Radome, antenna, and communication apparatus

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a radome, an antenna, and a communication apparatus. The radome comprises a top cover and a side frame, wherein the top cover is connected to the side frame to form an accommodating cavity for accommodating a radiating element, the end surface of the top cover being embedded into the side frame. In this way, the connection strength of the top cover and the side frame can be improved, so that separation of the top cover and the side frame can be avoided, thereby improving the reliability of the radome.

Description

Radome, antenna and communication equipment

[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 December 7, 2023, with application number 202323364505.X and application name "A Radome, Antenna and Communication Equipment", the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a radome, an antenna, and a communication device. Background Art

[0004] The radome serves as the protective shell of the antenna, protecting the normal operation of the antenna's internal components. It also possesses excellent electrical properties for electromagnetic wave penetration and mechanical properties that can withstand harsh external environments, thus shielding the antenna from external environmental influences. However, since radomes are often exposed to outdoor environments, poor reliability can lead to cracks or other damage, exposing the internal components to the external environment and potentially causing them to malfunction. Therefore, improving the reliability of radomes has become a pressing issue in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present application provides a radome, an antenna, and a communication device to improve the reliability of the radome.

[0006] First, embodiments of the present application provide a radome that may include a top cover and side frames. The top cover and side frames are connected to form a cavity for accommodating a radiating element, and the end surfaces of the top cover are embedded in the side frames. This increases the connection strength between the top cover and the side frames, prevents them from detaching, and thus improves the reliability of the radome.

[0007] Among them, when the end face of the top cover is embedded in the side frame, the end face can be embedded in the side frame along a direction perpendicular to the thickness of the top cover, and the end face of the top cover is welded or glued to the side frame, which can improve the connection strength of the connection interface, thereby further improving the reliability of the antenna cover.

[0008] Optionally, a through-hole can be provided in the top cover embedded in the side frame, which penetrates the top cover along its thickness direction. The side frame has an extension portion, which is inserted into the through-hole. In this way, the connection strength between the top cover and the side frame can be further improved, and the reliability of the antenna cover can be further improved. It can also pass the hoisting bump test and the impact resistance test. The side frame can include: a main body and an extension portion. The material of the extension portion can be the same as that of the main body. In this case, the extension portion and the main body can be an integrally molded structure. This can increase the connection strength between the extension portion and the main body, thereby improving the reliability of the antenna cover. Alternatively, the material of the extension portion can be different from that of the main body. In this case, the extension portion and the main body can be two independent structures connected together.

[0009] Optionally, a first connection portion is provided at one end of the top cover connected to the side frame, and a second connection portion is provided at one end of the side frame connected to the top cover, wherein the first connection portion and the second connection portion are adaptively connected. In this manner, the adaptive connection between the first connection portion and the second connection portion can increase the joint area between the top cover and the side frame, thereby further improving the connection strength between the top cover and the side frame and further enhancing the reliability of the radome.

[0010] The first and second connecting portions can be any structure known to those skilled in the art that can achieve an adaptable connection, such as, but not limited to, the first connecting portion being a notch or groove and the second connecting portion being a protrusion; or the first connecting portion being a protrusion and the second connecting portion being a notch or groove; these are not limited here. In this way, the protrusion can be inserted into the notch or groove, increasing the bonding area between the top cover and the side frame and improving the connection strength between the top cover and the side frame.

[0011] Optionally, the roof cover is made of a continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin. The continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin may include, but is not limited to, at least one of a fiber braided prepreg and a UD laminated composite material. A fiber braided prepreg is a prepreg formed by impregnating a woven fabric of fibers in a thermoplastic resin. A UD continuous fiber prepreg is a single-layer prepreg formed by arranging continuous fibers in a unidirectional manner and impregnating them in a thermoplastic resin. The UD continuous fiber prepreg is then formed by stacking at least two layers of single-layer prepregs in different directions. This allows the fibers in the roof cover to be continuous fibers. These relatively long fibers can be woven together, allowing them to absorb higher impact energy, resulting in higher impact resistance and better stress dispersion. The continuous fiber-reinforced resin is also known as a high-strength, lightweight material. Compared to roof covers made of a single homogeneous material, it can effectively reduce the thickness of the roof cover, thereby reducing its weight. For example, the weight of the roof cover can be significantly reduced by 35%-45%.

[0012] The side frames are made of materials including thermoplastic resin or short-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin. When the side frames are made of short-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin, the fibers in the side frames are relatively short, which improves the side frames' impact resistance and reduces their weight. Furthermore, the side frames are made of resin, which facilitates molding and production of the desired shape. Furthermore, when using thermoplastic resin to make the side frames, a material with a certain degree of impact resistance can be selected, specifically based on the required impact resistance of the side frames. This can improve impact resistance to a certain extent, meeting the requirements for protecting components within the radome.

[0013] Secondly, embodiments of the present application provide a radome that may include a top cover and side frames. The top cover and side frames are connected to form a cavity for accommodating a radiating element. The side frames have a step on one end facing the top cover, the top cover overlaps the step, and the top cover and side frames are welded together. This simplifies the assembly of the side frames and top cover, reducing the manufacturing difficulty of the radome. Furthermore, the welding process effectively connects the top cover and side frames, thereby improving the reliability of the radome.

