ELECTROMAGNETIC ANECHOIC CHAMBER

[0001] 1. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to quality testing of information technology equipment (ITE), and particularly to an electromagnetic anechoic chamber for testing the ITE.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Electromagnetic or radio frequency anechoic chambers are used in quality testing of ITE, such as personal computers and liquid crystal displays. In the test process, an ITE is assembled to the test bench. After the test of the ITE is accomplished, the electromagnetic anechoic chamber stops working. The ITE is disassembled from the test bench, and another ITE is assembled to the test bench for testing. However, assembling or disassembling the ITEs is time-consuming, and because the electromagnetic anechoic chamber is not operating during this time, the usage rate of the electromagnetic anechoic chamber is reduced.

[0010] The present disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of examples and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

[0011] FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of an electromagnetic anechoic chamber 100 which can be used to measure intensity of electromagnetic radiation generated by items of information technology equipment (ITE) 900 (shown in FIG. 4), such as personal computers, liquid crystal displays, or mobile telephones. The electromagnetic anechoic chamber 100 includes an anechoic chamber 10, a test bench 30, two tables 50, and an antenna device 70. The antenna device 70 includes a test antenna 72 for receiving the electromagnetic radiation of the ITE 900.

[0012] The anechoic chamber 10 includes a bottom wall 12, a top wall 14 opposite to the bottom wall 12, and a sidewall 16 connected substantially perpendicularly between the bottom wall 12 and the top wall 14. Electromagnetic wave absorptive material is spread on inner surfaces of the top wall 14 and the sidewall 16. The test bench 30 is installed on a first end of the bottom wall 12, and the antenna device 70 is supported on a second end of the bottom wall 12 opposite to the test bench 30.

[0013] Referring to FIG. 2, the test bench 30 of the embodiment is shown. The test bench 30 includes a supporting plate 32 and a lift apparatus 36. The supporting plate 32 defines two substantially parallel slide grooves 34 and a rectangular through hole 322 between the slide grooves 34. Each slide groove 34 includes a wedge-shaped access 342 extending through a side of the supporting plate 32. A sidewall bounding the through hole 322 substantially perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of the slide grooves 34 and opposite to the wedge-shaped accesses 342 defines two first guiding slots 324, and an end surface of the through hole 322 adjacent to one of the slide grooves 34 defines a second guiding slot 326. The lift apparatus 36 includes a shell 362 mounted to a bottom surface of the supporting plate 32 opposite to the through hole 322, a cylinder 364 received in the shell 362, and a rectangular supporting plate 368. The cylinder 364 includes a telescopic rod 366 extending up, and the supporting plate 368 is supported on a distal end of the telescopic rod 366 opposite to the cylinder 364. Two tabs 369 protrude out from a side of the supporting plate 368. An inner surface of the shell 362 defines a power slot 363 extending along a direction substantially parallel to a lengthwise direction of the telescopic rod 366, and the power slot 363 is connected to a power system (not shown). The supporting plate 368 can be slidably received in the through hole 322 along a direction from top to bottom. The tabs 369 are slidably received in the first guide slots 324 along the direction from top to bottom, and the power slot 363 aligns with the second guiding slot 326.

[0014] Referring to FIG. 3, each table 50 includes a rectangular top plate 52, four posts 54 extending down from four corners of the top plate 52, and an uninterruptible power system (UPS) 56. Four conveying pulleys 542 are respectively mounted on the undersides of the posts 54. A connecting pole 544 is connected between two of the posts 54. Two substantially parallel rectangular protrusions 546 protrude from an inner surface of the connecting pole 544. Each protrusion 546 defines a substantially T-shaped guiding slot 548 extending along a direction substantially perpendicular to the top plate 52. A plurality of conveying wheels 564 is mounted on an underside of the UPS 56. Two substantially parallel sliding members 565 protrude out from a side surface of the UPS 56. Each siding member 565 includes a mounting plate 565a mounted on the side surface of the UPS 56, a positioning plate 565b substantially parallel to the mounting plate 565a, and a connecting plate 565c connected between middles of the mounting plate 565a and the positioning plate 565b. The positioning plate 565b and the connecting plate 565c of each sliding member 565 can be slidably inserted into a corresponding guiding slot 548. A shielding plate 566 is installed on a top of the UPS 56, and defines a plurality of sockets 568. A plug 567 is formed on an end surface of the UPS 56, and can be inserted into the power slot 363 of the lift apparatus 36.

[0015] Referring to FIG. 4, in use, the sliding members 565 of the UPS 56 are inserted into the guiding slots 548 from an underside of the table 50. A first item of the ITE 900 is assembled on the top plate 52 of one of the tables 50. The power connector of the first item of the ITE 900 is connected to the socket 568 of the UPS 56, and the first item of the ITE 900 is powered on. The first one of the tables 50 is horizontally moved into the anechoic chamber 10. The conveying wheels 542 are received and rolled in the corresponding slide grooves 34 from the accesses 342. In addition, the conveying wheels 564 are moved until the UPS 56 is supported on the supporting plate 368 and the plug 567 aligns with the second guiding slot 326 and the power slot 363 of the lift apparatus 36. The cylinder 364 drives the telescopic rod 366 to withdraw moving the supporting plate 368 down. The UPS 56 of the first one of the tables 50 is received in the shell 362, and the plug 567 is inserted into the power slot 363. The first item of the ITE 900 and the UPS 56 are supplied with power through the power slot 363. The shielding plate 566 is covered on the supporting plate 32 for shielding the through hole 322. Electromagnetic radiations generated by the first item of the ITE 900 can be received by the antenna 72 of the antenna device 70. At the same time, a second item of the ITE 900 can be assembled on the other table 50, and the power connector of the second item of the ITE 900 is connected to the socket 568 of the USP 56. After the test of the ITE 900 is finished, the cylinder 364 drives the telescopic rod 366 to stretch to allow the supporting plate 368 to be restored. The plug 567 is disengaged from the power slot 363, and the sliding members 565 are inserted into the guiding slots 548. The first one of the tables 50 is moved out from the anechoic chamber 10, and the second one of the tables 50 is moved in the anechoic chamber 10 for testing. The first one of the tables 50 is exposed out of the anechoic chamber 10 for disassembling the first item of the ITE 900, and a third item of the ITE 900 can then be assembled in its place.

[0016] Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the present disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.