Base Station Antenna Stripline Grounding Without Soldering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional base station antennas face challenges in efficiently grounding components without soldering, which can affect passive intermodulation (PIM) performance and increase manufacturing complexity.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a reflector with parallel ground plates and a conductor strip forming a stripline transmission line, allowing the reflector to be grounded via the ground plates without soldering, and uses a dielectric layer for electrical coupling to ensure effective grounding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If soldering is used to ground the reflector, then grounding reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity and PIM performance worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The reflector and ground plates are merged into a single integral structure, eliminating the need for separate soldering operations. The ground plates are directly formed as part of the reflector body, providing reliable grounding while simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing PIM performance issues associated with solder joints.
Solution Approach 2:
The ground plates serve as an intermediary element between the reflector and the feeding system, providing a dedicated grounding path that eliminates the need for soldering while maintaining electrical continuity and improving PIM performance through a clean, solder-free interface.
2Reliability
If soldering is used to ground the reflector, then electrical connection is improved, but PIM performance worsens
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the ground plates into the reflector structure, the invention eliminates solder joints that generate PIM products. The integral construction provides robust electrical connection while avoiding the harmful intermodulation effects caused by soldering interfaces.
3Strength
If soldering is used for grounding, then connection strength is improved, but manufacturing simplicity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The ground plates are combined with the reflector in an integral structure, providing strong mechanical and electrical connection without requiring soldering operations. This merging approach maintains connection strength while dramatically simplifying manufacturing by eliminating complex soldering steps.
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
This solution improves PIM performance and simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating the need for soldering, enhancing the reliability and efficiency of base station antenna components.
Implementation Method 1
first and second ground plates extending backward from the reflector basically perpendicular to the reflector and parallel to each other; and a first conductor strip extending on a plane between the first and second ground plates and configured to feed power to the first radiator, wherein the first conductor strip and the first and second ground plates are configured as a first stripline transmission line
Implementation Method 2
uses a dielectric layer for electrical coupling to ensure effective grounding
Data Source
AI summary
Base station antennas, and components for base station antennas, such as reflectors, feeder components, frames, and column components. A base station antenna may include a reflector; a first radiator located at the front side of the reflector; mutually parallel first and second ground plates extending backward from the reflector and basically perpendicular to the reflector; and a first conductor strip extending between the first and second ground plates and configured to feed power to the first radiator. The first conductor strip and the first and second ground plates may be configured as a first stripline transmission line. The reflector and the first and second ground plates may be configured as one piece so that the reflector is grounded via the first and second ground plates without soldering.