Radiating element, manufacturing method therefor, and antenna apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to a radiating element, a manufacturing method therefor, and an antenna apparatus. The radiating element comprises a radiation surface and a balun; the radiation surface comprises: a support substrate, the support substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite to each other; and at least two filter units, each filter unit comprising a connection metal and a plurality of metal-air stripline structures provided on the support substrate, the connection metal and the plurality of metal-air stripline structures being successively and electrically connected so as to form a loop-shaped filter circuit; some of the metal-air stripline structures are located on the first surface, and some of the metal-air stripline structures are located on the second surface; the balun comprises at least one balun ground, the balun ground being configured as a sheet metal component and comprising a first portion and a second portion that are spaced apart from each other, and the first portion and the second portion being connected to the connection metals on a one-to-one basis; the support substrate is provided with a plurality of hollow portions extending through same, and the support substrate is configured as an insulating member. The radiating element, the manufacturing method therefor, and the antenna apparatus of the present application achieve high radiation efficiency.

Description

Radiation element and its manufacturing method, antenna device

[0001] Cross-references

[0002] This application incorporates Chinese Patent Application No. 2025100367061, filed on January 9, 2025, entitled “Radiating Element and Method of Manufacturing Thereof, Antenna Apparatus”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to radiating elements and their manufacturing methods, and antenna devices. Background Technology

[0004] The radiating element is the main component of an antenna, enabling directional transmission and reception of electromagnetic waves for wireless communication. With multi-standard fusion antennas and green antennas becoming increasingly important for operators, the filtering characteristics and radiation efficiency of low-frequency radiating elements have become a hot research topic. Currently, most filtered radiating elements use PCBs for their radiating surfaces. However, the losses introduced by the dielectric material of the PCB significantly reduce the radiation efficiency of the radiating element. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on this, this application provides a radiating element with high radiation efficiency, its manufacturing method, and an antenna device.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a radiating element, including a radiating surface and a balun;

[0007] The radiating surface includes:

[0008] A support substrate, comprising a first surface and a second surface disposed opposite to each other; and

[0009] At least two filtering units are provided, each filtering unit includes a connecting metal and a plurality of metal air strip structures disposed on a support substrate, the connecting metal and the plurality of metal air strip structures are electrically connected in sequence to form a loop-shaped filtering circuit; some of the metal air strip structures are located on the first surface, and some of the metal air strip structures are located on the second surface.

[0010] The balun includes at least one balun base, the balun base being configured as a sheet metal part, and including a first portion and a second portion spaced apart, the first portion and the second portion being connected to a connecting metal in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0011] The support substrate has several through-holes, and the support substrate is configured as an insulating component.

[0012] In one embodiment, the balun also includes a power feeder configured as an air strip; the power feeder is configured in a one-to-one correspondence with the balun ground and forms a microstrip transmission line with the corresponding balun ground.

[0013] In one embodiment, the radiating surface includes a printed circuit board, and a connecting metal is disposed on the surface of the printed circuit board;

[0014] The first and second parts of the balun connect through the cutout of the support substrate and are inserted into the corresponding connecting metal on the printed circuit board.

[0015] In one embodiment, the printed circuit board is located on the first surface of the supporting substrate.

[0016] In one embodiment, the first and second portions of the baron are integrally formed with the corresponding connecting metal structures.

[0017] In one embodiment, the connecting metal is located on the second surface of the supporting substrate.

[0018] In one embodiment, the radiating unit further includes a base located on the side of the Baron land away from the radiating surface;

[0019] The base and the Balen landform are an integral structure.

[0020] In one embodiment, the radiating unit is a dual-polarized radiating unit, the number of connecting metals is four, and the number of baluns is two; the four connecting metals are respectively defined as the first connecting metal, the second connecting metal, the third connecting metal, and the fourth connecting metal, and the two baluns are respectively defined as the first balun and the second balun.

[0021] The first connecting metal, the second connecting metal, the third connecting metal, and the fourth connecting metal are integrally connected to the first part of the first balun, the first part of the second balun, the second part of the first balun, and the second part of the second balun, respectively.

[0022] When viewed from one side of the radiating surface, the first connecting metal and the first portion of the first balun are both located in the first quadrant of the radiating surface, the second connecting metal and the first portion of the second balun are located in the second quadrant of the radiating surface, the third connecting metal and the second portion of the first balun are located in the third quadrant of the radiating surface, and the fourth connecting metal and the second portion of the second balun are located in the fourth quadrant of the radiating surface. The first, second, third, and fourth quadrants are divided by two orthogonal axes whose intersection points coincide with the center of the radiating surface.

[0023] In one embodiment, the balun further includes two feeders, which are defined as a first feeder and a second feeder, respectively, and two orthogonal axes are defined as a first axis and a second axis.

[0024] The first part of the first balun land and the second part of the first balun land are located in the first polarization direction, and the first part of the second balun land and the second part of the second balun land are located in the second polarization direction. The first polarization direction and the second polarization direction are orthogonal.

[0025] The first portion and the second portion of the first balun are arranged at a distance along the extension direction of the second axis, so that the first power supply element can be inserted between the first portion and the second portion of the first balun; and / or

[0026] The first portion and the second portion of the second balun are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the first axis so that the second power supply can be inserted between the first portion and the second portion of the second balun.

