Array antenna and assembly method therefor

Abstract

Disclosed in the present application are an array antenna and an assembly method therefor, relating to the technical field of communication devices. The array antenna comprises a metal shell, a metal plate, a feed network and at least two radiation units, wherein each radiation unit is arranged at the metal shell or the metal plate, the metal plate and the metal shell are separately arranged and connected to form an accommodating cavity, the feed network is arranged in the accommodating cavity, and a feed port of each radiation unit is electrically connected to the feed network.

Description

Array antenna and assembly method thereof

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to a Chinese patent application filed with the Patent Office of China on January 22, 2024, with application number 202410090290.7 and invention name “Array Antenna and Assembly Method Thereof”. The entire contents of the Chinese patent application are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present application belongs to the technical field of communication equipment, and specifically relates to an array antenna and an assembly method thereof. Background Art

[0004] Antennas used in communications equipment such as base stations serve as intermediate components for transmitting and receiving signals, converting guided waves propagating along the line into electromagnetic waves radiated from space. With the rapid advancement of communications technology, miniaturization, high gain, and high intermodulation have become the mainstream development trends for antennas.

[0005] As a type of antenna, the array antenna's feed network is usually set in a closed cavity. During the assembly process, it can only be assembled manually, which has poor consistency and low production efficiency. In addition, in order to facilitate the installation of structures such as the feed network, various avoidance or hollowing designs are usually required on the closed cavity, which makes the closed cavity prone to deformation during transportation, thereby affecting the passive intermodulation index of the entire array antenna and further affecting its received signal sensitivity. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the embodiments of the present application is to provide an array antenna and an assembly method thereof, which can solve the problems in the related art of inconvenient assembly of the feeding network of the array antenna and easy deformation of the closed cavity during transportation.

[0007] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an array antenna comprising a metal shell, a metal plate, a feeding network and at least two radiating units, wherein each of the radiating units is arranged in the metal shell or the metal plate, the metal plate and the metal shell are separately arranged and connected to form a accommodating cavity, the feeding network is arranged in the accommodating cavity, and the feeding port of each of the radiating units is electrically connected to the feeding network.

[0008] In the second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an assembly method of an array antenna, which is applied to the above-mentioned array antenna, and the assembly method includes: S100, installing a feeding network into a metal shell or on a metal plate; S200, connecting the metal plate and the metal shell to form a accommodating cavity, and the feeding network in the accommodating cavity is electrically connected to the radiating unit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an array antenna disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0010] FIG2 is an exploded view of the array antenna disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0011] FIG3 is a cross-sectional view of the array antenna disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0012] FIG4 is a cross-sectional view of a metal plate and a metal shell of an array antenna disclosed in an embodiment of the present application connected by laser penetration welding;

[0013] FIG5 is a cross-sectional view of a metal plate and a metal shell of an array antenna disclosed in an embodiment of the present application connected by laser welding of the contact surfaces;

[0014] FIG6 is a cross-sectional view of a metal plate and a metal shell of an array antenna disclosed in an embodiment of the present application connected by laser welding after slot assembly;

[0015] FIG7 is a flow chart of an assembly method of an array antenna disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0016] The arrow lines in Figures 4 to 6 are welding directions.

[0017] Explanation of the reference numerals: 100 - metal shell, 110 - plug-in part, 120 - housing, 130 - partition; 200 - metal plate, 210 - plug-in hole; 300 - feeding network, 310 - first sub-feeding network, 320 - second sub-feeding network; 400 - radiating unit, 410 - first radiator, 420 - second radiator, 430 - feeding probe; 510 - first support member, 520 - second support member; 600 - adapter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0019] The terms "first," "second," and the like in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not used to describe a specific order or precedence. It should be understood that the terms used in this manner are interchangeable where appropriate, so that the embodiments of this application can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein, and that the objects distinguished by "first," "second," and the like are generally of the same type, and do not limit the number of objects; for example, the first object can be one or more. In addition, the term "and / or" in the specification and claims refers to at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the objects connected are in an "or" relationship.

