing the envelope size, and reducing the wall thickness. However, these methods are limited by the structural rigidity requirements and the internal space limitations of the microwave module, resulting in limited weight reduction effects and difficulty in meeting the increasing demand for lightweighting.

[0003] Furthermore, in array radar systems, the antenna array is composed of multiple receiving front ends, and the accuracy between each unit is typically guaranteed by locating pins. However, for large-aperture array radars, due to the large number of receiving front ends, assembly errors of the locating pins accumulate step by step, ultimately reducing the overall accuracy of the antenna array. To improve the integration of the array, existing technologies often use additional integration devices to combine multiple receiving front ends into modules. While this design achieves modularity, it introduces additional structural transformations, which not only increases assembly errors but also increases weight due to the addition of the integration devices, contradicting the goal of lightweighting. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to solve the technical problems existing in the background technology, the present invention proposes an antenna array and a receiving front end thereof, which adopt a double-layer mirror structure design, while achieving high integration, having the characteristics of lightweight, high precision and easy maintenance.

[0005] The purpose of the present invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0006] A receiving front end of an antenna array surface includes: a base panel, a first microstrip board, a first cover plate, a second microstrip board, and a second cover plate. A first mounting cavity and a second mounting cavity are respectively opened on two side surfaces of the base panel. The first microstrip board and the second microstrip board are respectively adapted to be mounted in the first mounting cavity and the second mounting cavity. The first cover plate and the second cover plate are respectively connected to two sides of the base panel to encapsulate the first microstrip board and the second microstrip board in the first mounting cavity and the second mounting cavity of the base panel.

[0007] Furthermore, a first mounting structure adapted to connect to the first microstrip board is provided in the first mounting cavity, and a second mounting structure adapted to connect to the second microstrip board is provided in the second mounting cavity. The first mounting structure and the second mounting structure are mirror-imaged so that the first microstrip board and the second microstrip board can be symmetrically mounted on both sides of the base panel.

[0008] Furthermore, both the first microstrip board and the second microstrip board are provided with microstrip line channels, the microstrip line channels on the first microstrip board and the second microstrip board are arranged opposite to each other, and air cavity structures are provided on the upper and lower sides of the microstrip line channels.

[0009] Furthermore, sliding guide rails are provided on the sides of both ends of the base panel to roughly position the installation position of the receiving front end on the left and right sides when the receiving front end is installed on the antenna array surface.

[0010] Furthermore, two positioning pins are relatively provided at the bottom of the base panel to guide the receiving front end when it is installed on the antenna array surface, and to assist in positioning the installation position of the receiving front end.

[0011] Furthermore, a mounting bar is provided on the top of the base panel, and the mounting bar extends to both ends of the base panel. Positioning screw holes are provided at both ends of the mounting bar, so that the receiving front end can be accurately mounted on the antenna array surface by positioning screws.

[0012] Furthermore, the first cover plate and the second cover plate are both detachably connected, and the first cover plate and the second cover plate are respectively connected to both sides of the base panel by bolts.

[0013] Furthermore, sealing grooves are provided on the edges of the first cover plate and the second cover plate, and fluororubber sealing rings are provided in the sealing grooves.

[0014] An antenna array surface structure includes multiple receiving front ends as described above, which are arranged in a rectangular array on the array surface. Sliding guide rails are used to achieve rough positioning between the receiving front ends, positioning pins are used to provide installation guidance assistance, and positioning screws are used to achieve precise installation.

[0015] A radar antenna structure comprises the antenna array surface structure as described above. The antenna array surface structure is fixed to a support frame via a quick-release mechanism. A radio frequency connector system is provided at a signal output end of the antenna array surface structure.

