Pedestal enclosure

Abstract

To provide a pedestal enclosure that can be used universally regardless of the frequency band. [Solution] The housing 1 of the pedestal in the radar device comprises a substantially rectangular cylindrical housing body 2 and a cover 3 that opens and closes both openings of the housing body 2, and is capable of housing either one of a first frequency band housing component including a drive motor and a transmit / receive unit for the first frequency band, and a second frequency band housing component including a drive motor and a transmit / receive unit for the second frequency band, and a pivot portion 21 for pivoting a main shaft that rotates the antenna is provided at a predetermined position on the housing body 2, so that a motor housing space 20 capable of housing either one of the first frequency band drive motor and the second frequency band drive motor is provided at a predetermined position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a housing of a pedestal of a radar device.

Background Art

[0002] Since the size of the antenna of a radar device varies depending on the frequency band (S band or X band), conventionally, the structure on the pedestal side also needed to be designed accordingly. That is, a drive motor, a drive gear arranged on the drive motor, a main shaft, a driven gear arranged on the main shaft, a transmission / reception unit, etc. are arranged in the housing of the pedestal (for example, see Patent Document 1), but it was necessary to design their shapes, dimensions, arrangements, etc. for each model. In particular, since the size, volume, strength, etc. required for the housing of the pedestal vary depending on the frequency band, it was necessary to design for each model.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] As described above, conventionally, since it is necessary to design and produce the housing of the pedestal according to the frequency band, not only does it take time and cost, but also the arrangements of the drive motor, transmission / reception unit, etc. in the housing vary depending on the model, so the workability in maintenance and inspection is poor. Furthermore, since the appearance (shape, size) of the housing varies for each model, there is no sense of unity and the aesthetics are impaired when a plurality of models are lined up. Under such a background, the inventor has come to think that a technology that enables common use regardless of the frequency band is desired.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a housing for a pedestal that can be commonly used regardless of the frequency band. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, the invention described in claim 1 is a housing for a pedestal in a radar device, comprising a substantially rectangular cylindrical housing body and a cover that opens and closes both openings of the housing body, wherein it is capable of housing either one of a first frequency band housing component including a drive motor and a transmit / receive unit for a first frequency band, and a second frequency band housing component including a drive motor and a transmit / receive unit for a second frequency band, and a pivot portion for supporting a main shaft that rotates the antenna is provided at a predetermined position on the housing body, thereby providing a motor housing space at a predetermined position that is capable of housing either one of the first frequency band drive motor and the second frequency band drive motor.

[0007] The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that, in the pedestal housing described in claim 1, reinforcing ribs extending in the vertical direction are provided on both side walls of the housing body, and reinforcing columns extending in the vertical direction are provided around the pivot support portion of the housing body.

[0008] The invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that, in the pedestal housing described in claim 2, the reinforcing column is formed in the shape of a partitioned box, and electronic components can be housed in the space of the partition.

[0009] The invention described in claim 4 is characterized in that, in the pedestal housing described in claim 2, the reinforcing column is formed in the shape of a partition box, and electronic components can be arranged on the side of the partition opposite the opening.

[0010] The invention described in claim 5 is characterized in that, in the pedestal housing described in claim 3 or 4, the reinforcing ribs are formed so as not to have undercuts in the opening direction of the housing body, and the opening of the partition of the reinforcing column extends in the opening direction of the housing body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the invention described in claim 1, since the housing is formed to accommodate either a first frequency band housing component or a second frequency band housing component, the same housing can be used regardless of whether the frequency band is the first or second frequency band. As a result, the time and cost required for design and production can be reduced. In addition, because the appearance (shape and size) of the housing is the same, even if multiple radar devices of different models and frequency bands are lined up, a sense of uniformity can be maintained and improved.

[0012] Furthermore, since a motor housing space capable of accommodating either the drive motor for the first frequency band or the drive motor for the second frequency band is provided in a predetermined location, it is possible to house the drive motors in the same location even if different drive motors are used depending on the frequency band. In addition, a support for the main spindle is provided in a predetermined location. As a result, even if the model and frequency band are different, the arrangement of the drive motors and main spindle can be made the same, improving work efficiency in maintenance and inspection.

[0013] According to the invention described in claim 2, since reinforcing ribs are provided on both side walls of the housing body, the housing body is reinforced, making it possible to secure the necessary strength and rigidity regardless of whether the frequency band is the first frequency band or the second frequency band. Moreover, since reinforcing columns are provided around the pivot point, the pivot point is reinforced, making it possible to properly pivot the main shaft regardless of whether the antenna mounted on the main shaft is for the first frequency band or the second frequency band. Furthermore, since the housing body is reinforced with reinforcing ribs and reinforcing columns, it becomes possible to make the housing body and other components thinner.