[0014] Optionally, the step is provided on the side surface of the side frame away from the accommodating cavity, or the step is provided on the side surface of the side frame toward the accommodating cavity. The position of the step can be set according to actual needs as long as the top cover and the side frame can be overlapped.

[0015] When a step is provided on a side surface of the side frame facing away from the accommodating cavity, the side surface of the side frame facing away from the accommodating cavity along a first direction is flush with the side surface of the top cover facing away from the accommodating cavity along the first direction, where the first direction is perpendicular to the top cover surface. This eliminates the appearance of a step, resulting in a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. If the side surface of the top cover facing away from the accommodating cavity along the first direction is referred to as the outer surface of the top cover, and the side surface of the top cover facing the accommodating cavity along the first direction is referred to as the inner surface of the top cover, then in the event of an external impact on the radome, the side frame can provide a certain degree of support for the top cover from the inner surface, preventing the top cover and the side frame from separating, thereby improving the reliability of the radome.

[0016] When the step is provided on the side surface of the side frame facing the accommodating cavity, the inner surface of the top cover facing the accommodating cavity along the first direction is flush with the side surface of the side frame facing the accommodating cavity along the first direction. In this way, the side frame can provide a certain support to the top cover from the outside surface, thereby preventing the top cover and the side frame from detaching when the device in the accommodating cavity is ejected outward, thereby improving the reliability of the antenna cover.

[0017] It should be understood that a first connection part and a second connection part can also be provided in this type of antenna cover, and the material for making the top cover includes continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin, and the material for making the side frame includes: thermoplastic resin or short fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin. The setting method of the first connection part and the second connection part, as well as the setting of the materials for making the top cover and the side frame are basically the same as the setting method of the first connection part and the second connection part, as well as the setting of the materials for making the top cover and the side frame in the aforementioned first aspect. For details, please refer to the relevant introduction in the aforementioned first aspect, and the repeated parts will not be repeated.

[0018] In a third aspect, embodiments of the present application further provide a radome, which may include: a top cover and side frames, wherein the top cover and the side frames are connected to form a receiving cavity for accommodating a radiating element, wherein the top cover may be made of at least one of a first resin, a continuous fiber reinforced resin, a fiber mat prepreg, and a sandwich structure composite material in which the skin material contains continuous fibers, and wherein the side frames may be made of a second resin or a short fiber reinforced resin, wherein the first resin and the second resin are different, so that different materials can be used to make the top cover and the side frames. In this way, different materials can be selected according to actual needs to adjust the performance of the top cover and the side frames. For example, when the top cover requires high impact resistance, while the side frames do not require such high impact resistance, the top cover can be made of a material with high impact resistance, and the side frames can be made of a relatively common material. This not only meets the performance requirements of each structure, but also helps reduce the production cost of the radome. It should be understood that the first resin and the second resin both refer to resins without added reinforcing agents, or the first resin and the second resin can be understood as pure resins.

[0019] Among them, when the manufacturing material of the top cover includes at least one of continuous fiber reinforced resin, fiber felt prepreg, and a sandwich structure composite material in which the skin material contains continuous fibers, the fibers in the top cover are continuous fibers. Such fibers are relatively long and can be used for weaving, so these continuous fibers can absorb higher impact energy, so that the top cover has higher impact resistance and better stress dispersion ability; continuous fiber reinforced resin can also be called high-strength and lightweight material. Compared with the use of a single homogeneous material to make the top cover, it can effectively reduce the thickness of the top cover and thus reduce the weight of the top cover. For example, the weight of the top cover can be significantly reduced by 35%-45%.

[0020] The continuous fiber reinforced resin may include, but is not limited to, at least one of: a fiber woven prepreg and a UD laminated composite material. The fiber woven prepreg refers to a prepreg formed by impregnating a woven fabric made of fibers in a thermoplastic resin; the UD continuous fiber prepreg refers to a UD continuous fiber prepreg formed by arranging continuous fibers in a unidirectional direction and impregnating them in a thermoplastic resin to form a single-layer prepreg, and then using at least two layers of single-layer prepregs to be stacked in different directions to form a UD continuous fiber prepreg.

[0021] Fiber mat prepreg refers to a prepreg formed by randomly arranged fibers and impregnated in a thermoplastic resin.

[0022] In a sandwich structure composite material, including an upper skin, a lower skin, and a core disposed between the upper and lower skins, the materials used to make the upper and lower skins may include: fiber woven prepreg, UD continuous fiber prepreg, fiber mat prepreg, or chopped fiber reinforced resin, etc., so that the materials used to make the upper and lower skins include continuous fibers. Of course, the materials used to make the upper and lower skins may also include chopped fiber reinforced resin, etc., which can increase the impact resistance of the top cover to a certain extent. Due to the special structure of the sandwich structure composite material, the density of this material is relatively low, which can reduce the density of the top cover, thereby reducing the weight of the radome and achieving a lightweight design.