[0027] In one embodiment, a metal air strip structure adjacent to the connecting metal is located on the opposite side of the supporting substrate and is coupled to each other.

[0028] In one embodiment, both the first and second surfaces of the support substrate are provided with positioning portions;

[0029] The connecting metal and metal-air strip structures, which are coupled to each other, are connected to the support substrate through corresponding positioning parts by means of hot melting or snap-fit.

[0030] In one embodiment, the projections of adjacent connecting metals and metal air strip structures on the reference plane have overlapping portions, so as to couple and connect with each other. The projection of the positioning portion on the reference plane is located within the setting range of the overlapping portion, and the reference plane is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the support substrate.

[0031] In one embodiment, both the first and second surfaces of the support substrate are provided with mating portions;

[0032] Two metal air strip structures, which are electrically connected to each other and located on the first and second surfaces respectively, are connected to the supported substrate by thermal fusion or snap-fit ​​with corresponding mating parts.

[0033] In one embodiment, the projections of two adjacent metal air strip structures located on the first and second surfaces respectively on the reference plane have overlapping portions, so as to couple and connect with each other; the projection of the mating portion on the reference plane is located within the setting range of the overlapping portion, and the reference plane is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the support substrate.

[0034] In one embodiment, among the plurality of metal-air strip structures, a portion is configured as a first strip structure, the first strip structure including a first coupling element, a first filter strip, and a first strip line connected in sequence;

[0035] In two first strip structures that are adjacent to each other and located on a first surface and a second surface respectively, the first coupling element of one first strip structure at least partially overlaps the projection of the first strip of the other first strip structure onto a reference surface to form an overlapping portion.

[0036] In one embodiment, among the multiple metal air strip structures, another part is constructed as a second strip structure. The second strip structure includes a second strip line, two second filter strip lines, and two second coupling elements. The two second filter strip lines are both connected to the second strip line, and the second filter strip lines are connected to the second coupling elements one by one.

[0037] In the first and second strip structures that are adjacent to each other, one is located on the first surface and the other is located on the second surface. The second coupling element of the second strip structure at least partially overlaps with the projection of the first strip of the first strip structure on the reference plane to form an overlapping portion.

[0038] In one embodiment, connecting metal and multiple metal air strip structures are arranged alternately on opposite sides of the support substrate in a connection sequence.

[0039] In one embodiment, the support substrate includes an outer frame and a plurality of ribs connected to the inner side of the outer frame, the plurality of ribs being spaced apart from each other and intersecting to form a grid.

[0040] Each connecting metal and metal-air strip structure is provided with corresponding ribs.

[0041] In one embodiment, the radiation unit is a dual-polarized radiation unit, the number of filter units is four, the number of baluns is two, and the four filter units are arranged in pairs in mutually orthogonal polarization directions.

[0042] Secondly, this application provides a method for fabricating a radiating element, used to fabricate the radiating element as described above. The method for fabricating the radiating element includes:

[0043] A flat metal sheet is cut to form a pre-processed part, which includes a central part, at least two extensions extending outward from the central part, and connecting metals connected to the extensions one by one.

[0044] Each connecting metal is bent perpendicularly to the first side of the thickness direction of the metal sheet relative to its corresponding extension.

[0045] At the connection points between each extension and the center portion, the extension is bent perpendicularly toward the first side relative to the center portion so that each connecting metal is coplanar.

[0046] Thirdly, this application provides an antenna device, including a reflector and the aforementioned radiating element;

[0047] The radiating element is connected to the reflector.

[0048] The beneficial effects of the radiating element and its manufacturing method and antenna device in the embodiments of this application are as follows: Since the connecting metal and the metal air strip structure are provided on the supporting substrate, the first part and the second part of the balun are connected to the connecting metal in a one-to-one correspondence. On the one hand, the balun and the supporting substrate can be fixed relative to each other through the connecting metal. On the other hand, the first part and the second part of the balun can be electrically connected to the connecting metal.

[0049] Furthermore, some metal-air strip structures are located on the first surface, and some are located on the second surface, allowing for more flexible layout. Compared to having all metal-air strip structures located on the same side of the support substrate, this also enables the radiating unit to achieve better filtering characteristics. The support substrate has several through-holes and is configured as an insulating component. Thus, compared to a radiating surface that is entirely dielectric, the areas with through-holes do not experience dielectric loss; that is, at least a portion of the radiating surface is free of dielectric loss. This reduces the dielectric loss of the radiating surface and therefore improves the radiation efficiency of the radiating unit.

