JP2011044881A - Electromagnetic wave apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an antenna that is miniaturizable, and has an improved assembling workability. <P>SOLUTION: An antenna has: a base 1 with a waveguide 7; a slot plate 2 that contacts with the base 1 by a surface thereof; and a snap-fit 8 provided in the base 1 and having an locking part 11 locking with an edge of the slot plate 2. The slot plate 2 tightly contacts with an attachment surface 6 of the base 1 by an elastic force generated by bending deformation. In the snap-fit 8, the locking part 11 is locked with the edge of the slot plate 2 against restorative force of the slot plate 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electromagnetic wave device used in a microwave band and a millimeter wave band.

  Conventionally, an antenna having a base having a plurality of groove-shaped radiating waveguides and a slot plate having slots at positions corresponding to the radiating waveguides and fixing the slot plate to the base using a fixing screw is known. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-15579 (paragraph 0003, FIG. 2)

In the antenna configured in this way, in order to fix the slot plate to the base using the fixing screw, a space for the fixing screw is required at the peripheral portion of each of the slot plate and the base, and the entire apparatus is increased in size. There was a problem of end.
In addition, the fixing work of a plurality of fixing screws has to be performed, and there is a problem that the assembling workability is poor.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an electromagnetic wave device that can be miniaturized and improved in assembly workability.

  An electromagnetic wave device according to the present invention includes a base having a waveguide, a cover in surface contact with the base, and a snap fit provided on the base and having a locking portion locked to an edge of the cover. Is an elastic force generated by the bending deformation and is in close contact with the mounting surface of the base, and the snap fit is locked to the edge of the cover against the restoring force of the cover. is doing.

  According to the electromagnetic wave device of the present invention, the cover is brought into surface contact with the mounting surface of the base forcibly, so that the cover is brought into close contact with the mounting surface of the base by the elastic force generated by the bending deformation, and the snap fit is engaged. Since the stop portion is locked to the edge portion of the cover against the restoring force of the cover, the cover can be easily attached to the base without using an attachment tool, and the assembling workability is greatly improved.

It is a whole perspective view which shows the antenna of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is arrow sectional drawing along the II-II line | wire of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the structural member before the assembly of the antenna of FIG. It is a whole perspective view which shows the antenna of Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is arrow sectional drawing along the VV line of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the structural member before the assembly of the antenna of FIG. It is a whole perspective view which shows the antenna of Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is arrow sectional drawing along the VIII-VIII line of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the structural member before the assembly of the antenna of FIG. It is a whole perspective view which shows the antenna of Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is arrow sectional drawing along the XI-XI line of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the structural member before the assembly of the antenna of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the antenna of Embodiment 5 of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or equivalent members and parts will be described with the same reference numerals.
Embodiment 1 FIG.
1 is an overall perspective view showing an antenna according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
The antenna, which is an electromagnetic device, is used for a vehicular radar, and includes a base 1 made of a plastic material, a slot plate 2 that is a cover, and snap fits 8 that are provided at both ends of the base 1. It has.
A rectangular base 1 with a flat mounting surface 6 of the slot plate 2 is formed with a groove-like waveguide 7 in the middle and a port 5 communicating with the waveguide 7. The base 1 and the snap fit 8 are made of a plastic material that is a dielectric, and metal plating is applied to portions other than the surface of the locking portion 11 of the snap fit 8. A waveguide (not shown) is connected below the port 5. A transmission / reception device (not shown) is connected to the waveguide.
The pair of snap fits 8 face each other over the entire short side edge of the base 1 and are provided integrally with the base 1 so that they can be bent and deformed along the longitudinal direction of the base 1.
As shown in FIG. 3, the rectangular slot plate 2 is curved and deformed so as to protrude toward the attachment surface 6 along the longitudinal direction before being attached to the base 1. In the slot plate 2, a plurality of slots 10 are formed at portions facing the waveguide 7.

In this antenna, a transmission electromagnetic wave from the transmission / reception device is radiated to the space through the waveguide, the port 5, the waveguide 7 and the slot 10 of the slot plate 2.
The received electromagnetic wave from the space is sent to the transmitting / receiving device through the slot 10 of the slot plate 2, the waveguide 7, the port 5, and the waveguide.

