JP2001203531A - Phased array antenna system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a phased array antenna system that is facilitated in periodic maintenance, inspection and servicing and ease of replacement of a fault transmission reception module with a new transmission reception module even when the phased array antenna system is in operation. SOLUTION: An opening/closing door such as biparting doors to attain attachment/detachment of a fault transmission reception module 5 is provided to a face of a case 1, e.g. a rear face containing a plurality of antenna elements and a plurality of transmission reception modules 5 arranged corresponding to the antenna elements, and a power supply module 6 supplying power to the transmission reception modules 5 is placed to the inner face or the outer face of the biparting doors 12 or a rear end or the inside of the transmission reception module 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a phased array antenna device (hereinafter, "antenna device").

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a conventional antenna device, FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a state where a radome is removed in FIG. 11, and FIG. 13 is a diagram showing all antenna elements and all connections in FIG. It is a perspective view in the state where the board was removed and the transmitting / receiving module was exposed. 11 to 13, reference numeral 1 denotes a housing of the antenna device, 2 denotes a radome of the housing 1, 3 denotes an antenna element, 4 denotes a connection plate, and 5 denotes a transmission / reception module. A plurality of antenna elements 3 are arranged on the surface of the connection plate 4 on the radome 2 side, and the transmission / reception module 5 corresponds to each of the antenna elements 5.
Is located behind. Further individual antenna elements 3
The transmission / reception module 5 is electrically connected to the transmission / reception module 5 by a power supply connector (not shown) penetrating the connection plate 4.
The connection plate 4 is often composed of a plurality. FIG.
In FIG. 2 and FIG. 13, some of the antenna elements 2 and the transmission / reception module 5 are abbreviated as black dots.

During operation of the antenna device, power is supplied to the transmitting / receiving module 5 to amplify a signal in the transmitting / receiving module 5, and the amplified signal is transferred to the antenna element 3 to form an antenna pattern. The antenna pattern thus formed is radiated to the space via the radome 2. The transmitting / receiving module 5 is generally a life-span component, and a normal antenna device has a large number of transmitting / receiving modules 5 arranged in a matrix.
Some of them break down. At this time, the antenna device is temporarily stopped, the radome 2 is removed from the front side of the antenna device, and the antenna device 3 is exposed, as shown in FIG.
Next, the antenna element 3 and the connection plate 4 are removed to bring the transmission / reception module 5 into the state shown in FIG. 13, and then the failed transmission / reception module 5 is pulled out and replaced with a new one.

In the conventional antenna device, when the transmission / reception module 5 having the above-described structure is replaced with a new one, the antenna device is temporarily stopped, and the radome 2, the antenna element 3, and the connection plate 4 are sequentially removed to perform transmission / reception. There is a problem that complicated multiple steps for exposing the module 5 are required. The antenna device is subject to regular maintenance and inspections, not only when the failed transmitter / receiver module is replaced with a new one, but every time, the antenna device is temporarily stopped, and the complicated removal and reassembly work is performed as described above. There is a problem that requires.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional antenna device, and it is necessary to perform regular maintenance and inspection even when the antenna device is in operation. It is an object of the present invention to provide an antenna device that can easily perform maintenance, maintenance, and replacement of a failed transmission / reception module with a new one.

[0006]

An antenna device according to the present invention comprises: (1) a housing accommodating a plurality of antenna elements and a plurality of transmission / reception modules arranged corresponding to each of the antenna elements; It is provided with an opening / closing door that is provided to enable attachment / detachment of a transmission / reception module, and a power supply module installed inside or outside the housing. (2) In the above (1), the opening / closing door is provided on the back surface of the housing. (3) In the above (2), the power supply module is installed on the inner surface or the outer surface of the door. (4) In the above (1), the power supply module is AC / D
The DC / DC converter comprises a C converter and a DC / DC converter, and the DC / DC converter is installed at the rear end of the transmitting / receiving module or in the transmitting / receiving module. (5) In the above (1), the power supply module is installed at the rear end of the transmission / reception module or in the transmission / reception module.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1 1 and 2 illustrate an antenna device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the antenna device, and FIG. 2 is a view taken along line XX of FIG. It is sectional drawing (however, the double door 12 mentioned later is in the opened state). 1 and 2, 1 is a housing of the antenna device, 11 is a rear wall of the housing 1,
12 is a double door provided on the back wall 11, 13 is a hinge of the double door 12, 2 is a radome, 4 is a connection plate, 5 is a transmission / reception module, 6 is an AC / DC converter and DC / DC.
A power supply module having a converter, 7 is an electric cable, and 8 is a connector fixed to the rear end of the transmission / reception module 5. The plurality of antenna elements (not shown) and the plurality of transmitting / receiving modules 5 are electrically connected via the connection plate 4.