[0050] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0051] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the embodiments described below. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

[0052] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the radiating unit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0053] Figure 2 is an exploded structural diagram of the radiating unit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0054] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of another structure of the radiating unit provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0055] Figure 4 is an exploded structural diagram of another structure of the radiating unit provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0056] Figure 5 is a top view of the structure of the balun and the connecting metal connection in the radiating unit provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0057] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the interconnection of the connecting metal, the supporting substrate and the metal air strip structure in the radiating unit provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0058] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the interconnection of the connecting metal, the supporting substrate, and the metal air strip structure in a radiating unit with another structure provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0059] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating the method for fabricating a radiating unit according to an embodiment of this application;

[0060] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the balun and the base in the radiating unit provided in the embodiment of this application;

[0061] Figure 10 is a comparison of the efficiency of the radiation unit provided in this embodiment and the radiation unit of related technologies. 100, Radiation unit; 10, Radiation surface; 11, Printed circuit board; 111, Insertion slot; 20, Support substrate; 201, First surface; 202, Second surface; 21, Cutout portion; 22, Positioning portion; 23, Fitting portion; 24, Outer frame; 25, Rib; 30, Filtering unit; 40, Connecting metal; 41, First connecting metal; 42, Second connecting metal; 43, Third connecting metal; 44, Fourth connecting metal; 50, Metal-air strip structure; 51, First strip structure; 511, First filter strip; 512, First strip line; 513, First coupling element; 52, Second strip structure; 521, Second strip line; 522, Second filter strip line; 523, Second coupling element; 60. Baron; 61. Baron land; 6110. First part; 6120. Second part; 611. First part of the first baron land; 612. First part of the second baron land; 613. Second part of the first baron land; 614. Second part of the second baron land; 615. Connecting end; 62. First power supply component; 63. Second power supply component; 70. Base; 81. Center part; 82. Extension part; F. First shaft; S. Second shaft. Detailed Implementation

[0062] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0063] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0064] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0065] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0066] In some cases, for the sake of brevity and / or to aid in understanding the scope of this disclosure, a single embodiment may combine multiple features. It should be understood that in such cases, these multiple features may be provided individually (e.g., in different embodiments) or in any other suitable combination. Conversely, when different features are described in different embodiments, these different features may be combined to form a single embodiment unless otherwise stated or implied. This principle also applies to the claims, whose claims may be rearranged in any combination, i.e., any claim may be modified to include any feature defined in the other claims.

[0067] In the description of the embodiments in this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0068] In this application, unless otherwise stated or implied, the phrase “at least one” followed by a list of items refers to any combination of the listed items, including individual members. Whether the expression is “at least one of a, b, or c” or “at least one of a, b, and c”, it is intended to cover: a, b, c, combinations of a and b, combinations of a and c, combinations of b and c, and combinations of a, b, and c.

[0069] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0070] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0071] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0072] The radiating element and its manufacturing method and antenna device of the present application embodiment are provided on the supporting substrate by connecting metal and metal air strip structure. The first part and the second part of the balun are connected to the connecting metal in a one-to-one correspondence. On the one hand, the balun and the supporting substrate can be fixed relative to each other by connecting metal. On the other hand, the first part and the second part of the balun can be electrically connected to the connecting metal.

[0073] Furthermore, some metal-air strip structures are located on the first surface, and some are located on the second surface, allowing for more flexible layout. Compared to having all metal-air strip structures located on the same side of the support substrate, this also enables the radiating unit to achieve better filtering characteristics. The support substrate has several through-holes and is configured as an insulating component. Thus, compared to a radiating surface that is entirely dielectric, the areas with through-holes do not experience dielectric loss; that is, at least a portion of the radiating surface is free of dielectric loss. This reduces the dielectric loss of the radiating surface and therefore improves the radiation efficiency of the radiating unit.

[0074] The radiating element and antenna device of the present application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0075] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the radiating unit provided in the embodiment of this application; Figure 2 is an exploded structural diagram of the radiating unit provided in the embodiment of this application; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of another structure of the radiating unit provided in the embodiment of this application; Figure 4 is an exploded structural diagram of another structure of the radiating unit provided in the embodiment of this application; Figure 5 is a top view of the connection between the balun and the connecting metal in the radiating unit provided in the embodiment of this application; Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the connection between the connecting metal, the supporting substrate, and the metal air strip structure in the radiating unit provided in the embodiment of this application; Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the connection between the connecting metal, the supporting substrate, and the metal air strip structure in another structure of the radiating unit provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0076] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the radiating unit 100 provided in this embodiment includes a radiating surface 10 and a balun 60. The radiating surface 10 includes a supporting substrate 20 and at least two filtering units 30. The balun 60 includes at least one balun ground 61.

[0077] The support substrate 20 includes a first surface 201 and a second surface 202 disposed opposite to each other. In at least two filter units 30, each filter unit 30 includes a connecting metal 40 disposed on the support substrate 20 and a plurality of metal air strip structures 50. The connecting metal 40 and the plurality of metal air strip structures 50 are sequentially electrically connected to form a loop-shaped filter circuit. Part of the metal air strip structures 50 is located on the first surface 201, and part of the metal air strip structures 50 is located on the second surface 202. The balun 61 is configured as a sheet metal part, and the balun 61 includes a first portion 6110 and a second portion 6120 disposed at intervals. The first portion 6110 and the second portion 6120 of the balun 61 can be located in the same polarization direction. The first portion 6110 and the second portion 6120 are connected one-to-one with the connecting metal 40. The support substrate 20 has a plurality of through-hole portions 21, and the support substrate 20 is configured as an insulating component.

