Phase shifter cavity structure and phase shifter

By setting non-electroplated metal structures and electroplated grounding parts in the phase shifter cavity and combining them with laser welding, the problem of poor welding effect of the phase shifter cavity was solved, achieving low-cost and high-stability grounding connection, which meets the requirements of green and low-carbon development.

WO2026077052A1PCT designated stage Publication Date: 2026-04-16WUHAN HONGXIN TELECOMM TECH CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
PCT/CN2025/109102
Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2024-10-12
Filing Date
2025-07-17
Publication Date
2026-04-16

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

When existing phase shifter cavities are laser-welded to grounding components over a large area, the welding effect is poor, affecting intermodulation performance and increasing costs and environmental pollution risks.

Method used

A non-electroplated metal cavity is used, and a grounding component coated with an electroplated layer is set on the outside of the cavity. The coaxial cable is limited and fixed through the wire groove and through hole structure. The grounding component and the cavity are connected by laser welding process, which reduces the welding area and improves the connection quality.

Benefits of technology

It reduces production costs, improves the connection quality between the grounding component and the cavity, reduces intermodulation risks, and has higher stability, meeting green and low-carbon requirements.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of antennas, and in particular to a phase shifter cavity structure and a phase shifter. The phase shifter cavity structure comprises: a cavity, wherein the cavity is a non-electroplated metal cavity; grounding members, wherein a surface of each grounding member is provided with an electroplated layer, the grounding member is spaced apart from the cavity, the grounding member is provided with a wiring structure, and the wiring structure comprises wire grooves; and welding members, wherein the welding members are connected between the grounding members and the cavity, and are configured to fix the grounding members and the cavity. The connection between the grounding members and the cavity can be realized by means of a laser welding process, and large-area planar laser welding is not required, thereby reducing the welding area, reducing production costs, improving the connection quality between the grounding members and the cavity, and reducing the risk of intermodulation. In addition, the wire grooves on the grounding members extend in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the grounding members, and coaxial cables can run along the outer side surface of the cavity during wiring, thereby avoiding bending at the roots of outer conductors of the coaxial cables, and improving the stability of the connection structure between the coaxial cables and the cavity.
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Description

Phase shifter cavity structure and phase shifter

[0001] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411423448.4, filed on October 12, 2024, entitled "Phase Shifter Cavity Structure and Phase Shifter", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to the field of antenna technology, and in particular to a phase shifter cavity structure and a phase shifter. Background Technology

[0003] In communication systems, signals are usually transmitted via coaxial cables. When a signal is transmitted to a certain module, the coaxial cable may be connected to a microstrip line or stripline. In this case, the outer conductor of the coaxial cable needs to be connected to the outer conductor of the module via a common ground. Since coaxial cables cannot be soldered to large metal parts, or the metal parts need to be electroplated, the soldering structure is more complex or the cost increases significantly.

[0004] For example, the signal input and output of the dielectric phase shifter in a base station antenna requires an external coaxial cable. When welding the coaxial cable to the metal cavity, the cavity needs to be electroplated to ensure wetting between the cable and the cavity, avoiding intermodulation problems. Furthermore, electroplating the metal cavity not only increases costs but also poses environmental pollution risks, which is inconsistent with the national "dual-carbon" strategy. To reduce the cost of the phase shifter, the phase shifter cavity is usually electroplated-free. A grounding component is installed outside the phase shifter cavity; this grounding component is electroplated and welded or screwed onto the phase shifter cavity. The outer conductor of the coaxial cable is welded to the grounding component for grounding, and the inner conductor of the coaxial cable is connected to the internal network of the phase shifter, enabling signal input and output through the coaxial cable. The grounding component is fixed to the cavity with screws. Due to the hard contact between the cavity and the grounding component, poor screw tightening can lead to poor contact and unstable intermodulation of the phase shifter. Furthermore, to ensure tight contact with the grounding component, the screws used in the cavity are large-diameter and deeply threaded. This requires pre-installed screw fixing structures at corresponding locations on the cavity, increasing weight and cost compared to conventional cavities. The disclosed method of welding the grounding component to the phase shifter cavity involves a planar bottom surface of the grounding component, with large-area planar laser welding between the bottom surface and the cavity / phase shifter cavity. This process is currently difficult to achieve, resulting in poor welding quality and affecting intermodulation performance. Summary of the Invention

