Conductive connecting member, radio frequency assembly, base station antenna, and base station

Abstract

The present application provides a conductive connecting member, a radio frequency assembly, a base station antenna, and a base station. The conductive connecting member comprises a substrate and a film layer structure; the substrate is an elastic polymer; the film layer structure comprises a flexible base layer and at least one metal plating layer, wherein the flexible base layer covers the surface of the substrate; the at least one metal plating layer is sequentially stacked on the side of the flexible base layer facing away from the substrate; and the at least one metal plating layer includes a silver plating layer, and the silver plating layer is located on the surface of the film layer structure facing away from the substrate. The conductive connecting member can exert a reliable electrical connection effect at a metal connection position of the radio frequency assembly, and also has good passive intermodulation performance.

Description

Conductive connector, radio frequency component, base station antenna and base station

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China on July 25, 2023, with application number 202310922890.0 and application name "Conductive connector, radio frequency component, base station antenna and base station", the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of antenna technology, and in particular to a conductive connector, a radio frequency component, a base station antenna, and a base station. Background Art

[0004] With the development of the mobile communications industry, the requirements for the integration of base station antennas are becoming increasingly higher, and the performance requirements for base station antennas are also becoming increasingly higher.

[0005] Base station antennas have numerous metal connections for electrical connectivity, currently available in two formats: hard connections and flexible connections. Hard connections, which involve screw fastening or various welding processes, require high tolerances between components and can be difficult to disassemble. Flexible connections, including spring connections and conductive adhesives, can result in poor passive intermodulation (PIM) performance.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The embodiments of the present application provide a conductive connector, a radio frequency component, a base station antenna, and a base station, which can improve the performance of the base station antenna.

[0008] In the first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a conductive connector, which can be used in the metal connection position of base station antennas and other radio frequency components to achieve electrical connection. The conductive connector includes a substrate and a film layer structure. The substrate is an elastic polymer, which provides good compressibility and elasticity for the conductive connector, so that the conductive connector can adapt to different application spaces. The substrate also has a low water absorption rate and high temperature resistance to improve the weather resistance of the conductive connector. The film layer structure includes a flexible base layer and at least one metal coating layer. The flexible base layer is wrapped on the surface of the base material, and the at least one metal coating layer is sequentially stacked on the side of the flexible base layer away from the base material. The flexible base layer can ensure that the film layer structure can be deformed with the compression of the base material, and the metal coating layer can be connected between two metal conductors to ensure a good and reliable electrical connection. Among them, the at least one metal coating layer includes a silver coating layer, and the silver coating layer is located on the surface of the film layer structure away from the base material. The silver coating layer is a surface coating of the film layer structure, which can improve the conductivity and weather resistance of the conductive connector. The conductive connector provided in the embodiments of the present application is placed between two fixedly connected metal conductors. The two metal conductors can contact the film structure to achieve a reliable electrical connection. The conductive connector can be squeezed and fixed by the two metal conductors, eliminating the need for conductive adhesive used to connect the metal conductors, thereby preventing the conductive adhesive from adversely affecting the passive intermodulation performance of the base station antenna.

[0009] When the metal plating layer is a single layer, the metal plating layer is a silver plating layer. When the metal plating layer is two or more layers, the at least one metal plating layer includes a bottom plating layer, which can be located on the surface of the film structure facing the substrate. The bottom plating layer has good bonding strength with the flexible base layer, so that the bottom plating layer does not easily peel off the flexible base layer.

[0010] In some possible implementations, the bottom plating layer is a copper plating layer, and in order to protect the copper plating layer, the copper plating layer is treated with a passivation solution. The passivation solution here can be a heterocyclic passivation solution, such as benzotriazole (BTA).

[0011] When the metal plating layer comprises three or more layers, the at least one metal plating layer includes an intermediate plating layer located between the base plating layer and the silver plating layer. The combination of multiple metal plating layers further improves the conductivity of the film structure. The intermediate plating layer may include at least one of a copper plating layer, a nickel plating layer, and a titanium plating layer.

[0012] In some possible implementations, the substrate includes at least one of silicone rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, butyl rubber, styrene rubber, silicone foam, polyurethane foam, and acrylic foam. The substrate has low water absorption, high temperature resistance, and high resilience. When used in base station antennas, it can improve the passive intermodulation performance of the base station antenna. When the substrate is conductive, conductive particles such as silver, aluminum, nickel, and carbon can be doped into the substrate. Alternatively, the substrate is an organic conductive polymer, such as polyethylene dioxythiophene (PEDOT).

[0013] In some possible implementations, the flexible base layer can be made of any one of polyimide (PI), polyethylene glycol terephthalate (PET), and liquid crystal polymer (LCP). The flexible base layer can be bonded to the substrate surface via an adhesive layer, allowing the film structure to wrap around the substrate surface. This provides structural stability and electrical connection reliability for the conductive connector, thereby improving the passive intermodulation performance of the base station antenna. The adhesive layer can include at least one of high-temperature-resistant organic silicone, polyimide adhesive, and phenolic resin adhesive.

[0014] In some possible implementations, the film structure has a first side and a second side along the direction in which the film structure wraps around the substrate. A seam is formed between the first side and the second side, allowing for a certain margin of error for the edges of the film structure to meet. The first side and the second side can lie in the same plane. When the conductive connector is used to connect two metal conductors, the two metal conductors can contact opposite sides of the conductive connector in the thickness direction. The seam is located on one side of the conductive connector in the thickness direction and does not affect the electrical connection of the metal conductors through the film structure.

