WO2015097409A1

WO2015097409A1 - Device for remote positioning of a relay antenna

Info

Publication number: WO2015097409A1
Application number: PCT/FR2014/053542
Authority: WO
Inventors: Philippe REGNIER-COURTINES
Original assignee: Regnier-Courtines Philippe
Priority date: 2013-12-23
Filing date: 2014-12-23
Publication date: 2015-07-02
Also published as: FR3015784B1; EP3087635B1; FR3015784A1; EP3087635A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (1) for fixing on a mast (2) of longitudinal axis (3) and for positioning a relay antenna (4) of a RF beam, characterized in that it comprises: - a support (10) furnished with means of fixing (11) on said mast (2), - a guiding half-ring (11) mounted pivotably on said support (10) about an axis, - a linking half-ring (12) integral with the guiding half-ring (11), - a support platen (13) articulated on the linking half-ring (12) about an axis (14) perpendicular to said axis of the guiding half-ring (11), - first (15) and second (16) means of actuation, and - a control unit, and in that the support (10), the guiding half-ring (11) and the linking half-ring (12) are shaped so that the axis of the guiding half-ring (11) is substantially coincident with the axis (3).

Description

DEVICE FOR REMOTELY POSITIONING A RELAY ANTENNA

Technical area

The present invention relates to the field of devices for remote positioning of a relay antenna for radio-relay system.

Prior art

To transmit nowadays, mainly digital signals, between two fixed geographical sites, it is known to use a radio-relay system which is a one-way or bidirectional and generally permanent transmission system. Said radio-relay system exploits the radio-wave carrier, with carrier frequencies ranging from 1 to 40 GHz (microwave range), focused and concentrated by means of directional antennas.

However, these transmissions are particularly sensitive to obstacles and masking such as, for example, relief, vegetation or buildings, precipitation, refractive conditions of the atmosphere, electromagnetic disturbances. In addition, they have a fairly strong sensitivity to reflection phenomena. Therefore, it is necessary to cut the radio path between two end devices in several sections, commonly called "hops", using antennas or relay stations, said hertzian hops can exceed 100 kilometers under conditions optimal, ie clear profile, favorable geo-climatic conditions, low flow, etc.

Similarly, in order to transmit the signals correctly, it is important to perfectly align the relay antennas constituting the microwave link, compared to others. This operation, also called "pointing" mobilizes, nowadays, one or more pairs of specialized technicians, over several days, even several weeks, depending in particular on the conditions of access on each of the two sites (type of structure, weather, need specific equipment such as a nacelle, for example). In addition, the alignment of the two relay antennas constituting the hop involves several sweeps in tilt (adjustment by rotation about a substantially horizontal axis) and azimuth (adjustment by rotation about a substantially vertical axis) on each end of the jump. Finally, all of these pointing operations are carried out in height with devices that are generally bulky and difficult to manipulate, with the maximum of the transmission power and in direct contact with the source of the electromagnetic field. These working conditions represent safety and health risks for pairs of specialized technicians conducting the scoring.

It is also well understood that any malfunction of the link generates a loss of traffic which is synonymous with instant financial loss for the operator. In addition, a link unavailable in the long term will impact customer loyalty for the operator.

In addition, the relay antennas which are conventionally fixed on a mast by a flange, are adjusted in tilt and azimuth thanks to a positioning device having two axes of rotation and, once the pointing and the initial commissioning carried out, the Relay antennas are kept aligned by tightening lock nuts. This type of positioning device is not very accurate and may be misaligned over time because, for example, loosening said lock nuts or wind.

Finally, these known positioning devices do not make it possible to obtain "point-to-point" links but not to change points ("multipoint" link) easily without the intervention on the different antenna installation sites of one or more pairs of specialized technicians.

Presentation of the invention

The object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above and to propose a device for positioning a relay antenna for a radio link making it possible to quickly, easily and remotely adjust said relay antenna in tilt and azimuth without resorting once to said antenna installed and initially adjusted to one or more pairs of specialized technicians significantly reducing the related risks.

According to the invention, it is therefore proposed a device for fixing on a mast with a longitudinal axis (3) and for positioning a relay antenna of a radio-relay system that is remarkable in that it comprises:

a support provided with fixing means, said support and fixing means being arranged to fix the support on said mast,

a half-guide ring pivotally mounted on said support about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said mast,

a half-ring of connection secured to the half-guide ring,

a support plate adapted to support the relay antenna and being articulated on the connecting half-ring about an axis substantially perpendicular to said pivot axis of the half guide ring,

first and second actuating means able to put in motion respectively the half-crown of guide and support plate around their respective axis, and

- a control unit for remotely controlling the first and second actuating means in order to adjust the relay antenna respectively in azimuth and tilt,

and further, in that the support, the guide half-crown and the connecting half-ring are arranged to fit as close as possible to the external surface of the mast so that the pivot axis of the half-crown guide is substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the mast.

