Patent Description:
The contents described in this section simply provide background information on the present disclosure, and do not constitute the related art.

MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) refers to a technology capable of significantly increasing a data transmission capacity by using a plurality of antennas, and is a spatial multiplexing technique in which a transmitter transmits different data through respective transmitting antennas and a receiver sorts the transmitted data through a suitable signal processing operation. Therefore, when the number of transmitting antennas and the number of receiving antennas are increased at the same time, the channel capacity may be raised to transmit more data. For example, when the number of antennas is increased to <NUM>, it is possible to secure a channel capacity ten times larger than in a current single antenna system, even though the same frequency band is used.

In the <NUM> LTE-advanced technology, <NUM> antennas are used. According to the current pre-<NUM> technology, a product having <NUM> or <NUM> antennas mounted therein is being developed. When the <NUM> technology is commercialized, it is expected that base station equipment with much more antennas will be used. This technology is referred to as massive MIMO. Currently, cells are operated in a 2D manner. However, when the massive MIMO technology is introduced, 3D-beamforming becomes possible. Thus, the massive MIMO technology is also referred to as FD (Full Dimension)-MIMO.

According to the massive MIMO technology, the numbers of transceivers and filters are increased with the increase in number of antennas. As of <NUM>, <NUM>,<NUM> or more base stations are installed in Korea. That is, there is a need for a cavity filter structure which is easily mounted while minimizing a mounting space. Furthermore, there is a need for an RF signal line connecting structure which provides the same filter characteristic even after individually tuned cavity filters are mounted in antennas.

An RF filter having a cavity structure includes a resonator provided in a box structure formed of a metallic conductor, the resonator being configured as a resonant bar or the like. Thus, the RF filter has only a natural frequency of electromagnetic field to transmit only a specific frequency, e.g. an ultra-high frequency, through resonance. A band pass filter with such a cavity structure has a low insertion loss and high power. Thus, the band pass filter is utilized in various manners as a filter for a mobile communication base station antenna.

<CIT> illustrates for example a cavity filter that comprises a cavity body, a cover plate and an in-connector conductor, wherein the in-connector conductor is arranged in the cavity body and passes through the cavity body or the cover plate to connect a signal transfer point of an external circuit board of the cavity filter; the in-connector conductor comprises an elastic part; and the elasticity function of the elastic part is used for eliminating the relative position error between the in-connector conductor and the signal transfer point of the circuit board, ensuring good contact between the in-connector conductor and the signal transfer point of the external circuit board of the cavity filter.

<CIT> describes a connector adapted for a cavity filter of the present invention includes a contact pin, a first insulator, a housing and a transmission line, the first insulator is provided with a first locating hole, the housing shaped as a cylinder is provided with a second locating hole.

<CIT> discloses a MIMO antenna assembly of a lightweight laminated structure comprising a subassembly in which filters are coupled to a first PCB coupled with an antenna element having a fastening structure capable of uniformly providing a fastening force necessary for securing electrical characteristics of a plurality of filters, and minimizing an accumulation amount of assembly tolerances generated when assembling a plurality of filters.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a cavity filter which has a slimmer and more compact structure and includes an RF connector embedded therein in a height direction thereof, and a connecting structure included therein.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a cavity filter which is assembled through an assembly method capable of minimizing the accumulation amount of assembly tolerance which occurs when a plurality of filters are assembled, and has an RF signal connection structure that can facilitate mounting and uniformly maintain the frequency characteristics of the filters, and a connecting structure included therein.

Still another object of the present disclosure is to provide a cavity filter which can prevent a signal loss by applying lateral tension while allowing a relative motion in the case of a separable RF pin, and a connecting structure therein.

Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide a cavity filter which can maintain a constant contact area between two members to be electrically connected to each other, while absorbing assembly tolerance between the two members, and be installed through a clear and simple method, and a connecting structure included therein.

The technical problems of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described technical problems, and other technical problems which are not mentioned can be clearly understood by the person skilled in the art from the following descriptions.

To solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a cavity filter according to claim <NUM>. Further advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

In accordance with the embodiments of the present disclosure, the cavity filter may have a slimmer and more compact structure because the RF connector is embedded in the filter body in the thickness direction thereof, be assembled through an assembly method capable of minimizing the accumulation amount of assembly tolerance which occurs when a plurality of filters are assembled, facilitate the RF signal connection structure to be easily mounted and uniformly maintain the frequency characteristics of the filters, and provide stable connection by applying lateral tension while allowing a relative motion, thereby preventing degradation in antenna performance.

<FIG> is a diagram schematically illustrating a plate configured to reinforce the RF signal connecting portion provided in the terminal insertion port.