[0015] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a radio frequency component, which includes a first conductor, a second conductor, and at least one conductive connector provided by any one of the first aspects above. The first conductor and the second conductor are spaced apart, the conductive connector is arranged between the first conductor and the second conductor, the first conductor and the second conductor are fixedly connected and squeeze the conductive connector, and at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor is electrically connected to at least one metal plating layer of the conductive connector. Since the conductive connector is fixed by squeezing the first conductor and the second conductor, conductive glue is not used, which can improve the passive intermodulation performance of the radio frequency component. The conductive connector is fixed by squeezing the first conductor and the second conductor, which facilitates the installation and disassembly of the first conductor and the second conductor, can increase the flexibility of the radio frequency component design, and reduce the tolerance requirements of the component.

[0016] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a base station antenna, comprising a reflector, a phase shifter cavity, and any one of the conductive connectors provided in the first aspect above. The reflector and the phase shifter cavity are spaced apart, the conductive connector is disposed between the reflector and the phase shifter cavity, the reflector is fixedly connected to the phase shifter cavity and squeezes the conductive connector, and the reflector is connected to at least one metal plating layer of the conductive connector. The phase shifter cavity includes a ground connection for grounding, which is at least partially electrically connected to at least one metal plating layer of the conductive connector. Since the conductive connector is squeezed and fixed by the reflector and the phase shifter cavity, conductive glue is not used, which can improve the passive intermodulation performance of the base station antenna. The conductive connector is squeezed and fixed by the reflector and the phase shifter cavity, which facilitates the installation and disassembly of the reflector and the phase shifter cavity, can increase the flexibility of the ground connection design of the phase shifter cavity, and reduce the tolerance requirements of the components.

[0017] In some possible implementations, the conductive connector is in the shape of an elongated strip, and the length direction of the conductive connector is parallel to the length direction of the reflector, so as to achieve continuous grounding between the ground connection of the phase shifter cavity and the reflector.

[0018] In some possible implementations, there are multiple conductive connectors, and the multiple conductive connectors are arrayed along the length direction of the reflector to achieve segmented grounding between the ground connection of the phase shifter cavity and the reflector.

[0019] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a base station antenna, which includes an inner conductor, a first outer conductor, a second outer conductor, and any one of the conductive connectors provided in the first aspect. The first outer conductor and the second outer conductor are respectively arranged around the outside of the inner conductor, and the first outer conductor and the second outer conductor are arranged at intervals, and the conductive connector is arranged between the first outer conductor and the second outer conductor. The first outer conductor and the second outer conductor are fixedly connected and squeeze the conductive connector, and the first outer conductor and the second outer conductor are respectively electrically connected to at least one metal plating layer of the conductive connector. Since the conductive connector is fixed by squeezing the first outer conductor and the second outer conductor, conductive glue is not used, which can improve the passive intermodulation performance of the base station antenna. The conductive connector is squeezed and fixed by the first outer conductor and the second outer conductor, which facilitates the installation and disassembly of the first outer conductor and the second outer conductor, can increase the flexibility of the outer conductor design, and reduce the tolerance requirements of the components.

[0020] In some possible implementations, the conductive connector is ring-shaped and surrounds the inner conductor.

[0021] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a base station antenna, which includes a metal plate, at least two feeders, a dielectric layer, and any one of the conductive connectors provided in the first aspect. The at least two feeders and the conductive connector are all arranged between the metal plate and the dielectric layer, and a conductive connector is arranged between at least two adjacent feeders. The metal plate and the dielectric layer are fixedly connected and extrude the conductive connector, and at least one of the metal plate and the dielectric layer is electrically connected to at least one metal plating layer of the conductive connector. Since the conductive connector is fixed by extrusion between the metal plate and the dielectric layer, conductive glue is not used, which can improve the passive intermodulation performance of the base station antenna. The conductive connector is fixed by extrusion between the metal plate and the dielectric layer, which can increase the design method of shielding and isolation of the base station antenna and reduce the tolerance requirements of the components.

[0022] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a base station, comprising a pole, a baseband processing unit, and any one of the base station antennas provided in the third, fourth, or fifth aspects. The base station antenna is fixed to the pole and electrically connected to the baseband processing unit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a base station according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a conductive connector provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario of a conductive connector provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] FIG5a is a schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of a conductive connector provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] FIG5 b is a schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of a conductive connector provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] FIG5c is a schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of a conductive connector provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] FIG6 a is a schematic structural diagram of a conductive connector provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] FIG6 b is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conductive connector provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] FIG6 c is a schematic structural diagram of a conductive connector provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario of a conductive connector provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of a base station antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] FIG9a is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a base station antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] FIG9b is a top view of a partial structure of a base station antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] FIG9c is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a base station antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] FIG9 d is a top view of a partial structure of a base station antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] FIG10a is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a base station antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] FIG10b is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure at PP in FIG10a;

[0041] FIG11a is a schematic structural diagram of a conductive connector provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] FIG11b is a schematic structural diagram of a conductive connector provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] FIG11c is a schematic structural diagram of a conductive connector provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of a structure in which a plurality of conductive connecting members are distributed around an inner conductor according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] FIG13a is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a base station antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0046] FIG13b is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure at RR in FIG13a;

[0047] FIG13c is a top view of a partial structure of a base station antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] With the development of mobile communications, mobile terminal usage is increasing. Mobile cellular network coverage is crucial for mobile communications. Base station antennas are a key component of these networks. To meet the requirements of mobile communications, base station antennas are becoming increasingly integrated, resulting in lower weight, smaller size, higher power, and a wider range of frequency bands. The integration of multiple base station antenna components presents increasing challenges, such as dimensional tolerances and electrical connection reliability. Currently, most metal connections in base station antennas can be electrically connected using either hard or soft connections. Hard connections have drawbacks such as high tolerance matching requirements and relatively difficult disassembly, while soft connections suffer from poor passive intermodulation performance.

