CA1149931A - Parabolic antenna with a tubular body connector - Google Patents
Parabolic antenna with a tubular body connectorInfo
- Publication number
- CA1149931A CA1149931A CA000368899A CA368899A CA1149931A CA 1149931 A CA1149931 A CA 1149931A CA 000368899 A CA000368899 A CA 000368899A CA 368899 A CA368899 A CA 368899A CA 1149931 A CA1149931 A CA 1149931A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- support arm
- antenna feed
- reflector
- downconverter
- electrical circuit
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04B—TRANSMISSION
- H04B1/00—Details of transmission systems, not covered by a single one of groups H04B3/00 - H04B13/00; Details of transmission systems not characterised by the medium used for transmission
- H04B1/06—Receivers
- H04B1/16—Circuits
- H04B1/22—Circuits for receivers in which no local oscillation is generated
- H04B1/24—Circuits for receivers in which no local oscillation is generated the receiver comprising at least one semiconductor device having three or more electrodes
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
- H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
- H01Q1/12—Supports; Mounting means
- H01Q1/1242—Rigid masts specially adapted for supporting an aerial
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
- H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
- H01Q1/12—Supports; Mounting means
- H01Q1/22—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles
- H01Q1/24—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set
- H01Q1/247—Supports; Mounting means by structural association with other equipment or articles with receiving set with frequency mixer, e.g. for direct satellite reception or Doppler radar
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
- H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
- H01Q1/42—Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
- H01Q15/00—Devices for reflection, refraction, diffraction or polarisation of waves radiated from an antenna, e.g. quasi-optical devices
- H01Q15/14—Reflecting surfaces; Equivalent structures
- H01Q15/16—Reflecting surfaces; Equivalent structures curved in two dimensions [2D], e.g. paraboloidal
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Electromagnetism (AREA)
- Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
- Remote Sensing (AREA)
- Variable-Direction Aerials And Aerial Arrays (AREA)
- Aerials With Secondary Devices (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
The invention is a reflector with an antenna feed that is supported at the focus of the reflector at the end of a hollow tubular support arm wherein electrical circuit components of a signal apparatus are supported within the tubular arm. The compon-ents that are mounted in the tubular support arm include the mixer of a downconverter and an amplifier for amplifying the output of the downconverter. These elements are mounted within the tubular arm of the antenna feed support to avoid the necessity of providing a separate box for them on the exterior of the tubular arm that is customarily mounted on the back side of the parabolic reflector.
The invention substantially reduces cost, provides a neater arrange-ment that is not subject to high winds and other inclement weather.
The invention is a reflector with an antenna feed that is supported at the focus of the reflector at the end of a hollow tubular support arm wherein electrical circuit components of a signal apparatus are supported within the tubular arm. The compon-ents that are mounted in the tubular support arm include the mixer of a downconverter and an amplifier for amplifying the output of the downconverter. These elements are mounted within the tubular arm of the antenna feed support to avoid the necessity of providing a separate box for them on the exterior of the tubular arm that is customarily mounted on the back side of the parabolic reflector.
The invention substantially reduces cost, provides a neater arrange-ment that is not subject to high winds and other inclement weather.
Description
~i49~31 This invention relates to a mechanical configura-tion for an antenna feed and a connector network that includes a downconverter and amplifier and that is designed to connect the antenna feed to a receiver unit. The description of the invention herein is a c~nfiguration especially designed for receiving signals and downconverting them for input to a television set. The invention, however, is useful in other applications and it is not intended that it should be restrict-ed tG the application described.
It is common to transmit a television signal over say a 35 mile radius by microwave transmission in the 2.15G Hz range for reception by antennas that are especially designed to receive the transmitted signal. The received signal is filtered, amplified and downconverted to a frequency useable by a television receiving set. This general method of trans-mitting television signals is popular in an established multi-distribution system for television programming where the television user pays for the television programs that he receives.
Those engaged in the business of distributing tele-vision programs in this way lease a tuned directional antenna configuration to subscribers who are then able to receive the programming that is transmitted by the distributor. The an-tenna configuration is specially designed to receive only the distributed signal frequency band and those who do not have such an antenna cannot receive the program. It is on this basis that it is used for pay television. The subscribers pay a fee for the use of the antenna.