[0020] The array antenna and its assembly method provided in the embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and their application scenarios in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1 to 6, embodiments of the present application disclose an array antenna. In one embodiment, the array antenna can be a base station antenna. The array antenna includes a metal housing 100, a metal plate 200, a feed network 300, and at least two radiating elements 400. In one embodiment, the metal housing 100 can be a sheet metal member that can be bent to form a concave surface, thereby facilitating the mating with the metal plate 200 to form a receiving cavity. In one embodiment, the radiating elements 400 can be manufactured using processes such as metal die-casting and metal injection molding, or can be formed as a printed circuit board (PCB), although this embodiment of the present application is not limited thereto. Each radiating element 400 is mounted on the metal housing 100 or the metal plate 200 to form a modular structure for easy assembly. The metal plate 200 and the metal housing 100 are separately mounted and connected to form the receiving cavity. In other words, the metal plate 200 and the metal housing 100 are formed separately and then connected. The feed network 300 is disposed within the accommodating cavity, and the feed ports of each radiating unit 400 are electrically connected to the feed network 300. The feed network 300 is used to supply power to each radiating unit 400, thereby keeping the radiating unit 400 in operation. In one embodiment, the radiating portion of each radiating unit 400 is located outside the accommodating cavity. In this case, the side of the metal shell 100 or metal plate 200 facing the radiating portion can be a reflective surface, so that the electromagnetic waves radiated by the radiating portion are radiated in a direction away from the reflective surface. In this case, each radiating unit 400 is a directional antenna, which is beneficial for improving the gain and anti-interference capability of the array antenna. Directional antennas also provide better security and privacy.

[0022] It should be noted that when each radiation unit 400 is arranged on the metal shell 100, the metal shell 100 and the radiation unit 400 are located on the same side of the metal plate 200, and the radiation part of the radiation unit 400 is located on the side of the metal shell 100 away from the metal plate 200; when each radiation unit 400 is arranged on the metal plate 200, the radiation part of the radiation unit 400 is located on the side of the metal plate 200 away from the metal shell 100.

[0023] In an embodiment of the present application, the metal plate 200 is separately provided from the metal shell 100. In this case, during the assembly of the array antenna, the feed network 300 can be first installed into the metal shell 100 by a robot, and then the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 are connected to form a receiving cavity, thereby facilitating the installation of the feed network 300. When the array antennas are mass-produced, the use of a robot for installation can ensure the installation consistency of the feed network 300 and improve the production efficiency of the array antenna. In addition, when the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 are separately provided, during transportation, the avoidance or hollowed-out parts of the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 can be supported to prevent them from deformation, thereby improving the passive intermodulation index of the array antenna after installation, and thereby improving its received signal sensitivity.

[0024] In one embodiment, the metal plate 200 and the metal housing 100 can be detachably connected using fasteners such as bolts or screws. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the metal plate 200 and the metal housing 100 can be welded. Since welding offers excellent connection performance and high structural rigidity, welding the metal plate 200 and the metal housing 100 is advantageously used to enhance the secure connection between the two. In one embodiment, the metal plate 200 and the metal housing 100 can be welded using methods such as argon arc welding and ultrasonic welding, although this is not a limitation in this embodiment.

[0025] As shown in Figure 6, in an exemplary embodiment, the metal plate 200 is provided with a plug hole 210, and the metal housing 100 is provided with a plug portion 110. The plug portion 110 is plugged into the plug hole 210, and the peripheral surface of the plug portion 110 is welded to the side wall of the plug hole 210. In this solution, the metal housing 100 and the metal plate 200 are first plugged into and into the plug hole 210 via the plug portion 110, and then welded. This helps to increase the connection area between the metal housing 100 and the metal plate 200, thereby improving the connection strength between the two. At the same time, the plug-in fit between the plug portion 110 and the plug hole 210 can ensure the positioning of the metal housing 100 and the metal plate 200, facilitating the welding operation.

[0026] In one embodiment, the number of the plug-in parts 110 is at least two, and at least two plug-in parts 110 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the metal shell 100. The plug-in holes 210 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the plug-in parts 110, and each plug-in part 110 is plugged into and matched with each plug-in hole 210 in a one-to-one correspondence, thereby further increasing the connection area between the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 to enhance the connection firmness between the two, and multiple plug-in holes 210 and multiple plug-in parts 110 can provide a more reliable positioning effect, which is more conducive to the implementation of welding operations.