[0023] The top cover can be a flat plate. When made of continuous fiber-reinforced resin, the top cover can be relatively thin. This not only reduces production costs, for example, by 40%, but also eliminates the need for additional thermoforming; the radome can be formed by simply connecting it to the side frames, reducing the difficulty and simplifying the manufacturing process. The top cover can be shaped as desired, such as, but not limited to, circular, elliptical, triangular, quadrilateral, or other shapes.

[0024] The first resin may be a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin with high impact resistance, such as but not limited to PC (i.e. polycarbonate), PU (i.e. polyurethane), etc., and the impact strength of the first resin may be greater than or equal to 10KJ / m 2 to meet the performance requirements of the roof when used outdoors.

[0025] When the side frame is made of a short fiber reinforced resin, the fibers in the side frame are short fibers. These fibers are relatively short, which can improve the impact resistance of the side frame and reduce its weight. Furthermore, the side frame is made of a resin material, which facilitates molding and facilitates the production of a desired shape.

[0026] When using short fiber-reinforced resin, the short fibers can be no longer than 25 mm. For example, but not limited to, the short fibers can be chopped glass fibers with a length of 0.7 mm to 1 mm, or long chopped glass fibers with a length of 6 mm to 25 mm. The short fibers can be made of, but not limited to, glass fiber, quartz fiber, or a combination of one or more of mineral fibers. The use of such fibers can enhance the impact resistance of the resin, thereby improving the impact resistance of the side frame. Furthermore, when using resin to manufacture the side frame, a material with a certain degree of impact resistance can be selected, specifically based on the required impact resistance of the side frame. This can improve the impact resistance to a certain extent, meeting the requirements for protecting the components within the radome.

[0027] The impact strength of the second resin may be lower than that of the first resin, and the second resin may be a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin, such as but not limited to: ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer), PC-ABS alloy, nylon, polyester, polysulfone, polyimide, polyether, etc., and there are no particular requirements for the impact strength of the second resin, as long as it can meet the requirements, and no limitation is made here.

[0028] Based on this, the top cover and side frames are made of different materials, and the top cover is made of high-strength and lightweight materials, which can realize the lightweight design of the antenna cover, so that the overall weight of the antenna cover can be reduced by 55%. It also has high impact resistance, and has passed the lifting bump test and impact resistance test, thereby improving the reliability of the antenna cover.

[0029] It should be understood that the structure of the antenna cover in this third aspect may be the same as the structure of the antenna cover introduced in the aforementioned first aspect or the structure of the antenna cover introduced in the aforementioned second aspect. For details, please refer to the relevant introduction in the aforementioned first aspect or the aforementioned second aspect, and the repeated parts will not be repeated.

[0030] In a fourth aspect, embodiments of the present application further provide a method for manufacturing an antenna cover, which is used to manufacture an antenna cover as described in the first aspect and any embodiment thereof, or the second aspect and any embodiment thereof, or the third aspect and any embodiment thereof. The method may include: laying the material for the top cover on a front mold, positioning the material in the mold by vacuum adsorption; forming a film; and injecting molten resin into the mold cavity to form the side frames. In this way, the connection between the top cover and the side frames can be achieved in the mold, and the materials for the top cover and the side frames can be welded to each other in the mold, thereby improving the strength of the connection interface and improving the reliability of the manufactured antenna cover.

[0031] Optionally, when vias are provided in the top cover, prior to laminating the mold, a process may further include forming vias at the ends of the laid-out material. Then, when molten resin is injected into the mold cavity, it also enters the vias, thereby forming extensions. This allows the extensions to be formed simultaneously with the main body of the side frame, thereby increasing the bonding strength between the top cover and the side frame, and further improving the reliability of the resulting radome.

[0032] Optionally, when the top cover is provided with a first connecting portion and the side frames are provided with a second connecting portion, before laminating the mold, the process may further include forming the first connecting portion at the end of the laid-out material, and then injecting molten resin into the mold cavity to form the side frames, with the formed side frames having the second connecting portion. This can enhance the bonding strength between the top cover and the side frames, thereby further improving the reliability of the resulting radome.

[0033] It should be understood that since the principle of solving the problem by the antenna cover produced by this manufacturing method is similar to the principle of solving the problem by the antenna cover introduced in any of the aforementioned aspects, the implementation and technical effects of this manufacturing method can refer to the implementation and technical effects of the antenna cover introduced in any of the aforementioned aspects, and the repetitions will not be repeated.

[0034] In a fifth aspect, embodiments of the present application further provide an antenna, which may include: a radiating element, and an antenna cover as described in the first aspect and any embodiment thereof, or the second aspect and any embodiment thereof, or the third aspect and any embodiment thereof, wherein the antenna cover may cover the radiating element. In this manner, the antenna cover may protect the radiating element from the influence of the external environment, and may have good electromagnetic wave penetration characteristics in terms of electrical performance, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the antenna while having good stability and reliability.

[0035] It should be understood that since the principle of solving the problem by the antenna is similar to the principle of solving the problem by the aforementioned antenna cover, the implementation and technical effects of the antenna can refer to the implementation and technical effects of the aforementioned antenna cover, and the repeated parts will not be repeated.

