The present invention relates to an antenna device including a radome covering the antenna.
The antenna may be equipped with a radome that covers a beam emitting surface to protect it from the external environment such as wind, rain or dust. However, in a general radome with a uniform thickness, it is known that since the beam transmission characteristic changes corresponding to an incident angle of a beam emitted by the antenna toward the radome, the attenuation of a beam intensity of a beam emitted by the antenna at a scanning angle other than a specific scanning angle is larger than that of a beam emitted at the specific scanning angle. Therefore, it is necessary to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity depending on the scanning angle of the beam in the radome.
There is a technique for changing the thickness of the radome in the middle in order to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity depending on the scanning angle of the beam in the radome. For example, the antenna device described in Patent Literature 1 has a structure in which the thickness of the radome is ½ wavelength or ¼ wavelength in a narrower-angle direction than a predetermined direction when viewed from the antenna, and the thickness of the radome in a wider-angle direction than a predetermined direction when viewed from the antenna is thicker than the thickness of the radome in the narrow-angle direction. Therefore, in the antenna device, one surface of the radome has a step.
Patent Literature 1: JP 2018-137563A
When a step is provided on the surface of the radome, it is strongly affected by the external environment such as air resistance or thermal deformation depending on the intended use of the antenna device. Further, limiting the thickness of the radome in the narrower-angle direction than the predetermined direction when viewed from the antenna is a constraint on the design of the antenna device. Further, if the thickness of the radome in the narrow-angle direction is set to the thickness of ½ wavelength or ¼ wavelength of a high frequency band such as millimeter wave, there is a problem that the mechanical strength of the radome is weakened.
The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity depending on the scanning angle of the beam in the radome without providing a step on the surface of the radome in an antenna device provided with the radome covering the antenna.
The antenna device according to the present invention includes an antenna and a radome that covers the antenna, in which the radome includes a first part, a second part and a third part each with a surface which is flush to each other, the first part has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a scanning angle of 0 degrees of a beam emitted by the antenna with an emission direction directed toward the first part, the second part has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a first scanning angle of a beam emitted by the antenna with an emission direction directed toward the second part, and the third part has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a second scanning angle of a beam emitted by the antenna with an emission direction directed toward the third part, wherein: the antenna is a planar antenna; and the second part is adjacent to one end of the first part, and the third part is adjacent to the other end of the first part, and, wherein: each of the first part, the second part, and the third part is composed of one or more layers; the first part and the second part differ in at least one or more of a number of layers, and a thickness of each layer when the one or more layers are a plurality of layers, and thus differ in the beam transmission characteristic; and the first part and the third part differ in at least one or more of a number of layers, and a thickness of each layer when the one or more layers are a plurality of layers, and thus differ in the beam transmission characteristic.
In an antenna device provided with a radome covering the antenna, it is possible to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity depending on the scanning angle of the beam emitted by the antenna in the radome without providing a step on the surface of the radome.
Hereinafter, in order to explain this invention in more detail, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described by referring to the accompanying drawings.
The radome 110 includes a first part 111, a second part 112, and a third part 113 which are flush with each other. More specifically, the second part 112 is adjacent to one end A of the first part and the third part 113 is adjacent to the other end B of the first part. Note that, the second part 112 and the third part 113 can be integrally formed together with each part of the radome 110 other than the first part 111 so as to surround the first part 111.
The planar antenna 100 includes a dielectric substrate 102 and a plurality of antenna elements 101 installed side by side on the dielectric substrate 102. The planar antenna 100 emits a beam toward the radome 110 from a beam emitting surface composed of the surfaces of the plurality of antenna elements 101. The planar antenna 100 can change the emission direction of the beam by changing the scanning angle of the beam by using a plurality of antenna elements 101. Note that, in the present embodiment, the configuration in which the planar antenna 100 is used as the antenna covered by the radome 110 will be described, but the antenna covered by the radome 110 may be an antenna capable of changing the beam emission direction, and is not limited to the configuration.