114993~
These antennas commonly comprise a parabolic reflec-tor that is designed to receive the transmitted signal and reflect it to the antenna feed. Sub-reflectors and/or deflec-tors in addition to the principal parabolic reflector may also be used to assist in focusing the signal on the antenna feed. The antenna feed is mounted in spaced relation to the reflecting surface of the parabola and is usually supported by a tubular support member that extends from the antenna feed to the back center portion of the reflector surface. The sig-nal as received by the antenna feed is transmitted to the television set through a connector network that includes amp-lifiers, filters and means for downconverting the signals re-ceived by the antenna feed to a frequency that they can be used by the television receiver set.
The general circuit arrangement is well known to those skilled in the art and is subject to considerable varia-tion depending upon the specific requirements. For example, in some applications considerably more amplification is re-quired than in others and a pre-amplifier is used. These and other circuit modifications are made according to require-ments and it is not the purpose of this specification to deal extensively with the design of these specific circuits.
This invention is concerned with a physical arrange-ment of certain component parts of such a circuit.
The intermediate amplifier, downconverter and other circuit elements of these circuits are, by established prac-tice, housed within a box that is mounted on the bac~ side of the parabolic reflector. The signal received by the antenna
It is common to transmit a television signal over say a 35 mile radius by microwave transmission in the 2.15G Hz range for reception by antennas that are especially designed to receive the transmitted signal. The received signal is filtered, amplified and downconverted to a frequency useable by a television receiving set. This general method of trans-mitting television signals is popular in an established multi-distribution system for television programming where the television user pays for the television programs that he receives.
Those engaged in the business of distributing tele-vision programs in this way lease a tuned directional antenna configuration to subscribers who are then able to receive the programming that is transmitted by the distributor. The an-tenna configuration is specially designed to receive only the distributed signal frequency band and those who do not have such an antenna cannot receive the program. It is on this basis that it is used for pay television. The subscribers pay a fee for the use of the antenna.
114993~
These antennas commonly comprise a parabolic reflec-tor that is designed to receive the transmitted signal and reflect it to the antenna feed. Sub-reflectors and/or deflec-tors in addition to the principal parabolic reflector may also be used to assist in focusing the signal on the antenna feed. The antenna feed is mounted in spaced relation to the reflecting surface of the parabola and is usually supported by a tubular support member that extends from the antenna feed to the back center portion of the reflector surface. The sig-nal as received by the antenna feed is transmitted to the television set through a connector network that includes amp-lifiers, filters and means for downconverting the signals re-ceived by the antenna feed to a frequency that they can be used by the television receiver set.
The general circuit arrangement is well known to those skilled in the art and is subject to considerable varia-tion depending upon the specific requirements. For example, in some applications considerably more amplification is re-quired than in others and a pre-amplifier is used. These and other circuit modifications are made according to require-ments and it is not the purpose of this specification to deal extensively with the design of these specific circuits.
This invention is concerned with a physical arrange-ment of certain component parts of such a circuit.
The intermediate amplifier, downconverter and other circuit elements of these circuits are, by established prac-tice, housed within a box that is mounted on the bac~ side of the parabolic reflector. The signal received by the antenna
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-- 1~14~931 feed at the free end of the tubular support arm that supports the antenna feed passes through a matching network and a ~ow attenuation coaxial cable that extends from the feed to the back end of the tubular support arm and terminates in one element of a connector. The connector element at the end of this cable is connected to a mating connector element on a metal box that houses the downconverting amplifiers, filters and downconverter of the circuit that downconverts the receiv-ed signal for use by a television set. There is on the box an output connector to ~hich one can attach a coaxial cable to extend from the mast mounted box to the television set.
Thus, the established and commonly used configura-tion ~or the circuit that preamplifies and downconverts the received signal is an antenna feed supported at the free énd of a tube at the focus of a parabolic or like reflector that is connected by means of a low attenuation coaxial cable ex-tending through the support tube for the antenna feed to a metal box mounted in the antenna mast that contains the downconverter and IF amplifiers necessary to do the job.
The power supply for the unit is customarily at the television receiver set and power travels to the unit through the coaxial cable that connects the receiver set to the box.
