KR20240099008A - Waveguide antenna - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a waveguide antenna, and the technical problem to be solved is to provide a waveguide antenna applying a horn-type horizontal distribution divider structure. To this end, the present invention includes: a first layer having a power feeder provided in a horizontal direction, a horizontal divider connected to the feeder and provided in the horizontal direction; And a first divider feeder coupled to the first layer and coupled to one side of the horizontal divider through a first through hole, a second divider feeder coupled to the other side of the horizontal divider through a second through hole, Disclosed is a waveguide antenna comprising a second layer including first and second radio wave radiating units coupled to a feeding unit of a first divider, and third and fourth radio wave radiating units coupled to a feeding unit of the second divider.

Description

Waveguide antenna {Waveguide antenna}

The present invention relates to waveguide antennas.

In general, future vehicular corner radars should have wide-angle characteristics (e.g., greater than 150 degrees Az) for object detection at intersections and high resolution to detect small objects. Characteristics of the band (e.g., 5 GHz or higher) It is necessary to have.

In order to satisfy these characteristics, the antenna itself must be able to satisfy both the wide-angle characteristics and the broadband characteristics. However, the antenna applied to the vehicle radar currently on the market as a commercial product is It does not satisfy both wide-angle and wide-band characteristics, and only one of the wide-angle or wide-band characteristics is satisfied. It is only possible to be satisfied. Waveguide antenna technologies applied to these technologies are generally known as slot type and horn type technologies.

The above-described information disclosed in the background technology of this invention is only for improving understanding of the background of the present invention, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a waveguide antenna applying a horn-type horizontal distribution divider structure. Specifically, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a vertical horn-type antenna combination structure using a horizontally deployed divider structure.

The waveguide antenna according to the present invention includes a first layer having a feeder provided in a horizontal direction, a horizontal divider connected to the feeder and provided in the horizontal direction; And a first divider feeder coupled to the first layer and coupled to one side of the horizontal divider through a first through hole, a second divider feeder coupled to the other side of the horizontal divider through a second through hole, It may include a second layer including first and second radio wave radiating units coupled to the feed unit of the first divider, and third and fourth radio wave radiating units coupled to the feed unit of the second divider.

In some examples, the feeding part of the first layer may include a feeding line for feeding power to the horizontal divider and a ridge provided to protrude at the center along the feeding line.

In some examples, the ridge portion may include a thickness step portion whose thickness decreases at an end that contacts the horizontal divider.

In some examples, the feed line may include a width step whose width is expanded at an end that contacts the horizontal divider.

In some examples, the thickness step may be located inside the width step.

In some examples, the width of the first and second radio wave radiating parts of the second layer may be smaller than the width of the first divider feeder, and the width of the third and fourth radio wave radiating parts of the second layer may be smaller than the width of the first divider feeder. It may be smaller than the width of the divider feeder.

In some examples, the first divider feeder and the second divider feeder of the second layer may be separated by a partition.

The present invention provides a waveguide antenna applying a horn-type horizontal distribution divider structure. Specifically, the present invention provides a vertical horn-type antenna coupling structure using a horizontally deployed divider structure.

1 is a schematic diagram showing a waveguide antenna with a two-layer structure according to a comparative example.
Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a waveguide antenna with a three-layer structure according to a comparative example.
3A, 3B, and 3C are perspective and cross-sectional views showing an exemplary waveguide antenna according to the present invention.
Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the first layer of an exemplary waveguide antenna according to the present invention.
Figure 5 is a perspective view and cross-sectional view showing a second layer of an exemplary waveguide antenna according to the present invention.
Figure 6 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view showing the combined structure of the first and second layers of an exemplary waveguide antenna according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

The present invention is provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art, and the following examples may be modified into various other forms, and the scope of the present invention is limited to the following examples. It is not limited. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the disclosure more faithful and complete, and to fully convey the spirit of the invention to those skilled in the art.

In addition, in the drawings below, the thickness and size of each layer are exaggerated for convenience and clarity of explanation, and the same symbols refer to the same elements in the drawings. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any one and all combinations of one or more of the listed items. In addition, the meaning of "connected" in this specification refers not only to the case where member A and member B are directly connected, but also to the case where member C is interposed between member A and member B to indirectly connect member A and member B. do.

The terms used herein are used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. As used herein, the singular forms include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Additionally, when used herein, “comprise, include,” and/or “comprising, including” refer to mentioned features, numbers, steps, operations, members, elements, and/or groups thereof. It specifies presence and does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other shapes, numbers, movements, members, elements and/or groups.

Although the terms first, second, etc. are used herein to describe various members, parts, regions, layers and/or parts, these members, parts, regions, layers and/or parts are limited by these terms. It is obvious that this cannot be done. These terms are used only to distinguish one member, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Accordingly, a first member, component, region, layer or portion described below may refer to a second member, component, region, layer or portion without departing from the teachings of the present invention.