As a detailed arrangement of the first part 111, the second part 112, and the third part 113 of the radome 110 and the planar antenna 100, the first part 111 is located in a direction of a scanning angle of 0 degrees with respect to the planar antenna 100, the second part 112 is located in a direction of a first scanning angle θ1 with respect to the planar antenna 100, and the third part 113 is located in a direction of a second scanning angle θ2 with respect to the planar antenna 100. More specifically, one end A of the first part 111 is located in a direction of a scanning angle narrower than the first scanning angle θ1 with respect to one end C of the beam emitting surface composed of the surfaces of the plurality of antenna elements 101 included in the planar antenna 100, and the other end B of the first part 111 is located in a direction of a scanning angle narrower than the second scanning angle θ2 with respect to the other end D of the planar antenna 100. Note that, in the specification of the present application, the scanning angle of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 is a scanning angle using a line orthogonal to a beam emitting surface of the planar antenna 100 and the surface of the first part 111 facing the beam emitting surface as a reference line, and it is assumed that the scanning angle on the second part 112 side is a positive scanning angle, and the scanning angle on the third part 113 side is a negative scanning angle.
In the present embodiment, as described above, the size of the first part 111 is defined by the first scanning angle θ1 and the second scanning angle θ2, but the size of the first part 111 may be defined by the size of the beam emitting surface of the planar antenna 100. In that case, for example, the first part 111 has a surface facing the beam emitting surface of the planar antenna 100, and the size of the surface of the first part 111 is equivalent to or larger than the size of the beam emitting surface of the planar antenna.
Hereinafter, the beam transmission characteristics of the first part 111, the second part 112, and the third part 113 of the radome 110 will be described. The first part 111 of the radome 110 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a scanning angle of 0 degrees of a beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with an emission direction directed toward the first part 111. Note that, the “beam transmission characteristic” means the ease of transmission of the beam incident from a specific direction in the radome 110. Further, “the first part 111 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a scanning angle of 0 degrees” means that the first part 111 has a characteristic of more easily transmitting a beam when the planar antenna 100 emits the beam at a scanning angle of 0 degrees than when the planar antenna 100 emits a beam at a scanning angle other than 0 degrees.
The second part 112 of the radome 110 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to the first scanning angle θ1 of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with the emission direction directed toward the second part 112. The third part 113 of the radome 110 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to the second scanning angle θ2 of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with the emission direction directed toward the third part 113.
More specifically about the beam transmission characteristics of the first part 111, the second part 112, and the third part 113, each of the first part 111, the second part 112, and the third part 113 is composed of one or more layers. The first part 111 and the second part 112 differ in at least one or more of the number of layers, the material of the layer, and the thickness of each layer when the one or more layers are a plurality of layers, and thus differ in the beam transmission characteristic. The first part 111 and the third part 113 differ in at least one or more of the number of layers, the material of the layer, and the thickness of each layer when the one or more layers are a plurality of layers, and thus differ in the beam transmission characteristic. An example of the material of the layer is a dielectric or the like. Note that, the number of layers, the material of the layer, and the thickness of each layer when the one or more layers are a plurality of layers can be the same in the second part 112 and the third part 113. In that case, the beam transmission characteristic of the second part 112 and the beam transmission characteristic of the third part 113 are the same.
Next, a specific example of the radome 110 according to the first embodiment will be described by referring to the drawings.
As described above, the antenna device 1 according to the first embodiment includes a planar antenna 100 as an antenna and a radome covering the planar antenna 100, and the radome 110 includes a first part 111, a second part 112, and a third part 113 each with a surface which is flush to each other, the first part 111 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a scanning angle of 0 degrees of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with an emission direction directed toward the first part 111, the second part 112 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a first scanning angle θ1 of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with the emission direction directed toward the second part 112, and the third part 113 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a second scanning angle θ2 of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with the emission direction directed toward the third part 113.
