JPH03263902A - Automatic adjusting device for circulator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate adjusting work by comprising a device so as to be able to perform the measurement of characteristic, the rotation of an adjusting screw, and the magnetization/demagnetization of a magnetic material in a state where a circulator is placed on a table. CONSTITUTION:A magnetizer/demagnetizer 34 applies a magnetic field to the circulator 2 on the table 32 by specifying the strength and direction of the magnetic field from the outside, and performs the magnetization/demagnetization of the magnetic material 22 in the circulator 2. A screw adjuster 36 displaces by rotating the adjusting screws 24, 26, and 28 of the circulator 2 by specifying rotating speed and a rotational direction. A measuring instrument 38 for impedance characteristic and isolation characteristic is equipped with a mechanism to load/unload connectors 40a, 40b, and 40 on the input/output terminals 2a, 2b, and 2c of the circulator 2. By placing the circulator 2 on the table 32 once and setting the magnetizer/demagnetizer 34 and the adjuster 36, the measurement of characteristic and the operations of the magnetizer/demagnetizer and the screw adjuster can be automatically performed under the control of a controller 50 comprised by using a microcomputer, etc.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Summary Regarding an automatic adjustment device for a circulator, the purpose of the present invention is to provide the above-mentioned device suitable for facilitating adjustment work. A magnetizing/demagnetizing machine that applies a magnetic field with specified strength and direction to magnetize and demagnetize the magnetic material in the circulator, and an adjustment screw of the circulator with specified rotation speed and direction. A screw adjuster that is displaced by rotation, an impedance characteristic and isolation characteristic measuring instrument equipped with a mechanism for attaching and detaching a connector to the input/output terminal of the circulator, and a device that repeatedly magnetizes and demagnetizes the magnetic body. , controlling the magnetizing/demagnetizing machine so that the measured impedance characteristics asymptotically improve, and repeating the rotation of the adjusting screw until the measured impedance characteristics and isolation characteristics fall within a predetermined range. and a controller for controlling the regulator.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION FIELD The present invention relates to an automatic adjustment device for a circulator used in devices such as microwave wireless communication devices.

In the field of microwave wireless communications, circulators as non-reciprocal circuit elements are widely used for the purpose of countermeasures against reflected waves and the like. A typical configuration of a circulator is a strip line where input and output terminals are interconnected,
Some devices include a magnetic body that applies a magnetic field to this strip line.

In a circulator having this type of configuration, the strength of the magnetic field applied by the magnetic material and the state of the electromagnetic field formed by the IJ tube line directly affect the characteristics of the circulator. Therefore, the strength of the applied magnetic field can be adjusted by magnetizing and demagnetizing the magnetic material, and the state of the electromagnetic field can be adjusted by adjusting the position of conductors installed near the input/output terminals. Therefore, adjustments must be made to obtain the desired characteristics.

BACKGROUND ART The functions of a general circulator will be explained with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 6(a), this circulator 2 has three input/output terminals (input/output ports) 2a, 2b,
2c, and is displayed on the circuit diagram as shown in FIG. 6(b). The input signal from terminal 2a is output only to terminal 2b and not to terminal 2C, and the input signal from terminal 2b is output only to terminal 2C and not to terminal 2a, and the input signal from terminal 2C has the directionality of being output only to the terminal 2a and not to the terminal 2b.

FIG. 7 shows an example of how this circulator is used.

In the example shown in FIG. 5(a), when transmitting a microwave signal from a signal sending side circuit 4 to a signal receiving side circuit 6, a circulator 2 is provided between them, and a transmission line and a receiving side circuit are provided. The reflected wave caused by the impedance mismatch between the circulators 6 and 6 is absorbed by the terminating resistor 8 connected to the circulator 2. In the example shown in FIG. 2B, when the transmitting circuit 10 and the receiving circuit 14 share the antenna 12, they are connected via the circulator 2, and the transmitted wave from the transmitting circuit 10 is transmitted to the antenna 12. The received wave from the antenna 12 is transmitted to the receiving circuit 14.

FIG. 8 shows a typical configuration of the Σkinilator.

