WO2019120499A1

WO2019120499A1 - Antenna handle and antenna fixing system

Info

Publication number: WO2019120499A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/083686
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Hering; Yong Luo; Clement Bommel; Andreas HASLBECK; Johann Baptist OBERMAIER; Lei Chen; Kai Chen
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2017-12-20
Filing date: 2017-12-20
Publication date: 2019-06-27

Abstract

An antenna handle (1) attachable to an antenna (3) for fixing said antenna (3) to an antenna mounting bracket (2) is provided, wherein said antenna handle (1) comprises a rotatable first pulley (4).

Description

TITLE

Antenna handle and antenna fixing system

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to the field of antenna handles, and more particularly, to antenna fixing systems, comprising antenna handles, provided for fixing an antenna such as a base station antenna to a pole or wall or any other fixation point.

BACKGROUND

Base station antennas for mobile telephony and mobile data communication are commonly fixed to poles provided on rooftop sites, towers or walls. The installation is an effortful work process for installation personnel. Nowadays, an installation process is aggravated since the effective weight of antennas is rising due to an integration of radio units in Active Antenna Units. The weight of current antennas has reached 60 kg and more. On the other hand, occupational health and safety regulations and laws demand less working loads for human workforce. Maximum working loads of about 25 kilogram are required for an individual worker.

Therefore, antenna installations require several workers to handle heavy antennas which is an important cost factor for carriers. Additional costs result from expensive work equipment such as cranes or lifting platforms. However, this equipment cannot be used at every antenna site due to accessibility and size limitations.

When antennas are to be installed, firstly, an antenna mounting bracket is installed at a fixed structure such as a pole or a wall. Then, the antenna is lifted and an antenna handle is attached, fixed and secured to the mounting bracket. Since antennas are frequently installed on rooftop sites with poles or on towers, the final installation location typically cannot easily be reached by installers. Therefore, ropes are used to hoist the antennas up to a certain height until they can be attached to the antenna mounting bracket by the installer. For this purpose, hoisting eyes or single pulleys are integrated into the antenna mounting bracket or provided as additional accessory. This equipment, in particular the pulley, reduces high friction and prevents wear. However, a rope force to hoist the antenna is not reduced.

SUMMARY

It is therefore an object of the present invention to remedy the above-mentioned

disadvantages and to provide an antenna fixing system enabling an easy and safe installation of the antenna to an antenna mounting bracket at a fixture device. The object is achieved by the features of the independent claim. Further developments of the invention are apparent from the dependent claims, the description and the figures.

According to a first aspect of the invention, an antenna handle attachable to an antenna for fixing the antenna to an antenna mounting bracket comprises a rotatable first pulley.

The rotatable first pulley enables the antenna handle to guide a rope at the antenna handle with minimum friction.

In an implementation of the antenna handle of the first aspect, the first pulley is configured to redirect a rope for hosting the antenna.

When the first pulley is configured to redirect the rope for hoisting the antenna, a force for hoisting the antenna attached to the antenna handle can substantially be reduced. In a further implementation of the antenna handle of the first aspect, the antenna handle comprises at least one guiding face extending perpendicularly to a rotation axis of the first pulley beside the first pulley, wherein the guiding face is configured to prevent escape of the rope from the first pulley.

By the at least one guiding face being configured to prevent escape of the rope from the first pulley, the antenna handle and, therefore, the antenna can be prevented from falling down when being hoisted.

In a further implementation of the antenna handle of the first aspect, at least two guiding faces are provided, the guiding faces being located on both sides of the first pulley and being linked to one another so as to form a cross section of a yoke-shaped closed contour configured to prevent escape of the rope from the first pulley.

The at least two guiding faces forming the yoke-shaped closed contour improve safety against escape of the rope from the first pulley, and, therefore, safety against falling down of the antenna can be improved.

In a further implementation of the antenna handle of the first aspect, the antenna handle comprises a handle body attachable to the antenna, a pulley shaft supporting the first pulley and a hinge for attaching the pulley shaft to the handle body in a pivoting manner, wherein the guiding faces are attached to the handle body, and the first pulley is configured to adopt a first position where it is accessible for being embraced by the rope and a second position where the rope is prevented from escaping from the first pulley.

