Base station antenna
By integrating the phase shifter into the reflector in the base station antenna and using the groove as the radio frequency ground, the problems of complex structure and heavy weight of traditional base station antennas are solved, realizing the miniaturization and weight reduction of the antenna, and improving signal quality and convenience.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- COMBA TELECOM TECH (GUANGZHOU) CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-21
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-30
AI Technical Summary
In traditional base station antennas, the phase shifter in the feed network requires a separate metal cavity, resulting in a complex structure, heavy weight, and significant signal loss, which affects signal quality and convenience.
The phase shifter is integrated into the reflector, and the phase shifting medium is installed in the groove on the reflector, which reduces the number of parts and weight. The groove is used as the radio frequency ground, which simplifies the structure.
This has enabled the miniaturization and weight reduction of antennas, reduced signal loss, and improved signal efficiency and convenience.
Smart Images
Figure CN2026073834_30072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Base station antenna
[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202510102710.3, filed on January 22, 2025, entitled “Base Station Antenna”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field
[0002] This application belongs to the field of mobile communication technology, specifically relating to a base station antenna. Background Technology
[0003] With the rapid development of wireless communication technology, people's performance requirements for communication equipment are increasing, especially in terms of signal transmission speed, stability, and coverage. As the core of wireless communication, the performance of communication equipment largely depends on the performance of its antenna. As a key component for realizing wireless signal transmission and reception, the antenna's radiation efficiency is one of the important parameters for measuring antenna performance, directly affecting the overall performance of the communication equipment.
[0004] Taking base station antennas as an example, they are a critical infrastructure in wireless communication networks, bearing the heavy responsibility of signal transmission and reception. Traditional base station antenna structures typically include an antenna reflector, radiating elements mounted on the front of the reflector, and a feed network mounted on the back or front of the reflector. As a crucial component of the antenna, the feed network is responsible for providing precise amplitude and phase control to the radiating elements to regulate signal radiation.
[0005] However, in existing antennas, the phase shifter in the feed network usually needs to be equipped with a separate metal cavity as the radio frequency ground, which is mounted on the reflector. The phase shifter is electrically connected to the radiating element mounted on the front of the reflector via a coaxial cable or the signal line of the feed network. This method has many drawbacks: (1) The number of components is large, resulting in a complex antenna structure and increasing the difficulty of production and assembly; (2) Due to the long feed link, the signal is easily affected by various factors during transmission, such as cable loss and impedance mismatch, which leads to a decrease in signal quality and affects the radiation efficiency of the antenna; (3) Due to the presence of the metal cavity, the overall weight of the antenna is heavy, which is not conducive to production convenience and the ease of antenna tower erection. Summary of the Invention
[0006] Based on this, the primary objective of the present invention is to solve at least one of the above-mentioned problems and provide a base station antenna.
[0007] To achieve the various objectives of this invention, the following technical solution is adopted:
[0008] To meet one of the objectives of this invention, a base station antenna is provided, comprising a reflector and a phase shifter. A groove is formed on the reflector. The phase shifter includes a phase shifting circuit, a phase shifting medium, and a radio frequency ground. The phase shifting circuit is insulated over the opening of the groove. The groove wall forms the radio frequency ground. The phase shifting medium includes a first sliding medium disposed in the groove. The first sliding medium moves relative to the phase shifting circuit to adjust the phase.
[0009] Compared with existing technologies, the present invention has many advantages, including but not limited to:
[0010] (1) The base station antenna of the present invention integrates the phase shifter onto the reflector, and in particular utilizes the grooves on the reflector to install the phase shifting medium, which not only significantly reduces the size of the antenna, making it more compact and lightweight, but also optimizes the internal space layout of the antenna. This compact structure not only saves valuable installation space, enabling the antenna to work more efficiently in a limited space, but also provides more possibilities for integration with other electronic devices.
[0011] (2) This invention creates a groove in the reflector to house the first sliding medium, while simultaneously reusing the reflector groove as a radio frequency ground. This change directly reduces the number of components in the feed network, thereby significantly reducing the overall weight of the antenna. Furthermore, since the phase shifter is directly integrated into the reflector, no additional cavities or clips are required, allowing for a smaller antenna size and thickness. This facilitates miniaturization and weight reduction, which is particularly important for antenna deployment in limited spaces.