Figure (a) is a cross-sectional view of the circulator seen from the top side;
Figures 1 and 2) are cross-sectional views of the circulator taken along line (c)-(b) when viewed from the side. 3 fixed to the housing 16
Two input/output terminals 2a, 2b, 2. c is substrate 1
They are interconnected by a strip line 20 formed on the
A predetermined magnetic field is applied by e24°26.28
are adjustment screws provided near the input/output terminals 2a, 2b, and 2c, respectively, and these adjustment screws are screwed into the housing 16, and the positions of the screws are adjusted by rotating these screws. It is now possible to do so.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Important characteristics of a circulator include impedance characteristics and isolation characteristics. Regarding impedance characteristics, in order to prevent reflected waves from occurring on the input side of the circulator and to keep forward attenuation small, the impedance on the input side of the circulator must be within the required range to match the impedance of the transmission line. required. Furthermore, regarding the isolation characteristics, it is required that the amount of reverse direction attenuation be at a good level and within a required range. In order to meet these requirements, the 8th
When adjusting the circulator shown in the figure, use a magnetizing and demagnetizing machine to magnetize and demagnetize the magnetic body 22 to obtain a magnetic field of the required strength, and also make sure that each adjustment screw 2
4. Adjust these positions by rotating 26.28,
The state of the electromagnetic field formed in the strip line 20 is adjusted.

Conventionally, these adjustments have been made manually while measuring the characteristics of the circulator. In this case, it is necessary to reset the circulator to the measuring device or the magnetizing/demagnetizing machine each time the characteristics are measured and adjusted, which makes the work complicated. Furthermore, since the magnetic field generated by the demagnetizing machine is very strong, manual work in places where such a strong magnetic field is generated should be avoided.

The present invention was created in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic circulator adjustment device suitable for facilitating adjustment work.

Means for Solving the Problems The automatic circulator adjustment device of the present invention, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, uses a magnetic material that applies a magnetic field to a strip line to which three input/output terminals are interconnected. This is a device that adjusts the impedance characteristics and isolation characteristics of the circulator by magnetizing and demagnetizing, and by displacing adjustment screws provided near the input/output terminals. The feature is that the magnetic field is applied to the table on which the circulator is placed and the circulator on the table by specifying the strength and direction of the magnetic field from the outside, and the magnetic material inside the circulator is attached to the table. A magnetizing/demagnetizing machine that magnetizes and demagnetizes, a screw adjuster that displaces the adjustment screw of the circulator by rotating it by specifying the rotation speed and direction of rotation, and a connector that connects and disconnects the input and output terminals of the circulator. an impedance characteristic and isolation characteristic measuring device equipped with a mechanism, and a device for repeatedly magnetizing and demagnetizing the magnetic material, and controlling the magnetizing and demagnetizing machine so that the measured impedance characteristic improves asymptotically. and a controller that controls the screw adjuster to repeat rotation of the adjustment screw until the measured impedance characteristics and isolation characteristics fall within a predetermined range.

Function According to the above configuration, the characteristics can be measured, the adjustment screw can be rotated, and the magnetic body can be magnetized and demagnetized while the circulator is placed on the table, so that the adjustment work is facilitated. In addition, in the control by the controller,
Unlike magnetizing and demagnetizing while measuring impedance characteristics, the reason why the adjustment screw is rotated while measuring both impedance characteristics and isolation characteristics is to ensure that the impedance characteristics are at a good level. This is because unless the magnetic material is magnetized and demagnetized in advance, it will be difficult to bring the impedance characteristics and isolation characteristics into the required ranges simply by rotating the adjustment screw.

Example Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an automatic circulator adjustment device showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main parts of the device.

In this embodiment, the circulator 2 shown in FIG. 8 is used. The circulator 2 is placed on the table 32, and its position in the plane direction is determined. 3
4 is a demagnetizing machine that magnetizes and demagnetizes the magnetic material in the circulator 2, and a head 34a of the demagnetizing machine is used to specify the strength and direction of the magnetic field applied to the magnetic material of the circulator.

The voltage applied to 34b can be adjusted. The head 34a located below the table 32 is fixed, and the head 34a located above the table 32
4b is movable to enable mounting and removal operations of the circulator 2. Generally, the head of the demagnetizer is used close to the circulator, so by making one head movable in this way, it becomes easier to take the circulator in and out.