According to the above configuration, the surfaces of the first part 111, the second part 112, and the third part 113 are flush with each other. Further, the first part 111 suppresses the attenuation of the beam intensity when the planar antenna 100 emits a beam at a scanning angle of 0 degrees. The second part 112 suppresses the attenuation of the beam intensity when the planar antenna 100 emits a beam at the first scanning angle. The third part 113 suppresses the attenuation of the beam intensity when the planar antenna 100 emits a beam at the second scanning angle. This makes it possible to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity depending on the scanning angle of the beam in the radome without providing a step on the surface of the radome.
Further, in the antenna device 1 according to the first embodiment, each of the first part 111, the second part 112, and the third part 113 is composed of one or more layers, and the first part 111 and the second part 112 differ in at least one or more of the number of layers, the material of the layer, and the thickness of each layer when the one or more layers are a plurality of layers, and thus differ in the beam transmission characteristic, and the first part 111 and the third part 113 differ in at least one or more of the number of layers, the material of the layer, and the thickness of each layer when the one or more layers are a plurality of layers, and thus differ in the beam transmission characteristic.
According to the above configuration, at least one or more of the number of layers, the material of the layer, and the thickness of each layer when the one or more layers are a plurality of layers are made different from each other, and thereby it is possible to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity depending on the scanning angle of the beam in the radome without providing a step on the surface of the radome.
Further, in the antenna device 1 according to the first embodiment, the antenna is a planar antenna 100, the second part 112 is adjacent to one end A of the first part 111, and the third part 113 is adjacent to the other end B of the first part 111.
According to the above configuration, in a region adjacent to one end A of the first part 111, the second part 112 covers the planar antenna 100, and in a region adjacent to the other end B of the first part 111, the third part 113 covers the planar antenna 100. This makes it possible to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity of the beam emitted toward these regions while protecting the planar antenna 100 from the external environment such as wind, rain or dust from the region adjacent to one end A of the first part 111 and the region adjacent to the other end B of the first part 111.
Further, in the antenna device 1 according to the first embodiment, the first part 111 is located in the direction of a scanning angle of 0 degrees with respect to the planar antenna 100, the second part 112 is located in the direction of the first scanning angle θ1 with respect to the planar antenna 100, and the third part 113 is located in the direction of the second scanning angle θ2 with respect to the planar antenna 100.
According to the above configuration, the first part 111 is disposed so as to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity when the planar antenna 100 emits a beam in the direction of a scanning angle of 0 degrees. The second part 112 is disposed so as to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity when the planar antenna 100 emits a beam in the direction of the first scanning angle. The third part 113 is disposed so as to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity when the planar antenna 100 emits a beam in the direction of the second scanning angle. This makes it possible to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity depending on the scanning angle of the beam in the radome.
The second embodiment will be described below by referring to the drawings. Note that, the same reference numerals are given to the configurations having the same functions as those described in the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.
In the first embodiment, the configuration in which the radome 110 includes three parts, the first part 111, the second part 112, and the third part 113, has been described. In the second embodiment, a configuration in which a radome 210 further includes one or more parts each having a surface flush with each surface of a first part 211, a second part 212, and a third part 213 will be described.
The arrangement of the fourth part 214 and the fifth part 215 will be described below. The radome 210 includes the fourth part 214 adjacent to the end E of the second part 212 and the fifth part 215 adjacent to the end F of the third part 213. Note that, the end E of the second part 212 is the end of the second part 212 opposite to the end adjacent to the first part 211, and the end F of the third part 213 is the end of the third part 213 opposite to the end adjacent to the first part 211. The fourth part 214 is located in a direction of a third scanning angle θ3 with respect to the planar antenna 100, and the fifth part 215 is located in a direction of a fourth scanning angle θ4 with respect to the planar antenna 100. More specifically, the end of the fourth part 214 adjacent to the end E of the second part 212 is located in a direction of a scanning angle wider than the third scanning angle θ3 with respect to one end C of a beam emitting surface composed of the surfaces of a plurality of antenna elements 101 included in the planar antenna 100. The end of the fifth part 215 adjacent to the end F of the third part 213 is located in a direction of a scanning angle wider than the fourth scanning angle θ4 with respect to the other end D of the beam emitting surface composed of the surfaces of a plurality of antenna elements 101 included in the planar antenna 100. Further, the second part 212 is located between the first part 211 and the fourth part 214 defined as described above, and the third part 213 is located between the first part 211 and the fifth part 215 defined as described above.
