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GB2501828A - Telecommunication Apparatus with electrical conductive surfaces provided on fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material - Google Patents

Telecommunication Apparatus with electrical conductive surfaces provided on fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2501828A
GB2501828A GB1307947.0A GB201307947A GB2501828A GB 2501828 A GB2501828 A GB 2501828A GB 201307947 A GB201307947 A GB 201307947A GB 2501828 A GB2501828 A GB 2501828A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
glass
telecommunication apparatus
plastic material
telecommunication
reinforced plastic
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB1307947.0A
Other versions
GB201307947D0 (en
Inventor
John Tinker
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Radio Design Ltd
Original Assignee
Radio Design Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Radio Design Ltd filed Critical Radio Design Ltd
Publication of GB201307947D0 publication Critical patent/GB201307947D0/en
Publication of GB2501828A publication Critical patent/GB2501828A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01PWAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE
    • H01P11/00Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing waveguides or resonators, lines, or other devices of the waveguide type
    • H01P11/007Manufacturing frequency-selective devices
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01PWAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE
    • H01P1/00Auxiliary devices
    • H01P1/20Frequency-selective devices, e.g. filters
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01PWAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE
    • H01P1/00Auxiliary devices
    • H01P1/20Frequency-selective devices, e.g. filters
    • H01P1/207Hollow waveguide filters

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Casings For Electric Apparatus (AREA)
  • Electric Clocks (AREA)
  • Reinforced Plastic Materials (AREA)

Abstract

Telecommunication apparatus is provided that is formed from or includes fibre glass or a glass reinforced plastic material, with one or more electrical conductive surfaces provided on or associated with said fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material. Aspects of the invention include the apparatus in the form of a whole or part of radio frequency apparatus; or a radio frequency filter housing body or radio head, with or without a housing lid. The fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material has the advantages of being inexpensive, lightweight, non-brittle, thermally stable, easily adapted to moulding processes, strong and robust and the electrical conductive surfaces provided thereon or associated therewith provide the apparatus with the necessary electrical conductive and/or RF properties.

