Multi-band Antenna Drive Device with Elastic Shifter Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing multi-frequency antennas face issues with gear and rack positioning requirements, leading to potential jamming during adjustment, which affects timeliness and accuracy.

Innovation Solution

A multi-frequency antenna transmission system with a drive gear, parallel gear shafts, screw assemblies including lead screws, connection members, stoppers, and elastic members, where the shifter compresses the elastic members to connect the connection members to the lead screws, allowing for smoother adjustment and avoiding jamming.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a common drive gear is used to drive multiple racks side by side, then the structure is simplified and space is saved, but the position requirements become strict and jamming occurs during movement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure complexityVSAvoidadjustment reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the common drive gear into multiple independent drive gears, each responsible for driving one rack. This segmentation eliminates the jamming problem of the common gear while maintaining structural compactness. Each drive gear can operate independently, ensuring reliable adjustment without strict position requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces elastic members that enable dynamic connection between the drive gears and racks. The elastic members allow the connection to be established or disconnected based on operational needs, providing flexibility and preventing jamming while maintaining reliability during adjustment operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Area of stationary object

If multiple racks are arranged side by side on a plane, then more frequency bands are accommodated in limited space, but the gear and rack positioning requirements become strict

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantenna footprint areaVSAvoidpositioning precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the drive mechanism into independent drive gears for each rack, the system maintains compact planar arrangement of multiple racks while eliminating strict positioning requirements. Each rack-drive gear pair operates independently, reducing manufacturing precision demands.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic members act as intermediaries between the drive gears and racks, providing tolerance for position variations. This intermediary mechanism allows racks to be arranged compactly on a plane without requiring precise positioning, as the elastic members compensate for dimensional variations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the common gear moves to different rack positions, then adjustment of different racks is achieved, but jamming occurs affecting timeliness and accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadjustment flexibilityVSAvoidadjustment speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the single moving common gear into multiple stationary drive gears, each permanently positioned to drive one rack. This eliminates the movement and jamming issues while maintaining the ability to adjust any rack independently, improving both reliability and adjustment speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic members provide dynamic connection capability, allowing the drive system to engage or disengage from racks as needed. This dynamic mechanism ensures timely and accurate adjustment without jamming, as the elastic connection can accommodate movement variations and prevent binding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system enables precise and efficient adjustment of multiple screw assemblies with a single driving force, reducing the risk of jamming and allowing for a thinner, more compact antenna structure for easier installation.

Implementation Method 1

a first elastic member disposed between the connection member and the stopper; and a shifter, configured to push one stopper of the stoppers, wherein the multi-frequency antenna transmission is configured such that, when said one of the stopper is pushed by said shifter, the corresponding first elastic member is compressed and disposed between said stopper and the corresponding connection member

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3723200B1Multi-band antenna drive device
Publication Date: 2023.05.10 SHENZHEN ZHAOWEI MACHINERY&ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3723200B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3723200B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3723200B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The multi-frequency antenna transmission, including a drive gear (10), a gear train (20) with parallel gear shafts, screw assemblies (30) and a shifter (40). The transmission gears (21) are connected to the stoppers (33(of the screw assemblies (30) one by one, the drive gear (10) drives the various transmission gears (21) to rotate, and all the stoppers (33) rotate. The shifter (40) pushes the stopper (33) of one of the screw assemblies (30), such that the first elastic member (34) disposed between the connection member (32) and the stopper (33) is compressed, and the connection member (32) is connected to corresponding lead screw (31), thus the power of the stopper (33) is transmitted to corresponding lead screw (31) through the compressed first elastic member (34) and the connection member (32), and drives the lead screw (31) to rotate. The screw assemblies (30) may be arranged on a plane, and the thickness of its structure is thin, which makes the antenna space more flat, and is more convenient for installation. The shifter (40) determines which screw assembly (30) needs to be adjusted, and that one driving force completes the adjustment of a plurality of screw assemblies (30) is achieved, i.e., one drives more. The connection among the first elastic member (34) after compression, the connection member (32) and the lead screw (31) transmits the rotation, so that the adjusting action is smoother and the jamming phenomenon is avoided.