[0012] Furthermore, traditional cavity phase shifters typically contain complex internal structures, including the metal cavity itself, phase-shifting circuitry, a sliding dielectric, and the cards that assemble them. These additional components not only increase manufacturing costs but also significantly increase the weight of the antenna. This invention, however, achieves a lightweight design by simplifying the structure.
[0013] (3) The base station antenna of the present invention mounts the phase shifter in a low profile on the radiating side of the reflector, instead of using the entire cavity of the phase shifter as the radio frequency ground and mounting it on the reflector as in conventional base station antennas. This low profile design not only reduces the size of the antenna, but also helps to achieve a more compact and lighter antenna structure.
[0014] Details of one or more embodiments of this application are set forth in the following drawings and description. Other features, objects, and advantages of this application will become apparent from the specification, drawings, and claims. Attached Figure Description
[0015] To better describe and illustrate embodiments and / or examples of this application, reference may be made to one or more accompanying drawings. Additional details or examples used to describe the drawings should not be considered as limiting the scope of any of the disclosed applications, the currently described embodiments and / or examples, or the best mode of these applications as currently understood.
[0016] Figure 1 is a partial structural diagram of a base station antenna according to a typical embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] Figure 2 is an enlarged view of part A of Figure 1.
[0018] Figure 3 is an exploded view of a base station antenna according to a typical embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the reflector of a base station antenna according to a typical embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the power supply network and dielectric substrate of the base station antenna according to a typical embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] Figure 6 is an exploded schematic diagram of the phase-shifting medium of the base station antenna according to a typical embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] Figure 7 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a base station antenna according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the base station antenna according to a typical embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0024] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more complete description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of this application are shown in the drawings. However, this application can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. It should be understood that these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of this application.
[0025] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number or order of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0026] 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 belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application.
[0027] The present invention provides a base station antenna 10 in which a phase shifting circuit 410 is disposed in a feed network 400 to shorten the feed link length. A first sliding medium 610 is installed in a groove 230 of a reflector 200, and the phase shifting circuit 410 is grounded through the groove 230. This eliminates the need for a separate cavity for the phase shifting circuit 410 in the base station antenna 10, reducing the number of parts in the base station antenna 10 and also reducing the weight of the base station antenna 10.
[0028] In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figures 1 and 3, the base station antenna 10 includes a reflector 200, a radiating element 300, a feed network 400, and a phase shifter. The feed network 400 is insulatedly disposed on the reflector 200, and the radiating element 300 is disposed on the reflector 200. The radiating element 300 is electrically connected to the feed network 400, and the feed network 400 outputs an electrical signal to the radiating element 300, thereby exciting the radiating element 300 to radiate signals externally. In this embodiment, a microstrip phase shifter is recommended, but this should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.
[0029] Referring to Figure 4, the reflector 200 includes a front side 210 and a back side (not shown). The reflector 200 has a groove 230, and the groove 230 has an opening on the front side 210 of the reflector 200.
[0030] The phase shifter includes a phase shifting circuit 410, a phase shifting medium 600, and an RF ground, wherein the phase shifting circuit 410 is part of the power supply network 400.
[0031] Referring to Figures 4 and 5, along the thickness direction of the reflector 200, the phase-shifting circuit 410 is positioned directly above the groove 230. That is, in the projection direction of the front surface 210 of the reflector 200, the projection of the phase-shifting circuit 410 overlaps with the projection of the groove 230. The phase-shifting circuit 410 is part of the feed network 400, eliminating the need for a separate phase-shifting circuit 410 in the base station antenna 10 as is done with conventional cavity phase shifters. This shortens the length of the feed link, reduces signal loss in the feed link, and improves antenna radiation efficiency.
[0032] In one embodiment of the present invention, the groove wall 231 of the groove 230 is used as the radio frequency ground of the phase shifting circuit 410. By reusing the groove 230 of the reflector 200 as the radio frequency ground of the phase shifting circuit, the number of components in the power supply network is further reduced, thereby achieving miniaturization and weight reduction.
