Waveguide device with support means
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2023017337
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-02-09
- Filing Date
- 2023-02-08
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-23
AI Technical Summary
Existing waveguide devices experience deformation due to material stress, particularly thermally induced mechanical stress, leading to reliability and stability issues.
The waveguide device incorporates support means such as tuning gaps and stiffening elements to stabilize the structure, ensuring equal elongation across surfaces and enhancing bending and compressive stiffness.
This configuration reduces deformation, maintaining the reliability and stability of the waveguide device by aligning elongations and increasing structural integrity.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a waveguide device based on the preamble of claim 1.
Background Art
[0002] German Patent Application Publication No. 102014208389 describes a vehicle antenna device having a generating mechanism for generating electromagnetic waves and a waveguide system for transmitting electromagnetic waves. This waveguide system includes a plurality of waveguide configurations, and these waveguide configurations each have one inlet for supplying the generated electromagnetic waves and a plurality of outlets coupled to each inlet for decoupling the electromagnetic waves supplied to each inlet. Each outlet is coupled to an opening on the surface, and electromagnetic waves can radiate from these openings.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Means for Solving the Problems
[0004] According to the present invention, a waveguide device having the features based on claim 1 is proposed. Thereby, deformation of the waveguide device can be reduced. The waveguide device may be adapted as a distribution device or a coupling device for transmitting electromagnetic waves between a first connection component and a second connection component as an antenna device.
[0005] The waveguide device may be disposed inside a vehicle. The waveguide device may be assigned to a sensor system of the vehicle. This sensor system may be assigned to a vehicle assistance system and / or a semi-autonomous or autonomous driving system of the vehicle.
[0006] The waveguide apparatus may be implemented in one or multiple layers between a first surface and a second surface. The first surface may be assigned to the first layer, and the second surface to the second layer. Preferably, the first and second layers are outer layers of the waveguide apparatus. Support elements may allow the total volume of material in the first layer to approximate the total volume of material in the second layer.
[0007] The elongation of the first and / or second surface may be a change in length caused by material stress without external force. This elongation may also be caused by thermal mechanical stress. This elongation may also be due to material aging.
[0008] The first surface and / or the second surface may be the outer surface of the waveguide device. The first surface and / or the second surface may face a further surface of a further waveguide device. The first surface and / or the second surface may have reflective structures for changing the reflection of electromagnetic waves striking each surface.
[0009] Waveguide aperture arrangement refers to the arrangement of apertures of a waveguide element on a corresponding surface. A single waveguide element can form a single waveguide for electromagnetic waves. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is advantageous that the waveguide device is implemented as a waveguide antenna, and that the first waveguide aperture arrangement is adapted for transmitting and / or receiving electromagnetic waves. The electromagnetic waves may have frequencies in the gigahertz range. The waveguide antenna may be implemented as a radar antenna. This radar antenna may be assigned to vehicle radar.
[0010] In a particular embodiment of the present invention, it is advantageous that the second waveguide aperture array can be coupled to a connecting component for transmitting electromagnetic waves. The connecting component may be implemented as a chip and / or printed circuit board. The chip may be a high-frequency chip.
[0011] In a particular embodiment of the present invention, it is advantageous that the first surface and the second surface are arranged parallel to each other and opposite each other with respect to a first direction. The distance between the first surface and the second surface may be less than the minimum extent of the first surface and / or the second surface in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.
[0012] In a particular embodiment of the present invention, the support means includes at least one regulating gap that penetrates the second surface and acts other than guiding electromagnetic waves, wherein the regulating gap faces a waveguide element on the first surface with respect to the first direction. The regulating gap may have a depth smaller than the distance between the first surface and the second surface.
[0013] The support means may include at least one regulating gap that penetrates the first surface and acts other than guiding electromagnetic waves, the regulating gap facing a waveguide element on the second surface with respect to the first direction.
[0014] In a particular embodiment of the present invention, it is advantageous that the support means has a plurality of such adjustment gaps facing each waveguide element with respect to a first direction. It is preferable that one assigned adjustment gap for each waveguide element faces each other, particularly when no waveguide element is already positioned there.
[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least two tuned gaps are integrated into a common tuned gap volume, which is intended to approximate the sum of the waveguide volumes as the total waveguide volume of the waveguide elements each facing in a first direction. The tuned gap volume may correspond to the total waveguide volume. A single tuned gap volume may be determined in such a way that its area matches the sum of the areas of the assigned waveguide elements on the opposing first surfaces, and its depth matches the depth of these waveguide elements, in order to match the tuned gap volume to the total waveguide volume. Alternatively, to match the tuned gap volume to the total waveguide volume, the area of the tuned gap volume may be different from the sum of the areas of the assigned waveguide elements, and correspondingly, the depth of the tuned gap volume may be determined differently from the depth of the waveguide elements on the first surface.
