Radiator, solderless interconnect thereof and grounding element thereof

• US 10,333,212 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2017
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Viscarra, Alberto F., Shah, Jayna
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Linh V
• Application Number:
  US15/494,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20170229771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 439 74, 439567-570, 43960735, 43960736
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/48 Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/085 Slot-line radiating ends
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0006 Particular feeding systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0025 Modular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/064 using horn or slot aerials slotted waveguides arrays H01Q21/005
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/067 using endfire radiating aerial units transverse to the plane of the array
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/48 utilising a spring, clip, or other resilient member H01R4/52 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/64 Connections between or with conductive parts having primarily a non-electric function, e.g. frame, casing, rail
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/111 Pads for surface mounting, e.g. lay-out

Abstract

A radiator includes an aperture plate defining multiple slots in first and second transverse directions, spring probes disposed within each of the multiple slots, printed circuit boards (PCBs) each having major and minor surfaces and being recessed on either side of multiple portions of one of the minor surfaces to define multiple pads plated with conductive pad material electrically interconnected with a PCB circuit and a grounding element. Each of the PCBs is disposed with the corresponding one of the minor surfaces inserted into a slot such that the PCBs form a crisscrossing pattern and the pads form horizontal blind-mate contacts with the spring probes that are in-plane with corresponding PCB planes. The grounding element is interposed between crisscrossing PCB pairs at complementary notches thereof.

Claims

1. A grounding element for a radiator, comprising:

a hairpin element; and

first and second legs extending substantially in parallel with each other from opposite ends of the hairpin element,

each of the first and second legs comprising an exterior facing elastic grip element and an interior facing elastic grip element.

2. The grounding element according to claim 1, wherein the hairpin element and the first and second legs are formed of Beryllium Copper (BeCu).

3. The grounding element according to claim 1, wherein the hairpin element is elastic.

4. The grounding element according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second legs comprises a series of discrete leg portions that are attachable to the hairpin element and to an adjacent discrete leg portion.

5. The grounding element according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second legs comprises a spine element and each of the exterior facing elastic grip elements comprises:

first and second opposed exterior facing flanges; and

first and second opposed elastic members by which the first and second opposed exterior facing flanges are elastically coupled to the corresponding spine element.

6. The grounding element according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second legs comprises a spine element and each of the interior facing elastic grip elements comprises:

first and second opposed interior facing flanges;

a first elastic member by which the first interior facing flange is elastically coupled to the spine element of the first leg; and

a second elastic member by which the second interior facing flange is elastically coupled to the spine element of the second leg.

7. The grounding element according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second legs comprises a spine element and each of the interior facing elastic grip elements comprises first and second dimple arrays respectively disposed along the respectivety spine elements of the first and second legs.

8. A grounding element, comprising:

a hairpin; and

first and second legs extending from opposite ends of the hairpin,

each of the first and second legs comprising an exterior facing elastic grip and an interior facing elastic grip.

9. The grounding element according to claim 8, wherein the hairpin and the first and second legs are formed of Beryllium Copper (BeCu).

10. The grounding element according to claim 8, wherein the hairpin is elastic.

11. The grounding element according to claim 8, wherein each of the first and second legs comprises discrete leg portions attachable to the hairpin and an adjacent discrete leg portion.

12. The grounding element according to claim 8, wherein each of the first and second legs comprises a spine and each of the exterior facing elastic grips comprises:

first and second opposed exterior facing flanges; and

first and second opposed elastic members by which the first and second opposed exterior facing flanges are elastically coupled to the corresponding spine.

13. The grounding element according to claim 8, wherein each of the first and second legs comprises a spine and each of the interior facing elastic grip elements comprises:

first and second opposed interior facing flanges;

a first elastic member by which the first interior facing flange is elastically coupled to the spine of the first leg; and

a second elastic member by which the second interior facing flange is elastically coupled to the spine of the second leg.

14. The grounding element according to claim 8, wherein each of the first and second legs comprises a spine and each of the interior facing elastic grip elements comprises first and second dimple arrays respectively disposed along the respectively spines.

15. A grounding element, comprising:

a hairpin; and

first and second legs extending from opposite ends of the hairpin,

the first leg comprising a spine, an exterior facing elastic grip elastically coupled to the spine and an interior facing elastic grip elastically coupled to or disposed along the spine, and

the second leg comprising a spine, an exterior facing elastic grip elastically coupled to the spine and an interior facing elastic grip elastically coupled to or disposed along the spine.

16. The grounding element according to claim 15, wherein the hairpin and the first and second legs are formed of Beryllium Copper (BeCu).

17. The grounding element according to claim 15, wherein the hairpin is elastic.

18. The grounding element according to claim 15, wherein each of the exterior facing elastic grips of the first and second legs comprises:

first and second opposed exterior facing flanges; and

first and second opposed elastic members by which the first and second opposed exterior facing flanges are elastically coupled to the corresponding spine.

19. The grounding element according to claim 15, wherein each of the interior facing elastic grips of the first and second legs comprises:

first and second opposed interior facing flanges;

a first elastic member by which the first interior facing flange is elastically coupled to the spine of the first leg; and

a second elastic member by which the second interior facing flange is elastically coupled to the spine of the second leg.

20. The grounding element according to claim 16, wherein each of the interior facing elastic grip elements of the first and second legs comprises first and second dimple arrays respectively disposed along the respective spines.