[0078] Since the connecting metal 40 and the metal air strip structure 50 are provided on the support substrate 20, the first part 6110 and the second part 6120 of the balun 61 are connected to the connecting metal 40 in a one-to-one correspondence. On the one hand, the first part 6110 and the second part 6120 of the balun 61 and the support substrate 20 can be fixed relative to each other by the connecting metal 40. On the other hand, the first part 6110 and the second part 6120 of the balun 61 can be electrically connected to the connecting metal 40.

[0079] Furthermore, some metal air strip structures 50 are located on the first surface 201, and some are located on the second surface 202, providing greater flexibility in layout. Compared to a scheme where all metal air strip structures are located on the same side of the support substrate, this also allows the radiation unit 100 to achieve better filtering characteristics. In some embodiments, the support substrate 20 has a plurality of through-hole portions 21, and the support substrate 20 is configured as an insulating element. Thus, compared to the case where the entire radiation surface 10 is PCB dielectric, the area where the through-hole portions 21 are located has no dielectric loss, meaning that at least a portion of the radiation surface 10 has no dielectric loss. This reduces the dielectric loss of the radiation surface 10 and thus improves the radiation efficiency of the radiation unit 100.

[0080] It is understood that in this embodiment, the radiating unit 100 is described as a double balun radiating unit, wherein there are four filter units 30 and two balun grounds 61, and the four filter units 30 are arranged in pairs in mutually orthogonal polarization directions. In the case where the radiating unit 100 is a single balun radiating unit, there are four filter units 30 and one balun ground 61. The connection of each part in this case is similar to that of the double balun radiating unit, and will not be illustrated here.

[0081] The support substrate 20 can be, for example, a plastic component, which is lightweight and provides good insulation. Furthermore, the connecting metal 40 and the multiple metal air strip structures 50 are sequentially electrically connected to form a loop-shaped filter circuit. In some embodiments, the connecting metal 40 and the multiple metal air strip structures 50 can be sequentially connected end-to-end to form a loop-shaped filter circuit. The statement that some metal air strip structures 50 are located on the first surface 201 and some on the second surface 202 means that at least some of the multiple metal air strip structures 50 are located on the first surface 201 and at least some on the second surface 202. Metal air strip structures 50 located on the same surface can be directly connected to each other for electrical connection, while metal air strip structures 50 located on different surfaces can be coupled together through the support substrate 20. This coupled connection method, compared to direct connection, also results in better filtering performance of the radiation unit 100.

[0082] In addition, the support substrate 20 has a number of through-hole portions 21. The size and number of the through-hole portions 21 can be set according to actual needs. It is understood that the larger the area of ​​the through-hole portions 21, the more obvious the effect of reducing dielectric loss.

[0083] In some embodiments, the balun 61 is configured as a sheet metal part, and the first portion 6110 and the second portion of the balun 61 are connected one-to-one with the corresponding connecting metal 40. For example, referring to Figures 1 and 2, in two baluns 61, the two first portions 6110 and the two second portions 6120 are each welded to the corresponding connecting metal 40 in a one-to-one correspondence. It is understood that at the welding positions of the first portion 6110 and the second portion 6120 of the balun 61 and the connecting metal 40, partial electroplating can be performed to facilitate welding. Alternatively, the balun 61 and the connecting metal 40 can be electroplated entirely. In other embodiments, referring to Figures 3 and 4, the first portion 6110 and the second portion 6120 of the balun 61 are integrally formed with the corresponding connecting metal 40 in a one-to-one correspondence, which can achieve electroplating-free operation and save on installation process.

[0084] In this embodiment of the application, in the schemes of Figures 1 and 2, the radiating surface 10 includes a printed circuit board 11, and a connecting metal 40 is disposed on the surface of the printed circuit board 11. The connecting end 615 of the first part 6110 and the second part 6120 of the balun 61 penetrates the hollow portion 21 of the support substrate 20 and is inserted into the corresponding connecting metal 40 of the printed circuit board 11.

[0085] In some embodiments, the printed circuit board 11 is provided with a socket 111, and the connection end 615 is inserted into the socket 111 in a one-to-one correspondence, thereby facilitating the relative positioning of the printed circuit board 11 and the balun 61.

[0086] In some embodiments, the printed circuit board 11 is located on the first surface 201 of the support substrate 20. This places the printed circuit board 11 on the side of the support substrate 20 opposite to the balun 61, i.e., on the outermost side of the radiating unit 100, facilitating soldering operations between the balun 61 and the printed circuit board 11. Alternatively, the connecting metal 40 can be located on the surface of the printed circuit board 11 opposite to the support substrate 20, thereby facilitating soldering of the connecting metal 40 to the balun 61 by an operator.

[0087] In the radiating unit 100 with another structure shown in Figures 3 and 4, the first portion 6110 and the second portion 6120 of the balun 61 are integrally formed with the corresponding connecting metal 40. This allows for electroplating-free electrical connection between the connecting metal 40 and the balun 61. For a dual-polarized radiating unit, there are two baluns 61, four first portions 6110 and two portions 6120, and four corresponding connecting metals 40. When the first portions 6110 and 6120 of the balun 61 are integrally formed with the corresponding connecting metal 40, the four integral structures described above can be arranged spaced apart from each other.

[0088] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the connecting metal 40 is located on the second surface 202 of the support substrate 20. This arrangement facilitates the mounting of the support substrate 20 to the side of the connecting metal 40 opposite to the balun 61.