[0016] Beneficial effects of the present invention: The receiving front end of the antenna array provided by the present application adopts a double-layer mirror structure design, integrates two receiving channels on a single structural component, and realizes the functions of two receiving front ends without adding additional structural components, reducing the number of modules of the antenna array by half, thereby reducing the connection structure and installation interface required in the traditional design, significantly improving the integration of the system, and greatly reducing the overall weight and assembly complexity of the array, achieving lightweight requirements; through the mirror-symmetrical installation structure and air cavity design, the consistency of dual-channel performance is ensured, while the signal transmission characteristics are optimized and the weight is further reduced; an innovative three-level positioning system with coarse positioning of sliding guide rails, auxiliary guiding of positioning pins, and precise positioning of positioning screw holes is adopted to effectively solve the error accumulation problem in traditional designs and improve assembly accuracy and efficiency; the detachable cover plate is combined with the sealing structure to facilitate maintenance and repair while ensuring environmental protection performance; while achieving high integration, the present application has the advantages of lightweight, high precision and easy maintenance, and is particularly suitable for large-scale array radar applications. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the explosion of each component of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 3 Schematic diagrams of two sides of the basic panel of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning structure of the basic panel of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] like Figure 1-2As shown, the present invention provides a receiving front end of an antenna array, comprising: a base panel 1, a first microstrip board 2, a first cover plate 3, a second microstrip board 4, and a second cover plate 5. A first mounting cavity 11 and a second mounting cavity 12 are respectively defined on two side surfaces of the base panel 1. The first microstrip board 2 and the second microstrip board 4 are adapted to be mounted within the first mounting cavity 11 and the second mounting cavity 12, respectively. The first cover plate 3 and the second cover plate 5 are respectively connected to the sides of the base panel 1 to encapsulate the first microstrip board 2 and the second microstrip board 4 within the first mounting cavity 11 and the second mounting cavity 12, respectively, of the base panel 1. Thus, by simultaneously mounting the two microstrip boards within the mounting cavities on the two side surfaces of the base panel 1, a double-sided integrated design of the receiving front end is achieved, achieving two-in-one performance without adding additional structural components. The functions of two receiving front ends can be realized using only a single base panel, reducing the number of modules in the antenna array by half. This, in turn, reduces the connection structures and mounting interfaces required in traditional designs, significantly improving the system's integration. Furthermore, by directly reducing the number of receiving front ends, the overall weight and assembly complexity of the array are greatly reduced, achieving lightweight requirements.

[0024] like Figure 3 As shown, a first mounting structure 13 adapted to connect to the first microstrip board 2 is provided within the first mounting cavity 11, and a second mounting structure 14 adapted to connect to the second microstrip board 4 is provided within the second mounting cavity 12. The first mounting structure 13 and the second mounting structure 14 are arranged in mirror-image configurations, allowing the first and second microstrip boards 2, 4 to be symmetrically mounted on opposite sides of the base panel 1. The mirror-image arrangement of the first and second mounting structures 13, 14 ensures complete symmetry in the mounting positions of the first and second microstrip boards 2, 4, thereby ensuring consistent structural functionality on both sides of the receiving front end. This eliminates signal transmission discrepancies caused by asymmetric mounting in traditional designs and improves the performance consistency of the two receiving channels.

[0025] like Figure 4 As shown, both the first microstrip board 2 and the second microstrip board 4 are provided with microstrip line channels. The microstrip line channels on the first microstrip board 2 and the second microstrip board 4 are arranged opposite each other, and air cavity structures 6 are provided on the upper and lower sides of the microstrip line channels. The provision of air cavity structures 6 above and below the microstrip line channels not only effectively reduces signal transmission loss and improves impedance matching characteristics, but also further reduces the overall weight of the receiving front end, achieving dual optimization of electrical performance and lightweight.

[0026] like Figure 5As shown, sliding guides 15 are provided on the sides of both ends of the base panel 1 to provide coarse left and right positioning of the receiver front end when it is installed on the antenna array. This ensures the relative position accuracy of multiple receiver front ends, enables rapid and coarse positioning of the receiver front ends, simplifies the assembly process, and improves the assembly efficiency of large-scale array antennas. Two positioning pins 16 are positioned on the bottom of the base panel 1 to guide the receiver front end when it is installed on the antenna array. They cooperate with the positioning holes on the antenna array to assist in positioning, avoiding misalignment during installation, improving assembly accuracy, and reducing assembly difficulty. The top of the base panel 1 is provided with mounting bars 17, which extend from each end of the base panel 1. Each end of the mounting bar 17 is provided with positioning screw holes 18, which allow the receiver front end to be precisely mounted on the antenna array using positioning screws. This ensures precise positioning and reliable fixation of the receiver front end. The high-precision positioning screw holes 18 ensure accurate installation position, eliminating the error accumulation caused by multiple positioning in traditional designs. The dimensional accuracy of the positioning pins 16 is smaller than that of the positioning screws to avoid positioning interference.