[0005] (a) Technical problems to be solved

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by this disclosure is to address the issue of poor welding effect and impaired intermodulation effect when existing phase shifter cavities are laser welded to grounding components over a large area.

[0007] (II) Technical Solution

[0008] The first aspect of this disclosure provides a phase shifter cavity structure, including:

[0009] The cavity is a non-electroplated metal cavity;

[0010] A grounding component, the surface of which is provided with an electroplated layer, is spaced apart from the cavity; the grounding component is provided with a wiring structure, the wiring structure including a wire groove extending in a direction perpendicular to the thickness of the grounding component, for limiting the coaxial cable and welding and fixing it to the outer conductor of the coaxial cable;

[0011] A welded component; the welded component is connected between the grounding component and the cavity, and is used to fix the grounding component to the cavity.

[0012] In some embodiments, the area of ​​the end of the welded component connected to the cavity is smaller than the area of ​​the side of the grounding component facing the cavity; and / or,

[0013] The area of ​​the end of the welded component that connects to the grounding component is smaller than the area of ​​the side of the grounding component facing the cavity.

[0014] In some embodiments, the welded component is an elongated structure, and the welded component is disposed on at least one side of the grounding component in the circumferential direction. The welded component and the grounding component are connected by a connector, and the connector is inclined.

[0015] In some embodiments, the orientation of the welded component is consistent with the edge orientation of the corresponding grounding component.

[0016] In some embodiments, the welded component is integrally formed with the grounding component, and the welded component is formed by bending the grounding component.

[0017] In some embodiments, the wiring structure further includes vias that penetrate the grounding member along its thickness direction.

[0018] In some embodiments, the via is located at the end of the wire groove and communicates with the wire groove, or,

[0019] The via is located at the bottom of the wire groove.

[0020] In some embodiments, the wiring structure includes at least two vias and two wire slots, with the at least two vias spaced apart along the width direction of the cavity and the at least two wire slots arranged in parallel.

[0021] In some embodiments, the grounding member is provided with a heat insulation groove that penetrates the grounding member along its thickness direction.

[0022] In some embodiments, the number of wiring structures is multiple sets, and the multiple sets of wiring structures are spaced apart or arranged opposite each other along the length direction of the cavity.

[0023] In some embodiments, the welded component is integrally formed with the cavity, and the outer side of the cavity protrudes outward to form the welded component, and the end of the welded component is welded and fixed to both ends of the grounding component.

[0024] A second aspect of this disclosure provides a phase shifter, including a coaxial cable, a power supply network, and a phase shifter cavity structure as described in any of the preceding embodiments. The power supply network is located within the cavity, the coaxial cable is located within the conductor groove, and the outer conductor of the coaxial cable is welded and fixed to the conductor groove. A through hole is provided on the cavity at a position corresponding to the via, and the core wire of the coaxial cable is electrically connected to the power supply network.

[0025] (III) Beneficial Effects

[0026] The technical solution provided in this disclosure has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0027] The phase shifter cavity structure provided in this disclosure uses a non-electroplated metal cavity, reducing costs. Simultaneously, to ground the coaxial cable, a grounding component coated with an electroplated layer is provided on the cavity, spaced apart from the cavity. A welded joint connects the grounding component and the cavity. Compared to traditional solutions where the entire plane of the grounding component is welded to the cavity, the phase shifter cavity structure of this disclosure reduces the welding area. The connection between the grounding component and the cavity can be achieved through laser welding, reducing production costs. Because large-area planar laser welding is unnecessary, the connection quality between the grounding component and the cavity is improved, reducing the risk of intermodulation. Furthermore, the wire groove on the grounding component extends perpendicular to its thickness, allowing the coaxial cable to run along the outer surface of the cavity during wiring, preventing bending at the cable root and improving the stability of the connection structure between the coaxial cable and the cavity. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments or related technologies of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0030] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0031] Figure 2 is a magnified view of point A in Figure 1;