It is clear that this configuration makes the device particularly compact and limits the overhang and therefore the wind resistance, which has the effect of reducing the mechanical dimensioning and therefore the cost of the mast receiving the device according to the invention. In addition, it is also understood that in order to adjust the positioning of the relay antenna, it is no longer necessary to mobilize one or more pairs of specialized technicians.

Advantageously, the support is generally in the form of a flattened parallelepiped comprising at least two lower and upper longitudinal faces substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said mast and in that the support comprises a generally arcuate shape of light disposed on the upper longitudinal face and through the support from side to side to the lower longitudinal face.

The support preferably comprises a plurality of rollers disposed on either side of the light and pivotally mounted on its upper longitudinal side about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said mast.

The guide half-crown advantageously comprises at least two vertical faces whose cross-section is in the overall shape of a semicircle, said vertical faces being able to cooperate with the outer surface of the rollers, so as to allow the guide half-ring to be secured to the support and to pivot between said rollers around the axis.

Similarly, the connecting half-crown comprises at least two vertical front and rear faces, whose cross section is in the overall shape of a semicircle, and a tongue issuing perpendicularly from said front vertical face and extending outwardly half of the connecting ring. The support plate is preferably articulated on the free end of said tongue.

Advantageously, the support plate comprises a plurality of holes in order to allow the attachment of relay antennas of all types.

According to a preferred embodiment, the half guide ring and the half connecting ring are one and the same piece.

The first actuation means advantageously comprises an actuator disposed under the support on the side of its lower longitudinal face and articulated at one of its ends to said support, and a rod passing through the slot of the support and fixed between the other end of said actuator. and the guide half-crown.

Similarly, the second actuating means comprises an actuator disposed above the half-connecting ring and articulated at its ends respectively to said half-connecting ring and the support plate.

Advantageously, the remote control unit comprises an automaton making it possible in particular to carry out the initial adjustment of the relay antenna at the installation site of the latter or from a control site, and position sensors to determine the position of the relay antenna. According to a preferred embodiment, the automaton is connected by internet connection in particular to a remote control site. Brief description of the figures

Other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description of an alternative embodiment of a remote positioning device of a relay antenna for a radio-relay system according to the invention with reference to the following figures:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device for remote positioning of a radio relay relay antenna according to the invention on which the antenna is represented in transparency and in broken lines;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the remote positioning device of a radio relay relay antenna of FIG. 1. Best way of carrying out the technical invention

Hereinafter will be described a remote positioning device of a radio relay relay antenna placed on a vertical mast. It goes without saying that the mast on which is disposed said device may also be more or less inclined, the terms such as, for example, vertical and / or horizontal will then be adapted according to the inclination of said mast.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the device 1 according to the invention allows the attachment to a mast 2, typically tubular longitudinal axis 3 substantially vertical, and the remote positioning of a relay antenna 4 for radio link.

Said device 1 comprises a support 10 provided with fixing means on said mast 2, a half-crown of guide 11 pivotally mounted on said support 10 about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 3 of said mast 2, a half-connecting ring 12 integral with the half guide ring 11 and a support plate 13 adapted to support the relay antenna 4 and being articulated substantially right of the middle of the connecting half-ring 12 about a substantially horizontal axis 14 and perpendicular to said pivot axis of the guide half-ring 11.

The guide half-rings 11 and support plate 13 are respectively moved by first and second 16 actuating means.

The support 10 is generally in the form of a flattened parallelepiped comprising two longitudinal lower faces 101 and 102 which are substantially horizontal and joined to each other by a substantially vertical peripheral face composed of at least one rear face 103 provided with a cut-out 104 capable of conforming generally to the outer surface of the mast 2 to ensure with the fastening means 11 the attachment of the support 10, and therefore the device 1 according to the invention, on said mast 2.

Here, the term "before" means the objects or one of their part located on the side of the relay antenna 4 and "back" the objects or one of their part located on the opposite side.

The support 10 also advantageously comprises a generally circular arc-shaped light 105 disposed on the upper longitudinal face 102 and passing through the support 10 from one side to the lower longitudinal side 101.

The fastening means comprise at least a first rear flange 5 and first connecting members (not shown in the figures) capable of cooperating with said first rear flange 5 and the support 10 for fixing the device 1 on the mast 2, said bodies link 6 being conventionally screws.