[0049] Based on this, an embodiment of the present application provides a conductive connector, a radio frequency component, a base station antenna and a base station. The conductive connector can be used in the base station antenna to achieve reliable and flexible electrical connection at low cost, and has good passive intermodulation performance, meeting the high integration requirements of the base station antenna.

[0050] FIG1 exemplarily shows a schematic diagram of a system architecture applicable to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG1 , the system architecture may include a base station and a terminal. Wireless communication can be achieved between the base station and the terminal. The base station can also be called an access network device, which can be located in a base station subsystem (base btation bubsystem, BBS), a terrestrial radio access network (UMTS terrestrial radio access network, UTRAN) or an evolved terrestrial radio access network (evolved universal terrestrial radio access, E-UTRAN), and is used to provide cell coverage for signals to achieve communication between terminal devices and wireless networks. Among them, UMTS stands for universal mobile telecommunication system, which refers to the universal mobile telecommunication system.

[0051] Specifically, the base station can be a base transceiver station (BTS) in a global system for mobile communications (GSM) or a (code division multiple access, CDMA) system, or a node B (NB) in a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) system, or an evolved node B (eNB or e node B) in a long term evolution (LTE) system, or a wireless controller in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario. Alternatively, the base station can also be a relay station, an access point, an on-board device, a wearable device, a g node (g node B or gNB) in a new radio (NR) system, an access network device in a future evolved network, etc., and the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0052] Base stations are equipped with antennas to transmit signals in space. Figure 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of an application scenario for the antennas used in the base station shown in Figure 1. Figure 2 shows the mast 200 and base station antenna 100. This protects the antenna system from external environmental influences. The mast 200 is fixed to the ground at a certain height, and the base station antenna 100 is mounted on the mast 200 to meet the required antenna radiation distance. The base station antenna 100 is detachably secured to the mast 200 via an adjustable bracket 600, facilitating signal reception and transmission. The bracket 600 allows for adjustment of the base station antenna 100's orientation perpendicular to the mast 200. The base station also includes a radio frequency processing unit 700 and a baseband processing unit 300. The baseband processing unit 300 is connected to the base station antenna 100 via the radio frequency processing unit 700. In some examples, the RF processing unit 700 may also be referred to as a remote radio unit (RRU), and the baseband processing unit 300 may also be referred to as a baseband unit (BBU). The RF processing unit 700 may be integrated with the base station antenna 100, with the baseband processing unit 300 located remotely from the base station antenna 100. In this case, the RF processing unit 700 and the base station antenna 100 may be collectively referred to as an active antenna unit (AAU). It should be noted that Figure 2 is only an example of the positional relationship between the RF processing unit 700 and the base station antenna 100. In other examples, the RF processing unit 700 and the baseband processing unit 300 may also be located remotely from the base station antenna 100. The RF processing unit 700 and the baseband processing unit 300 may be connected via a connecting wire 400. A grounding device 500 is provided between the baseband processing unit 300 and the connecting wire 400. The grounding device 500 generally comprises a grounding electrode buried underground.

[0053] In the base station antenna 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application, the metal connection positions between different components can be connected using a conductive connector 10 as shown in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, the conductive connector 10 includes a substrate 1 and a film structure 2.

[0054] During use, the conductive connector 10 can be positioned between two metal conductors and secured by squeezing the two metal conductors. To ensure that the conductive connector 10 has good elasticity and compressibility, the substrate 1 is made of an elastic polymer. Specifically, the substrate 1 can be silicone rubber, such as dimethyl silicone rubber, methyl vinyl silicone rubber, nitrile silicone rubber, or ethyl silicone rubber. Substrate 1 can also be epichlorohydrin rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, butyl rubber, styrene rubber, silicone foam, polyurethane foam, or acrylic foam. Substrate 1 is an elastic polymer with a compressibility of 10%-60%, which depends on the material, shape, and application environment of substrate 1. In the embodiment of the present application, substrate 1 can withstand long-term use in an environment of -40°C to 120°C while maintaining good elasticity and low water absorption. Specifically, the water absorption of substrate 1 can be less than 5% to ensure that substrate 1 maintains good performance. It can be seen that the substrate 1 in the embodiment of the present application has low water absorption, high temperature resistance, and high resilience. When used in the base station antenna 100, it can improve the passive intermodulation performance of the base station antenna 100.