[0033] Referring to Figures 3, 4 and 6, the phase-shifting medium 600 includes a sliding medium (referred to as the first sliding medium 610). The first sliding medium 610 is disposed in the groove 230. It can be understood that, in the projection direction of the front surface 210 of the reflector 200, the projection of the phase-shifting circuit 410, the projection of the groove 230 and the projection of the first sliding medium 610 are roughly correspondingly arranged.
[0034] Specifically, there is a gap between the first sliding medium 610 and the phase shifting circuit 410 in the thickness direction. Furthermore, when the first sliding medium 610 is disposed within the groove 230, the first sliding medium 610 can slide relative to the groove 230.
[0035] The first sliding medium 610 can move relative to the phase-shifting circuit 410 to change the phase of the signal passing through the phase-shifting circuit 410, thereby completing the phase shift. In this embodiment, the moving path of the first sliding medium 610, the extension path of the groove 230, and the extension path of the phase-shifting circuit 410 are correspondingly arranged. Because the opening of the groove 230 is opened on the front surface 210 of the reflector 200, the first sliding medium 610 is not blocked by the reflector 200 when it moves relative to the phase-shifting circuit 410 to perform phase shifting, thereby allowing the first sliding medium 610 to cooperate well with the phase-shifting circuit 410 to perform phase shifting.
[0036] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 1 and 6, the phase-shifting medium 600 further includes another sliding medium (referred to as the second sliding medium 620). Along the thickness direction, the second sliding medium 620 is disposed directly above the phase-shifting circuit 410. It can be understood that in the projection direction of the front surface 210 of the reflector 200, the second sliding medium 620, the phase-shifting circuit 410, and the first sliding medium 610 are arranged sequentially from top to bottom.
[0037] In the thickness direction, there is a gap between the second sliding medium 620 and the phase shifting circuit 410 to avoid direct contact between the second sliding medium 620 and the phase shifting circuit 410. In this embodiment, it is recommended that both the first sliding medium 610 and the second sliding medium 620 be plate-shaped structures, but this should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.
[0038] In the thickness direction, a gap space is formed between the first sliding medium 610 and the second sliding medium 620. The phase shifting circuit 410 is disposed in the gap space. Both the first sliding medium 610 and the second sliding medium 620 can slide relative to the phase shifting circuit 410 to achieve phase adjustment.
[0039] The first sliding medium 610 is connected to the second sliding medium 620 so that the first sliding medium 610 and the second sliding medium 620 move synchronously. The first sliding medium 610 and the second sliding medium 620 cooperate with the phase shifting circuit 410 to perform phase shifting, so as to further improve the phase shift amount and phase shifting efficiency.
[0040] Specifically, in the embodiments of the present invention, the first sliding medium 610 and the second sliding medium 620 are snapped together to achieve fixed installation and facilitate linkage between the two.
[0041] In a further embodiment, the first sliding medium 610 may be provided with a snap-fit structure 630, through which the first sliding medium 610 is fixedly connected to the second sliding medium 620, which can facilitate installation and make the first sliding medium 610 and the second sliding medium 620 move synchronously.
[0042] Specifically, referring to Figures 2 and 6, the snap-fit structure 630 is disposed on the first sliding medium 610. The snap-fit structure 630 includes a pair of snap-fit arms 631, which protrude from the first sliding medium 610 toward the second sliding medium 620. The pair of snap-fit arms 631 are respectively disposed on both sides of the width direction of the first sliding medium 610, and the distance between the pair of snap-fit arms 631 is greater than or equal to the width of the second sliding medium 620, forming a gap between the pair of snap-fit arms 631 (referred to as the insertion gap). The second sliding medium 620 is inserted into the insertion gap so as to limit the second sliding medium 620 by the pair of snap-fit arms 631.
[0043] Furthermore, a snap-fit protrusion 6311 is formed on the end of the first sliding medium 610 that protrudes toward the second sliding medium 620, and the snap-fit protrusion 6311 snaps into the corresponding side of the second sliding medium 620. The snap-fit protrusions 6311 of each pair of snap-fit arms 631 are arranged opposite to each other, and the two snap-fit protrusions 6311 respectively snap into the two sides of the second sliding medium 620 in the width direction, so that the second sliding medium 620 can be stably connected to the first sliding medium 610, thereby improving the structural stability of the phase-shifting medium 600 and the phase-shifting stability between the phase-shifting medium 600 and the phase-shifting circuit 410.