The reinforcement plate may be fixed to an insertion slot support portion protruding toward the terminal insertion port, as a part of the filter body.

The reinforcement plate may have a terminal through-hole through which the terminal portion passes, and any one of the first side terminal and the second side terminal, which passes through the terminal through-hole, may have a larger diameter than the terminal through-hole so as to be locked to the reinforcement plate.

The second side terminal of the terminal portion may be soldered and fixed to a solder hole formed in a plate extended from the RF signal connecting portion.

A contact portion of the first side terminal of the terminal portion, which is contacted with the electrode pad, may have an upper end formed in a round cone shape with a predetermined contact area.

A contact portion of the first side terminal of the terminal portion, which is contacted with the electrode pad, may have a rounded upper end formed in a hemispherical shape with a predetermined contact area.

In another general aspect, a connecting structure includes: an RF signal connecting portion spaced apart, by a predetermined distance, from an outer member having an electrode pad provided on a surface thereof; and a terminal portion configured to electrically connect the electrode pad of the outer member and the RF signal connecting portion so as to absorb assembly tolerance existing at the predetermined distance and to prevent disconnection of the electric flow between the electrode pad and the RF signal connecting portion, wherein the terminal portion includes: first side terminal contacted with the electrode pad; and the second side terminal connected to the RF signal connecting portion.

Hereafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, when components in each of the drawings are denoted by reference numerals, the same components are represented by like reference numerals, even though the components are displayed on different drawings. Furthermore, when it is determined that the detailed descriptions of publicly known components or functions related to the present disclosure disturb understandings of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted herein.

When the components of the embodiments of the present disclosure are described, the terms such as first, second, A, B, (a) and (b) may be used. Each of such terms is only used to distinguish the corresponding component from other components, and the nature or order of the corresponding component is not limited by the term. Furthermore, all terms used herein, which include technical or scientific terms, may have the same meanings as those understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains, as long as the terms are not differently defined. The terms defined in a generally used dictionary should be analyzed to have meanings which coincide with contextual meanings in the related art. As long as the terms are not clearly defined in this specification, the terms are not analyzed as ideal or excessively formal meanings.

<FIG> is a diagram schematically illustrating a stacked structure of a massive MIMO antenna.

<FIG> only illustrates an exemplary exterior of an antenna device <NUM> in which an antenna assembly including a cavity filter in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure is embedded, and does not limit the exterior of the antenna device <NUM> when components are actually stacked.

The antenna device <NUM> includes a housing <NUM> having a heat sink formed therein and a radome <NUM> coupled to the housing <NUM>. Between the housing <NUM> and the radome <NUM>, an antenna assembly may be embedded.

A PSU (Power Supply Unit) <NUM> is coupled to the bottom of the housing <NUM> through a docking structure, for example, and provides operation power for operating communication parts included in the antenna assembly.

Typically, the antenna assembly has a structure in which an equal number of cavity filters <NUM> to the number of antennas are disposed on a rear surface of an antenna board <NUM> having a plurality of antenna elements <NUM> arranged on a front surface thereof, and a related PCB <NUM> is subsequently stacked. The cavity filters <NUM> may be thoroughly tuned and verified to individually have frequency characteristics suitable for the specification, and prepared before mounted on the antenna board <NUM>. Such a tuning and verifying process may be rapidly performed in an environment with the same characteristics as the mounting state.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating that a cavity filter in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure is stacked between an antenna board and a control board.

Referring to <FIG>, a cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure may exclude a typical RF connector (see reference numeral <NUM> of <FIG>) illustrated in <FIG>, which makes it possible to provide an antenna structure having a lower height profile while facilitating the connection.

Furthermore, an RF connecting portion is disposed on either surface of the cavity filter <NUM> in the height direction, and connected to the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. Although an outer member <NUM> configured as any one of an antenna board and a PCB board is vibrated or thermally deformed, the RF connection is equally maintained without a change in frequency characteristic.

<FIG> is a plan perspective view of the structure of the cavity filter in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure, when seen from the bottom.

Referring to <FIG>, the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure includes an RF signal connecting portion <NUM> (see reference numeral <NUM> in <FIG> and the following drawings), a first case (with no reference numeral) having a hollow space therein, a second case (with no reference numeral) covering the first case, a terminal portion (see reference numeral <NUM> of <FIG>) provided on either side of the first case in a longitudinal direction thereof and disposed in the height direction of the cavity filter <NUM>, and a filter module <NUM> including a plurality of assembly holes <NUM> formed on both sides of the terminal portion <NUM>. The terminal portion <NUM> electrically connects an electrode pad (with no reference numeral) of the outer member <NUM> to the RF signal connecting portion <NUM> through a terminal insertion port (see reference numeral <NUM> of <FIG>) formed in the first case, the outer member <NUM> being configured as any one of an antenna board and a PCB board.