[0089] Referring again to Figures 3 and 4, the radiation unit 100 also includes a base 70, which is located on the side of the balun 61 away from the radiation surface 10. The base 70 and the plurality of balun 61 are constructed as an integral structure.

[0090] When the radiating unit 100 is a dual-polarized radiating unit, there are two connecting metals 40 and two baluns 61. The four connecting metals 40 are defined as the first connecting metal 41, the second connecting metal 42, the third connecting metal 43, and the fourth connecting metal 44, respectively, and the two baluns 61 are defined as the first balun and the second balun, respectively.

[0091] The first connecting metal 41, the second connecting metal 42, the third connecting metal 43, and the fourth connecting metal 44 are integrally connected to the first portion 611 of the first balun, the first portion 612 of the second balun, the second portion 613 of the first balun, and the second portion 614 of the second balun, respectively. That is, the first connecting metal 41 is integrally connected to the first portion 611 of the first balun; the second connecting metal 42 is integrally connected to the first portion 612 of the second balun; the third connecting metal 43 is integrally connected to the second portion 613 of the first balun; and the fourth connecting metal 44 is integrally connected to the second portion 614 of the second balun.

[0092] Referring to Figures 3 and 5 (each balun is shown in cross-section for easier observation), when viewing the radiating unit 100 from the side of the radiating surface 10, that is, when viewing the radiating unit 100 perpendicularly from the side of the radiating surface 10, the first connecting metal 41 and the first part 611 of the first balun are both located in the first quadrant of the radiating surface 10, the second connecting metal 42 and the first part 612 of the second balun are located in the second quadrant of the radiating surface 10, the third connecting metal 43 and the second part 613 of the first balun are located in the third quadrant of the radiating surface 10, and the fourth connecting metal 44 and the second part 614 of the second balun are located in the fourth quadrant of the radiating surface 10. The first, second, third, and fourth quadrants are divided by two orthogonal axes whose intersection points coincide with the center of the radiating surface 10.

[0093] It is understandable that the first part 611 of the first balun land located in the first quadrant and the second part 613 of the first balun land located in the third quadrant both belong to the first balun land, and these two are located in the same polarization direction. Similarly, the first part 612 of the second balun land located in the second quadrant and the second part 614 of the second balun land located in the fourth quadrant both belong to the second balun land, and these two are located in the other polarization direction.

[0094] In this embodiment, the balun 60 further includes a feed element, which is constructed as an air stripline. The feed element can be configured one-to-one with the balun ground 61, forming a microstrip transmission line with the corresponding balun ground 61. For example, when the radiating unit 100 is a dual-polarized radiating unit, the number of feed elements can be two. The two feed elements can be defined as a first feed element 62 and a second feed element 63, respectively, and the two orthogonal axes can be defined as a first axis F and a second axis S. The first portion 611 and the second portion 613 of the first balun ground are located in the first polarization direction, and the first portion 612 and the second portion 614 of the second balun ground are located in the second polarization direction. The first polarization direction and the second polarization direction are orthogonal.

[0095] A first portion 611 and a second portion 613 of a first balun are arranged at a distance along the extension direction of a second axis S, so that a first power supply 62 can be inserted between the first portion 611 and the second portion 613 of the first balun. In some embodiments, a first portion 612 and a second portion 614 of a second balun are arranged at a distance along the extension direction of a first axis F, so that a second power supply 63 can be inserted between the first portion 612 and the second portion 614 of the second balun.

[0096] The first power supply element 62 is spaced apart from both the first portion 611 and the second portion 613 of the first balun, such that the first power supply element 62 is coupled to both the first portion 611 and the second portion 613 of the first balun. The second power supply element 63 is also spaced apart from both the first portion 612 and the second portion 614 of the second balun, such that the second power supply element 63 is coupled to both the first portion 612 and the second portion 614 of the second balun.

[0097] The spacing here can be greater than 0.5 mm and less than 1 mm. In some embodiments, the first power supply 62 is connected to the first portion 611 and the second portion 613 of the first balun by plastic fasteners or the like, and the second power supply 63 is also connected to the first portion 612 and the second portion 614 of the second balun by plastic fasteners or the like.

[0098] In this embodiment of the application, referring to Figures 6 and 7, the metal air strip structure 50 adjacent to the connecting metal 40 is located on the opposite side of the supporting substrate 20 and is coupled to each other.

[0099] For example, in the example of FIG. 6, the connecting metal 40 is located on the first surface 201 of the supporting substrate 20, and the metal air strip structure 50 adjacent to the connecting metal 40 is located on the second surface 202 of the supporting substrate 20. In the example of FIG. 7, the connecting metal 40 is located on the second surface 202 of the supporting substrate 20, and the metal air strip structure 50 adjacent to the connecting metal 40 is located on the first surface 201 of the supporting substrate 20.

[0100] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 6 and 7, both the first surface 201 and the second surface 202 of the support substrate 20 are provided with positioning portions 22. The connecting metal 40 and the metal air strip structure 50, which are coupled to each other, are connected to the support substrate 20 by means of heat fusion or snap-fit ​​through the corresponding positioning portions 22.

