High-current feed structure of phased-array antenna

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of antennas, and discloses a phased-array antenna large-current feed structure, which comprises a frame and at least one connecting copper bar, the frame comprises a first frame body, a second frame body and at least one insulating cover plate, the first frame body is provided with at least one first through hole, the antenna sub-array is provided with at least one group of antenna connecting terminals, and the second frame body is provided with at least one group of second through holes. The second frame body is provided with at least one first through hole and extends into one first through hole, the second frame body is provided with at least one second through hole, the power supply module is embedded in the second frame body, the power supply module is provided with at least one group of power supply connecting terminals which are located in one second through hole, and each insulating cover plate detachably covers one second through hole. Each connecting copper bar comprises a middle section, and a first connecting end piece and a second connecting end piece which are positioned at two ends of the middle section, are parallel to each other and are detachably connected with a group of antenna connecting terminals and a group of power supply connecting terminals respectively. And stable and reliable feeding from the power supply module to the phased-array antenna sub-array in a small space is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of antenna technology, and in particular to a high-current feeding structure for a phased array antenna. Background Technology

[0002] Current antenna products have increasingly higher requirements for integration and miniaturization. The feeding of active phased array antennas often adopts the form of electrical connectors and flexible cables or blind mating of two copper busbars on the sidewalls, which provides a relatively flexible design. However, for phased array antennas with high current connections and multiple subarrays, the available space for feeding connections, especially the height space, is further reduced. The combination of high current power connectors and flexible cables occupies a lot of space and has low integration. The temperature rise limit of multi-core electrical connectors also makes it difficult for the connectors to meet the design requirements. The feeding form of blind mating of copper busbars on the sidewalls is also difficult to meet the array layout of multiple subarrays, making it difficult to achieve reliable feeding of the entire array.

[0003] Therefore, a high-current feeding structure for phased array antennas is urgently needed to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on the above, the purpose of this invention is to provide a high-current feeding structure for phased array antennas, which enables stable and reliable feeding from the power supply module to the phased array antenna subarray within a small space, with high structural compactness and simple assembly.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] A high-current feeding structure for a phased array antenna includes a phased array antenna subarray and a power supply module, characterized in that the high-current feeding structure for the phased array antenna further includes a frame and at least one connecting copper busbar;

[0007] The frame includes a detachably connected first frame body, a second frame body, and at least one insulating cover plate. The phased array antenna subarray is located on the side of the first frame body away from the second frame body. The first frame body has at least one first through hole that extends through the thickness direction of the first frame body. The antenna subarray is provided with at least one set of antenna connection terminals, and one or more sets of antenna connection terminals extend into one of the first through holes.

[0008] The second frame body has at least one second through hole extending along the thickness direction of the second frame body, each second through hole is opposite to a first through hole, the power supply module is embedded in the second frame body, the power supply module is provided with at least one set of power connection terminals, one or more sets of power connection terminals are located in a second through hole, and each insulating cover plate is detachably covered on one end of a second through hole away from the first through hole;

[0009] Each of the connecting copper busbars includes a middle section and a first connecting end piece and a second connecting end piece located at both ends of the middle section. The first connecting end piece and the second connecting end piece are parallel to each other and are detachably connected to a set of antenna connecting terminals and a set of power connecting terminals, respectively.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment of a high-current feeding structure for a phased array antenna, the second connecting end piece and the first connecting end piece are staggered in the length or width direction of the frame.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment of a high-current feeding structure for a phased array antenna, each second through hole is divided into a first hole segment and a second hole segment along the thickness direction of the second frame body. The first hole segment is directly opposite to and communicates with the corresponding first through hole. A stepped surface is formed between the second hole segment and the first hole segment. The stepped surface faces away from the first frame body. The portion of the power supply module exposed in the second through hole is attached to the stepped surface. The power connection terminal is located in the second hole segment.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment of a high-current feeding structure for a phased array antenna, the middle section includes a straight section and a bent section. The straight section is connected to the first connecting end piece at an angle. One end of the bent section is connected to the straight section to form a first bent angle, and the other end is connected to the second connecting end piece to form a second bent angle.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment of a high-current feeding structure for a phased array antenna, the connection between the straight section and the first connecting end piece is arc-shaped, and both the first bending angle and the second bending angle are arc-shaped.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment of a high-current feeding structure for a phased array antenna, the middle section is covered with an insulating sleeve.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment of a high-current feeding structure for a phased array antenna, the first connecting end piece and the second connecting end piece are respectively provided with connecting holes. The connecting holes are respectively connected to the antenna connecting terminal and the power connecting terminal by connecting screws. The connecting holes are oblong holes extending along the extension direction of the connecting copper busbar.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment of a high-current feeding structure for a phased array antenna, a conductive interface connecting piece is connected between the first connecting piece and the antenna connecting terminal, and / or a conductive interface connecting piece is connected between the second connecting piece and the power supply connecting terminal.

