A lightweight antenna

Abstract

This utility model discloses a lightweight antenna, including an antenna element and an epoxy outer cover fitted around the antenna element. A support frame is provided between the antenna element and the epoxy outer cover. The support frame consists of several horizontal and vertical frame plates. The horizontal frame plates are spaced apart along the axial direction of the antenna element, and the vertical frame plates are evenly arranged along the circumference of the antenna element. The horizontal and vertical frame plates are interlocked by slots in the vertical and horizontal plates to form an integral frame structure. Weight-reduction holes are provided on the horizontal and vertical frame plates, and a groove for applying adhesive can be formed between them for fixing to the epoxy outer cover by bonding or screws. Compared with existing structures using foaming agents, this utility model can effectively reduce the overall weight of the antenna, reduce the impact of the insulating medium on the electrical performance of the antenna element, and improve the convenience of assembly and maintenance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of antenna technology, specifically a lightweight antenna. Background Technology

[0002] Biconical antennas are a typical type of broadband antenna, usually consisting of two conical or triangular conductors connected back-to-back. They have a wide impedance bandwidth and omnidirectional radiation characteristics, and are widely used in communications, radar, signal monitoring, and electromagnetic compatibility testing. Their feeding method often employs a center-feed structure, where the outer conductor of a coaxial cable is connected to one of the cones, and the inner conductor is connected to the other cone, thus achieving broadband impedance matching.

[0003] Existing biconical antennas are typically used in the VHF band, around 108 MHz. At this frequency, to ensure good radiation characteristics and bandwidth matching, the antenna element is relatively large, with a maximum aperture of 300 mm and a height of approximately 1300 mm. To ensure the antenna's mechanical strength and reliability in outdoor environments, an epoxy coating is usually added to the outside of the antenna element.

[0004] However, a large cavity gap exists between the antenna element and the epoxy outer casing. To prevent the antenna element from wobbling inside the casing, existing technologies typically use polyurethane foam to fill this gap for support and fixation. However, this solution has the following significant drawbacks:

[0005] 1. Increased weight: Due to the large size of the biconical antenna, the required filling volume is considerable. The large amount of foaming agent not only increases the material cost, but also significantly increases the overall weight of the antenna, which is not conducive to transportation and installation.

[0006] 2. The filler materials such as polyurethane have poor wave transmittance and will come into contact with the surface of the antenna element over a large area, which will have an adverse effect on the radiation characteristics and matching performance of the antenna.

[0007] 3. Inconvenient maintenance: After the filler cures, it will completely cover the antenna vibrator, making the vibrator impossible to disassemble or repair. Once damaged, it can only be replaced as a whole, which increases the cost of use and maintenance.

[0008] In summary, existing biconical antenna filling and fixing schemes have shortcomings in terms of weight, electrical performance, and maintainability. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new support method that can reduce the impact on electrical performance, reduce weight, and facilitate later maintenance while ensuring mechanical stability. Utility Model Content

[0009] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to overcome the existing defects and provide a lightweight antenna. By using a frame combination of horizontal and vertical frame plates to wrap the antenna vibrator and place it inside an epoxy outer cover, the influence of the filler on the antenna is reduced, the overall weight of the antenna is significantly reduced, and subsequent disassembly and maintenance are convenient. This can effectively solve the problems in the background art.

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: a lightweight antenna, comprising an antenna element and an epoxy outer cover fitted on the outside of the antenna element, a support frame provided between the antenna element and the epoxy outer cover, the support frame comprising a frame horizontal plate and a frame vertical plate, the frame horizontal plates being spaced apart along the axial direction of the antenna element, the frame vertical plates being evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the antenna element, the frame horizontal plates and the frame vertical plates being interlocked to form the support frame, the frame horizontal plates having a vertical plate mounting groove in the circumferential direction, and the frame vertical plates having a horizontal plate mounting groove on the inner side, the horizontal plate mounting groove and the vertical plate mounting groove being interlocked; the frame vertical plates and frame horizontal plates adopt a mounting groove assembly structure, which can be disassembled, and has the advantages of convenience and speed, the support frame is used to support and limit the antenna element, and is fixed inside the epoxy outer cover by adhesive or mechanical means.

[0011] Furthermore, the antenna vibrator includes an upper cone and a lower cone, and a frame crossplate is fitted over the outer sides of the upper cone and the lower cone.

[0012] Furthermore, the frame has at least three horizontal plates and at least three vertical plates.

[0013] Furthermore, several weight-reducing holes are provided on the frame cross plates and / or frame longitudinal plates.