Description

Telecommunication Apparatus and Method of Manufacture Thereof This invention relates to telecommunication apparatus and a method of manufacture thereof.
Although the following description refers almost exclusively to telecommunication apparatus in the form of a radio frequency (RU) filter housing, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the telecommunication apparatus could include any or any combination of components and/or housings used as part of a telecommunication system.
Conventional RU filter units generally comprise an aluminium body which houses the RE filter components therein. The aluminium body is typically formed using a high pressure die cast tool if being produced in large quantities, or the body can be machined if being produced in smaller quantities. The aluminium body is typically plated with a noble metal, such as silver, to improve the electrical performance of the unit in use.
One or more paint layers can be applied on top of the noble metal on the exterior surface of the filter body to provide protection from environmental conditions, such as rain, heat, snow, salt spray and/or the like and to provide an improved aesthetic appearance to the housing. A problem with using aluminium to form the RU filter housings is that the end product is expensive to produce and is typically heavy, which is a particular problem if the housing is being located at the top of a telecommunications mast.
In an attempt to overcome this problem, it has been known to produce RE filter housings from a plastic material, which is typically less expensive to produce and lighter in weight than conventional metal housings. For example, it is known to produce RU filter housings made from polyetherimide resin (PET). However, problems with such plastic housings are that the P1111 is still relatively expensive, it has poor thermal properties (i.e. the material is not thermally stable since it expands at different rates in different flow directions), it is difficult to injection mould and has been found to get very hot in use due to the poor thermal conductive properties of the material, which can result in failure of the components within the RU filter housing.
Tt is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide telecommunication apparatus, and particularly but not necessarily exclusively RU apparatus, which overcomes the abovementioned problems.
Tt is a further aim of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing telecommunication apparatus and/or RU app a rat LI 5.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided telecommunication apparatus, said telecommunication apparatus formed from or including fibre glass or a glass reinforced plastic material, with one or more electrical conductive surfaces provided oil or associated with said fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material.
Although fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material is already a well known material, and such material has been used in telecommunications apparatus, such as for example to form shrouds on antenna, the Applicant considers that its use in telecommunication apparatus in combination with one or more electrical conductive surfaces provided thereon or associated therewith is unique. This is particularly the case in relation to substantially a whole or part of a radio frequency filter housing body, with or without a housing lid. The fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material has the advantages of being inexpensive, lightweight, non-brittle, thermally stable, easily adapted to moulding processes, strong and robust and the electrical conductive surfaces provided thereon or associated therewith provide the apparatus with the necessary electrical conductive and/or RF properties.
The fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material is typically a glass fibre reinforced polymer. The polymer or plastic material is preferably any or any combination of epoxy, a thermosetting plastic, a thermoplastic and/or the like.
The length or average length of the glass fibres used within the plastic material is/are such SC) as to provide the necessary pre-determined thermal and/or structural properties to the RF apparatus or telecommunication apparatus. In one example, the length or average length of the glass fibre used is between 1- 10mm in length. In a further example, the length or average length of the glass fibre used is between 3-8mm in length.
Preferably the length or average length of the glass fibre used is 3-4mm. Preferably the length or average length of the glass fibre used is 6-8mm.
The majority of the fibre glass used in the apparatus can be of substantially the same length or can be of different lengths.
In one embodiment one or more filler agents are included in the fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material. The one or more filler agents are added typically to provide the resulting material with the preferred thermal properties and/or to allow the material to be injection moulded or compression moulded during manufacture of the apparatus.
In one example the one or more filler agents is or includes a metallic powder.
Preferably the metallic powder is aluminium powder.
In one embodiment the one or more filler agents is or includes calcium carbonate. Further preferably a metallic powder is included or mixed with the calcium carbonate.
In one embodiment the one or more filler agents is or includes carbon. In a further embodiment the one or more filler agents is or includes a rubber component.
Preferably one or more resin agents are included in the fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material. The one or more resin agents are typically added to bond the resulting material together and/or to allow the material to be injection moulded or compression moulded during manufacture of the apparatus.
Preferably the one or more electrical conductive surfaces are one or more metallised surfaces.
Preferably the one or more metallised surfaces include one or more noble metal layers, such as for example, silver. The one or more metallised surfaces provide the surfaces with electrical conductivity.
In one embodiment one or more surfaces of the apparatus undergo an etching process to help prepare the surfaces prior to adhesion or application of one or more electrical conductive metallic layers thereto.
Preferably the etching process is or includes chromate etching.
S
The etching process can, in one example, take place as part of an electroless process undertaken on the one or more surfaces of the apparatus.
Preferably, the apparatus is formed by compression moulding or injection moulding. Further preferably a whole or part of the apparatus undergoes an electroless process to add one or more electrically conductive or metallic layers to one or more surfaces of the apparatus.
In one embodiment the electroless process includes the addition of one or more copper and/or nickel layers to one or more surfaces of the apparatus.