[0055] The substrate 1 can enable the conductive connector 10 to maintain good elasticity and be able to change shape in different application environments to adapt to different spaces. When the conductive connector 10 is squeezed between two metal conductors, the direction from one metal conductor to the other metal conductor can be considered as the thickness direction of the conductive connector 10. The cross-sectional shape of the substrate 1 is not limited, such as cylindrical, rectangular and special-shaped structures. According to the approximate structural dimensions of the base station antenna 100, the dimension of the substrate 1 along the thickness direction of the conductive connector 10 can be selected between 0.5-10 mm. For example, the thickness of the substrate 1 can be 0.5 mm, 0.56 mm, 1 mm, 5 mm, 6.6 mm, 8 mm, 10 mm, etc.

[0056] The membrane structure 2 is wrapped around the surface of the substrate 1. The membrane structure 2 is at least partially or entirely a conductor and can be connected between two metal conductors to achieve an electrical connection between the two metal conductors. The membrane structure 2 can be bonded by an adhesive layer 3. The adhesive layer 3 can be made of at least one of high-temperature resistant organic silicone, polyimide adhesive, and phenolic resin adhesive. For example, the adhesive layer 3 can be made of epoxy adhesive, which can withstand temperatures of 150°C and has a water absorption rate of 0.1%-0.5%. The adhesive layer 3 can effectively bond the membrane structure 2 to the substrate 1, and is also beneficial for improving the passive intermodulation performance of the base station antenna 100.

[0057] Continuing with the conductive connector 10 shown in FIG3 , the film structure 2 includes a plurality of stacked film layers, which may specifically include a flexible base layer 21 and at least one metal plating layer 22. The flexible base layer 21 is wrapped around the surface of the substrate 1 via an adhesive layer 3, i.e., the flexible base layer 21 is the film layer closest to the substrate 1. The flexible base layer 21 is made of polyimide film, polyethylene terephthalate, or liquid crystal polymer. The thickness of the flexible base layer 21 is 10 μm-100 μm, and it can withstand temperatures above 120°C, ensuring good flexibility while also having good weather resistance. For example, when the flexible base layer 21 is made of polyimide film, the polyimide film can withstand temperatures of 280°C and has a water absorption rate of 1.5%-3%. FIG3 illustrates two layers of metal plating 22, which can exert conductive properties. It can be considered that the film structure 2 is a special electroplated flexible film layer. When the conductive connector 10 is squeezed between two metal conductors, the two metal conductors can be electrically connected through at least one layer of metal plating 22. Among them, the flexible base layer 21 can ensure that the film structure 2 can deform with the compression of the substrate 1, and the metal plating 22 can connect the two metal conductors to ensure a good and reliable electrical connection.

[0058] As shown in Figure 4, the conductive connector 10 provided in the embodiment of the present application is arranged between two metal conductors 20 when used, and the two metal conductors 20 are respectively in contact with the film structure 2 to achieve electrical connection through the film structure 2. Among them, the two metal conductors 20 are connected and fixed by a connecting portion 30. The connecting portion 30 here can be a structure such as a screw or a snap, which is convenient for the installation or removal of the two metal conductors 20 and can also reduce the assembly tolerance requirements of the component. The distance between the two metal conductors 20 is less than the thickness of the conductive connector 10, so that the two metal conductors 20 squeeze the conductive connector 10. Along the direction in which one of the metal conductors 20 points to the other metal conductor 20, the conductive connector 10 is compressed, and the substrate 1 in the conductive connector 10 generates elastic potential energy, so that the conductive connector 10 is fixed between the two metal conductors 20. In other words, the conductive connector 10 is fixed by squeezing and clamping through other structures in application. Therefore, the conductive connector 10 may not be provided with a conductive glue for connecting the metal conductors. The two metal conductors 20 can be electrically connected directly through the film structure 2, without the need for conductive adhesive to achieve electrical connection, thereby preventing the conductive adhesive from adversely affecting the passive intermodulation performance of the base station antenna 100. It should be understood that in some application scenarios, the two metal conductors 20 can also be fixed by welding, structural groove fixing, adhesive backing fixing, etc., and a reasonable fixing method can be designed according to the needs of different scenarios.

[0059] It should be understood that the metal plating layer 22 of the conductive connector 10 provided in the embodiment of the present application is formed on the flexible base layer 21, which is implemented based on current technology and processes. With the development of technology, it is also possible to form the metal plating layer 22 directly on the substrate 1, omitting the flexible base layer 21, and still achieve the technical effects achieved by the conductive connector 10 provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0060] In conjunction with Figure 3, Figure 5a shows a partial structure of the membrane structure 2 and the substrate 1. The at least one metal plating layer 22 may include a surface plating layer 221 and a bottom plating layer 222. The surface plating layer 221 is a plating layer located on the surface of the entire membrane structure 2, and the bottom plating layer 222 is a plating layer in contact with the flexible base layer 21. Among them, the surface plating layer 221 is a silver plating layer, and the material of the silver plating layer is silver, which can maintain a high conductivity. When the conductive connector 10 is used, the surface plating layer 221 is located on the surface of the structure, and the silver plating has better weather resistance and can adapt to more complex and harsh environments. The material of the bottom plating layer 222 is not limited, and can be a copper plating layer, a titanium plating layer, a nickel plating layer, etc. It should be noted that when the bottom plating layer 222 in contact with the flexible base layer 21 is a copper plating layer, it is necessary to add a heterocyclic passivation solution to protect the silver plating layer, such as benzotriazole.

[0061] 5b, the at least one metal plating layer 22 includes a metal plating layer 22 formed on the surface of the flexible base layer 21, and the metal plating layer 22 is equivalent to the surface layer of the entire film structure 2. In this case, the metal plating layer 22 is a silver plating layer.