[0027] In one embodiment, the welding operation process of the above scheme is as follows: the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 are placed in an upper and lower stacking manner, and the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 are plugged into each other through the plug-in portion 110 and the plug-in hole 210. Then, a laser beam is used to irradiate the joint between the plug-in hole 210 on the side of the metal plate 200 facing away from the metal shell 100 and the plug-in portion 110 of the metal shell 100, so that the connection between the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 is heated and melted and welded.

[0028] As shown in FIG4 , in another embodiment, the metal plate 200 may not have a connection hole. The metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 are stacked one on top of the other. A laser beam is directly applied perpendicularly to the side of the metal plate 200 facing away from the metal shell 100. The laser beam is moved along this side according to a preset welding trajectory and a preset welding speed. The welding operation is repeated multiple times, causing the metal plate 200 to melt due to the heat. The laser beam then penetrates the metal plate 200 and irradiates the metal shell 100, causing it to melt due to the heat, thereby welding the metal plate 200 to the metal shell 100. This welding method is beneficial for improving the continuity of the weld, thereby enhancing the connection strength between the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200.

[0029] As shown in Figure 5, in another embodiment, the metal plate 200 can also be provided without a connection hole. The metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 are stacked one on top of the other. A laser beam is then directly applied at a predetermined angle to the joint between the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100. The laser beam is moved along the joint according to a predetermined welding trajectory and a predetermined welding speed, and the welding operation is repeated multiple times. Ultimately, the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 are heated and melted, thereby being welded together. This welding method causes minimal damage to the metal plate 200, thereby improving the structural strength of the metal plate 200. Furthermore, when performing subsequent cavity repairs, only the joint needs to be cut, without damaging the metal plate 200.

[0030] It should be noted that the above three welding methods all use laser welding, which is a non-contact welding method. The laser beam radiates heat to the surface of the workpiece to be processed (metal plate 200 and metal shell 100), diffuses to the inside of the workpiece to be processed through heat conduction, and then controls the laser parameters such as the width, energy, peak power and repetition frequency of the laser pulse to melt the heated area of ​​the workpiece to be processed to form a specific molten pool, which has the characteristics of a small heat-affected zone and high welding precision.

[0031] In another embodiment, one of the metal plate 200 and the metal housing 100 is provided with a snap-fit ​​portion, and the other is provided with a snap-fit ​​groove. The snap-fit ​​portion and the snap-fit ​​groove engage with each other, facilitating subsequent disassembly and maintenance while also enhancing the secure connection between the metal plate 200 and the metal housing 100. In one embodiment, the metal plate 200 is a flat plate, and the provision of a snap-fit ​​groove does not significantly reduce its structural strength, thereby causing it to deform easily.

[0032] In another embodiment, one of the metal plate 200 and the metal housing 100 is provided with a sliding portion, and the other is provided with a guide groove. The sliding portion can slide in conjunction with the guide groove to connect the metal plate 200 to the metal housing 100. During installation, the guide groove serves as a guide, thereby improving installation efficiency. In an exemplary embodiment, to enhance the secure connection between the metal plate 200 and the metal housing 100, when the sliding portion slides into place relative to the guide groove, the metal plate 200 and the metal housing 100 can be locked together using a threaded connector or a snap-fit ​​structure, thereby preventing accidental sliding between the two.

[0033] In an exemplary embodiment, the metal housing 100 includes an outer shell 120 and a partition 130. The partition 130 is disposed within the outer shell 120 to divide the accommodating cavity into a first accommodating cavity and a second accommodating cavity. The feed network 300 includes a first sub-feeding network 310 and a second sub-feeding network 320, which are spaced apart from each other. The first sub-feeding network 310 is disposed within the first accommodating cavity, and the second sub-feeding network 320 is disposed within the second accommodating cavity. Each radiating unit 400 includes a first radiator 410 and a second radiator 420. In one embodiment, the first radiator 410 and the second radiator 420 may be radiators of different polarizations. That is, the radiating unit 400 uses dual-polarization feeding to ensure that the electromagnetic waves radiated by the radiating unit 400 cover a larger area. The first radiator 410 is electrically connected to the first output terminal of the first sub-feeding network 310, and the second radiator 420 is electrically connected to the second output terminal of the second sub-feeding network 320. In this solution, the partition 130 separates the first sub-feeding network 310 from the second sub-feeding network 320, preventing mutual interference between the electrical signals transmitted by the two, thereby improving the radiation performance of the first radiator 410 and the second radiator 420. Of course, the accommodating cavity formed by the metal plate 200 and the metal housing 100 can also be a continuous accommodating space, that is, the partition 130 is not required in the accommodating cavity.