[0017] As a preferred embodiment of a high-current feeding structure for a phased array antenna, a mounting groove is provided on the second frame body along the outer edge of the second through hole, and the insulating cover plate is detachably installed in the mounting groove, with the insulating cover plate flush with the surface of the second frame body.

[0018] As a preferred embodiment of a high-current feeding structure for a phased array antenna, the connecting copper busbar is an integrally formed structure.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0020] This invention provides a high-current feed structure for a phased array antenna. During assembly, the phased array subarray is placed on one side of the first frame, with the antenna connection terminals extending into the first through-hole. Then, the first connecting end piece of the connecting copper busbar is connected and fixed to the antenna connection terminal, and the second connecting end piece is connected and fixed to the power connection terminal. Finally, the first and second frames and the insulating cover are fixed to complete the assembly. The operation is simple and convenient, with high efficiency, and it is also easy to disassemble and maintain, making it highly practical. Furthermore, the first and second connecting end pieces are parallel to each other, meaning that during assembly, the operator can easily and quickly connect the connecting copper busbar to the antenna connection terminal and the power connection terminal while facing the first and second through-holes, forming a reliable feed structure. At the same time, it can achieve the flattening of the high-current feed structure of the phased array antenna, improving the structural compactness. This high-current feed structure of the phased array antenna can also be used as a basic feed unit to realize array layout, with strong spatial adaptability and helping to reduce design costs. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of the present invention will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the content of the embodiments of the present invention and these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the high-current feeding structure of a phased array antenna from one viewpoint, provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the high-current feeding structure of a phased array antenna from another perspective, provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a high-current feeding structure for a phased array antenna (not shown) provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the high-current feeding structure of the phased array antenna (without a first frame) provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the high-current feeding structure of the phased array antenna (without a frame) provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the high-current feeding structure of the phased array antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the high-current feeding structure of the phased array antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the connecting copper busbar provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] In the picture:

[0031] 1. Phased array antenna subarray; 11. Antenna connection terminal; 2. Power supply module; 21. Power connection terminal; 3. Frame; 31. First frame body; 32. Second frame body; 33. Insulating cover plate; 4. Connecting copper busbar; 41. Middle section; 411. Straight section; 412. Bending section; 4121. First bending angle; 4122. Second bending angle; 42. First connecting end piece; 43. Second connecting end piece; 5. Insulating sleeve;

[0032] 10. First through hole; 20. Second through hole; 201. Stepped surface; 30. Connecting hole; 40. Mounting groove. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and not intended to limit it. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, the accompanying drawings show only the parts relevant to the present invention, and not all of the structures.

[0034] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0035] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0036] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," and "right," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used solely for ease of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are merely used for descriptive distinction and have no special meaning.

[0037] like Figures 1 to 8 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a high-current feeding structure for a phased array antenna. The high-current feeding structure includes a phased array antenna subarray 1 and a power supply module 2. The high-current feeding structure also includes a frame 3 and at least one connecting copper busbar 4. At least one set of antenna connection terminals 11 is welded on the phased array antenna subarray 1, and at least one set of power connection terminals 21 is welded on the power supply module 2. Each connecting copper busbar 4 connects one set of antenna connection terminals 11 and one set of power connection terminals 21. For example, one set of antenna connection terminals 11 includes two antenna connection terminals 11, and one set of power connection terminals 21 includes two power connection terminals 21. One end of each connecting copper busbar 4 is connected to two antenna connection terminals 11, and the other end is connected to two power connection terminals 21, thereby realizing the feeding of the phased array antenna.