[0032] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the grounding component, welding component and connecting component described in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0033] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the grounding component, welding component and connecting component in some other embodiments of this disclosure;

[0034] Figure 5 is a side view of the connection structure between the grounding element and the cavity in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0035] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the coaxial cable and the grounding component in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0036] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the phase shifter cavity structure described in some other embodiments of this disclosure;

[0037] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the connection structure of the grounding component, cavity and welding component corresponding to Figure 7;

[0038] Figure 9 is a side view of the cavity and grounding component, cavity and welded component corresponding to Figure 7;

[0039] Figure 10 is a side view of the cavity corresponding to Figure 7;

[0040] Figures 11 to 15 are side views of the cavity described in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0041] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between coaxial cable and stripline in some examples of this disclosure.

[0042] Among them, 1. cavity; 2. grounding component; 201. conductor groove; 202. through hole; 203. heat insulation groove; 3. welded component; 4. connector; 5. radio frequency transmission cavity; 6. coaxial cable; 7. widening band; 8. bending part; 601. outer conductor; 10. metal ground; 20. strip wire; 30. dielectric. Detailed Implementation

[0043] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this disclosure. Based on the embodiments of this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0044] Against the backdrop of the "dual-carbon" strategy, base station antennas increasingly need to consider carbon emissions and energy loss in production and application during design. Green and low-carbon development has become a key focus of base station antenna technology, and a crucial issue for both manufacturers and operators. Research is needed across multiple aspects, including antenna design, production, and application evaluation, to guide green technology innovation, accelerate carbon emission reduction in the base station antenna industry, and maintain the global market competitiveness of my country's base station antenna products.

[0045] The feed network is a core component of the antenna, and its performance and cost directly affect the overall cost and efficiency of the antenna. The phase shifter requires the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to be electrically connected to the phase shifter cavity, and the inner conductor of the coaxial cable to be electrically connected to the phase shifting network inside the phase shifter cavity. Signal input and output are achieved through the coaxial cable.

[0046] When coaxial cables are soldered to metal components, the metal components need to be electroplated to ensure a good solder joint. In communications, the quality of the soldering between the phase shifter cavity and the coaxial cable outer conductor directly affects the stability of the phase shifter's intermodulation and its general electrical performance. Therefore, conventional phase shifters require tin plating of the cavity to ensure soldering quality. This results in higher costs for phase shifters and does not meet green and low-carbon requirements.

[0047] To reduce the cost of phase shifters, related technologies employ a cavity-free electroplating solution, where an electroplated grounding component is installed on the cavity. There are two main methods for fixing the grounding component to the cavity:

[0048] 1. The grounding component is fixed to the cavity with screws, and there is a hard contact between the cavity and the grounding component. If the screw tightening effect is poor, there is a risk of poor contact leading to unstable intermodulation. At the same time, in order to ensure a tight contact between the cavity and the grounding component, the screws are made with large diameter and deep threads. Therefore, the corresponding screw fixing structure needs to be reserved at the corresponding position of the cavity, which will increase the weight of the cavity and thus lead to higher costs.

[0049] Second, the bottom surface of the grounding component is welded to the cavity over a large area, which is difficult to achieve with current welding technology, resulting in poor welding effect and affecting the intermodulation effect.

[0050] Therefore, this disclosure provides a phase shifter cavity structure that avoids the problem of increased cavity weight due to the reserved screw fixing structure, and also avoids the problem of poor welding effect caused by large-area planar welding between the bottom surface of the grounding component and the cavity.