36 (36a, 36b, 36c) are screw adjusters, and the adjustment screws 24 and 26 of the circulator 2
Rotate each by 28 degrees. The screw adjuster 36 includes a motor such as a pulse motor whose rotation speed and direction can be controlled, and a screwdriver connected to the motor.

A measuring device 38 measures the impedance characteristics and isolation characteristics of the circulator 2. This measuring device 38 has input/output terminals 2a, 2 of the circulator 2.
connectors 40a, 40b, 40C that are removably connected to b, 2c, respectively; directional couplers 42a, 42b, 42C that take in signals from these connectors and send signals to these connectors; The network analyzer 46 includes an interface circuit 44 to which a sex coupler is connected, and a network analyzer 46 connected to the interface circuit 44. In this embodiment, the connectors 40a, 40b, and 40C have a structure without threads, and the crimp force between the input/output terminals and the connectors is maintained by air pressure from a connector attachment/detachment mechanism (not shown). ing. In this case, by specifying the position of the circulator 2 on the table 32, it becomes possible to automate the attachment and detachment of the connector.

The signal from the network analyzer 46 is input to the controller 50, and based on the control signal from the controller 50, the control section 52 and the screw adjuster side 'mB54
The magnetization/demagnetization 8!34 and the screw adjuster 36 are respectively controlled via the .

Flowcharts for controlling the demagnetizer 34 and the screw adjuster 36 are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively.

First, the control of the magnetizing/demagnetizing machine 34 will be explained. In step 101, one of the three input/output terminals is selected, and preparations are made to measure the impedance characteristics of the selected input/output terminal. Since the impedance characteristic can be determined by measuring the return loss, in this case, the connector does not need to be connected to any input/output terminal other than the selected input/output terminal. Next, in step 102, the direction and strength of the magnetic field applied by the demagnetizer 34 are set by the direction and value of the voltage applied to the head of the demagnetizer. Next, in step 103, the impedance characteristics before magnetization and demagnetization are measured. Next, in step 104, a magnetization/demagnetization operation is performed, and in step 105, the impedance characteristic after the magnetization/demagnetization is measured. Next, in step 106, it is determined whether the impedance characteristics have become good or not, and if the characteristics do not change or have deteriorated, the process proceeds to step 107.

In step 107, the direction of the magnetic field applied by the magnetizing/demagnetizing machine is set to be reversed, and the supplied voltage is set to be halved. In other words, if the previous setting was magnetized, it is reset to demagnetized, and if it was demagnetized, it is reset to magnetized. In this case, even if the reverse operation is performed with the same magnetic field strength, the characteristics cannot be improved asymptotically, so the strength of the magnetic field is set to approximately 1/2. If the setting in step 107 is completed or if it is determined in step 106 that the characteristics have become good, the process proceeds to step 108, and the voltage actually supplied to the head of the demagnetizer is equal to the preset minimum voltage. Determine whether or not. If the voltage is not the minimum voltage, the process returns to step 104 and the magnetizing/demagnetizing operation is performed again under the original conditions or the conditions newly set at step 107.

If it is determined in step 108 that the voltage is the minimum voltage, the process proceeds to step 109, where impedance adjustment is performed using a screw adjuster, which will be described later. Next, the process proceeds to step 110, where isolation adjustment is performed using a screw adjuster, which will also be described later. Here, if the isolation adjustment is performed after impedance adjustment, the adjusted impedance characteristics may deteriorate, so step 111
Now let's check the impedance characteristics. Next, in step 112, it is determined whether the impedance is within the claimed range, and if the impedance is poor, the process returns to step 109. If the impedance characteristics are within the required range, proceed to step 113 and step 101.
The other two input/output terminals are adjusted according to the operations from 112 to 112.

Impedance characteristics in steps 109 and 110,
The manner of controlling the isolation characteristic adjustment using the screw adjuster will be explained with reference to FIG. 4. First, in step 201, the direction of rotation of the screwdriver and the amount of rotation in -turns are set. Next, in step 202, characteristics (impedance characteristics or isolation characteristics) are measured.