[0062] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 5c, the at least one metal plating layer 22 includes a surface plating layer 221, a bottom plating layer 222, and an intermediate plating layer 223 located between the surface plating layer 221 and the bottom plating layer 222. The intermediate plating layer 223 can be at least one of a copper plating layer, a nickel plating layer, and a titanium plating layer. An example of an intermediate plating layer 223 is shown here. The surface plating layer 221 is a silver plating layer, and the bottom plating layer 222 and the intermediate plating layer 223 can be a combination of any two of a copper plating layer, a titanium plating layer, and a nickel plating layer. For example, the bottom plating layer 222 is a nickel plating layer, and the intermediate plating layer 223 can be at least one of a copper plating layer and a titanium plating layer. Alternatively, the bottom plating layer 222 is a copper plating layer, and the intermediate plating layer 223 is at least one of a nickel plating layer and a titanium plating layer. Of course, when the bottom plating layer 222 is a copper plating layer, the copper plating layer needs to be protected by a passivation solution.

[0063] When forming the above-mentioned at least one metal plating layer 22, the conductivity of the film structure 2 is further improved by combining multiple metal plating layers 22. The metal plating layer 22 formed on the flexible substrate 21 can be formed by sputtering by physical vapor deposition (PVD). The bonding force between the metal plating layer 22 and the flexible substrate 21 is greater than 5B, so that the metal plating layer 22 will not easily fall off from the flexible substrate 21. When the metal plating layer 22 is two or more layers, except for the bottom plating layer 222 formed on the flexible substrate 21, the other metal plating layers 22 can continue to be formed by electroplating. After all the metal plating layers 22 are formed, the overall thickness of all the metal plating layers 22 is in the range of 1μm-10μm. When one of the metal plating layers 22 is a nickel plating layer, the thickness of the nickel plating layer is less than 0.1μm.

[0064] In the conductive connector 10 provided in the embodiment of the present application, the film structure 2 is wrapped around the surface of the substrate 1 and connected to the substrate 1 via the adhesive layer 3. Specifically, the film structure 2 can cover most of the surface of the substrate 1. Due to material and process limitations, as shown in Figure 6a, the film structure 2 may have a gap Q. The gap Q can be considered as the seam when the film structure 2 is wrapped around the surface of the substrate 1. Of course, the adhesive layer 3 can be provided only between the film structure 2 and the substrate 1, and there is no adhesive layer 3 at the gap Q.

[0065] For example, FIG6b illustrates the cross-sectional structure of the conductive connector 10 in conjunction with the structure of the conductive connector 10 shown in FIG6a . Along the direction in which the film structure 2 wraps around the substrate 1, that is, the direction in which the film structure 2 extends when wrapping around the substrate 1, the film structure 2 has a first side c1 and a second side c2. Referring further to FIG6c , another perspective schematic diagram of the conductive connector 10, the gap Q described above is formed between the first side c1 and the second side c2. The presence of the gap Q allows for a certain margin of error when the edges of the film structure 2 meet. It should be understood that the meeting edges of the film structure 2 can be considered to be the first side c1 and the second side c2.

[0066] 6 c , the film structure 2 is relatively thin in actual application. Without considering the thickness of the film structure 2 , it can be considered that the first side c1 and the second side c2 are located in a plane perpendicular to the thickness direction of the conductive connector 10 .

[0067] As shown in Figure 7, when the conductive connector 10 is used to connect two metal conductors 20, the two metal conductors 20 can contact both sides of the conductive connector 10 in the thickness direction. The thickness direction of the conductive connector 10 can be considered to refer to the direction from one metal conductor 20 to the other metal conductor 20. The notch Q is located on one side of the thickness direction of the conductive connector 10, and the plane containing the first side c1 and the second side c2 of the film structure 2 is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the conductive connector 10. It can be seen that the presence of the notch Q does not affect the electrical connection of the metal conductors 20 through the film structure 2.

[0068] In some embodiments, substrate 1 can also be conductive. Specifically, substrate 1 can be made conductive by doping with conductive particles, such as silver, aluminum, nickel, or carbon. Alternatively, substrate 1 is an organic conductive polymer, such as polyethylenedioxythiophene.

[0069] In summary, the conductive connector 10 provided in the embodiment of the present application, the substrate 1 can ensure that the conductive connector 10 has good elasticity to adapt to the different position spaces of the base station antenna 100, and realize reliable electrical connection through the membrane structure 2. The membrane structure 2 is a special plastic film coating structure that can deform with the deformation of the substrate 1. The metal coating 22 and the flexible base layer 21 have a high bonding force, and the risk of coating peeling is low. The material selection of the membrane structure 2 makes the membrane structure 2 have the advantages of temperature resistance and moisture resistance, and the selection of silver coating for the surface coating 221 can ensure the good conductivity of the membrane structure 2. In addition, the conductive connector 10 can be connected to the metal structure without the use of conductive glue, and the material selection of the substrate 1, the membrane structure 2 and the adhesive layer 3 can improve the passive intermodulation performance of the base station antenna 100.

[0070] In conjunction with Figure 2 , Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the internal components of a possible base station antenna 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 8 , the base station antenna 100 may include a radome 104 and a radiating element 101, a reflector 102, and a feed network 103 disposed within the radome 104.