[0038] In this embodiment, the frame 3 includes a detachably connected first frame body 31, a second frame body 32, and at least one insulating cover plate 33. The phased array antenna subarray 1 is located on the side of the first frame body 31 facing away from the second frame body 32. The first frame body 31 has at least one first through hole 10 extending along the thickness direction of the first frame body 31. One or more sets of antenna connection terminals 11 extend into one of the first through holes 10. The second frame body 32 has at least one second through hole 20 extending along the thickness direction of the second frame body 32. Each second through hole 20 is connected to a first frame body 31. With one through hole 10 opposite each other, the power supply module 2 is embedded in the second frame body 32, one or more sets of power connection terminals 21 are located in a second through hole 20, each insulating cover plate 33 is detachably covered on one end of a second through hole 20 away from the first through hole 10, each connecting copper busbar 4 includes a middle section 41 and a first connecting end piece 42 and a second connecting end piece 43 located at both ends of the middle section 41. The first connecting end piece 42 and the second connecting end piece 43 are parallel to each other and are detachably connected to a set of antenna connection terminals 11 and a set of power connection terminals 21 respectively, for example by screw connection. During assembly, the phased array subarray is placed on one side of the first frame 31, with the antenna connection terminal 11 extending into the first through hole 10. Then, the first connecting end piece 42 of the connecting copper busbar 4 is connected and fixed to the antenna connection terminal 11, and the second connecting end piece 43 is connected and fixed to the power connection terminal 21. Finally, the first frame 31, the second frame 32, and the insulating cover plate 33 are fixed to complete the assembly. The insulating cover plate 33 ensures that the feeding structure is in a reliable insulating environment. The operation is simple and convenient, with high efficiency, and it is also easy to disassemble and maintain, making it highly practical. Moreover, the first connecting end piece 42 and the second connecting end piece 43 are parallel to each other. That is, during assembly, the operator can easily and quickly connect the connecting copper busbar 4 to the antenna connection terminal 11 and the power connection terminal 21 while facing the first through hole 10 and the second through hole 20, forming a reliable feeding structure. At the same time, it can realize the flattening of the high-current feeding structure of the phased array antenna, improve the structural compactness, and the high-current feeding structure of the phased array antenna can also be used as a basic feeding unit to realize array layout. It has strong spatial adaptability and helps to reduce design costs.

[0039] It should be noted that a phased array antenna subarray 1 can be connected to the power supply module via one, two, three, or more connecting copper busbars 4, which is beneficial for improving space utilization and achieving high integration of the phased array antenna. Correspondingly, one, two, three, or more first through-holes 10 and second through-holes 20 are respectively provided on the first frame 31 and the second frame 32, depending on actual requirements. Each first through-hole 10 and second through-hole 20 can contain one, two, three, or more connecting copper busbars 4.

[0040] Preferably, a mounting groove 40 is provided on the second frame body 32 along the outer edge of the second through hole 20. The insulating cover plate 33 is detachably installed in the mounting groove 40. The insulating cover plate 33 is flush with the surface of the second frame body 32. The insulating cover plate 33 is detachably connected, for example, by screws, resulting in high structural strength and easy assembly and disassembly. By providing the mounting groove 40, the insulating cover plate 33 can be flush with the surface of the second frame body 32 after assembly, ensuring the overall structural flatness and compactness of the power supply structure. Furthermore, the insulating cover plate 33 is limited and fixed in the mounting groove 40, and it has an electrical clearance with other structures in the first through hole 10 and the second through hole 20, which, as an additional insulation measure, can further improve the safety of the power supply.

[0041] For example, the insulating cover 33 is made of epoxy glass cloth laminate, which has excellent heat resistance, moisture resistance and mechanical strength.

[0042] Preferably, the second connecting piece 43 and the first connecting piece 42 are staggered in the length or width direction of the frame 3, that is, when looking from the second through hole 20 to the first through hole 10 and the second through hole 20, the antenna connecting terminal 11 and the power connecting terminal 21 can be seen at the same time. This makes it convenient for the operator to connect the first connecting piece 42 and the antenna connecting terminal 11 to the second connecting piece 43 and the power connecting terminal 21, and also makes it easy to adjust.