[0036] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of the present application further provide a communications device, which may include the antenna described in the fifth aspect and any of the embodiments thereof. In addition to the antenna, the communications device may also include other devices or apparatuses, such as a terminal, and the specific design may be based on actual needs and is not limited herein. The antenna can be used to transmit and receive signals to and from the terminal, thereby enabling communication with the terminal. Given the antenna's good stability and reliability, the communications device can also have good stability and reliability.

[0037] It should be understood that since the principle of solving the problem by the communication device is similar to the principle of solving the problem by the aforementioned antenna, the implementation and technical effects of the communication device can refer to the implementation and technical effects of the aforementioned antenna, and the repeated parts will not be repeated. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] FIG3 is a perspective schematic diagram of a portion of a radome provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the cross section shown in FIG3 ;

[0042] FIG. 5 is another schematic diagram of the cross section shown in FIG. 3 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application clearer, this application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0044] It should be noted that the same reference numerals in the drawings of this application represent the same or similar structures, and thus their repeated description will be omitted. The words expressing positions and directions described in this application are all explained using the drawings as examples, but they can be modified as needed, and such modifications are included in the scope of protection of this application. The drawings of this application are only for illustrating relative positional relationships and do not represent true proportions.

[0045] In order to facilitate understanding of the technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present application, its application scenario is first explained below.

[0046] The technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application can be applied to other fields that require antennas, such as the communication field, radar field, or meteorological field. Figure 1 exemplarily shows an architectural diagram of a communication device to which the embodiment of the present application is applicable. As shown in Figure 1, the communication device may include a wireless access device and a terminal, and the wireless access device may include but is not limited to the base station shown in Figure 1. Wireless communication can be achieved between the wireless access device and the terminal. The wireless access device can be located in a base station subsystem (base btationbubsystem, 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 of wireless signals to achieve connection between the terminal device and the wireless network radio frequency end. Specifically, the base station can be a base station (base transceiver station, BTS) in a global system for mobile communications (GSM) or a code division multiple access system (CDMA), or a base station (NodeB, NB) in a wideband code division multiple access system (WCDMA), or an evolutionary NodeB (eNB or eNodeB) in an LTE system, or a wireless controller in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario, or the base station can also be a relay station, an access point, a vehicle-mounted device, a wearable device, a base station in a 5G network, or a base station in a future evolved PLMN network, for example, a new wireless base station, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0047] Figure 2 illustrates a schematic structural diagram of the antenna feed system of the base station according to the embodiment shown in Figure 1. The base station antenna feed system generally includes an antenna 100, a mast 200, an antenna adjustment bracket 300, and other structures. The base station antenna 100 includes a radome 410 and a radiating element 420. The radome 410 covers the radiating element 420. The radome 410 has excellent electrical electromagnetic wave penetration characteristics and mechanical properties that can withstand harsh external environments, thereby protecting the antenna system from external environmental influences. The radome 410 can be mounted on the mast 200 or tower via the antenna adjustment bracket 300 to facilitate signal reception or transmission by the antenna 100.

[0048] In addition, the base station may also include a radio frequency processing unit 500 and a signal processing unit 600. For example, the radio frequency processing unit 500 may be used to perform frequency selection, amplification, and down-conversion processing on the signal received by the radiation unit 420, and convert it into an intermediate frequency signal or a baseband signal and send it to the signal processing unit 600, or the radio frequency processing unit 500 may be used to convert the signal processing unit 600 or the intermediate frequency signal into an electromagnetic wave through the radiation unit 420 after up-conversion and amplification processing and send it out. The signal processing unit 600 can be connected to the radiation unit 420 through the radio frequency processing unit 500 to process the intermediate frequency signal or baseband signal sent by the radio frequency processing unit 500. As shown in Figure 2, the radio frequency processing unit 500 can be integrated with the radiation unit 420, and the signal processing unit 600 is located at the far end of the antenna 100. The radio frequency processing unit 500 and the signal processing unit 600 can be connected via a cable 700.

[0049] Because radomes are often exposed to outdoor environments, if their reliability is poor and they are damaged, such as by cracks, they can expose internal components to the outside world, potentially affecting them and preventing them from functioning properly. Therefore, embodiments of the present application provide a radome that improves its reliability and thus protects the components within the antenna.

[0050] Figures 3 and 4 are schematic structural diagrams of an embodiment of an antenna cover of the present application. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the antenna cover may include: a top cover 10 and a side frame 20. The top cover 10 is connected to the side frame 20 to form a receiving cavity 30 for accommodating the radiation unit, and the end face n1 of the top cover 10 is embedded in the side frame 20. Optionally, the thickness direction of the side frame 20 is the F2 direction, and the direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the side frame 20 is the F1 direction, and the end face n1 of the top cover 10 is embedded in the side frame 20 along the F1 direction; and, the side frame 20 not only covers part of the inner surface b2 of the top cover 10, but also covers part of the outer surface b1 of the top cover 10, so that the inner surface b2 and the outer surface b1 of the top cover 10 are combined and connected to the side frame 20, which can improve the connection strength between the top cover 10 and the side frame 20, and can prevent the top cover 10 and the side frame 20 from detaching when the antenna cover is subjected to external impact, and can also prevent the top cover 10 and the side frame 20 from detaching when the device in the accommodating cavity is ejected outward, thereby effectively improving the reliability of the antenna cover.

