5G Membrane Radio Shroud with Adjustable Panel Jack
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Solution Overview
Problem
5G transceivers with integrated antennas face signal attenuation and dispersion due to standard radio shrouds, which are typically thick and not suitable for millimeter wave technology, necessitating a very thin shroud solution for aesthetic and functional reasons.
Innovation Solution
A pole-mountable shroud assembly with a thin fabric membrane and adjustable segmented panels that can be tensioned vertically and radially to enclose transceivers and antennas, using a panel jack system to maintain minimal thickness and maximize signal integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If standard radio shrouds are used to conceal transceivers and antennas, then aesthetic requirements are met, but signal attenuation and dispersion increase due to the thick panels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional thick rigid panels with a thin fabric membrane that is stretched between two panels. This membrane structure provides the necessary concealment while maintaining signal integrity because its thickness is less than one-tenth of the minimum transmission wavelength, making it transparent to 5G millimeter wave signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The shroud assembly is divided into two separate panels with the fabric membrane stretched between them, creating a segmented structure. This segmentation allows the membrane to be tensioned properly while maintaining a thin profile, resolving the contradiction between concealment and signal integrity.
2Reliability
If a thin fabric membrane is used to minimize signal attenuation, then signal integrity is improved, but the shroud structure becomes more complex requiring adjustable panel separation
Solution Approach 1:
The panel separation distance is made adjustable through a jack mechanism that can be operated manually or automatically. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the membrane to be tensioned to the optimal level for signal integrity while maintaining structural stability, managing the complexity through controlled variability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of panel separation distance to optimize membrane tension. By adjusting this parameter, the system achieves the right balance between maintaining signal integrity (requiring tight tension) and managing structural complexity (requiring adjustability).
3Reliability
If the fabric membrane is tensioned vertically by increasing panel separation, then signal integrity is improved, but the shroud height increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial tensioning through the jack mechanism, increasing panel separation only to the extent necessary to achieve adequate membrane tension for signal integrity. This partial action avoids excessive height increase while still achieving the required tension level for optimal performance.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a pole-mountable shroud assembly enclosing one or more wireless telecommunications transceivers and antennas, which extend from the pole and are rigidly attached to the pole by one or more transceiver brackets. A generally circular stationary panel is rigidly attached to the pole, and a generally annular, segmented jacked panel is attached to the pole at a vertical separation distance from the stationary panel. A panel jack, such as a screw or spring jack, connects the jacked panel to the pole so that the panel separation distance and the jacked panel circumference are adjustable. A very thin (not more than one-tenth the minimum transmission wavelength) fabric membrane shroud wraps around the circumference of the two panels, so as to form a generally cylindrical shroud enclosure which surrounds the transceivers/antennas. The panel jack is operative to tension, both vertically and radially, the fabric membrane shroud around the shroud enclosure.