In one embodiment, the apparatus undergoes an electrolytic plating process, after or instead of an dectroless process. The electrolytic process can be used to add one or more electrically conductive layers to one or more surfaces of the apparatus, such as for example, one or more silver layers and/or the like.
In one embodiment substantially a whole of the apparatus, housing, surface of the housing or apparatus is provided with electrical conductive material thereon.
In one embodiment masking means can be used to selectively coat or apply one or more surfaces of the apparatus with one or more layers of electrically conductive material and/or non conductive material. For example, the masking means can be applied to the apparatus once made prior to undergoing an electroless or electrolytic process.
For example, masking means could be arranged to ensure only one or more interior surfaces of the apparatus or housing are coated with one or more electrically conductive layers. The masking means could be provided on one or more exterior surfaces of the apparatus to prevent the application of one or more conductive layers thereto. The use of masking means typically reduces the costs associated with having to coat entire apparatus in one or more conductive layers.
Preferably substantially all of at least one interior surface of the apparatus is provided with one or more electrically conductive layers thereon.
The apparatus of the present invention can be formed by injection moulding or compression moulding the material into the required shape.
In one embodiment the apparatus is in the form of a housing, container, box, outer housing, unit and/or the like, and preferably a radio frequency housing, container, box, outer housing, unit and/or the like.
In one embodiment the shape of the housing or apparatus is formed by a suitable moulding process, such as injection moulding or compression moulding. The housing or apparatus then typically undergoes an electro-less process or etching process to add one or more conductive or metalliseci layers to a whole or part of the same. For example, the electro-less process could be a plasma vapour deposition (PVD) process.
Alternatively, an electro-less metal deposit could be provided on the apparatus.
In one embodiment the metallised plastic material then undergoes a plating process. The plating process is typically an electrolytic process. The plating process can add one or more copper layers, silver layers and/or the like to the apparatus.
Preferably the telecommunications apparatus is a radio frequency (RF) apparatus, component or housing and further preferably the apparatus is a RF filter housing or radio head.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing telecommunication apparatus, said method including the steps of forming at least part of the telecommunication apparatus from fibre glass or a glass reinforced plastic material in a required shape, and applying one or more electrical conductive surfaces on said fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material.
In one embodiment the fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material is formed in a bulk mould compression process (13MG).
In this arrangement pre-cut lengths of fibre glass are mixed with one or more filler and/or resin agents in a suitable mixing container. The mixture is then poured or placed in an apparatus moulding. I leat may need to be applied, such as for example, by heating the apparatus mixture to 140°C, prior to or during compression being applied to the apparatus moulding. This process is typically a compression moulding process.
In one embodiment the fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material is formed in a sheet mould compression process (SMC).
In this process elongate strands of fibre glass are applied to a surface of a plastic material. One or more filler and/or resin agents are pro-mixed and then poured onto the plastic and fibre glass. The fibre glass strands are then cut into suitable lengths as part of the mixture. The above process steps can be repeated until a plurality of layers of fibre glass strands, plastic material, filler and/or resin agents are applied on top of each other. The layers of material are cut to a required length and are placed in an apparatus moulding. The apparatus moulding is typically heated prior to or during compression moulding.
According to further independent aspects of the present invention there is provided RF telecommunications apparatus; RF filter housing; RF radio head; and methods of manufacture thereof.
Thus it can be seen that the fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic is being used to form a base layer, intermediate, layer or housing for an item of telecommunications apparatus.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein: Figure 1 shows the manufacturing steps for forming an RF filter housing; Figure 2 shows a filter housing according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to the figures, there is illustrated the main steps of a manufacturing process for making a RF filter housing 2 formed from a glass reinforced plastic material according to an embodiment of the pre sent invention.
The filter housing 2 typically comprises a base 4, top 6, side walls 8 and a cavity 10 defined in the interior of housing 2. The cavity 10 is used to house a number of filter components, such as tunable resonators (not shown).
In manufacturing filter housing 2, a glass reinforced plastic material is formed using a plastic material, a plurality of glass fibres, one or more resin agents and one or more filler agents are mixed together, as shown in step 12 of figure 1. The resulting material then undergoes an injection or compression moulding process to produce the shape of the filter housing 2, as shown in step 14 of figure 1. A tool mould is typically formed of the filter housing 2 and the glass reinforced plastic material and resin/filler mixture is injected or placed into the tool mould for injection or compression moulding respectively. A heating step may be required prior to or during the moulding process.
The housing 2 then undergoes an electro-less process to add one or more conductive layers to one or more surfaces of the RE filter housing, as shown in step 16 of figure 1. The electro-less process can be a plasma vapour deposition process or can be an etching process. The one or more conductive layers can include any or any combination of one or more silver layers, nickel layers, copper layers and/or the like.
A mask can be applied to one or more surfaces of the formed housing 2 or tool mould prior to the moulding process to allow selective application of one or more conductive layers thereto during the electro-less and/or electrolytic processes.
The housing then optionally undergoes an electrolytic plating process, as shown in step 18 of figure 1. This can include the addition of one or more silver layers and/of the like.

