Antenna and network equipment

Abstract

The invention provides an antenna and network equipment. The antenna comprises an antenna oscillator, a first lens body, a reflecting plate and at least one lens body supporting frame, the antenna oscillator is arranged on the reflecting plate, and the antenna oscillator is used for radiating wave beams; the first lens body is fixed on the reflecting plate through at least one lens body supporting frame, and the first lens body is used for changing the radiation direction of a wave beam. The antenna has the advantages of being high in gain and concentrated in wave beam, and has a long radiation distance while the reasonable size is kept.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of antennas, and more particularly, to an antenna and a network device. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the rapid development of wireless communication technology, antenna systems are facing higher and higher performance requirements, among which the radiation distance of the antenna is particularly important. The radiation distance of the antenna not only affects the coverage range and transmission quality of the signal, but also directly relates to the overall performance of the communication system and the user experience.

[0003] Currently, for a plate-shaped antenna, if the radiation distance is to be improved, the volume of the antenna usually needs to be increased, which makes the deployment of the plate-shaped antenna very inconvenient. Specifically, the larger volume makes the integration of the antenna in the network device more difficult, especially in a limited space environment. The increase in the size of the antenna not only may affect the overall aesthetics of the network device, but also may increase the complexity of the production and installation of the antenna. Therefore, in actual deployment, how to improve the radiation distance of the antenna while maintaining a reasonable volume has become a problem to be solved. SUMMARY

[0004] The present application provides an antenna and a network device, which has the advantages of high gain and beam concentration, and can have a longer radiation distance while maintaining a reasonable volume.

[0005] In a first aspect, an antenna is provided, comprising: an antenna element, a first lens body, a reflecting plate, and at least one lens body support frame; the antenna element is arranged on the reflecting plate, and the antenna element is used for radiating a beam; the first lens body is fixed on the reflecting plate through the at least one lens body support frame, and the first lens body is used for changing the radiation direction of the beam.

[0006] In the embodiments of the present application, the beam radiated by the antenna element can be propagated to a farther place through the first lens body, so that the antenna has the advantages of high gain and beam concentration, and compared with a plate-shaped antenna with the same performance, the volume of the antenna is smaller, which can reduce the difficulty in the production and installation process of the antenna.

[0007] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first lens body is a cylinder, the top surface and the bottom surface of the first lens body are connected with a second lens body respectively, the second lens body is a cylinder, the cross-sectional diameter of the first lens body is greater than the cross-sectional diameter of the second lens body, and the dielectric constants of the first lens body and the second lens body are different.

[0008] In the embodiment of the present application, the second lens body is connected to the top surface and the bottom surface of the first lens body, and the cross-sectional diameter of the second lens body is smaller than that of the first lens body, and the dielectric constants of the second lens body and the first lens body are different, so that the beam convergence effect of the antenna in the radiation direction can be improved, and the radiation distance of the antenna is further improved.

[0009] With reference to the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the antenna further includes a guide rod and an antenna element reflector plate, the guide rod is fixed on the reflector plate, the antenna element reflector plate is connected to the guide rod, and the antenna element reflector plate can slide on the guide rod, and the antenna element is arranged on the antenna element reflector plate, and the antenna element reflector plate is used for reflecting the beam.

[0010] In the embodiment of the present application, the movement direction of the antenna element can be fixed by the guide rod, so as to adjust the included angle between the antenna element and the center of the first lens body, and thus the propagation direction of the beam is adjusted, and the radiation performance and the directivity of the antenna are enhanced by the antenna element reflector plate, so as to improve the signal transmission quality and the coverage range.

[0011] With reference to the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the antenna further includes an electric adjustment assembly and a transmission rod, the electric adjustment assembly is arranged in a groove formed at the bottom of the reflector plate, the electric adjustment assembly is connected to the first end of the transmission rod, the second end of the transmission rod is connected to the antenna element reflector plate through a first fixing member, and the electric adjustment assembly is used for driving the antenna element reflector plate to move along the first direction through the transmission rod, and the first direction is the length direction of the guide rod.

[0012] In the embodiment of the present application, the electric adjustment assembly can drive the transmission rod to move along the first direction, so as to drive the antenna element reflector plate and the antenna element to move along the first direction, and in this way, the included angle between the antenna element and the center of the first lens body can be adjusted, and thus the radiation direction of the beam is adjusted.

[0013] With reference to the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the guide rod is located on the surface of the reflector plate facing the antenna element, and the transmission rod is located on the surface of the reflector plate away from the antenna element.