[0071] The radiating element 101 can also be referred to as an antenna element, an antenna vibrator, or an antenna unit. The radiating element 101 is a unit that constitutes the basic structure of the antenna array and can effectively radiate or receive antenna signals. The frequencies of different radiating elements 101 can be the same or different. The reflector 102 can also be referred to as a base plate, an antenna panel, or a metal reflective surface. The reflector 102 can reflect and focus the received signal at the receiving point. The radiating element 101 is typically placed on one side of the reflector 102. This not only greatly enhances the signal reception or transmission capability but also blocks and shields interference signals from the back of the reflector 102. It should be understood that in the embodiments of the present application, the back of the reflector 102 refers to the side of the reflector 102 opposite to the side of the reflector 102 where the radiating element 101 is located. The feed network 103 is located between the radiating element 101 and the power amplifier of the RF processing unit 700. The feed network 103 can provide a specific power and phase to the radiating element 101. For example, the feed network 103 may include a power divider 1031 that can be used in the forward or reverse direction, and is used to divide one signal into multiple signals or combine multiple signals into one. Here, the power divider 1031 can also be replaced by a combiner. The feed network 103 may also include a filter 1033 for filtering out interference signals. For an electrically adjustable antenna, the feed network 103 may also include a transmission component 1034 to achieve different radiation beam pointing directions, and a phase shifter 1035 to change the maximum direction of signal radiation. In some cases, the phase shifter 1035 also has the function of the power divider 1031 or the combiner, in which case the power divider 1031 or the combiner can be omitted from the feed network 103. In some examples, the feed network 103 may also include a calibration network 1036 to obtain the required calibration signal.

[0072] Next, in conjunction with the structure of the base station antenna 100 shown in FIG2 , an embodiment of connecting different metal connection positions in the base station antenna 100 using the conductive connector 10 is exemplified. The conductive connector 10 is exemplified by the structures shown in FIG6 a to FIG6 c .

[0073] As shown in Figure 9a , the reflector 102 and phase shifter cavity 10351 in the base station antenna 100 are electrically connected via a conductive connector 10. Specifically, the reflector 102 and phase shifter cavity 10351 are spaced apart, with the conductive connector 10 disposed between them. The reflector 102 and phase shifter cavity 10351 are fixedly connected, with the conductive connector 10 squeezed between the reflector 102 and the phase shifter cavity 10351. The reflector 102 and the phase shifter cavity 10351 are electrically connected to at least one metal coating 22 of the conductive connector 10. The phase shifter cavity 10351 has a ground connection D for grounding. Partial or complete ground connection D is electrically connected to at least one metal coating 22 of the conductive connector 10 to achieve electrical connection. The reflector 102 and the phase shifter cavity 10351 can be connected via structures such as screws, pressure rods, and snaps, and the distance between the reflector 102 and the phase shifter cavity 10351 also determines the amount of compression of the conductive connector 10 in the thickness direction. In other words, the amount of compression of the conductive connector 10 in the thickness direction can be adjusted and controlled via the connector between the reflector 102 and the phase shifter cavity 10351. The conductive connector 10 is squeezed and fixed by the reflector 102 and the phase shifter cavity 10351 without the use of conductive glue, which can improve the passive intermodulation performance of the base station antenna 100. The conductive connector 10 is squeezed and fixed by the reflector 102 and the phase shifter cavity 10351, facilitating the installation and removal of the reflector 102 and the phase shifter cavity 10351, increasing the flexibility of the ground connection D design of the phase shifter cavity 10351, and reducing the tolerance requirements of the components.

[0074] FIG9b shows a top view of the structure in FIG9a. Referring to FIG9a and FIG9b together, the conductive connector 10 is in the form of an elongated strip and extends along the length of the reflector 102, enabling reliable electrical connection between the ground connection D of the phase shifter cavity 10351 and the reflector 102.

[0075] Exemplarily, two conductive connectors 10 are disposed between the reflector 102 and the phase shifter cavity 10351, and the two conductive connectors 10 are arranged in a substantially parallel manner. In FIG9b , the conductive connector 10 is located between the reflector 102 and the phase shifter cavity 10351 and is shielded by the ground connection D, so the conductive connector 10 is shown as a dotted line.

[0076] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG9c , the conductive connector 10 is block-shaped, and multiple conductive connectors 10 are disposed between the reflector 102 and the phase shifter cavity 10351 . The multiple conductive connectors 10 can be arranged in an array. FIG9d shows a top view of the structure in FIG9c . Exemplarily, eight conductive connectors 10 are disposed between the reflector 102 and the phase shifter cavity 10351 . The eight conductive connectors 10 are arranged in two columns and four rows. Specifically, the column direction of the multiple conductive connectors 10 is parallel to the length direction of the reflector 102 , and the row direction is perpendicular to the length direction of the reflector 102 . Within the multiple conductive connectors 10 in the same column, a certain gap exists between any two adjacent conductive connectors 10 . Exemplarily, along the length direction of the reflector 102 , the dimension of each conductive connector 10 along the length direction of the reflector 102 can be between 0.2 mm and 1000 mm, and the distance between any two adjacent conductive connectors 10 can be between 0.1 mm and 500 mm.

[0077] It should be understood that, with reference to the length direction of the reflector 102, the multiple conductive connectors 10 in the same column in FIG9c can be considered to be formed by dividing the single conductive connector 10 in FIG9a. It can be considered that the conductive connector 10 in FIG9a is continuously grounded, while the conductive connector 10 in FIG9c is segmented.

