Rotary Joint Antenna Device with Vertical Rotation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antenna devices face challenges with large size, complex waveguide arrangements, and propagation losses due to the placement of servomotors and waveguides, which complicate rotation and increase the overall size of the device, especially when trying to maintain efficient operation in small spaces.
Innovation Solution
The antenna device features a vertically and horizontally rotatable configuration with waveguides passing through a rotary joint and a vertically rotating part, intersecting rotational axes to simplify waveguide layout, supported by pillars and counterweights, and motors positioned below the pedestal to reduce size and improve stability, allowing independent vertical and horizontal rotation control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the elevation servomotor is disposed in the vicinity of the antenna, then the antenna can be vertically rotated, but the size of the antenna becomes large and electric wires need to be arranged around the antenna
Solution Approach 1:
The elevation servomotor is extracted from the vicinity of the antenna and relocated to the base. This removes the bulky motor component from the antenna structure, reducing the antenna's volume while maintaining the vertical rotation capability through the transmission of rotational force via the rotary joint and waveguide support.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotary joint and waveguide support act as intermediaries to transmit rotational force from the base to the antenna. This mediator mechanism enables the antenna to rotate vertically without requiring the servomotor to be physically attached to or near the antenna, thus reducing antenna size while preserving operational capability.
2Ease of operation
If the rotational shaft for vertical rotation passes through the inside of the antenna, then the antenna can be vertically rotated, but the operation area of the antenna is suppressed
Solution Approach 1:
The rotational shaft is extracted from the antenna interior and relocated to the base. The antenna's operation area is preserved by removing the intrusive shaft from its path, while the vertical rotation capability is maintained through the intermediary transmission mechanism consisting of the rotary joint and waveguide support.
3Reliability
If waveguides are arranged to reach the central part of the antenna via rotary joints at the edge part, then the antenna can transmit radio waves, but the waveguide arrangement becomes complex and propagation loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The waveguide support serves multiple functions: it supports the rotary joint, provides a path for the waveguide, and transmits rotational force. This multi-functionality simplifies the overall structure by consolidating multiple components into one, reducing waveguide arrangement complexity while maintaining radio wave transmission capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of bringing the rotary joint to the edge of the antenna and having waveguides reach inward, the waveguide support is positioned to allow the waveguide to extend outward from the central part to the rotary joint. This inverted arrangement simplifies the waveguide path and reduces propagation loss.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An antenna device vertically rotatable and horizontally rotatable is provided, which has a configuration in which waveguides are effectively disposed. An antenna device 1 includes an antenna part 10, a vertically rotating part 35, and a rotary joint 34. The antenna part 10 is vertically rotatable and horizontally rotatable, and outwardly radiates a radio wave. The vertically rotating part 35 is disposed such that a longitudinal direction thereof is along an axial line of the vertical rotation and intersects perpendicularly with an axial line of the horizontal rotation. The rotary joint 34 is coupled to the vertically rotating part 35. Moreover, the antenna device 1 includes a waveguide path passing through the inside of the rotary joint 34 and the inside of the vertically rotating part 35 and connected with the antenna part 10.