Antenna

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10601103-B2
Application number	US-201815861483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 3, 2018
Priority date	Jul 7, 2015
Publication date	Mar 24, 2020
Grant date	Mar 24, 2020

Abstract

Provided is a detailed configuration regarding a method of transmitting a driving force etc., of an antenna adjustable of an elevation-depression angle and an antenna circumferential angle. A weather radar antenna may include an antenna unit, a column, an elevation-depression-direction drive transmission shaft, and a circumferential-direction drive transmission shaft. The antenna unit may receive at least an electromagnetic wave. The column may support the antenna unit. The elevation-depression-direction drive transmission shaft may transmit a driving force of an elevation-depression-direction drive motor to the antenna. The circumferential-direction drive transmission shaft may transmit a driving force of a circumferential-direction drive motor to the antenna unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device to be connected to an antenna, the device comprising:
a column configured to support the antenna;
a first shaft configured to change in length and rotate about an axial direction to transmit to the antenna a driving force that changes an elevation-depression angle of the antenna; and
a second shaft of a fixed length configured to rotate around a vertical axis transmit to the antenna a driving force that changes a rotational angle of the antenna about an axis parallel to a wave propagation.

2. The device of claim 1 , comprising a support base configured to support the column.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the first shaft, the second shaft, and the column are positioned at least on an upper side of the support base.

4. The device of claim 1 , comprising:
a first drive motor configured to generate the driving force that changes the elevation-depression angle of the antenna; and
a second drive motor configured to generate the driving force that changes the rotational angle of the antenna about the axis parallel to the wave propagation,
wherein the first drive motor and the second drive motor are positioned below the support base.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein,
the changeable length of the first shaft is changeable in multi-stages, and
the device comprises a biasing member configured to bias the first shaft in a length direction of the first shaft.

6. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a waveguide formed within the column to pass the electromagnetic wave received by the antenna.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the column includes:
a base made of metal, in which the waveguide is formed; and
a cover made of fiber reinforced plastic, externally covering the base.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the column is positioned between the first shaft and the second shaft.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to be mounted on a movable body.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is used for a weather radar.

11. A device to be connected to an antenna, the device comprising:
a column configured to support the antenna;
a first shaft configured to transmit to the antenna a driving force that changes an elevation-depression angle of the antenna;
a second shaft configured to transmit to the antenna a driving force that changes a rotational angle of the antenna about an axis parallel to a wave propagation;
a support base configured to support the column;
a first drive motor configured to generate the driving force that changes the elevation-depression angle of the antenna;
a second drive motor configured to generate the driving force that changes the rotational angle of the antenna about the axis parallel to the wave of propagation; and
a third drive motor configured to rotationally drive the support part to change an azimuth angle of the antenna, wherein
the first drive motor, the second drive motor and the third drive motor are positioned below the support base.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the first drive motor, the second drive motor, and the third drive motor are located at positions not being rotationally driven by any of the first drive motor, the second drive motor, and the third drive motor.

13. The device of claim 11 , wherein the first drive motor, the second drive motor, and the third drive motor are positioned at the same height as each other.

14. The device of claim 11 , wherein,
an output shaft of the first drive motor is attached to an upper portion of the first drive motor,
an output shaft of the second drive motor is attached to an upper portion of the second drive motor, and
an output shaft of the third drive motor is attached to a lower portion of the third drive motor.

15. The device of claim 11 comprising a signal processor configured to perform signal processing on the electromagnetic wave received by the antenna,
wherein the signal processor is positioned at a position not being rotationally driven by the third drive motor.

16. A device to be connected to an antenna, comprising:
a column configured to support the antenna;
a first shaft configured to transmit to the antenna a driving force that changes an elevation-depression angle of the antenna; and
a second shaft configured to transmit to the antenna a driving force that changes a rotational angle of the antenna about an axis parallel to a wave propagation;
a support base configured to support the column, wherein the first shaft, the second shaft and the column are positioned at least on an upper side of the support base;
a first drive motor configured to generate the driving force that changes the elevation-depression angle of the antenna; and
a second drive motor configured to generate the driving force that changes the rotational angle of the antenna about the axis parallel to the wave propagation, wherein the first drive motor and the second drive motor are positioned below the support base.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the column is positioned between the first shaft and the second shaft.

18. The device of claim 16 , wherein
the first shaft is configured to change in length and rotate about an axial direction, and
the second shaft is of a fixed length.

19. The device of claim 16 , further comprising:
a third drive motor configured to rotationally drive the support part to change an azimuth angle of the antenna.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein
the first drive motor, the second drive motor and the third drive motor are positioned below the support base.

Assignees

• Furuno Electric Co

Inventors

• Hataya Mitsuhiko
• Yano Koji
• Sakai Toshifumi

Classifications

• H01Q1/405

  Radome integrated radiating elements · CPC title

• H01Q1/48

  Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises · CPC title

• H01Q1/1264 Primary

  Adjusting different parts or elements of an aerial unit · CPC title

• H01Q1/362

  for broadside radiating helical antennas · CPC title

• H01Q3/08

  for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation · CPC title