[0027] The first and second cover plates 3, 5 are both detachably connected, bolted to either side of the base panel 1. This detachable design facilitates the installation, commissioning, and maintenance of the microstrip board. When maintenance is required, there's no need to dismantle the entire receiving front end; simply open the corresponding cover plate, significantly improving maintenance convenience. Sealing grooves are defined on the edges of both cover plates 3, 5, each containing a fluororubber sealing ring. This provides a reliable seal, effectively preventing the internal circuitry from being affected by environmental factors such as moisture and dust, thereby improving the device's environmental adaptability and reliability.

[0028] This application also provides an antenna array structure and a radar antenna structure, wherein the antenna array structure includes multiple receiving front ends as described above, arranged in a rectangular array on the array surface. Sliding guide rails 15 are used to achieve coarse positioning between the receiving front ends, positioning pins 16 provide installation guidance assistance, and positioning screws achieve precise installation. The radar antenna structure includes the antenna array structure, which is fixed to a support frame via a quick-release mechanism. The signal output end of the antenna array structure is provided with a radio frequency connector system.

[0029] The above content is merely an example and explanation of the structure of the present invention. Those skilled in the art may make various modifications or additions to the described specific embodiments or replace them in a similar manner. As long as they do not deviate from the structure of the invention or exceed the scope defined by the claims, they should all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A receiving front end of an antenna array, characterized in that: include: A base panel (1), a first microstrip board (2), a first cover plate (3), a second microstrip board (4), and a second cover plate (5); two sides of the base panel (1) are respectively provided with a first installation cavity (11) and a second installation cavity (12); the first microstrip board (2) and the second microstrip board (4) are respectively adapted to be installed in the first installation cavity (11) and the second installation cavity (12); the first cover plate (3) and the second cover plate (5) are respectively connected to both sides of the base panel (1) to respectively encapsulate the first microstrip board (2) and the second microstrip board (4) in the first installation cavity (11) and the second installation cavity (12) of the base panel (1).

2. The receiving front end according to claim 1, wherein A first mounting structure (13) adapted to connect to the first microstrip board (2) is provided in the first mounting cavity (11), and a second mounting structure (14) adapted to connect to the second microstrip board (4) is provided in the second mounting cavity (12). The first mounting structure (13) and the second mounting structure (14) are arranged in a mirror image so that the first microstrip board (2) and the second microstrip board (4) are symmetrically mounted on both sides of the base panel (1).

3. The receiving front end according to claim 1, wherein: Microstrip line channels are provided on both the first microstrip plate (2) and the second microstrip plate (4). The microstrip line channels on the first microstrip plate (2) and the second microstrip plate (4) are arranged opposite to each other, and air cavity structures (6) are provided on both upper and lower sides of the microstrip line channels.

4. The receiving front end according to claim 1, wherein: Sliding guide rails (15) are provided on the sides of both ends of the base panel (1) so as to roughly position the installation position of the receiving front end on the left and right sides when the receiving front end is installed on the antenna array surface.

5. The receiving front end according to claim 1, wherein: Two positioning pins (16) are relatively arranged at the bottom of the base panel (1) to play a guiding role when the receiving front end is installed on the antenna array surface, and to assist in positioning the installation position of the receiving front end.

6. The receiving front end according to claim 1, wherein: A mounting bar (17) is provided on the top of the base panel (1), and the mounting bar (17) extends toward both ends of the base panel (1). Positioning screw holes (18) are provided at both ends of the mounting bar (17), so that the receiving front end can be accurately mounted on the antenna array surface by the positioning screws.

7. The receiving front end according to claim 1, wherein: The first cover plate (3) and the second cover plate (5) are both detachably connected, and the first cover plate (3) and the second cover plate (5) are respectively connected to both sides of the base panel (1) by bolts.

8. The receiving front end according to claim 1, wherein: Sealing grooves are provided on the edges of the first cover plate (3) and the second cover plate (5), and fluororubber sealing rings are provided in the sealing grooves.

9. An antenna array structure, characterized in that: It comprises a plurality of receiving front ends as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the plurality of receiving front ends are arranged in a rectangular array on an array surface, wherein the receiving front ends are roughly positioned by a sliding guide rail (15), the positioning pins (16) are used for installation guidance assistance, and the positioning screws are used for precise installation.

10. A radar antenna structure, characterized in that: It comprises the antenna array surface structure as claimed in claim 9, the antenna array surface structure is fixed to the support frame through a quick release mechanism, and the signal output end of the antenna array surface structure is provided with a radio frequency connector system.

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