Claims (34)

  1. Claims 1. Telecommunication apparatus, said telecommunication apparatus formed from or including fibre glass or a glass reinforced plastic material, with one or more electrical conductive surfaces provided on or associated with said fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material.
  2. 2. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus is in the form of a whole or part of radio frequency apparatus; or a radio frequency filter housing body or radio head, with or without a housing lid.
  3. 3. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material is a glass fibre reinforced polymer.
  4. 4. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the polymer or plastic material is any or any combination of epoxy, a thermosetting plastic or a thermoplastic.
  5. 5. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the length or average length of the glass fibres used within the plastic material is such so as to provide pre-determined thermal and/or structural properties to the apparatus.
  6. 6. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the length or average length of the glass fibres used is between 1-10mm.
  7. 7. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the length or average length of the glass fibres used is between 3-8mm.
  8. 8. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the length or average length of the glass fibres used is between 3-4mm.
  9. 9. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim S wherein the length or average length of the glass fibres used is between 6-8mm.
  10. 10. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the majority of glass fibres used in the plastic material are substantially of the same length.
  11. 11. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the majority of glass fibres used in the plastic material arc of different lengths.
  12. 12. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim 1 wherein one or more filler agents are included in the fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material.
  13. 13. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the one or more filler agents is or includes a metallic powder.
  14. 14. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the metallic powder is aluminium powder.
  15. 15. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the one or more filler agents is or includes calcium carbonate.
  16. 16. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the one or more filler agents are or include a metallic powder and calcium carbonate.
  17. 17. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the one or more filler agents is or includes carbon.
  18. 18. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the one or more filler agents is or includes a rubber component.
  19. 19. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim 1 wherein one or more resin agents are included in the fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material.
  20. 20. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim I wherein the one or more electrical conductive surfaces are one or more metallised surfaces.
  21. 21. Telecommunication apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the one or more metallised surfaces include one or more noble metal layers.
  22. 22. A method of manufacturing telecommunication apparatus, said method including the steps of forming at least part of the telecommunication apparatus from fibre glass or a glass reinforced plastic material in a required shape, and applying one or more electrical conductive surfaces on said fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material.
  23. 23. The method of claim 22 wherein one or more surfaces of the apparatus undergo an etching process prior to adhesion or application of the one or more electrical conductive or metallic layers thereto.
  24. 24. The method of claim 23 wherein the etching process is or includes chromate etching.
  25. 25. The method of claim 23 wherein the etching process takes place as part of an electroless process on the one or more surfaces of the apparatus.
  26. 26. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of forming at least part of the telecommunication apparatus from fibre glass or a glass reinforced plastic material is undertaken by compression moulding, bulk mould compression moulding, sheet mould compression moulding or injection moulding.
  27. 27. The method of claim 22 wherein once the apparatus is formed, a whole or part of the apparatus undergoes an electroless process to add the one or more electrically conductive layers thereto.
  28. 28. The method of claim 27 wherein the electroless process includes the addition of one or more copper and/or nickel layers to one or more surfaces of the apparatus.
  29. 29. The method of claim 27 wherein the apparatus undergoes an electrolytic plating process, after or instead of the electroless process, to allow one or more electrically conductive layers to be applied to one or more surfaces of the apparatus.
  30. 30. The method of claim 22 wherein a whole of the apparatus or a whole surface of the apparatus is provided with electrically conductive material thereon.
  31. 31. The method of claim 22 wherein masking means are used to selectively apply one or more surfaces of the apparatus with one or more layers of electrical conductive material and/or non-conductive material.
  32. 32. The method of claim 31 wherein the masking means are applied to apparatus tooling prior to compression moulding, bulk mould compression moulding, sheet mould compression moulding or injection moulding the apparatus.
  33. 33. The method of claim 31 wherein the masking means are applied to the formed apparatus prior to the apparatus undergoing an electroless or electrolytic process to apply one or more electrical conductive layers.
  34. 34. The method of claim 22 wherein one or more interior surfaces of the apparatus only are coated with one or more electrically conductive layers.
GB1307947.0A 2012-05-04 2013-05-02 Telecommunication Apparatus with electrical conductive surfaces provided on fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material Withdrawn GB2501828A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB1207857.2A GB201207857D0 (en) 2012-05-04 2012-05-04 Telecommunications apparatus and method of manufacture therof

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB201307947D0 GB201307947D0 (en) 2013-06-12
GB2501828A true GB2501828A (en) 2013-11-06

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GBGB1207857.2A Ceased GB201207857D0 (en) 2012-05-04 2012-05-04 Telecommunications apparatus and method of manufacture therof
GB1307947.0A Withdrawn GB2501828A (en) 2012-05-04 2013-05-02 Telecommunication Apparatus with electrical conductive surfaces provided on fibre glass or glass reinforced plastic material

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Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040130877A1 (en) * 2002-01-25 2004-07-08 Akihiko Okubora Substrate for high-frequency module and high-frequency module
WO2005018293A2 (en) * 2003-08-15 2005-02-24 Intel Corporation (A Delware Corporation) Circuit board design
CN101924262A (en) * 2009-06-11 2010-12-22 深圳市大富科技股份有限公司 Cavity filter

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040130877A1 (en) * 2002-01-25 2004-07-08 Akihiko Okubora Substrate for high-frequency module and high-frequency module
WO2005018293A2 (en) * 2003-08-15 2005-02-24 Intel Corporation (A Delware Corporation) Circuit board design
CN101924262A (en) * 2009-06-11 2010-12-22 深圳市大富科技股份有限公司 Cavity filter

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB201307947D0 (en) 2013-06-12
GB201207857D0 (en) 2012-06-20

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