[0051] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 to 15, the phase shifter cavity structure provided in this embodiment includes:

[0052] Cavity 1 is a non-electroplated metal cavity. Specifically, cavity 1 is generally made of aluminum profile. Cavity 1 has a rectangular structure and at least two independent radio frequency transmission cavities 5 are provided inside. At least one side of cavity 1 is provided with a through hole, which connects the radio frequency transmission cavity 5 and the outside of cavity 1.

[0053] The phase shifter cavity structure also includes a grounding component 2. The surface of the grounding component 2 is provided with an electroplated layer, and the grounding component 2 is located on the outside of the cavity 1, opposite to one of the sides of the cavity 1 and spaced apart. The grounding component 2 is provided with a wiring structure, which includes a wire groove 201 and a via 202. The via 202 is provided along the thickness direction of the grounding component 2 for the coaxial cable 6 to pass through. The wire groove 201 extends radially along the via 202 for limiting the coaxial cable 6 and is welded and fixed to the outer conductor 601 of the coaxial cable 6. Specifically, in some embodiments, the via 202 is provided corresponding to the through hole. The coaxial cable 6 is provided along the wire groove 201 and passes through the via 202 and the through hole in sequence at its end before entering the RF transmission cavity 5 and connecting to the feed network.

[0054] In some embodiments, the grounding member 2 may only have a wire groove 201 and no through hole 202. When the grounding member 2 only has a wire groove 201, the coaxial cable 6 is guided and fixed on the grounding member only through the wire groove 201.

[0055] The phase shifter cavity structure also includes a welding component 3, which is connected between the grounding component 2 and the cavity 1 to fix the grounding component 2 and the cavity 1.

[0056] The phase shifter cavity structure provided in this embodiment reduces costs by setting the cavity 1 as a non-electroplated metal cavity 1. Simultaneously, to ground the coaxial cable 6, a grounding component 2 coated with an electroplated layer is provided on the cavity 1, with the grounding component 2 spaced apart from the cavity 1. A welded component 3 connects the grounding component 2 and the cavity 1. Compared to the traditional solution where the entire plane of the grounding component 2 is welded to the cavity 1, the phase shifter cavity structure of this embodiment reduces the welding area. The connection between the grounding component 2 and the cavity 1 can be achieved through laser welding, reducing production costs. Since large-area planar laser welding is not required, the connection quality between the grounding component 2 and the cavity 1 is improved, reducing the risk of intermodulation. Furthermore, the wire groove 201 on the grounding component 2 extends radially along the through hole 202, allowing the coaxial cable 6 to run along the outer surface of the cavity 1 during wiring, avoiding bending at the root of the coaxial cable 6 and improving the stability of the connection structure between the coaxial cable 6 and the cavity 1.

[0057] Furthermore, the bottom of the conductor groove 201 is an arc-shaped structure or a semi-circular arc-shaped structure. When the bottom of the conductor groove 201 is a semi-circular arc-shaped structure, the diameter of the semi-circular arc-shaped structure is not less than the diameter of the outer conductor 601 of the coaxial cable 6.

[0058] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the welded component 3 is formed in two ways. One way is, as shown in Figures 2 to 6, the welded component 3 is integrally formed with the grounding component 2, and the edge of the grounding component 2 is bent to form the welded component 3. The welded component 3 and the grounding component 2 are made of the same material and both have an electroplated layer on their surfaces. The welded component 3 needs to be welded and fixed to the cavity 1 to achieve the connection between the grounding component 2 and the cavity 1. In this case, the surface area of ​​the end of the welded component 3 connected to the cavity 1 is smaller than the area of ​​the side of the grounding component 2 facing the cavity 1. Compared with the traditional cavity structure where the entire bottom surface of the grounding component 2 is welded to the cavity 1 on a large plane, the method of welding the welded component 3 to the cavity 1 reduces the welding area, thereby reducing the process difficulty and production cost. The second method involves integrally molding the welded component 3 with the cavity 1. The welded component 3 and the cavity 1 are made of the same material, and the welded component 3 is a non-electroplated structural component. The welded component 3 is welded and fixed to the grounding component 2 to achieve the connection between the grounding component 2 and the cavity 1. In this case, the area of ​​the end of the welded component 3 connected to the grounding component 2 is smaller than the area of ​​the side of the grounding component 2 facing the cavity 1. Compared with the traditional cavity structure where the entire bottom surface of the grounding component 2 is welded to the cavity 1 on a large plane, the method of welding the welded component 3 to the grounding component 2 can also reduce the welding area, reduce the process difficulty, and reduce the production cost.

