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US-12620704-B2 - Geared driver mechanism for a compact antenna phase shifter

US12620704B2US 12620704 B2US12620704 B2US 12620704B2US-12620704-B2

Abstract

Disclosed is a compact phase shifter board for an antenna. The phase shifter board has at least one drive shaft having a drive bracket. The drive bracket has two slots oriented perpendicularly to the drive shaft. Each slot configured to engage with a drive pin of a first geared wiper arm such that translation motion of the drive shaft causes the first geared wiper arms to rotate. Each geared wiper arm has a first gear that engages with a second gear of a second geared wiper arm. The first and second gears and configured so that any rotational motion of the first geared wiper arms causes the corresponding second geared wiper arm to rotate in conjunction.

Inventors

  • Nikhil MESHRAM
  • CHARLES BUONDELMONTE

Assignees

  • John Mezzalingua Associates, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20220119

Claims (7)

  1. 1 . An antenna phase shifter, comprising: a drive shaft having a drive bracket, the drive bracket having a first slot oriented perpendicularly to an axis defined by the drive shaft; a first geared wiper arm having a first gear, an engagement arm with a first wiper pin disposed on a distal end of the engagement arm, and a contact finger configured to apply downward pressure on a wiper conductive trace, the first wiper pin configured to engage with and translate within the slot; and a second geared wiper arm having a second gear, wherein the first gear and the second gear are configured to engage so that a linear motion of the drive shaft along the axis causes the first geared wiper arm to rotate around a first pivot, which in turn causes the second geared wiper arm to rotate around a second pivot, and wherein the first pivot is positioned between the wiper pin and the contact finger.
  2. 2 . The antenna phase shifter of claim 1 , wherein the first geared wiper arm comprises a first wiper arm, wherein the first wiper arm comprises a first wiper conductive trace that is configured to make contact with a first plurality of conductive traces.
  3. 3 . The antenna phase shifter of claim 2 , wherein the second geared wiper arm comprises a second wiper arm, wherein the second wiper arm comprises a second wiper conductive trace that is configured to make contact with a second plurality of conductive traces.
  4. 4 . The antenna phase shifter of claim 3 , further comprising: a first contact bracket configured to apply pressure to the first wiper arm to assure electrical contact between the first conductive wiper trace and the first plurality of conductive traces; and a second contact bracket configured to apply pressure to the second wiper arm to assure electrical contact between the second conductive wiper trace and the second plurality of conductive traces.
  5. 5 . The antenna phase shifter of claim 4 , wherein the first wiper arm comprises a first pressure tab disposed on its distal end, the first pressure tab configured to engage an underside of the first contact bracket, and wherein the second wiper arm comprises a second pressure tab disposed on its distal end, the second pressure tab configured to engage an underside of the second contact bracket.
  6. 6 . The antenna phase shifter of claim 3 , wherein the second wiper arm comprises two or more second contact fingers configured to apply a second downward pressure on the second wiper conductive trace.
  7. 7 . The antenna phase shifter of claim 1 , wherein the drive bracket comprises a second slot disposed on an opposite side of the drive shaft relative to the first slot.

Description

This application is a U.S. National Stage application filed under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of PCT/US2022/012851 filed Jan. 19, 2022, which claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/139,050 filed Jan. 19, 2021, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to wireless communications, and more particularly, compact antennas having internal phase shifters. Related Art Advances in cellular wireless communications has driven demand for more complex antennas. For example, the advent of 5G, massive MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output), and the introduction of new frequency bands (e.g., CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service)) require that more antenna dipoles and dipole arrays be packed into a single antenna. Further, the introduction of new bands and new MIMO capabilities drive the need for more antenna ports in a given antenna. Conversely, there is a drive to reduce the size of a given antenna: to reduce wind loading, and to allow for deployment in dense urban environments. One of the required features of modern cellular antennas is a RET (Remote Electrical Tilt) capability. Remote Electrical Tilt is the ability to tilt a given band's antenna gain pattern “up and down” along a vertical axis. Remote Electrical Tilt is performed by one or more phase shifters deployed within the antenna. Given the increasingly demanding space and volume constraints, a considerable challenge has emerged to design a RET phase shifter that is compact yet has sufficient torque to drive the phase shifter's wiper mechanisms. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An aspect of the present disclosure involves an antenna phase shifter. The antenna phase shifter comprises a drive shaft having a drive bracket, the drive bracket having a first slot oriented perpendicularly to an axis defined by the drive shaft; a first geared wiper arm having a first gear and engagement arm with a first wiper pin disposed on a distal end of the engagement arm, the first wiper pin configured to engage with and translate within the slot; and a second geared wiper arm having a second gear, wherein the first gear and the second gear are configured to engage so that a lateral motion of the drive shaft causes the first geared wiper arm to rotate around a first pivot, which in turn causes the second geared wiper arm to rotate around a second pivot. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary phase shifter and calibration board according to the disclosure. FIG. 1B is an ortho view of the exemplary phase shifter and calibration board of FIG. 1A. FIG. 2A illustrates an exemplary phase shifter wiper mechanism with the drive shaft removed from the drawing to provide a better view of the underlying mechanism. In this drawing, the phase shifter mechanism has its wipers set at a first end of the extent of its motion. FIG. 2B illustrates the phase shifter wiper mechanism of FIG. 2A, but at its center or neutral position. FIG. 2C illustrates the phase shifter wiper mechanism of FIGS. 2A and 2B, but set at a second end of the extent of its motion, which is the opposite end of the first end illustrated in FIG. 2A. FIG. 2D is an ortho view of the phase shifter wiper mechanism set at the second end of the extent of its motion, as illustrated in FIG. 2C. FIG. 3A illustrates an exemplary first geared wiper arm according to the disclosure. FIG. 3B is another view of the first geared wiper arm of FIG. 3A. FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary second geared wiper arm according to the disclosure. FIG. 4B is another view of the second geared wiper arm of FIG. 4A. FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary first wiper arm that is mechanically engaged with a corresponding second wiper arm and is held in place by a contact bracket. DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an exemplary phase shifter and calibration board 100 according to the disclosure (hereinafter “phase shifter board 100”). Phase shifter board 100 has four phase shifters 102 wherein a given pair of phase shifters 102 shares a drive shaft 105. Each drive shaft has a drive bracket 110, each having two slots that engage a pin disposed on a corresponding first geared wiper arm 115. Each first geared wiper arm 115 is mechanically coupled to a second geared wiper arm 120. Both the first geared wiper arm 115 and second geared wiper arm 120 are mechanically held in electrically conductive contact with their corresponding conductive traces 130 by a contact bracket 125 that provides a downward pressure on either geared wiper arm 115/120. FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C respectively illustrate the phase shifters 102 at a first extent of motion, a central or neutral position, and a second extent of motion. FIG. 2A illustrates an exemplary phase shifter wiper mechanism with the drive shafts 105 removed from the drawing to provide a better view of the underlying mechanism. In this drawing, the phase shift