JP2003110327A - Structure of antenna case - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a structure of antenna case, that can prevent the infiltration of an air flow containing misty water drops into the inside of a case, particularly, into a portion where an antennal element, electronic components, or substrate is provided from a drain hole when the structure is exposed to rainstorms. SOLUTION: An air chamber 22 is positioned in between a parts chamber 21 and the drain hole lie. The parts chamber 21 and the air chamber 22, opened to the outside through the drain hole lie are divided from each other by a partition wall section 23. In the air chamber 22, a plurality of partition wall sections 25A-25C, which prevents the passage of air and water, when the air and water try to pass through the chamber 22 is provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure of a rainproof and splashproof type antenna case used outdoors as a communication antenna for a wireless LAN or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional communication antenna 100 is attached to an end of a mast member 111 via an antenna attachment 112, as shown in FIGS. That is, the mounted portion 112 of the antenna mounting tool 112
A mounting bracket 114 (see FIG. 7) provided on the antenna case 101 is mounted and fixed to a (see FIG. 7). In many cases, such a communication antenna 100 is a rainproof and splashproof antenna. In such a rainproof and splashproof antenna 100, a front case portion 101A and a rear case portion 101B of an antenna case 101 are directly joined to each other, and rainwater or the like is prevented from entering these joined portions. Since no sealing material such as packing is used for the water, the water that has entered the inside of the antenna case 101 from the joint portion is not included in the antenna case 1.
01 has a structure in which water is drained to the outside through drain holes 101a and 101b provided in the lower part. Reference numeral 103 is a coaxial cable connected to a built-in substrate (not shown).

Since such an antenna 100 transmits and receives radio waves from the front of the antenna case 101, it is generally used by adjusting the azimuth angle and the elevation angle in the transmitting / receiving direction. As shown in Figure 5, it is rarely used as a vertical orientation,
It is usually used with the elevation angle adjusted up or down.
Moreover, since the communication antenna 100 is used in the direction of the partner station, it may be used with the elevation angle inclined from the horizontal by 45 degrees or more.

In such a case, the drain holes 101a and 101b provided in the lower portion (bottom surface) of the antenna case 101.
Also, when seeing the drainage holes 101a and 101b from the horizontal direction, the inclination is so large that the inside can be seen.

[0005]

In such a large tilted state, when the wind blows in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 7, the case 101 is passed through the drain holes 101a and 101b.
The air can be blown into the inside of the. Therefore, in the case of rain with wind, especially during storms such as typhoons,
The wind also entrains water droplets that flow down along the surface of the case, forming an air flow containing mist-like water droplets, and the water drain hole 1
01a into the case 101, and then the case 101 is flooded to drain water holes 101a and 101b.
Roll up the water you were trying to get out of the case 10
There is a case where every place in 1 is in a state as if it was wet with a mist blow. In such a case, the electronic components and the substrate provided in the case will also get wet, which may cause a failure of the antenna or a temporary inoperability.

In order to avoid such a fear, even an antenna (antenna case) capable of giving a larger elevation angle adjustment range has a small elevation angle in order to prevent blowing of air containing mist-like water droplets. Only the adjustment range can be recognized. If the elevation angle adjustment range is reduced as described above, the direction cannot be adjusted sufficiently and the antenna may not be installed.

Therefore, in order to fundamentally solve such a problem, the only method is to design and manufacture the antenna case so that it is completely airtight. However, in order to make such an airtight waterproof structure. A sealing material such as packing must be used frequently, and if the sealing material is built in, the antenna case 101 becomes one size larger, and the waterproof performance must be inspected as a manufacturing process. Therefore, problems such as upsizing, weight increase, and cost increase occur.

