Patent Grant
11784389
The present application claims priority from and the benefit of Chinese Patent Application No. 202010740945.2, filed Jul. 29, 2020, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in full.
The disclosure relates to the field of base station antennas, and more particularly, relates to a mounting device and a mounting method for mounting a remote radio unit (RRU) to a base station antenna (BSA), and relates to a base station antenna system.
In a wireless communication network, a BSA may be provided with a RRU, and they may be electrically connected with each other through jumper lines. Typically, a BSA and a RRU may be separately mounted on different poles, so both the BSA and the RRU need separate mounting spaces. A relative position of the BSA and the RRU may only be determined at a mounting location, so a length of the jumper lines for electrically connecting the BSA and the RRU may not be pre-determined. For some BSA, a RRU may be mounted thereon, so the mounting space may be saved. However, the mounting of the RRU on the BSA may be difficult. With regard to related prior art, reference may be made to the publication documents US20170149115A1 and WO2018022307A1, which have disclosed a combination of a BSA and a RRU, respectively.
An object of the disclosure is to provide a mounting device and a mounting method for mounting a RRU to a BSA and to provide a BSA system formed by means of the mounting device, wherein the mounting device may realize easy and accurate mounting of the RRU to the BSA.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is proposed a mounting device for mounting a RRU to a BSA, the mounting device including:
During a mounting process by means of such a mounting device, the RRU may be accurately positioned on the BSA by simple operation steps, wherein the RRU may be placed in the first position at first, and then the RRU may be moved to the second position under gravity.
In the case that the RRU and the support base have matched RF connectors, they may be plugged in a blind manner, and an electrical connection may be automatically formed in the second position.
In some embodiments, the mounting device may include a pin-hole connection, which may include a pin and a hole, wherein one of the pin and the hole may be assigned to the RRU and the other of the pin and the hole may be assigned to the support base. By means of the pin-hole connection, the positioning reliability of the RRU may be improved in a mounting process of the RRU.
In some embodiments, the plug arrangement and the pin-hole connection may be configured to linearly and translationally guide the RRU between the first position and the second position.
In some embodiments, the RRU can move in a longitudinal direction of the BSA between the first position and the second position.
In some embodiments, the plug element and the socket element may have complementary cross-sections. For example, they may have a T-shaped cross-section.
In some embodiments, the plug element may be arranged on the RRU, and the socket element may be arranged in the BSA. It will be appreciated that an opposite arrangement may also be possible.
In some embodiments, the mounting device may include a mounting frame configured to be mounted to the BSA.
In some embodiments, the mounting frame may include two longitudinal beams that are parallel to each other and that may have respective notches and respective guide grooves as the socket elements, the guide grooves extending along a longitudinal direction of the longitudinal beams, wherein in the first position, two plug elements can be introduced into the respective guide grooves through the respective notches, and then can move along the respective guide grooves into the second position.
In some embodiments, the mounting device may include a first adapter plate having the two plug elements, the first adapter plate being configured to be mounted to the RRU.
In some embodiments, the first adapter plate may have a body and the two plug elements transversely protruding from the body.
In some embodiments, the support base may have a receptacle on which the support element can be supported in the second position.
In some embodiments, the receptacle may have a groove extending transversely, in which the support element is supported and received in the second position.
In some embodiments, the receptacle may have an edge extending transversely, and the support element may have a groove extending transversely, in which the support element receives the edge of the receptacle in the second position.
In some embodiments, the support element may be configured as a second adapter plate, which includes a body for planar abutting on the RRU and fixed on the RRU, and a support section extending from the body.
In some embodiments, the first adapter plate and the second adapter plate may be separate parts from each other or may be an integral part.
In some embodiments, the support section may be supported and received in the groove of the receptacle in the second position.
In some embodiments, the second adapter plate may have a recess in which the receptacle is received in the second position, such that the second adapter plate is transversely positioned by the receptacle.
In some embodiments, the mounting device may include a mounting strip configured to be transversely mounted to the BSA and having at least one first guide groove, for example two first guide grooves that are parallel to each other and are spaced apart from each other, as the socket element.
In some embodiments, the first guide groove may extend in a longitudinal direction of the BSA when the mounting strip is mounted to the BSA.
In some embodiments, the mounting device may include at least one plug strip, for example two plug strips that are parallel to each other and are configured to be mounted to the RRU, as the plug element.
In some embodiments, the support base may have at least one second guide groove, for example two second guide grooves that are parallel to each other and are spaced apart from each other.
In some embodiments, the second guide groove may extend in a longitudinal direction of the BSA in a mounting state of the support base to the BSA.
