Antenna radome-enclosures and related antenna structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10651551-B2
Application number	US-201715808252-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2017
Priority date	Dec 6, 2016
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

An antenna structure includes a radiator element and an enclosure housing the radiator element therein. The enclosure includes a front face that is adjacent a surface of the radiator element and sidewall surfaces that house the radiator element therebetween. The front face of the enclosure has an internal surface that is bounded by the sidewall surfaces and an external surface that is opposite the internal surface. The surface of the radiator element is positioned closer to the external surface than the internal surface of the front face of the enclosure.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. An antenna structure, comprising:
a radiator element comprising an array of antenna elements; and
an enclosure including the radiator element therein, the enclosure comprising a front face that is adjacent a surface of the radiator element, sidewall surfaces that house the radiator element therebetween, and a mounting interface configured to attach the enclosure including the radiator element therein to external telecommunications equipment, wherein the front face of the enclosure comprises an internal surface that is bounded by the sidewall surfaces and an external surface opposite the internal surface,
wherein the surface of the radiator element is positioned closer to the external surface than the internal surface of the front face of the enclosure.

2. The antenna structure of claim 1 , further comprising:
a radome adjacent the surface of the radiator element,
wherein the external and internal surfaces define a thickness of the front face that varies therebetween, and wherein the radome has a thickness that is less than a maximum of the thickness defined between the external and internal surfaces of the front face of the enclosure.

3. The antenna structure of claim 2 ,
wherein the thickness of the front face comprises a first thickness adjacent the sidewall surfaces and a second thickness adjacent the surface of the radiator element, wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness.

4. The antenna structure of claim 3 , wherein the front face comprises a stepped portion between the first thickness and the second thickness.

5. The antenna structure of claim 3 , wherein the front face comprises a tapered or beveled portion between the first thickness and the second thickness.

6. The antenna structure of claim 3 , wherein the radome comprises an integral portion of the front face of the enclosure, the radome having the second thickness adjacent the surface of the radiator element.

7. The antenna structure of claim 3 , wherein:
the front face of the enclosure comprises an opening extending therethrough from the external surface to the internal surface; and
the radome is distinct from the enclosure, wherein the radome is on the surface of the radiator element and at least partially exposed by the opening.

8. The antenna structure of claim 7 , wherein the radome comprises a different material from that of the enclosure.

9. The antenna structure of claim 7 , wherein the surface of the radiator element including the radome thereon is recessed relative to the external surface of the front face of the enclosure.

10. The antenna structure of claim 9 , wherein the front face comprises a border portion having the second thickness adjacent an edge of the opening, wherein the border portion overlaps with a perimeter of the radome and confines the radome within the enclosure.

11. The antenna structure of claim 7 , wherein the surface of the radiator element including the radome thereon is coplanar with or protrudes beyond the external surface of the front face of the enclosure.

12. The antenna structure of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure comprises a non-conductive material, and further comprising:
a metallized element adjacent an edge of the surface of the radiator element.

13. The antenna structure of claim 12 , wherein the metallized element comprises respective metal layers on opposing ones of the sidewall surfaces of the enclosure.

14. The antenna structure of claim 13 , wherein the opposing ones of the sidewall surfaces including the respective metal layers thereon are oriented to affect the azimuth angle of a coverage pattern of the radiator element.

15. The antenna structure of claim 1 , wherein the radiator element is rotatable within the enclosure to alter a polarization of signals transmitted by the radiator element.

16. The antenna structure of claim 1 , wherein the radiating element comprises a European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) Class 3 or Class 4 microwave antenna.

17. An antenna structure, comprising:
a radiator element comprising an array of antenna elements;
an enclosure including the radiator element therein, the enclosure comprising a front face that is adjacent a surface of the radiator element, sidewall surfaces that house the radiator element therebetween, and a mounting interface configured to accept mounting hardware that secures the enclosure to external telecommunications equipment, the front face comprising an opening extending therethrough from an external surface thereof to an internal surface thereof that is bounded by the sidewall surfaces; and
a radome on the surface of the radiator element and at least partially exposed by the opening in the front face, wherein the surface of the radiator element including the radome thereon protrudes beyond the internal surface and towards the external surface of the front face.

18. The antenna structure of claim 17 , wherein the radome has a thickness that is less than a thickness of the front face of the enclosure as defined between the external and internal surfaces thereof, and the surface of the radiator element including the radome thereon is positioned closer to the external surface than the internal surface.

19. The antenna structure of claim 18 , wherein the thickness of the front face comprises a first thickness adjacent the sidewall surfaces and a second thickness adjacent the surface of the radiator element that includes the radome thereon, wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness and the thickness of the radome is less than the second thickness.

20. The antenna structure of claim 19 , wherein the front face comprises a stepped or tapered portion between the first thickness and the second thickness thereof, and a border portion having the second thickness that overlaps with a perimeter of the radome adjacent an edge of the opening and confines the radome within the enclosure.

21. The antenna structure of claim 17 , wherein the radiating element comprises a European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) Class 3 or Class 4 microwave antenna.

22. An antenna enclosure, comprising:
a plurality of sidewall surfaces configured to house a flat panel antenna element therein;
a mounting interface configured to accept mounting hardware that secures the antenna enclosure to external telecommunications equipment; and
a front face configured to be positioned adjacent a surface of the flat panel antenna element, the front face comprising an internal surface that is bounded by the sidewall surfaces, and an external surface opposite the internal surface, wherein the front face comprises a first thickness adjacent the sidewall surfaces and a second thickness adjacent the surface of the flat panel antenna element, wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness.

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Biancotto Claudio
• Mitchelson Craig
• Russell Shuwei
• Walker David

Classifications

• H01Q21/06

  Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart · CPC title

• H01Q19/18

  having two or more spaced reflecting surfaces (H01Q19/20 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01Q1/52

  Means for reducing coupling between antennas; Means for reducing coupling between an antenna and another structure (absorbing means H01Q17/00) · CPC title

• H01Q1/421 Primary

  Means for correcting aberrations introduced by a radome · CPC title

• H01Q1/246

  specially adapted for base stations · CPC title