This configuration is costly and unsightly by com~
parison to the configuration of this invention. The masthead box and its mounting hardware that houses the signal amplifier and the associated downconverter elements is expensive to build and very much less than pleasing to the eye. The cable connection from the antenna feed through the tubular antenna ~` 114993~
mounting arm to the box is an especially costly one that in-volves a length of expensive low attenuation coaxial cable and an expensive connector at the masthead box. The box and its wind resistance is also a factor that must be taken into account in the mast design.
Recently, and in an attempt to overcome some of these problems, the essential elements of the downconverter have been mounted in a housing located in front of the antenna feed. Most problems of the established practice remain. It is cumbersome, unsightly, wind resistant and relatively costly.
The configuration of this invention eliminates the requirement for the masthead box without the addition of any other mechanical structure. Moreover, it eliminates the re- -quirement for the expensive coa,xial cable connector intercon-nection between the antenna feed and the masthead box. At the same time it provides a configuration that avoids the unsightliness of the existing antenna box and its objection-able wind resistance. Thus, with the elimination of these objectionable parts the cost of the configuration of the present inVention is reduced over the cost of the prior art configurations for the same job.
It is, thus, an object of this invention to provide a better configuration for an antenna connector network of the type under consideration that is less expensive than pre-vious configurations, and also an improvement in use.
With these and other objects in view according to the invention an apparatus adapted to receive a signal and downconvert it to a frequency range for supply to a receiving ' s ~ ~
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-~` 114993~
set comprises an antenna feed; focusing means adapted to focus received signals on the antenna feed; means for supporting said antenna feed rigidly with respect to said focusing means adjacent the focus of said focusing means including a tubular support arm; said antenna feed being mounted adjacent the free end of said support arm: at least the mixer of a downconverter means for downconverting signals received by said antenna feed, said mixer being mounted within said tubular support arm;
amplifier means for amplifying the output of the downconverter means of which said mixer is a component, said amplifier means being mounted within said tubular support arm; and terminal means for connecting signals amplified in said amplifier to a receiving set. The invention will be clearly understood after referring to the following detailed specification read in conjunction with the drawings.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective illustration of an antenna according to the invention;
Figure la is a general illustration of the clamp-ing of the reflector and arm to the post;
Figure 2 is a typical circuit arrangement for an antenna according to the invention;
Figure 3 is an illustration of the support arm for the antenna feed and the disposition therein of the downcur-rent elements according to the invention;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional ~iew along the line 4-4 of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is an illustration of one side of;the cir--` ~14~931 cuit board upon which the circuit elements are mounted with most elements omitted for the purposes of clarity;
Figure 6 is a view of the board of Figure 5 from the opposite side; and Figure 7 is an illustration of the arm illustrat-ing the manner in which the feed elements are housed at the free end thereof.
Reference will be first made to Figure 2 which is an illustration of a typical downconverter circuit in its simplest form. It will be appreciated that this circuit is capable of great variation and that the only purpose of its inclusion in thls application is to give a general idea of the nature of the elements with which the configuration is concerned. This invention is concerned with the configura-tion and not with the design of the circuit.
The antenna typically comprises a parabolic reflec- -tor 10 and dipole antenna feed elements 12 and 14 mounted at the focus of the reflector 10. Dipole feed elements 12 and 14 connect through a matching network generally indicated by the number 16 and a coaxial cable 18 to a mixer indicated by the numeral 20. A local oscillator 22 connects with the mixer 20 to give an IF output that is connected to IF ampli-fiers 26 to output of which is connected to a coaxial cable connector 28.
In use a coaxial cable is connected to cable 28 and conducts the downconverted signals to a television set.
Power supply for the downconverter is usually transmitted from the location of the television receiviny set upwardly ' " 11 4~ ~ 3i through the cable that connects the set and connector 31.
The operation of this commercial form of converter is well known. The antenna 10 is in the range of 2154.75 MHz and i~ receives RF from the air and by way of matching net-work 16 delivers it to the mixer 20. The mixer 20 marries the input RF signal to a signal from the local oscillator 22 and from the difference of the input video carrier frequency (2154.75 MHz) and the local oscillator frequency (2~16.0 MHz) an output frequency equal to the difference (61.25 MHz) is derived. The 61.25 MHz frequency matches the VHF channeliza-tion of standard television channel, The 61.25 MHz output from the mixer travels through the IF frequency amplifiers which are tuned to 61.25 MHz and the output is delivered through connector 28 and standard coaxial cable to the waiting television recei~er.