[0016] The tuned air gap volume may have a different basic shape than the waveguide element. For example, the tuned air gap volume may be triangular, oval, or circular, and a single waveguide element may be rectangular, or vice versa. The tuned air gap volume may be a gap that gradually narrows or widens in a first direction, while the waveguide element runs parallel to the first direction.
[0017] In a special embodiment of the present invention, it is advantageous that the support means has at least one stiffening element effectively positioned between a first surface and a second surface and made of a material different from that of the base element. The stiffening element may be made of a material different from, or the same as, that of the base element. The stiffening element may be implemented integrally with the base element. The stiffening element may be coupled to the base element in a shape-coupled manner, a force-coupled manner, and / or a material-coupled manner. The stiffening element may be made of plastic or metal. The stiffening element may be positioned between at least two waveguide elements. The stiffening element can increase the bending and compressive stiffness of the waveguide apparatus. The stiffening element may be implemented as a support column.
[0018] A preferred form of the present invention in which the stiffening element extends from the first surface to the second surface is advantageous. The thickness of the stiffening element may correspond to the distance between the first surface and the second surface. The stiffening element may be embedded within the base element.
[0019] In a particular embodiment of the present invention, it is advantageous when the base element is formed from plastic and the waveguide element is implemented as a hollow metallic or dielectric waveguide. The plastic can be a thermosetting or thermoplastic material. The base element may be manufactured by 3D printing.
[0020] Further advantages and advantageous forms of the present invention are evident from the description of the figures and the figures themselves. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the figures.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0021] [Figure 1] A diagram showing a waveguide device in a known embodiment. [Figure 2] A perspective view of a known waveguide device. [Figure 3] A diagram showing a waveguide device in a particular embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] A diagram showing a waveguide device in a further particular embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] A perspective view of a waveguide device in a further particular embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] A perspective view of a waveguide device in a further particular embodiment of the present invention.
Modes for Carrying Out the Invention
[0022] Figure 1 shows a waveguide device in a known embodiment. This waveguide device 10 is implemented as a waveguide antenna 12 and includes a base element 14 having a first surface 16 as seen in Figure 1a), which shows a front view of the waveguide device 10, and an opposing second surface 18 as seen in Figure 1b), which shows a rear view of the waveguide device 10, and a plurality of waveguide elements 20 that transmit electromagnetic waves and are arranged to run between the first surface 16 and the second surface 18, and having a first waveguide aperture array 22 on the first surface 16 and a second waveguide aperture array 24 on the second surface 18 that is different from the first waveguide aperture array 22.
[0023] The first waveguide aperture array 22 is adapted for transmitting and / or receiving electromagnetic waves. The second waveguide aperture array 24 can be coupled with a connecting component for transmitting electromagnetic waves. The connecting component may be a chip and / or a printed circuit board.
[0024] The first surface 16 and the second surface 18 are parallel to each other and are positioned opposite each other with respect to a first direction 26 that runs perpendicular to the plane of the paper. Figure 2 shows a stereoscopic view of a known waveguide apparatus. This waveguide apparatus 10 includes a base element 14. Due to the different first and second waveguide aperture arrangements shown in Figure 1, different material stresses may occur at the first surface 16 relative to the second surface 18. This material stress causes an elongation 28 in the first plane 30 containing the first surface 16, which is different from the elongation 32 in the second plane 34 containing the second surface 18. These different elongations 28, 32 cause deformation 36 of the waveguide apparatus 10, which can degrade the reliability, stability, and function of the waveguide apparatus 10.
[0025] Figure 3 shows a waveguide device in a special embodiment of the present invention. This waveguide device 10 includes a base element 14 equipped with waveguide elements 20, the waveguide elements 20 having a second waveguide aperture array 24 on a second surface 18, which can be coupled to a connecting component, for example, to transmit electromagnetic waves.
[0026] Preferably, the base element 14 is formed from plastic, and the waveguide element 20 is implemented as a hollow metallic or dielectric waveguide 38. The base element 14 has support means 40 such that the elongation in a first plane including the first surface matches the elongation 32 in a second plane 34 including the second surface 18. The support means 40 includes a plurality of regulating gaps 42 that act on things other than guiding electromagnetic waves that penetrate the second surface 18. In this regard, each of the waveguide elements 20 of the first waveguide aperture array has one assigned regulating gap 42 on the second surface 18 that faces it, in particular when there is no waveguide element 20 already positioned there. Thus, the first waveguide aperture array is reflected on the second surface 18 as regulating gaps 42, thereby the structures of the first and second surfaces match each other, so that, for example, thermal elongation in the first plane matches the elongation 32 in the second plane 34. This reduces deformation of the waveguide device 10.
