Aircraft antenna components and their fabrication methods

Abstract

This invention discloses an aircraft antenna assembly and its manufacturing method. The aircraft antenna assembly includes a metal shell, an antenna element, and an radome. The metal shell has a hollow cylindrical structure, and its outer circumferential surface is provided with first, second, and third adhesive grooves sequentially along the axial direction. The radial depth of the second adhesive groove is greater than that of the first and third adhesive grooves, forming a concave stepped structure. The antenna element includes an RF connector, an RF cable, and a sub-antenna. The RF cable and RF connector are placed inside the metal shell. The sub-antenna is bonded to the second adhesive groove by an adhesive layer and locked in place by fasteners. The radome covers the first and third adhesive grooves and the outer wall of the sub-antenna, and is bonded to the first and third adhesive grooves by adhesive layers, respectively. This invention uses a stepped structure for positioning and dual fixation by adhesive bonding and fasteners, resulting in a compact structure that is suitable for the confined space of an aircraft, improving environmental adaptability and reliability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of aircraft communication equipment, specifically relating to an aircraft antenna assembly and its manufacturing method. Background Technology

[0002] By integrating a data link system, the aircraft can communicate in real time with command platforms, satellites, and other combat units during flight, enabling functions such as trajectory correction, status feedback, collaborative operations, and data transmission, significantly improving flight control accuracy and mission effectiveness. The aircraft's antenna assembly, as a key front-end component of the data link system, is typically mounted externally on the nose and is responsible for signal transmission and reception, enabling crucial functions such as wireless communication, command reception, and data feedback during flight. Its electrical performance, structural strength, and environmental adaptability directly determine the aircraft's communication stability and mission reliability.

[0003] The working environment of aircraft antenna components is extremely harsh: on the one hand, they must withstand continuous vibration during flight, alternating high and low temperatures at high altitudes, high-speed airflow scouring, and external impacts; on the other hand, the aircraft has a compact installation space and strict load limits, which places extremely high demands on the size, weight, integration, and structural reliability of the components.

[0004] Existing aircraft antenna assemblies generally suffer from insufficient bonding strength between the antenna unit and the mounting substrate, and are prone to debonding. Their electrical performance is unstable under vibration and complex environments, making it difficult to meet the requirements of long-endurance and high-reliability airborne use. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention proposes an aircraft antenna assembly and its fabrication method.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention discloses an aircraft antenna assembly, comprising:

[0008] The metal shell has a hollow cylindrical structure. Its outer circumferential surface is provided with a first adhesive groove, a second adhesive groove and a third adhesive groove in sequence along its axial direction. The radial depth of the second adhesive groove is greater than the radial depth of the first adhesive groove and the third adhesive groove, so that the second adhesive groove forms an inward step structure on both sides.

[0009] The antenna unit includes an RF connector, an RF cable, and a sub-antenna; one end of the RF cable is electrically connected to the RF connector, and the other end is electrically connected to the feed point of the sub-antenna; the RF cable and the RF connector are placed inside the metal housing; the sub-antenna is bonded to the adhesive surface of the second adhesive groove through an adhesive layer and is locked and fixed to the metal housing by fasteners;

[0010] The radome covers the first and third adhesive grooves of the metal shell and the outer wall of the array antenna, and the radome is bonded to the adhesive surfaces of the first and third adhesive grooves respectively by adhesive layers.

[0011] This invention discloses an aircraft antenna assembly, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0012] First, the outer periphery of the metal shell is provided with first, second and third bonding grooves along the axial direction. The second bonding groove has a greater radial depth, forming a concave step structure, which can form radial limit and mechanical anchoring for the pair antenna, suppressing displacement and warping under high overload and strong vibration.

[0013] Secondly, the array antenna adopts a dual fixing method of adhesive bonding and fastener locking, which greatly improves the bonding strength and avoids delamination.

[0014] Third, the radome simultaneously covers the first adhesive groove, the third adhesive groove, and the array antenna, and is reliably bonded by the adhesive layer, so that the antenna unit, the metal shell, and the radome form an integrated load-bearing structure, ensuring stable electrical performance under vibration and shock environments. At the same time, the structure is compact and highly integrated, making it suitable for the narrow installation space of aircraft.