The bottom of the terminal portion <NUM> in the drawings is supported by the RF signal connecting portion <NUM>. When the outer member <NUM> configured as any one of an antenna board and a PCB board is closely coupled to the top of the terminal portion <NUM>, the terminal portion <NUM> may be elastically supported to absorb assembly tolerance existing in the terminal insertion port <NUM>, while always contacted with the outer member <NUM> (specifically, the electrode pad provided on one surface of the outer member <NUM>).

That is, the terminal portion <NUM> of the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure may be separated into first side terminal and the second side terminal and implemented as various embodiments depending on a shape for applying lateral tension and a specific configuration for absorbing assembly tolerance, as described below.

More specifically, the terminal portion <NUM> may be provided as two members separated into an upper portion and a lower portion as illustrated in <FIG>, and provided in a separation type in which a part of any one member of the two members is inserted into a part of the other member.

Although not illustrated, the terminal portion <NUM> is generally provided as an elastic body whose part is elastically deformed when a predetermined assembly force is supplied by an assembler, in order to absorb assembly tolerance in the case that the cavity filter is provided as an integrated filter. However, the integrated filter having the terminal portion <NUM> integrated therewith does not require a separate shape design for applying lateral tension, because it is not predicted that an electric flow from one end to the other end thereof will be disconnected.

However, when the terminal portion <NUM> is provided as a separable filter separated into two members, a separate elastic member <NUM> may be provided to absorb assembly tolerance. Specifically, the whole length of the terminal portion <NUM> can be decreased while the predetermined assembly force moves a first side terminal <NUM> and a second side terminal <NUM>, which are separated from each other, to overlap each other, and increased and restored to the original state when the assembly force is removed. However, since the first side terminal <NUM> and the second side terminal <NUM> of the terminal portion <NUM> are separable from each other, it is feared that an electric flow will be disconnected when the first side terminal <NUM> and the second side terminal <NUM> are moved to overlap each other. Therefore, any one of the first side terminal <NUM> and the second side terminal <NUM> may be provided as an elastic body, or a separate shape change for applying lateral tension may be essentially required.

The term 'lateral tension' may be defined as a force which any one of the first side terminal <NUM> and the second side terminal <NUM> transfers to the other in a direction different from the longitudinal direction, in order to prevent the disconnection of the electric flow between the first side terminal <NUM> and the second side terminal <NUM>, as described above.

The antenna device is characterized in that, when the shape change in the terminal portion <NUM> is designed, impedance matching design in the terminal insertion port <NUM> needs to be paralleled. However, the embodiments of the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the present disclosure will be described in detail under the supposition that impedance matching is achieved in the terminal insertion port <NUM>. Therefore, among the components of the embodiments of the cavity filter in accordance with the present disclosure, which will be described with reference to <FIG> and the following drawings, the exterior of a reinforcement plate or dielectric body inserted into the terminal insertion port <NUM> with the terminal portion <NUM> may have a different shape depending on impedance matching design.

<FIG> is an exploded perspective view illustrating some components of a cavity filter in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure, <FIG> and <FIG> are cross-sectional views illustrating that assembly tolerance is absorbed before and after assembly, and <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating the terminal portion <NUM> among the components of <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first embodiment of the present disclosure includes an RF signal connecting portion <NUM> and a terminal portion <NUM>. The RF signal connecting portion <NUM> is spaced part, by a predetermined distance, from an outer member <NUM> having an electrode pad (with no reference numeral) provided on one surface thereof. The terminal portion <NUM> has a structure that can electrically connect the electrode pad of the outer member <NUM> to the RF signal connecting portion <NUM>, and not only absorb assembly tolerance at the predetermined distance, but also prevent disconnection of the electric flow between the electrode pad and the RF signal connecting portion <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the outer member <NUM> may be commonly referred to as any one of an antenna board having antenna elements arranged on the other surface thereof and a PCB board provided as one board on which a PA (Power Amplifier), a digital board and TX calibration are integrated.

Hereafter, as illustrated in <FIG>, an exterior configuration constituting the embodiments of the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the present disclosure is not divided into first and second cases, and commonly referred to as a filter body <NUM> having a terminal insertion port <NUM> formed therein.