[0014] With reference to the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the antenna further includes a guide sheet, and the guide sheet is used for concentrating the radiation energy of the antenna element to a second direction.

[0015] In the embodiment of the present application, the directivity of the antenna can be improved by the guide sheet, so that the radiation signal transmission is more accurate and efficient, and at the same time, the guide sheet can also reduce the return loss of the antenna, so that the working performance of the antenna is more stable and reliable.

[0016] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the bottom of the reflector is provided with an electrically adjustable interface, which is used to transmit the radio frequency signal sent by the first device to the antenna vibrator, or to transmit the wireless signal received by the antenna vibrator to the first device.

[0017] In this embodiment, the electrically adjustable interface at the bottom of the reflector provides a high-efficiency signal transmission channel, ensuring efficient reception and transmission of wireless signals. This design improves the performance and stability of the wireless communication system, providing a reliable guarantee for effective communication between devices.

[0018] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the antenna further includes an upper end cover, a lower end cover, and an antenna cover, wherein the antenna vibrator, the first lens body, and the reflector are disposed in the space enclosed by the upper end cover, the lower end cover, and the antenna cover.

[0019] In this embodiment, the antenna vibrator, the first lens body, and the reflector are disposed in the space enclosed by the upper end cover, the lower end cover, and the antenna cover, which can provide good protection for the antenna vibrator, the first lens body, and the reflector, and extend the service life of the antenna.

[0020] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, at least one fixing clip is provided on the surface of the radome facing away from the antenna element, the at least one fixing clip being connected to a pole mounting bracket, the pole mounting bracket being used to fix the antenna to the pole of the network device.

[0021] In this embodiment, the antenna can be securely fixed to the pole of the network device using a fixing bracket and a pole mounting bracket. This method simplifies the installation and maintenance of the antenna and improves the space utilization efficiency of the network device.

[0022] Secondly, an antenna system is provided, including multiple antennas as described in any of the implementations of the first aspect above.

[0023] Thirdly, a network device is provided, including a plurality of antennas as described in any of the implementations of the first aspect above. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the front appearance of the antenna provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the rear appearance of the antenna provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the rear mounting structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal front structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a side view of the internal structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of the internal structure of the antenna provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the back structure of the reflector of the antenna provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0031] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the separation of the reflector and lens support frame of the antenna provided in this application embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0032] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise stated, " / " means "or", for example, A / B can mean A or B; "and / or" in this document is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more" means two or more. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or multiple items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0033] The use of prefixes such as "first" and "second" in this application embodiment is solely for distinguishing different descriptive objects and does not limit the position, order, priority, quantity, or content of the described objects. The use of ordinal numbers and other prefixes to distinguish descriptive objects in this application embodiment does not constitute a limitation on the described objects. The description of the described objects is found in the claims or the context of the embodiments, and the use of such prefixes should not constitute unnecessary restrictions.

[0034] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] With the rapid development of wireless communication technology, antenna systems are facing increasingly higher performance requirements. Among these requirements, the antenna's radiation distance is particularly important. The antenna's radiation distance not only affects the signal coverage and transmission quality, but also directly relates to the overall performance of the communication system and the user experience.

[0036] Currently, increasing the radiation range of panel antennas typically requires increasing their size, making deployment extremely inconvenient. Specifically, the larger size makes antenna integration within network equipment more difficult, especially in space-constrained environments. Increased antenna size not only affects the overall aesthetics of the network equipment design but also increases manufacturing and installation complexity. Therefore, in practical deployments, maintaining a reasonable size while increasing antenna radiation range has become a pressing issue.

[0037] This application provides an antenna and a network device. The antenna has the advantages of high gain and beam concentration, and can have a long radiation distance while maintaining a reasonable size.

[0038] This application provides an antenna comprising: an antenna element, a first lens body, a reflector, and at least one lens body support frame; the antenna element is disposed on the reflector and is used to radiate a beam; the first lens body is fixed to the reflector by at least one lens body support frame and is used to change the radiation direction of the beam.

[0039] Optionally, the reflector can be made of a metal material, such as aluminum alloy or stainless steel; the thickness of the reflector can be greater than or equal to 150 mm and less than or equal to 500 mm; the reflector can be used to fix the antenna element, the first lens body and at least one lens body support frame, and the reflector can also be used to reflect the beam radiated by the antenna element, thereby improving the radiation performance of the antenna element.

[0040] Optionally, the shape of the first lens body can be cylindrical, prismatic, or spherical.