[0078] The base station antenna 100 shown in Figure 10a includes an inner conductor 01, a first outer conductor 02, and a second outer conductor 03. The inner conductor 01 is illustratively cylindrical, with the first outer conductor 02 and the second outer conductor 03 respectively disposed around the outer portion of the inner conductor 01 and insulated from the inner conductor 01. The inner conductor 01 can be a feed plate of the central radiating element 101 of the base station antenna 100, the inner core of a coaxial cable, or an inner pin of a connector. The first outer conductor 02 and the second outer conductor 03 are two separate components, which can be the balun and reflector 102 of the radiating element 101, the reflector 102 and the cavity of the filter 1033, or the reflector 102 and the cavity of a duplexer. In the structure shown in Figure 10a, the first outer conductor 02 and the second outer conductor 03 are spaced apart along the extension direction of the inner conductor 01 and connected by a conductive connector 10.

[0079] Figure 10b shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the structure at point PP in Figure 10a. The first outer conductor 02 and the second outer conductor 03 are fixedly connected, and the conductive connector 10 is squeezed between the first and second outer conductors 02, 03. The first and second outer conductors 02, 03 are each electrically connected to at least one metal coating 22 of the conductive connector 10 to achieve electrical connection. The first and second outer conductors 02, 03 can be connected using screws, pressure rods, snaps, or other structures. The distance between the first and second outer conductors 02, 03 also determines the amount of compression of the conductive connector 10 in the thickness direction. Because the conductive connector 10 is squeezed and fixed by the first and second outer conductors 02, 03, no conductive adhesive is used, which can improve the passive intermodulation performance of the base station antenna 100. The conductive connector 10 is squeezed and fixed by the first and second outer conductors 02, 03, facilitating installation and removal of the first and second outer conductors 02, 03, increasing flexibility in outer conductor design, and reducing assembly tolerance requirements.

[0080] As shown in Figures 10a and 10b, the conductive connector 10 is connected between the first outer conductor 02 and the second outer conductor 03. The conductive connector 10 can be a ring structure as shown in Figures 11a to 11c. The shape of the conductive connector 10 can be a circular ring as shown in Figure 11a, a square ring as shown in Figure 11b, or a polygonal ring as shown in Figure 11c. Of course, the shape of the conductive connector 10 can also be an irregular ring, as long as it can achieve electrical connection between the first outer conductor 02 and the second outer conductor 03. The shape of the conductive connector 10 within the ring is not limited, as long as it does not contact the inner conductor 01.

[0081] In some embodiments, a plurality of conductive connectors 10 may be provided between the first outer conductor 02 and the second outer conductor 03 . The plurality of conductive connectors 10 may be distributed around the inner conductor 01 as shown in FIG. 12 , thereby electrically connecting the first outer conductor 02 and the second outer conductor 03 .

[0082] The feed network 103 of the base station antenna 100 shown in Figure 13a includes a metal plate 04, a feed line 05, and a dielectric layer 06. The feed line 05 is arranged between the metal plate 04 and the dielectric layer 06, and there are at least two feed lines 05. In this example, there are two feed lines 05, and a conductive connector 10 is arranged between the two feed lines 05. Referring to the cross-sectional structural diagram at RR in Figure 13a shown in Figure 13b, the metal plate 04 and the dielectric layer 06 are fixedly connected, and the conductive connector 10 is squeezed by the metal plate 04 and the dielectric layer 06. The metal plate 04 and the dielectric layer 06 can be fixedly connected by screws, pressure rods, snaps, or other structures, and the distance between the metal plate 04 and the dielectric layer 06 also determines the amount of compression of the conductive connector 10 in the thickness direction. Because the conductive connector 10 is squeezed and fixed by the metal plate 04 and the dielectric layer 06, no conductive glue is used, which can improve the passive intermodulation performance of the base station antenna 100.

[0083] At least one of the metal plate 04 and the dielectric layer 06 is electrically connected to at least one metal coating 22 of the conductive connector 10. Specifically, the metal plate 04 can be electrically connected to at least one metal coating 22 of the conductive connector 10, while the dielectric layer 06 has no electrical connection to the conductive connector 10. Alternatively, the dielectric layer 06 can be electrically connected to at least one metal coating 22 of the conductive connector 10, while the metal plate 04 has no electrical connection to the conductive connector 10. Alternatively, the metal plate 04 and the dielectric layer 06 are each electrically connected to at least one metal coating 22 of the conductive connector 10.

[0084] Figure 13c shows a top view of Figure 13a, with the two feeders 05 and the conductive connector 10 obscured by the dielectric layer 06 and shown as dashed lines. The conductive connector 10 is located between the two feeders 05 and is electrically connected to the metal plate 04 and / or the dielectric layer 06, which can separate the two feeders 05 and improve the isolation between different feeders 05. When multiple feeders 05 are provided, a conductive connector 10 can be provided between any two adjacent feeders 05 to improve the isolation between different feeders 05, thereby improving the isolation of the base station antenna 100 and providing a certain shielding effect. The different feeders 05 can be feeders 05 of different polarizations or feeders 05 for different radiating units 101. The conductive connector 10 is squeezed and fixed by the metal plate 04 and the dielectric layer 06, which can enhance the design method of shielding and isolation of the base station antenna 100 and reduce the tolerance requirements of the components.