In some embodiments, the mounting device may include at least one second plug strip, for example two second plug strips that are parallel to each other and are to be mounted to the RRU, as the support element.
In some embodiments, in the first position, the second plug strip and the second guide groove may be separated from each other, and in the second position, the second plug strip may be engaged with the second guide groove and is supported on the support base.
In some embodiments, the first plug strip and the second plug strip may be configured identically or differently.
In some embodiments, the mounting device may include a locking device configured to lock the RRU on the BSA in the second position.
In some embodiments, each longitudinal beam may be provided with a locking device, which includes a nut received in the longitudinal beam in a rotation-resistant manner, a screw rod engaged with the nut, and a grip for rotating the screw rod, wherein the nut and the plug element associated with the longitudinal beam have matched inclined surfaces.
In some embodiments, each first guide groove may be provided with a first locking device, which may be configured to lock the first plug strip plugged into the first guide groove.
In some embodiments, each second guide groove may be provided with a second locking device, which may be configured to lock the second plug strip plugged into the second guide groove.
In some embodiments, the first plug strip and the second plug strip may be configured identically, similarly or differently.
In some embodiments, the first locking device and the second locking device may be configured identically, similarly or differently.
In some embodiments, the support base may have a plurality of RF connectors configured to be electrically connected with the BSA and electrically connected with RF connectors of the RRU in the second position.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a BSA system is proposed, which includes a BSA and a RRU, and a mounting device for mounting the RRU to the BSA according to the first aspect of the invention.
In some embodiments, the BSA and the RRU may be pre-assembled by means of the mounting device and then mounted to a pole as a structural unit.
In some embodiments, the BSA may be first mounted to a pole, and then the RRU may be mounted to the BSA by means of the mounting device.
According to a third aspect of the invention, a mounting method for mounting a remote radio unit to a base station antenna is proposed, including following steps:
In some embodiments, the mounting method may be further characterized by aligning a pin and a hole of a pin-hole connection in the first position, wherein one of the pin and the hole is assigned to the remote radio unit, and the other of the pin and the hole is assigned to the support base, wherein the pin-hole connection positions the remote radio unit during movement of the remote radio unit relative to the base station antenna from the first position to the second position.
In some embodiments, the mounting method may use the mounting device according to the first aspect of the invention.
Above-mentioned technical features, technical features to be mentioned below and technical features obtained in the drawings may be arbitrarily combined with each other as long as they are not contradictory. All technically feasible feature combinations are technical contents contained in the disclosure.
The invention will be described in detail below by means of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Among them:
The mounting device 3 may include a support base 6 configured to be mounted to the BSA 1 and to support the RRU 2. In a lowered state shown in
The mounting device 3 may include a support element 10 (see
The mounting device 3 may include a plug arrangement which may include a plug element and a socket element, one of which is configured to be mounted to the BSA, and the other of which is configured to be mounted to the RRU. In the embodiment shown in
The mounting frame 4 may include an upper connecting strip 8. The connecting strip 8 may connect the two longitudinal beams 5 to each other at upper ends of the two longitudinal beams 5. The connecting strip 8 may be used for connecting with a clamping device (not shown), so as to connect the BSA 1 with a pole (not shown) above by means of the connecting strip 8 and the clamping device. The support base 6 may connect the two longitudinal beams 5 to each other at lower ends of the two longitudinal beams 5. To this end, the support base 6 may have an upright web 17 (see
The mounting device 3 may include a pin-hole connection as shown in
The mounting device 3 may include a locking device 9 configured to lock the RRU 2 on the BSA 1 in the second position, for example, lock it on the longitudinal beams 5 of the mounting frame 4 fixed to the BSA 1. Each longitudinal beam 5 may be provided with a locking device 9, which may include a nut 27 received in the longitudinal beam 5 in a rotation-resistant manner, a screw rod 28 engaged with the nut, and a cylindrical grip 29 for rotating the screw rod. The nut 27 and the plug element 23 associated with the longitudinal beam may have matched inclined surfaces.
The support base 6 may have a plurality of receiving openings 14 for mounting RF connectors 13. In a mounting process of the RRU 2, RF connectors of the RRU 2 can be plugged in a blind manner and electrically connected with the RF connectors 13. For example, the RF connectors may be 4.3-10 connectors, 2.2-5 connectors, DIN 7/16 connectors or the like. The connectors may benefit from the ability to float axially and radially. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,570,849 reveals connectors with such float ability.
Next, a BSA system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be introduced with references to
The BSA system includes a BSA 51 and the RRU 52, wherein the RRU 52 may be mounted to the BSA 51 by means of a mounting device 53.