[0043] Specifically, each second through hole 20 is divided into a first hole segment and a second hole segment along the thickness direction of the second frame 32. The first hole segment is directly opposite to and communicates with the corresponding first through hole 10. A stepped surface 201 is formed between the second hole segment and the first hole segment. The stepped surface 201 faces away from the first frame 31. The part of the power supply module 2 exposed in the second through hole 20 is attached to the stepped surface 201, and the power connection terminal 21 is located in the second hole segment. With the above structure, the antenna connection terminal 11 and the power connection terminal 21 are staggered, which facilitates the connection and adjustment of the copper busbar 4. At the same time, the stepped surface 201 makes the location of the power connection terminal 21 on the power supply module 2 stable and reliable, avoiding shaking that would affect the connection stability with the copper busbar 4 and the power feeding performance.

[0044] More specifically, such as Figure 8As shown, the middle section 41 includes a straight section 411 and a bent section 412. The straight section 411 is connected to the first connecting end piece 42 at an angle, for example, vertically. One end of the bent section 412 is connected to the straight section 411, forming a first bending angle 4121, and the other end is connected to the second connecting end piece 43, forming a second bending angle 4122. The first bending angle 4121 and the second bending angle 4122 are both, for example, 90°. For example, when the power supply structure is placed vertically, the connecting copper busbar 4 extends upward from one end to form the first connecting end piece 42, then bends along the thickness direction of the power supply structure towards the second through hole 20 to form the straight section 411, then bends upward again and extends along the thickness direction of the power supply structure to form the bent section 412, and finally bends upward to form the second connecting end piece 43. That is, viewed from the side of the connecting copper busbar 4, the connecting copper busbar 4 presents two continuous Z-shaped structures. Through multiple bends, the connecting copper busbar 4 adapts to relatively narrow spaces, resulting in a more compact feed structure and achieving a flattened design. Furthermore, the multiple bends allow the connecting copper busbar 4 to undergo minor adaptive deformation during assembly to accommodate the antenna connection terminal 11 and power connection terminal 21, which have slight positional deviations, ensuring reliable connection between the connecting copper busbar 4 and these terminals. Simultaneously, the first connecting end piece 42 and the second connecting end piece 43 are parallel to each other, resulting in high connection stability with the antenna connection terminal 11 and power connection terminal 21, guaranteeing feed stability and reliability. The thickness of the connecting copper busbar 4 can be selected, but is not limited to, 1.5mm.

[0045] Preferably, the connecting copper busbar 4 is an integrally formed structure to ensure the dimensional consistency and structural strength of each bend of the connecting copper busbar 4.

[0046] Preferably, the middle section 41 is covered with an insulating sleeve 5, such as a heat-shrink tubing, to provide sealing and basic insulation protection. It should be noted that the entire connecting copper busbar 4, except for the connection points with the antenna connection terminal 11 and the power connection terminal 21, can be covered with the insulating sleeve 5.

[0047] In this embodiment, the connection between the straight section 411 and the first connecting end piece 42 is arc-shaped, and both the first bending angle 4121 and the second bending angle 4122 are arc-shaped. That is, the bending connection between the straight section 411 and the first connecting end piece 42 is a smooth arc-shaped chamfer, and both the first bending angle 4121 and the second bending angle 4122 are smooth arc-shaped chamfers, ensuring structural stability and improving the ability of the connecting copper busbar 4 to withstand minor deformations.

[0048] Furthermore, the first connecting end piece 42 and the second connecting end piece 43 are respectively provided with connecting holes 30. The connecting holes 30 are connected to the antenna connecting terminal 11 and the power connecting terminal 21 by connecting screws. The connecting holes 30 are oblong holes extending along the extension direction of the connecting copper busbar 4. The oblong hole design facilitates the adjustment of the connecting copper busbar 4 according to the actual position of the antenna connecting terminal 11 and the power connecting terminal 21 during the assembly process. That is, it is used to compensate for the mechanical tolerance of the position of the connecting holes 30 on the connecting copper busbar 4, ensuring a stable and reliable connection between the connecting copper busbar 4 and the antenna connecting terminal 11 and the power connecting terminal 21, and has better practicality.

