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CA-3081527-C - LIGHTNING ROD

CA3081527CCA 3081527 CCA3081527 CCA 3081527CCA-3081527-C

Abstract

A lightning rod for protecting an antenna system is provided. The lightning rod has a plurality of sections. Each section of the plurality of sections has a dimension. The dimension is less than a quarter of a wavelength according to an operating frequency of the antenna system to be protected. The plurality of sections is inductively coupled. Further, a group of lightning rods and a system of a lightning rod or a group of lightning rods and an antenna system are provided. Further a first and second method of protecting an antenna system is provided.

Inventors

  • Ralf Lorch
  • Rainer Mueller
  • Markus FORKEL

Assignees

  • HENSOLDT SENSORS GMBH

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20200601
Priority Date
20190621

Claims (12)

  1. Claims 1. A lightning rod for protecting an antenna system, wherein the lightning rod includes a plurality of sections, wherein each section of the plurality of sections extends in a longitudinal direction less than a quarter of a wavelength according to an operating frequency of the antenna system to be protected, wherein neighboring sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled; wherein the sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled by inductive coupling elements, respectively, and wherein each of the inductive coupling elements has a dimension that is less than one half of a dimension of each of the plurality of sections.
  2. 2. A lightning rod for protecting an antenna system, wherein the lightning rod includes a plurality of sections, wherein each section of the plurality of sections extends in a longitudinal direction less than a quarter of a wavelength according to an operating frequency of the antenna system to be protected, wherein neighboring sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled; wherein the sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled by inductive coupling elements, respectively, and wherein the inductive coupling elements include air coils.
  3. 3. The lightning rod according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the plurality of sections are concatenated with each other in the longitudinal direction along a common direction of each of the plurality of sections.
  4. 4. The lightning rod according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein consecutive sections of the plurality of sections are directly connected by a respective one of the inductive coupling elements.
  5. 5. The lightning rod according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the inductive coupling elements are coils with respective damping elements.
  6. 6. The lightning rod according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the lightning rod has a metallic rod, and wherein consecutive sections of the 21 Date Re9ue/Date Received 2023-01-25 plurality of sections are inductively coupled by a ferrite arranged around the metallic rod between the consecutive sections of the plurality of sections.
  7. 7. The lightning rod according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the operating frequency is a frequency of an operating frequency range of the antenna system to be protected.
  8. 8. The lightning rod according to any one of claims 1 to s, wherein a number of sections of the plurality of sections is at least N, and wherein a number of the inductive coupling elements is at least N-1, where N is a natural number greater than 3.
  9. 9. A lightning rod for protecting an antenna system, wherein the lightning rod comprises: a plurality of sections, wherein each section of the plurality of sections extends in a longitudinal direction less than a quarter of a wavelength according to an operating frequency of the antenna system to be protected, wherein neighboring sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled, wherein the sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled by inductive coupling elements, respectively, and wherein consecutive sections of the plurality of sections are directly connected by a respective one of the inductive coupling elements.
  10. 10. A lightning rod for protecting an antenna system, wherein the lightning rod comprises: a plurality of sections, wherein each section of the plurality of sections extends in a longitudinal direction less than a quarter of a wavelength according to an operating frequency of the antenna system to be protected, wherein neighboring sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled, wherein the sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled by inductive coupling elements, respectively, and wherein a number of sections of the plurality of sections is at least N, and wherein a number of the inductive coupling elements is at least N-1, where N is a natural number greater than 3. 22 Date Re9ue/Date Received 2023-01-25
  11. 11. A lightning rod for protecting an antenna system, wherein the lightning rod comprises: a plurality of sections, wherein each section of the plurality of sections extends in a longitudinal direction less than a quarter of a wavelength according to an operating frequency of the antenna system to be protected, wherein neighboring sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled, wherein the sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled by inductive coupling elements, respectively, and wherein the inductive coupling elements are coils with respective damping elements.
  12. 12. A lightning rod for protecting an antenna system, wherein the lightning rod comprises: a plurality of sections, wherein each section of the plurality of sections extends in a longitudinal direction less than a quarter of a wavelength according to an operating frequency of the antenna system to be protected, wherein neighboring sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled, wherein the lightning rod has a metallic rod, and wherein consecutive sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled by a ferrite arranged around the metallic rod between the consecutive sections of the plurality of sections. 23 Date Re9ue/Date Received 2023-01-25

