Reflector, in particular for a mobile radio antenna

• US 20040201542A1
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Kathrein-Werke KG. (Kathrein SE)
• Inventors: Berger, Stefan, Gottl, Maximilian
• Granted Patent: US 7,023,398 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/912
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/12 Supports; Mounting means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/141 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 15/165 composed of a plurality of rigid panels collapsible H01Q15/161
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0025 Modular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001

Abstract

An improved reflector for an antenna, in particular for a mobile radio antenna, is distinguished by the following features:

the reflector (1) comprises at least two reflector modules (3) which are or can be assembled,

the reflector module (3) is produced using a casting method, deep-drawing, thermoforming or stamping method, or using a milling method with the two integrally connected longitudinal face boundaries (5) and at least one end transverse-face boundary (7), preferably two transverse-face boundaries (7) whose ends are located offset with respect to one another, and preferably at least one transverse strut (9) which runs transversely with respect to the longitudinal face boundaries (5), and

a holding and/or attachment device (27) is provided on the at least one end transverse-face boundary (7) for attachment to a second reflector module (3), and can be used to fix the at least two reflector parts (3) firmly to one another.

Claims

1. Reflector for an antenna, in particular for a mobile radio antenna, having two longitudinal face boundaries which are provided on the longitudinal faces of the reflector, characterized by the following features:

the reflector comprises at least two reflector modules which are or can be assembled,

the reflector module is produced using a casting method, deep-drawing, thermoforming or stamping method, or using a milling method with the two integrally connected longitudinal face boundaries and at least one end transverse-face boundary, preferably two transverse-face boundaries whose ends are located offset with respect to one another, and preferably at least one transverse strut which runs transversely with respect to the longitudinal face boundaries, and

a holding and/or attachment device is provided on the at least one end transverse-face boundary for attachment to a second reflector module, and can be used to fix the at least two reflector parts firmly to one another.

2. Reflector according to claim 1, characterized in that the reflector module comprises a die-cast part, in particular a metal cast part, preferably an aluminum cast part and/or a metal part produced using the tixo casting method.

3. Reflector according to claim 1, characterized in that the reflector module comprises a die-cast or injection-molded part, preferably a plastic injection-molded part with a metalized surface.

4. Reflector according to claims 1, characterized in that the reflector has at least two identical reflector modules.

5. Reflector according to claims 1, characterized in that the reflector has at least two different reflector modules.

6. Reflector according to claims 1, characterized in that at least one reflector module can be joined to an adjacent reflector module, or are fixed to one another there, on its first end-face transverse face boundary or on its opposite second end-face transverse face boundary.

7. Reflector according to claims 1, characterized in that the at least two reflector modules of a reflector are designed on their end transverse face boundaries such that they can be fixed to one another or are mounted on one another in only one fitting direction.

8. Reflector according to claims 1, characterized in that the at least two reflector modules are conductively electrically connected to one another, preferably on their two end-face transverse face boundaries on which they are mounted on one another.

9. Reflector according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least two reflector modules of a reflector are fixed to one another such that the two end-face transverse face boundaries which are adjacent to one another of two reflector modules which are arranged such that they are adjacent are electrically conductively connected to one another.

10. Reflector according to claim 9, characterized in that an insulating intermediate layer or device, preferably a plastic layer and/or a dielectric, is inserted between the two end-face transverse face boundaries on which two adjacent reflector modules are fixed to one another.

11. Reflector according to claims 1, characterized in that at least two reflector modules of a reflector have a damping material or a damping layer between their two end-face transverse face boundaries.

12. Reflector according to claims 1, characterized in that the at least two reflector modules of a reflector have attachment points and/or attachments in the area of their end-face transverse face boundaries in order to produce mutual fixing and stabilization, which are provided or formed on different planes parallel to the reflector plane.

13. Reflector according to claims 1, characterized in that an attachment which is offset outwards towards a longitudinal face boundary from a central longitudinal plane which runs through the reflector module projects in the fitting direction on at least one end-face transverse face boundary, and in that an attachment which points inwards is provided more closely on the other side of the central longitudinal plane, and hence of the opposite longitudinal face boundary, with the attachment which projects outwards and the attachment which extends inwards being arranged at two different height levels, such that, when two reflector modules are joined together, the respectively formed attachments are rotated through 180°

with respect to one another and can be connected to one another via attachment means, which run transversely with respect to the plane of the reflector, preferably in the form of screws.

14. Reflector according to claims 1, characterized in that nonconductive and/or dielectric holding attachment devices can be anchored, preferably fitted, or can be snapped etc., to the transverse struts, and functional parts which are used for beam forming and/or for decoupling can be inserted on these holding attachment devices, without making electrical contact with the reflector.

15. Reflector according to claim 14, characterized in that the functional parts are formed from metalized strips or metal strips, metalized pins or metal pins.

16. Reflector according to claims 1, characterized in that at least one holding and/or attachment device which is preferably in the form of a reinforcing section is provided in at least one transverse strut and/or at least one transverse face boundary and/or longitudinal face boundary, and a hole which preferably runs transversely with respect to the plane of the reflector module is formed by further functional parts in this holding and/or attachment device (28).

17. Reflector according to claims 1, characterized in that at least one additional integrated functional part is provided on the reflector module, preferably in the form of outer conductor contours and/or housing contours for cables for RF signals, grooved cables, coaxial cables or striplines, or contours for electromagnetic screens or housing parts for RF components such as filters, diplexers, distributors, phase shifters and the like.

18. Reflector according to claim 17, characterized in that the at least one further functional part which is provided is arranged on that face of the reflector module which faces to the rear with respect to the antenna elements.

19. Reflector according to claim 17, characterized in that the at least one functional part is provided on the front face of the reflector module, facing the antenna elements.