As illustrated in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, the terminal insertion port <NUM> of the filter body <NUM> may be provided as a hollow space. The terminal insertion port <NUM> may be formed in different shapes depending on impedance matching design applied to a plurality of embodiments which will be described below.

The filter body <NUM> may have a washer installation portion <NUM> formed as a groove on one surface thereof, on which the first side terminal <NUM> of the terminal portion <NUM> to be described below is provided. The washer installation portion <NUM> may be formed as a groove to have a larger inner diameter than the terminal insertion port <NUM>. Thus, the outer edge of a star washer <NUM> to be described below may be locked to the washer installation portion <NUM> such that the star washer <NUM> is prevented from being separated upward.

Furthermore, the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first embodiment of the present disclosure may further include the star washer <NUM> fixedly installed on the washer installation portion <NUM>.

The following descriptions are based on the supposition that the star washer <NUM> is commonly provided in all the embodiments of the present disclosure, which will be described below, as well as the first embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that, although the star washer <NUM> is not described in detail in the embodiments other than the first embodiment, the star washer <NUM> is included in the embodiments.

The star washer <NUM> may include a fixed edge <NUM> formed in a ring shape and fixed to the washer installation portion <NUM>, and a plurality of support pieces <NUM> which are upwardly inclined from the fixed edge <NUM> toward the center of the electrode pad of the outer member <NUM> configured as any one of an antenna board and a PCB board.

When the embodiments of the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the present disclosure are assembled to the outer member <NUM> configured as any one of an antenna board and a PCB board by an assembler, the star washer <NUM> may apply an elastic force to a fastening force by a fastening member (not illustrated) through the above-described assembly hole, while the plurality of support pieces <NUM> are supported on one surface of the outer member <NUM> configured as any one of an antenna board and a PCB board.

The applying of the elastic force through the plurality of support pieces <NUM> may make it possible to uniformly maintain a contact area with the electrode pad of the terminal portion <NUM>.

Furthermore, the ring-shaped fixed edge <NUM> of the star washer <NUM> may be provided to cover the outside of the terminal portion <NUM> which is configured to transfer an electric signal, and serve as a kind of ground terminal.

Furthermore, the star washer <NUM> serves to absorb assembly tolerance existing between the outer members <NUM>, each configured as any one of an antenna board and a PCB board, in the embodiments of the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the present disclosure.

As described below, however, the assembly tolerance absorbed by the star washer <NUM> exists in the terminal insertion port <NUM>, and is distinguished from an assembly tolerance absorbed by the terminal portion <NUM>. That is, the cavity filter in accordance with the embodiments of the present disclosure may be designed to absorb overall assembly tolerances at two or more locations through separate members during a single assembly process, and thus coupled more stably.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the terminal portion <NUM> in the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first embodiment of the present disclosure may include the first side terminal <NUM> and the second side terminal <NUM>. The first side terminal <NUM> may be contacted with the electrode pad of the outer member <NUM>, and the second side terminal <NUM> may be fixed to a solder hole <NUM> formed in a portion extended as the RF signal connecting portion <NUM> in a plate shape.

Any one of the first side terminal <NUM> and the second side terminal <NUM> may be inserted into the other, such that parts of end portions of the respective terminals overlap each other by a predetermined length during an assembly process.

The cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first embodiment of the present disclosure may have a structure in which the top of the second side terminal <NUM> is inserted into the bottom of the first side terminal <NUM> in the drawings (see <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>). For this structure, a lower end portion of the first side terminal <NUM> may be provided in a hollow pipe shape such that an upper end portion of the second side terminal <NUM> is inserted into the lower end portion of the first side terminal <NUM>.

When the terminal portion <NUM> provided as the first side terminal <NUM> and the second side terminal <NUM> is installed in the terminal insertion port <NUM>, a dielectric body <NUM> may be inserted to cover the outside of the terminal portion <NUM>, for impedance matching in the terminal insertion port <NUM>. The dielectric body <NUM> may be formed of Teflon. However, the material of the dielectric body <NUM> is not limited to Teflon, but can be replaced with any materials as long as the materials have a dielectric constant at which impedance matching in the terminal insertion port <NUM> can be achieved. The dielectric body <NUM> may be formed as one body with the first side terminal <NUM> of the terminal portion <NUM> through injection molding. When the dielectric body <NUM> is formed as one body with the first side terminal <NUM> through injection molding, a terminal through-hole <NUM> may be formed, through which the first side terminal <NUM> passes.

However, the dielectric body does not necessarily need to be manufactured through the method for forming the dielectric body as one body with the first side terminal <NUM> of the terminal portion <NUM> through injection molding. In other words, the dielectric body <NUM> may be separately formed to have the terminal through-hole <NUM>, and inserted and assembled into the terminal insertion port <NUM>.