With this invention the circuitry in advance of the coaxial cable connector 28 1s contained within the tubular support arm 36 that supports the feeder elements at the focus of the parabolic reflector 10. The parabolic reflector is mounted on a mast 38 and it comprises a series of metal ribs 42 supported in parabolic reflecting position by means of a spine 40. The spine 40 and the support arm 36 are rigidly mounted on the mast 38. The construction of these antennas generally is well known and variable. It is not described in detail in this application. It will be appreciated that the area marked by the phantom line is filled with ribs simi-lar to the ribs 42 and that appropriate clamping arrangements generally indicated by numeral 39 clamp the spine 40 and the --`` 114~931 free end of the tubular support arm 36 rigidly with respect to the post 38.
The free end of the tubular support arm 36 has been illustrated in Figure 7 from which it will be seen that the dipole feeder elements 12 and 14 are disposed within a plas-tics material or radome housing 44 that extends from the free end of the tubular support arm 36. A metal reflector plate 46 covers the open end of the cover 44.
As indicated the important thing about this invention is the housing of at least the mixer of the downconverter and intermediate amplifiers in the tubular support member 36. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, these elements are mounted on a printed circuit board, one side of which is ~:
illustrated in Figure 5 and the other side of which is illus- :
trated in Figure 6. This board has an appropriate overlay of copper and is adopted to mount the elements of the downconvert--er and IF amplifier circuits. A typical board with copper overlay has been illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 but it will be appreciàted that the form of the overlay and the specific arrangement of the parts of the board is not important and no attempt is made in this application to explain the mount-ing of the circuit components on the board in any detail.
These circuits are grounded and printed copper overlay of the insulated plastic board is electrically connected to the metallic support arm 36 which in turn is electrically connect-ed to antenna parts for grounding by means of an arcuate metal conductor 52. Conductor 52 electrically connects with the printed overlay of the board and is in intimate contact with .
,.
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114993~
the inside metalic surfaces of the arm 36. The dipoles 12 and 14 electrically connect with the metal overlay of the board as shown in Figure 5. These dipoles comprise metalic strips that are pivotally connected to the board and which can be swung to a position 90 in advance of the position illustrated for the purpose of assembling the unit.
The copper overlay leg 54 is part of the matching unit 16.
The board is mounted within the tubular support arm as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. It will be noted that the board has a width that is rigidly supported by the interior diameter of the tubular support arm. In this way the circuit elements are positively and securely mounted in place. They are inserted into the tube by merely pressing the board for-wardly into the tu~e.
The connéction of the antenna feeder 14 from the matching network 16 to the mixer 20 is by coaxial cable and indicated on the drawings.
The end o~ the matching network leg 54 of the print-ed circuit board is connected to a center lead 56 of a coaxial cable 18, while the outer sheath of the coaxial cable is grounded to the copper overlay 60 of the circuit board as at 62.
The take-off from the circuit board to the connect-or 28 is also by means of coaxial cable generally indicated by the numeral 64. The central wire of this cable connects with a circuit board element as at 66. The sheath is grounded as at 68.
~14~931 No attempt has been made in the drawings to illus-trate the mixer and amplifiers which have been schematically illustrated in Figure 2 because it is thought that to do so would unnecessarily burden this specification. These elements are capable of great variation within the skill of the art and they or their mounting on a circuit board are not thought to be a necessary part of the invention.
- While a circuit board is a preferred manner for mounting the elements within the tube it is not intended that the invention should be lim~ted to a circuit board mounting of these elements within the support arm for the antenna feed-ers.
The coaxial cable 64 that extends from the circuit board to the connector 28 passed through a rubber gasket 66 that is adapted to seal the open end of the support arm 36.
It will be apparent that all of the essential ele-ments of the downconverter including the downconverter and IF
amplifiers have been appropriately housed within the tubular support arm 36 of the antenna and that this has resulted in a configuration that can be simply connected to a television set by interconnection with the element 28 of the connector.
In use the antenna functions as antennas of the prior art wherein these elements were mounted on a box secured to the masthead, but the inclusion of the cumbersome unsightly and costly box has been eliminated.