Space-related terms such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” and “upper” are used to refer to an element or feature shown in a drawing. It can be used to facilitate understanding of other elements or features. These space-related terms are for easy understanding of the present invention according to various process states or usage states of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. For example, if an element or feature in a drawing is turned over, an element or feature described as “bottom” or “below” becomes “top” or “above.” Therefore, “below” is a concept encompassing “top” or “below.”

1 is a schematic diagram showing a waveguide antenna with a two-layer structure according to a comparative example. As shown in FIG. 1, the horn-type antenna using two layers according to the comparative example provides the implementation of a feed line to a vertical antenna divider (waveguide divider of the above shape) in the form of a waveguide standing vertically, and the feed waveguide also Provided in vertical orientation. Therefore, in order to connect the feed line and the feed waveguide, a twist portion is required to change the polarization of the electric field (E-Field), and a number of impedance matching structures and divider matching structures of the twist portion are required to form an antenna. The structure is somewhat complicated.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a waveguide antenna with a three-layer structure according to a comparative example. As shown in FIG. 2, the Horn Type Center Feeding antenna according to the comparative example must be composed of three layers, so the overall thickness of the antenna becomes thick (i.e., 3 of reference numerals 644, 642, and 640). layer organization).

A structure that can operate as a horn-type antenna while simplifying the antenna structure according to this comparative example will be described below.

3A, 3B, and 3C are perspective and cross-sectional views showing an exemplary waveguide antenna 100 according to the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C, the exemplary waveguide antenna 100 may include a plate-shaped first layer 110 and a plate-shaped second layer 120.

The first layer 110 may include a power feeder 111 provided in a substantially horizontal direction and a horizontal divider 112 connected to the power feeder 111 and provided in a substantially horizontal direction. In some examples, the power feeder 111 and the horizontal divider 112 may each be implemented as a horizontal waveguide structure.

The second layer 120 may be combined on the first layer 110. The second layer 120 includes a first divider feeder 122 coupled to one side of the horizontal divider 112 of the first layer 110 through the first through hole 121, and the other side of the horizontal divider 112. A second divider feeder 124 coupled through the second through hole 123, and a first radio wave radiating unit 1251 and a second radio wave radiator 1252 coupled to the first divider feeder 122. It may include a third radio wave radiating unit 1253 and a fourth radio wave radiating unit 1254 coupled to the power supply unit 111 of the second divider. In some examples, the first divider power supply unit 122 and the second divider power supply unit 124 may each be implemented as a horizontal waveguide structure. In some examples, the first, second, third, and fourth radio wave radiating units 1251, 1252, 1253, and 1254 may be coupled to the power feeding units 122 and 121 of the divider in the form of a horn . In some examples, the first, second, third, and fourth radio wave radiating units 1251, 1252, 1253, and 1254 may be implemented as a vertical horn structure. In some examples, the first, second, third, and fourth radio wave radiating units 1251, 1252, 1253, and 1254 may be referred to as first, second, third, and fourth elements or elements.

The first layer 110 and the second layer 120 may include an insulating body molded or molded using a plastic injection method and a conductive layer coated on the surface of the insulating body. The insulating body may be a conventional thermosetting or thermoplastic resin, and the conductive layer may include conventional copper, aluminum, nickel, or an alloy thereof. In some examples, the conductive layer may be provided on all externally exposed areas of the waveguide antenna 100, that is, all surfaces in contact with air. In some examples, the first layer 110 and the second layer 120 may be made of the above-described conductive layer without an insulating body and then connected to each other.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the first layer 110 of the exemplary waveguide antenna 100 according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the first layer 110 includes a substantially flat upper surface and a substantially flat lower surface opposite to the upper surface, and the antenna components are dug at a certain depth from the upper surface to the lower surface by a horizontal waveguide provided. can be provided.

In some examples, the feed portion 111 of the first layer 110 has a feed line 1111 for feeding the horizontal divider 112, and protrudes in the center along the feed line 1111 (spaced from the inner walls on both sides). ) It may include a provided ridge portion 1112. By providing a ridge portion 1112 at the center along the horizontal waveguide-shaped feed line 1111, the gap between antennas can be further reduced.

In some examples, both the feed line 1111 and the ridge 1112 may extend or be provided in a substantially horizontal direction.

In some examples, the ridge portion 1112 may further include a thickness step portion 1113 whose thickness is relatively small at an end that contacts the horizontal divider 112.

In some examples, the feed line 1111 may include two width steps 1114 whose widths are relatively expanded at both ends that contact the horizontal divider 112.

In some examples, thickness step 1113 may be located between or inside two width steps 1114.

In this way, the feed line 1111 and the horizontal divider 112 can be combined through a ridge and hollow waveguide combination structure, so that the antenna volume can be kept small. In addition, a thickness step 1113 and/or a width step 1114 are provided for impedance matching of the ridge and hollow waveguide combination structures, so that the impedance between the feed line 1111 and the horizontal divider 112 can be easily matched. You can.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view and cross-sectional view showing the second layer 120 of the exemplary waveguide antenna 100 according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the second layer 120 includes a substantially flat upper surface and a substantially flat lower surface opposite to the upper surface, and the antenna components are penetrated from the upper surface to the lower surface and are dug at a certain depth from the lower surface toward the upper surface. It may be provided by a horizontal waveguide.