[0041] Optionally, at least one lens mounting bracket may be made of a metallic material, such as aluminum alloy or stainless steel, or it may be made of a plastic material, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), polyamide (PA), or polyetheretherketone (PEEK).

[0042] In this embodiment, the beam radiated by the antenna element can propagate further through the first lens, giving the antenna the advantages of high gain and concentrated beam. Furthermore, compared to a plate antenna with the same performance, this antenna is smaller in size, which reduces the difficulty in antenna production and installation.

[0043] In one possible implementation, the first lens body is a cylinder, and the top and bottom surfaces of the first lens body are respectively connected to a second lens body, which is also a cylinder. The cross-sectional diameter of the first lens body is larger than that of the second lens body, and the dielectric constants of the first and second lens bodies are different.

[0044] The second lens can also change the beam propagation direction, which can improve the beam focusing effect of the antenna in the radiation direction.

[0045] Optionally, the diameter of the cross-section of the first lens body can be greater than or equal to 200 mm and less than or equal to 500 mm, and the dielectric constant can be greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 10.

[0046] For example, the first lens has a cross-sectional diameter of 300 mm and a dielectric constant of 5, while the second lens has a cross-sectional diameter of 100 mm and a dielectric constant of 3.

[0047] Optionally, a lens end cap can be provided on the surface of the second lens body. This lens end cap can be combined with the lens mounting bracket to protect the first and second lens bodies. The lens end cap can also be made of metal or plastic.

[0048] In this embodiment, a second lens body is connected to the top and bottom surfaces of the first lens body. Since the cross-sectional diameter of the second lens body is smaller than that of the first lens body, and the dielectric constants of the second and first lenses are different, the beam focusing effect of the antenna in the radiation direction can be improved, thereby further increasing the radiation distance of the antenna.

[0049] In one possible implementation, the antenna further includes: a guide rod and an antenna element reflector; the guide rod is fixed on the reflector, the antenna element reflector is connected to the guide rod, and the antenna element reflector is slidable on the guide rod; the antenna element is disposed on the antenna element reflector, and the antenna element reflector is used to reflect the beam.

[0050] Optionally, the antenna element reflector can be made of a metallic material, such as aluminum alloy or stainless steel, and the thickness of the antenna element reflector can be greater than or equal to 1 mm and less than or equal to 5 mm.

[0051] Optionally, the distance between the antenna element and the antenna element reflector can be greater than or equal to 5 mm and less than or equal to 100 mm.

[0052] In this embodiment, the guide rod can fix the direction of movement of the antenna vibrator, so as to adjust the angle between the antenna vibrator and the center of the first lens body, thereby adjusting the beam propagation direction; the antenna vibrator reflector can enhance the radiation performance and directivity of the antenna to improve signal transmission quality and coverage.

[0053] In one possible implementation, the antenna further includes: an electronically adjustable assembly and a transmission rod: the electronically adjustable assembly is disposed in a groove formed at the bottom of the reflector, the electronically adjustable assembly is connected to the first end of the transmission rod, and the second end of the transmission rod is connected to the antenna vibrator reflector via a first fixing member. The electronically adjustable assembly is used to drive the antenna vibrator reflector to move along a first direction via the transmission rod, the first direction being the length direction of the guide rod.

[0054] When the reflector is a rectangular reflector, the length direction of the guide rod can be parallel to the long side of the support plate.

[0055] Optionally, the guide rod is located on the surface of the reflector facing the antenna element, and the transmission rod is located on the surface of the reflector facing away from the antenna element.

[0056] In this embodiment, the electronically adjustable assembly can drive the transmission rod to move along the first direction, thereby driving the antenna vibrator reflector and the antenna vibrator to move along the first direction. In this way, the angle between the antenna vibrator and the center of the first lens can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the radiation direction of the beam.

[0057] In one possible implementation, the antenna further includes a director for concentrating the radiated energy of the antenna element in a second direction.

[0058] Optionally, the second direction can be understood as the direction of beam propagation.

[0059] In this embodiment, the directivity of the antenna can be improved by setting a guide plate, making the radiated signal transmission more accurate and efficient. At the same time, the guide plate can also reduce the return loss of the antenna, making the antenna's working performance more stable and reliable.

[0060] In one possible implementation, the bottom of the reflector is provided with an electronically tunable interface, which is used to transmit radio frequency signals sent by the first device to the antenna vibrator, or to transmit wireless signals received by the antenna vibrator to the first device.

[0061] For example, the first device may be a receiver or a transmitter in a network device.