By providing the hinge for attaching the pulley to the handle body in a pivoting manner, on the one hand, the pulley can adopt a position located outside a space between the guiding faces so that the pulley can be embraced by the rope without the need for threading in the rope between the guiding faces and the rope and, on the other hand, the pulley can adopt a position located between the guiding faces so that the rope is prevented from escaping from the first pulley. Therefore, on the one hand, the handling is facilitated and it takes much less time for installing the rope on the pulley and, on the other hand, the safety level is maintained. In a further implementation of the antenna handle of the first aspect, the antenna handle comprises a locking equipment configured to lock the first pulley in the second position.

Upon locking the first pulley in the second position where the rope is prevented from escaping from the first pulley, even in a case in which a pivoting motion of the pulley shaft in one direction is blocked by a stopper, the first pulley can be prevented from leaving the second position in direction towards the first position where the rope can escape.

In a further implementation of the antenna handle of the first aspect, the locking equipment comprises a spring-loaded pin in the pulley shaft and an opening in the handle body, the opening being configured to accommodate the spring-loaded pin. When the locking equipment is configured in this manner, it is to be manufactured economically and easy to handle. Moreover, the second position is automatically locked without the need for a manual locking motion which improves the safety.

In a further implementation of the antenna handle of the first aspect, the antenna handle comprises a pivot device for attaching the first pulley comprising the yoke-shaped contour and the locking equipment to the antenna handle in a pivoting manner so that the pivot device is configured to follow the tilting of the antenna handle with respect to the rope when hoisting the antenna.

By providing the pivot device, an aligned state of the first pulley with respect to the rope can be enabled over an entire range of angle when the antenna with the attached antenna handle is hoisted from a horizontal state into an approximately vertical state.

In a further implementation of the antenna handle of the first aspect, a diameter of the first pulley at a first end in direction of the rotation axis of the first pulley is larger than a diameter of the first pulley (2) at a second end in direction of the rotation axis of the first pulley. By such a configuration of the first pulley, escape of the rope from the first pulley is exacerbated in one direction. Due to a centre of gravity which is not always exactly underneath the pulley during hoisting, the end of the pulley in the direction of the pulley axis being endangered for escaping of the rope from the pulley is provided with a larger diameter in order to prevent the escaping. According to a second aspect of the invention, a system comprises an antenna mounting bracket for attaching to a fixture device and an antenna handle according to the first aspect or any preceding implementations, wherein the antenna mounting bracket comprises a rotatable second pulley configured to redirect the rope for hoisting the antenna such that the second pulley of the antenna mounting bracket and the first pulley of the antenna handle are configured to work together in the principle of a pulley block.

By such a configuration, a force for pulling at the rope for hoisting the antenna to the antenna mounting bracket can be remarkably reduced.

In an implementation of the system of the second aspect, the antenna mounting bracket comprises a fixing device for fixing an end of the rope to the antenna mounting bracket. When one of the ends of the rope is fixed to the antenna mounting bracket and the first pulley and the second pulley work together in the principle of the pulley block, a relatively little force is required for hoisting the antenna when pulling at the other of the ends.

In a further implementation of the system of the second aspect, the antenna mounting bracket comprises a third rotatable pulley so that the rope can be pulled from aside the antenna mounting bracket, wherein the first pulley and the third pulley are configured to work together in the principle of a pulley block.

By providing the third pulley additionally to the second pulley and the first pulley, wherein the first pulley and the second pulley and the first pulley and the third pulley respectively work together in the principle of the pulley block, the antenna can be hoisted by two workers exerting a relatively little force with increased hoisting velocity.

In a further implementation of the system of the second aspect, at least one of the second pulley and the third pulley is a bordered pulley provided with at least one guiding face extending perpendicularly to a rotation axis of the bordered pulley beside the bordered pulley, the guiding face being configured to guide the rope and prevent escape of the rope from the bordered pulley in the horizontal direction.

By providing the second or third pulley as a bordered pulley, the second or third pulley are configured to prevent escape of the rope from the respective pulley, therefore, the antenna can be prevented from falling down when being hoisted. In a further implementation of the system of the second aspect, at least two guiding faces are provided, said guiding faces being located on both sides of the bordered pulley and being linked to one another so as to form a cross section of a yoke-shaped open or closed contour configured to prevent escape of the rope from the bordered pulley.