On the other hand, even in the case of a rainproof and splashproof antenna case that does not use a sealant such as packing, the electronic parts, the substrate, etc. are kept wet due to the blowing of air containing mist-like water droplets in the event of a storm. As long as it can be solved, the elevation angle adjustment range can be increased, so that the direction can be adjusted in almost all cases without using the airtight waterproof structure. However, with a simple drainage hole, even if you devise the position of the hole or make a rain shield by surrounding the drainage hole on the outer surface side with a rib, you can get air containing fog-like drops into the case. It is not possible to prevent the blowing of air.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and the flow of air containing mist-like water droplets penetrates from the water draining hole to the inside of the case, particularly to the portion where electronic parts and substrates are provided in the event of a storm. It is intended to provide a structure of a rainproof and splashproof type antenna case capable of suppressing the occurrence of the above.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, the front case portion and the rear case portion are directly joined to each other to form an antenna case, and water that has entered the inside of the antenna case is treated by the antenna. In the structure of an antenna case configured to drain to the outside through a water drain hole formed in the case, the inside of the antenna case is a component chamber for storing electronic components such as an antenna element and a substrate, and the component chamber It is characterized in that it is partitioned into an air chamber located up to the water drain hole, and that a plurality of wall portions that obstruct the passage of air and water are provided in the air chamber. here,
“Directly” means without using packing or the like. In addition, “blocking the passage of air and water” is a function that blocks the smooth passage of air and water (that is, the function of colliding with each wall), although it does not interfere with the passage of air and water. Means to do.

According to this structure, the air chamber located between the parts chamber and the water drain hole is provided, and the air chamber is
Since a plurality of wall portions that prevent passage of air and water are provided, even when a flow of air containing mist-like water droplets tries to enter the parts chamber through the air chamber through the water drain hole in the event of a storm, etc. By the time the air flow reaches the parts room, it collides with multiple walls that impede smooth flow,
The force of the flow is gradually attenuated, and the water droplets adhere to the wall surface of the wall portion, so that the water droplets are gradually removed from the air flow.

Therefore, even if a flow of air containing mist-like water droplets tries to penetrate from the water drain hole to the parts chamber, such as during a storm, the flow of air is attenuated at the site of the air chamber and the water droplets are removed. As the flow of air, which contains almost no mist-like water droplets, becomes a weak air flow and reaches the parts chamber, adverse effects on electronic parts and the like in the parts chamber are avoided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the component chamber and the air chamber are formed by dividing the interior of the antenna case in the case height direction by a partition wall portion extending in the case width direction. The air chamber communicates with the component chamber on the one hand and the drain hole on the other hand, and the plurality of wall portions face the inner side surface of the peripheral wall portion of the antenna case from the partition wall portion to the case height. You may make it comprised by the some partition wall part extended in a direction.

According to this structure, the air chamber communicates with the component chamber on the one hand and the drain hole on the other hand, and extends from the partition wall toward the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the antenna case. Since the damage-preventing wall portion is constituted by the partition wall portion extending in the case height direction, it has a simple structure of providing a plurality of partition wall portions and obstructs passage of air and water when they pass through. A wall can be formed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the inner wall surface of the peripheral wall portion of the antenna case has a plurality of steps formed by two surfaces, a surface extending in the case height direction and a surface extending in the case width direction. Is provided between the surface of the stepped portion extending in the case width direction and the tip surface of the partition wall portion, and between the surface of the stepped portion extending in the case height direction and the side surface of the partition wall portion. A gap may be formed, and the gap between the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion and the tip surface of each partition wall portion may be displaced in the case height direction.

With this configuration, the surface of the step portion extending in the case width direction and the tip surface of the partition wall portion, and the surface of the step portion extending in the case height direction and the side surface of the partition wall portion. Since a gap is formed between the inner wall surface of the peripheral wall portion and the tip end surface of each partition wall portion in the case height direction, there is a gap between the inner wall surface of the peripheral wall portion and the tip surface of each partition wall portion. The flow will meander or stray, and compared to the case where the partition walls are only sequentially collided, the effect of damping the flow of air and removing the water droplets is enhanced, and water droplets are introduced into the component chamber. Invasion of contained air is suppressed.

As described in claim 4, the width of the drainage hole in the case width direction is smaller than the width of the first chamber of the air chamber facing the drainage hole in the case width direction. It may be configured to be.

In this way, the air containing the mist-like water droplets, which enters through the water drain hole, once enters the first chamber of the air chamber, and the momentum thereof is weakened. This structure is even more advantageous in suppressing the flow from vigorously entering the component chamber from the drain hole through the air chamber.

[0019]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a mounting state of an antenna using an antenna case according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the same, and FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the rainproof and splashproof antenna 10 according to the present invention is also attached to the mast member 111 via the antenna attachment 112, which is a conventional structure (FIGS. 5 to 7). Refer to) and antenna case 1
1 transmits and receives radio waves from the front direction.