[0044] In one embodiment, the first sliding medium 610 is provided with two snap-fit structures 630, which are arranged sequentially along the longitudinal central axis of the first sliding medium 610. The two snap-fit structures 630 further enable the first sliding medium 610 and the second sliding medium 620 to be stably connected, thereby further improving the structural stability of the phase-shifting medium 600.
[0045] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 4 and 6, the second sliding medium 620 is provided with a sliding pin 640, the reflector 200 is provided with a guide groove 240, the sliding pin 640 is inserted into the guide groove 240, and the sliding pin 640 cooperates with the guide groove 240 so that the phase shifting medium 600 can move along a predetermined path to improve the phase shifting accuracy and stability.
[0046] In one embodiment, the dielectric constant of the phase-shifting medium 600 is not less than 1.5; preferably, it is in the range of 2-10, wherein the dielectric constant of the first sliding medium is 2-10, and the dielectric constant of the second sliding medium is 2-10. As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the dielectric constant of the phase-shifting medium 600 is 4.4, but this should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.
[0047] In one embodiment of the present invention, the phase-shifting circuit 410 has two forms. The first form is that the phase-shifting circuit 410 is insulatedly disposed on the front side 210 of the reflector 200. The phase-shifting circuit 410 is composed of sheet metal strip (referred to as the first sheet metal strip), but this should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. The second form is that the base station antenna also includes a dielectric substrate (not shown). The dielectric substrate includes a front and a back side. The back side of the dielectric substrate is disposed opposite to the front side 210 of the reflector 200. The phase-shifting circuit 410 is disposed on the front side or the back side of the dielectric substrate.
[0048] The power supply network 400 includes a power supply circuit, which includes a power divider circuit 450 and a phase shifter circuit 410, and the power divider circuit 450 and the phase shifter circuit 410 are electrically connected. The power supply network 400 also has two forms. In the first form, the power supply network 400 is insulated and disposed on the front side 210 of the reflector 200. The power supply circuit includes multiple power divider circuits 450 and multiple phase shifter circuits 410, which are integrally formed and the power supply network 400 is composed of sheet metal strips (referred to as second sheet metal strips). In the second form, the power supply network 400 also includes a dielectric substrate 500 and a grounding layer, with the power divider circuit 450 and the grounding layer disposed on the front and back sides of the dielectric substrate 500, respectively.
[0049] In embodiments of the present invention, the two types of phase-shifting circuits 410 can be combined with the two types of feed networks 400 respectively, so that the phase-shifting circuits 410 and feed networks 400 can form four assembly methods. Specifically, the first type of phase-shifting circuit 410 is combined with the first type of feed network 400; the first type of phase-shifting circuit 410 is combined with the second type of feed network 400; the second type of phase-shifting circuit 410 is combined with the first type of feed network 400; and the second type of phase-shifting circuit 410 is combined with the second type of feed network 400.
[0050] For ease of description, in one embodiment of the present invention, the combination of a first type of phase-shifting circuit 410 and a second type of feed network 400 is used as an example to describe the present invention, but this should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. That is to say, the phase-shifting circuit 410 without a dielectric substrate is combined with the feed network 400 with a dielectric substrate 500 and a ground layer, as detailed below.
[0051] Referring to Figure 3, the dielectric substrate 500 is disposed on the front side 210 of the reflector 200. The dielectric substrate 500 includes a front side 510 and a back side (not shown). The back side of the dielectric substrate 500 is disposed opposite to the front side 210 of the reflector 200.
[0052] Referring to Figure 5, the power supply network 400 includes a power supply circuit and a grounding layer. The power divider circuit 450 of the power supply circuit is disposed on the front side 510 of the dielectric substrate 500, and the grounding layer is disposed on the back side of the dielectric substrate 500. The grounding layer is coupled to the reflector 200, and the power divider circuit 450 is electrically connected to the grounding layer, thereby enabling the power supply circuit to be grounded via the grounding layer. In this embodiment, the power divider circuit 450 and the grounding layer are electrically connected through metallized vias penetrating the dielectric substrate 500.
[0053] Furthermore, an insulating layer (not shown) is also provided on the grounding layer, and the insulating layer is in face contact with the front side 210 of the reflector 200 so that the power supply network 400 is insulated from the reflector 200 through the insulating layer.
