Multiband base station antennas having wideband cloaked radiating elements and/or side-by-side arrays that each contain at least two different types of radiating elements
Radiating elements for a base station antennas include a first dipole radiator that extends along a first axis, the first dipole radiator including a first dipole arm and a second dipole arm. At least one of the first and second dipole arms includes first and second spaced-apart conductive segments that are connected to each other via both a first inductor and a second inductor that are electrically in parallel with one another.
1. A radiating element for a base station antenna, comprising:
a first dipole radiator that includes a first dipole arm and a second dipole arm,
wherein the first dipole arm includes first and second widened conductive segments that are spaced-apart from each other and that are connected by both a first conductive path and by a second conductive path that is separate and distinct from the first conductive path, wherein an average width of each of the first and second widened conductive segments is at least four times an average width of the first conductive path and at least four times an average width of the second conductive path,
wherein the radiating element is provided in combination with the base station antenna, the base station antenna further comprising a higher-band radiating element that is positioned adjacent the radiating element, wherein a first electrical length of the first conductive path and a second electrical length of the second conductive path are selected so that currents induced by radio frequency signals in an operating frequency band of the higher-band radiating element on the first dipole radiator that pass through the first and second conductive paths experience different respective first and second phase shifts.
2. The radiating element of claim 1 , wherein an inductance of the first conductive path is less than an inductance of the second conductive path.
3. The radiating element of claim 1 , wherein the first and second phase shifts differ by approximately 180° for RF signals having at least one frequency within the operating frequency band of the higher-band radiating element.
4. The radiating element of claim 1 , wherein the first dipole radiator comprises a printed circuit board, the first and second spaced-apart widened conductive segments comprise first and second spaced-apart metal pads on the printed circuit board, and the first conductive path and the second conductive path each comprise respective first and second meandered conductive trace sections on the printed circuit board.
5. The radiating element of claim 1 , wherein the first conductive path and the second conductive path together create a high impedance for currents that are at a frequency that is approximately twice the highest frequency in an operating frequency range of the radiating element.
6. The radiating element of claim 1 , wherein a length of the first conductive path is less than a length of the second conductive path.
7. The radiating element of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second dipole radiator that includes a third dipole arm and a fourth dipole arm,
wherein all four of the first through fourth dipole arms include first and second widened conductive segments that are spaced-apart from each other and that are connected to each other by both a first conductive path and by a second conductive path that is separate and distinct from the first conductive path that are electrically connected in parallel with one another.
8. A radiating element for a base station antenna, comprising:
a first dipole radiator that includes a first dipole arm and a second dipole arm,
wherein the first dipole arm includes first and second widened conductive segments that are physically and electrically connected to each other by both a first meandered trace section that has a first length and a second trace section that has a second length that is different from the first length, and
wherein the first meandered trace section and the second trace section are electrically connected in parallel.
9. The radiating element of claim 8 , wherein the second trace section comprises a second meandered trace section.
10. The radiating element of claim 8 , wherein the first meandered trace section and the second trace section have respective average widths that are each less than one-fourth an average width of the first widened conductive segment.
11. The radiating element of claim 10 , in combination with the base station antenna, the base station antenna further comprising a higher-band radiating element that is positioned adjacent the radiating element, wherein a first electrical length of the first meandered trace section and a second electrical length of the second trace section are selected so that currents induced by radio frequency signals in an operating frequency band of the higher-band radiating element on the first dipole radiator that pass through the first meandered trace section and the second trace section experience different respective first and second phase shifts.
12. The radiating element of claim 11 , wherein the first and second phase shifts differ by approximately 180° for RF signals having at least one frequency within the operating frequency band of the higher-band radiating element.
13. A radiating element for a base station antenna, comprising:
a first dipole radiator that extends along a first axis, the first dipole radiator including a first dipole arm and a second dipole arm,
wherein the first dipole arm includes first and second spaced-apart conductive segments that are connected to each other via both a first conductive path and a second conductive path that are electrically connected in parallel with one another, and the second dipole arm includes third and fourth spaced-apart conductive segments that are connected to each other via both a third conductive path and a fourth conductive path that are electrically connected in parallel with one another.
14. The radiating element of claim 13 , wherein the first through fourth conductive paths create a high impedance for currents that are at a frequency that is approximately twice the highest frequency in an operating frequency range of the radiating element.
15. The radiating element of claim 13 , further comprising:
a second dipole radiator that extends along a second axis, the second dipole radiator including a third dipole arm and a fourth dipole arm and the second axis being generally perpendicular to the first axis,
wherein the third dipole arm includes fifth and sixth spaced-apart conductive segments that are connected to each other via respective fifth and sixth conductive paths that are electrically connected in parallel with one another, and the fourth dipole arm includes seventh and eighth spaced-apart conductive segments that are connected to each other via respective seventh and eighth conductive paths that are electrically connected in parallel with one another.
16. The radiating element of claim 15 , wherein each of the first through eighth conductive paths comprises a respective conductive trace segment that has a respective average width that is less than one-fourth an average width of the first conductive segment.
17. The radiating element of claim 16 , in combination with the base station antenna, the base station antenna further comprising a higher-band radiating element that is positioned adjacent the radiating element, wherein a first electrical length of the first conductive trace segment and a second electrical length of the second conductive trace segment are selected so that currents induced by radio frequency signals in an operating frequency band of the higher-band radiating element on the first dipole radiator that pass through the first and second conductive trace segments experience different respective first and second phase shifts.