By the at least two guiding faces forming the yoke-shaped closed contour, safety against escape of the rope from the first pulley is improved, and, therefore, safety against falling down of the antenna can be improved.

According to a third aspect of the invention, a method for hoisting the antenna with the use of a system according to the second aspect is provided, wherein the antenna is attached to the antenna handle, the method including the steps: attaching an attachment portion of the rope to the antenna mounting bracket, embracing the first pulley by the rope, embracing the second pulley by the rope and hoisting the antenna by pulling at the rope.

When the attachment portion of the rope is attached to the antenna mounting bracket, the first pulley and the second pulley are embraced by the rope and the antenna is hoisted by pulling at the rope, the antenna can be hoisted by one worker with relatively little pulling force.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following portion of the present disclosure, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a system according to an embodiment of the invention including an antenna handle and an antenna mounting bracket in a principle illustration;

Fig. 2 shows a side view of the antenna handle according to an embodiment;

Fig. 3 shows a state of the antenna handle according to an embodiment having a first pulley in a first position;

Fig. 4 shows a state of the antenna handle according to the embodiment of Fig.

3having the first pulley in a second position;

Fig. 5 shows a first state of an antenna provided with the antenna handle

according to an embodiment when being hoisted;

Fig. 6 shows a second state of the antenna provided with the antenna handle according to the embodiment of Fig. 5 when being hoisted;

Fig. 7 shows a plan view of the pulley;

Fig. 8 shows the system according to an embodiment having a fixing device for fixing a rope at the antenna mounting bracket; and Fig. 9 shows the system according to an embodiment having a third pulley at the antenna mounting bracket.

Identical reference signs are used for identical or at least functionally equivalent features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Fig. 1 shows a system according to an embodiment including an antenna handle 1 and an antenna mounting bracket 2 in a principle illustration. The antenna handle 1 is attached to a base station antenna 3.

The antenna handle 1 attachable to the antenna 3 comprises a rotatable first pulley 4. The first pulley 4 is configured to redirect a rope 5 for hoisting an antenna 3. Alternatively, also several first pulleys can be provided at the antenna handle 1.

Fig. 2 shows a side view of the antenna handle 1 according to an embodiment. The first pulley

4 has a rotation axis 6 and the first pulley 4 rotates around the rotation axis 6 when the rope

5 rolls over the first pulley 4. The antenna handle 1 comprises guiding faces 7, T extending perpendicularly to the rotation axis 6 beside the first pulley 4. The guiding faces 7, 7' are linked to one another so as to form a cross section of a yoke-shaped closed contour 8 configured to prevent escape of the rope 5 from the first pulley 4. Alternatively, merely one guiding face 7, 7' configured to prevent escape of the rope 5 from the first pulley 4 is provided.

Fig. 3 shows a state of the antenna handle 1 according to an embodiment having the first pulley 4 in a first position and Fig. 4 shows a state of the antenna handle 1 of the embodiment of Fig. 3 having the first pulley 4 in a second position. The first position is a position where the first pulley 4 is accessible for being embraced by the rope 5 and the second position is a position where the rope 5 is prevented from escaping from the first pulley 4.

The antenna handle 1 further comprises a handle body 9 which is attachable to the antenna 3 (Fig. 1) and a pulley shaft 10 supporting the first pulley 4. An axis of the pulley shaft 10 concur with the rotation axis 6 of the first pulley 4. Furthermore, the antenna handle 1 is provided with a hinge 11 for attaching the pulley shaft 10 to the handle body 9 in a pivoting manner. The guiding faces 7, T are attached to the handle body 9 with respect to the first pulley 4 so that the first pulley 4 can adopt the first position and the second position.

