Antenna system, particularly for radar applications in motor vehicles

• US 7,696,938 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schmidt, Ewald, Voigtlander, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): MANCUSO, HUEDUNG XUAN CAO
• Application Number:
  US10/577,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20070216587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,041 Days
• Field of Search: 343711-714
• US Class Current: 343/711
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0444 Antenna structures, control or arrangements thereof, e.g. for directional antennas, diversity antenna, antenna multiplexing or antennas integrated in fenders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/032 Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3233 particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/40 Radiating elements coated with or embedded in protective material
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/405 Radome integrated radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/526 Electromagnetic shields
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/02 Waveguide horns
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/106 Microstrip slot antennas patch antenna elements H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0414 in a stacked or folded configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0457 electromagnetically coupled to the feed line

Abstract

In an antenna system, an antenna feeding substrate is connected by its conductor structures via field coupling to planar antenna radiating elements. A mounting part, able to be fixed in position against the antenna feeding substrate, is provided for the antenna radiating elements. The mounting part itself or a housing part able to be joined to it with form locking is used for the HF shielding of the antenna feeding substrate. The mounting part and/or housing part are structured in such a way that, viewed from the planar antenna radiating elements in the radiation direction, a wave guidance is achieved.

Claims

1. An antenna system for a radar application in a motor vehicle, comprising:

an antenna feeding substrate having conductor structures for field coupling to at least one planar antenna radiating element; and

a mounting part, able to be fixed in position against the antenna feeding substrate, for the at least one planar antenna radiating element, one of the mounting part and a housing part able to be joined to the at least one planar antenna radiating element with form locking being provided for an HF-shielding of the antenna feeding substrate;

wherein;

at least one of the mounting part and the housing part is structured in such a way that, viewed from the at least one planar antenna radiating element in a radiation direction, a wave guidance is achieved; and

the housing part includes bars in a direction of the antenna feeding substrate for forming HF compartments over the antenna feeding substrate.

2. The antenna system as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one planar antenna radiating element is applied on at least one side of a dielectric substrate.

3. The antenna system as recited in claim 2, wherein the housing part includes at least one cut-out for introducing one of the at least one planar antenna radiating element and the dielectric substrate.

4. The antenna system as recited in claim 2, wherein a distance between the antenna feeding substrate and one of the at least one planar antenna radiating element and the dielectric substrate is less than one fourth an operating wavelength.

5. The antenna system as recited in claim 2, wherein a distance between the antenna feeding substrate and one of the at least one planar antenna radiating element and the dielectric substrate is 0.02 to approximately 0.1 of an operating wavelength.

6. The antenna system as recited in claim 1, wherein in a region of the at least one planar antenna radiating element, a housing part includes at least one opening in a direction of the antenna feeding substrate, and a transition from a bottom/end of the at least one opening to an outside of the housing part is designed to be one of horn-shaped and funnel-shaped.

7. The antenna system as recited in claim 1, wherein the mounting part itself forms the housing part.

8. The antenna system as recited in claim 1, wherein one of the mounting part and the housing part includes an outer cover made of a dielectric material that is formed and dimensioned in such a way that the outer cover can be used as one of a radome and a superstrate.

9. The antenna system as recited in claim 8, wherein the outer cover, in a region of a cut-out, has at least one projection that engages with form locking in an opening.

10. The antenna system as recited in claim 9, wherein in the case of complementary planar antenna radiating elements, the at least one projection protrudes through the cut-out.

13. The antenna system as recited in claim 1, wherein the mounting part has snap-in locking elements for introducing and fixing the at least one planar antenna radiating element in position.

14. The antenna system as recited in claim 1, wherein M antenna radiating elements are provided, and N associated coupling slots in the antenna feeding substrate for the field coupling, M and N being natural numbers, and M being greater than N.

15. The antenna system as recited in claim 14, wherein different distances are provided between the coupling slots and/or the antenna radiating elements.

11. An antenna system for a radar application in a motor vehicle, comprising:

an antenna feeding substrate having conductor structures for field coupling to at least one planar antenna radiating element; and

a mounting part, able to be fixed in position against the antenna feeding substrate, for the at least one planar antenna radiating element, one of the mounting part and a housing part able to be joined to the at least one planar antenna radiating element with form locking being provided for an HF-shielding of the antenna feeding substrate;

wherein;

at least one of the mounting part and the housing part is structured in such a way that, viewed from the at least one planar antenna radiating element in a radiation direction, a wave guidance is achieved;

one of the mounting part and the housing part includes an outer cover made of a dielectric material that is formed and dimensioned in such a way that the outer cover can be used as one of a radome and a superstrate;

the outer cover, in a region of a cut-out, has at least one projection that engages with form locking in an opening;

in the case of complementary planar antenna radiating elements, the at least one projection protrudes through the cut-out; and

the at least one planar antenna radiating element is embedded by being injected into the mounting part.

21. The antenna system as recited in claim 11, wherein the cut-out forms a slot antenna.

12. An antenna system for a radar application in a motor vehicle, comprising:

an antenna feeding substrate having conductor structures for field coupling to at least one planar antenna radiating element; and

a mounting part, able to be fixed in position against the antenna feeding substrate, for the at least one planar antenna radiating element, one of the mounting part and a housing part able to be joined to the at least one planar antenna radiating element with form locking being provided for an HF-shielding of the antenna feeding substrate;

wherein;

at least one of the mounting part and the housing part is structured in such a way that, viewed from the at least one planar antenna radiating element in a radiation direction, a wave guidance is achieved; and

the at least one planar antenna radiating element is incorporated into a dielectric functional part that is insertable, with form locking, into an opening of one of the mounting part and the housing part.

16. An antenna system for a radar application in a motor vehicle, comprising:

an antenna feeding substrate having conductor structures for field coupling to at least one planar antenna radiating element; and

a mounting part, able to be fixed in position against the antenna feeding substrate, for the at least one planar antenna radiating element, one of the mounting part and a housing part able to be joined to the at least one planar antenna radiating element with form locking being provided for an HF-shielding of the antenna feeding substrate;

wherein;

at least one of the mounting part and the housing part is structured in such a way that, viewed from the at least one planar antenna radiating element in a radiation direction, a wave guidance is achieved; and

at least two antenna radiating elements are provided, stacked one above the other, at least one of the antenna radiating elements in particular being incorporated into a dielectric functional part or a radome.

17. The antenna system as recited in claim 16, wherein at least two planar antenna radiating elements and/or inverse, planar antenna radiating elements are inclined relative to each other with respect to their surface normals.

18. An antenna system for a radar application in a motor vehicle, comprising:

an antenna feeding substrate having conductor structures for field coupling to at least one planar antenna radiating element; and

a mounting part, able to be fixed in position against the antenna feeding substrate, for the at least one planar antenna radiating element, one of the mounting part and a housing part able to be joined to the at least one planar antenna radiating element with form locking being provided for an HF-shielding of the antenna feeding substrate;

wherein;

at least one of the mounting part and the housing part is structured in such a way that, viewed from the at least one planar antenna radiating element in a radiation direction, a wave guidance is achieved; and

both planar antenna radiating elements and inverse, planar antenna radiating elements are provided, the inverse, planar antenna radiating elements being inclined relative to each other with respect to their surface normals.

19. The antenna system as recited in claim 18, wherein the number of planar antenna radiating elements differs from the number of inverse, planar antenna radiating elements.

20. The antenna system as recited in claim 18, wherein the inverse, planar antenna radiating elements are situated in the mounting part, and the planar antenna radiating elements in a cover.