Antenna and method of assembly of such antenna

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11258178-B2
Application number	US-201816652446-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2018
Priority date	Oct 2, 2017
Publication date	Feb 22, 2022
Grant date	Feb 22, 2022

Abstract

An antenna comprising: a longitudinal support member for supporting components of the antenna and a method of assembling such an antenna is disclosed. The components supported by the longitudinal member comprise: at least one signal feed probe configured to capacitively supply a signal to a corresponding at least one radiating patch; the at least one radiating patch mounted to at least partially wraparound the longitudinal support member; and signal supply circuitry for supplying a signal to the at least one signal feed. The signal supply circuitry is mounted on an outer surface of the inner longitudinal support member; and the longitudinal support member is formed of a conductive material and forms a ground plane for the antenna.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An antenna comprising a longitudinal support member for supporting components of said antenna, said components comprising:
at least one signal feed probe configured to capacitively supply a signal to a corresponding at least one radiating patch,
said at least one radiating patch mounted to at least partially wraparound said longitudinal support member, and
signal supply circuitry for supplying a signal to said at least one signal feed probe,
wherein said signal supply circuitry is mounted on an outer surface of said longitudinal support member, and
wherein said longitudinal support member is formed of a conductive material and forms a ground plane for said antenna,
said antenna further comprises at least one retaining member for mounting said at least one of said signal supply circuitry and said signal feed probe onto said longitudinal support member, at least a portion of an outer perimeter of said retaining member comprises at least a portion of a circumference of a circle, said at least one radiating patch being mounted around at least a portion of said retaining member.

2. An antenna according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one signal feed probe is mounted on said longitudinal support member at a predetermined distance from said longitudinal support member, and said signal supply circuitry extends to contact said signal feed probe.

3. An antenna according to claim 1 , wherein said longitudinal support member comprises at least two longitudinally extending surfaces angled with respect to each other, said at least one signal feed probe being mounted at a predetermined distance from an external one of said surfaces and said signal supply circuitry being mounted on an external other one of said surfaces.

4. An antenna according to claim 3 , wherein said longitudinal support member comprises a U-shaped rod, said at least one signal feed probe and said signal supply circuitry being mounted with respect to outer surfaces of said U-shaped rod that are substantially at right angles to each other.

5. An antenna according to claim 1 , wherein said retaining member comprises a resilient portion, said resilient portion being configured to bias said signal supply circuitry against said longitudinal support member.

6. An antenna according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of signal feed probes and a corresponding plurality of radiating patches.

7. An antenna according to claim 6 , comprising a plurality of retaining members, a number of said retaining members being equal to said number of radiating patches.

8. An antenna according to claim 1 , said antenna comprising a dual band antenna,
said antenna comprising a first portion configured to operate in a first frequency band and a second portion configured to operate in a second frequency band, said first and second portion being arranged subsequent to each other in a longitudinal direction,
said antenna comprising an input port at a longitudinal end adjacent to said first portion for receiving two signal feed probe cables for respectively supplying signals in said first frequency band and signals in said second frequency band,
said antenna comprising a signal feed probe supply cable for supplying a signal from said input port to said second portion, said signal feed probe supply cable being configured to run parallel to and be at least partially shielded by said longitudinal support member.

9. A method of assembling an antenna according to claim 1 , said method comprising:
mounting at least one signal feed probe configured to capacitively supply a signal to a corresponding at least one radiating patch on at least one retaining member,
mounting said at least one retaining member on a longitudinal support member, such that said at least one signal feed probe is held at a predetermined distance from said longitudinal support member,
mounting signal supply circuitry for supplying a signal to said at least one signal feed probe on an outer surface of said longitudinal support member,
wrapping at least one radiating patch at least partially around said longitudinal support member,
wherein said longitudinal support member is formed of a conductive material and provides a ground plane for said antenna,
wherein at least a portion of an outer perimeter of said retaining member comprises at least a portion of a circumference of a circle,
said method comprises mounting said at least one radiating patch on two circumferentially remote points on an outer surface of said at least one retaining member such that said radiating patch wraps around said at least one retaining member.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein said retaining member comprises a resilient portion and said step of mounting said signal supply circuitry on said longitudinal support member comprises biasing said signal supply circuitry against an outer surface of said longitudinal support member using said resilient portion.

11. A method according to claim 9 , comprising connecting said signal supply circuitry to said at least one signal feed probe using solder.

Assignees

• Nokia Shanghai Bell Co Ltd

Inventors

• Julien Thomas
• Harel Jean-Pierre
• Charaabi Zied
• Lecam Patrick
• Plet Jerome

Classifications

• H01Q9/0471 Primary

  Non-planar, stepped or wedge-shaped patch · CPC title

• H01Q21/08

  the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path {(waveguide fed H01Q21/0037)} · CPC title

• H01Q21/28

  Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems {(multiple beam H01Q25/00)} · CPC title

• H01Q5/10

  Resonant antennas · CPC title

• H01Q21/0075

  Stripline fed arrays (H01Q21/065 takes precedence) · CPC title