MODULAR TYPE CELLULAR ANTENNA ASSEMBLY

• US 20120280882A1
• Filed: 08/30/2010
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zimmerman, Martin, Vanderhoof, Troy, Bisiules, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,590,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/836
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/24 with receiving set
• 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 21/00 Antenna arrays or systems arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0025 Modular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• 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 9/04 Resonant antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0478 with means for suppressing spurious modes, e.g. cross polarisation

Abstract

A individually formed radiating unit, an antenna array, and an antenna assembly are provided. The individually formed radiating unit includes a reflector, at least one radiating element integrated into a first side of the reflector, and a housing disposed on a second side of the reflector. The housing forms a chamber for housing a feed network.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. An antenna array comprising:

a reflector;

a plurality of radiating elements integrated into a first side of the reflector; and

a housing disposed on a second side of the reflector, wherein the housing forms a double ground plane chamber; and

a feed network disposed within the housing, the feed network being coupled to the plurality of radiating elements.

14. The antenna array of claim 12 further comprising at least first and second dielectric sheets locating on opposing sides of the feed network.

15. The antenna array of claim 14 wherein at least one of the first or second dielectric sheets include at least one sub-sheet formed from a first dielectric material, and at least one sub-sheet formed from a second dielectric material, wherein the sub-sheet formed from the first dielectric material slides relative to the sub-sheet formed from the second dielectric material.

16. The antenna array of claim 12 wherein the feed network further comprises at least one phase shift device.

17. The antenna array of claim 16 wherein the phase shift device includes a plurality of individual phase shift devices.

18. The antenna array of claim 17 wherein each of the plurality of individual phase shift devices is linked together.

24. The antenna array of claim 12, wherein the reflector and housing are composed of a plurality of individual reflector units assembled together end to end.

13. (canceled)

19-20. -20. (canceled)

21-23. -23. (canceled)

25. An antenna array, comprising:

a reflector, comprising a first ground plane and a second ground plane, the first and second ground planes defining an enclosure running in a longitudinal dimension of the antenna array;

an array of radiating elements mounted to the first ground plane and external to the enclosure; and

a feed network disposed inside the enclosure and coupled to the array of radiating element, the feed network between the first ground plane and the second ground plane.

26. The antenna array of claim 25, wherein the feed network further comprises a plurality of phase shifters.