The smaller the contact area of a contact portion <NUM> of the first side terminal <NUM>, which is contacted with the outer member <NUM> configured as any one of an antenna board and a PCB board, the better. Therefore, the contact portion <NUM> serving as the leading end of the first side terminal <NUM> may be formed in a cone shape whose width gradually decreases toward the top thereof, as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>.

When an assembler provides an assembly force through an operation of bringing the first side terminal <NUM> into contact with the electrode pad of the outer member <NUM> through the contact portion <NUM> serving as the leading end, the first side terminal <NUM> may be moved with the dielectric body <NUM> in the terminal insertion port <NUM> in a top-to-bottom direction in the drawings. For this operation, the first side terminal <NUM> may have a locking end <NUM> formed at an upper end portion <NUM> thereof and having a larger diameter than the terminal through-hole <NUM> formed in the dielectric body <NUM>.

Furthermore, a lower end portion <NUM> of the first side terminal <NUM>, into which the upper end portion of the second side terminal <NUM> is inserted, may have a plurality of tension cut portions <NUM> elongated in the top-to-bottom direction. The tension cut portions <NUM> may be formed to divide the lower end portion <NUM> of the first side terminal <NUM>, formed in a hollow pipe shape, into a plurality of portions.

The tension cut portions <NUM> serve to apply the above-described lateral tension through an operation of pressing the lower end portion <NUM> of the first side terminal <NUM> against the outer circumference of an upper end portion <NUM> of the second side terminal <NUM> housed in the lower end portion <NUM>. The dielectric body <NUM> is provided to support the outer circumferential surface of the first side terminal <NUM>, where the tension cut portions <NUM> are formed, toward the inside thereof. Thus, the inner surfaces of the lower end portions <NUM> divided by the tension cut portions <NUM> are always pressed against the outer circumferential surface of the upper end portion <NUM> of the second side terminal <NUM> housed in the first side terminal <NUM>.

The applying of the lateral tension through the tension cut portions <NUM> may make it possible to prevent disconnection of the electric flow between the two separated terminals of the terminal portion <NUM>.

The cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first embodiment of the present disclosure may further include an O-ring portion <NUM> disposed in the terminal insertion port <NUM> and positioned on the outer circumferential surface of the dielectric body <NUM> so as to absorb assembly tolerance in the terminal insertion port <NUM>.

The O-ring portion <NUM> may be positioned on the outer circumferential surface of the dielectric body <NUM>, and disposed in a ring installation space <NUM> which is formed as a predetermined space between the inner surfaces of the terminal insertion port <NUM> as the dielectric body <NUM> is partially cut. Furthermore, the O-ring portion <NUM> may be supported by an insertion slot support portion <NUM> which is formed as a part of the filter body <NUM> so as to protrude toward the center of the terminal insertion port <NUM>.

When the contact portion <NUM> serving as the leading end of the first side terminal <NUM> of the terminal portion <NUM> is closely assembled to the electrode pad of the outer member <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>, the O-ring portion <NUM> is compressed and deformed in the ring installation space <NUM> while absorbing assembly tolerance existing in the terminal insertion port <NUM> as described above, and then provides an elastic force to the dielectric body <NUM> such that the contact portion <NUM> of the first side terminal <NUM> is continuously contacted with the electrode pad.

The leading end <NUM> of the second side terminal <NUM> of the terminal portion <NUM> may be formed in a cone shape, and thus easily inserted into the hollow pipe shape of the first side terminal <NUM>, and the tail end <NUM> of the second side terminal <NUM> may be soldered and fixed to the solder hole <NUM> formed in the plate of the above-described RF signal connecting portion <NUM>.

Therefore, when the first side terminal <NUM> is moved downward with the dielectric body <NUM> with the tail end of the second side terminal <NUM> fixed to the RF signal connecting portion <NUM>, the second side terminal <NUM> may be further deeply inserted into the lower end portion <NUM> of the first side terminal <NUM>, formed in a hollow pipe shape, and reduce the whole top-to-bottom length of the terminal portion <NUM>, thereby absorbing the assembly tolerance existing in the terminal insertion port <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the first side terminal <NUM> may be formed to such a height that the contact portion <NUM> protrudes further than the support pieces <NUM> among the components of the star washer <NUM>, when no assembly force is provided.

Hereafter, an assembly tolerance absorption process during an assembly process of the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first embodiment of the present disclosure, which has the above-described configuration, will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings (specifically, <FIG> and <FIG>).