This antenna can be easily assembled by pressing the convex surface of the curved slot plate 2 against the flat mounting surface 6 of the base 1 to flatten the slot plate 2.
That is, while the slot plate 2 is being flattened, both end portions on the short side of the slot plate 2 are in contact with the engaging portions 11 of the snap fits 8, and the respective snap fits 8 are continuously bent and deformed outward. Enter the base 1 side of the locking portion 11. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the snap fit 8 stands up with an elastic restoring force, and the locking portion 11 locks both edges of the slot plate 2, so that the slot plate 2 The mounting surface 6 is forcibly brought into close contact with the entire surface.
Further, when removing the slot plate 2 from the base 1, it can be easily removed by elastically deforming the engaging portion 11 of the snap fit 8 outward and lifting the slot plate 2 from the base 1.

According to the antenna of the first embodiment, the slot plate 2 having a curved shape along the longitudinal direction and projecting and deforming toward the base 1 is forcibly brought into surface contact with the planar mounting surface 6 of the base 1. The locking portion 11 of the snap fit 8 that has been restored elastically locks the edge of the slot plate 2 so that the slot plate 2 can be easily attached to the base 1 without using a mounting tool, thus greatly improving the assembly workability. To do.
For example, when a fixing screw is used, a space for the fixing screw is required at each peripheral portion of the slot plate 2 and the base 1, but in this embodiment, such a space is not necessary, and the antenna Is miniaturized.
Furthermore, the base 1 is integral with the snap fit 8, and there is no need to separately prepare new mounting parts.
Further, the locking portion 11 of the snap fit 8 is not subjected to metal plating on the surface, and the plastic material which is a dielectric is exposed, so that the locking portion 11 protrudes from the surface of the slot plate 2. The influence on the radio wave characteristics is small, and good electromagnetic wave characteristics are secured.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
4 is an overall perspective view showing an antenna according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing components of the antenna in FIG. It is.
In this embodiment, the slot plate 2A before being attached to the base 1A is a rectangular flat plate.
Further, the attachment surface 6A of the rectangular base 1A protrudes toward the slot plate 2A in a shape curved along the longitudinal direction.
Other configurations are the same as those of the antenna of the first embodiment.

  Also in the antenna of this embodiment, the slot plate 2A, which is a flat plate, is forcibly brought into surface contact with the curved mounting surface 6A of the base 1A, so that the slot plate 2A can be easily attached to the base 1A without using a mounting tool. Can be attached, and the same effect as the antenna of Embodiment 1 can be obtained.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
7 is an overall perspective view showing an antenna according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing components of the antenna in FIG. It is.
In this embodiment, the rectangular slot plate 2 </ b> B has a curved shape protruding to the opposite side of the base 1 before being attached to the base 1.
Further, a snap fit 8A integrated with the base 1 is provided on the side surface of the long side of the rectangular base 1 so as to face each other.
The number of snap fits 8A is not limited to two, and may be four, for example.
Other configurations are the same as those of the antenna of the first embodiment.

In the antenna of this embodiment as well, the slot plate 2B can be easily attached to the base 1 without using an attachment tool by forcing the curved slot plate 2B to come into surface contact with the attachment surface 6 of the base 1. And the same effect as the antenna of the first embodiment can be obtained.
Further, the locking portion 11 of the snap fit 8A locks the central portion where the bending deformation amount of the slot plate 2B is maximum, and the slot plate 2B is efficiently brought into close contact with the mounting surface 6.

Embodiment 4 FIG.
10 is an overall perspective view showing an antenna according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention, FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line XI-XI in FIG. 10, and FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing components of the antenna in FIG. It is.
In this embodiment, the slot plate 2A is a rectangular planar plate.
In addition, the attachment surface 6B of the rectangular base 1B has a curved shape that falls to the opposite side of the slot plate 2A along the longitudinal direction.
Further, a snap fit 8A integral with the base 1B is provided on the long side surface of the rectangular base 1B so as to be opposed thereto.
The number of snap fits 8A is not limited to two, and may be four, for example.
Other configurations are the same as those of the antenna of the first embodiment.