[0034] In one embodiment, the feed network 300 may be a circuit board, wherein the first sub-feed network 310 and the second sub-feed network 320 may be circuit boards; alternatively, the feed network 300 may be an air stripline, i.e., the stripline used to transmit current is exposed, without being enclosed by a dielectric layer, and is in direct contact with the air within the cavity. This stripline has the advantages of low loss, small size, light weight, and a wide operating frequency band. At least one of the first sub-feed network 310 and the second sub-feed network 320 is an air stripline to reduce energy loss, thereby improving the radiation performance of the first radiator 410 and the second radiator 420. In one embodiment, the stripline in the air stripline is a metal structure, which has low current loss.

[0035] In one embodiment, the partition 130 contacts the side of the metal plate 200 facing the top surface of the accommodating cavity, that is, the partition 130 is supported on the metal plate 200; or, in other embodiments, the partition 130 and the metal plate 200 are plugged into each other, thereby increasing the connection area between the two, so as to further improve the connection stability between the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200.

[0036] In one embodiment, each radiating element 400 can be electrically connected to the feed network 300 via a coaxial cable. Alternatively, in another embodiment, each radiating element 400 includes a feed probe 430 having a feed port. One end of the feed probe 430 extends through the metal housing 100 or the metal plate 200 into the accommodating cavity and is electrically connected to the feed network 300. The other end of the feed probe 430 is connected to the radiating portion of the radiating element 400. In this embodiment, the feed probe 430 is directly connected to the feed network 300, avoiding the use of a coaxial cable. The radiating element 400 and the feed network 300 are electrically connected in a cable-free manner to shorten the current path. This not only reduces the amount of coaxial cable used, but also reduces the loss of each radiating element 400. Furthermore, it can save internal space in the accommodating cavity, thereby improving the passive intermodulation index of the array antenna and, therefore, the radiation performance of the array antenna.

[0037] In one embodiment, the feeding probe 430 and the feeding network 300 may be connected by welding, plugging, coupling, etc., which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

[0038] In an exemplary embodiment, the first output terminals of the first sub-feed network 310 are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the first radiator 410, and the multiple first output terminals of the first sub-feed network 310 are all electrically connected to the same first input terminal of the first sub-feed network 310, thereby reducing the number of first input terminals and facilitating electrical connection of the first input terminals to the feed source. Similarly, the second output terminals of the second sub-feed network 320 are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the second radiator 420, and the multiple second output terminals of the second sub-feed network 320 are all electrically connected to the same second input terminal of the second sub-feed network 320, thereby reducing the number of second input terminals and facilitating electrical connection of the second input terminals to the feed source.

[0039] In another embodiment, the array antenna further includes a first support member 510 and a second support member 520, both of which are disposed in a housing cavity formed by the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100. The first support member 510, the feed network 300, the second support member 520, and the metal plate 200 are stacked in sequence along the height direction of the housing cavity. The height of the housing cavity here can be the vertical dimension of the housing cavity when the array antenna is placed on a horizontal surface. In this solution, the first support member 510 and the second support member 520 respectively separate the two opposite sides of the feed network 300 from the top and bottom surfaces of the housing cavity, thereby preventing the feed network 300 from contacting the inner wall of the housing cavity and causing a short circuit. In addition, the first support member 510 and the second support member 520 can prevent the feed network 300 from deforming with the housing cavity and can improve the position accuracy of the feed network 300, so that each radiating unit 400 can be electrically connected to the feed network 300.