First, as illustrated in <FIG>, a predetermined fastening force is transferred to the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first embodiment of the present disclosure through an operation of bringing the cavity filter <NUM> into contact with one surface of the outer member <NUM> having the electrode pad provided thereon and configured as any one of an antenna board and a PCB board, and then fastening a fastening member (not illustrated) to the assembly hole <NUM>. However, the cavity filter <NUM> does not necessarily need to be contacted with one surface of the outer member <NUM> configured as any one of an antenna board and a PCB board. On the contrary, the one surface of the outer member <NUM> configured as any one of an antenna board and a PCB board may be contacted with the cavity filters <NUM> arranged at predetermined intervals, in order to transfer an assembly force.

Then, as illustrated in <FIG>, the distance between the outer member <NUM> configured as any one of an antenna board and a PCB board and the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first embodiment of the present disclosure may be decreased. Simultaneously, the support pieces <NUM> of the star washer <NUM> may be deformed by the above-described fastening force to primarily absorb assembly tolerance existing between the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first embodiment of the present disclosure and the outer member <NUM> configured as any one of an antenna board and a PCB board.

Simultaneously, the first side terminal <NUM> of the terminal portion <NUM> is pressed by the one surface of the outer member <NUM> configured as any one of an antenna board and a PCB board, and moved with the dielectric body <NUM> by a predetermined distance toward the second side terminal <NUM> in the terminal insertion port <NUM>. Furthermore, the O-ring portion <NUM> is also pressed to secondarily absorb the assembly tolerance existing in the terminal insertion port <NUM> of the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first embodiment of the present disclosure.

Furthermore, since the lower end portion of the first side terminal <NUM> applies lateral tension to the upper end portion of the second side terminal <NUM>, inserted into the first side terminal <NUM> formed in a hollow pipe shape, through the tension cut portions <NUM>, it is possible to prevent disconnection of the electric flow between the first side terminal <NUM> and the second side terminal <NUM>, thereby preventing degradation in signal performance of the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first embodiment of the present disclosure.

<FIG> is an exploded perspective view illustrating a cavity filter in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure, <FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating the cavity filter in accordance with the second embodiment of the present disclosure, and <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a terminal portion among components of <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the second embodiment of the present disclosure includes an RF signal connecting portion <NUM>, a terminal portion <NUM> including first side terminal <NUM> and the second side terminal <NUM>, a dielectric body <NUM> inserted into a terminal insertion port <NUM> so as to cover the outside of the terminal portion <NUM>, and a reinforcement plate <NUM> for reinforcing the RF signal connecting portion <NUM>.

The RF signal connecting portion <NUM>, the terminal portion <NUM>, the dielectric body <NUM> and sub components thereof are configured in the same manner as those of the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first embodiment of the present disclosure, which has been already described above, unless specifically described below. Thus, the detailed descriptions thereof may be replaced with those of the first embodiment. The following descriptions will be focused on differences from those of the first embodiment.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the reinforcement plate <NUM> may have a terminal through-hole <NUM> through which the second side terminal <NUM> passes, and the second side terminal <NUM> may be fixed to the terminal through-hole <NUM> of the reinforcement plate <NUM>. The second side terminal <NUM> may have a locking end <NUM> which has a larger diameter than the terminal through-hole <NUM> so as to be locked to the top surface of the reinforcement plate <NUM> through the terminal through-hole <NUM> of the reinforcement plate <NUM>.

The bottom surface of the circumference of the reinforcement plate <NUM> may be supported by an insertion slot support portion <NUM> formed in the terminal insertion port <NUM>, and an O-ring portion <NUM> may be supported on the top surface of the reinforcement plate <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>.

The reinforcement plate <NUM> serves to restrict the dielectric body <NUM> from being moved downward, while a lower end of the dielectric body <NUM> is locked to the top surface of the reinforcement plate <NUM>, when the dielectric body <NUM> is moved downward with the first side terminal <NUM> by an assembly force provided by an assembler.

Furthermore, the reinforcement plate <NUM> serves to restrict the downward movement of the second side terminal <NUM> through the locking end <NUM>, thereby substantially reinforcing the RF signal connecting portion <NUM> to which a tail end <NUM> of the second side terminal <NUM> is soldered and fixed.

That is, in the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first embodiment, the dielectric body <NUM> moved by the assembly force may be supported within the terminal insertion port <NUM> only through the O-ring portion <NUM>. However, in the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the second embodiment, the dielectric body <NUM> may be directly supported by the reinforcement plate <NUM>, and thus indirectly reinforce the RF signal connecting portion <NUM>.