The antenna case 11 of the antenna 10 according to the present invention includes a front case part 11A and a rear case part 11A.
B is directly formed by using four screws 13, that is, joined without using packing or the like, and an antenna element and an electronic component (not shown) are included between the case portions 11A and 11B. The printed circuit board 12 is sandwiched and incorporated.

A lower portion of the antenna case 11 (front and rear case portions 11A, 11B) and a central portion in the case width direction are provided with a cutout for guiding the coaxial cable 14 connected to the printed circuit board 12 to the outside. Notch 1
1a (a cutout portion 11Aa of the front case portion 11A and a cutout portion 11Ba of the rear case portion 11B) is provided. And, in the lower part of the antenna case 11,
Elongated drain holes 11b and 11c are provided on both left and right sides of the cutout portion 11a for discharging water that has entered inside from the upper side and the left and right sides of the joint portion of the material case portions 11A and 11B. It is formed over the case portions 11A and 11B.

As shown in FIG. 3, the antenna case 11 has the component chamber 21 between the component chamber 21 in which the substrate 12 including electronic components is housed and the left and right drainage holes 11b and 11c. Air chambers that open to the outside (only the air chamber 22 on the right side in FIG. 3 is shown) are provided on the left and right. That is, the component chamber 21 and the air chamber 22 are formed by partitioning the inside of the antenna case 11 into two parts in the case height direction by the partition wall part 23 extending in the case width direction.

The air chambers 22 are formed symmetrically, and the air chambers 22 are formed symmetrically on the outside (one side) in the width direction of the case, and the drainage holes 11 on the center side (the other side).
b and 11c, respectively. Contrary to the present embodiment, the air chamber is located in the parts chamber 21 on the center side in the width direction of the case and on the outside in the drain hole 11b,
It goes without saying that they may be communicated with 11c respectively.

Next, the structure of the air chamber 22 formed in the lower portion of the right side portion of the antenna case 11 will be described with reference to FIG. The air chamber formed in the lower part of the left side portion of the antenna case 1 has the same configuration except that it is formed symmetrically with the air chamber 22, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

In the air chamber 22, a plurality of partition wall portions 25A, 25B extending from the partition wall portion 23 toward the peripheral wall portion 24 of the case 11 substantially in parallel with the case height direction.
25C is provided, and these partition wall portions 25A to 25C are provided.
Function as a baffle against the passage of air and water (water droplets contained in air). The air chamber 22 is divided into a plurality of rooms R1 to R4 by the partition wall portions 25A to 25C, and the first room R1 on the center side is divided.
Faces the drain hole 11c.

On the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 24 of the antenna case 11, surfaces 26Aa and 26B extending in the height direction of the case are provided.
a, 26Ca and surfaces 26Ab, 26 extending in the width direction of the case
A plurality of step portions 26A, 26B and 26C formed by two surfaces Bb and 26Cb are provided. The surfaces 26Ab, 26Bb, 26Cb of the step portions 26A to 26C extending in the case width direction and the partition wall portion 25A.
25A to 25C, and the stepped portions 26A to 26C.
6C surfaces 26Aa, 26Ba extending in the height direction of the case,
26Ca and the side surfaces of the partition wall portions 25A to 25C are formed with a gap, and the gap between the inner side surface of the peripheral wall portion 24 and the tip end surface of each of the partition wall portions 25A to 25C is shifted in the case height direction. There is. That is, the gap located on the outer side is displaced to the upper side of the case 11, and the displacement causes the air flow to meander, and the partition walls 25A to 25C are more likely to collide. is doing.

Therefore, the combination of the partition wall portions 25A to 25C and the step portions 26A to 26C allows the air flow containing the mist-like water droplets, which has entered the inside of the case, to flow through the air chamber 2.
It becomes possible to make it stagger in the inside of 2 and to make it stray, and to enhance the effect on the attenuation of the air flow and the removal of water droplets as compared with the case where the partition walls 25A to 25C are simply collided. It is like this. In addition, in the present embodiment, the antenna case 1 is formed according to the shape of the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 24 of the antenna case 11.
Although the step portion is also formed on the outer surface of the peripheral wall portion 24 of No. 1, it is not always necessary to form such a step portion, and the outer surface may be a flat surface or a curved surface. Of course, the drainage hole 11c (11b) has a width W in the case width direction.
1 is smaller than the width W2 in the case width direction of the first room R1 of the air chamber which the drain hole 11b faces. Therefore, since the air entering from the lower side through the water drain hole 11c once enters the first room R1, it will always collide with the wall surface around the room R1, and the flow of air containing mist-like water droplets will be generated. The effect of suppressing entry into the parts chamber 21 can be further enhanced.