[0014] According to the invention described in claim 3, since electronic components can be housed in the partitioned space of the reinforcing column formed in the shape of a partitioned box, it is possible to reduce (confine) electromagnetic noise generated from the electronic components by the partition.

[0015] According to the invention described in claim 4, since electronic components can be arranged on the side opposite to the opening (the back side) of the reinforcing column formed in a partition box shape, the partition functions as a heat radiating fin, making it possible to radiate and release the heat generated from the electronic components.

[0016] According to the invention described in claim 5, since the reinforcing ribs are formed so that there is no undercut in the opening direction of the housing body, and further, an opening of the partition of the reinforcing column is formed extending in the opening direction of the housing body, it is possible to mold the housing body without undercut even with the presence of the reinforcing ribs and the reinforcing column. As a result, it becomes possible to produce the housing body by a manufacturing method using a mold such as die casting or gravity casting (gravity die casting), enabling the improvement of production efficiency and cost reduction.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] [Figure 1] It is a schematic perspective view showing a pedestal housing according to an embodiment of this invention. [Figure 2] It is a front view (a), a left side view (b), a right side view (c), and a rear view (d) showing a radar device with an antenna placed on the pedestal housing of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A - A of the front view of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B - B of the front view of FIG. 2. [Figure 5] It is a front view (a) and a left side view (b) showing the housing body of the pedestal housing of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] It is a right side view (a) and a rear view (b) showing the housing body of the pedestal housing of FIG. 1. [Figure 7] It is a schematic front cross-sectional view showing the state before arranging electronic components on the reinforcing column of the housing body of FIG. 5. [Figure 8] It is a schematic front cross-sectional view showing the state where electronic components are arranged on the reinforcing column of the housing body of FIG. 5.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on the illustrated embodiments.

[0019] Figs. 1 to 8 show embodiments of the present invention. Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a pedestal housing 1 according to this embodiment. This pedestal housing 1 is a housing of a pedestal in a radar device. In this embodiment, the case of a marine radar device will be described, but other radar devices may also be applicable.

[0020] Here, as shown in Fig. 2, the radar device mainly includes an antenna AT, a pedestal P that rotatably supports the antenna AT, and an antenna support AS for mounting the antenna AT on the pedestal P. Also, in the S band (the first frequency band), since the wavelength is about 10 cm long, the antenna AT becomes large. On the other hand, in the X band (the second frequency band), since the wavelength is about 3 cm short, the antenna AT becomes small. Further, the pedestal P generally includes a drive motor M, a drive gear MG disposed on the drive motor M, a main shaft S, a driven gear SG disposed on the main shaft S, a rotary joint RJ accommodated in the accommodation hole Sa of the main shaft S, an in-air unit (transmitting and receiving unit) KU, etc., and a housing for accommodating and disposing these.

[0021] And the pedestal housing 1 is a housing that can be used for both S-band radar devices and X-band radar devices regardless of the frequency band. Using this housing as a platform, by selecting, designing, and assembling the antenna AT, antenna support AS, drive motor M, rotary joint RJ, in-air unit KU, etc. according to the frequency band (S band or X band), a desired radar device can be configured and formed. Specifically, it has the following configuration.

[0022] The pedestal housing 1 is a box-shaped body comprising a roughly rectangular cylindrical housing body 2 and covers 3 that open and close both openings of the housing body 2. That is, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the housing body 2 is a roughly rectangular cylindrical shape with a top portion 2a, a bottom portion 2b, and side walls 2c, and the bowl-shaped covers 3 can be attached to and removed from both openings of the housing body 2.

[0023] Furthermore, with the cover 3 attached to the housing body 2, it is formed to accommodate either the S-band housing components, which include the S-band drive motor M and the in-air unit KU, or the X-band housing components, which include the X-band drive motor M and the in-air unit KU. In other words, the volume and shape of the pedestal housing 1 are set so that it can accommodate either the S-band housing components or the X-band housing components.

[0024] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, a support portion 21 for supporting the main shaft S that rotates the antenna AT is provided at a predetermined position on the housing body 2, so that a motor housing space 20 capable of accommodating either the S-band drive motor M or the X-band drive motor M is provided at a predetermined position on the pedestal housing 1. In other words, a cup-shaped support portion 21 that penetrates the ceiling portion 2a is formed on the bow side inside the housing body 2, and the lower part of the main shaft S is attached to the support portion 21 and supported so that it can rotate freely.

