Compact antenna phase shifter with simplified drive mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11108154-B2
Application number	US-201917045379-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2019
Priority date	Apr 23, 2018
Publication date	Aug 31, 2021
Grant date	Aug 31, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed is a phase shifter arrangement for an antenna, such as a cellular antenna, that has a simplified drive mechanism. The phase shifter arrangement has two phase shifters, each with two wiper arms that are coupled at one end to a single drive shaft. Each of the wiper arms have a pivot access that may be located at or near its center such that as the drive shaft translates, it mechanically engages both wiper arms, causing them to rotate around their respective pivot axes. Certain antenna arrangements have several array faces. For example, the antenna may have three array faces, each spaced at 120 degrees of azimuth. The drive shafts for each of these array faces may operate independently to function as a multisector antenna, or they may be driven in unison to function as an omnidirectional antenna.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A phase shifter arrangement for an antenna, comprising:
a pair of phase shifters, each phase shifter having a first wiper arm and a second wiper arm, the first and second wiper arm each including (i) a proximal end, (ii) a distal end, (iii) a pivot axis disposed between the proximal end and the distal end, and (iv) a drive pin slot disposed between the pivot axis and the proximal end,
the first and second wiper arms each having a wiper arm conductive trace disposed on one side thereof, and the conductive trace being disposed between the pivot axis and the distal end,
a drive shaft having a longitudinal axis and two drive pins disposed on opposite sides of the drive shaft a lateral distance from the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft and mechanically coupled to the drive shaft by a plurality of elongate struts,
wherein one of the drive pins is pivotally mounted to the first wiper arm and another of the drive pins is pivotally mounted to the second wiper arm of each of the pair of phase shifters, and
wherein as the drive shaft translates along the longitudinal axis, each drive pin slides within the drive pin slots of the corresponding first and second wiper arms, causing the first and second wiper arms to rotate in unison about their corresponding pivot axes.

2. The phase shifter arrangement of claim 1 , wherein each first wiper arm has a first step feature disposed between its pivot axis and its drive pin slot, and each second wiper arm has a second step feature disposed between its pivot axis and its drive pin slot, wherein the second step feature is greater in height than the first step feature.

3. The phase shifter arrangement of claim 1 , wherein each pivot axis is disposed substantially at a center of its corresponding first or second wiper arm.

4. The phase shifter arrangement of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second wiper arms comprise a distal hook structure, wherein each distal hook structure engages an edge of a corresponding PCB opening.

5. The phase shifter arrangement of claim 4 , wherein each distal hook structure engages the edge of its corresponding PCB opening to apply sufficient pressure to electrically couple its corresponding conductive trace to a one or more phase shifter traces.

6. An antenna, comprising:
an RF signal input port;
a plurality of radiators; and
a phase shifter arrangement electrically coupled between the RF signal input port and the plurality of radiators, the phase shifter arrangement having a pair of phase shifters, each phase shifter having a first wiper arm and a second wiper arm, the first and second wiper arm each having a proximal end and a distal end and a pivot axis disposed between the proximal end and the distal end, the first and second wiper arm each having a wiper arm conductive trace disposed on its underside wherein the conductive trace is disposed between the pivot axis and the distal end, and a drive pin slot disposed between the pivot axis and the proximal end,
wherein the phase shifter arrangement has a drive shaft having a longitudinal axis and two drive pins, wherein the drive pins are disposed on opposite sides of the drive shaft at a lateral distance from the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft and mechanically coupled to the drive shaft by a plurality of struts,
wherein each of the drive pins mechanically couples to a corresponding first wiper arm and second wiper arm of each of the pair of phase shifters,
wherein as the drive shaft translates along the longitudinal axis, each drive pin slides within the drive pin slots of the corresponding first wiper arm and second wiper arm, causing the first wiper arm and second wiper arm to rotate in unison about their corresponding pivot axes.

7. The antenna of claim 6 , wherein each first wiper arm has a first step feature disposed between its pivot axis and its drive pin slot, and each second wiper arm has a second step feature disposed between its pivot axis and its drive pin slot, wherein the second step feature is greater in height than the first step feature.

8. The antenna of claim 6 , wherein each pivot axis is disposed substantially at a center of its corresponding first or second wiper arm.

9. The antenna of claim 6 , wherein each of the first and second wiper arms comprise a distal hook structure, wherein each distal hook structure engages an edge of a corresponding PCB opening.

10. The antenna of claim 9 , wherein each distal hook structure engages the edge of its corresponding PCB opening to apply sufficient pressure to electrically couple its corresponding conductive trace to a one or more phase shifter traces.

11. An antenna having an plurality of array faces, each of plurality of array faces corresponding to a distinct azimuth angle of coverage, each of the array faces comprising:
a PCB structure;
a plurality of radiators disposed on the PCB structure;
a phase shifter arrangement disposed on the PCB structure, the phase shifter arrangement having a pair of phase shifters, each of the phase shifters electrically coupled between one or more RF signal inputs and the plurality of radiators, each phase shifter having a first wiper arm and a second wiper arm, the first and second wiper arm each having a proximal end and a distal end and a pivot axis disposed between the proximal end and the distal end, the first and second wiper arm each having a wiper arm conductive trace disposed on its underside wherein the conductive trace is disposed between the pivot axis and the distal end, and a drive pin slot disposed between the pivot axis and the proximal end,
wherein the phase shifter arrangement has a drive shaft having a longitudinal axis and two drive pins, wherein the drive pins are disposed on opposite sides of the drive shaft at a lateral distance from the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft and mechanically coupled to the drive shaft by a plurality of struts, wherein each of the drive pins mechanically couples to a corresponding first wiper arm and second wiper arm of each of the pair of phase shifters, wherein as the drive shaft translates along the longitudinal axis, each drive pin slides within the drive pin slots of the corresponding first wiper arm and second wiper arm, causing the first wiper arm and second wiper arm to rotate in unison about their corresponding pivot axes.

12. The antenna of claim 11 , wherein each first wiper arm has a first step feature disposed between its pivot axis and its drive pin slot, and each second wiper arm has a second step feature disposed between its pivot axis and its drive pin slot, wherein the second step feature is greater in height than the first step feature.

13. The antenna of claim 11 , wherein each pivot axis is disposed substantially at a center of its corresponding first or second wiper arm.

14. The antenna of claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second wiper arms comprise a distal hook structure, wherein each distal hook structure engages an edge of an opening formed it its corresponding PCB structure.

15. The antenna of claim 14 , wherein each distal hook structure engages the edge of its corresponding PCB opening to apply sufficient pressure to electrically couple its corresponding conductive trace to a one or more phase shifter traces.

16. The antenna of claim 11 , wherein the antenna comprises three array faces, each spaced apart at 120 degrees of azimuth.

17. The antenna of claim 16 , wherein each drive shaft is coupled to an individual motor, and wherein each drive shaft is driven independently.

18. The antenna of claim 16 , wherein each of t

Assignees

• John Mezzalingua Ass Llc

Inventors

• Litteer Andrew

Classifications

• H01Q21/205 Primary

  providing an omnidirectional coverage (turnstile aerials H01Q21/26) · CPC title

• H01Q25/001

  Crossed polarisation dual antennas (orthomode horns H01Q13/0258; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; orthomode transducers H01P1/161) · CPC title

• H01Q3/32 Primary

  by mechanical means · CPC title

• H01Q1/246

  specially adapted for base stations · CPC title

• H01P1/184

  Strip line phase-shifters (H01P1/181, H01P1/185, H01P1/19 take precedence) · CPC title