In this way, the air chamber 22 (where a plurality of partition walls 25A to 25C functioning as baffle plates are provided in the portion where the water drain hole 11c into which the air flow containing mist-like water droplets enters is provided. By providing the rooms R1 to R4), the momentum of the flow of the air blown from the drainage hole 11c in the case of a storm is increased by the partition wall portions 25A to 25A when passing through the air chamber 22.
The water droplets that are attenuated by colliding with 25C, and at the same time enter the water droplets that become atomized and enter the partition wall portion 26A in the air chamber 22.
The component chamber 21 inside the case 11 in which the things that interfere with the filtration of the antenna element, electronic components, printed circuit board, etc. are stored in the air is It is possible to prevent the contained mist-like water droplets from entering.

More specifically, water such as rainwater that has entered the antenna case 11 is, for example, in a windless state, as shown in FIG. 4A, the bottom surface of the air chamber 22 (inside the peripheral wall portion 24). Flow gently along the side (Fig. 4
(See the arrow in (a)), and the water is discharged to the outside of the antenna case 11 through the drain hole 11c.

From the outside of the antenna case 11, the drain hole 1
When air is blown in through 1c, as shown in FIG. 4 (b), four chambers R1 to R provided in the air chamber 22 are provided.
When the air strays through 4 inside, the partition wall 25
While colliding with A to 25C, the partition wall portions 25A to 25C
Air flows in a meandering manner due to a labyrinthine narrow gap formed between the step portions 26A to 26C. As a result, the smooth flow of air is suppressed, the momentum of the air is attenuated (see the arrow in FIG. 4B), and when the air is blown into the parts chamber 21, the air flow has a very weak momentum. .

When air is blown through the water drain hole 11c while the water flow shown in FIG. 4 (a) is being generated, as shown in FIG. 4 (c), the air is blown violently through the water drain hole 11c. The flow of water reverses due to the momentum, and is sprayed as mist-like water droplets into the chambers R1 to R4 in the air chamber 22. However, in this case as well, the backflow of air and water containing mist-like water droplets is caused by the plurality of partition wall portions 25.
The backflow of water gradually subsides by colliding with A to 25C and reducing the momentum while passing through the gap in sequence, so that spraying mist-like water droplets into the parts chamber 21 of the case 11 is not possible. Disappear.

Further, the air containing the mist-like water droplets is used as the water drain hole 1
In the case of blowing vigorously through 1c, as shown in FIG. 4 (d), the air containing water droplets is scattered into the air chamber 22 and collides against the partition wall portions 25A to 25C in the air chamber 22 to collide with the wall surfaces thereof. Since the water drops are sequentially wetted, the number of water drops contained in the air is gradually reduced by sequentially adhering the water drops to the wall surfaces of the partition wall portions 25A to 25C. In this way, as the wall surfaces of the plurality of partition wall portions 25A to 25C are sequentially wetted, almost only air flows,
Water droplets are prevented from entering the parts chamber 21 inside the case 11.

In the above embodiment, the air chamber 2
The plurality of wall portions functioning as baffle plates when air and water pass through in 2 are constituted by a plurality of partition wall portions 25A to 25C extending from the partition wall portion, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Instead, it may be constituted by a wall portion extending from the inner side surface side of the peripheral wall portion toward the partition wall portion, or a plurality of partition wall portions extending from the partition wall portion and wall portions extending from the peripheral wall portion are alternately arranged. May be located at the same time so that they function together as a baffle.

In the above embodiment, one side (one side) of the case width direction communicates with the component chamber 21, and the other side (other side) communicates with the drain holes 11b and 11c. The present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to configure one side (one side) of the case front-rear direction to communicate with the component chamber and the other side (other side) to communicate with the drainage hole.

In the above embodiment, the structure of the antenna case according to the present invention is used for the structure of the antenna case of an antenna used outdoors, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the structure is not limited to the outdoors. The same can be applied to the device case of the electronic device used.