[0062] In this embodiment, the electrically adjustable interface at the bottom of the reflector provides a high-efficiency signal transmission channel, ensuring efficient reception and transmission of wireless signals. This design improves the performance and stability of the wireless communication system, providing a reliable guarantee for effective communication between devices.

[0063] In one possible implementation, the antenna further includes an upper end cover, a lower end cover, and an antenna radome, with the antenna element, the first lens body, and the reflector disposed in the space enclosed by the upper end cover, the lower end cover, and the antenna radome.

[0064] In this embodiment, the antenna vibrator, the first lens body, and the reflector are disposed in the space enclosed by the upper end cover, the lower end cover, and the antenna cover, which can provide good protection for the antenna vibrator, the first lens body, and the reflector, and extend the service life of the antenna.

[0065] In one possible implementation, at least one fixing clip is provided on the surface of the radome facing away from the antenna element. The at least one fixing clip is connected to a pole mounting bracket for fixing the antenna to the pole of the network device.

[0066] In this embodiment, the antenna can be securely fixed to the pole of the network device using a fixing bracket and a pole mounting bracket. This approach simplifies the installation and maintenance of the antenna and improves the space utilization efficiency of the network device.

[0067] It should be understood that, unless otherwise specified or in accordance with logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions of the various embodiments or implementations in this application are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features in different embodiments or implementations can be combined to form new embodiments or implementations according to their inherent logical relationships.

[0068] The following is combined with Figures 1 to 8 The structure of the antenna described above is explained in detail.

[0069] like Figure 1 As shown, the antenna housing consists of an upper cover, an antenna shroud, and a lower cover. The antenna element, the first lens, and the reflector are disposed within the space enclosed by the upper cover, the lower cover, and the shroud. An electronically adjustable interface and a power supply interface are exposed on the lower cover. The electronically adjustable interface can be used to connect to a first device to transmit radio frequency signals. The power supply interface can be an interface on the electronically adjustable assembly, through which the assembly can receive control signals sent by the first device, thereby adjusting the relative positions of the antenna element and the first lens. The first device can be a receiver or transmitter in a network device.

[0070] like Figure 2As shown, two fixing clips can be provided on the back of the antenna cover. These fixing clips can be connected to the pole mounting bracket to fix the antenna to the pole of the network device.

[0071] like Figure 3 As shown, the upper mast mounting bracket can be equipped with a mechanical downtilt adjustment (ruler). When installing the antenna, the lower mast mounting bracket can be fixed on the mast first, and then the mechanical downtilt angle of the antenna can be adjusted by the mechanical downtilt adjustment (ruler). The mechanical downtilt angle of the antenna can be understood as the tilt angle of the antenna relative to the horizontal plane. The adjustment range of the mechanical downtilt angle can be between 0 degrees and 20 degrees.

[0072] The internal structure of the antenna is as follows Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4 The structure shown includes two radiating units, each consisting of an antenna element, a first lens body, and four lens body support frames. The four lens body support frames are mounted on a reflector plate to fix the first lens body. The first lens body is cylindrical, with cylindrical second lens bodies connected to its top and bottom surfaces. The surface of the second lens body is covered with end caps. The cross-sectional area of ​​the second lens body is smaller than that of the first lens body, and the dielectric constant of the second lens body is different from that of the first lens body. The second lens body enhances the beam-focusing effect of the antenna element in the radiation direction, thereby further increasing the antenna's radiation distance. Furthermore, the two horizontally placed support frames of the four lens body brackets can be connected by anti-collision strips, which can be made of plastic. The two vertically placed support frames of the four lens body brackets can be connected by support columns. The anti-collision strips and support columns effectively fix the internal structure of the antenna, preventing deformation of the antenna's internal structure due to changes in the external environment.

[0073] like Figure 5 As shown, for each radiating element, the antenna element can be set on the antenna element reflector plate, and a guide plate can be set between the antenna element and the first lens body to concentrate the radiated energy of the antenna element to the beam propagation direction.

[0074] like Figure 6 As shown, for each radiating element, two guide rods are provided on the surface of the reflector facing the antenna element. The antenna element reflector can be fixed on the two guide rods, and the antenna element reflector can slide along the length direction of the two guide rods. The length direction of the guide rods can be parallel to the long side direction of the support plate. A transmission rod is provided on the surface of the reflector facing away from the antenna element, such as... Figure 5 and Figure 8As shown, one end of the transmission rod is connected to the electronic adjustment assembly, and the other end of the transmission rod is connected to the antenna vibrator reflector via a fixing assembly. The electronic adjustment assembly is set in a groove at the bottom of the reflector. The electronic adjustment assembly can drive the transmission rod to move along the length of the guide rod, thereby driving the antenna vibrator reflector and the antenna vibrator to move along the length of the guide rod. In this way, the angle between the antenna vibrator and the center of the first lens can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the radiation direction of the beam.