Other configurations than the board will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is not the board that is thought of as being essential to the invention ` 1~4993~
although the board is a convenient way of achieving the mount-ing function. The important thing is that the intermediate frequency oscillator and at least essential parts of the down-converter are mounted within the sleeve 36.
The local oscillator can with some advantage be mounted at the location of the television set because it tends to be adversely affected by fluctuations in weather encountered at the location of the antenna sleeve. The mixer 20, however, is mounted in the sleeve in every case and the intermediate frequency amplifiers 20 are also mounted in the sleeve.
A parabolic reflector for the antenna feed has been illustrated but it will be obvious that the form of the re-flector is not important to the invention, indeed, the antenna feed may achieve its signai from a wave guide in which case there would be no reflector. The important thing is that the antenna feed be supported close to a tubular support arm and that at least essential elements of the downconverting and amplifying circuits be mounted in that tubular support arm.
The form of the tubular support arm that supports the antenna feed is also capable of wide variation. Moreover, the mount-ing of the feed and the form of the feed are capable of varia-tion.
,~, ~ . .
-- 1~14~931 feed at the free end of the tubular support arm that supports the antenna feed passes through a matching network and a ~ow attenuation coaxial cable that extends from the feed to the back end of the tubular support arm and terminates in one element of a connector. The connector element at the end of this cable is connected to a mating connector element on a metal box that houses the downconverting amplifiers, filters and downconverter of the circuit that downconverts the receiv-ed signal for use by a television set. There is on the box an output connector to ~hich one can attach a coaxial cable to extend from the mast mounted box to the television set.
Thus, the established and commonly used configura-tion ~or the circuit that preamplifies and downconverts the received signal is an antenna feed supported at the free énd of a tube at the focus of a parabolic or like reflector that is connected by means of a low attenuation coaxial cable ex-tending through the support tube for the antenna feed to a metal box mounted in the antenna mast that contains the downconverter and IF amplifiers necessary to do the job.
The power supply for the unit is customarily at the television receiver set and power travels to the unit through the coaxial cable that connects the receiver set to the box.
This configuration is costly and unsightly by com~
parison to the configuration of this invention. The masthead box and its mounting hardware that houses the signal amplifier and the associated downconverter elements is expensive to build and very much less than pleasing to the eye. The cable connection from the antenna feed through the tubular antenna ~` 114993~
mounting arm to the box is an especially costly one that in-volves a length of expensive low attenuation coaxial cable and an expensive connector at the masthead box. The box and its wind resistance is also a factor that must be taken into account in the mast design.
Recently, and in an attempt to overcome some of these problems, the essential elements of the downconverter have been mounted in a housing located in front of the antenna feed. Most problems of the established practice remain. It is cumbersome, unsightly, wind resistant and relatively costly.
The configuration of this invention eliminates the requirement for the masthead box without the addition of any other mechanical structure. Moreover, it eliminates the re- -quirement for the expensive coa,xial cable connector intercon-nection between the antenna feed and the masthead box. At the same time it provides a configuration that avoids the unsightliness of the existing antenna box and its objection-able wind resistance. Thus, with the elimination of these objectionable parts the cost of the configuration of the present inVention is reduced over the cost of the prior art configurations for the same job.
It is, thus, an object of this invention to provide a better configuration for an antenna connector network of the type under consideration that is less expensive than pre-vious configurations, and also an improvement in use.
With these and other objects in view according to the invention an apparatus adapted to receive a signal and downconvert it to a frequency range for supply to a receiving ' s ~ ~
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-~` 114993~
set comprises an antenna feed; focusing means adapted to focus received signals on the antenna feed; means for supporting said antenna feed rigidly with respect to said focusing means adjacent the focus of said focusing means including a tubular support arm; said antenna feed being mounted adjacent the free end of said support arm: at least the mixer of a downconverter means for downconverting signals received by said antenna feed, said mixer being mounted within said tubular support arm;
amplifier means for amplifying the output of the downconverter means of which said mixer is a component, said amplifier means being mounted within said tubular support arm; and terminal means for connecting signals amplified in said amplifier to a receiving set. The invention will be clearly understood after referring to the following detailed specification read in conjunction with the drawings.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective illustration of an antenna according to the invention;
Figure la is a general illustration of the clamp-ing of the reflector and arm to the post;
Figure 2 is a typical circuit arrangement for an antenna according to the invention;
Figure 3 is an illustration of the support arm for the antenna feed and the disposition therein of the downcur-rent elements according to the invention;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional ~iew along the line 4-4 of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is an illustration of one side of;the cir--` ~14~931 cuit board upon which the circuit elements are mounted with most elements omitted for the purposes of clarity;
Figure 6 is a view of the board of Figure 5 from the opposite side; and Figure 7 is an illustration of the arm illustrat-ing the manner in which the feed elements are housed at the free end thereof.