Also in the antenna of this embodiment, the slot plate 2A, which is a flat plate, is forcibly brought into surface contact with the curved mounting surface 6B of the base 1B, so that the slot plate 2A can be easily attached to the base 1B without using a mounting tool. Can be attached, and the same effect as the antenna of Embodiment 1 can be obtained.
Further, the locking portion 11 of the snap fit 8A locks the central portion where the bending deformation amount of the slot plate 2A is maximum, and the slot plate 2A is efficiently brought into close contact with the mounting surface 6B.

Embodiment 5 FIG.
13 is a sectional view showing an antenna according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention.
The antenna of this embodiment includes a radome 9 having a U-shaped cross section provided so as to cover the snap fit 8 and biasing the locking portion 11 toward the slot plate 2 side.
Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

The antenna of this embodiment can obtain the same effects as those of the first embodiment, and has the radome 9 so that the locking portion 11 of the snap fit 8 is disengaged from the edge of the slot plate 2 and the base 1. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the slot plate 2 from being detached.
Of course, the radome 9 can be provided in any of the antennas of the second to fourth embodiments.

In each of the above embodiments, the case of an antenna as an electromagnetic wave device has been described. However, the present invention can also be applied to a waveguide that is an electromagnetic wave device.
In the case of the antennas of the first to fifth embodiments, the cover of the electromagnetic wave device is the slot plates 2, 2 </ b> A, and 2 </ b> B. In the case of this waveguide, a seal plate that seals the base waveguide is used for the electromagnetic wave device. Corresponds to the cover.
That is, the waveguide includes a base having a waveguide, a seal plate that comes into surface contact with the base and seals the waveguide, and a snap fit provided on the base and having a locking portion locked to an edge of the seal. And the seal plate is in close contact with the mounting surface of the base by an elastic force generated by bending deformation, and the snap fit has the locking portion against the restoring force of the seal plate. It is locked to the edge of the seal plate.
As for the base and the seal plate applied to this waveguide, the same forms as the bases 1, 1A, 1B and the slot plates 2, 2A, 2B shown in the first to fifth embodiments are used. The same effects as those of the antennas according to the first to fifth embodiments are obtained.

  1, 1A, 1B base, 2, 2A, 2B slot plate, 5 ports, 6, 6A, 6B mounting surface, 7 waveguide, 8, 8A snap fit, 9 radome, 10 slot, 11 locking part.

Claims (11)

A base having a waveguide;
A cover in surface contact with the base;
A snap fit provided on the base and having a locking portion locked to an edge of the cover;
The cover is in close contact with the mounting surface of the base by the elastic force generated by the bending deformation,
The electromagnetic wave device according to claim 1, wherein the snap fit is such that the locking portion is locked to the edge of the cover against the restoring force of the cover.   The electromagnetic wave device according to claim 1, wherein the snap fit is formed integrally with the base.   3. The base and the snap fit are made of a plastic material that is a dielectric, and metal plating is applied to a surface of the snap fit except for the locking portion. The electromagnetic wave device described.   The rectangular cover is curved along the longitudinal direction before being attached to the base, and the cover is in close contact with the planar attachment surface. 4. The electromagnetic wave device according to any one of 3 above.   The mounting surface of the base having a rectangular shape is curved along a longitudinal direction, and the cover is in close contact with the mounting surface. The electromagnetic wave device described in 1.   6. The electromagnetic wave device according to claim 1, wherein the snap fit is provided to extend along an edge of each of the opposing edges of the base. 7.   6. The electromagnetic wave device according to claim 1, wherein the snap-fit is provided at a central portion of each of the opposed edge portions of the base.   The electromagnetic wave device according to claim 1, further comprising a radome provided so as to cover the snap fit and biasing the locking portion toward the cover.   The electromagnetic wave device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the cover is a slot plate having a slot through which an electromagnetic wave passes, and the electromagnetic wave device is an antenna.   The electromagnetic wave device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the cover is a seal plate that seals the waveguide, and the electromagnetic wave device is a waveguide.   The electromagnetic wave device according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave device is applied to a vehicular radar.

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