Next, the beam transmission characteristics of the first part 211, the second part 212, the third part 213, the fourth part 214, and the fifth part 215 included in the radome 210 will be described. The first part 211 of the radome 210 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a scanning angle of 0 degrees of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with the emission direction directed toward the first part 211. The fourth part 214 of the radome 210 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to the third scanning angle θ3 of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with the emission direction directed toward the fourth part 214. The fifth part 215 of the radome 210 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to the fourth scanning angle θ4 of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with the emission direction directed toward the fifth part 215. Note that, the second part 212 of the radome 210 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to the first scanning angle between the scanning angle of 0 degrees and the third scanning angle θ3. The fifth part 215 of the radome 210 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to the second scanning angle between the scanning angle of 0 degrees and the fourth scanning angle θ4.
Next, a specific example of the antenna device 2 according to the second embodiment will be described by referring to the drawings.
The beam transmission characteristics of the first part 221, the second part 222, the third part 223, the fourth part 224, and the fifth part 225 included in the radome 220 will be described below. The first part 221 of the radome 220 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a scanning angle of 0 degrees of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with the emission direction directed toward the first part 221. The second part 222 of the radome 220 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a first scanning angle of 35 degrees of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with the emission direction directed toward the second part 222. The third part 223 of the radome 220 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a second scanning angle of −35 degrees of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with the emission direction directed toward the third part 223.
The fourth part 224 of the radome 220 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a third scanning angle of 70 degrees of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with the emission direction directed toward the fourth part 224. The fifth part 225 of the radome 220 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a fourth scanning angle of −70 degrees of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with the emission direction directed toward the fifth part 225.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Next, a modified example of the second embodiment will be described by referring to the drawings.
The sixth part 236 is located in a direction of a fifth scanning angle θ5 with respect to the planar antenna 100, and the seventh part 237 is located in a direction of a sixth scanning angle θ6 with respect to the planar antenna 100. More specifically, the end of the sixth part 236 adjacent to the end G of the fourth part is located in a direction of a scanning angle wider than the direction of the fifth scanning angle θ5 with respect to one end C of the beam emitting surface composed of the surfaces of the plurality of antenna elements 101 included in the planar antenna 100. The end of the seventh part 237 adjacent to the end H of the fifth part 235 is located in a direction of a scanning angle wider than the sixth scanning angle θ6 with respect to the other end D of the beam emitting surface composed of the surfaces of the plurality of antenna elements 101 included in the planar antenna 100.
The sixth part 236 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to the fifth scanning angle θ5 of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with the emission direction directed toward the sixth part 236. The seventh part 237 of the radome 230 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to the sixth scanning angle θ6 of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with the emission direction directed toward the seventh part 237.
As described above, there is no limitation on the number of parts that the radome according to the second embodiment further includes other than the first part, the second part, and the third part. When the number is singular, one part that the radome according to the second embodiment further includes other than the first part, the second part, and the third part has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a predetermined scanning angle of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with the emission direction directed toward the one part. When the number is plural, any part of the plurality of parts that the radome according to the second embodiment further includes other than the first part, the second part, and the third part has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a predetermined scanning angle of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with the emission direction directed toward the any part.
As described above, in the antenna device 2 according to the second embodiment, the radome 210 further includes one or more parts each having a surface flush with each surface of the first part 211, the second part 212, and the third part 213, and any part of the one or more parts has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a predetermined scanning angle of the beam emitted by the planar antenna 100 with the emission direction directed toward the any part.
According to the above configuration, in a region where the one or more parts are arranged, the one or more parts cover the planar antenna 100. This makes it possible to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity of the beam emitted toward the region while protecting the planar antenna 100 from the external environment such as wind, rain, or dust from the region.
Further, in the antenna device 2 according to the first embodiment, the first part 211 has a surface facing the beam emitting surface of the planar antenna 100, and the size of the surface of the first part 211 is equivalent to the size of the beam emitting surface of the planar antenna 100.