The plurality of transmission / reception modules 5 are arranged on a multi-stage shelf (not shown) provided in the housing 1, for example, and the plurality of transmission / reception modules 5 located at each stage of the shelf form a matrix row. Are arranged in a matrix.
The power supply module 6 is fixed to the back surface of the double door 12, and power is supplied from the power supply module 6 to each transmitting / receiving module 5 via the electric cable 7 and the connector 8. By supplying this power, the above-described FIGS.
The antenna pattern formed by the same mechanism as in the case (1) is radiated into the space via the radome 2.

In the first embodiment, the double door 12 with the hinge 13 is provided while the operating state of the antenna device is maintained.
By opening, the failed transmitting / receiving module 5 can be reached from the back of the antenna device. Then, the electric cable 7 is separated from the connector 8, the failed transmitting / receiving module 5 is taken out and replaced with a new one, the electric cable 7 is reconnected, and then the double door 12 is closed, whereby the antenna device can be restored.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the work of picking up a failed transmitting / receiving module and replacing it with a new transmitting / receiving module can be performed on the back surface of the antenna device. Since there is no need to stop, the transmission / reception state can be maintained. Furthermore, by opening the back of the antenna device, it is possible to directly access other transmission / reception modules, and to perform maintenance and inspection and maintenance of those modules, thereby reducing manpower for comprehensive maintenance management. There is.

Embodiment 2 FIG. 3 illustrates an antenna device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 corresponds to FIG. 1 in the first embodiment, and differs from FIG. 1 in that the power supply module 6 is fixed to the outer surface of the double door 12. Is different. The operation method and effects of the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

Embodiment 3 4 and 5 illustrate an antenna device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of the antenna device, and FIG. 5 is a view taken along line XX of FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view (however, a lower opening door 12 described later is opened upward). Embodiment 3
Embodiment 2 is different from Embodiment 1 in that a downward opening door 12 is employed instead of the double opening door 12 and the power supply module 6 is fixed to the back surface. In the third embodiment, the operation method and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment except that the lower opening door 12 is opened upward during maintenance work of the antenna device and replacement work with a new transmitting / receiving module. .

Embodiment 4 FIG. 6 illustrates an antenna device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 corresponds to FIG. 4 in the third embodiment, in which the power supply module 6 is fixed to the outer surface of the lower opening door 12 in FIG. Is different. The operation method and effects of the fourth embodiment are the same as those of the third embodiment.

The double door 12 employed in the first and second embodiments and the lower door 1 employed in the third and fourth embodiments
2, the door provided on the back of the antenna housing 1
Since the inner surface and the outer surface can be used as the installation location of the power supply module 6, there is an effect that the limited space in the housing 1 can be effectively used for installing as many transmission / reception modules 5 as possible.

Embodiment 5 FIG. 7 illustrates an antenna device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, and corresponds to FIG. 2 in the first embodiment, and
The difference is that only the DC / DC converter 61, which is a part of the power supply module 6, is taken out as a separate module and is directly connected to the rear end of the transmission / reception module 5. AC / D
A power supply module 6 composed of a C converter 62 is fixed to the back of the double door 12, and each DC / D converter is connected to the power supply module 6 via a connector 8 by an electric cable 7.
Power is supplied to the C converter 61 and the transmission / reception module 5.

The fifth embodiment is substantially the same as those of the first embodiment with respect to the operation method, the maintenance and management of the antenna device, and the ease of replacement with a new transceiver module. By the way, a decrease in the amount of DC power supplied to the transmission / reception module 5 generally causes a problem of lowering the signal transmission / reception performance of the antenna device. In order to solve this problem, in the fifth embodiment, the length of the DC circuit connecting the DC / DC converter 61 and the transmission / reception module 5 is extremely short, and the DC voltage drop in the DC circuit is limited by the long electric cable 7. 2 is extremely small as compared with the case of FIG. 2 which is a DC electric circuit as it is, and thus there is an advantage that the above-described problem of a decrease in the DC power supply does not occur. Further, since the degree of the DC voltage drop is extremely small, the size and the number of electric cables 7 connecting the power supply module 6 and the DC / DC converter 61 in FIG. There is also an advantage that wiring work becomes easy.

Embodiment 6 FIG. 8 illustrates an antenna device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention, and corresponds to FIG. 7 of the fifth embodiment, and differs from FIG. The difference is that only the DC converter 61 is taken out, included in the transmitting / receiving module 5 and integrated therewith. A power supply module 6 composed of an AC / DC converter 62 is fixed to the back surface of the double door 12, and power is supplied from the power supply module 6 to each DC / DC converter 61 and the transmission / reception module 5 via a connector 8 by an electric cable 7. Is done.

In the sixth embodiment, since the DC voltage drop is extremely small, the problem of the decrease in the DC power supply does not occur similarly to the fifth embodiment, and the power supply module 6 and the DC
The size and the number of electric cables 7 connected to the / DC converter 61 can be reduced, and the antenna housing 1
There is also an advantage that wiring work in the inside becomes easy.