[0049] To further compensate for installation tolerances, a conductive interface connecting piece (not shown in the figure) can be connected between the first connecting end piece 42 and the antenna connecting terminal 11, and / or between the second connecting end piece 43 and the power connecting terminal 21. The thickness of the conductive interface connecting piece is set according to actual conditions; it is a flexible material, and during actual assembly, it is adjusted to meet the positional tolerances in the height direction between the antenna connecting terminal 11 and the power connecting terminal 21. Simultaneously, the flexible conductive interface connecting piece can reduce the stress and deformation of the connecting copper busbar 4, improving the reliability of the feed connection. For example, the conductive interface connecting piece is a copper foil sheet of 0.03mm-0.05mm.

[0050] The phased array antenna high-current feeding structure provided in this embodiment of the invention connects the phased array antenna subarray 1 and the power supply module through a specially structured connecting copper busbar 4 to achieve high-current feeding of the phased array antenna. It achieves stable and reliable feeding from the power supply module to the phased array antenna subarray 1 in a small space, and can realize array arrangement. The overall structure is compact, practical and maintainable. It can also be used as a basic feeding unit to realize array layout as needed, with good spatial adaptability, which helps to reduce design costs.

[0051] Note that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions can be made without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in detail through the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and may include many other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of the present invention, the scope of which is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A high-current feeding structure for a phased array antenna, comprising a phased array antenna subarray and a power supply module, characterized in that, The high-current feeding structure of the phased array antenna also includes a frame and at least one connecting copper busbar. The frame includes a detachably connected first frame body, a second frame body, and at least one insulating cover plate. The phased array antenna subarray is located on the side of the first frame body away from the second frame body. The first frame body has at least one first through hole that extends through the thickness direction of the first frame body. The antenna subarray is provided with at least one set of antenna connection terminals, and one or more sets of antenna connection terminals extend into one of the first through holes. The second frame body has at least one second through hole extending along the thickness direction of the second frame body, each second through hole is opposite to a first through hole, the power supply module is embedded in the second frame body, the power supply module is provided with at least one set of power connection terminals, one or more sets of power connection terminals are located in a second through hole, and each insulating cover plate is detachably covered on one end of a second through hole away from the first through hole; Each of the connecting copper busbars includes a middle section and a first connecting end piece and a second connecting end piece located at both ends of the middle section. The first connecting end piece and the second connecting end piece are parallel to each other and are detachably connected to a set of antenna connecting terminals and a set of power connecting terminals, respectively.

2. The phased array antenna high-current feeding structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second connecting end piece and the first connecting end piece are staggered in the length or width direction of the frame.

3. The phased array antenna high-current feeding structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the second through holes is divided into a first hole segment and a second hole segment along the thickness direction of the second frame body. The first hole segment is directly opposite to and communicates with the corresponding first through hole. A stepped surface is formed between the second hole segment and the first hole segment. The stepped surface faces away from the first frame body. The part of the power supply module exposed in the second through hole is attached to the stepped surface. The power connection terminal is located in the second hole segment.

4. The phased array antenna high-current feeding structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The intermediate section includes a straight section and a bent section. The straight section is connected to the first connecting end piece at an angle. One end of the bent section is connected to the straight section to form a first bent angle, and the other end is connected to the second connecting end piece to form a second bent angle.

5. The phased array antenna high-current feeding structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The connection between the straight section and the first connecting end piece is arc-shaped, and both the first bending angle and the second bending angle are arc-shaped.

6. The high-current feeding structure for a phased array antenna according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The middle section is covered with an insulating sleeve.

7. The high-current feeding structure for a phased array antenna according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The first connecting end piece and the second connecting end piece are respectively provided with connecting holes. The connecting holes are respectively connected to the antenna connecting terminal and the power connecting terminal by connecting screws. The connecting holes are waist-shaped holes extending along the extension direction of the connecting copper busbar.

8. The high-current feeding structure for a phased array antenna according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, A conductive interface connecting piece is connected between the first connecting piece and the antenna connecting terminal, and / or a conductive interface connecting piece is connected between the second connecting piece and the power connecting terminal.

9. The high-current feeding structure for a phased array antenna according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The second frame body has a mounting groove along the outer edge of the second through hole, and the insulating cover plate is detachably installed in the mounting groove. The insulating cover plate is flush with the surface of the second frame body.

10. The phased array antenna high-current feeding structure according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The connecting copper busbar is a one-piece molded structure.

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