According to the above configuration, the first part 211 covers the planar antenna 100 in a region having a size equivalent to the size of the beam emitting surface of the planar antenna 100. This makes it possible to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity of the beam emitted toward the region without changing the thickness of the radome in the region.
The third embodiment will be described below by referring to the drawings. In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the configuration in which the antenna covered by the radome is a planar antenna has been described. In the third embodiment, a configuration in which the antenna covered by the radome is an aperture antenna will be described.
The parabolic antenna 300 includes a primary radiator 301, a reflection mirror 302 facing the primary radiator 301, and a base 303 connected to the reflection mirror 302. The primary radiator 301 radiates a beam to the reflection mirror 302, and the reflection mirror 302 reflects the beam radiated by the primary radiator 301 toward the radome 310. The configuration including the primary radiator 301 and the reflection mirror 302 can change the scanning angle of the emitted beam by rotating around the contact point with the base 303.
The third part 313 of the radome 310 is adjacent to one end I of the second part 312, and the first part 311 is adjacent to the other end J of the second part 312. The first part 311 of the radome 310 has a surface S3 facing an aperture plane S4 of the parabolic antenna 300 when the aperture plane S4 of the parabolic antenna 300 is directed toward the first part 311 as shown in
Next, the configuration when the aperture plane S4 of the parabolic antenna 300 is directed toward the third part 313 will be described.
The beam transmission characteristics of the first part 311, the second part 312, and the third part 313 of the radome 310 will be described below. The first part 311 of the radome 310 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a scanning angle of 0 degrees of the beam emitted by the parabolic antenna 300 with the emission direction directed toward the first part 311.
The second part 312 of the radome 310 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to the first scanning angle of the beam emitted by the parabolic antenna 300 with the emission direction directed toward the second part 312. The third part 313 of the radome 310 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to the second scanning angle θ7 of the beam emitted by the parabolic antenna 300 with the emission direction directed toward the third part 313. Note that, the first scanning angle is a scanning angle between the second scanning angle θ7 and the scanning angle of 0 degrees.
More specifically about the beam transmission characteristics of the first part 311, the second part 312, and the third part 313, each of the first part 311, the second part 312, and the third part 313 is composed of one or more layers. The first part 311 and the second part 312 differ in at least one or more of the number of layers, the material of the layer, and the thickness of each layer when the one or more layers are a plurality of layers, and thus differ in the beam transmission characteristic. The first part 311 and the third part 313 differ in at least one or more of the number of layers, the material of the layer, and the thickness of each layer when the one or more layers are a plurality of layers, and thus differ in the beam transmission characteristic. The second part 312 and the third part 313 differ in at least one or more of the number of layers, the material of the layer, and the thickness of each layer when the one or more layers are a plurality of layers, and thus differ in the beam transmission characteristic.
Next, a modified example of the third embodiment will be described by referring to the drawings.
The fourth part 324 is located in the direction of the third scanning angle with respect to the parabolic antenna 300, and the fifth part 325 is located in the direction of the fourth scanning angle θ8 with respect to the parabolic antenna 300. Note that, the third scanning angle is a scanning angle between the fourth scanning angle θ8 and the scanning angle of 0 degrees. More specifically about mutual arrangement of the fourth part 324 and the fifth part 325, the end of the fifth part adjacent to one end M of the fourth part is located in a direction of a scanning angle wider than the fourth scanning angle θ8 with respect to the other end N of the aperture plane S4 of the parabolic antenna 300.
The beam transmission characteristics of the fourth part 324 and the fifth part 325 of the radome 320 will be described below. The fourth part 324 of the radome 320 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to the third scanning angle of the beam emitted by the parabolic antenna 300 with the emission direction directed toward the fourth part 324. The fifth part 325 of the radome 320 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to the fourth scanning angle θ8 of the beam emitted by the parabolic antenna 300 with the emission direction directed toward the fifth part 325. Note that, the third scanning angle is a scanning angle between the fourth scanning angle θ8 and the scanning angle of 0 degrees.