For obvious reasons of quality of tightening, the fastening means further comprise a second rear flange 6, a front flange 7 and second connecting members (not shown in the figures), typically screws, adapted to cooperate with said second rear flange 6 and the front flange 7 to ensure a clamping around the mast 2, said second rear flange 6 and front flange 7 then being secured respectively to the first rear flange 5 and to the support 10 via spacers 8.

To allow the pivoting of the guide half-crown 11, the support 10 comprises a plurality of rollers 9 disposed on either side of the light 105 and mounted to pivot about a substantially vertical axis on its upper longitudinal face 102. In addition, advantageously, said guide half-crown 11, which comprises two vertical faces 111 whose cross-section is in the overall shape of a semicircle, comprises on each of said vertical faces 111 a rib 112 capable of cooperating with the surface outer rollers 9, which has a shape complementary to that of said rib 112, so as to allow the guide half-ring 11 to be secured to the support 10 and to pivot between said rollers 9 about its pivot axis substantially vertical so as to adjust the relay antenna 4 supported by the device 1 in azimuth.

In place of the rib 112, each of the vertical faces 111 may, without departing from the scope of the present invention, have a groove of complementary shape to that of the outer surface of the rollers 9, said outer surface then being provided with a peripheral rib adapted to cooperate with said groove.

The connecting half-crown 12, which comprises also two vertical faces before 121 and rear 122 whose cross section is in the overall shape of a semicircle, advantageously comprises a tongue 123 issued perpendicularly from said vertical front face 121 and extending outwardly of the connecting half-ring 12.

The support 10, the guide half-crown 11 and the connecting half-ring 12 are shaped to fit as close as possible to the outer surface of the mast 2 so that the pivot axis of the guide half-ring 11 is substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis 3 of the mast 2. This configuration is very interesting because it makes the device 1 particularly compact and limits the overhang and therefore the wind, which has the effect of reducing the mechanical dimensioning and therefore the cost of the mast 2 receiving the device 1 according to the invention.

It is understood that the expression "closer" means that the guide half-ring 11 and the half-connecting ring 12, which are movable relative to the mast 2, must have a shape that closely matches the surface external of said mast 2, without being in contact with said outer surface so as not to hinder their pivoting movement.

The guide half-crown 11 and the connecting half-ring 12 may be a single piece, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The support plate 13 is preferably articulated on the free end of the tongue 123 of the connecting half-ring 12 about the substantially horizontal axis 14 in order to tilt the relay antenna 4 supported by the device 1.

The support plate 13 is of the "universal" type, that is to say that it comprises a plurality of holes 131 in order to allow the attachment of relay antennas 4 of all the types offered by the different manufacturers.

The first actuating means 15, which makes it possible to move the guide half-ring 11, comprises an actuator 151 disposed under the support 10 on the side of its lower longitudinal face 101 and articulated at one of its ends to said support 10, advantageously via an angle bracket 152 fixed to the support 10. The first actuating means 15 further comprises a rod 153 passing through the light 105 of the support 10 and fixed between the other end of said actuator 151 and the half-guide ring 11, the shape and size of the light 105 determining the amplitude of the azimuth adjustment of the device 1. With such a configuration, when the actuator 151, which is preferably an electric linear jack, s' extends or retracts, the rod 153 moves along said light 105 and rotates the half-guide ring 11 between the rollers 9.

The second actuating means 16, which makes it possible to move the support plate 13, comprises an actuator 161 disposed above the connecting half-ring 12 and articulated at its ends respectively to said connecting half-ring 12, advantageously via a yoke 162 fixed on the top of the latter, and the support plate 13. With such a configuration, when the actuator 161, which is preferably an electric linear actuator, extends or retracted, the support plate 13 pivots and allows the adjustment of the relay antenna 4 in tilt.

It goes without saying that the actuators 151,161 may be substituted by any other actuator providing similar effects, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The device 1 also comprises a control unit (not shown in the figures) making it possible to remotely control the first and second actuating means 15, 16 to adjust the relay antenna 4 respectively in azimuth and tilt, said control unit being installed at least partly in a box 18 disposed at the rear of the mast 2 and preferably fixed on the first and second rear flanges 5, 6 of the fastening means through a support 19 whose cross section is in the general shape of an omega.