The antenna handle 1 comprises a locking equipment 12 configured to lock the first pulley 4 in the second position. The locking equipment 12 comprises a spring-loaded pin 13 in the pulley shaft 10 and an opening 14 configured to accommodate the spring-loaded pin 13. In alternative embodiments, the opening for accommodating the spring-loaded pin can be located in the pulley shaft 10 and the spring-loaded pin can be attached to the yoke-shaped contour 8, or the locking equipment consists of other components, as e.g. a latch. Fig. 5 shows a first state of an antenna provided with the antenna handle 1 according to an embodiment when being hoisted and Fig. 6 shows a second state of the antenna provided with the antenna handle 1 according to the embodiment of Fig. 5 when being hoisted.

The handle 1 comprises a pivot device 15 for attaching the first pulley 4 comprising the yoke shaped contour 8 and the locking equipment 12 to the antenna handle 1 in a pivoting manner so that the pivot device 15 is configured to follow the tiling of the antenna handle 1 with respect to the rope 5 when hoisting the antenna 3. As shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, an angle a between the rotation axis 6 and a side of the antenna handle 1 perpendicular to a backside of the antenna varies when hoisting the antenna from the state of the antenna 3 shown in Fig. 5 to the position of the antenna 3 shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 7 shows a plan view of the first pulley 4 in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis 6. A diameter of the first pulley 4 at a first end 16 is larger than a diameter of the first pulley 4 at an opposite second end 17 in direction of the rotation axis 6 of the first pulley 4.

Fig. 8 shows a system according to an embodiment having a fixing device 18 at the antenna mounting bracket 2. The system comprises the antenna mounting bracket 2 for being attached to a fixture device 19 (in this embodiment a pole) and the antenna handle 1. The antenna mounting bracket 2 comprises a rotatable second pulley 20 configured to redirect the rope 5 for hoisting the antenna 3 such that the second pulley 20 of the antenna mounting bracket 2 and the first pulley 4 of the antenna handle 1 are configured to work together in the principle of a pulley block. The antenna mounting bracket 2 comprises the fixing device 18 for fixing an end of the rope 5 to the antenna mounting bracket 2. The rope 5 is then conducted to the first pulley 4 and to the second pulley 20 and downwards to a floor for pulling at the rope for hoisting the antenna 3.

Fig. 9 shows the system according to an embodiment having a third pulley 21. The antenna mounting bracket 2 comprises the third pulley 21 so that the rope 5 can be pulled from aside the antenna mounting bracket 2, wherein the first pulley 4 and the third pulley 21 are configured to work together in the principle of a pulley block.

The second pulley 20 and the third pulley 21 are so-called bordered pulleys respectively provided with two guiding faces 22, 22', 23, 23' extending perpendicularly to a rotation axis 24, 25 of the bordered pulleys beside the bordered pulleys 20, 21, wherein the guiding faces 22, 22', 23, 23' are configured to guide the rope 5 and prevent escape of the rope 5 from the bordered pulleys. In an alternative embodiment, only one of the second pulley 20 and the third pulley 21 is a bordered pulley. In a further alternative embodiment, the guiding faces 22, 22', 23, 23' located at both sides of the bordered pulley 20, 21 are linked to one another so as to form a cross section of a yoke-shaped open or closed contour configured to prevent escape of the rope 5 from the bordered pulley 20, 21.

In use, an attachment portion of the rope 5 is attached to the antenna mounting bracket 2. The attaching of the rope 5 to the antenna mounting bracket 2 can be performed by embracing the third pulley 21 or by fixing the attachment portion of the rope 5 to the antenna mounting bracket 2 by the fixing device 18. Further, the first pulley 4 and the second pulley 20 are embraced by the rope 5. Subsequently, the antenna 3 is hoisted by pulling at the rope 5.

For facilitating the handling of an appropriately configured antenna handle 1, the first pulley 4 is brought into the position where it is accessible for being embraced by the rope 5, and after embracing the first pulley 4 by the rope 5, the first pulley 4 is brought into the position where the rope 5 is prevented from escaping from the first pulley 4.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. From reading the present disclosure, other modifications will be apparent to a person skilled in the art. Such modifications may involve other features, which are already known in the art and may be used instead of or in addition to features already described herein.

The invention has been described in conjunction with various embodiments herein. However, other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality.

Claims

1. An antenna handle (1) attachable to an antenna (3) for fixing said antenna (3) to an antenna mounting bracket (2),

said antenna handle (1) comprising a rotatable first pulley (4).