[0015] Based on the above technical solution, the following improvements can be made:

[0016] As a preferred embodiment, the metal housing has through holes and threaded holes, both of which are located at the bottom of the second bonding groove. The through holes are used to allow the RF cable and RF connector to pass into the interior of the metal housing, and the threaded holes are used to engage with fasteners to lock the array antenna.

[0017] By adopting the above-mentioned preferred solution, the through holes and fastener threaded holes are concentrated at the bottom of the second bonding groove, thereby achieving centralized assembly, simplifying the structure, and improving assembly efficiency and reliability.

[0018] As a preferred embodiment, the radome comprises, from the inside to the outside, a high-transmittance core layer, an adhesive layer, and a fiberglass cloth layer along the radial direction of the metal shell.

[0019] Using the above-mentioned preferred scheme, the radome adopts a multi-layer composite structure. The high-transmittance core layer ensures low-loss transmission of radio frequency signals, the glass fiber cloth layer improves the overall strength and toughness, and the adhesive layer achieves reliable interlayer bonding. This allows the radome to meet communication performance requirements while being crack-resistant, deformation-resistant, and resistant to high overload, making it suitable for harsh environments.

[0020] As a preferred embodiment, the bonding surfaces of the second and third bonding grooves are on the same curved surface as the outer surface of the array antenna, so as to provide a stable support surface for the radome.

[0021] By adopting the above-mentioned preferred scheme, a continuous and smooth support surface is formed, ensuring uniform fit of the radome and avoiding local stress concentration.

[0022] As a preferred embodiment, the outer surface of the radome is covered with a fiberglass cloth reinforcement layer by an adhesive layer.

[0023] By adopting the above-mentioned preferred solution, a fiberglass cloth reinforcement layer is added to the outside of the radome, which significantly improves the overall impact resistance, wear resistance and environmental adaptability.

[0024] As a preferred embodiment, the metal housing has a frustum-shaped structure, the array antenna has a fan-shaped structure, and the array antenna is attached to the second adhesive groove of the metal housing.

[0025] By adopting the above-mentioned preferred scheme, a conformal structure of a frustum shell and a sector-shaped oscillator is used to achieve miniaturization, low wind resistance, and high integration.

[0026] As a preferred option, the radio frequency cable is connected to the array antenna via a spiral core conductor.

[0027] Using the preferred scheme described above, the radio frequency cable employs a spiral core wire structure to absorb vibration energy and prevent the solder joints and conductors from breaking.

[0028] As a preferred embodiment, the outer wall of the core conductor is provided with multiple layers of heat shrink tubing, with the inner layer being soft heat shrink tubing and the outer layer being rigid heat shrink tubing.

[0029] By adopting the above-mentioned preferred scheme, the multi-layer heat shrink tubing combines buffering and vibration absorption with structural support, further protecting the core wire and solder joints.

[0030] Secondly, this invention discloses a method for manufacturing an aircraft antenna assembly, used to manufacture any of the aforementioned aircraft antenna assemblies, comprising the following steps:

[0031] Step S1: Prepare the metal housing, antenna unit, and radome;

[0032] The outer surface of the metal shell is provided with a first adhesive groove, a second adhesive groove and a third adhesive groove in sequence along its axial direction;

[0033] The antenna unit includes: an RF connector, an RF cable, and a sub-antenna. One end of the RF cable is electrically connected to the RF connector, and the other end is electrically connected to the feed point of the sub-antenna.

[0034] Step S2: Insert the RF cable and RF connector of the antenna unit into the interior of the metal housing through the through-hole on the metal housing;

[0035] The adhesive is applied to the bonding surface of the second bonding groove of the metal shell. The array antenna of the antenna unit is attached to the second bonding groove coated with adhesive and fixed to the metal shell with fasteners. Then it is placed in the antenna unit wrapping fixture and fixed. It is placed in an oven for heating and curing to allow the adhesive to solidify completely. After taking it out, the fixture is removed to obtain the metal shell with the antenna unit.