[0051] Among them, the length of the top cover 10 embedded in the side frame 20 along the F1 direction can be designed according to actual needs. For example, when a higher connection strength is required, the length of the top cover 10 embedded in the side frame 20 along the F1 direction can be set to be larger. When the volume of the accommodating cavity is required to be larger and the requirement for the connection strength is not very high, the length of the top cover 10 embedded in the side frame 20 along the F1 direction can be set to be smaller. The specific values ​​are not limited here.

[0052] Furthermore, when the top cover 10 is connected to the side frame 20, the end surface n1 of the top cover 10 can be welded or glued to the side frame 20. This can improve the connection strength of the connection interface, thereby further improving the reliability of the radome. It should be understood that welding can be understood as welding or injection molding.

[0053] As shown in (a) of FIG4 , the top cover 10 embedded in the side frame 20 may be provided with a through hole T0, which passes through the top cover 10 along the F2 direction. The side frame 20 has an extension 22, which is inserted into the through hole T0. In this way, the connection strength between the top cover 10 and the side frame 20 can be further improved, the reliability of the radome can be further improved, and it can also pass the hoisting bump test and the impact resistance test. The side frame 20 may include: a main body 21 and an extension 22. The material of the extension 22 can be the same as that of the main body 21. In this case, the extension 22 and the main body 21 can be an integrally molded structure, which can increase the connection strength between the extension 22 and the main body 21, thereby improving the reliability of the radome. Alternatively, the material of the extension 22 can be different from that of the main body 21. In this case, the extension 22 and the main body 21 can be two independent structures connected together.

[0054] As shown in (b) in Figure 4, (b) is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the connection between the top cover 10 and the side frame 20 in (a), and in order to make it easier to see the various structures, the top cover 10 and the side frame 20 are separated, but in reality the two are connected. In order to improve the connection strength between the top cover 10 and the side frame 20, it can also be set as follows: the end n1 of the top cover 10 connected to the side frame 20 is provided with a first connection part 11, and the end n2 of the side frame 20 connected to the top cover 10 is provided with a second connection part 21a, and the first connection part 11 and the second connection part 21a are adaptively connected. In this way, through the adaptive connection between the first connection part 11 and the second connection part 21a, the bonding area of ​​the top cover 10 and the side frame 20 can be increased, thereby further improving the connection strength between the top cover 10 and the side frame 20 and further improving the reliability of the antenna cover.

[0055] The first connecting portion 11 and the second connecting portion 21a may be any structure known to those skilled in the art that can achieve an adaptable connection, such as, but not limited to, the first connecting portion 11 being a notch or groove and the second connecting portion 21a being a protrusion (not shown); or, alternatively, the first connecting portion 11 being a protrusion and the second connecting portion 21a being a notch or groove, as shown in FIG4( b ); this is not limited here. In this way, the protrusion can be inserted into the notch or groove, increasing the bonding area between the top cover 10 and the side frame 20 and improving the connection strength between the top cover 10 and the side frame 20.

[0056] It should be understood that in the radome, the top cover 10 can be regarded as the radiation surface of the radome, which can realize the transmission of radio frequency signals, and the side frame 20 can be regarded as a waterproof structure, which can realize the waterproof function and prevent external water vapor from entering the radome and causing adverse effects on the devices in the accommodating cavity 30. Among them, the shape of the side frame 20 can be determined according to the design requirements of the radome, such as but not limited to: the cross-sectional shape of the side frame 20 can be a vertical shape with upper and lower corners (as shown in Figure 3), or a vertical shape without corners (not shown in the figure), or other special shapes, which are not limited here. The top cover 10 can be set as a flat plate structure, of course, it can also be set as other structures, which are not limited here.

[0057] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a radome according to the present application. Referring to FIG5 , the structure of the radome in this embodiment is substantially similar to that of the radome shown in FIG3 and FIG4 in the aforementioned embodiment, except that the side frame 20 overlaps the top cover 10. Optionally, the side frame 20 has a step at one end facing the top cover 10 (as shown in the dotted box), the top cover 10 overlaps the step, and the top cover 10 is welded to the side frame 20. This simplifies the assembly of the side frame 20 and the top cover 10, reduces the difficulty of manufacturing the radome, and effectively combines the top cover 10 with the side frame 20 through welding, thereby improving the reliability of the radome.

[0058] The steps may be arranged in any of the following ways:

[0059] The first type: as shown in (a) in Figure 5, the step is provided on the side surface of the side frame 20 away from the accommodating cavity. At this time, the side frame 20 covers part of the inner surface b2 of the top cover 10 along the F2 direction, and the outer surface b1 of the top cover 10 along the F2 direction is flush with the side surface b3 of the side frame 20 along the F2 direction away from the accommodating cavity. In this way, there is no step difference in appearance, and the appearance is more beautiful. When the antenna cover is subjected to external impact, the side frame 20 can provide a certain support for the top cover 10 from the inner surface b2 to prevent the top cover 10 and the side frame 20 from detaching, thereby improving the reliability of the antenna cover.