[0025] Here, a driven gear SG is attached to a predetermined position and height on the main spindle S, and a support portion 21 is formed to surround a part of the driven gear SG (excluding the part that meshes with the drive gear MG). On the other hand, a flange portion S1 is provided at the upper end of the main spindle S, and this flange portion S1 and the upper end of the main spindle S protrude from the ceiling portion 2a of the housing body 2. The upper end of the main spindle S is rotatably supported by an upper support block 22 provided on the ceiling portion 2a of the housing body 2. The upper support block 22 may be provided separately from the housing body 2 or integrally with it.

[0026] The formation of this shaft support portion 21 ensures that a motor housing space 20 is provided in a predetermined position within the pedestal housing 1. Specifically, the motor housing space 20 is located on the port side (the left side in the direction of the bow, and one side separated from the other by the shaft support portion 21) centered on the shaft support portion 21. The volume and shape of this motor housing space 20 are set so that either an S-band drive motor M or an X-band drive motor M can be properly housed and positioned without any large gaps.

[0027] As a result, regardless of the frequency band (S-band or X-band), the drive motor M is housed on the port side centered on the shaft support portion 21, and the internal unit KU is housed on the starboard side (the other side separated by the shaft support portion 21). In other words, the layout inside the pedestal housing 1 is almost the same for both the S-band and X-band. Furthermore, by positioning the drive motor M in the motor housing space 20, the drive gear MG on the output shaft of the drive motor M meshes with the driven gear SG on the main shaft S. In addition, the housing body 2 has multiple cable holes 23 for routing equipment cables SC from the internal unit KU and other components to the outside.

[0028] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the housing body 2 is provided with reinforcing ribs 24 and reinforcing columns 25.

[0029] The reinforcing ribs 24 are provided on the inner surfaces of both side walls 2c of the housing body 2 and are ribs that extend vertically from the ceiling portion 2a to the floor portion 2b, and are formed so as not to have any undercuts in the opening direction of the housing body 2. That is, they are formed to protrude from one side wall 2c toward the other side wall 2c, and are formed so as to allow the mold to be opened and closed in the opening direction (the direction in which the opening extends) of the housing body 2 (so that there are no parts that cannot be demolded).

[0030] The reinforcing columns 25 are provided around the pivot support portion 21 of the housing body 2, and are columnar bodies that extend vertically from the ceiling portion 2a to the floor portion 2b, and are formed in the shape of a partition box. That is, they are provided adjacent to the pivot support portion 21 on the port side and starboard side, respectively, and are in the shape of a partition box with the cover 3 side open. Here, the partition box shape is one in which plate-shaped partitions 25a are arranged continuously in a square grid pattern (like a drawer with partitions), and as shown in Figures 7 and 8, a plate-shaped back portion 25b is provided on the pivot support portion 21 side (opposite the cover 3 side).

[0031] The opening created by this partition 25a extends in the same direction as the opening of the housing body 2. Therefore, by opening and closing the mold in the direction of the opening of the housing body 2, the partition 25a can also be molded (without undercuts).

[0032] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, electronic components EP can be housed within the opening of the partition 25a of the reinforcing column 25, and electronic components EP can be arranged on the rear side 25b (opposite the opening side) of the reinforcing column 25. In other words, multiple screw holes are formed on the open end face of the reinforcing column 25 (the side opposite the rear side 25b). By aligning the electronic components EP mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) or the like with the opening of the partition 25a and screwing the PCB or the like to the open end face of the reinforcing column 25, the electronic components EP can be housed within the space of the partition 25a. Here, the size and arrangement of the partition 25a are set so that electronic components EP can be housed.

[0033] Furthermore, multiple screw holes are formed in the back portion 25b of the reinforcing column 25. By positioning the back side (opposite side to the electronic component EP) of a printed circuit board (PCB) with electronic components EP mounted on it facing the back portion 25b of the reinforcing column 25 and screwing the PCB to the back portion 25b of the reinforcing column 25, the electronic component EP can be placed on the back portion 25b. At this time, by screwing the PCB to the back portion (selecting the screw holes) so that the partition 25a is positioned on the back side of the electronic component EP, the partition 25a functions efficiently as a heat dissipation fin.

