Method for making a waveguide microwave antenna

• US 20070096986A1
• Filed: 10/01/2003
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Louzir, Ali, Lo Hine Tong, Dominique, Averty, Florent, Person, Christian, Coupez, Jean-Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 7,934,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/021 characterised by the shape of the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/251 Particles, powder or granules expandable particles B29K2105/046
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/0208 Corrugated horns waveguide mouth antenna with corrugated flange H01Q13/065; manufacturing details H01Q13/0283
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/0291 for corrugated horns
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for making a waveguid microwave antenna with corrugated horn, which consists in forming the corrugattions of the horn on the outer surface off a synthetic material form block followed by surface metallization of the foam block configured to produce the antenna.

Claims

1. A manufacturing process for a microwave corrugated-horn antenna using waveguide technology, in the process comprising the steps of:

forming the corrugations of the horn on an external surface of a block of synthetic foam by deformation of said external surface and metallizing the external surface of the conformed block of foam in order to form the antenna.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the corrugations of the horn are formed by hot pressing of the block of foam in a mold.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metallization of the surface of the block of foam is carried out by a method such as projection, using a brush, or dipping.

4. The process as claimed in claim 1, comprising also the step of forming by thermoforming two radial slots in a first cylindrical section of the block of foam extending the horn and metallizing the surface of said section of the block of foam in order to form a waveguide polarizer.

5. The process as claimed in claim 1, comprising the step of forming by thermoforming a circular groove in a second section of the block of foam extending the horn and metallizing the surface of said second section of the block of foam in order to form an impedance adapter.

6. A microwave corrugated-horn antenna using waveguide technology, which is formed from a block of synthetic foam having, on its external surface, corrugations obtained by deformation of said surface, said corrugations being metallized.

7. The antenna as claimed in claim 6, wherein it comprises, in addition, a waveguide polarizer formed by two radial slots formed in a first cylindrical section of the block of foam, this first section being metallized.

8. The antenna as claimed in claim 6, wherein it comprises, in addition, an impedance adapter formed by a circular groove formed in a second section of the block of foam, this second section being metallized.