[0054] In this invention, it is recommended that the shape and size of the grounding layer be the same as the shape and size of the reverse side of the dielectric substrate 500, and the shape and size of the insulating layer be the same as the shape and size of the grounding layer, but this should not be construed as a limitation of the invention.
[0055] In this embodiment, the phase shifting circuit 410 is disposed on the front side 510 of the dielectric substrate 500, and the phase shifting circuit 410 is disposed directly above the groove 230.
[0056] In another embodiment, the phase shifting circuit 410 is disposed on the reverse side of the dielectric substrate 500, and the phase shifting circuit 410 is covered on the groove 230. The ground layer avoids the phase shifting circuit 410 to prevent the phase shifting circuit 410 from being directly electrically connected to the ground layer, thereby maintaining the stability of the electrical performance of the phase shifter and even the base station antenna 100.
[0057] Furthermore, since the dielectric substrate 500 is made of dielectric material, even if the dielectric substrate 500 covers the opening of the groove 230 on the front side 210 of the reflector 200, the dielectric substrate 500 will not affect the phase shift between the first sliding medium 610 and the phase shifting circuit 410.
[0058] A clearance hole (referred to as the first clearance hole, not shown) is formed in the grounding layer. The shape and size of the first clearance hole correspond to the shape and size of the opening of the groove 230, and the projection of the first clearance hole coincides with the projection of the groove 230 in the projection direction of the front surface 210 of the reflector 200, so as to avoid the grounding layer from affecting the phase shift. In addition, the phase shifting circuit 410 is avoided by the first clearance hole, so as to avoid affecting the phase shift between the phase shifting circuit 410 and the phase shifting medium 600.
[0059] An obstacle avoidance hole (referred to as the second obstacle avoidance hole, not shown) is also provided on the insulating layer. The shape and size of the second obstacle avoidance hole correspond to the shape and size of the opening of the groove 230, and the projection of the second obstacle avoidance hole coincides with the projection of the groove 230 in the projection direction of the front surface 210 of the reflector 200, so as to avoid the insulating layer affecting the phase shift. In addition, the phase shifting circuit 410 is avoided by the second obstacle avoidance hole, so as to avoid affecting the phase shift between the phase shifting circuit 410 and the phase shifting medium 600.
[0060] In one embodiment, referring to FIG5, the dielectric substrate 500 has a clearance hole (referred to as the third clearance hole 550) corresponding to the snap-fit arm 631. The snap-fit arm 631 passes through the third clearance hole 550 and snaps into the second sliding medium 620 disposed above the dielectric substrate 500, so as to avoid the dielectric substrate 500 affecting the structural stability of the phase-shifting medium 600.
[0061] The first sliding medium 610 has multiple latching arms 631, and the dielectric substrate 500 has multiple third clearance holes 550 corresponding to the multiple latching arms 631. For example, if the first sliding medium 610 has two latching structures 630 with a total of four latching arms 631, then the reflector 200 has four third clearance holes 550 corresponding to the four latching arms 631. In addition, both the insulating layer and the grounding layer have channels corresponding to the third clearance holes 550 to facilitate clearance of the latching arms 631.
[0062] In another embodiment, the dielectric substrate 500 has a clearance hole (referred to as the fourth clearance hole, not shown) corresponding to the groove 230. The shape and size of the fourth clearance hole correspond to the shape and size of the groove 230, and the projection of the fourth clearance hole coincides with the projection of the groove 230 in the projection direction of the front surface 210 of the reflector 200, so that a pair of locking arms 631 of the locking structure 630 can directly pass through the fourth clearance hole and be locked and fixed with the second dielectric substrate 500.
[0063] In one embodiment, a sliding pin 640 disposed on the second sliding medium 620 protrudes towards the reflector 200. Referring to Figure 5, a clearance hole (referred to as the fifth clearance hole 560) is formed on the dielectric substrate 500. The fifth clearance hole 560 is aligned with the guide groove 240 on the reflector 200. The sliding pin 640 passes through the fifth clearance hole 560 and extends into the guide groove 240, allowing the sliding pin 640 to engage with the guide groove 240, thereby enabling the phase-shifting medium 600 to move along a predetermined path, improving phase-shifting accuracy and stability. Furthermore, both the insulating layer and the grounding layer have channels corresponding to the guide groove 240 to facilitate clearance of the sliding pin 640.