[0060] The second type: As shown in (b) in Figure 5, a step is provided on the side surface of the side frame 20 facing the accommodating cavity. In this case, the side frame 20 covers part of the outer surface b1 of the top cover 10 along the F2 direction, and the inner surface b2 of the top cover 10 along the F2 direction is flush with the side surface b4 of the side frame 20 facing the accommodating cavity along the F2 direction. In this way, the side frame 20 can provide a certain support to the top cover 10 from the outer surface b1, preventing the top cover 10 and the side frame 20 from separating when the device in the accommodating cavity is ejected outward, thereby improving the reliability of the antenna cover. Of course, the inner surface b2 of the top cover 10 along the F2 direction and the side surface b4 of the side frame 20 along the F2 direction facing the accommodating cavity can also be uneven. The specific details can be determined according to actual conditions and are not limited here.

[0061] It should be understood that the similarities between the structure of the antenna cover in this embodiment and the structure of the antenna cover shown in Figures 3 and 4 in the aforementioned embodiments can be found in the relevant introduction in the aforementioned embodiments, and the repeated parts will not be repeated.

[0062] In another exemplary embodiment of the present application, the radome may include a top cover and side frames, the top cover and the side frames being connected to form a cavity for accommodating a radiating element. The top cover may be made of at least one of a first resin, a continuous fiber-reinforced resin, a fiber mat prepreg, and a sandwich composite material in which the skin material contains continuous fibers. The side frames may be made of a second resin or a short fiber-reinforced resin. The first resin and the second resin are different, so that different materials can be used to make the top cover and the side frames. This allows the performance of the top cover and the side frames to be adjusted according to actual needs. For example, if the top cover requires high impact resistance but the side frames do not, the top cover can be made of a material with high impact resistance and the side frames can be made of a relatively common material. This not only meets the performance requirements of each structure but also helps reduce the production cost of the radome. It should be understood that the first resin and the second resin both refer to resins without added reinforcing agents, or the first resin and the second resin can be understood as pure resins.

[0063] Among them, when the manufacturing material of the top cover includes at least one of continuous fiber reinforced resin, fiber felt prepreg, and a sandwich structure composite material in which the skin material contains continuous fibers, the fibers in the top cover are continuous fibers. Such fibers are relatively long and can be used for weaving, so these continuous fibers can absorb higher impact energy, so that the top cover has higher impact resistance and better stress dispersion ability; continuous fiber reinforced resin can also be called high-strength and lightweight material. Compared with the use of a single homogeneous material to make the top cover, it can effectively reduce the thickness of the top cover and thus reduce the weight of the top cover. For example, the weight of the top cover can be significantly reduced by 35%-45%.

[0064] The continuous fiber reinforced resin may include, but is not limited to, at least one of: a fiber woven prepreg and a UD laminated composite material. The fiber woven prepreg refers to a prepreg formed by impregnating a woven fabric made of fibers in a thermoplastic resin; the UD continuous fiber prepreg refers to a UD continuous fiber prepreg formed by arranging continuous fibers in a unidirectional direction and impregnating them in a thermoplastic resin to form a single-layer prepreg, and then using at least two layers of single-layer prepregs to be stacked in different directions to form a UD continuous fiber prepreg.

[0065] Fiber mat prepreg refers to a prepreg formed by randomly arranged fibers and impregnated in a thermoplastic resin.

[0066] In a sandwich structure composite material, including an upper skin, a lower skin, and a core disposed between the upper and lower skins, the materials used to make the upper and lower skins may include: fiber woven prepreg, UD continuous fiber prepreg, fiber mat prepreg, or chopped fiber reinforced resin, etc., so that the materials used to make the upper and lower skins include continuous fibers. Of course, the materials used to make the upper and lower skins may also include chopped fiber reinforced resin, etc., which can increase the impact resistance of the top cover to a certain extent. Due to the special structure of the sandwich structure composite material, the density of this material is relatively low, which can reduce the density of the top cover, thereby reducing the weight of the radome and achieving a lightweight design.

[0067] The top cover can be a flat plate. When made of continuous fiber-reinforced resin, the top cover can be relatively thin. This not only reduces production costs, for example, by 40%, but also eliminates the need for additional thermoforming; the radome can be formed by simply connecting it to the side frames, reducing the difficulty and simplifying the manufacturing process. The top cover can be shaped as desired, such as, but not limited to, circular, elliptical, triangular, quadrilateral, or other shapes.

[0068] The first resin may be a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin with high impact resistance, such as but not limited to PC (i.e. polycarbonate), PU (i.e. polyurethane), etc., and the impact strength of the first resin may be greater than or equal to 10KJ / m 2 to meet the performance requirements of the roof when used outdoors.

[0069] When the side frame is made of a short fiber reinforced resin, the fibers in the side frame are short fibers. These fibers are relatively short, which can improve the impact resistance of the side frame and reduce its weight. Furthermore, the side frame is made of a resin material, which facilitates molding and facilitates the production of a desired shape.

[0070] When using short fiber-reinforced resin, the short fibers can be no longer than 25 mm. For example, but not limited to, the short fibers can be chopped glass fibers with a length of 0.7 mm to 1 mm, or long chopped glass fibers with a length of 6 mm to 25 mm. The short fibers can be made of, but not limited to, glass fiber, quartz fiber, or a combination of one or more of mineral fibers. The use of such fibers can enhance the impact resistance of the resin, thereby improving the impact resistance of the side frame. Furthermore, when using resin to manufacture the side frame, a material with a certain degree of impact resistance can be selected, specifically based on the required impact resistance of the side frame. This can improve the impact resistance to a certain extent, meeting the requirements for protecting the components within the radome.