Reference will be first made to Figure 2 which is an illustration of a typical downconverter circuit in its simplest form. It will be appreciated that this circuit is capable of great variation and that the only purpose of its inclusion in thls application is to give a general idea of the nature of the elements with which the configuration is concerned. This invention is concerned with the configura-tion and not with the design of the circuit.
The antenna typically comprises a parabolic reflec- -tor 10 and dipole antenna feed elements 12 and 14 mounted at the focus of the reflector 10. Dipole feed elements 12 and 14 connect through a matching network generally indicated by the number 16 and a coaxial cable 18 to a mixer indicated by the numeral 20. A local oscillator 22 connects with the mixer 20 to give an IF output that is connected to IF ampli-fiers 26 to output of which is connected to a coaxial cable connector 28.
In use a coaxial cable is connected to cable 28 and conducts the downconverted signals to a television set.
Power supply for the downconverter is usually transmitted from the location of the television receiviny set upwardly ' " 11 4~ ~ 3i through the cable that connects the set and connector 31.
The operation of this commercial form of converter is well known. The antenna 10 is in the range of 2154.75 MHz and i~ receives RF from the air and by way of matching net-work 16 delivers it to the mixer 20. The mixer 20 marries the input RF signal to a signal from the local oscillator 22 and from the difference of the input video carrier frequency (2154.75 MHz) and the local oscillator frequency (2~16.0 MHz) an output frequency equal to the difference (61.25 MHz) is derived. The 61.25 MHz frequency matches the VHF channeliza-tion of standard television channel, The 61.25 MHz output from the mixer travels through the IF frequency amplifiers which are tuned to 61.25 MHz and the output is delivered through connector 28 and standard coaxial cable to the waiting television recei~er.
With this invention the circuitry in advance of the coaxial cable connector 28 1s contained within the tubular support arm 36 that supports the feeder elements at the focus of the parabolic reflector 10. The parabolic reflector is mounted on a mast 38 and it comprises a series of metal ribs 42 supported in parabolic reflecting position by means of a spine 40. The spine 40 and the support arm 36 are rigidly mounted on the mast 38. The construction of these antennas generally is well known and variable. It is not described in detail in this application. It will be appreciated that the area marked by the phantom line is filled with ribs simi-lar to the ribs 42 and that appropriate clamping arrangements generally indicated by numeral 39 clamp the spine 40 and the --`` 114~931 free end of the tubular support arm 36 rigidly with respect to the post 38.
The free end of the tubular support arm 36 has been illustrated in Figure 7 from which it will be seen that the dipole feeder elements 12 and 14 are disposed within a plas-tics material or radome housing 44 that extends from the free end of the tubular support arm 36. A metal reflector plate 46 covers the open end of the cover 44.
As indicated the important thing about this invention is the housing of at least the mixer of the downconverter and intermediate amplifiers in the tubular support member 36. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, these elements are mounted on a printed circuit board, one side of which is ~:
illustrated in Figure 5 and the other side of which is illus- :
trated in Figure 6. This board has an appropriate overlay of copper and is adopted to mount the elements of the downconvert--er and IF amplifier circuits. A typical board with copper overlay has been illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 but it will be appreciàted that the form of the overlay and the specific arrangement of the parts of the board is not important and no attempt is made in this application to explain the mount-ing of the circuit components on the board in any detail.
These circuits are grounded and printed copper overlay of the insulated plastic board is electrically connected to the metallic support arm 36 which in turn is electrically connect-ed to antenna parts for grounding by means of an arcuate metal conductor 52. Conductor 52 electrically connects with the printed overlay of the board and is in intimate contact with .
