One-Piece Antenna Reflector for Shielding and Load Absorption

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current mobile radio antennas face challenges with mechanical and electrical properties, including complex assembly, inadequate shielding, and limited support for components and wind forces, leading to inefficiencies and difficulties in maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A compact mobile radio antenna design featuring a one-piece overall reflector with a U-shaped cross-section, where the radiators are positioned on the outside and the passive and active components are shielded by lateral side webs, allowing for improved support and shielding, and a radome that can be slid onto the reflector for enhanced protection and assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a multi-column antenna with separate reflectors and enveloping reflectors is used, then component accommodation and shielding are improved, but device complexity and assembly difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshielding effectivenessVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple separate reflectors and the enveloping reflector into a single integrated one-piece reflector structure. This merging eliminates the complexity of assembling multiple separate components while maintaining the shielding effectiveness that would be achieved with multiple reflectors. The one-piece structure inherently provides continuous shielding without gaps between separate reflector elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The one-piece reflector structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the primary reflector for radiation elements, provides shielding for passive components mounted on its rear side, and eliminates the need for separate enveloping reflectors. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity while maintaining shielding effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Strength

If thicker materials are used to increase load absorption capacity, then mechanical strength improves, but weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload absorption capacityVSAvoidantenna weight
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a thin-walled one-piece reflector structure that achieves high load absorption capacity through optimized geometric design rather than increased material thickness. The sleek, integrated design allows the structure to bear mechanical loads and wind forces effectively while maintaining minimal material usage, thus reducing overall weight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The one-piece reflector features curved and streamlined surfaces that enhance its mechanical strength-to-weight ratio. The curved geometry distributes mechanical stresses more effectively throughout the structure, allowing thinner materials to achieve the same load-bearing capacity as thicker straight-walled structures would require.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Reliability

If complex assembly structures with multiple components are used, then component support and shielding are improved, but ease of assembly and maintenance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent support capabilityVSAvoidassembly ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

By merging the reflector and enveloping reflector into a single one-piece structure, the patent eliminates multiple assembly steps and fastening operations. Passive components can be directly mounted on the rear side of the integrated structure, simplifying both assembly and maintenance while providing continuous support and shielding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3097604B1Antenna, in particular mobile radio antenna
Publication Date: 2019.01.16 KATHREIN SE
  • EP3097604B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3097604B1 patent drawingFigure 2a
  • EP3097604B1 patent drawingFigure 2b

AI summary

An improved antenna, in particular a mobile radio antenna, characterized inter alia by the following features: a complete reflector (16) is provided, the complete reflector (16) is formed as one piece or is formed by or connected to the at least one or more reflectors (10), or the complete reflector comprises the at least one or more reflectors (10). The complete reflector (16) comprises on the two outer longitudinal sides thereof extending in the longitudinal direction (L) a first shield wall (19) which shields the first and/or passive component space and/or distribution space (29), a second shield wall (27) connects directly or indirectly to the first shield wall (19), and the two second shield walls (27) extending on the longitudinal sides of the complete reflector (16) protrude in the backwards direction (H) of the antenna across a mounting plane (ME) or a section plane (SE) along which plane the first or passive component space and/or distribution space (29) is separated or divided from the second or active component space (41).