Bendable PCB Tongue for Tiltable Antenna
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mechanically directed and steerable antenna arrangements for radar systems are costly and complex, with high manufacturing costs for precision, large footprints, and complicated control circuitry, while electrically steerable arrays face challenges in achieving multiple pointing directions without sacrificing antenna gain or generating significant side lobes.
Innovation Solution
A printed circuit board (PCB) with a bendable material and cut-out tracks forming a tongue allows for mechanically tiltable patch antennas to be integrated directly on the PCB, eliminating the need for connectors and long transmission lines, enabling high-frequency operation with controlled bending and flexible design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If mechanically directed antenna arrangements are used to generate fixed antenna lobes, then the field of view can be covered, but the manufacturing cost increases due to strict precision requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a tiltable PCB structure that can be mechanically inclined at a predetermined angle to redirect the antenna beam. This dynamic mechanical adjustment allows a single fixed antenna to cover multiple directions by tilting the entire PCB assembly, eliminating the need for multiple precisely manufactured directional antennas and reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining field of view coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the orientation parameter of the antenna system by tilting the PCB at a specific angle relative to the housing. This parameter change allows the antenna beam to be redirected without modifying the antenna structure itself, thereby covering a larger field of view with the same manufacturing precision requirements
2Adaptability or versatility
If mechanically steerable antenna arrangements with motors are used, then the pointing direction can be adjusted, but the footprint increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex motor and control mechanism from the antenna system, retaining only the essential tilting function by mounting the antenna on a tiltable PCB. This extraction of unnecessary components significantly reduces the footprint while maintaining the ability to adjust the pointing direction through simple mechanical tilting
Solution Approach 2:
The tiltable PCB acts as a flexible mounting structure that enables direction adjustment without requiring bulky mechanical components. The thin PCB structure allows for compact integration while providing the necessary tilting capability to adjust the antenna pointing direction
3Adaptability or versatility
If electrically steerable antenna arrays are used, then the pointing direction can be controlled, but the control circuitry becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the electrical control system with a simple mechanical tilting mechanism. Instead of using complex phase shifters and amplitude controllers to steer the beam electrically, the system uses a mechanically tilted PCB to physically redirect the antenna beam, thereby achieving direction control without complicated circuitry
4Adaptability or versatility
If patch antenna arrays with amplitude and phase tapering are used, then beams in different pointing directions can be generated, but the antenna gain is sacrificed and side lobes increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a dynamically tiltable PCB structure that redirects the entire antenna beam physically rather than using static phase and amplitude tapering. This mechanical redirection maintains the original antenna gain characteristics and low side lobe levels while enabling multiple pointing directions through different tilting angles
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 provides a cost-effective, compact, and high-gain mechanically tiltable antenna arrangement that can cover a large field of view without sacrificing performance, simplifying manufacturing and integration while maintaining low side lobes and ensuring signal integrity.
Implementation Method 1
The PCB is formed at least partly in a bendable material allowing the tongue to be bent around a bending axis to a pre-determined angle a
Data Source
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AI summary
A printed circuit board (PCB) for a mechanically tiltable antenna arrangement. The PCB comprises a cut-out track defining a tongue for holding the antenna arrangement on a front side of the PCB. The PCB is formed in a bendable material allowing the tongue to be bent around a bending axis to a pre-determined angle, thereby mechanically tilting the antenna arrangement in the pre-determined angle.