,.
`
`
114993~
the inside metalic surfaces of the arm 36. The dipoles 12 and 14 electrically connect with the metal overlay of the board as shown in Figure 5. These dipoles comprise metalic strips that are pivotally connected to the board and which can be swung to a position 90 in advance of the position illustrated for the purpose of assembling the unit.
The copper overlay leg 54 is part of the matching unit 16.
The board is mounted within the tubular support arm as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. It will be noted that the board has a width that is rigidly supported by the interior diameter of the tubular support arm. In this way the circuit elements are positively and securely mounted in place. They are inserted into the tube by merely pressing the board for-wardly into the tu~e.
The connéction of the antenna feeder 14 from the matching network 16 to the mixer 20 is by coaxial cable and indicated on the drawings.
The end o~ the matching network leg 54 of the print-ed circuit board is connected to a center lead 56 of a coaxial cable 18, while the outer sheath of the coaxial cable is grounded to the copper overlay 60 of the circuit board as at 62.
The take-off from the circuit board to the connect-or 28 is also by means of coaxial cable generally indicated by the numeral 64. The central wire of this cable connects with a circuit board element as at 66. The sheath is grounded as at 68.
~14~931 No attempt has been made in the drawings to illus-trate the mixer and amplifiers which have been schematically illustrated in Figure 2 because it is thought that to do so would unnecessarily burden this specification. These elements are capable of great variation within the skill of the art and they or their mounting on a circuit board are not thought to be a necessary part of the invention.
- While a circuit board is a preferred manner for mounting the elements within the tube it is not intended that the invention should be lim~ted to a circuit board mounting of these elements within the support arm for the antenna feed-ers.
The coaxial cable 64 that extends from the circuit board to the connector 28 passed through a rubber gasket 66 that is adapted to seal the open end of the support arm 36.
It will be apparent that all of the essential ele-ments of the downconverter including the downconverter and IF
amplifiers have been appropriately housed within the tubular support arm 36 of the antenna and that this has resulted in a configuration that can be simply connected to a television set by interconnection with the element 28 of the connector.
In use the antenna functions as antennas of the prior art wherein these elements were mounted on a box secured to the masthead, but the inclusion of the cumbersome unsightly and costly box has been eliminated.
Other configurations than the board will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is not the board that is thought of as being essential to the invention ` 1~4993~
although the board is a convenient way of achieving the mount-ing function. The important thing is that the intermediate frequency oscillator and at least essential parts of the down-converter are mounted within the sleeve 36.
The local oscillator can with some advantage be mounted at the location of the television set because it tends to be adversely affected by fluctuations in weather encountered at the location of the antenna sleeve. The mixer 20, however, is mounted in the sleeve in every case and the intermediate frequency amplifiers 20 are also mounted in the sleeve.
A parabolic reflector for the antenna feed has been illustrated but it will be obvious that the form of the re-flector is not important to the invention, indeed, the antenna feed may achieve its signai from a wave guide in which case there would be no reflector. The important thing is that the antenna feed be supported close to a tubular support arm and that at least essential elements of the downconverting and amplifying circuits be mounted in that tubular support arm.
The form of the tubular support arm that supports the antenna feed is also capable of wide variation. Moreover, the mount-ing of the feed and the form of the feed are capable of varia-tion.
Claims (4)
1. A signal apparatus of the type having a reflector and including an antenna feed at the focus of the reflector, the apparatus having electrical circuit components including said antenna feed, a downconverter and an amplifier, said downconverter having a mixer and a local oscillator and being adapted to receive a signal and downconvert it to a frequency range for supply to a receiving set comprises:
a hollow tubular support arm that extends between said antenna feed and said reflector for supporting said antenna feed rigidly with respect to said reflector adjacent the focus of said reflector;
electrical circuit component support means for at least some of said electrical circuit components of said signal apparatus, said electrical circuit component support means being mounted within the interior of said hollow tubular support arm;
said antenna feed being mounted adjacent the free end of said support arm;
at least said mixer of said downconverter being mounted on said electrical circuit component support means adjacent to said antenna feed and within said tubular support arm;
said amplifier means being adapted to amplify the output of the downconverter means of which said mixer is a component, said amplifier means being mounted on said electrical circuit component support means between said mixer and said reflector and within said tubular support arm;
and terminal means mounted on said electrical component support means adjacent to said amplifier means for connecting signals amplified in said amplifier means to a receiving set.