[0059] When the welded part 3 and the grounding part 2 are integrally formed, the area of ​​the end where the welded part 3 connects to the grounding part 2 is not specifically limited; when the welded part 3 and the cavity 1 are integrally formed, the area of ​​the end where the welded part 3 connects to the cavity 1 is also not specifically limited. It is only necessary to meet the requirements for strength, weight, etc.

[0060] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the welding component 3 is a long strip structure, and the welding component 3 is disposed on at least one side of the grounding component 2 in the circumferential direction. The welding component 3 and the grounding component 2 are connected by a connector 4, and the connector 4 is inclined.

[0061] Specifically, at least one side of the cavity 1 is provided with a grounding component 2, and a welding component 3 is provided along the circumference of the grounding component 2 on at least one side of the grounding component 2. The welding component 3 is fitted to the outer side of the cavity 1. In order to realize the connection between the welding component 3 and the grounding component 2, an inclined connecting component 4 is provided between the welding component 3 and the grounding component 2 to support and fix the grounding component 2.

[0062] In the above embodiments, the connector 4 can be integrally formed with the grounding component 2, and the cavity 1 can be integrally formed with the welding component 3. In this case, it is only necessary to weld the connector 4 and the welding component 3 to achieve a fixed connection between the grounding component 2 and the cavity 1; or the connector 4, the welding component 3 and the cavity 1 can be integrally formed. In this case, it is only necessary to weld the connector 4 and the grounding component 2 to achieve a fixed connection between the grounding component 2 and the cavity 1; or the connector 4, the welding component 3 and the grounding component 2 can be integrally formed. In this case, it is only necessary to weld the welding component 3 and the cavity 1 to achieve a fixed connection between the grounding component 2 and the cavity 1.

[0063] For example, as shown in Figure 3, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the grounding component 2 is a rectangular sheet structure, and there are two welded components 3. The two welded components 3 are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the grounding component 2, providing support for the grounding component 2. Specifically, in Figure 3, the two welded components 3 are disposed on opposite sides of the length direction of the grounding component 2. In this document, the length direction of the grounding component 2 is defined as being consistent with the length direction of the cavity 1. Of course, the number of welded components 3 can also be one, three, four, or more. The welded components 3 can be continuously arranged or spaced apart. The purpose is to achieve welding with the cavity 1 or the grounding component 2, ensuring that the welding area is reduced while providing support for the grounding component 2.

[0064] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the orientation of the welded component 3 is consistent with the edge routing of the corresponding grounding component 2. Specifically, the welded component 3 and the edge of the corresponding grounding component 2 are arranged parallel to each other. In a preferred embodiment, the structure ultimately formed by the welded component 3 and the grounding component 2 is a symmetrical structure, which makes the overall structural strength more uniform and facilitates mold production, further reducing production costs.

[0065] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the via 202 is located at the end of the wire groove 201 and communicates with the wire groove 201. That is, the wire groove 201 is located on one side of the via 202, and the end of the wire groove 201 away from the via 202 extends to the edge of the grounding member 2, so that the coaxial cable 6 can enter the via 202 along the wire groove 201. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 7, in other embodiments of this disclosure, the via 202 can also be located at the bottom of the wire groove 201. That is, the wire groove 201 passes through the two opposite ends of the grounding member 2, and the via 202 is opened at the bottom of the wire groove 201, so that the coaxial cable 6 can be confined in the wire groove 201 on either side.