[0064] In one embodiment, referring to FIG5, a grounding pad 420 is provided on the front side 510 of the dielectric substrate 500. The grounding pad 420 is electrically connected to a grounding layer disposed on the back side of the dielectric substrate 500. For example, the grounding pad 420 disposed on the front side of the dielectric substrate 500 is electrically connected to the grounding layer disposed on the back side of the dielectric substrate 500 through a metallized via.
[0065] A signal port 430 is formed on the power divider circuit 450 of the power supply network 400. The signal port 430 is used to receive external signals or to output signals. The signal port 430 is located adjacent to the grounding plate 420, but there is no electrical connection between the signal port 430 and the grounding plate 420.
[0066] The outer conductor of the coaxial cable 710 is soldered to the grounding plate 420, and the inner conductor of the coaxial cable 710 is connected to the signal port 430 so that the power supply network 400 can receive or output signals through the coaxial cable 710.
[0067] In another embodiment, referring to FIG. 7, the area of the reflector 200 is larger than the area of the dielectric substrate 500. When the dielectric substrate 500 is disposed on the reflector 200, the edge of the reflector 200 protrudes relative to the dielectric substrate 500 to form a protrusion area 250. A grounding plate 420 is disposed on the protrusion area 250. Since the protrusion area 250 is part of the reflector 200, the grounding plate 420 is grounded through the protrusion area 250. The outer conductor of the coaxial cable 710 is soldered to the grounding plate 420, and the inner conductor of the coaxial cable 710 is connected to the signal port 430 so that the power supply network 400 can receive or output signals through the coaxial cable 710.
[0068] In one embodiment, the power supply network 400 is a microstrip PCB structure; or, the dielectric substrate 500 is a plastic carrier, and the power supply circuit is a metal layer formed on the plastic carrier.
[0069] In another embodiment, referring to FIG. 5, the dielectric substrate 500 has a plurality of fixing holes 570. The feed circuit of the feed network 400 is disposed directly above the fixing holes 570. The feed network 400 and the fixing holes 570 are connected by insulating members to fix corresponding sections of the feed network 400. The dielectric substrate 500 has a plurality of fixing holes 570, and a plurality of insulating members are respectively connected through the plurality of fixing holes 570 to fix the feed circuit to the front side 510 of the dielectric substrate 500. In this embodiment, it is recommended that the insulating members be made of plastic material, and the insulating members are rivets or snap-fit members, but this should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.
[0070] In another embodiment, the power supply network 400 is printed on the dielectric substrate 500.
[0071] In one embodiment of the present invention, the radiation unit 300 is mounted on the front side 210 of the reflector 200, and the dielectric substrate 500 has a clearance hole (referred to as the sixth clearance hole, not shown) corresponding to the radiation unit 300, so that the radiation unit 300 can be vertically mounted on the reflector 200 through the sixth clearance hole.
[0072] Referring to Figures 1 and 8, the base station antenna 10 includes multiple radiating elements 300, which are simultaneously disposed on the reflector 200, and these multiple radiating elements 300 share the same feed network 400. In this embodiment, the multiple radiating elements 300 can form a radiating array.
[0073] In one embodiment, referring to Figures 1 to 5, the feed network 400 is provided with two phase shifting circuits 410 corresponding to the same phase shifting medium 600. The two phase shifting circuits 410 are arranged sequentially along the moving direction of the phase shifting medium 600. It can be understood that the phase shifting circuit 410, the phase shifting medium 600 and the groove 230 constitute a phase shifter. Thus, the two phase shifting circuits 410, one phase shifting medium 600 and one groove 230 constitute two phase shifters. That is to say, the two phase shifters share the same phase shifting medium 600 and the same groove 230, so as to increase the number of phase shifters on the base station antenna 10 and reduce the number of phase shifting mediums 600, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost and weight of the base station antenna 10.
[0074] In another embodiment, the feed network 400 is provided with a plurality of phase shifting circuits 410, each of which is configured with a corresponding phase shifting medium 600 and a groove 230. Each phase shifting circuit 410 is configured with an independent phase shifting medium 600 and a groove 230. It can be understood that a plurality of phase shifters are formed in the feed network 400. The plurality of phase shifters cooperate with each other to control the phase of the signal radiated by the base station antenna 10.