[0034] With this configuration, the pedestal housing 1 is designed to accommodate either S-band or X-band components, allowing it to be used interchangeably regardless of whether the frequency band is S-band or X-band. As a result, the time and cost required for design and production can be reduced. Furthermore, because the appearance (shape and size) of the pedestal housing 1 is the same, even when multiple radar devices of different models and frequency bands are lined up, a sense of uniformity is maintained and the aesthetics are improved.

[0035] Furthermore, a motor housing space 20 capable of accommodating either the S-band drive motor M or the X-band drive motor M is provided in a predetermined position. This allows the drive motor M to be housed in the same location even if the drive motor M differs depending on the frequency band. In addition, a support portion 21 for supporting the spindle S is provided in a predetermined position. As a result, even if the model and frequency band differ, the arrangement of the drive motor M and spindle S can be made the same, improving work efficiency in maintenance and inspection.

[0036] Furthermore, since reinforcing ribs 24 are provided on both side walls 2c of the housing body 2, the housing body 2 is reinforced, making it possible to secure the necessary strength and rigidity regardless of whether the frequency band is S-band or X-band. Moreover, since reinforcing columns 25 are provided around the support portion 21, the support portion 21 is reinforced, making it possible to properly support the main axis S regardless of whether the antenna AT attached to the main axis S is for S-band or X-band. In addition, since the housing body 2 is reinforced by the reinforcing ribs 24 and reinforcing columns 25, it is possible to make the housing body 2 and cover 3 thinner.

[0037] Furthermore, since the electronic component EP can be housed within the space of the partition 25a of the reinforcing column 25 which is formed in the shape of a partition box, it is possible to reduce (confine) the electromagnetic noise generated from the electronic component EP by the partition 25a. In addition, since the electronic component EP can be placed on the back part 25b of the reinforcing column 25 which is formed in the shape of a partition box, the partition 25a can function as a heat dissipation fin, making it possible to dissipate and release the heat generated from the electronic component EP.

[0038] Furthermore, reinforcing ribs 24 are formed so as not to have undercuts in the opening direction of the housing body 2, and the opening of the partition 25a of the reinforcing column 25 is formed extending in the opening direction of the housing body 2. As a result, it is possible to mold the housing body 2 without undercuts even with the reinforcing ribs 24 and reinforcing column 25.

[0039] Although embodiments of this invention have been described above, the specific configuration is not limited to the embodiments described above, and any design changes, etc., that do not depart from the gist of this invention are also included. For example, in the above embodiment, the drive motor M is arranged on the port side centered on the shaft support portion 21, and the engine unit KU is arranged on the starboard side, but other arrangements are also acceptable as long as they are equivalent in arrangement and layout, regardless of the frequency band (S band or X band). Furthermore, although the case in which the first frequency band is the S band and the second frequency band is the X band has been described, other frequency bands are also acceptable. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1 Pedestal enclosure unit 2. Main unit 2c side wall 20 Motor housing space 21 Axial support portion (Axial support part) 24 Reinforcement Ribs 25 Reinforcement columns 25a Partition 25b Back part 3 Cover AT antenna P Pedestal AS Antenna Support S spindle SG Driven Gear M Drive Motor MG drive gear RJ Rotary Joint KU In-flight Unit (Transmitter / Receiver Unit) EP electronic components PCB (Printed Circuit Board)

Claims

1. A housing for a pedestal in a radar system, It comprises a roughly rectangular cylindrical housing body and a cover that opens and closes both openings of the housing body, A first frequency band housing component including a drive motor and transceiver unit for the first frequency band, and a second frequency band housing component including a drive motor and transceiver unit for the second frequency band, can be housed in either of these. A pivot support for supporting the main shaft that rotates the antenna is provided at a predetermined position on the housing body, so that a motor housing space capable of accommodating either the drive motor for the first frequency band or the drive motor for the second frequency band is provided at the predetermined position. A pedestal enclosure characterized by the following features.

2. Reinforcing ribs extending in the vertical direction are provided on both side walls of the housing body, and reinforcing columns extending in the vertical direction are provided around the pivot support portion of the housing body. The pedestal enclosure according to feature 1.

3. The reinforcing column is formed in the shape of a partitioned box, and electronic components can be housed within the partitioned space. The pedestal enclosure according to feature 2.

4. The reinforcing column is formed in the shape of a partition box, and electronic components can be arranged on the side of the partition opposite the opening. The pedestal enclosure according to feature 2.

5. The reinforcing ribs are formed so as not to have undercuts in the opening direction of the housing body. The opening in the partition of the reinforcing column extends in the direction of the opening of the housing body. A pedestal enclosure according to any one of claims 3 or 4.

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