[0036] Step S3: Apply adhesive to the bonding surfaces of the first and third bonding grooves of the metal housing. Wrap the radome around the first and third bonding grooves and the outer wall of the array antenna. Then place it in the radome wrapping fixture and fix it. Place it in an oven to heat and cure it so that the adhesive is completely solidified. Remove it and remove the fixture to obtain the metal housing with the radome.

[0037] Step S4: Apply adhesive to the outer surface of the radome, wrap the fiberglass cloth around the outer surface of the radome, then place it in the fiberglass cloth adhesive fixture for fixation, place it in an oven for heating and curing, so that the adhesive is completely solidified, remove it and remove the fixture to obtain a metal shell with a fiberglass cloth reinforcement layer.

[0038] Step S5: Polish the surface of the component obtained in step S4 to make it smooth, and obtain the aircraft antenna component.

[0039] This invention discloses a method for manufacturing aircraft antenna assemblies with clear processes, mass production capability, and high consistency. Through step-by-step processes such as adhesive application, contour tooling positioning, oven curing, and surface polishing, precise positioning, reliable bonding, and uniform curing of the array antenna and radome are achieved, ensuring consistent structural strength and performance of the product. The overall process is highly controllable, suitable for mass production, and can stably manufacture aircraft antenna assemblies that are resistant to high overloads, vibrations, and have reliable electrical performance.

[0040] As a preferred embodiment, the method for preparing the radome includes: laying the high-transmittance core material flat and applying adhesive, attaching fiberglass cloth to the surface of the high-transmittance material coated with adhesive, smoothing it so that the fiberglass cloth is completely immersed in the adhesive, drying it, and then cutting it into the required shape using a cutting tool.

[0041] Using the above-mentioned preferred scheme, the high-transmittance core material and the fiberglass cloth are bonded together by brushing glue, smoothing, impregnating with glue, drying, and cutting, so that there are no air bubbles between the fiberglass cloth and the core material and the bond is firm, ensuring the stability of the radome's wave transmission performance and structural strength. At the same time, it can be cut into the shape of the shell to fit the shell as needed, which is convenient for subsequent wrapping and assembly. Attached Figure Description

[0042] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0043] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of an aircraft antenna assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 2 A side view of the metal casing provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 3 This is a side view of the metal casing provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an antenna unit provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of an aircraft antenna assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Enlarged view of part A in the middle.

[0049] Figure 7 for Figure 5 Enlarged view of part B in the middle.

[0050] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Enlarged view of part C in the middle.

[0051] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of an antenna radome provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a helical spring-shaped core conductor and a multilayer heat shrink tubing provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] Wherein: 1-metal shell, 11-first adhesive groove, 12-second adhesive groove, 13-third adhesive groove, 14-via hole, 15-threaded hole, 2-antenna unit, 21-RF connector, 22-RF cable, 23-array antenna, 231-counterhole, 24-solder joint, 3-radome, 31-high transmittance core layer, 32-fiberglass cloth layer, 41-first epoxy resin adhesive layer, 42-second epoxy resin adhesive layer, 43-third epoxy resin adhesive layer, 44-fourth epoxy resin adhesive layer, 5-fiberglass cloth reinforcement layer, 6-spiral spring-shaped core conductor, 71-soft heat shrink tubing, 72-rigid heat shrink tubing. Detailed Implementation

[0054] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0055] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0056] Using ordinal numbers such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc. to describe ordinary objects merely indicates different instances of similar objects and is not intended to imply that the objects being described must have a given order in time, space, sequence, or any other way.

[0057] Furthermore, the expression "includes" is an "open-ended" expression, which means only that there is a corresponding component or step, and should not be interpreted as excluding additional components or steps.

[0058] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 1-8 As shown, the aircraft antenna assembly includes a metal housing 1, an antenna element 2, and an antenna radome 3.