As described above, in the antenna device 3 according to the third embodiment, the antenna is a parabolic antenna 300 as an aperture antenna, the third part 313 is adjacent to one end I of the second part 312, and the first part 311 is adjacent to the other end J of the second part 312.
According to the above configuration, in a region adjacent to one end I of the second part 312, the third part 313 covers the aperture antenna, and in a region adjacent to the other end J of the second part 312, the first part 311 covers the aperture antenna. This makes it possible to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity of the beam emitted toward these regions without providing a step on the surface of the radome while protecting the aperture antenna from the external environment such as wind, rain, or dust from a region adjacent to one end I of the second part 312 and the region adjacent to the other end J of the second part 312.
Further, in the antenna device 3 according to the third embodiment, each of the first part 311, the second part 312, and the third part 313 is composed of one or more layers, the first part 311 and the second part 312 differ in at least one or more of the number of layers, the material of the layer, and the thickness of each layer when the one or more layers are a plurality of layers and thus differ in the beam transmission characteristic, the first part 311 and the third part 313 differ in at least one or more of the number of layers, the material of the layer, and the thickness of each layer when the one or more layers are a plurality of layers and thus differ in the beam transmission characteristic, and the second part 312 and the third part 313 differ in at least one or more of the number of layers, the material of the layer, and the thickness of each layer when the one or more layers are a plurality of layers and thus differ in the beam transmission characteristic.
According to the above configuration, at least one or more of the number of layers, the material of the layer, and the thickness of each layer when the one or more layers are a plurality of layers are made different from each other, and thereby it is possible to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity depending on the scanning angle of the beam in the radome without providing a step on the surface of the radome.
Further, in the antenna device 3 according to the third embodiment, the first part 311 is located in the direction of a scanning angle of 0 degrees with respect to the aperture antenna, the second part 312 is located in the direction of the first scanning angle between the second scanning angle and the scanning angle of 0 degrees with respect to the aperture antenna, and the third part 313 is located in the direction of the second scanning angle θ7 with respect to the aperture antenna.
According to the above configuration, the first part 311 is disposed so as to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity when the aperture antenna emits a beam in the direction of a scanning angle of 0 degrees. The second part 312 is disposed so as to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity when the aperture antenna emits a beam in the direction of the first scanning angle. The third part 313 is disposed so as to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity when the aperture antenna emits a beam in the direction of the second scanning angle θ7. This makes it possible to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity depending on the scanning angle of the beam in the radome.
Further, in the antenna device 3 according to the third embodiment, the first part 311 has a surface facing the aperture plane S4 when the aperture plane S4 of the aperture antenna is directed toward the first part 311, and the size of the surface of the first part 311 is equivalent to the size of the aperture plane S4 of the aperture antenna.
According to the above configuration, the first part 311 covers the aperture antenna in a region having a size equivalent to the size of the aperture plane S4 of the aperture antenna. This makes it possible to suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity of the beam emitted toward the region while protecting the aperture antenna from the external environment such as wind, rain, or dust from the region.
The fourth embodiment will be described below by referring to the drawings. In the third embodiment, the configuration in which the antenna covered by the radome is a parabolic antenna as an aperture antenna has been described. In the fourth embodiment, a configuration in which the antenna covered by the radome is a horn antenna as an aperture antenna will be described.
The horn antenna 400 emits a beam from an aperture plane S5 toward a radome 410.
A third part 413 of the radome 410 is adjacent to one end 0 of a second part 412, and a first part 411 is adjacent to the other end P of the second part 412. The first part 411 of the radome 410 has a surface S6 facing the aperture plane S5 of the horn antenna 400 when the aperture plane S5 of the horn antenna 400 is directed toward the first part 411 as shown in
Next, the configuration when the aperture plane S5 of the horn antenna 400 is directed toward the third part 413 will be described.
The beam transmission characteristics of the first part 411, the second part 412, and the third part 413 of the radome 410 will be described below. The first part 411 of the radome 410 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to a scanning angle of 0 degrees of the beam emitted by the horn antenna 400 with the emission direction directed toward the first part 411.
