Radio-frequency connection and a radio-frequency distribution network

• US 20040178860A1
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kathrein-Werke KG. (Kathrein SE)
• Original Assignee: Kathrein-Werke KG. (Kathrein SE)
• Inventors: Berger, Stefan, Gabriel, Roland, Rumold, Jurgen
• Granted Patent: US 6,917,253 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 333/24C
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/047 Strip line joints
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/16 Conjugate devices, i.e. devices having at least one port decoupled from one other port

Abstract

An improved radio-frequency or network connection is distinguished by the following additional features:

the basic module (9) has two or more basic signal coupling surfaces (25), and the network module (11) has two or more network signal coupling surfaces (125),

the basic module (9) has a basic earth coupling surface (27),

the network module (11) has a network earth coupling surface (127), and

in the operating state, the basic earth coupling surface (27) is coupled in a floating manner to the network earth coupling surface (127), and is aligned parallel.

Claims

1. Radio-frequency or network connection having the following features:

a basic module (9) is provided,

a network module (11) is provided,

the network module (11) has at least one network signal coupling surface (125),

the basic module (9) has at least one basic signal coupling surface (25),

the network module (11) can be positioned in or on the basic module (9) such that a capacitive and floating RF signal connection can be produced via the at least one network signal coupling surface (125) and the basic signal coupling surface (25) which can be positioned parallel to it, characterized by the following further features;

the basic module (9) has two or more basic signal coupling surfaces (25), and the network module (11) has two or more network signal coupling surfaces (125),

the basic module (9) has a basic earth coupling surface (27),

the network module (11) has a network earth coupling surface (127), and

in the operating state, the basic earth coupling surface (27) is coupled in a floating manner to the network earth coupling surface (127), and is aligned parallel.

2. RF or network connection according to claim 1, characterized in that the basic signal coupling surfaces (25) are formed on the top face of an associated base (21) on the basic module (9), and in that the network module (11) has a board (35) with a substrate (35′

), with the network signal coupling surfaces (125), which are formed or seated on the board (35) parallel and adjacent to the basic signal coupling surfaces (25), being provided on the side of the board (35) facing away from the basic signal coupling surfaces (25).

3. RF or network connection according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the network earth coupling surface (127) on the board (35) or on the substrate (35′

) is provided on the side opposite the network signal coupling surfaces (125).

4. RF or network connection according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, in the case of a network module (11) which is fitted in or on the basic module (9), the network earth coupling surface (127) rests in a directly adjacent manner on the base earth coupling surface (27), to be precise with the interposition of insulation or an, insulating film (43).

5. RF or network connection according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the basic signal coupling surfaces (25) are arranged in a window or in a recess (23) in an electrically conductive base (21), with the windows or recesses (23) being designed to be at least slightly larger than the basic signal coupling surfaces (25) which are located in them, and which is [sic] thus isolated from the basic earth coupling surface (27) by means of a circumferential isolating gap (26).

6. RF or network connection according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the basic signal coupling surfaces (25) are each electrically connected to an inner conductor (31a) of a coaxial conductor (31), preferably via a soldered joint (31c).

7. RF or network connection according to claim 6, characterized in that the basic signal coupling surfaces (25) have a connecting section (25′

), which is routed on a lower level and extends at least to the height of an inner conductor (31a), which projects axially from a coaxial conductor (31), forming a soldered joint.

8. RF or network connection according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the network coupling surface (127) is designed to be smaller than the basic earth coupling surface (27) which interacts with it, with the boundary edge (129′

) of the network earth coupling surface (127) running offset with respect to the network signal coupling surfaces (125).

9. RF or network connection according to claim 8, characterized in that the network signal coupling surfaces (125) are connected via a stripline (37) to the network (39) which is provided on the board (35) or on the substrate (35′

).

10. RF or network connection according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, in a plan view, the basic structure of the basic signal coupling surface (25) and of the network signal coupling surface (125) is such that the basic signal coupling surface (25) is longer and broader than the network signal coupling surface (125) and, in a plan view, the network signal coupling surface (125) is located in an overlapping and embracing position.

11. RF or network connection according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that at least the network signal coupling surfaces (125) are provided with small tabs or extension sections (125) which project further at the sides, thus making it possible to achieve fine tuning of the coupling effect or matching.

12. RF or network connection according to claim 11, characterized in that the small tabs or extension sections (125′

) project sufficiently far at the sides from the network signal coupling surfaces (125) that a coupling effect to the basic earth coupling surface (27) can be produced via them.

13. RF or network connection according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the base (21) of the basic module (9) rests on a support or on a spacer (59) which is preferably provided at least in the area of the basic signal coupling surfaces (25).

14. RF or network connection according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that, in cross section, the base (21) is at least approximately U-shaped, forming flanges (21′

) which protrude at the sides and forming connecting limbs (21″

), with the connecting limbs (21″

) which are provided at the side of the flanges (21′

) which protrude at the sides and are provided at the side of the base section of the base (21) being provided with holes, which [sic] are electrically conductively connected to the outer conductors (31b) of the coaxial conductors (31) which are to be connected, and the inner conductors (31a) which are passed through the hole in an insulated manner are electrically connected to a respectively associated connecting section (25′

) of a network signal coupling surface (125).

15. RF or network connection according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the height of the flange sections which protrude at the sides, of the limb sections which run transversely with respect to them and of the actual base (21) corresponds to the material thickness of the basic signal coupling surface (25) or of the basic earth coupling surface (27), and of a support which is located underneath the basic signal coupling surface (25) or, respectively, a spacer (59) which is located underneath the basic earth coupling surface (27).

16. RF or network connection according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the material of the basic signal coupling surfaces (25) is thinner than the material of the basic earth coupling surface (27).

17. RF or network connection according to one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that a positioning device is provided in the form of recesses and projections (61, 63) which engage in one another, via which the support or the supporting holder (59) can be positioned in an exact relative position with respect to the basic signal coupling surface (25) or the basic earth coupling surface (27), respectively.

18. RF or network connection according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the basic module (9) not only has a lower insulating cover (49) but also has a housing cover (50) which projects at a distance above it and is preferably provided with two opposite flange sections (50′

), in which case the edge of the cover (49) and the area of the flange sections (50′

) of the housing cover (50) can be connected to one another, preferably holding a flange section (21′

), which is located between them, of the base (21).

19. RF or network connection according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the network module (1) has a surrounding housing or a surrounding housing cover (53) which is preferably seated on the edge of the board (35), and/or is connected to it, forming an internal area.

20. RF or network connection according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the network module (11) can be inserted into an appropriate holding area in the basic module (9), with the holding area in the basic module (9) and the cross section of the network module (11) which can be inserted into it being asymmetric, so that the network module (11) can be inserted into the basic module (9) in only one predefined relative position.