Integrated Phase-Shifting Feed Structure for Compact Base Station Antennas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing phase-shifting and feeding devices for base station antennas are unfavorable for miniaturization due to their large size and weight, necessitating the use of coaxial cables and joint welding, which complicates the structure and increases volume.
Innovation Solution
A phase-shifting and feeding device with a U-shaped metal cavity and integrated ground plane, eliminating one sidewall to reduce thickness and weight, and using a joint ground connection between the metal cavity and feeding network board to eliminate the need for coaxial feeders, thereby simplifying the structure and reducing volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a conventional phase-shifting and feeding device with separate phase shifter and feeding network board is used, then the device can perform signal processing functions, but the device becomes larger and heavier due to the need for coaxial cables and joint welding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the phase shifter and feeding network board into a single integrated device. The phase-shifting circuit is directly mounted on the feeding network board, eliminating the need for separate components, coaxial cables, and joint welding operations. This integration directly reduces weight and simplifies the overall structure while maintaining signal processing functionality.
2Volume of moving object
If coaxial cables and joint welding are used to connect the phase shifter and feeding network board, then the device can be assembled, but the device size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the phase-shifting circuit directly onto the feeding network board, the patent eliminates the need for coaxial cables and joint welding operations. The phase-shifting circuit is mounted in a metal cavity on the feeding network board itself, creating a compact unified structure that reduces volume while simplifying the manufacturing process by removing complex assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the coaxial cable and joint welding components from the traditional phase-shifting and feeding device structure. By eliminating these unnecessary intermediate components through integration, the device achieves a more compact design with reduced volume and simplified manufacturing.
3Reliability
If the metal cavity is designed as a complete enclosed structure, then the shielding effect is good, but the device thickness and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing shielding only in the specific regions where phase-shifting circuits are mounted within the metal cavity, rather than enclosing the entire device. The ground plane is positioned beneath the phase-shifting circuits to provide localized electromagnetic shielding, reducing the overall thickness and weight of the metal cavity while maintaining adequate shielding effectiveness for the critical components.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a phase-shifting and feeding device, comprising a metal cavity, a phase-shifting circuit, and a feeding network board. The metal cavity is a U-shaped groove structure and engages with a ground plane to form a shielding cavity, thereby having the effect of the cavity in a conventional phase shifter. Since the ground plane serves as a sidewall of the shielding cavity, one sidewall is omitted from the metal cavity relative to the cavity of a conventional phase shifter, thereby significantly reducing the thickness and weight of the metal cavity while ensuring the functions of the phase-shifting and feeding device. In addition, the metal cavity and the feeding network board are arranged to be jointly grounded, while a signal terminal is electrically connected to a feeding circuit. Therefore, the feeding circuit may feed the phase-shifting circuit without using a co-axial feeder. Therefore, the described phase-shifting and feeding device has a reduced volume and a simplified structure, thereby facilitating the miniaturization of a base station antenna. In addition, further provided by the present invention is a base station antenna.