Embodiment 7 FIG. 9 illustrates an antenna device according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention, and corresponds to FIG. 7 of the fifth embodiment, and FIG.
The difference is that a power supply module 6 having a C / DC converter and an AC / DC converter is directly connected to the rear end of the transmission / reception module 5. In the seventh embodiment, electric power for operating the antenna device is supplied from an external AC power supply (not shown) to each power supply module 6 and the transmission / reception module 5 via the electric cable 7 and the connector 8. Embodiment 7 also has the same advantages as Embodiments 5 and 6 in terms of low DC voltage drop.

Embodiment 8 FIG. FIG. 10 illustrates an antenna device according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention, and corresponds to FIG. 9 of the seventh embodiment. FIG. 10 differs from FIG. It is different in that it is integrated with it. The electric power for operating the antenna device is supplied from an external AC power supply (not shown) via an electric cable 7 and a connector 8 to each power supply module 6.
And the transmission / reception module 5. Embodiment 8
Also has the same advantages as the above-described fifth to seventh embodiments in terms of low DC voltage drop.

[0021]

As described above, the phased array antenna device according to the invention (1) of the present invention has a housing accommodating a plurality of antenna elements and a plurality of transmission / reception modules arranged corresponding to the respective antenna elements. Body, an opening / closing door provided in this housing to enable attachment / detachment of the transmission / reception module, and a power supply module installed inside or outside the housing, so that the operation state of the antenna device is maintained. By opening the opening / closing door provided on the housing with the door kept open, the failed transmitting / receiving module can be reached. Therefore, the antenna device can be restored by removing the failed transmitting / receiving module and replacing it with a new one. Furthermore, by opening the housing of the antenna device, it is possible to directly access other transmission / reception modules, so that maintenance and inspection and maintenance thereof can be performed, and manpower for comprehensive maintenance management can be reduced. Has a significant effect.

Further, since the above-mentioned opening / closing door is provided on the back of the housing, it is easy to replace the failed transmitting / receiving module with a new one from the back of the housing, and to perform maintenance and inspection and maintenance of other transmitting / receiving modules. Can be done.

Further, by installing the power supply module on the inner surface or the outer surface of the opening / closing door, the space in the housing can be effectively and effectively used for installing a large number of transmission / reception modules.

Further, the power supply module is composed of an AC / DC converter and a DC / DC converter, and the DC / DC converter is installed at the rear end of the transmission / reception module or in the transmission / reception module.
Since the length of the DC circuit linking the C / DC converter and the transmission / reception module is very short, the degree of DC voltage drop due to conductor loss is extremely small, and the performance of the antenna device that occurs when the DC power supply decreases. No problems such as degradation occur. Further, since the DC voltage drop is extremely small, the size and the number of electric cables connecting the power supply module and the DC / DC converter can be reduced, and there is also an advantage that the wiring work in the housing becomes easy.

Further, the power supply module is installed at the rear end of the transmission / reception module or in the transmission / reception module, so that only the DC / DC converter is installed at the rear end of the transmission / reception module or in the transmission / reception module. Since the length of the DC circuit is very short, there is no problem of performance degradation of the antenna device, and since the DC voltage drop is extremely small, the size and number of electric cables used to supply power to the power supply module from an external power supply This also has the advantage that wiring work in the housing becomes easy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a phased array antenna device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 1 (provided that the double doors 12 are open).

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of a phased array antenna device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of a phased array antenna device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 4 (however, the lower opening door 12 is open).

FIG. 6 is an external perspective view of a phased array antenna device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a phased array antenna device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a phased array antenna device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a phased array antenna device according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a phased array antenna device according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an external perspective view of a conventional phased array antenna device.

12 is a perspective view showing the inside of a part of the external perspective view shown in FIG. 11;

13 is a perspective view showing the inside of a part of the external perspective view shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 housing, 11 rear wall of housing 1, 12 double doors, 1
3 Hinge, 2 radome, 5 transceiver module, 6
Power supply module, 61 DC / DC converter, 7
Electrical cable, 8 connectors.

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Kenji Tokunaga 2-3-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo F-term in Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (reference) 5J021 AA05 CA06 JA08 JA10

Claims (5)

[Claims] A housing accommodating a plurality of antenna elements and a plurality of transmission / reception modules arranged corresponding to each of the antenna elements; an opening / closing door provided in the housing to allow attachment / detachment of the transmission / reception module; And a power supply module installed inside or outside the housing. 2. The phased array antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the opening / closing door is provided on a back surface of the housing. 3. The phased array antenna device according to claim 2, wherein the power supply module is installed on an inner surface or an outer surface of the door. 4. A power supply module comprising an AC / DC converter and a DC / DC converter.
2. The phased array antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the C / DC converter is provided at a rear end of the transmitting / receiving module or in the transmitting / receiving module. 5. The phased array antenna device according to claim 1, wherein the power supply module is installed at a rear end of the transmission / reception module or in the transmission / reception module.