The mounting device 53 may include a support base 56 configured to be mounted to the BSA 51 and to support the RRU 52. The RRU 52 can move between a first position and a second position in an unlocked state. For example, it can move linearly in a longitudinal direction of the BSA 51. The support base 56 may have a plurality of receiving openings 64 for receiving RF connectors.
The mounting device 53 may include two support elements 60 that are parallel to each other and are configured to be mounted to the RRU 52 and movable together with the RRU 52 between the first position, in which the support elements 60 are lifted from the support base 56, and the second position, in which the support elements 60 are supported on the support base 56, in a mounted state of the support elements 60 to the RRU 52. The shown support element s 60 may be configured as plug strips, which may have a T-shaped cross-section, for example. The support base 56 may have two seats 57, and each seat may have a guide groove 58. The seats 57 may be integral parts of the support base 56 or may be separate parts and fixed to the support base 56. The guide grooves 58 may extend in a longitudinal direction of the BSA 51 in a mounted state of the support base 56 to the BSA 51. In the first position, the support elements 60 as the plug strips and the guide grooves 58 are separated from each other, and in the second position, the support elements 60 are engaged with the guide grooves 58 and supported on the support base 56.
The mounting device 53 may include a plug arrangement, which may include a plug element and a socket element, one of which is configured to be mounted to the BSA, and the other of which is configured to be mounted to the RRU. In the second embodiment, the mounting device 53 may include a mounting strip 54 to be transversely mounted to the BSA 51 and may have two parallel guide grooves 55 spaced apart from each other as the socket elements. The guide grooves 55 may extend in a longitudinal direction of the BSA 51 when the mounting strip 54 is mounted to the BSA 51. The mounting device 53 may include two parallel plug strips configured to be mounted to the RRU 52 as the plug elements 62.
The mounting device 53 may include a connecting strip 65, which is configured to be mounted to the BSA 51 and to mount the BSA above to a pole (not shown) by means of a clamping device (not shown) connected with the connecting strip 65. The support base 56 may be connected with a clamping device (not shown), so as to connect the BSA 51 with the pole below by means of the support base and the clamping device.
In the second embodiment, the mounting device 53 may include a pin-hole connection, which may include a pin 63 and a hole 61. The pin-hole connection may be configured identically or similarly to that in the first embodiment.
The guide grooves 55, 58 may be provided with respective locking devices 59. The locking devices may be configured to lock the plug strips plugged into the guide grooves. The locking devices 59 may each have an elastic portion, which can press the plug strip in a locking position and release the plug strip in a releasing position. To this end, the plug strip may have a recess, and the elastic portion may enter into the recess in the locking position and leave the recess in the releasing position.
It will be understood that, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprise” and “include” (and variants thereof), when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Like reference numbers signify like elements throughout the description of the figures.
The thicknesses of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for the sake of clarity. Further, it will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on,” “coupled to” or “connected to” another element, the element may be formed directly on, coupled to or connected to the other element, or there may be one or more intervening elements therebetween. In contrast, terms such as “directly on,” “directly coupled to” and “directly connected to.” when used herein, indicate that no intervening elements are present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (i.e., “between” versus “directly between”, “attached” versus “directly attached,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent”, etc.).
Terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “upper,” “lower.” “above,” “below,” and the like are used herein to describe the relationship of one element, layer or region to another element, layer or region as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that these terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures.
It will be understood that, although the terms “first,” “second,” etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. Thus, a first element could be termed a second element without departing from the teachings of the inventive concept.
It will also be appreciated that all example embodiments disclosed herein can be combined in any way.
Finally, it is to be noted that, the above-described embodiments are merely for understanding the present invention but not constitute a limit on the protection scope of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, modifications may be made on the basis of the above-described embodiments, and these modifications do not depart from the protection scope of the present invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 202010740945.2 | Jul 2020 | CN | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20140179244 | Colapietro | Jun 2014 | A1 |
| 20140315408 | Colapietro et al. | Oct 2014 | A1 |
| 20160153609 | Ortel | Jun 2016 | A1 |
| 20160261030 | Kim | Sep 2016 | A1 |
| 20160365618 | Kim | Dec 2016 | A1 |
| 20170149115 | Sierzenga et al. | May 2017 | A1 |
| 20170237160 | Kim | Aug 2017 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2747194 | Jun 2014 | EP |
| 3113284 | Jan 2017 | EP |
| 2018022307 | Feb 2018 | WO |
| Entry |
|---|
| “Extended European Search Report corresponding to European Application No. 21187889.7 dated Dec. 16, 2021”. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20220037759 A1 | Feb 2022 | US |