As an additional difference between the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first embodiment and the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the second embodiment, the O-ring portion <NUM> in accordance with the second embodiment may include two O-rings 180a and 180b stacked in the top-to-bottom direction. Since the two O-rings 180a and 180b are stacked in the top-to-bottom direction, the O-ring portion <NUM> in accordance with the second embodiment may absorb a larger amount of assembly tolerance than the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first embodiment, which has one O-ring portion <NUM>. Furthermore, each of the two O-rings 180a and 180b included in the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the second embodiment may have a smaller thickness than the O-ring portion <NUM> of the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first embodiment.

Furthermore, the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the second embodiment and the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first embodiment may have different structures from each other as described below. In the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first embedment, the upper end portion <NUM> of the first side terminal <NUM> may have a round cone shape to minimize the contact area of the above-described contact portion <NUM> as much as possible, i.e. a predetermined contact area. In the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the second embodiment, however, a contact portion <NUM> formed on the first side terminal <NUM> may have the same contact area as that of the first embodiment, i.e. a predetermined contact area, but an upper end portion <NUM> of the first side terminal <NUM> may be formed in such a shape that the hemispheric contact portion <NUM> having a rounded upper end may protrude from the top surface of the locking end <NUM> which has a larger diameter than the terminal through-hole <NUM> of the dielectric body <NUM> and thus is locked to the terminal through-hole <NUM>.

When an assembly force of an assembler is provided to the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the second embodiment, which has the above-described configuration, the dielectric body <NUM> and the first side terminal <NUM> may be pressed downward to secondarily absorb assembly tolerance existing in the terminal insertion port <NUM>. Furthermore, lateral tension provided by tension cut portions <NUM> formed in the first side terminal <NUM> may prevent disconnection of an electric flow.

<FIG> is an exploded perspective view illustrating a cavity filter in accordance with a third embodiment of the present disclosure, <FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating the cavity filter in accordance with the third embodiment of the present disclosure, and <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a terminal portion among components of <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the third embodiment of the present disclosure includes an RF signal connecting portion <NUM>, a terminal portion <NUM>, a dielectric body <NUM> and an O-ring portion <NUM>.

Among the components of the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the third embodiment of the present disclosure, the RF signal connecting portion <NUM>, the O-ring portion <NUM> serving as an elastic member, and sub components thereof are configured in the same manner as those of the cavity filters <NUM> in accordance with the first and second embodiments, which have been already described, unless specifically described below. Thus, the detailed descriptions thereof may be replaced with those of the first and second embodiments.

However, the terminal portion <NUM> among the components of the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the third embodiment of the present disclosure is different from the terminal portions in accordance with the first and second embodiments in that tension cut portions <NUM> are formed at an upper end portion <NUM> of a second side terminal <NUM>, and a lower end portion <NUM> of first side terminal <NUM> is formed in a cone shape and housed into the upper end portion <NUM> of the second side terminal <NUM> provided in a hollow pipe shape.

Furthermore, unlike the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the first or second embodiment, in which the separate ring installation space <NUM> for installation of the O-ring portion <NUM> is formed by cutting the dielectric body <NUM>, the dielectric body <NUM> may be formed in a disk shape having a terminal through-hole <NUM> formed therein, and the O-ring portion <NUM> may be simply seated between the top surface of an insertion slot support portion <NUM> of a terminal insertion port <NUM> and the bottom surface of the dielectric body <NUM>. Therefore, the dielectric body <NUM> may be provided for impedance matching within the terminal insertion port <NUM>, and function as a plate which transfers an assembly force of an assembler to the O-ring portion <NUM> when the first side terminal <NUM> is moved downward by the assembly force provided by the assembler.

The outer circumferential surface of the upper end portion <NUM> of the second side terminal <NUM> having the tension cut portions <NUM> formed therein, unlike those of the cavity filters <NUM> in accordance with the first and second embodiments, is contacted with the inner surfaces of the lower end portions divided by the tension cut portions. Therefore, the upper end portion <NUM> of the second side terminal <NUM> may be inclined at a predetermined angle toward the center of the second side terminal <NUM> when the tension cut portions <NUM> are formed.

At this time, the upper end portion <NUM> of the second side terminal <NUM> may be inclined so that the lower end portion <NUM> of the first side terminal <NUM>, formed in a cone shape, is housed in the upper end portion <NUM> of the second side terminal <NUM> formed in a hollow pipe shape.

Furthermore, the upper end portion of the terminal portion <NUM> of the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the third embodiment, which includes a contact portion <NUM> of the first side terminal <NUM>, has the same shape as that of the second embodiment.