[0066] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the wiring structure includes at least two vias 202 and at least two wire grooves 201. The at least two vias 202 are spaced apart along the width direction of the cavity 1. The number of wire grooves 201 is equal to the number of vias 202 and they are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. The at least two wire grooves 201 are arranged in parallel. A heat insulation groove 203 is provided between two adjacent wire grooves 201, and the heat insulation groove 203 penetrates the grounding member 2 along its thickness direction. It should be noted that the heat insulation groove 203 can be located at any position on the grounding member 2, not limited to between two wire grooves 201, as long as it achieves the heat insulation effect.

[0067] Specifically, the number of vias 202 in a set of wiring structures is equal to the number of RF transmission cavities 5, and the vias 202 and RF transmission cavities 5 are configured in a one-to-one correspondence. For example, as shown in FIG4, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the number of RF transmission cavities 5 is two, and each RF transmission cavity 5 is provided with a corresponding through hole. The number of vias 202 in a set of wiring structures is also two, with two vias 202 and two through holes being configured in a corresponding correspondence. The two coaxial cables 6 pass through the vias 202 and through holes and enter the corresponding RF transmission cavity 5 to be electrically connected to the feed network.

[0068] The heat insulation groove 203 makes it easier for heat to dissipate through heat conduction when the grounding component 2 is welded to the coaxial cable 6, making the welding process quicker and simpler. At the same time, it avoids the deformation of some structural components due to overheating of the internal structure of the phase shifter caused by heat conduction, which would affect the electrical performance.

[0069] Specifically, the grounding component 2 is formed by stamping aluminum alloy sheet. The grounding component 2 can be easily soldered by means of soldering iron, etc. At the same time, the coaxial cable 6 can be easily replaced without damaging the cavity 1 and its internal structure.

[0070] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the number of wiring structures is multiple sets, which are spaced apart or arranged opposite to each other along the length of the cavity 1. Specifically, multiple sets of wiring structures can be provided on a grounding component 2. When multiple sets of wiring structures are spaced apart on a grounding component 2, the relative positional relationship between the via 202 and the wire groove 201 is the same. For example, in one set of wiring structures, the wire groove 201 is located to the left of the via 202, and in other sets of wiring structures, the wire groove 201 is also located to the left of the via 202. At the same time, there is a certain interval between different sets of wiring structures to avoid mutual interference. When multiple sets of wiring structures are arranged opposite to each other, it can be understood that in two adjacent sets of wiring structures, the relative positional relationship between the wire groove 201 and the via 202 is opposite. That is, in one set of wiring structures, the wire groove 201 is located to the left of the via 202, and in the adjacent set of wiring structures, the wire groove 201 is located to the right of the via 202.

[0071] For example, in some embodiments of this disclosure, a grounding member 2 is provided with two sets of wiring structures, and the wire grooves 201 in the two sets of wiring structures extend to the opposite two side edges of the grounding member 2.

[0072] When there are multiple sets of wiring structures, one grounding component 2 can be used to weld multiple sets of coaxial cables 6, thereby enabling multiple sets of coaxial cables 6 to share a common ground with the cavity 1.

[0073] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the outer side wall of the cavity 1 protrudes outward to form a weldment 3, which is welded and fixed to the grounding member 2.

