Nested Drive Transmission Shafts for Weather Radar Antenna Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antenna systems lack a detailed configuration for transmitting driving force for adjustable elevation-depression and circumferential angles, with prior art being silent on the method of drive parts and drive transmission shafts, and previous solutions do not effectively stabilize the antenna's attitude during changes in orientation.
Innovation Solution
The antenna system incorporates elevation-depression-direction and circumferential-direction drive transmission shafts, with expandable and contractible features, and drive parts disposed below a support part to stabilize the antenna unit, allowing independent adjustment of elevation-depression and circumferential angles, and includes an azimuth-direction drive part to achieve three-axis rotation stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If drive parts are disposed below the support part to stabilize the antenna, then the center of gravity is lowered and attitude stability is improved, but the structural complexity increases due to the need for expandable and contractible transmission shafts
Solution Approach 1:
The elevation-depression-direction drive transmission shaft is configured to be nested within the circumferential-direction drive transmission shaft. The expandable and contractible shaft allows the elevation-depression drive mechanism to be housed inside the circumferential-direction shaft, reducing overall structural complexity while maintaining the stability benefit of having drive parts below the support part
Solution Approach 2:
The elevation-depression-direction drive transmission shaft is designed to be expandable and contractible, allowing it to dynamically change its length. This dynamic feature enables the shaft to extend when drive parts are positioned below the support part for stability, and contract when space constraints require a more compact configuration
2Adaptability or versatility
If two separate drive transmission shafts are used for elevation-depression and circumferential directions, then independent angle adjustment is achieved, but the number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elevation-depression-direction drive transmission shaft and circumferential-direction drive transmission shaft are merged into a nested configuration where one shaft is positioned inside the other. This combining approach maintains the independent adjustment capability of both directions while reducing the overall number of external components and simplifying the structural arrangement
Solution Approach 2:
The nested transmission shaft configuration serves multiple functions: the outer shaft provides circumferential rotation capability while the inner shaft provides elevation-depression adjustment. This multi-functional design allows a single integrated structure to perform what would otherwise require separate independent mechanisms
3Volume of moving object
If drive transmission shafts are made expandable and contractible to accommodate positioning below support part, then space utilization is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable and contractible elevation-depression-direction drive transmission shaft is divided into multiple segmented sections that can telescop relative to each other. This segmentation allows the shaft to change volume adaptively while using standard manufacturing techniques for each segment, reducing overall manufacturing complexity compared to creating a single complex variable-volume component
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a detailed configuration regarding a method of transmitting a driving force etc., of an antenna adjustable of an elevation-depression angle and an antenna circumferential angle. A weather radar antenna 1 may include an antenna unit 5, a column 40, an elevation-depression-direction drive transmission shaft 41, and a circumferential-direction drive transmission shaft 46. The antenna unit 5 may receive at least an electromagnetic wave. The column 40 may support the antenna unit 5. The elevation-depression-direction drive transmission shaft 41 may transmit a driving force of an elevation-depression-direction drive motor to the antenna. The circumferential-direction drive transmission shaft 46 may transmit a driving force of a circumferential-direction drive motor 23 to the antenna unit 5.