When an assembly force of an assembler is provided to the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the third embodiment, which has the above-described configuration, the dielectric body <NUM> and the first side terminal <NUM> may be pressed downward to secondarily absorb assembly tolerance existing in the terminal insertion port <NUM>. Furthermore, lateral tension provided by the tension cut portions <NUM> formed in the second side terminal <NUM> may prevent disconnection of an electric flow.

<FIG> is an exploded perspective view illustrating a cavity filter in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, <FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating the cavity filter in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, and <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a terminal portion among components of <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure includes an RF signal connecting portion <NUM>, a terminal portion <NUM> including a first side terminal <NUM> and a second side terminal <NUM>, a dielectric body <NUM> inserted into a terminal insertion port <NUM> so as to cover the outside of the terminal portion <NUM>, and an O-ring portion <NUM> serving as an electrical member.

Among the components of the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, the RF signal connecting portion <NUM>, the terminal portion <NUM> and sub components thereof are configured in the same manner as those of the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the third embodiment, which has been already described, unless specifically described below. Thus, the detailed descriptions thereof may be replaced with those of the third embodiment.

Furthermore, among the components of the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, the O-ring portion <NUM> may have a structure in which two O-rings 380a and 380b are stacked in the top-to-bottom direction as described with reference to the second embodiment. However, unlike the cavity filter <NUM> of the second embodiment, the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure does not include a reinforcement plate by which the O-ring portion <NUM> is supported. That is, in the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, the O-ring portion <NUM> may be seated and supported on an insertion slot support portion <NUM> provided in the terminal insertion port <NUM>, as in the first embodiment.

Among the components of the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, an upper end portion <NUM> of the second side terminal <NUM> having tension cut portions <NUM> formed therein has a structure in which the outer surface thereof is not supported by the dielectric body <NUM>, as in the third embodiment. That is, as illustrated in <FIG>, the dielectric body <NUM> is extended downward so that a lower end portion <NUM> thereof overlaps the upper end portion <NUM> of the second side terminal <NUM>. However, the extension is only an inevitable shape change for impedance matching design, and is not involved in lateral tension of the second side terminal <NUM>.

When an assembly force of an assembler is provided to the cavity filter <NUM> in accordance with the fourth embodiment, which has the above-described configuration, the dielectric body <NUM> and the first side terminal <NUM> may be pressed downward to secondarily absorb assembly tolerance existing in the terminal insertion port <NUM>. Furthermore, lateral tension provided by the tension cut portions <NUM> formed in the second side terminal <NUM> may prevent disconnection of an electric flow.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating a connecting structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

It has been described that each of the cavity filters in accordance with the various embodiments of the present disclosure, which have been described so far, is fabricated as one module and attached to one surface of the outer member <NUM> configured as any one of an antenna board and a PCB board. However, the embodiments of the present disclosure are not necessarily limited thereto. According to a modification illustrated in <FIG>, the cavity filter may be implemented as a connection structure <NUM>' having the terminal portion which is provided between the electrode pad provided on one surface of the outer member <NUM> and another connection member <NUM>, and makes an electrical connection with the connection member <NUM>', regardless of whether the cavity filter is manufactured in the form of a module.

The above-described contents are only exemplary descriptions of the technical idea of the present disclosure, and those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains may change and modify the present disclosure in various manners without departing from the essential properties of the present disclosure.

Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present disclosure do not limit but describe the technical idea of the present disclosure, and the scope of the technical idea of the present disclosure is not limited by the embodiments. The scope of the protection of the present disclosure should be construed by the following claims.

Claim 1:
A cavity filter (<NUM>) comprising:
an RF signal connecting portion (<NUM>) spaced apart, by a predetermined distance, from an outer member (<NUM>) having an electrode pad provided on a surface thereof; and
a terminal portion (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) configured to electrically connect the electrode pad of the outer member (<NUM>) and the RF signal connecting portion (<NUM>) so as to absorb assembly tolerance existing at the predetermined distance and to prevent disconnection of the electric flow between the electrode pad and the RF signal connecting portion (<NUM>),
wherein the terminal portion (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) comprises:
a first side terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) contacted with the electrode pad; and
a second side terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) connected to the RF signal connecting portion (<NUM>),
further comprising a dielectric body (<NUM>) inserted into a terminal insertion port (<NUM>) so as to cover the outside of the terminal portion (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>),
wherein the first side terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) of the terminal portion (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) is disposed in the terminal insertion port (<NUM>) and configured to be moved with the dielectric body (<NUM>) by an assembly force provided by an assembler, and
any one of the first side terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) and the second side terminal (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) is housed into the other so as to overlap the other by a predetermined length.