[0101] For example, the connecting metal 40 is provided with a through hole at the position corresponding to the positioning part 22, and the metal air strip structure 50 is also provided with a through hole at the position corresponding to the positioning part 22. The positioning part 22 passes through the above-mentioned through hole and connects to the connecting metal 40 and the metal air strip structure 50.

[0102] In some embodiments, the projections of adjacent connecting metal 40 and metal air strip structure 50 onto the reference plane overlap, allowing them to be coupled together across the support substrate 20. The projection of the positioning portion 22 onto the reference plane lies within the overlapping portion. The reference plane is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the support substrate 20; for example, it may be parallel to the first surface 201 and the second surface 202. This ensures that the coupling gap between the connecting metal 40 and the metal air strip structure 50 remains constant.

[0103] In this embodiment of the application, referring to Figures 6 and 7, both the first surface 201 and the second surface 202 of the supporting substrate 20 are provided with mating portions 23. Two metal air strip structures 50, which are electrically connected to each other and located on the first surface 201 and the second surface 202 respectively, are connected to the supporting substrate 20 by thermal fusion or snap-fit ​​with the corresponding mating portions 23.

[0104] In some embodiments, the projections of two adjacent metal air strip structures 50, located on the first surface 201 and the second surface 202 respectively, onto the reference plane overlap. This allows them to be coupled together. The projection of the mating portion 23 onto the reference plane is within the range of the overlapping portion, and the reference plane is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the support substrate 20. This makes the coupling gap between the two metal air strip structures 50 more stable.

[0105] Furthermore, the two metal air strip structures 50, which are coupled to each other, are parallel to each other and have a predetermined spacing in the thickness direction of the support substrate 20. This predetermined spacing may correspond to, for example, the thickness dimension of the support substrate 20.

[0106] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 6 and 7, a portion of the plurality of metal air strip structures 50 is configured as a first strip structure 51. The first strip structure 51 includes a first coupling element 513, a first filter strip 511, and a first strip line 512 connected in sequence.

[0107] In two first strip structures 51 that are adjacent to each other and located on the first surface 201 and the second surface 202 respectively, the first coupling element 513 of one first strip structure 51 and the first strip line 512 of the other first strip structure 51 at least partially overlap on the projection on the reference plane to form an overlapping portion, and are coupled and connected across the support substrate 20.

[0108] In other embodiments, a portion of the plurality of metal-air strip structures 50 is configured as a second strip structure 52. The second strip structure 52 includes a second strip 521, two second filter strips 522, and two second coupling elements 523. Both second filter strips 522 are connected to the second strip 521, and each second filter strip 522 is correspondingly connected to a second coupling element 523.

[0109] In the first strip structure 51 and the second strip structure 52 that are adjacent to each other, one is located on the first surface 201 and the other is located on the second surface 202. The second coupling element 523 of the second strip structure 52 at least partially overlaps with the projection of the first strip line 512 of the first strip structure 51 on the reference plane to form an overlapping portion and couple the two together.

[0110] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1, 3, 6, and 7, as previously described, the connecting metal 40 and the plurality of metal air strip structures 50 in the filter unit 30 are connected end-to-end in sequence to form a filter circuit. The connecting metal 40 and the plurality of metal air strip structures 50 are arranged alternately on opposite sides of the support substrate 20 in a connection order. In some embodiments, each filter unit 30 has the same structure and is arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the radiation surface 10.

[0111] For example, in the examples of Figures 1 and 6, for the filter unit 30 located in the lower left corner of Figure 1, the connecting metal 40 is located on the first surface 201, the two first strip structures 51 adjacent to the connecting metal 40 are located on the second surface 202, the two next to it are located on the first surface 201, and the second strip structure 52 is located on the second surface.

[0112] In the examples of Figures 3 and 7, for the filter unit 30 located in the lower left corner of Figure 3, the connecting metal 40 is located on the second surface 202, the two first strip structures 51 adjacent to the connecting metal 40 are located on the first surface 201, the two next to it are located on the second surface 202, and the second strip structure 52 is located on the first surface 201.

[0113] In the filter unit 30, there is one connecting metal 40 and one second strip structure 52, and the number of first strip structures 51 is an even number, for example, four first strip structures 51. It is understood that in the examples of Figures 6 and 7, a symmetrical filter circuit is formed in one filter unit 30, with three first filter strips 511 and three second filter strips 522 in one branch; therefore, the filter unit 30 is a 3-stage filter structure. In other embodiments, the number of first filter strips 511 and two filter strips 522 in one branch can be other, but this number represents the number of stages in the filter structure. The number of stages in the filter structure can be set according to actual needs, for example, it can be 4 stages, 5 stages, etc.

[0114] Referring to Figures 2 and 4, the support substrate 20 includes an outer frame 24 and a plurality of ribs 25 connected to the inner side of the outer frame 24. The ribs 25 are spaced apart and intersected to form a grid. Each connecting metal 40 and metal-air strip structure 50 is provided with a corresponding rib 25. The width of the rib 25 can be smaller than the corresponding metal-air strip structure 50, so as to minimize dielectric loss. The extending direction of the rib 25 can be the same as the extending direction of the corresponding metal-air strip structure 50.