a hollow tubular support arm that extends between said antenna feed and said reflector for supporting said antenna feed rigidly with respect to said reflector adjacent the focus of said reflector;
electrical circuit component support means for at least some of said electrical circuit components of said signal apparatus, said electrical circuit component support means being mounted within the interior of said hollow tubular support arm;
said antenna feed being mounted adjacent the free end of said support arm;
at least said mixer of said downconverter being mounted on said electrical circuit component support means adjacent to said antenna feed and within said tubular support arm;
said amplifier means being adapted to amplify the output of the downconverter means of which said mixer is a component, said amplifier means being mounted on said electrical circuit component support means between said mixer and said reflector and within said tubular support arm;
and terminal means mounted on said electrical component support means adjacent to said amplifier means for connecting signals amplified in said amplifier means to a receiving set.
2. A signal apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said local oscillator of said downconverter means is mounted on said electrical circuit component support means within said hollow tubular support arm.
3. A signal apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said electrical circuit component support means comprises a circuit board, the edges of said circuit board being restrained between opposed wall surfaces of the inside of said hollow tubular support arm.
4. A signal apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said electrical circuit component support means comprises a circuit board, the edges of said circuit board being restrained between opposed wall surfaces of the inside of said hollow tubular support arm.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000368899A CA1149931A (en) | 1981-01-20 | 1981-01-20 | Parabolic antenna with a tubular body connector |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000368899A CA1149931A (en) | 1981-01-20 | 1981-01-20 | Parabolic antenna with a tubular body connector |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1149931A true CA1149931A (en) | 1983-07-12 |
Family
ID=4118966
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000368899A Expired CA1149931A (en) | 1981-01-20 | 1981-01-20 | Parabolic antenna with a tubular body connector |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1149931A (en) |
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5202699A (en) * | 1991-05-30 | 1993-04-13 | Confier Corporation | Integrated MMDS antenna and down converter |
| US5394559A (en) * | 1993-04-16 | 1995-02-28 | Conifer Corporation | MMDS/ITFS bi-directional over-the-air transmission system and method therefor |
| US5402138A (en) * | 1991-05-30 | 1995-03-28 | Conifer Corporation | Integrated MMDS/MDS antenna and dual band down converter |
| US5523768A (en) * | 1991-05-30 | 1996-06-04 | Conifer Corporation | Integrated feed and down converter apparatus |
| EP2053754A3 (en) * | 2007-10-24 | 2012-04-04 | Biotronik CRM Patent AG | Radio communications system designed for a low-power receiver |
-
1981
- 1981-01-20 CA CA000368899A patent/CA1149931A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (9)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5202699A (en) * | 1991-05-30 | 1993-04-13 | Confier Corporation | Integrated MMDS antenna and down converter |
| US5300941A (en) * | 1991-05-30 | 1994-04-05 | Conifer Corporation | Integrated MMDS antenna and down converter |
| US5402138A (en) * | 1991-05-30 | 1995-03-28 | Conifer Corporation | Integrated MMDS/MDS antenna and dual band down converter |
| US5448255A (en) * | 1991-05-30 | 1995-09-05 | Conifer Corporation | Dual band down converter for MMDS/MDS antenna |
| US5523768A (en) * | 1991-05-30 | 1996-06-04 | Conifer Corporation | Integrated feed and down converter apparatus |
| US5394559A (en) * | 1993-04-16 | 1995-02-28 | Conifer Corporation | MMDS/ITFS bi-directional over-the-air transmission system and method therefor |
| US5437052A (en) * | 1993-04-16 | 1995-07-25 | Conifer Corporation | MMDS over-the-air bi-directional TV/data transmission system and method therefor |
| EP2053754A3 (en) * | 2007-10-24 | 2012-04-04 | Biotronik CRM Patent AG | Radio communications system designed for a low-power receiver |
| US8428528B2 (en) | 2007-10-24 | 2013-04-23 | Biotronik Crm Patent Ag | Radio communications system designed for a low-power receiver |
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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