[0059] The metal shell 1 has a hollow frustum-shaped structure. Its outer circumferential surface is sequentially machined with a first bonding groove 11, a second bonding groove 12 and a third bonding groove 13 along its axial direction. The radial depth of the second bonding groove 12 is greater than the radial depth of the first bonding groove 11 and the third bonding groove 13, so that the second bonding groove 12 forms an inwardly concave step structure on both sides.

[0060] The first adhesive groove 11, the second adhesive groove 12 and the third adhesive groove 13 mentioned above may be, but are not limited to, knurled surfaces, or may be sandblasted surfaces, laser-textured surfaces or other roughened surfaces, to enhance the bonding strength with epoxy resin adhesive.

[0061] Antenna unit 2 includes an RF connector 21, an RF cable 22, and a sub-antenna 23. One end of the RF cable 22 is soldered to the RF connector 21, and the other end is soldered to the feed point of the sub-antenna 23. The RF cable 22 passes through the through-hole 14 of the metal housing 1 into the hollow interior of the metal housing 1, and the RF connector 21 extends outward from the interior of the metal housing 1. The sub-antenna 23 has a fan-shaped structure, and the sub-antenna 23 is bonded to the bonding surface of the second bonding groove 12 through the first epoxy resin adhesive layer 41, and is locked and fixed to the metal housing 1 by fasteners (such as screws).

[0062] The radome 3 covers the first adhesive groove 11, the third adhesive groove 13 and the outer wall of the array antenna 23 of the metal housing 1, and the radome 3 is bonded to the adhesive surfaces of the first adhesive groove 11 and the third adhesive groove 13 respectively through the second epoxy resin adhesive layer 42.

[0063] This invention discloses an aircraft antenna assembly, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0064] First, the outer periphery of the metal shell 1 is provided with first, second and third adhesive grooves along the axial direction. The second adhesive groove 12 has a larger radial depth and forms an inwardly concave step structure, which can form radial limit and mechanical anchoring of the pair antenna 23, and suppress displacement and warping under high overload and strong vibration.

[0065] Secondly, the array antenna 23 adopts a dual fixing method of epoxy resin adhesive bonding and fastener locking, which greatly improves the bonding strength and avoids delamination.

[0066] Third, the radome 3 simultaneously covers the first adhesive groove 11, the third adhesive groove 13 and the array antenna 23, and is reliably bonded by the adhesive layer, so that the antenna unit 2, the metal shell 1 and the radome 3 form an integrated load-bearing structure, ensuring stable electrical performance under vibration and shock environment, while the structure is compact and highly integrated, and is suitable for the narrow installation space of the aircraft.

[0067] In order to further optimize the implementation effect of the present invention, in some other embodiments, the remaining features are the same, except that the metal shell 1 is provided with a through hole 14 and a threaded hole 15, and the through hole 14 and the threaded hole 15 are both located at the bottom of the second bonding groove 12.

[0068] The via 14 is used to allow the RF cable 22 and RF connector 21 to pass into the interior of the metal housing 1, and fasteners (such as screws) to pass through the countersunk hole 231 on the array antenna 23 and be screwed into the threaded hole 15 at the bottom of the second adhesive groove 12 of the metal housing 1.

[0069] The RF cable 22 through hole 14 and the fastener threaded hole 15 are centrally located at the bottom of the second adhesive groove 12, which realizes centralized assembly, simplifies the structure, and improves assembly efficiency and reliability.

[0070] To further optimize the implementation effect of the present invention, in some other embodiments, the remaining technical features are the same, the difference being that, for example... Figure 9 As shown, the radome 3 includes, from the inside to the outside, a high-transmittance core layer 31, a third epoxy resin adhesive layer 43, and a glass fiber cloth layer 32 along the radial direction of the metal shell 1.

[0071] Among them: the high-transmittance core layer 31 can be, but is not limited to, PMI foam, or can also be polyurethane foam, polymethacrylimide foam or other lightweight foam materials with low dielectric constant and low loss to ensure low-loss signal transmission; the glass fiber cloth layer 32 improves the strength and toughness of the antenna radome 3; the third epoxy resin adhesive layer 43 achieves strong interlayer bonding.