In some examples, the second layer 120 is a horizontal first divider feeder 122 coupled to one side of the horizontal divider 112 of the first layer 110 through a vertical first through hole 121. ) and a horizontal second divider feeder 124 coupled to the other side of the horizontal divider 112 through a vertical second through hole 123. In some examples, the first divider power supply unit 122 and the second divider power supply unit 124 may be separated by a partition. In addition, the second layer 120 has first and second radio wave radiating units 1251 and 1252 combined in a vertical direction on the first divider power supply unit 122 and a vertical direction on the second divider power supply unit 123. It may include third and fourth radio wave radiating units 1253 and 1254 combined. At this time, the first, second, third, and fourth radio wave radiating units (1251, 1252, 1253, and 1254) may be coupled to the divider power feeding units (122 and 123) in a horn shape.

In some examples, the horizontal width of the first and second radio wave radiating parts 1251 and 1252 of the second layer 120 is smaller than the horizontal width of the first divider feeding part 122, and the horizontal width of the first divider feeding part 122 is smaller than that of the second layer 120. The horizontal width of the third and fourth radio wave radiating units 1253 and 1254 may be smaller than the horizontal width of the second divider feeding unit 124.

In this way, in the present invention, unlike the comparative example, the waveguide direction of the feeding line 1111 is approximately horizontal, and the feeding part 111 of the entire antenna structure is also approximately horizontal, so the electric field twisting part mentioned in the structure of the comparative example is necessary. There is no, and impedance matching is achieved using the thickness step 1113 of the ridge 1112 and the width step 1114 of the waveguide 1111, so the structure is simple and the entire antenna layer can be composed of two layers.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view showing the combined structure of the first and second layers 110 and 120 of the exemplary waveguide antenna 100 according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, a first divider feeder in the horizontal direction 122 and a second divider feeder in the horizontal direction are provided through the first and second through holes 121 and 123 on one horizontal divider 112, respectively ( 124) can be combined. In some examples, the power supply unit 111, the horizontal divider 112, and the first and second divider power supply units 122 and 124 may all be provided to extend in a substantially horizontal direction.

In this way, the structure of combining the first and second layers 110 and 120 is the same as above, and the power distributed through the horizontal divider 112 is in phase with the first divider feeder 122 and the second divider feeder ( 124), and then the power is transmitted to each of the first, second, third, and fourth radio wave radiating units (1251, 1252, 1253, and 1254) through power distribution in each divider.

In this way, the present invention can provide a waveguide antenna 100 applying a horn-type horizontal distribution divider structure. Stated differently, the present invention can provide a vertical horn-type antenna coupling structure using a horizontally deployed divider structure.

What has been described above is only one embodiment for implementing an exemplary waveguide antenna according to the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the gist of the present invention is as claimed in the following claims. Without departing from this, anyone with ordinary knowledge in the field to which the invention pertains will say that the technical spirit of the present invention exists to the extent that various modifications can be made.

100; Exemplary Waveguide Antenna
110; 1st layer
111; feeder
1111; feed line
1112; Ridge
1113; thickness step
1114; width step
112; horizontal divider
120; 2nd layer
121;First through hole
122; 1st divider power supply unit
123; 2nd through hole
124; 2nd divider power supply unit
1251; 1st Radio Radiation Department
1252; 2nd Radio Radiation Department
1253; 3rd Radio Radiation Department
1254; 4th Radio Radiation Department

Claims (7)

A first layer having a power feeder provided in a horizontal direction, a horizontal divider connected to the feeder and provided in the horizontal direction; and
A first divider feeder coupled to the first layer and coupled to one side of the horizontal divider through a first through hole, a second divider feeder coupled to the other side of the horizontal divider through a second through hole, and the first divider feeder coupled to the first layer. A waveguide antenna comprising a second layer including first and second radio wave radiating units coupled to the feed unit of the first divider, and third and fourth radio wave radiating units coupled to the feed unit of the second divider. According to claim 1,
The feeding part of the first layer includes a feeding line for feeding power to the horizontal divider and a ridge portion protruding at the center along the feeding line. According to claim 2,
The ridge portion includes a thickness step portion whose thickness decreases at an end in contact with the horizontal divider. According to claim 3,
The feed line includes a width step whose width is expanded at an end in contact with the horizontal divider. According to claim 4,
The waveguide antenna wherein the thickness step is located inside the width step. According to claim 1,
The width of the first and second radio wave radiating parts of the second layer is smaller than the width of the first divider feeding part,
A waveguide antenna wherein the width of the third and fourth radio wave radiating parts of the second layer is smaller than the width of the second divider feeding part. According to claim 1,
A waveguide antenna, wherein the first divider feeder and the second divider feeder of the second layer are separated by a partition.

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