[0040] In one exemplary embodiment, in the height direction of the accommodating cavity, the orthographic projection of the first support member 510 and the orthographic projection of the second support member 520 are both located within the orthographic projection of the feed network 300. That is, in the height direction of the accommodating cavity, the orthographic projection area of ​​the first support member 510 and the orthographic projection area of ​​the second support member 520 are both smaller than the orthographic projection area of ​​the feed network 300. This reduces the coverage area of ​​the feed network 300 by the first support member 510 and the second support member 520, thereby increasing the contact area between the feed network 300 and the air, and further reducing the loss of the feed network 300. In one exemplary embodiment, the first support member 510 and the second support member 520 can adopt a mesh structure to further increase the contact area between the feed network 300 and the air.

[0041] In one embodiment, in an embodiment where the feeding network 300 includes a first sub-feeding network 310 and a second sub-feeding network 320 that are spaced apart, the first output end of the first sub-feeding network 310 and the second output end of the second sub-feeding network 320 can both be close to the partition 130. At this time, the feeding probe 430 of the first radiator 410 and the feeding probe 430 of the second radiator 420 are staggered with the second support member 520 disposed in the first accommodating cavity and the second support member 520 disposed in the second accommodating cavity, respectively, to facilitate the connection between the feeding probe 430 and the feeding network 300.

[0042] In an exemplary embodiment, the radiation unit 400 and the metal shell 100 or the metal plate 200 are an integrated structure, which is convenient for installation, thereby improving the assembly efficiency of the array antenna. At the same time, the radiation unit 400 and the metal shell 100 or the metal plate 200 do not need to be assembled, thereby reducing the assembly process of the array antenna and improving its production efficiency. In addition, the radiation unit 400 and the metal shell 100 or the metal plate 200 do not need to be connected by other connectors, which can reduce the number of parts of the array antenna and reduce its weight. In addition, this solution can avoid the influence of assembly operations and other connectors on the intermodulation performance of the array antenna, thereby improving the intermodulation performance of the array antenna. In one embodiment, when the radiation unit 400 and the metal shell 100 or the metal plate 200 are an integrated structure, the two can be integrally injection molded, and the continuity of the connection is better.

[0043] In another embodiment, the array antenna further includes an adapter 600. In one embodiment, the adapter 600 can be a PCB board or other fixed plate, which is not limited here. The radiating unit 400 is connected to the metal shell 100 or the metal plate 200 via the adapter 600, and the adapter 600 is provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the radiating unit 400. In this solution, the radiating unit 400 and the metal shell 100 or the metal plate 200 adopt a split structure to facilitate subsequent disassembly and maintenance, as well as convenient transportation; and the provision of the adapter 600 can strengthen the structural strength of the metal shell 100 or the metal plate 200 and improve the installation stability of the radiating unit 400.

[0044] In another embodiment, the orthographic projection of the metal housing 100 lies within the orthographic projection of the metal plate 200 in the height direction of the accommodating cavity. The height of the accommodating cavity here can be defined as the vertical dimension of the accommodating cavity when the array antenna is placed on a horizontal surface. In this embodiment, the edge of the metal plate 200 extends relative to the metal housing 100. This not only facilitates installation of the metal housing 100 but also increases the area for reflecting electromagnetic waves, thereby enhancing the radiation performance of each radiating element 400. Of course, the contour lines of the orthographic projection of the metal housing 100 and the contour lines of the orthographic projection of the metal plate 200 in the height direction of the accommodating cavity may also coincide.

[0045] In one embodiment, the number of metal shells 100 can be one; or, the number of metal shells 100 is at least two, and each metal shell 100 is connected in sequence along the length direction of the metal plate 200. At this time, the number of radiation units 400 corresponding to a single metal shell 100 is relatively small, which facilitates the installation of the radiation unit 400.

[0046] As shown in FIG7 , based on the array antenna provided in an embodiment of the present application, an embodiment of the present application further provides an array antenna assembly method, which is applied to the array antenna described in any of the above embodiments. The assembly method includes: S100 and S200.

[0047] S100 , installing the feeding network 300 into the metal housing 100 or on the metal plate 200 .

[0048] In this step, the feed network 300 is installed in the metal shell 100 , which can be achieved by installing the feed network 300 in the accommodation space surrounded by the concave surface of the metal shell 100 facing the metal plate 200 ; the feed network 300 can be installed on the metal plate 200 through an insulating support.

[0049] S200 , connecting the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 to form a receiving cavity, wherein the feeding network 300 in the receiving cavity is electrically connected to the radiation unit 400 .