[0072] The radome 3 adopts a multi-layer composite structure. The high-transmittance core layer 31 ensures low-loss transmission of radio frequency signals, the glass fiber cloth layer 32 improves the overall strength and toughness, and the third epoxy resin adhesive layer 43 achieves reliable interlayer bonding. This allows the radome 3 to meet communication performance requirements while being crack-resistant, deformation-resistant, and resistant to high overload, making it suitable for harsh environments.

[0073] To further optimize the implementation effect of the present invention, in some other embodiments, the remaining features are the same, except that the bonding surfaces of the second bonding groove 12 and the third bonding groove 13 are on the same conical surface as the outer surface of the array antenna 23, and their curvature radius is consistent with the inner wall radius of the antenna cover 3, so as to provide a stable support surface for the antenna cover 3.

[0074] After assembly, the inner wall of the radome 3 contacts the three surfaces mentioned above simultaneously, forming continuous support without any local suspension. This ensures that the radome 3 fits evenly, avoids local stress concentration, and effectively prevents the radome 3 from cracking or delaminating under strong vibration and high overload conditions, thereby improving the structural stability of the radome 3.

[0075] To further optimize the implementation effect of the present invention, in some other embodiments, the remaining features are the same, except that the outer surface of the radome 3 is covered with a glass fiber cloth reinforcement layer 5 by a fourth epoxy resin adhesive layer 44, which further improves the radome 3's resistance to cracking, impact and deformation, and enhances the structural reliability.

[0076] To further optimize the implementation effect of the present invention, in some other embodiments, the remaining technical features are the same, the difference being that, for example... Figure 10 As shown, the core conductor of the RF cable is pre-wound into a helical spring shape near solder joint 24. This helical segment can elastically expand and contract during vibration, absorbing the cable's vibration energy and significantly reducing stress concentration at the solder joint. The helical core conductor 6 has elastic buffering capability, absorbing energy and releasing stress during vibration and impact, avoiding stress concentration at the feed solder joint, preventing core wire bending and fatigue fracture, and improving the connection reliability and electrical stability of the antenna unit in strong vibration environments.

[0077] Furthermore, based on the above embodiments, the core wire spiral segment is protected by multi-layer heat shrink tubing, with the inner layer being soft heat shrink tubing 71 and the outer layer being hard heat shrink tubing 72.

[0078] Multi-layer heat shrink tubing combines vibration damping and structural support, further protecting the core wire and solder joints. The inner soft heat shrink tubing 71 absorbs vibration and buffers stress, while the outer hard heat shrink tubing 72 provides support and restrains deformation. The combination of the two can further reduce the risk of cable root bending, protect solder joints and core conductors, and improve vibration resistance life and environmental adaptability.

[0079] In other embodiments, the present invention discloses a method for manufacturing an aircraft antenna assembly, used to manufacture any of the above-mentioned aircraft antenna assemblies, comprising the following steps:

[0080] Step S1: Prepare the metal housing 1, antenna unit 2, and antenna cover 3;

[0081] Among them, the outer surface of the metal shell 1 is provided with a first adhesive groove 11, a second adhesive groove 12 and a third adhesive groove 13 in sequence along its axial direction;

[0082] Antenna unit 2 includes: RF connector 21, RF cable 22 and array antenna 23. One end of RF cable 22 is soldered to RF connector 21 and the other end is soldered to feed point of array antenna 23.

[0083] Step S2: Insert the RF cable 22 and RF connector 21 of the antenna unit 2 into the interior of the metal housing 1 through the through hole 14 on the metal housing 1;

[0084] Adhesive is applied to the bonding surface of the second bonding groove 12 of the metal housing 1. The array antenna 23 of the antenna unit 2 is attached to the second bonding groove 12 coated with adhesive, and the array antenna 23 is fixed to the metal housing 1 with fasteners. Then, it is placed in the antenna unit 2 wrapping fixture and fixed. It is placed in a 60°C oven for 3 hours to heat and cure, so that the adhesive is completely solidified. After taking it out, the fixture is removed, and the metal housing 1 with the antenna unit 2 is obtained.