[0115] In this embodiment of the application, an antenna device is also provided, which includes a reflector and the above-mentioned radiating element 100. The balun 61 of the radiating element 100 is connected to the reflector via a base 70.

[0116] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating the manufacturing method of the radiating unit provided in this embodiment; Figure 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection structure between the balun and the base in the radiating unit provided in this embodiment.

[0117] Referring to Figures 8 and 9, this application embodiment also provides a method for fabricating a radiating element 100 as described above. The method includes:

[0118] S10. Cut the flat metal sheet to form a pre-processed part, the pre-processed part including a central part 81, at least two extensions 82 extending outward from the central part 81, and connecting metals 40 connected to the extensions 82 one by one.

[0119] S20. Each connecting metal 40 is bent perpendicularly to the first side of the thickness direction of the metal plate relative to the corresponding extension 82.

[0120] S30. At the connection point between each extension 82 and the center portion 81, the extension 82 is bent vertically toward the first side relative to the center portion 81 so that each connecting metal 40 is coplanar.

[0121] The radiating unit 100 manufactured using the above method is formed by bending a single flat metal sheet, eliminating the need for numerous PCB solder joints. Furthermore, the inherent hardness of the metal is sufficient to support the connecting metal 40, the balun 61, and the base 70, thus eliminating the need for plastic components used for support in traditional PCB units. This reduces the number of components, simplifies assembly and soldering, and improves the efficiency of the radiating unit. Additionally, the fact that the connecting metal 40 and the balun 61 do not require electroplating also reduces costs.

[0122] After step S30, the process may further include connecting the connecting metal 40, the supporting substrate 20, and each metal air strip structure 50 to each other.

[0123] Figure 10 is a comparison of the efficiency of the radiating unit provided in this embodiment and the radiating unit in related technologies. The radiating unit in the related technologies is in the form of a PCB. In Figure 10, the horizontal axis is the operating frequency of the radiating unit, and the vertical axis is the radiation efficiency value. As can be seen from Figure 10, the efficiency of the radiating unit 100 in this application is always greater than that of the radiating unit in the related technologies within its operating frequency range (approximately 690MHz-960MHz).

[0124] The beneficial effects of the radiating element and its manufacturing method and antenna device in the embodiments of this application are as follows: Since the connecting metal and the metal air strip structure are provided on the supporting substrate, the first part and the second part of the balun are connected to the connecting metal in a one-to-one correspondence. On the one hand, the balun and the supporting substrate can be fixed relative to each other through the connecting metal. On the other hand, the first part and the second part of the balun can be electrically connected to the connecting metal.

[0125] Furthermore, some metal-air strip structures are located on the first surface, and some are located on the second surface, allowing for more flexible layout. Compared to having all metal-air strip structures located on the same side of the support substrate, this also enables the radiating unit to achieve better filtering characteristics. The support substrate has several through-holes and is configured as an insulating component. Thus, compared to a radiating surface that is entirely dielectric, the areas with through-holes do not experience dielectric loss; that is, at least a portion of the radiating surface is free of dielectric loss. This reduces the dielectric loss of the radiating surface and therefore improves the radiation efficiency of the radiating unit.

[0126] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0127] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this application. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A radiating unit, wherein, Including the radiating surface and the balun; The radiating surface includes: A support substrate, the support substrate including a first surface and a second surface disposed opposite to each other; and At least two filtering units are provided, each of the filtering units including a connecting metal and a plurality of metal air strip structures disposed on the supporting substrate, the connecting metal and the plurality of metal air strip structures being electrically connected in sequence to form a loop-shaped filtering circuit; some of the metal air strip structures are located on the first surface, and some of the metal air strip structures are located on the second surface; The balun includes at least one balun base, the balun base being configured as a sheet metal part and including a first portion and a second portion spaced apart, the first portion and the second portion being connected to the connecting metal in a one-to-one correspondence; The supporting substrate has several through-holes, and the supporting substrate is configured as an insulating component.

2. The radiating unit according to claim 1, wherein, The balun also includes a power supply element, which is configured as an air-strip line; The power supply component is configured in a one-to-one correspondence with the balun ground, and forms a microstrip transmission line with the corresponding balun ground.

3. The radiating unit according to claim 1, wherein, The radiating surface includes a printed circuit board, and the connecting metal is disposed on the surface of the printed circuit board; The connecting ends of the first and second portions of the balun penetrate the cutout portion of the support substrate and are inserted into the corresponding connecting metal of the printed circuit board.

4. The radiating unit according to claim 3, wherein, The printed circuit board is located on the first surface of the supporting substrate.

5. The radiating unit according to claim 1, wherein, The first and second portions of the Balun land are integral with the corresponding connecting metal structure.

6. The radiating element according to claim 5, wherein, The connecting metal is located on the second surface of the supporting substrate.

7. The radiating unit according to claim 5, wherein, The radiating unit also includes a base located on the side of the Baron land opposite to the radiating surface; The base and the Balun land structure are an integral part of each other.

