Radar module and speed measuring device using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9810779-B2
Application number	US-201314432232-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2013
Priority date	Oct 5, 2012
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

To provide a radar module used for a speed measuring device or the like, in which dispersion of intensity distribution of electromagnetic waves emitted from the radar module via a lens is small, the radar module using a substrate with a plane antenna formed on a surface of the substrate includes: a lens having one end face that is plane and another end face that is spherical. In the radar module, a plane side of the lens is disposed to contact the plane antenna, and a spherical side of the lens is disposed in a remote field of the plane antenna.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A radar module using a substrate with a plane antenna formed on a surface of the substrate, the radar module comprising:
the substrate; and
a lens having one end face that is plane and another end face that is spherical, wherein
a plane side of the lens is disposed to contact the plane antenna,
a spherical side of the lens is disposed in a remote field of the plane antenna,
a feeder connected to the plane antenna is formed on the substrate, and
a width of the feeder changes at an interface between the substrate and the lens as a boundary.

2. The radar module according to claim 1 , wherein the lens has a flange made of a same material as the lens, the flange elongating integrally with the lens.

3. The radar module according to claim 2 , wherein the flange has a notch part having a part cut, and the feeder connected to the plane antenna is disposed in an area of the notch part.

4. The radar module according to claim 2 , wherein the flange has a positioning boss on the plane side of the lens, and the substrate has a positioning cavity at a same position as the positioning boss.

5. The radar module according to claim 2 , wherein the flange is formed in an area of an angle of 60 degrees or more with respect to a center axis of the lens.

6. The radar module according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a stepped structure formed of a cavity structure having a size substantially same as a periphery of the lens, and the cavity structure surrounds the plane antenna.

7. The radar module according to claim 6 , wherein the stepped structure further has a groove in which at least part of the feeder connected to the plane antenna is disposed.

8. The radar module according to claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more additional plane antennas provided on the surface of the substrate, wherein
the lens includes the same number of lens structures as a total number of the plane antennas,
each of the lens structures is disposed on the substrate in a manner corresponding to the respective plane antenna, and
the lens structures are formed integrally.

9. A speed measuring device comprising:
a radar module according to claim 1 ; and
a circuit configured to measure a speed based on an electromagnetic wave emitted from the radar module.

10. The speed measuring device according to claim 9 , wherein the radar module further comprises a second lens that is provided above a face on which the lens of the radar module is mounted.

11. A radar module using a substrate with a plane antenna formed on a surface of the substrate, the radar module comprising:
the substrate; and
a lens having one end face that is plane and another end face that is spherical, wherein
a plane side of the lens is disposed to contact the plane antenna,
a spherical side of the lens is disposed in a remote field of the plane antenna,
the substrate has a stepped structure formed of a cavity structure having a size substantially same as a periphery of the lens, and the cavity structure surrounds the plane antenna, and
the stepped structure further has a groove in which at least part of a feeder connected to the plane antenna is disposed.

Assignees

• Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Matsumura Takafumi
• Nagaishi Hideyuki

Classifications

• H01Q19/062

  for focusing · CPC title

• H01Q15/08

  formed of solid dielectric material · CPC title

• H01Q1/3233

  particular used as part of a sensor or in a security system, e.g. for automotive radar, navigation systems · CPC title

• G01S13/60 Primary

  wherein the transmitter and receiver are mounted on the moving object, e.g. for determining ground speed, drift angle, ground track (G01S13/64 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01S7/032 Primary

  Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems · CPC title