[0075] Alternatively, the ESC assembly can control the distance the drive rod moves using the following formula:

[0076] d=a+btanθ

[0077] Where d is the distance the transmission rod moves, which can also be understood as the distance the antenna vibrator reflector slides on the two guide rods, a and b are constants, and θ is the angle between the antenna vibrator and the center of the first lens body, which can also be called the downtilt angle.

[0078] In this embodiment of the application, by means of Figures 1 to 8 The antenna structure shown allows the beam radiated by the antenna element to propagate further through the first lens, giving the antenna the advantages of high gain and concentrated beam. Furthermore, compared to a plate antenna with the same performance, this antenna is smaller in size, which reduces the difficulty in antenna production and installation.

[0079] It should be noted that, Figures 1 to 8 The structure described is merely illustrative and does not constitute a limitation on the scope of this application.

[0080] This application also provides an antenna system, which, as described in the embodiments, provides an antenna system... Figures 1 to 8 As shown.

[0081] This application also provides a network device, including, as described in the embodiments below. Figures 1 to 8 Figures 1 to 8 The antenna shown.

[0082] It should be noted that the network device in the embodiments of this application can be a device used to communicate with terminal devices. The network device can be a base station (BTS) in a global system of mobile communication (GSM) or code division multiple access (CDMA) system, a base station (NodeB, NB) in a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) system, an evolved NodeB (eNB or eNodeB) in an LTE system, a next-generation NodeB (gNB) in a 5G or NR system, a radio controller in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario, or the network device can be a relay station, access point, vehicle-mounted equipment, wearable device, or a future network device or a network device in a future evolved PLMN network, etc. The embodiments of this application are not limited to these.

[0083] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An antenna, characterized by The antenna comprises: an antenna element, a first lens body, a reflecting plate and at least one lens body support frame; The antenna element is arranged on the reflecting plate, and the antenna element is used for radiating a beam; The first lens body is fixed on the reflecting plate through the at least one lens body support frame, and the first lens body is used for changing a radiation direction of the beam.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein The first lens body is a cylinder, the top surface and the bottom surface of the first lens body are connected with a second lens body respectively, the second lens body is a cylinder, the cross-sectional diameter of the first lens body is greater than the cross-sectional diameter of the second lens body, and the dielectric constants of the first lens body and the second lens body are different.

3. The antenna of claim 2, wherein, The antenna further comprises: a guide rod and an antenna element reflecting plate; The guide rod is fixed on the reflecting plate, the antenna element reflecting plate is connected with the guide rod, and the antenna element reflecting plate can slide on the guide rod; The antenna element is arranged on the antenna element reflecting plate, and the antenna element reflecting plate is used for reflecting the beam.

4. The antenna of claim 3, wherein, The antenna further comprises: an electric adjustment assembly and a transmission rod: The electric adjustment assembly is arranged in a groove formed at the bottom of the reflecting plate, the electric adjustment assembly is connected with the first end of the transmission rod, the second end of the transmission rod is connected with the antenna element reflecting plate through a first fixing member, and the electric adjustment assembly is used for driving the antenna element reflecting plate to move along the first direction through the transmission rod, the first direction being the length direction of the guide rod.

5. The antenna of claim 4, wherein, The guide rod is located on the surface of the reflecting plate facing the antenna element, and the transmission rod is located on the surface of the reflecting plate facing away from the antenna element.

6. The antenna of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The antenna further comprises a guide sheet, and the guide sheet is used for concentrating the radiated energy of the antenna element to a second direction.

7. The antenna of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The bottom of the reflecting plate is provided with an electric adjustment interface, and the electric adjustment interface is used for transmitting the radio frequency signal sent by a first device to the antenna element, or transmitting the wireless signal received by the antenna element to the first device.

8. The antenna of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The antenna further comprises an upper end cover, a lower end cover and an antenna cover, and the antenna element, the first lens body and the reflecting plate are arranged in a space surrounded by the upper end cover, the lower end cover and the antenna cover.

9. The antenna of claim 8, wherein, At least one fixing clamp code is arranged on the surface of the antenna cover facing away from the antenna element, the at least one fixing clamp code is connected with a holding pole mounting frame, and the holding pole mounting frame is used for fixing the antenna on a holding pole of a network device.

10. A network device, comprising: The antenna comprises at least one antenna as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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