Next, in step 203, the screwdriver is rotated in the set rotation direction and rotation amount, and the subsequent characteristics are measured in step 204. Then step 205
It is determined whether the characteristic is within the required range or not, and if the characteristic is within the required range, the process returns to the routine of the flowchart in FIG. Step 2 if the characteristic is not within the required range
Proceeding to step 06, the direction of rotation of the screwdriver is set in the opposite direction, and the amount of rotation in the -times of operation is set to 1/2. Next, in step 207, it is determined whether the rotation amount set in step 206 is equal to a preset minimum rotation amount,
If the amount of rotation is not the minimum amount, the process returns to step 203 and the rotation operation of the screwdriver is performed again. If it is determined in step 207 that the rotation amount is the minimum rotation amount, it is difficult to bring the characteristics within the required range even if further adjustments are made using the screw adjuster, so in this case, the process proceeds to step 208. Set the advance adjustment disabled flag.

According to this embodiment, the circulator 2 is once placed on the table 32, and the demagnetizing machine 34 and the screw adjuster 3
6 is set, the characteristics are automatically measured and the demagnetizer and screw adjuster are operated under the control of the controller 50, which is configured using a microcomputer, etc., so that multiple industrially manufactured It becomes possible to automatically adjust the circulator without manual intervention.

By the way, in the configuration of the screw adjuster shown in FIG. 2, the spindle of the motor and the screwdriver are configured to rotate on the same axis, so that two screw adjusters 36a and 36a are arranged in parallel. The distance between the screwdrivers 36b is limited by the shape of the motor part and may not be made sufficiently small. In such a case, it is inconvenient because it is not possible to adjust the small circulator. Therefore, when adjusting a small circulator, it is preferable to use a screw adjuster as shown in FIG. 5. In this screw adjuster 36', the spindle 58 of the motor 56
The spindle 58 and the screwdriver 60 are not arranged on the same axis, but power transmission between the spindle 58 and the screwdriver 60 is performed by a power transmission means such as a belt 62. When two screw adjusters with such a configuration are used, the screwdrivers 60 can be moved close to each other without being restricted by the shape of the motor 56, so that adjustment of a small circulator can be easily performed. Become.

As described in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an automatic circulator adjustment device suitable for facilitating adjustment work.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a circulator automatic adjustment device showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the main parts of the device, and Fig. 3 is a control diagram of a demagnetizing machine in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flowchart of control of the screw adjuster in the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a modification of the screw adjuster in the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the function of the circulator, FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an example of use of the circulator, and FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of the circulator. 2... Circulator, 2... Magnetic material, 4... Demagnetizing machine, 6... Screw adjuster, 8... Measuring device, 0... Controller.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Magnetization and demagnetization of a magnetic body (22) that applies a magnetic field to a strip line (20) to which three ports of input/output terminals (2a, 2b, 2c) are interconnected, and the above input/output terminals. (2a,
Adjustment screws (2b, 2c) provided near the respective adjustment screws (2b, 2c)
4, 26, 28), which adjusts the impedance characteristics and isolation characteristics of the circulator by the displacement of the circulator (2), the table (32) on which the circulator (2) is placed, and the circulator (2) on the table (32). ); a magnetizing/demagnetizing machine (34) that specifies the strength and direction of a magnetic field from the outside and applies the magnetic field to magnetize and demagnetize the magnetic body (22) in the circulator (2); Adjustment screws (24, 26, 2) of circulator (2)
a screw adjuster (36) that displaces the circulator (2) by rotating the circulator (2) by specifying the rotation speed and rotation direction; and the input/output terminals (2a, 2b,
2c) with an impedance characteristic and isolation characteristic measuring device (38) equipped with a mechanism for attaching and detaching the connectors (40a, 40b, 40c), and repeated magnetization and demagnetization of the magnetic body (22). The adjusting screws (24, 26, 28) are controlled so that the measured impedance characteristics improve asymptotically, and the adjusting screws (24, 26, 28) are controlled until the measured impedance characteristics and isolation characteristics fall within a predetermined range. An automatic circulator adjustment device comprising: a controller (50) that controls the screw adjuster (36) so as to repeat the rotation of the screw adjuster (36).