[0074] Specifically, as shown in Figures 7 to 10, the upper side of the cavity 1 protrudes outward to form two welded parts 3. The welded parts 3 are arranged along the length of the cavity 1 and are perpendicular to the upper side of the cavity 1. The grounding part 2 is located above the upper side of the cavity 1, spaced apart from the upper side of the cavity 1, and both ends of the grounding part 2 are welded and fixed to the two welded parts 3. As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the form of the welded parts 3 is similar to that in Figure 10, both being formed by the upper side of the cavity 1 protruding outward. The similarities will not be repeated. The difference is that in Figure 11, the upper side of the cavity 1 first protrudes upward and then bends inward to form the welded part 3. In Figure 12, the angle between the welded part 3 and the upper side of the cavity 1 is less than 90 degrees, that is, the upper side of the cavity 1 protrudes upward and tilts inward at the same time to form the welded part 3. In the above three embodiments, the grounding component 2 corresponding to the cavity 1 and the welded component 3 can be set as a flat plate structure, without the need to bend at the edge of the grounding component 2 to form a skirt. The two ends of the grounding component 2 overlap the upper end of the welded component 3 and are welded and fixed to the welded component 3. As shown in Figure 13, the upper ends of the left and right side walls of the cavity 1 can also protrude outward and then be bent upward to form the welded component 3. The cavity 1 protrudes to the left and right sides, widening the upper side of the cavity 1, which can meet the requirement of welding and fixing the grounding component 2 to the cavity 1 when the width of the grounding component 2 is greater than the width of the cavity 1.

[0075] Figures 14 and 15 show two other forms of the cavity 1. Specifically, in Figure 14, the upper ends of the left and right sides of the cavity 1 protrude outwards to form a widening band 7. The widening band 7 can widen the upper side of the cavity 1 to meet the welding requirements of the large-width grounding component 2. In Figure 15, the upper ends of the left and right sides of the cavity 1 first protrude outwards and then bend downwards. The bent part 8 forms a snap with the left and right side walls of the cavity 1 to fix cables and other structures. The upper side of the protruding part is flush with the upper side of the cavity 1, which also widens the upper side of the cavity. The grounding component 2 corresponding to the cavity in Figures 14 and 15 bends downwards on both sides in the width direction to form a welding component 3. The lower end of the welding component 3 is welded and fixed to the upper side of the cavity 1.

[0076] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, a phase shifter is also provided, including a coaxial cable 6, a power supply network, and a phase shifter cavity structure as described in the above embodiments. Specifically, the power supply network is located in the radio frequency transmission cavity 5, the coaxial cable 6 is disposed in the conductor groove 201, and the outer conductor 601 of the coaxial cable 6 is welded and fixed to the conductor groove 201. A through hole (not shown in the figure) is provided on the cavity 1 at the position corresponding to the via 202. The core wire of the coaxial cable 6 passes through the via 202 and the through hole and is electrically connected to the power supply network.

[0077] In manufacturing the phase shifter according to the embodiments of this disclosure, the grounding component is first electroplated to form an electroplated layer on its outer surface. The cavity does not require electroplating, which satisfies the structural electrical performance welding requirements and significantly reduces the cost of electroplating and materials. Then, the welded parts are laser welded to the cavity or grounding component. Laser welding is a highly efficient and precise welding method that uses a high-energy-density laser beam as a heat source. Due to the inherent properties of aluminum alloys, traditional welding methods cannot meet industrial requirements. Compared with traditional welding, the heat source of laser welding is directly the laser, which avoids energy waste and greatly improves welding efficiency. At the same time, due to the high focusing and excellent transmission performance of the laser, all energy can be concentrated at one point. Therefore, when the laser beam directly irradiates the surface of the aluminum alloy, the heat on the metal surface can be rapidly diffused into the interior of the aluminum alloy, causing the aluminum alloy to melt rapidly and form a weld, thus achieving welding.

[0078] The method described in this disclosure is applicable when welding is required between components. It does not require electroplating of the entire component. Instead, the part that needs to be welded is separated from the whole and made into an insert. This insert is then electroplated, and laser welding technology is used to weld the insert to the whole.

[0079] For example, as shown in Figure 16, the stripline includes a metal ground 10, a strip 20, and a dielectric 30 located between the strip 20 and the metal ground. When the coaxial cable is connected to the stripline, the grounding component 2 and the welding component 3 in the above embodiment can also be used to connect the grounding component 2 to the metal ground 10 in the stripline. The outer conductor 601 of the coaxial cable 6 is welded and fixed to the grounding component 2, thereby realizing the common ground connection between the coaxial cable 6 and the metal ground 10. The core wire of the coaxial cable 6 is electrically connected to the strip 20 in the stripline to realize signal input and output.