[0085] Step S3: Apply adhesive to the bonding surfaces of the first bonding groove 11 and the third bonding groove 13 of the metal housing 1. Wrap the radome 3 around the outer wall of the first bonding groove 11, the third bonding groove 13 and the array antenna 23. Then place it inside the radome 3 wrapping fixture and fix it. Place it in a 60°C oven and heat it for 2 hours to cure the adhesive completely. Remove it and remove the fixture to obtain the metal housing 1 with the radome 3.

[0086] Step S4: Apply adhesive to the outer surface of the radome 3, wrap 0.05mm glass fiber cloth around the outer surface of the radome 3, then place it in the glass fiber cloth adhesive fixture for fixation, place it in a 60℃ oven for heating and curing for 3 hours to allow the adhesive to completely solidify, remove it and remove the fixture to obtain a metal shell 1 with a glass fiber cloth reinforcement layer 5.

[0087] Step S5: Polish the surface of the component obtained in step S4 to make it smooth, and obtain the aircraft antenna component.

[0088] This invention discloses a method for manufacturing aircraft antenna assemblies with clear processes, mass production capability, and high consistency. Through step-by-step processes such as adhesive application, contour tooling positioning, oven curing, and surface polishing, precise positioning, reliable bonding, and uniform curing of the array antenna 23 and the radome 3 are achieved, ensuring the structural strength and performance consistency of the product. The overall process is highly controllable, suitable for mass production, and can stably manufacture aircraft antenna assemblies that are resistant to high overloads, vibrations, and have reliable electrical performance.

[0089] Furthermore, the preparation method of the radome 3 includes: laying the high-transparency core material flat and applying adhesive, attaching 0.1mm glass fiber cloth to the surface of the high-transparency material coated with adhesive, smoothing it so that the glass fiber cloth is completely immersed in the adhesive, drying it, and then cutting it into the required shape, such as a fan shape, using a cutting tool.

[0090] Using the above-mentioned preferred scheme, the high-transmittance core material and the fiberglass cloth are bonded together by brushing glue, smoothing, impregnating with glue, drying and cutting, so that there are no air bubbles between the fiberglass cloth and the core material and the bond is firm, ensuring the stability of the wave transmission performance and structural strength of the radome 3. At the same time, it can be cut into the shape of the shell to fit the shell as needed, which is convenient for subsequent wrapping and assembly.

[0091] In some embodiments of the present invention, the aircraft antenna assembly described in this application is applicable to flight platforms such as aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles, and can also be used as a missile-borne antenna assembly. This aircraft antenna assembly can be installed in the nose guidance section of smart munitions such as projectiles, missiles, and rockets to adapt to harsh operating environments with high overload, strong vibration, and confined spaces, meeting the requirements for wireless communication, command reception, and data transmission during munition flight.

[0092] To verify the electrical performance reliability of the aircraft antenna assembly (which can also be used as a missile-borne antenna assembly) of the present invention, samples manufactured using the above structure and fabrication process were tested using a vector network analyzer. The test frequency was 4 GHz, and the required standing wave ratio (VSWR) was ≤ 1.5. The measured data are shown in Table 1.

[0093] Table 1 Measured Data

[0094]

[0095] Test results show that the standing wave ratios (SWRs) of all 10 samples at the 4 GHz frequency point are less than 1.5, and the values ​​are distributed between 1.3263 and 1.4630, demonstrating excellent overall performance.

[0096] This fully demonstrates that the stepped limiting structure, the dual fixing method of adhesive bonding and fasteners, and the integrated antenna radome composite structure proposed in this invention effectively ensure low loss and high stability of radio frequency signal transmission, meeting the stringent electrical requirements of communication antennas for aircraft (including missile-borne) platforms under complex operating conditions.

