Adjustable Antenna Reflector Geometry for Variable Beam Patterns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antenna reflectors are limited in their ability to adjust the angle and spacing of reflector legs, which restricts the variability of the antenna's directional characteristics, requiring multiple antennas for different applications.
Innovation Solution
A reflector design where the angle and spacing of reflector legs can be dynamically adjusted, allowing for a wide range of directional characteristics without altering the active antenna element, through a mechanism involving pivotable rods and adjustable supports, enabling symmetric and simultaneous movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the reflector leg angle is fixed to provide a specific directional characteristic, then the antenna can be optimized for a particular application, but the antenna cannot be adapted to different situations requiring different directional characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The reflector legs are made pivotable about a common pivot joint, allowing the angle between them to be dynamically adjusted. This dynamic structure enables the antenna to change its directional characteristic from narrow to wide main lobes by varying the reflector leg angle, while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure centered around the pivot joint
Solution Approach 2:
A single antenna with adjustable reflector leg angles can perform multiple functions by adapting to different directional requirements. The same antenna system can be used for various applications ranging from narrow-beam high-gain scenarios to wide-beam coverage scenarios, eliminating the need for multiple fixed-angle antennas
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple antennas are used to cover different directional characteristics, then various applications can be addressed, but the quantity of equipment increases and system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
One universal antenna system with adjustable reflector legs replaces multiple specialized antennas. By changing the reflector leg angle, the same antenna can provide different directional characteristics including narrow and wide main lobes, thereby covering various application scenarios with a single device
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic adjustability of the reflector leg angle allows a single antenna to adapt its radiation pattern in real-time or between uses, providing the functionality of multiple fixed antennas through one reconfigurable system
3Ease of manufacture
If the rod spacing is fixed to maintain structural simplicity, then the manufacturing and assembly are easier, but the ability to optimize antenna performance for different angles is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The rod spacing is made adjustable through supports that can be moved along the reflector legs. This allows the rod spacing to be dynamically optimized for different reflector leg angles, improving antenna performance without requiring completely different structures for each angle
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
Reflector for an antenna (1), in particular a dipole antenna, comprising several rods (7) which are arranged linearly next to each other and spaced apart from each other to form two reflector legs (5) at an angle (α) to each other, wherein the angle (α) of the reflector legs (5) is variable.