[0050] In an embodiment of the present application, the metal plate 200 is separately provided from the metal shell 100. In this case, during the assembly of the array antenna, the feed network 300 can be first installed into the metal shell 100 by a robot, and then the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 are connected to form a receiving cavity, thereby facilitating the installation of the feed network 300. When the array antennas are mass-produced, the use of a robot for installation can ensure the installation consistency of the feed network 300 and improve the production efficiency of the array antenna. In addition, when the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 are separately provided, during transportation, the avoidance or hollowed-out parts of the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 can be supported to prevent deformation thereof, thereby improving the passive intermodulation index of the array antenna after installation, and thereby improving the sensitivity of its received signal.

[0051] In an exemplary embodiment, connecting the metal plate 200 and the metal housing 100 in step S200 includes: S210 , welding the metal plate 200 and the metal housing 100 .

[0052] In this solution, since welding has the characteristics of good connection performance and high structural rigidity, the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 are connected by welding, which is conducive to improving the connection strength between the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100. Of course, the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 can be detachably connected using connecting parts such as bolts and screws.

[0053] In an exemplary embodiment, the welding in step S210 may include laser penetration welding, side laser welding of the contact surface, and laser welding after inserting the seam.

[0054] Among them, the operation process of laser penetration welding is as follows: as shown in Figure 4, the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 are placed in an upper and lower stacking manner, and a laser beam is used to vertically irradiate the side of the metal plate 200 facing away from the metal shell 100, and the laser beam is moved on this side according to a preset welding trajectory and a preset welding speed, and the welding operation is performed in a continuous cycle for multiple times, and finally the metal plate 200 is penetrated to weld the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 together.

[0055] The operation process of side laser welding of the contact surface is as follows: as shown in Figure 5, the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 are placed in an upper and lower stacking manner, and a laser beam is used to irradiate the joint between the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 at a certain angle. The laser beam is moved along the joint according to a preset welding trajectory and a preset welding speed, and the welding operation is performed continuously for multiple cycles to finally weld the metal plate 200 and the metal shell 100 together.

[0056] The laser welding operation after the insertion seam assembly is as follows: As shown in Figure 6, the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 are placed in a stacked manner. The metal shell 100 is provided with a plug-in portion 110 on the end facing the metal plate 200, and the metal plate 200 is provided with a plug-in hole 210. After the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 are plug-fitted and connected through the plug-in portion 110 and the plug-in hole 210, a laser beam is used to weld and fix the metal shell 100 at the seam between the plug-in hole 210 on the side of the metal plate 200 facing away from the metal shell 100 and the plug-in portion 110 of the metal shell 100.

[0057] In one embodiment, the number of the plug-in portions 110 may be at least two. In this case, each plug-in portion 110 may be a plug pin, thereby increasing the connection area between the metal shell 100 and the metal plate 200 .

[0058] In one embodiment, the radiation unit 400 may be disposed on the metal housing 100 or the metal plate 200 .

[0059] In one embodiment, when the radiation unit 400 is arranged in the metal shell 100, the radiation unit 400 and the metal shell 100 can be an integrated structure or a split structure to facilitate transportation and subsequent disassembly and maintenance. When the radiation unit 400 and the metal shell 100 are a split structure, before step S100 it also includes: S310, installing at least two radiation units 400 to the metal shell 100.

[0060] In this solution, before installing the feed network 300, the radiation unit 400 and the metal shell 100 are first installed to form a modular structure, and then the feed network 300 is installed in the metal shell 100 to electrically connect the feed network 300 to the radiation unit 400 on the metal shell 100; alternatively, the feed network 300 is installed on the metal plate 200, and then the metal plate 200 is installed on the metal shell 100, while the feed network 300 is electrically connected to the radiation unit 400.

[0061] In another embodiment, when the radiation unit 400 is arranged on the metal plate 200, the radiation unit 400 and the metal plate 200 can be an integrated structure or a split structure, so as to facilitate transportation and subsequent disassembly and maintenance. When the radiation unit 400 and the metal plate 200 are a split structure, before step S100 it also includes: S320, installing at least two radiation units 400 to the metal plate 200.