[0014] Furthermore, a caulking groove is formed between the longitudinal and transverse frame plates, and the caulking groove is filled with adhesive, which is used to fix the support frame to the epoxy cover.

[0015] Furthermore, the frame cross panels and frame longitudinal panels are made of non-metallic lightweight sheet materials, which are glass fiber reinforced epoxy boards, epoxy resin boards, or engineering plastics. No foaming agent is required inside the epoxy cover, and the supporting frame is fixed to the epoxy cover with screws.

[0016] Since no filler is needed, both the horizontal and vertical frame plates are made of lightweight non-metallic sheet material, resulting in a significantly lighter overall antenna weight. Furthermore, the antenna performance will not be affected by filler.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0018] 1. The antenna vibrator is fixed by a support frame composed of horizontal and vertical plates, which replaces the method of filling with large volume foaming agent in the existing technology, thus significantly reducing the overall weight of the antenna; the support frame is made of lightweight non-metallic material, which has good wave transmission performance while ensuring structural strength; since there is no need to fill with a large amount of polyurethane material, the overall weight is greatly reduced, making the antenna more convenient to transport, install and use, and effectively reducing the burden on the installation support structure.

[0019] 2. Since this utility model no longer uses foaming agent to completely cover the antenna vibrator, it greatly reduces the direct contact area between the insulating medium and the vibrator, avoiding the problems of poor medium transmittance and high loss, thus maintaining the inherent broadband matching performance and omnidirectional radiation characteristics of the biconical antenna; the support frame only contacts the antenna vibrator at necessary positions, achieving a balance between mechanical stability and electrical performance, ensuring the antenna's working efficiency and stability over a wide frequency range.

[0020] 3. The support frame adopts a detachable connection method such as slot fitting or screw fixing, which allows the antenna vibrator to be inspected, replaced and maintained without damaging the epoxy outer cover, greatly improving the defect of the existing technology that cannot be repaired after filling and curing; at the same time, the frame structure is simple to manufacture, and the number of horizontal and vertical plates can be flexibly adjusted according to the antenna size; the horizontal and vertical plates are also equipped with weight reduction holes and glue grooves, which can reduce weight while strengthening the fixing strength with the outer cover through glue bonding, thus taking into account lightweight, stability and maintainability. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the support frame structure of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a bottom view of the support frame structure of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the frame longitudinal plate structure of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the antenna vibrator structure of this utility model.

[0025] In the diagram: 1. Antenna vibrator, 2. Weight reduction hole, 3. Frame longitudinal plate, 4. Frame transverse plate, 5. Glue application groove, 6. Longitudinal plate mounting groove, 7. Epoxy outer cover, 8. Transverse plate mounting groove, 9. Lower cone, 10. Upper cone. Detailed Implementation

[0026] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model 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 this utility model.

[0027] Please see Figure 1-4 This utility model provides a technical solution: a lightweight antenna, wherein a support frame is provided between the antenna vibrator 1 and the epoxy outer cover 7, the support frame including a frame horizontal plate 4 and a frame vertical plate 3; the frame horizontal plates 4 are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the antenna vibrator 1, and the frame vertical plates 3 are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the antenna vibrator 1, the frame horizontal plates 4 and the frame vertical plates 3 are interlocked to form a stable three-dimensional support frame; the frame horizontal plates 4 are provided with a vertical plate mounting groove 6 in the circumferential direction, and the frame vertical plates 3 are provided with a horizontal plate mounting groove 8 on the inner side, the vertical plate mounting groove 6 and the horizontal plate mounting groove 8 are interlocked to form an integral skeleton structure; the mounting groove assembly structure of the frame horizontal plates 4 and the frame vertical plates 3 has a detachable characteristic, the support frame is used to support and limit the antenna vibrator 1, and is fixed to the inner wall of the epoxy outer cover 7 by mechanical means such as adhesives or screws.

[0028] The antenna vibrator 1 includes an upper cone 10 and a lower cone 9. The frame plate 4 is fitted on the outside of the upper cone 10 and the lower cone 9, so that the double cone structure is symmetrical and coaxially positioned inside the epoxy outer cover 7. The frame plate 4 and the outer surfaces of the upper cone 10 and the lower cone 9 form multiple support points, thereby ensuring the stability of the antenna vibrator during use and transportation.