This remote control unit comprises an automaton making it possible, in particular, to carry out the initial adjustment of the relay antenna 4 at the installation site thereof or from a control site, and position sensors for determining the position of the relay antenna 4. relay antenna 4. Said PLC and position sensors make it possible to control the first and second actuating means 15, 16 in order to point with another relay antenna. The automaton can be connected via internet connection, in particular to a remote control site. Thus, thanks to the device 1 according to the invention and its control unit, an operator can modify or correct the positioning of a relay antenna 4 supported by the device 1 in azimuth and tilt. Similarly, the control unit comprises a memory capable of storing different positions of the relay antenna 4 in order to easily obtain, without the intervention of one or more pairs of specialized technicians, "multipoint" links that is that is, to be able to point said relay antenna 4 as required to a relay antenna or another.

Finally, the device 1 according to the invention allows a dynamic adjustment of a relay antenna 4, that is to say that it is possible to install a relay antenna 4 on a mast 2 fixed on a mobile support such that, for example example, a land or sea vehicle. Indeed, the control unit allows to correct in real time the position of the relay antenna 4 with respect to a target position (or point) initially predetermined. Possibility of industrial application

The device 1 for remote positioning of a radio relay relay antenna according to the invention applies more particularly to the transmission of signals for telecommunication operators, terrestrial digital radio and television operators, but it can also be used to transmit other types of signals such as, for example, signals of military origin.

Finally, it goes without saying that the examples of device 1 according to the invention which have just been described are only particular illustrations, in no way limiting the invention.

Claims

1 - Device (1) for fixing on a mast (2) with a longitudinal axis (3) and for positioning a relay antenna (4) of a radio-relay system, characterized in that it comprises:

a support (10) provided with fixing means (11), said support (10) and fixing means (11) being arranged to fix the support (10) on said mast (2),

- a guide half-ring (11) pivotally mounted on said support (10) about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis (3) of said mast (2),

- a half-ring connection (12) integral with the half-guide ring (11),

- A support plate (13) adapted to support the relay antenna (4) and being articulated on the connecting half-ring (12) about an axis (14) substantially perpendicular to said pivot axis of the half-ring of guiding (11),

first (15) and second (16) actuating means capable of respectively moving the guide half-ring (11) and the support plate (13) about their respective axis (14), and

a control unit enabling the first and second operating means (15, 16) to be controlled remotely in order to adjust the relay antenna (4) in azimuth and tilt, respectively;

and in that the support (10), the guide half-ring (11) and the connecting half-ring (12) are arranged to fit as close as possible to the external surface of the mast (2) so that the pivot axis of the half guide ring (11) is substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis (3) of the mast (2).

2 - Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the support (10) is generally in the form of a flattened parallelepiped comprising at least two lower longitudinal faces (101) and upper (102) substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (3) of said mast (2) and in that the support (10) has a generally circular arc-shaped slot (105) disposed on the upper longitudinal face (102) and traversing the support (10) from one side to the lower longitudinal side (101).

3 - Device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the support (10) comprises a plurality of rollers (9) disposed on either side of the light (105) and pivotally mounted on its upper longitudinal face ( 102) about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis (3) of said mast (2).

4 - Device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the guide half-ring (11) comprises at least two vertical faces (111) whose cross section is in the overall shape of a semicircle, said vertical faces ( 111) being able to cooperate with the outer surface of the rollers (9), so as to allow the guide half-ring (11) to be secured to the support (10) and to pivot between said rollers (9) around its pivot axis.

5 - Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the half-connecting ring (12) comprises at least two vertical faces (121) and rear (122), whose cross section is in the overall shape of a semicircle, and a tongue (123) issuing perpendicularly from said front vertical face (121) and extending outwardly of the half-connecting crown (12)

6 - Device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the support plate (13) is articulated on the free end of the tongue (123) of the half-connecting ring (12) about the axis ( 14).

7 - Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the support plate (13) comprises a plurality of holes (131) to allow the attachment of relay antennas (4) of all types.

8 - Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the half-guide ring (11) and the half-connecting ring (12) are a single piece.

9 - Device (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that the first actuating means (15) comprises an actuator (151) disposed under the support (10) on the side of its lower longitudinal face. (101) and articulated at one of its ends to said support (10), and a rod (153) passing through the light (105) of the support (10) and fixed between the other end of said actuator (151) and the half - guiding crown (11).

10 - Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the second actuating means (16) comprises an actuator (161) disposed above the half-connecting ring (12) and articulated at its ends respectively to said half-connecting ring (12) and the support plate (13). 11 - Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the remote control unit comprises a controller allowing in particular to perform the initial setting of the antenna relay (4) on the site installation of the latter or from a control site, and position sensors for determining the position of the relay antenna (4).

12 - Device (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that the controller is connected by Internet connection including a remote control site.