2. The antenna handle of claim 1, wherein

said first pulley (4) is configured to redirect a rope (5) for hoisting said antenna (3).

3. The antenna handle (1) of claim 1 or 2, wherein

said antenna handle (1) comprises at least one guiding face (7, 7') extending perpendicularly to a rotation axis (6) of said first pulley (4) beside said first pulley (4), said guiding face (7, 7') being configured to prevent escape of said rope (5) from said first pulley (4).

4. The antenna handle (1) of claim 3, wherein

at least two guiding faces (7, 7') are provided, said guiding faces (7, 7') being located on both sides of said first pulley (4) and being linked to one another so as to form a cross section of a yoke-shaped closed contour (8) configured to prevent escape of said rope (5) from said first pulley (4).

5. The antenna handle (1) of claim 4, comprising

a handle body (9) attachable to said antenna (3),

a pulley shaft (10) supporting said first pulley (4), and

a hinge (11) for attaching said pulley shaft (10) to said handle body (9) in a pivoting manner

wherein said guiding faces (7, 7') are attached to said handle body (9) so that said first pulley (4) is configured to adopt a first position where it is accessible for being embraced by said rope (5) and a second position where said rope (5) is prevented from escaping from said first pulley (4).

6. The antenna handle (1) of claim 5, wherein

said antenna handle (1) comprises a locking equipment (12) configured to lock said first pulley (4) in said second position.

7. The antenna handle (1) of claim 6, wherein

said locking equipment (12) comprises a spring-loaded pin (13) in said pulley shaft (10) and an opening (14) in said handle body (9), said opening (14) being configured to

accommodate said spring-loaded pin (13).

8. The antenna handle (1) of any preceding claim, wherein

said antenna handle (1) comprises a pivot device (15) for attaching said first pulley (4) comprising said yoke-shaped contour (8) and said locking equipment (12) to said antenna handle (1) in a pivoting manner.

9. The antenna handle (1) of any preceding claim, wherein

a diameter of said first pulley (4) at a first end in direction of said rotation axis (6) of said first pulley (4) is larger than a diameter of said first pulley (4) at a second end in direction of said rotation axis (6) of said first pulley (4).

10. A system comprising

an antenna mounting bracket (2) for attaching to a fixture device (19), and

an antenna handle (1) according to anyone of claims 1 to 8, wherein

said antenna mounting bracket (2) comprises a rotatable second pulley (20) configured to redirect said rope (5) for hoisting said antenna (3) such that said second pulley (20) of said antenna mounting bracket (2) and said first pulley (4) of said antenna handle (1) are configured to work together in the principle of a pulley block.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein

said antenna mounting bracket (2) comprises a fixing device (18) for fixing an end of said rope (5) to said antenna mounting bracket (2).

12. The system of claim 10, wherein

said antenna mounting bracket (2) comprises a third rotatable pulley (21) so that said rope (5) can be pulled from aside the antenna mounting bracket (2), wherein said first pulley (4) and said third pulley (21) are configured to work together in the principle of a pulley block.

13. The system of anyone of claims 10 to 12, wherein

at least one of said second pulley (20) and said third pulley (21) is a bordered pulley provided with at least one guiding face (22, 22', 23, 23') extending perpendicularly to a rotation axis of said bordered pulley beside said bordered pulley, said guiding face (22, 22',

23, 23') being configured to guide said rope (5) and prevent escape of said rope (5) from said bordered pulley in the horizontal direction.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein

at least two guiding faces (22, 22', 23, 23') are provided, said guiding faces (22, 22', 23, 23') being located on both sides of said bordered pulley and being linked to one another so as to form a cross section of a yoke-shaped open or closed contour configured to prevent escape of said rope (5) from said bordered pulley.

15. Method for hoisting an antenna (3) with the use of a system according to anyone of claims 10 to 14, wherein said antenna (3) is attached to said antenna handle (1), including the steps

- attaching an attachment portion of said rope (5) to said antenna mounting bracket

(2);

- embracing said first pulley (4) by said rope (5);

- embracing said second pulley (20) by said rope (5); and

- hoisting said antenna (3) by pulling at said rope (5).