[0075] The present invention also provides a base station, which includes the base station antenna described above.
[0076] In summary, the phase shifting medium of the phase shifter in the base station antenna of the present invention is installed in the groove on the reflector, so that the base station antenna does not need to be equipped with a metal cavity for the phase shifter, which shortens the length of the feed link and reduces the weight and manufacturing cost of the base station antenna.
[0077] 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.
[0078] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims, and the specification and drawings can be used to interpret the content of the claims.
Claims
1. A base station antenna, comprising: The device includes a reflector and a phase shifter. The reflector has a groove. The phase shifter includes a phase shifting circuit, a phase shifting medium, and a radio frequency ground. The phase shifting circuit is insulated over the opening of the groove. The groove wall forms the radio frequency ground. The phase shifting medium includes a first sliding medium disposed in the groove. The first sliding medium moves relative to the phase shifting circuit to adjust the phase.
2. The base station antenna as described in claim 1, wherein, The base station antenna also includes a dielectric substrate, the phase-shifting circuit is disposed on the dielectric substrate, and the dielectric substrate is insulated over the reflector; or, the phase-shifting circuit is a first sheet metal strip, and the first sheet metal strip is insulated from the reflector.
3. The base station antenna as described in claim 1, wherein, The base station antenna also includes a power supply network, which includes a power supply circuit. The power supply circuit includes a power divider circuit and the phase shifter circuit. The phase shifter circuit is electrically connected to the power divider circuit and is integrated with the power divider circuit.
4. The base station antenna as described in claim 3, wherein, The power supply circuit includes multiple power divider circuits and multiple phase shifter circuits integrated into one unit.
5. The base station antenna as described in claim 3, wherein, The power supply network also includes a dielectric substrate and a ground layer. The power supply circuit and the ground layer are respectively disposed on the front and back surfaces of the dielectric substrate, and the ground layer is hollowed out in the area corresponding to the phase shifting circuit.
6. The base station antenna as described in claim 5, wherein, The phase-shifting circuit and the power divider circuit are located on the same side of the dielectric substrate; or, the power divider circuit and the phase-shifting circuit are located on different sides of the dielectric substrate.
7. The base station antenna as described in claim 5, wherein, The power supply network is a microstrip PCB structure; or, the dielectric substrate is a plastic carrier, and the power supply circuit is a metal layer formed on the plastic carrier.
8. The base station antenna as described in claim 3, wherein, The power supply circuit is a second sheet metal strip, which is insulated from the reflector.
9. The base station antenna as described in claim 5, wherein, A grounding plate is provided on the dielectric substrate, the grounding plate is electrically connected to the grounding layer, and the signal port of the power supply network is arranged adjacent to the grounding plate.
10. The base station antenna as described in claim 1, wherein, The extension path of the phase-shifting circuit, the extension path of the groove, and the sliding path of the phase-shifting medium are respectively arranged in a corresponding manner.
11. The base station antenna as described in claim 1, wherein, A gap is provided between the phase-shifting medium and the phase-shifting circuit in the thickness direction of the reflector.
12. The base station antenna as described in claim 1, wherein, The phase-shifting medium further includes a second sliding medium, which is disposed on the upper and lower sides of the phase-shifting circuit, respectively, along with the first sliding medium.
13. The base station antenna as described in claim 12, wherein, The dielectric constant of the first sliding medium is 2 to 10, and the dielectric constant of the second sliding medium is 2 to 10.
14. The base station antenna as described in claim 13, wherein, The first sliding medium and the second sliding medium are interlocked.
15. The base station antenna as described in claim 14, wherein, The first sliding medium is provided with a snap-fit structure, the snap-fit structure includes a pair of snap-fit arms, and the second sliding medium is inserted between the pair of snap-fit arms.
16. The base station antenna as described in claim 1, wherein, The phase-shifting medium is also provided with a sliding pin, and a guide groove is provided on the reflector plate, with the sliding pin inserted into the guide groove.
17. The base station antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The base station antenna also includes a radiating element disposed on the reflector. The radiating element is electrically connected to the phase shifter, and the opening of the groove faces one side of the reflector where the radiating element is located.