[0038]

The present invention is implemented as described above and has the following effects.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the air chamber is located between the parts chamber of the antenna case and the water drain hole, and a plurality of wall portions for obstructing passage of air and water are provided in the air chamber. Therefore, even if the flow of air containing mist-like water droplets intrudes through the drainage hole during a storm, the flow of the air is attenuated by the collision with the plurality of wall portions and the water droplets are also applied to the plurality of wall portions. The number of water droplets contained in the air is gradually reduced, and it is possible to prevent air containing mist-like water droplets from entering the parts chamber.

As described in claim 2, the air chamber is
A partition wall portion that communicates with the component chamber on the one hand and the water drain hole on the other hand, and extends the wall portion in the case height direction from the partition wall portion toward the inner side surface of the peripheral wall portion of the antenna case. With this structure, it is possible to easily form the plurality of wall portions that damp the flow of air and attach the water droplets contained in the air.

As described in claim 3, between the surface of the step portion extending in the case width direction and the tip end surface of the partition wall portion,
And and and a gap is formed between a surface of the step portion extending in the case height direction and a side surface of the partition wall portion, and a gap between the inner side surface of the peripheral wall portion and the tip end surface of each partition wall portion is equal to the case height. If they are displaced in the depth direction, the paths through which air and water flow become a labyrinth, and the effects of attenuating the air flow and removing water droplets are further enhanced, and air containing mist-like water droplets becomes
It is possible to suppress entry into the parts chamber.

As described in claim 4, the width of the drain hole in the case width direction is smaller than the width of the first chamber of the air chamber facing the drain hole in the case width direction. If so, the air containing the mist-like water droplets that enters through the water drain hole once enters the first chamber of the air chamber, and its momentum can be weakened, so that the air flow from the water drain hole during a storm or the like. A more advantageous structure can be provided in order to suppress the vigorous invasion into the component chamber through the air chamber.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an attached state of an antenna using an antenna case structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the same main part.

4A is an explanatory view showing a state of water that has entered the antenna component chamber in a windless state, FIG. 4B is an explanatory view showing a state of air blown from the outside of the case, and FIG. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a state where air is blown in while a flow is generated, and FIG. 6D is an explanatory diagram showing a flow of air blown with water droplets from the outside of the case and a state of water droplets.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an attached state of an antenna using a conventional antenna case structure.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the same.

FIG. 7 is a sectional side view of the main part.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Rainproof and splashproof antenna 11 antenna case 11A front case part 11B Rear case part 11a cutout 11b, 11c drain holes 12 printed circuit boards 21 Parts room 22 Air chamber 23 division wall 24 peripheral wall 25A to 25C Partition wall (wall) 26A to 26C Step portion R1 to R4 rooms

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A front case portion and a rear case portion are directly joined to each other to form an antenna case, and water that has entered the inside of the antenna case is drained to the outside through a drain hole formed in the antenna case. In the structure of the antenna case configured to do, the inside of the antenna case is partitioned into a component chamber for storing electronic components and an air chamber located between the component chamber and the drain hole, A structure of an antenna case, characterized in that a plurality of wall portions that prevent passage of air and water are provided in the air chamber. 2. The component chamber and the air chamber are formed by dividing the inside of the antenna case in a case height direction by a partition wall portion extending in the case width direction, and the air chamber is provided with the air chamber on one side. A plurality of partition walls that communicate with the component chamber and, on the other hand, respectively with the water drain holes, and the plurality of wall portions extend from the partition wall portion in the case height direction toward the inner side surface of the peripheral wall portion of the antenna case. The structure of the antenna case according to claim 1, wherein the antenna case has a structure. 3. A plurality of step portions formed by two surfaces, a surface extending in a case height direction and a surface extending in a case width direction, are provided on an inner side surface of a peripheral wall portion of the antenna case, Gaps are formed between a surface of the portion that extends in the case width direction and the tip end surface of the partition wall portion, and between a surface of the stepped portion that extends in the case height direction and a side surface of the partition wall portion. The gap between the inner surface of the part and the tip surface of each partition wall is
The antenna case structure according to claim 2, wherein the antenna case structure is displaced in the case height direction. 4. The drainage hole has a width in the case width direction smaller than the width in the case width direction of the first chamber of the air chamber facing the drainage hole. Antenna case structure.