[0071] The impact strength of the second resin may be lower than that of the first resin, and the second resin may be a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin, such as but not limited to: ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer), PC-ABS alloy, nylon, polyester, polysulfone, polyimide, polyether, etc., and there are no particular requirements for the impact strength of the second resin, as long as it can meet the requirements, and no limitation is made here.

[0072] Based on this, the top cover and side frames are made of different materials, and the top cover is made of high-strength and lightweight materials, which can realize the lightweight design of the antenna cover, so that the overall weight of the antenna cover can be reduced by 55%. It also has high impact resistance, and has passed the lifting bump test and impact resistance test, thereby improving the reliability of the antenna cover.

[0073] It should be understood that the three aforementioned radome embodiments can be implemented individually or in combination. The specific design can be tailored to the specific circumstances and is not limited herein. Furthermore, when the three aforementioned embodiments are implemented in combination, not only are the top cover and side frames made of different materials, but the end surfaces of the top cover are also embedded within the side frames or overlap the top cover and side frames. This not only achieves a lightweight and impact-resistant design for the radome, but also effectively improves its reliability, resulting in even better performance.

[0074] The performance test of the radome is described below.

[0075] Example 1: The top cover and the side frame are connected in the following manner: the end face of the top cover is embedded in the side frame, and a through-hole can be provided in the top cover embedded in the side frame, and the extension of the side frame is inserted into the through-hole, as shown in Figure 4. The top cover is made of polypropylene UD unidirectional glass fiber prepreg, wherein four layers of UD unidirectional glass fiber prepreg are stacked, and the arrangement direction is [0 / 90 / 90 / 0]. After the four layers of UD unidirectional glass fiber prepreg are stacked, the thickness of the top cover is 1mm. The glass fiber content in the prepreg is 50%-60%. The side frame is made of randomly oriented glass fiber reinforced polypropylene material, the fiber is long chopped glass fiber, the glass fiber length is 6mm-25mm, and the glass fiber content is 10%-30%.

[0076] The radome production process includes the following steps: S1: 1mm thick polypropylene (UD) unidirectional glass fiber prepreg is placed in a mold and positioned against the mold wall using vacuum suction. The mold temperature is raised to 70°C. S2: Molten chopped glass fiber reinforced polypropylene (PP) is injected into the mold cavity, completely enveloping the prepreg and forming the side frames. The molten plastic passes through the prepreg holes to form studs. S3: After cooling, the radome is demolded to obtain a composite structure.

[0077] Example 2: The top cover and side frames are connected in such a way that the top cover overlaps the step of the side frame, and the outer surface of the top cover is flush with the side surface of the side frame facing away from the accommodating cavity, as shown in Figure 5 (a). The top cover is made of polypropylene glass fiber fabric prepreg, where the glass fiber fabric weight is selected from 600gsm or 420gsm, the fabric prepreg thickness is 1mm, and the glass fiber content of the prepreg is 35%-55%. The side frames are made of randomly oriented glass fiber reinforced polypropylene material with long chopped glass fiber, the glass fiber length is 6mm-25mm, and the glass fiber content is 10%-30%.

[0078] The radome production process includes the following steps: S1: Place a 1mm thick polypropylene fiberglass fabric prepreg into a mold and position it against the mold's inner wall using vacuum suction. The mold temperature is raised to 70°C. S2: Molding is completed. Melted chopped fiberglass-reinforced polypropylene material from the injection molding machine is injected into the mold cavity. The molded side frame is embedded within the prepreg's inner surface at a certain distance to form a secure connection. S3: After cooling, the radome is demolded to obtain a composite structure.

[0079] Example 3: The top cover and side frames are connected in such a way that the end faces of the top cover are embedded in the side frames, but no vias are provided in the top cover. The top cover is made of a polycarbonate prepreg skin + foam sandwich composite material. The polycarbonate skin is made of electronic cloth with a glass fiber content of 35%-55% and a thickness of 0.3mm. The foam core is made of polyethylene terephthalate foam or polypropylene foam, and the foam core is 2.4mm thick. The total thickness of the polycarbonate prepreg skin + foam sandwich composite material is 3mm. The side frames are made of pure polycarbonate or short glass fiber reinforced polycarbonate material, with the chopped glass fiber length of 0.7mm-1mm and a glass fiber content of 10%.

[0080] The radome production process includes the following steps: S1: A 3mm-thick polycarbonate prepreg skin and foam sandwich composite material is placed into a mold and positioned against the mold wall using vacuum suction. S2: Molten chopped glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene (PP) is injected into the mold cavity, completely surrounding the foam sandwich material and forming the side frames. S3: After cooling, the composite radome is demolded.