[0027] Figure 4 shows a waveguide apparatus in a further specific embodiment of the present invention. This waveguide apparatus 10 includes a second waveguide opening array 24 and a regulating gap 42 on a second surface 18. The regulating gap 42 is implemented as a common regulating gap volume 44, which approximates, and preferably matches, the sum of the waveguide volumes as the total waveguide volume of the waveguide elements 20 each facing in a first direction 26 of the first waveguide opening array 22, which is shown here as a dashed line. The common regulating gap volume 44 can be fabricated more easily and accurately than individual smaller regulating gaps 42.
[0028] A single adjustment gap volume 44 can be determined in such a way that its area 46 matches the total waveguide volume, by matching the area 46 of the adjustment gap volume 44 to the sum of the areas 48 of the assigned waveguide elements 20 on the opposing first surface, and its depth to the depth of these waveguide elements 20. To match the adjustment gap volume 44 to the total waveguide volume, the area 46 of the adjustment gap volume 44 may be different from the sum of the areas 48 of the assigned waveguide elements 20, and in this way the depth of the adjustment gap volume 44 may be determined differently from the depth of the waveguide elements 20 on the first surface.
[0029] Figure 5 shows a stereoscopic view of a waveguide apparatus in a further specific embodiment of the present invention. The waveguide apparatus 10 in Figures 5 and 6 each includes a base element 14 with waveguide elements 20. The second surface 18 is shown here as transparent. The support means 40 includes a plurality of stiffening elements 50 made of a different material from the base element 14, effectively positioned between the first surface 16 and the second surface 18. The stiffening elements 50 may be formed from a different material from the base element 14, or from the same material, preferably integrally with the base element 14, for example, plastic or metal. The stiffening elements 50 are positioned between the waveguide elements 20 and increase the bending and compressive stiffness of the waveguide apparatus 10. [Explanation of symbols]
[0030] 10 Waveguide device 12 Waveguide Antenna 14 Base Elements 16 First surface 18. Second surface 20 Waveguide Elements 22 First waveguide aperture arrangement 24 Second waveguide aperture arrangement 26 First direction 28. Extension in the first plane 30 The First Plane 32. Extension in the second plane 34 The second plane 36 Deformation 38 Waveguides 40 Support means 42 Adjustment gap 44. Joint adjustment void volume 46 area 48 Area 50 Stiffening elements
Claims
1. A waveguide device (10) comprising: a base element (14) having a first surface (16) and an opposing second surface (18); and a plurality of waveguide elements (20) transparent to electromagnetic waves, disposed between the first surface (16) and the second surface (18), the plurality of waveguide elements (20) having a first array of waveguide openings (22) on the first surface (16) and a second array of waveguide openings (24) on the second surface (18) that is different from the first array of waveguide openings (22), The waveguide device (10) is characterized in that the base element (14) has support means (40) for conforming an extension (28) in a first plane (30) containing the first surface (16) to an extension (32) in a second plane (34) containing the second surface (18) so that deformation (36) of the waveguide device (10) is reduced.
2. 2. The waveguide device (10) of claim 1, wherein the waveguide device (10) is implemented as a waveguide antenna (12), and the first waveguide opening array (22) is adapted for transmitting and / or receiving electromagnetic waves.
3. 3. The waveguide device (10) of claim 2, wherein the second array of waveguide openings (24) is coupleable with a connecting piece for transmitting the electromagnetic waves.
4. 2. The waveguide device (10) of claim 1, wherein the first surface (16) and the second surface (18) are parallel to each other and disposed opposite each other with respect to a first direction (26).
5. 5. The waveguide device (10) of claim 4, wherein the support means (40) includes at least one tuned gap (42) that penetrates the second surface (18) and acts other than guiding the electromagnetic wave, the tuned gap (42) facing one waveguide element (20) at the first surface (16) in the first direction (26).
6. 6. The waveguide device (10) of claim 5, wherein the support means (40) has a plurality of the tuned gaps (42) facing respective waveguide elements (20) with respect to the first direction (26).
7. 7. The waveguide device (10) of claim 6, wherein at least two tuned gaps (42) are combined into a joint tuned gap volume (44), the joint tuned gap volume (44) approximating the sum of the waveguide volumes as the total waveguide volume of the waveguide elements (20) respectively facing in the first direction (26).
8. 2. The waveguide device (10) of claim 1, wherein the support means (40) comprises at least one stiffening element (50) operatively disposed between the first surface (16) and the second surface (18) and differing in material from the base element (14).
9. 9. The waveguide device (10) of claim 8, wherein the stiffening element (50) extends from the first surface (16) to the second surface (18).
10. 2. The waveguide device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the base element (14) is made of plastic and the waveguide element (20) is embodied as a hollow metallic or dielectric waveguide (38).