[0085] It should be understood that the conductive connector 10 provided in the embodiments of the present application can be used at the metal connection location of the base station antenna 100, and can also be used in other RF components. The RF component can specifically include a first conductor and a second conductor, the first and second conductors being spaced apart, and the conductive connector 10 being disposed between the first and second conductors. The first and second conductors can be fixedly connected by structures such as screws, pressure rods, and snaps, or can be fixed by welding, structural grooves, or adhesive backing. The conductive connector 10 is squeezed and fixed by the first and second conductors, and at least one of the first and second conductors is electrically connected to at least one metal plating layer 22 in the conductive connector 10. The conductive connector 10 can improve the passive intermodulation performance of the RF component and expand the application scenarios of the RF component. The conductive connector 10 is squeezed and fixed by the first and second conductors, facilitating the installation and removal of the first and second conductors, increasing the flexibility of the RF component design, and reducing the tolerance requirements of the component. It can be considered that the base station antenna 100 is one embodiment of the RF component, and the RF component provided in the embodiments of the present application can also be implemented in other ways.

[0086] Obviously, those skilled in the art may make various changes and modifications to the present application without departing from the scope of the present application. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the present application fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents, the present application is intended to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A conductive connector, characterized in that: include: Substrate and film structure; The substrate is an elastic polymer; The film layer structure includes a flexible base layer and at least one metal coating layer, wherein the flexible base layer is wrapped on the surface of the base material; the at least one metal coating layer is sequentially stacked on the side of the flexible base layer away from the base material; the at least one metal coating layer includes a silver coating layer, and the silver coating layer is located on the surface of the film layer structure away from the base material.

2. The conductive connector according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one metal plating layer includes a bottom plating layer, and the bottom plating layer is attached to a surface of the flexible base layer facing away from the substrate.

3. The conductive connector according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bottom plating layer is a copper plating layer, and the copper plating layer is treated with a passivation solution.

4. The conductive connector according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The at least one metal plating layer includes an intermediate plating layer located between the bottom plating layer and the silver plating layer.

5. The conductive connector according to claim 4, characterized in that: The intermediate plating layer includes at least one of a copper plating layer, a nickel plating layer and a titanium plating layer.

6. The conductive connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The substrate includes at least one of silicone rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber, butyl rubber, styrene rubber, silicone foam, polyurethane foam, and acrylic foam.

7. The conductive connector according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The substrate is doped with conductive particles; or the substrate is an organic conductive polymer.

8. The conductive connector according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The material of the flexible base layer includes any one of polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate, and liquid crystal polymer.

9. The conductive connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: Along the direction in which the film layer structure wraps the substrate, the film layer structure has a first side edge and a second side edge, and a seam is formed between the first side edge and the second side edge.

10. A radio frequency component, characterized in that: comprising a first conductor, a second conductor and at least one conductive connecting member as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9; The first conductor and the second conductor are arranged at intervals, and the conductive connecting member is arranged between the first conductor and the second conductor; the first conductor and the second conductor are fixedly connected and squeeze the conductive connecting member, and at least one of the first conductor and the second conductor is electrically connected to at least one metal plating layer of the conductive connecting member.

11. A base station antenna, characterized in that: comprising a reflector, a phase shifter cavity and a conductive connector as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9; The reflective plate and the phase shifter cavity are spaced apart, and the conductive connecting member is disposed between the reflective plate and the phase shifter cavity; the reflective plate is fixedly connected to the phase shifter cavity and presses the conductive connecting member; The reflective plate is electrically connected to at least one metal coating of the conductive connector; The phase shifter cavity comprises a ground connection for grounding, and at least a portion of the ground connection is electrically connected to at least one metal plating layer of the conductive connection member.

12. The base station antenna according to claim 11, characterized in that: The conductive connecting member is in the shape of an elongated strip, and the length direction of the conductive connecting member is parallel to the length direction of the reflecting plate.

13. The base station antenna according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that: There are multiple conductive connecting members, and the multiple conductive connecting members are arranged along the length direction of the reflective plate.

14. A base station antenna, characterized in that: comprising an inner conductor, a first outer conductor, a second outer conductor and a conductive connecting member as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9; The first outer conductor and the second outer conductor are respectively arranged around the inner conductor, and the first outer conductor and the second outer conductor are arranged at intervals, and the conductive connecting member is arranged between the first outer conductor and the second outer conductor; the first outer conductor and the second outer conductor are fixedly connected and squeeze the conductive connecting member, and the first outer conductor and the second outer conductor are respectively electrically connected to at least one metal plating layer of the conductive connecting member.

15. The base station antenna according to claim 14, characterized in that: The conductive connecting member is ring-shaped and surrounds the inner conductor.

16. A base station antenna, characterized in that: comprising a metal plate, at least two feeders, a dielectric layer and a conductive connecting member as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9; The at least two feeders and the conductive connector are both disposed between the metal plate and the dielectric layer, and one conductive connector is disposed between at least two adjacent feeders; The metal plate and the dielectric layer are fixedly connected and press the conductive connecting member, and at least one of the metal plate and the dielectric layer is electrically connected to at least one metal plating layer of the conductive connecting member.

17. A base station, characterized in that: The invention comprises a pole, a baseband processing unit and a base station antenna according to any one of claims 11 to 16, wherein the base station antenna is fixed on the pole and is electrically connected to the baseband processing unit.

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