The second part 412 of the radome 410 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to the first scanning angle of the beam emitted by the horn antenna 400 with the emission direction directed toward the second part 412. The third part 413 of the radome 410 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to the second scanning angle θ9 of the beam emitted by the horn antenna 400 with the emission direction directed toward the third part 413. Note that, the first scanning angle is a scanning angle between the second scanning angle θ9 and the scanning angle of 0 degrees.
More specifically about the beam transmission characteristics of the first part 411, the second part 412, and the third part 413, each of the first part 411, the second part 412, and the third part 413 is composed of one or more layers. The first part 411 and the second part 412 differ in at least one or more of the number of layers, the material of the layer, and the thickness of each layer when the one or more layers are a plurality of layers, and thus differ in the beam transmission characteristic. The first part 411 and the third part 413 differ in at least one or more of the number of layers, the material of the layer, and the thickness of each layer when the one or more layers are a plurality of layers, and thus differ in the beam transmission characteristic. The second part 412 and the third part 413 differ in at least one or more of the number of layers, the material of the layer, and the thickness of each layer when the one or more layers are a plurality of layers, and thus differ in the beam transmission characteristic.
Next, a modified example of the fourth embodiment will be described by referring to the drawings.
The fourth part 424 is located in the direction of the third scanning angle with respect to the horn antenna 400, and the fifth part 425 is located in the direction of the fourth scanning angle θ10 with respect to the horn antenna 400. Note that, the third scanning angle is a scanning angle between the fourth scanning angle θ10 and the scanning angle of 0 degrees. More specifically about mutual arrangement of the fourth part 424 and the fifth part 425, the end of the fifth part adjacent to one end S of the fourth part is located in the direction of a scanning angle wider than the fourth scanning angle θ10 with respect to the other end T of the aperture plane S5 of the horn antenna 400.
The beam transmission characteristics of the fourth part 424 and the fifth part 425 of the radome 420 will be described below. The fourth part 424 of the radome 420 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to the third scanning angle of the beam emitted by the horn antenna 400 with the emission direction directed toward the fourth part 424. The fifth part 425 of the radome 420 has a beam transmission characteristic corresponding to the fourth scanning angle θ10 of the beam emitted by the horn antenna 400 with the emission direction directed toward the fifth part 425. Note that, the third scanning angle is a scanning angle between the fourth scanning angle θ10 and the scanning angle of 0 degrees.
As described above, the fourth embodiment shows the configuration in which the aperture antenna covered by the radome 410 is the horn antenna 400. Even with such a configuration, the same effect as that of the antenna device 3 according to the third embodiment is obtained.
It should be noted that the invention of the present application can freely combine the embodiments, modify any constituent element of each embodiment, or omit any constituent element in each embodiment within the scope of the invention.
The antenna device according to the present invention can suppress the attenuation of the beam intensity depending on the scanning angle of the beam emitted by the antenna in the radome without providing a step on the surface of the radome in the antenna device provided with the radome that covers the antenna, and therefore it can be used for antenna devices equipped with a radome that covers the antenna.
1, 2, 3, 4, 20, 21, 30, 40: antenna device, 100: planar antenna, 101: a plurality of antenna elements, 102: dielectric substrate, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 210, 220, 230, 310, 320, 410, 420: radome, 111, 121, 131, 141, 151, 211, 221, 231, 311, 321, 411, 421: first part, 112, 122, 132, 142, 152, 212, 222, 232, 312, 322, 412, 422: second part, 113, 123, 133, 143, 153, 213, 223, 233, 313, 323, 413, 423: third part, 214, 224, 234, 324, 424: fourth part, 215, 225, 235, 325, 425: fifth part, 236: sixth part, 237: seventh part, 300: parabolic antenna, 301: primary radiator, 302: reflection mirror, 303: base, 400: horn antenna.
This application is a Continuation of PCT International Application No. PCT/JP2019/009007, filed on Mar. 7, 2019, which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference into the present application.
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Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | PCT/JP2019/009007 | Mar 2019 | US |
Child | 17386366 | US |