[0062] In this solution, before installing the feed network 300, the radiation unit 400 and the metal plate 200 are first installed to form a modular structure, and then the feed network 300 is installed in the metal shell 100, and then the metal shell 100 is installed on the metal plate 200. At the same time, the feed network 300 is electrically connected to the radiation unit 400; alternatively, the feed network 300 is installed on the metal plate 200 to electrically connect the feed network 300 to the radiation unit 400 on the metal plate 200, and then the metal shell 100 is installed on the metal plate 200.

[0063] The embodiments of the present application are described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the present application is not limited to the above-mentioned specific implementation methods. The above-mentioned specific implementation methods are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Under the guidance of this application, ordinary technicians in this field can also make many forms without departing from the purpose of this application and the scope of protection of the claims, all of which are within the protection of this application.

Claims

1. An array antenna, comprising a metal housing (100), a metal plate (200), a feeding network (300) and at least two radiation units (400). Each of the radiation units (400) is disposed on the metal housing (100) or the metal plate (200). The metal plate (200) is separately provided and connected to the metal housing (100) to form a receiving cavity. The feeding network (300) is disposed in the receiving cavity. The feeding ports of each of the radiation units (400) are electrically connected to the feeding network (300).

2. The array antenna according to claim 1, wherein, The metal plate (200) is welded to the metal housing (100).

3. The array antenna according to claim 2, wherein The metal plate (200) is provided with insertion holes (210), and the metal housing (100) is provided with insertion portions (110). The insertion portions (110) are in insertion fit with the insertion holes (210), and the peripheral surface of the insertion portions (110) is welded to the side wall of the insertion holes (210).

4. The array antenna according to claim 1, wherein, The metal housing (100) includes an outer shell (120) and a partition (130). The partition (130) is disposed inside the outer shell (120) to divide the receiving cavity into a first receiving cavity and a second receiving cavity. The feeding network (300) includes a first sub-feeding network (310) and a second sub-feeding network (320) which are spaced apart. The first sub-feeding network (310) is disposed in the first receiving cavity, and the second sub-feeding network (320) is disposed in the second receiving cavity. Each of the radiation units (400) includes a first radiator (410) and a second radiator (420). The first radiator (410) is electrically connected to the first output end of the first sub-feeding network (310), and the second radiator (420) is electrically connected to the second output end of the second sub-feeding network (320).

5. The array antenna according to claim 4, wherein, At least one of the first sub-feeding network (310) and the second sub-feeding network (320) is an air stripline.

6. The array antenna according to claim 4, wherein, The partition (130) is in insertion fit with the metal plate (200).

7. The array antenna according to claim 1, wherein Each of the radiation units (400) has a feeding probe (430). The feeding probe (430) has the feeding port, and one end of the feeding probe (430) passes through the metal housing (100) or the metal plate (200) and extends into the receiving cavity and is electrically connected to the feeding network (300).

8. The array antenna according to claim 1, wherein The array antenna further includes a first support member (510) and a second support member (520). The first support member (510) and the second support member (520) are both disposed in the receiving cavity. The first support member (510), the feeding network (300), the second support member (520) and the metal plate (200) are stacked in sequence along the height direction of the receiving cavity.

9. The array antenna according to claim 8, wherein, In the height direction of the receiving cavity, the orthographic projections of the first support member (510) and the second support member (520) are both located within the orthographic projection of the feeding network (300).

10. The array antenna according to claim 1, wherein, The radiation unit (400) and the metal housing (100) or the metal plate (200) are of an integral structure; or, The array antenna further includes an adapter (600). The radiation unit (400) is connected to the metal housing (100) or the metal plate (200) through the adapter (600), and the adapter (600) is provided in one-to-one correspondence with the radiation unit (400).

11. The array antenna according to claim 1, wherein In the height direction of the accommodation cavity, the orthographic projection of the metal housing (100) is located within the orthographic projection of the metal plate (200).

12. An assembly method of an array antenna, applied to the array antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 11, the assembly method comprising: S100, installing a feed network into the metal housing or on the metal plate; S200, connecting the metal plate and the metal housing to form an accommodation cavity, and the feed network in the accommodation cavity is electrically connected to the radiation unit.

13. The assembly method according to claim 12, wherein, Connecting the metal plate and the metal housing in step S200 includes: S210, welding the metal plate and the metal housing.

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