Antenna having at least one dipole or an antenna element arrangement similar to a dipole

• US 20050134517A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Co. KG), Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Kathrein-Werke KG. (Kathrein SE)
• Inventors: Gottl, Maximilian
• Granted Patent: US 7,132,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/797
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/108 Combination of a dipole with a plane reflecting surface H01Q19/106 takes precedence; strip line H01Q9/065
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/26 Turnstile or like antennas comprising arrangements of three or more elongated elements disposed radially and symmetrically in a horizontal plane about a common centre
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence

Abstract

An improved antenna is distinguished inter alia by the following features:

• • a coupling element (21) which is in the form of a rod, is electrically conductive and extends transversely with respect to the reflector plane is provided on the front face (3b) of the reflector (3),
  • the mount device (15) has an axial hole (15a) in the interior,
  • the axial hole (15a) in the mount device (15) can be placed on the coupling element (21) which is in the form of a rod, such that the mount device (15) and the coupling element (21) which is the form of a rod are capacitively coupled, while avoiding any electrically conductive contact.

Claims

1. An antenna having a reflector and at least one dipole antenna element arrangement, the antenna comprising:

an electrically conductive mount device, at least indirectly mechanically connected to and/or mounted on the reflector, the mount device being capacitively connected to the reflector and/or being electrically conductively connected to the reflector without touching it,

a coupling element in the form of a rod, said coupling element being electrically conductive and extending transversely with respect to the reflector plane on the front face of the reflector,

the mount device having an axial hole in the interior thereof, the axial hole in the mount device being positionable on the coupling element which is in the form of a rod, such that the mount device and the coupling element are capacitively coupled, while avoiding any electrically conductive contact.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the coupling element which is the form of a rod is cylindrical.

3. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the coupling element which is the form of a rod has a recess which runs axially in the interior.

4. The antenna according to claim 3, wherein the coupling element which is the form of a rod is hollow-cylindrical.

5. The antenna according to one of claim 1, wherein a hole is incorporated in the reflector such that it is axially aligned with the coupling element which is the form of a rod, through which hole part of the length of the coupling element which is in the form of a rod passes through the reflector.

6. The antenna according to claim 5, wherein a radially projecting projection or a circumferential step is formed on the coupling element, so that part of the length of the coupling element which is in the form of a rod can be inserted through the hole in the reflector until it reaches a stop or a step on the reflector.

7. The antenna according to claim 6, wherein the coupling element can be inserted into the hole from the rearward face of the reflector or from the front face of the reflector, so that the radially projecting stop or step comes to rest on the rear face or on the front face, respectively, of the reflector.

8. The antenna according to one of claim 1, wherein the capacitive outer conductor coupling is in the form of air as the dielectric.

9. The antenna according to claim 8, wherein the antenna element arrangement and the associated mount device are fixed by means of an isolator placed on the reflector, above which that area or section which can be placed on the isolator and faces the reflector, the end face of the mount device is positionable in front of the reflector such that it engages over the coupling element which is in the form of a rod, in a relative position in which no contact is made.

10. The antenna according to one of claim 1, wherein an isolator, which is provided with an axial recess and onto which the associated axial hole in the mount device is pushed, is placed onto the coupling element which is in the form of a rod.

11. The antenna according to one of claim 1, wherein on the side facing the reflector, the isolator has an edge or flange which projects at least partially radially and on which the mount device rests.

12. The antenna according to one of claim 1, wherein the length of the hollow isolator is greater than the insertion depth with which the mount device of an antenna element arrangement can be placed on the coupling element, such that the stop which faces away from the reflector on the coupling element abuts against a stop, which faces the reflector, on the antenna element arrangement or the associated mount device, such that the mount device comes to rest at at least a short distance in front of the plane of the reflector in the mounted state.

13. The antenna according to one of claim 1, wherein a cap or a cap centering device is mounted on the reflector and accommodates, and holds, the mount device of an antenna element arrangement such that it is centered, without any electrical connection to the reflector.

14. The antenna according to one of claim 1, wherein an outer conductor connection is made such that the outer conductor of a coaxial cable is electrically conductively connected to the lower end of the coupling element which is provided with an axial recess.

15. The antenna according to claim 14, wherein the outer conductor of a coaxial cable is electrically conductively connected on the rear face of the reflector to that section of the coupling element which projects as far as the rear face of the reflector.

16. The antenna according to one of claim 1, wherein an inner conductor of a coaxial cable is electrically conductively connected to the lower end of the coupling element, via an inner conductor section which passes through the coupling element which is provided with an axial recess.

17. The antenna according to one of claim 1, wherein an outer conductor of a coaxial cable is electrically conductively connected, to the upper end of the coupling element which is provided with an axial recess.

18. The antenna according to one of claim 1, wherein an inner conductor of a coaxial cable is electrically conductively connected, to the upper end of the coupling element by means of an electrical line connection, via which an electrical connection can be produced to the respective opposite dipole half.

19. The antenna according to one of claim 14, wherein the inner conductor is electrically conductively connected to the respective opposite dipole half.

20. The antenna according to one of claim 14, wherein the inner conductor of a coaxial cable is at least indirectly capacitively connected to the opposite dipole half.

21. The antenna according to one of claim 1, wherein the coupling element is pot-shaped, and the mount device accommodates an antenna element arrangement in the interior.

22. The antenna according to claim 21, wherein the isolator is pot-shaped and is arranged in the interior of the pot-shaped coupling element, with the mount device of the antenna element arrangement being inserted in the interior of the pot-shaped isolator.

23. The antenna according to claim 22, wherein the reflector has an opening in which an insert, which passes at least partially through the opening, on the isolator projects.

24. The antenna according to claim 22, wherein the mount device is provided with a tubular attachment, which passes through a corresponding opening in the reflector and an isolating attachment, which is provided in the opening in the reflector, on the isolator.

25. The antenna according to one of claim 21, wherein an isolating fixing insert which rests on the reflector, in the base area, is provided in the pot-shaped coupling element, via which the mount device of an antenna element arrangement is held without touching the pot-shaped coupling element.

26. The antenna according to one of claim 21, wherein the pot-shaped coupling element is provided on its inner face, and/or the mount device of the antenna element arrangement is provided on its outer circumference, with a non-conductive and/or isolating surface layer, which prevents any electrically conductive contact between the coupling element and the mount device.

27. The antenna device according to one of claim 1, wherein the antenna element arrangement has a dipole antenna element, and in that only one coupling element is provided.

28. The antenna according to one of claim 1, wherein the antenna element arrangement comprises an antenna element arrangement which is cruciform at least from the electrical point of view, so that at least two coupling elements are provided, and are positioned in corresponding recesses in the mount device.

29. The antenna according to one of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the antenna element arrangement and the mount device is symmetrical, and a symmetrical configuration is provided for two dipole halves in each case, such that each of the two dipole halves is associated with a respective axial hole in the mount device, with the coupling element being arranged in one axial hole, and a further coupling element which is provided for inner conductor coupling being positioned in the respective other axial hole which is parallel to it.

30. An antenna comprising:

a reflector defining a plane;

an electrically-conductive rod-shaped coupling element extending transversely to the plane of the reflector; and

a mounting element having an axial hole in the interior thereof, the axel hole being disposed to surround said rod-shaped coupling element so as to capacitively couple said mounting element to said coupling element while providing electrical contact isolation therebetween.