Description

Lightning Rod Technical Field 5 Examples relate to concepts for protecting against lightning strikes and applications thereof and in particular to lightning rods for protecting an antenna system, a method for protecting an antenna system, a group of lightning rods and a system comprising the group oflightning rods and the antenna system. Background 10 Lightning rods may have to be optimized with respect to reduction of antenna system performance influence. Nevertheless, it is desired to form lightning rods to protect against lightning strikes. Technical Problem There may be a demand to provide concepts for lightning rods having a reduced 15 impact on an antenna system performance. Summary Such a demand may be satisfied by the subject-matter of the present application. According to a first aspect, a lightning rod for protecting an antenna system is provided. The lightning rod includes a plurality of sections. Each section of the 20 plurality of sections extends in a longitudinal direction less than a quarter of a wavelength according to an operating frequency of the antenna system to be protected. Neighboring sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled. The sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled by inductive coupling elements, respectively. Each of the inductive 25 coupling elements has a dimension that is less than one half of a dimension of each of the plurality of sections, or the inductive coupling elements include air coils. The antenna system may be operable in predetermined frequency band with the operating frequency included therein. 1 Date Re9ue/Date Received 2023-01-25 By use of this section based lightning rod, negative influence on an antenna performance may be reduced, whereas lightning protections may be provided, simultaneously. The antenna system may comprise or may be an antenna. The antenna system 5 may comprise or may be an antenna array. Further, the antenna system may also comprise downstream elements, for example a receiving unit and/or a transmitting unit. For example, the antenna system may be part of a transmitter, receiver or a transceiver. The lightning rod may be configured to be positioned at an exposed part of a 10 building or other tall structure to divert lightning harmlessly into ground. For example, the lightning rod may be used as or be a lightning arrester rod or a lightning arresting bar. Especially, the lightning rod may be intended to protect the antenna system from a lightning strike. Iflightning is to hit the antenna system, it will preferentially strike the lightning 15 rod and be conducted to ground through a wire, instead of passing through the structure, where it could start a fire. The Lightning rods may also be called strike termination device. The lightning rod may be a single component of a lightning system. The lightning rod may also have a connecting interface to earth in order to perform 20 its protective function. The lightning rod may be made of conductive material(s), such as copper or aluminum. The plurality of sections may also be understood as parts of the lightning rod along the longitudinal direction. The term "inductive coupling" may be understood as coupling in an electrically 25 inductive way. Since any conductor has a given inductivity, this term shall relate to additionally formed elements with a dedicated inductivity. The plurality of sections may be concatenated with each other in a longitudinal direction along a common direction of each of the plurality of sections. 2 Date Re9ue/Date Received 2023-01-25 The common direction may be in a direction of the dimension of each section of the plurality of sections. The common direction may be predetermined by a longitudinal direction of the lightning rod (itself). Each section end of one section of the plurality of sections may be inductively 5 coupled to a section end of (for example exactly) one other section of the plurality of sections. The respective dimensions of each of the plurality of sections may be less than one-sixth of the wavelength of the operating frequency of the antenna system to be protected. 10 The term "dimension" may be understood herein as a length. For example the dimension of each section of the plurality of sections may be defined as length of each section of the plurality of sections. For example, the length of each section of the plurality of sections may be similar or the same. The term "dimension of the lightning rod" may be referred to as length or height (in vertical direction, 15 when in use). For example, the length or height of the lightning rod may be 4m (or 5m or 6m or 7fil or 8m or 9m or 10m). In particular, the dimension of the lightning rod may be greater than 4 (or 5 or 6 or 6 or 7 or 8) times a dimension (magnitude) of the wavelength. The lightning rod may be at least higher than the (a height of the) antenna system or 1,5 (or 2 or 2,5 or 3 or 3,5 or 4) times as high 20 as the (height of the) antenna system. The heigh