8. The radiating unit according to claim 5, wherein, The radiation unit is a dual-polarized radiation unit, the number of connecting metals is four, and the number of baluns is two; the four connecting metals are defined as the first connecting metal, the second connecting metal, the third connecting metal, and the fourth connecting metal, and the two baluns are defined as the first balun and the second balun. The first connecting metal, the second connecting metal, the third connecting metal, and the fourth connecting metal are integrally connected to the first part of the first balun, the first part of the second balun, the second part of the first balun, and the second part of the second balun, respectively. When viewed from one side of the radiating surface, the first connecting metal and the first portion of the first balun are both located in the first quadrant of the radiating surface, the second connecting metal and the first portion of the second balun are located in the second quadrant of the radiating surface, the third connecting metal and the second portion of the first balun are located in the third quadrant of the radiating surface, and the fourth connecting metal and the second portion of the second balun are located in the fourth quadrant of the radiating surface. The first, second, third, and fourth quadrants are divided by two orthogonal axes whose intersection points coincide with the center of the radiating surface.

9. The radiating unit according to claim 8, wherein, The balun also includes two power supply components, which are defined as the first power supply component and the second power supply component, respectively, and the two orthogonal axes are defined as the first axis and the second axis. The first part of the first balun land and the second part of the first balun land are located in the first polarization direction, and the first part of the second balun land and the second part of the second balun land are located in the second polarization direction. The first polarization direction and the second polarization direction are orthogonal. The first portion and the second portion of the first balun are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the second axis so that the first power supply element can be inserted between the first portion and the second portion of the first balun. and / or The first portion and the second portion of the second balun are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the first axis so that the second power supply can be inserted between the first portion and the second portion of the second balun.

10. The radiating element according to any one of claims 3-9, wherein, The metal air strip structure adjacent to the connecting metal is located on the opposite side of the supporting substrate and is coupled to each other.

11. The radiating element according to claim 10, wherein, The first and second surfaces of the supporting substrate are both provided with positioning portions; The connecting metal and the metal air strip structure, which are coupled to each other, are respectively connected to the supporting substrate through the corresponding positioning part by means of hot melting or snap-fit.

12. The radiating element according to claim 11, wherein, The projections of adjacent connecting metals and metal air strip structures on the reference plane have overlapping portions, thus coupling them together. The projection of the positioning portion on the reference plane is located within the range of the overlapping portions, and the reference plane is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the supporting substrate.

13. The radiating element according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein, Both the first and second surfaces of the support substrate are provided with mating portions; The two metal air strip structures, which are electrically connected to each other and located on the first and second surfaces respectively, are connected to the supported substrate by thermal fusion or snap-fit ​​with the corresponding mating parts.

14. The radiating element according to claim 13, wherein, The projections of two adjacent metal air strip structures, located on the first and second surfaces respectively, onto the reference plane have overlapping portions, thus coupling them together. The projection of the mating part on the reference surface is located within the setting range of the overlapping portion, and the reference surface is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the supporting substrate.

15. The radiating element according to claim 14, wherein, The two metal air strip structures coupled to each other are parallel to each other and have a predetermined spacing in the thickness direction of the supporting substrate.

16. The radiating element according to claim 14, wherein, Among the plurality of metal-air strip structures, some are constructed as a first strip structure, which includes a first coupling element, a first filter strip, and a first strip line connected in sequence. In two first strip structures that are adjacent to each other and located on the first surface and the second surface respectively, the first coupling element of one first strip structure at least partially overlaps with the projection of the first strip of the other first strip structure onto the reference surface to form the overlapping portion.

17. The radiating element according to claim 16, wherein, Of the plurality of metal-air strip structures, another part is constructed as a second strip structure, which includes a second strip line, two second filter strip lines, and two second coupling elements. Both of the second filter striplines are connected to the second stripline, and each of the second filter striplines is connected to a corresponding second coupling element. In the first and second strip structures that are adjacent to each other, one is located on the first surface and the other is located on the second surface, and the second coupling element of the second strip structure at least partially overlaps with the projection of the first strip of the first strip structure onto the reference surface to form the overlapping portion.

18. The radiating element according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein, The connecting metal and the plurality of metal air strip structures are arranged alternately on opposite sides of the supporting substrate in a connection sequence.

19. The radiating element according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein, The supporting substrate includes an outer frame and a plurality of ribs connected to the inner side of the outer frame. The plurality of ribs are spaced apart from each other and intersected to form a grid. Each of the connecting metals and the metal air strip structure is provided with the corresponding rib.

20. The radiating element according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein, The radiation unit is a dual-polarized radiation unit, the number of filter units is four, and the number of baluns is two. The four filter units are arranged in pairs in mutually orthogonal polarization directions.

21. A method for fabricating a radiating unit, wherein, A method for manufacturing a radiating element as described in any one of claims 1-20, the method comprising: A flat metal sheet is cut to form a pre-processed part, the pre-processed part including a central part, at least two extensions extending outward from the central part, and connecting metals connected to the extensions one by one. Each of the connecting metals is bent perpendicularly toward the first side of the thickness direction of the metal sheet relative to the corresponding extension; At the connection points between each of the extensions and the center portion, the extensions are bent perpendicularly toward the first side relative to the center portion, so that each of the connecting metals is coplanar.

22. An antenna device, wherein, Includes a reflector and a radiating unit as described in any one of claims 1-20; The balun of the radiating unit is connected to the reflector.

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