Antenna with compact LRU array
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An array antenna, comprising:
- a generally planar first cold plate defining first and second broad sides;
a generally planar second cold plate defining first and second broad sides, said first broad side of said second cold plate lying generally parallel with said second broad side of said first cold plate and spaced therefrom to define a generally planar volume;
a generally planar array of antenna elements supported on said first broad side of said first cold plate, and in thermal communication therewith;
a transmit/receive arrangement physically juxtaposed with said second side of said second cold plate and in thermal communication therewith;
a beamformer arrangement physically located in said planar volume, and electrically connected through said first cold plate with said array of antenna elements and through said second cold plate with said transmit/receive arrangement.
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Abstract
An element support and thermal control arrangement for an active array antenna, preferably modular, using line-replaceable units (LRUs), includes a radiating-side liquid-cooled cold plate lying parallel with a liquid-cooled TR coldplate. Antenna elements are supported and cooled by the radiating cold plate, and a beamformer lies between the radiating and TR coldplates. A plurality of column coldplates are attached to the rear of the TR coldplate and define bays or volumes in which power LRUs can be fitted in thermal communication with the TR coldplate, the column coldplates, or both.
20 Citations
6 Claims
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1. An array antenna, comprising:
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a generally planar first cold plate defining first and second broad sides; a generally planar second cold plate defining first and second broad sides, said first broad side of said second cold plate lying generally parallel with said second broad side of said first cold plate and spaced therefrom to define a generally planar volume; a generally planar array of antenna elements supported on said first broad side of said first cold plate, and in thermal communication therewith; a transmit/receive arrangement physically juxtaposed with said second side of said second cold plate and in thermal communication therewith; a beamformer arrangement physically located in said planar volume, and electrically connected through said first cold plate with said array of antenna elements and through said second cold plate with said transmit/receive arrangement.
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2. An array antenna, comprising:
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a first cold plate defining first and second broad sides, said first cold plate being generally planar and extending in first and second dimensions; a second cold plate defining first and second broad sides, said second cold plate being generally planar and extending in said first and second dimensions, said first broad side of said second cold plate lying generally parallel with said second broad side of said first cold plate and spaced therefrom to define a generally planar first volume; a plurality of cold plate wall pairs, each of said wall pairs including first and second walls, each of said walls of each of said wall pairs being generally planar and extending in said first dimension and in a third dimension, an edge of each of said first and second walls being affixed to said second broad side of said second cold plate at spaced-apart locations, to thereby define a plurality of third volumes lying between mutually adjacent walls of adjacent ones of said wall pairs, each of said third volumes being generally three-dimensional, with the largest dimension of each of said third volumes extending parallel with said first dimension, and each of said third volumes extending in said third dimension by the same distance from said second broad side of said second cold plate; a generally planar array of antenna elements supported on said first broad side of said first cold plate, and in thermal communication therewith; a controllable transmit/receive arrangement physically juxtaposed with said second side of said second cold plate within each of said third volumes, said transmit/receive arrangement being in thermal communication with said second side of said second cold plate; and a beamformer arrangement physically located in said first volume, and electrically connected through said first cold plate with said array of antenna elements and through said second cold plate with said transmit/receive arrangement, for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals by way of said antenna elements and said controllable transmit/receive arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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6. A subarray of an array antenna, said subarray comprising:
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a first cold plate defining first and second broad sides, said first cold plate being generally planar and extending in first and second dimensions; a second cold plate defining first and second broad sides, said second cold plate being generally planar and extending in said first and second dimensions, said first broad side of said second cold plate lying generally parallel with said second broad side of said first cold plate and spaced therefrom to define a generally planar first volume; a plurality of cold plate wall pairs, each of said wall pairs including first and second walls, each of said walls of each of said wall pairs being generally planar and extending in said first dimension and in a third dimension, said first and second walls of each of said wall pairs being spaced apart to thereby define a generally planar second volume extending in said first and third dimensions, an edge of each of said first and second walls being affixed to said second broad side of said second cold plate at spaced-apart locations so that each of said wall pairs extends generally perpendicular to said second broad side of said second cold plate, to thereby define a plurality of elongated third volumes lying between mutually adjacent walls of adjacent ones of said wall pairs, with the direction of elongation of each of said third volumes extending parallel with said first dimension, and each of said third volumes extending in said third dimension by a selected distance from said second broad side of said second cold plate; a generally planar array of antenna elements supported on said first broad side of said first cold plate, and in thermal communication therewith; at least one controllable transmit/receive arrangement physically juxtaposed with said second side of said second cold plate within each of said third volumes and in thermal communication therewith, the dimension of said transmit/receive arrangement in said third dimension being less than said selected dimension, so that a rear portion of said third volume lying adjacent said transmit/receive arrangement is not occupied; a beamformer arrangement physically located in said first volume, and electrically connected through said first cold plate with said array of antenna elements and through said second cold plate with said transmit/receive arrangement, for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals by way of said antenna elements and said controllable transmit/receive arrangement; and a control module located in said second volume, and communicating with said transmit/receive arrangement, for controlling the transmission and reception of said electromagnetic signals, said control module being in thermal communication with the first and second walls of the wall pair defining its associated first volume; and a power supply for at least said transmit/receive arrangement lies in said rear portion of said third volume.
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Specification