[0081] Example 4: The top cover and side frames are connected in such a way that the end faces of the top cover are embedded in the side frames, but no vias are provided in the top cover. The top cover is made of polycarbonate glass fiber fabric prepreg, where the glass fiber fabric has a grammage of 600gsm or 420gsm, a thickness of 1mm, and a glass fiber content of 35%-55%. The side frames are made of chopped glass fiber reinforced polycarbonate material, with the chopped glass fiber length ranging from 0.7mm to 1mm and a glass fiber content of 10%.

[0082] The radome production process includes: S1: Place 1mm thick polycarbonate fiberglass fabric prepreg into the mold and position it against the mold wall using vacuum suction. S2: Lay the mold, injecting molten chopped fiberglass-reinforced polypropylene into the mold cavity, completely enveloping the prepreg and forming the side frames. S3: After cooling, demold the radome to obtain a composite structure.

[0083] Comparative Example 1: The top cover and side frames are integrally injection-molded, constructed entirely of glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene (GRP). The fibers are chopped glass fiber, with the top cover containing 30% glass fiber. The side frames contain 10%-30% glass fiber, and the top cover is 3.3 mm thick. The radome can be manufactured using any process capable of integral injection molding and will not be detailed here.

[0084] Comparative Example 2: The top cover and side frames are integrally injection-molded, using short glass fiber reinforced polycarbonate (PC) material. The fibers are chopped glass fiber, with the top cover containing 10% glass fiber. The side frames also contain 10% glass fiber, and the top cover is 2.8 mm thick. The radome can be manufactured using any process capable of integral injection molding and will not be detailed here.

[0085] The four examples and two comparative examples were subjected to weight testing, impact resistance testing, hoisting bump testing, and low-temperature ball drop testing. The test results are shown in Table 1 below. Since the resin used in Comparative Example 1, Examples 1, and 2 was polypropylene, the test results of Examples 1 and 2 can be compared with Comparative Example 1. Since the resin used in Comparative Example 2, Examples 3, and 4 was polycarbonate, the test results of Examples 3 and 4 can be compared with Comparative Example 2.

[0086] Table 1

[0087] The results shown in Table 1 above indicate that when the top cover and side frames are made of different materials, and the top cover is made of polypropylene UD unidirectional glass fiber prepreg, polypropylene glass fiber fabric prepreg, polycarbonate prepreg skin + foam sandwich composite material, and polycarbonate glass fiber fabric prepreg, the weight of the radome can be effectively reduced, achieving a good weight reduction effect. Furthermore, the impact resistance is improved, and the radome passes the hoisting bump test and the low-temperature drop ball test.

[0088] Obviously, those skilled in the art may make various changes and modifications to the embodiments of the present application without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the present application. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the embodiments of the present application fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents, the present application also intends to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A radome, characterized in that: include: A top cover and a side frame, wherein the top cover is connected with the side frame to form a receiving cavity for receiving the radiation unit, and an end surface of the top cover is embedded in the side frame.

2. The radome according to claim 1, wherein: The top cover embedded in the side frame is provided with a via hole, the via hole penetrates the top cover along the thickness direction of the top cover, and the side frame has an extension part, and the extension part is inserted into the via hole.

3. The radome according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The top cover is welded or glued to the side frame.

4. A radome, characterized in that: include: A top cover and a side frame, wherein the top cover and the side frame are connected to form a housing cavity for housing the radiation unit, the side frame has a step at one end facing the top cover, the top cover is overlapped on the step, and the top cover and the side frame are fused.

5. The radome according to claim 4, characterized in that The step is arranged on a side surface of the side frame away from the accommodating cavity, or the step is arranged on a side surface of the side frame facing the accommodating cavity.

6. The radome according to claim 5, characterized in that The step is arranged on a side surface of the side frame away from the accommodating cavity, and the side surface of the side frame away from the accommodating cavity along a first direction is flush with the side surface of the top cover away from the accommodating cavity along the first direction, and the first direction is a direction perpendicular to the surface of the top cover.

7. The radome according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: A first connection portion is provided at one end of the top cover connected to the side frame, and a second connection portion is provided at one end of the side frame connected to the top cover, and the first connection portion is adaptively connected to the second connection portion.

8. The radome according to claim 7, characterized in that The first connecting portion is a notch or a groove, and the second connecting portion is a protrusion; Alternatively, the first connecting portion is a protrusion, and the second connecting portion is a notch or a groove.

9. The radome according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The top cover is made of continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin, and the side frame is made of thermoplastic resin or short fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin.

10. A radome, characterized in that: include: A top cover and a side frame, wherein the top cover is connected with the side frame to form a housing cavity for housing the radiation unit, the top cover is made of materials including at least one of a first resin, a continuous fiber reinforced resin, a fiber felt prepreg, and a sandwich structure composite material containing continuous fibers as a skin material, and the side frame is made of materials including a second resin or a short fiber reinforced resin, wherein the first resin is different from the second resin.

11. The radome according to claim 10, wherein: The impact strength of the first resin is greater than or equal to 10KJ / m 2 .

12. The radome according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that: The length of the short fibers in the short fiber reinforced resin is not greater than 25 mm.

13. An antenna, characterized in that: include: A radiation unit, and a radome as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the radome covers the radiation unit.

14. A communication device, characterized in that: Comprising the antenna as claimed in claim 13.

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