Antenna apparatus and waveguide rotary coupler

• US 6,556,165 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2001
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamauchi, Hidetaka, Shirokawa, Ichiro, Konishi, Yoshihiko, Iida, Akio, Fukushima, Tomoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US09/985,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20020130808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 342/73-81, 342/175, 343/720, 343/757, 343/758-766, 343/850-865, 336/83, 336/117, 336/119, 336/120, 310/40.R, 310/66, 310/90, 310/90.5, 318/480.V
• US Class Current: 342/75
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/067 the energy being transmitted in only one line located on the axis of rotation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/04 for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/08 for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation

Abstract

An AC power source applies power to a primary coil that is provided in a fixed part. An AC current flowing through the primary coil induces electromotive force in a secondary coil that is provided in a movable part. The AC electromotive force induced in the secondary coil is converted by an AC/DC converter into DC power, which is input to a drive control section.

Claims

1. An antenna apparatus which performs microwave communication in such a manner that a radio signal generated by a transceiver that is provided in a fixed part is supplied to an antenna that is provided in a movable part and the antenna is drive-controlled, comprising:

a drive control section provided in the movable part, for drive-controlling a motor for rotating the antenna;

a wave guide rotary coupling device for transmitting a radio signal from the transceiver to the antenna;

a primary coil provided in the fixed part; and

a secondary coil provided in the movable part, for supplying the drive control section with electromotive force that is inducted in itself by a current flowing through the primary coil.

2. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the primary coil is provided on a member, in the fixed part, of the waveguide rotary coupling device;

and

the secondary coil is provided on a member, in the movable part, of the waveguide rotary coupling device.

3. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the primary coil is provided on a member in the fixed part so as to be located outside a side surface of the waveguide rotary coupling device with a rotary axis of the waveguide rotary coupling device as a center;

and

the secondary coil is provided on a member in the movable part so as to be opposed to the primary coil outside a side surface of the waveguide rotary coupling device.

4. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the primary coil and the secondary coil respectively provide two sets of coil for power transmission system and signal transmission system.

5. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive control section drive-controls a motor for rotating the antenna about an elevation rotation axis, and wherein a motor for rotating the movable part about an azimuth rotation axis of the antenna is provided in the fixed part.

6. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a signal obtained by superimposing a drive instruction signal on an AC power-supply current is input from a power system in the fixed part to the primary coil, and in the movable part the AC power-supply current and the drive instruction signal are separated from electromotive force induced in the secondary coil.

7. The antenna apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

an infrared transmitting section is provided in the fixed part, for sending a drive instruction signal in the form of infrared light;

and

an infrared receiving section is provided in the movable part, for receiving the drive instruction signal sent from the infrared transmitting section and for outputting the received drive instruction signal to the drive control section.

8. The antenna apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the infrared transmitting section sends the infrared light toward an inside surface of a radome that covers the antenna, and the infrared receiving section receives infrared light that is reflected by the inside surface of the radome.

9. A waveguide rotary coupler comprising:

a first waveguide member having a first waveguide that is circular in cross-section;

a second waveguide member having a second waveguide having approximately the same cross-section as the first waveguide, an end face of the second waveguide member being opposed to an end face of the first waveguide member;

a rotary bearing that couples the first waveguide member and the second waveguide member in such a manner that they are rotatable about a central axis of the first and the second waveguides;

a first coil holder that is provided on the first waveguide member in a ring-like manner with the central axis of the first and second waveguides as a center and that holds a first coil; and

a second coil holder that is provided on the second waveguide member in a ring-like manner with the central axis of the first and second waveguides as a center, and that holds a second coil that is opposed to the first coil,

wherein the first and second coil holders are so shaped as to surround the first and second coils in a cross-section that is obtained by cutting the first and second coil holders by a plane including the central axis of the first and second waveguides.

10. The waveguide rotary coupler according to claim 9, wherein the first and second coil holders are formed separately from the first and second waveguide members, respectively, and then connected to the first and second waveguide members, respectively, after the first and second waveguide members are coupled to each other by the rotary bearing.

11. The waveguide rotary coupler according to claim 9, wherein the second coil is located outside the first coil and coextend with the first coil around the central axis of the first and second waveguides.

12. The waveguide rotary coupler according to claim 11, wherein the first coil holder holds two first coils and the second coil holder holds two second coils that are opposed to the respective first coils.

13. The waveguide rotary coupler according to claim 9, wherein the first and second waveguide members are made of a magnetic material.

14. The waveguide rotary coupler according to claim 9, wherein the rotary bearing is made of a ceramic material.