Electric device

• US 9,553,372 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2009
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Krapf, Reiner, Braun, Heiko, Zibold, Tobias, Wieland, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): GUDORF, LAURA A
• Application Number:
  US13/061,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20110181483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,714 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop

Abstract

A locating device includes an LCR antenna apparatus which has an antenna unit having a first polarization direction and is configured to transmit and/or receive a measurement signal having the first polarization direction. The antenna unit has at least one second polarization direction for transmitting and/or receiving the measurement signal.

Claims

1. A locating device, comprising:

a guide unit configured to move the locating device in a direction of movement relative to a surface; and

an LCR (large current radiator) antenna apparatus operably associated and moveable with said guide unit, said apparatus including a ground plane element and an antenna unit mounted thereon having a first polarization direction and configured to transmit and/or receive a measurement signal having the first polarization direction,

wherein the antenna unit has at least one different second polarization direction for transmitting and/or receiving the measurement signal, the first and second polarization directions defined in a common plane that is parallel to the ground plane element

wherein the LCR antenna apparatus has a sheath at least partially formed of an electrically conductive material and configured to surround the antenna unit in at least one polarization direction and to form a cavity surrounding the antenna unit; and

wherein the LCR antenna apparatus is arranged relative to the guide unit so that the first and second polarization directions of the antenna unit are each at an angle of approximately 45°

with respect to the direction of movement.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first polarization direction is oriented substantially orthogonal to the second polarization direction.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the LCR antenna apparatus has at least two first connecting elements, which are configured to feed in a signal of the first polarization direction, and at least two further connecting elements which are configured to feed in a signal of the second polarization direction.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein one of the connecting elements for one of the polarization directions has a signal applied thereto which has the same amplitude as, but is phase-shifted through 180°

with respect to, a signal from the other connecting element for the polarization direction in at least one operating mode.

5. The locating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the antenna unit which comprises the first polarization direction includes two lower conductor elements configured to transmit and/or receive a the measurement signal having the first polarization direction, and

a distance between the conductor elements and the ground plane element continuously increases along a direction from a respective connecting element of the conductor elements to a region of the conductor elements which faces away from the respective connecting elements.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the two lower conductor elements have a width which increases along the direction.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheath is at least partially formed by an induction coil configured to surround the antenna unit in at least one polarization direction.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheath has a shape which is oriented symmetrically to at least one plane of symmetry of the antenna unit.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the sheath has an octagonal cross section.

10. The locating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the LCR antenna apparatus has a retaining element which is configured to fix the antenna unit.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a guide unit with a direction of movement, the retaining element arranging the antenna unit at an angle of a plane of symmetry of the antenna unit of approximately 45°

with respect to the direction of movement.

12. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the retaining element is configured to accommodate a sheath of the antenna unit.

13. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the retaining element has recesses which are configured to guide connecting elements of the antenna unit.

14. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheath is at least partially formed by an induction coil configured to surround the antenna unit.