[0080] In summary, the phase shifter and its cavity structure provided in this disclosure are simple to weld. The grounding component is welded to the electroplating-free cavity using line contact welding or small-area contact welding, resulting in better welding performance, more stable intermodulation, and convenient operation and replacement / repair. It should be noted that in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0081] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this disclosure, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement it. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not to be limited to the embodiments described herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A phase shifter cavity structure, wherein, include: Cavity (1), wherein the cavity (1) is a non-electroplated metal cavity (1); Grounding component (2), the surface of which is provided with an electroplated layer, the grounding component (2) and the cavity (1) are spaced apart; the grounding component (2) is provided with a wiring structure, the wiring structure including a wire groove (201), the wire groove (201) extends in a direction perpendicular to the thickness of the grounding component, for limiting the coaxial cable (6), and is welded and fixed to the outer conductor (601) of the coaxial cable (6); Welding component (3); The welding component (3) is connected between the grounding component (2) and the cavity (1) for fixing the grounding component (2) and the cavity (1).

2. The phase shifter cavity structure according to claim 1, wherein, The area of ​​the end of the welded component (3) connected to the cavity (1) is smaller than the area of ​​the side of the grounding component (2) facing the cavity (1); and / or, The area of ​​the end of the welded part (3) connected to the grounding part (2) is smaller than the area of ​​the side of the grounding part (2) facing the cavity (1).

3. The phase shifter cavity structure according to claim 1, wherein, The welding component (3) is a long strip structure, and the welding component (3) is disposed on at least one side of the grounding component (2) in the circumferential direction. The welding component (3) and the grounding component (2) are connected by a connector (4), and the connector (4) is inclined.

4. The phase shifter cavity structure according to claim 3, wherein, The orientation of the welded part (3) is consistent with the edge orientation of the corresponding grounding part (2).

5. The phase shifter cavity structure according to claim 3, wherein, The welded part (3) is integrally formed with the grounding part (2), and the welded part (3) is formed by bending the grounding part (2).

6. The phase shifter cavity structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The wiring structure also includes a via (202), which penetrates the grounding member (2) along the thickness direction of the grounding member (2).

7. The phase shifter cavity structure according to claim 6, wherein, The via (202) is located at the end of the wire groove (201) and communicates with the wire groove (201), or, The via (202) is located at the bottom of the wire groove (201).

8. The phase shifter cavity structure according to claim 6, wherein, The wiring structure includes at least two vias (202) and two wire grooves (201). The at least two vias (202) are spaced apart along the width direction of the cavity (1), and the at least two wire grooves (201) are arranged in parallel.

9. The phase shifter cavity structure according to claim 1, wherein, The grounding member is provided with a heat insulation groove (203), which penetrates the grounding member (2) along the thickness direction of the grounding member (2).

10. The phase shifter cavity structure of claim 8, wherein, The number of wiring structures is multiple sets, and the multiple sets of wiring structures are spaced apart or arranged opposite each other along the length direction of the cavity (1).

11. The phase shifter cavity structure of claim 1, wherein, The welded part is integrally formed with the cavity, and the outer side of the cavity (1) protrudes outward to form the welded part (3). The end of the welded part (3) is welded and fixed to both ends of the grounding part (2).

12. A phase shifter, wherein, The device includes a coaxial cable (6), a power supply network, and a phase shifter cavity structure as described in any one of claims 1-11. The power supply network is located inside the cavity (1), the coaxial cable (6) is located inside the conductor groove (201), and the outer conductor (601) of the coaxial cable (6) is welded and fixed to the conductor groove (201). A through hole is provided on the cavity (1) at a position corresponding to the via (202), and the core wire of the coaxial cable (6) is electrically connected to the power supply network.

Citation Information

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