[0029] The number of frame horizontal plates 4 is at least 3, and the number of frame vertical plates 3 is at least 3; the distribution of three or more points constitutes a spatially stable skeleton, ensuring that the antenna is reliably supported in multiple directions; for large antennas, up to 5 or 6 horizontal plates 4 and vertical plates 3 can be added to further enhance the support strength and stability; in this embodiment, there are 6 frame vertical plates 3 and 7 frame horizontal plates 4; for small antennas, the number can be reduced, but the structural strength can be ensured by increasing the thickness of the plates or optimizing the layout.

[0030] Several weight-reducing holes 2 are provided on the frame horizontal plate 4 and / or frame vertical plate 3. The weight-reducing holes 2 are opened at non-critical stress positions, which can effectively reduce the structural weight without affecting the overall strength, improve the wave transmittance of the frame, and reduce the impact on the antenna radiation performance. The shape of the weight-reducing holes 2 can be a circular hole, an elliptical hole, a long strip hole or a honeycomb hole, and the arrangement is optimized according to mechanical analysis.

[0031] The junction of the longitudinal plate 3 and the transverse plate 4 forms a glue-applying groove 5, which is filled with adhesive. After the adhesive cures, it fixes the support frame to the epoxy outer cover 7, ensuring the stability of the overall structure. The design of the glue-applying groove 5 allows the adhesive to be directionally distributed at the connection node, improving the bonding strength and preventing the adhesive from spreading. The adhesive used can be epoxy resin, silicone, or UV-cured adhesive. Depending on the different usage environments, peelable adhesive or mechanical clips can also be used as alternatives.

[0032] The frame's horizontal and vertical plates 4 and 3 are made of non-metallic lightweight sheet materials, such as glass fiber reinforced epoxy board, epoxy resin board, or engineering plastics. These materials have the advantages of being lightweight, having good wave transmission performance, and high mechanical strength. The supporting frame is fixed to the epoxy outer cover 7 with screws, eliminating the need for polyurethane foam filling, thus significantly reducing the overall weight, avoiding interference with electrical performance from fillers, and improving disassembly and maintenance convenience. In other implementations, the frame material can be replaced with carbon fiber composite board or high-strength nylon board, and the fixing method can also be rivets, clips, or embedded locking devices. In scenarios requiring seismic resistance, buffer washers or flexible connectors can be added to the screw fixing points to improve vibration resistance.

[0033] In summary, this embodiment achieves stable fixation of the antenna vibrator 1 inside the epoxy outer casing 7 through a lightweight support frame composed of the horizontal plate 4 and the vertical plate 3. This avoids the adverse effects of traditional polyurethane foam on electrical performance, significantly reduces the overall weight of the antenna, improves the convenience of assembly and maintenance, and ensures the broadband matching characteristics and omnidirectional radiation performance of the antenna.

[0034] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features and advantages of this utility model. Various changes and modifications may be made to this utility model without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of this utility model as claimed.

Claims

1. A lightweight antenna, comprising an antenna element (1) and an epoxy outer casing (7) fitted onto the outside of the antenna element (1), characterized in that: A support frame is provided between the antenna vibrator (1) and the epoxy outer cover (7). The support frame includes a frame horizontal plate (4) and a frame vertical plate (3). The frame horizontal plate (4) is arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the antenna vibrator (1), and the frame vertical plate (3) is arranged evenly along the circumferential direction of the antenna vibrator (1). The frame horizontal plate (4) and the frame vertical plate (3) are interlocked to form a support frame. The frame horizontal plate (4) is provided with a vertical plate mounting groove (6) in the circumferential direction, and the frame vertical plate (3) is provided with a horizontal plate mounting groove (8) on the inner side. The horizontal plate mounting groove (8) and the vertical plate mounting groove (6) are interlocked to each other. The support frame is used to support and limit the antenna vibrator (1) and is fixed inside the epoxy outer cover (7) by adhesive or mechanical means.

2. The lightweight antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The antenna vibrator (1) includes an upper cone (10) and a lower cone (9), and a frame plate (4) is fitted onto the outside of the upper cone (10) and the lower cone (9).

3. A lightweight antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of the frame horizontal plates (4) is at least 3, and the number of the frame vertical plates (3) is at least 3.

4. A lightweight antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: Several weight-reducing holes (2) are provided on the frame horizontal plate (4) and / or frame vertical plate (3).

5. A lightweight antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: A glue-applying groove (5) is formed between the frame longitudinal plate (3) and the frame transverse plate (4), and the glue-applying groove (5) is filled with adhesive.

6. A lightweight antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frame horizontal plate (4) and frame vertical plate (3) are made of non-metallic lightweight plates, which are glass fiber reinforced epoxy boards, epoxy resin boards or engineering plastics.

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