[0097] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from its spirit and scope. All such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed, which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An aircraft antenna assembly, characterized in that, include: The metal shell has a hollow cylindrical structure. A first adhesive groove, a second adhesive groove and a third adhesive groove are sequentially provided on its outer circumference along its axial direction. The radial depth of the second adhesive groove is greater than the radial depth of the first adhesive groove and the third adhesive groove, so that the second adhesive groove forms an inwardly concave step structure on opposite sides. Antenna unit, including RF connector, RF cable and array antenna; One end of the radio frequency cable is electrically connected to the radio frequency connector, and the other end is electrically connected to the feed point of the array antenna. The radio frequency cable and radio frequency connector are placed inside the metal housing; the array antenna is attached to the adhesive surface of the second adhesive groove through an adhesive layer and is locked and fixed to the metal housing by fasteners; The radome covers the first adhesive groove, the third adhesive groove, and the outer wall of the array antenna of the metal housing, and the radome is bonded to the adhesive surfaces of the first adhesive groove and the third adhesive groove respectively by adhesive layers.

2. The aircraft antenna assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The metal housing has through holes and threaded holes, both of which are located at the bottom of the second bonding groove. The via is used to allow the RF cable and RF connector to pass into the interior of the metal housing, and the threaded hole is used to engage with the fastener to lock the array antenna.

3. The aircraft antenna assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The radome, along the radial direction of the metal housing, comprises, from the inside out, a high-transmittance core layer, an adhesive layer, and a fiberglass cloth layer.

4. The aircraft antenna assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bonding surfaces of the second and third bonding grooves are on the same curved surface as the outer surface of the array antenna, so as to provide a stable support surface for the radome.

5. The aircraft antenna assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer surface of the radome is covered with a fiberglass cloth reinforcement layer by an adhesive layer.

6. The aircraft antenna assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The metal housing has a frustum-shaped structure, the array antenna has a fan-shaped structure, and the array antenna is attached to the second adhesive groove of the metal housing.

7. The aircraft antenna assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The radio frequency cable is connected to the array antenna via a spiral core conductor.

8. The aircraft antenna assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The outer wall of the core conductor is provided with multiple layers of heat shrink tubing, with the inner layer being soft heat shrink tubing and the outer layer being rigid heat shrink tubing.

9. A method for manufacturing an aircraft antenna assembly, characterized in that, The method for manufacturing an aircraft antenna assembly as described in any one of claims 1-8 includes the following steps: Step S1: Prepare the metal housing, antenna unit, and radome; The outer surface of the metal shell is provided with a first adhesive groove, a second adhesive groove and a third adhesive groove in sequence along its axial direction; The antenna unit includes: an RF connector, an RF cable, and a sub-antenna. One end of the RF cable is electrically connected to the RF connector, and the other end is electrically connected to the feed point of the sub-antenna. Step S2: Insert the RF cable and RF connector of the antenna unit into the interior of the metal housing through the through-hole on the metal housing; Adhesive is applied to the bonding surface of the second bonding groove of the metal housing. The array antenna of the antenna unit is attached to the second bonding groove coated with adhesive and fixed to the metal housing with fasteners. Then, it is placed in the antenna unit wrapping fixture and fixed. It is placed in an oven for heating and curing to allow the adhesive to completely solidify. After removal, the fixture is removed to obtain the metal housing with the antenna unit. Step S3: Apply adhesive to the bonding surfaces of the first and third bonding grooves of the metal housing, wrap the radome around the first, third, and outer walls of the array antenna, and then place it in the radome wrapping fixture for fixation. Place it in an oven for heating and curing to allow the adhesive to completely solidify. Remove the fixture after taking it out to obtain the metal housing with the radome. Step S4: Apply adhesive to the outer surface of the radome, wrap the fiberglass cloth around the outer surface of the radome, then place it in the fiberglass cloth adhesive fixture for fixation, place it in an oven for heating and curing, so that the adhesive is completely solidified, remove it and remove the fixture to obtain a metal shell with a fiberglass cloth reinforcement layer. Step S5: Polish the surface of the component obtained in step S4 to make it smooth, and obtain the aircraft antenna component.

10. The preparation method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The method for preparing the radome includes: laying the high-transmittance core material flat and applying adhesive, attaching fiberglass cloth to the surface of the high-transmittance material coated with adhesive, smoothing it so that the fiberglass cloth is completely immersed in the adhesive, drying it, and then cutting it into the required shape using a cutting tool.

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