RHOMBIC SHAPED, MODULARLY EXPANDABLE PHASED ARRAY ANTENNA AND METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20090135085A1
• Filed: 09/17/2007
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Worl, Robert T., Ternes, Randy L., Mohoric, David L., Miller, Dan R., Raby, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,081,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/906
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

A modularly expandable, phased array antenna having a rhombic shaped antenna aperture formed by a plurality of rhombic shaped subarrays. Each subarray has a rhombic shaped printed wiring board on which is formed a plurality of antenna elements, where the elements collectively form a rhombic shape in accordance with the printed wiring board. The rhombic shaped subarrays enable a modular aperture to be formed without producing any gaps between columns or rows of adjacently positioned subarrays. Thus, a uniform, consistent spacing is maintained between all the antenna elements on the subarrays. This improves antenna radiation and low observability performance for the antenna system, as well as reducing the overall size of the antenna aperture and its cost of construction.

Claims

1. A rhombic shaped phased array antenna aperture comprising:

a plurality of antenna elements arranged in a rhombic shape on a rhombic shaped printed wiring board; and

a connector electrically and mechanically coupled to said printed wiring board along a peripheral edge portion of the printed wiring board for supplying power and logic signals to said printed wiring board.

2. The antenna aperture of claim 1, further comprising a power bus bar for connecting to said connector, to supply power to said printed wiring board.

3. The antenna aperture of claim 1, further comprising a cold plate for supporting said printed wiring board and cooling said printed wiring board.

4. The antenna aperture of claim 1, further comprising a radio frequency (RF) amplifier coupled to a surface of said printed wiring board.

5. The antenna aperture of claim 1, further comprising an additional printed wiring board having an additional plurality of antenna elements thereon, said additional printed wiring board having a rhombic shape and being abutted against an edge of said printed wiring board to form an enlarged antenna aperture without a gap between said additional antenna elements and said antenna elements.

6. The antenna aperture of claim 1, further comprising an additional connector coupled to said additional printed circuit board along a peripheral edge of said additional printed circuit board, to thus permit said additional printed circuit board to be abutted against said printed circuit board without interference.

7. A rhombic shaped phased array antenna comprising:

a first printed wiring board arranged in a rhombic shape and having a first plurality of antenna elements formed thereon, said first plurality of antenna elements further being arranged in said rhombic shape;

a first connector connected to a first edge of said first printed wiring board;

a second printed wiring board arranged in a rhombic shape and having a second plurality of antenna elements formed thereon, said second plurality of antenna elements further being arranged in said rhombic shape;

a second connector coupled to a first edge of said second printed wiring board; and

said second printed wiring board further being abutted against said first printed wiring board such that said first and second pluralities of antenna elements form a uniform, contiguous array of elements with uniform, consistent spacing between said array of elements.

8. The antenna of claim 7, wherein said first and second connectors each comprise connectors that couple direct current (DC) power to said first and second printed wiring boards, respectively.

9. The antenna of claim 8, wherein said first and second connectors further are adapted to couple logic signals from an external source to said first and second printed wiring boards.

10. The antenna of claim 7, further comprising a bus bar adapted to at least partially circumscribe said printed wiring boards and adapted to couple to said first and second connectors, said bus bar adapted to supply direct current (DC) power to said printed wiring boards.

11. The antenna of claim 7, further comprising a cold plate for supporting said printed wiring boards thereon, and wherein said cold plate is adapted to circulate a coolant therethrough to assist in cooling said printed wiring boards.

12. The antenna of claim 7, further comprising a first radio frequency (RF) amplifier coupled to said first printed wiring board, and a second RF amplifier coupled to said second printed wiring board.

13. The antenna of claim 7, wherein at least one of said first and second printed wiring boards comprises 496 independent ones of said antenna elements, and two RF coupling connectors.

14. The antenna of claim 7, wherein said antenna is modularly expandable to accommodate additional, rhombic shaped printed wiring boards while maintaining said uniform, consistent spacing between all of said array elements.

15. A method for forming a rhombic shaped phased array antenna, comprising

forming a first printed circuit board in a rhombic shape and with a peripheral edge;

forming a first array of antenna elements on said printed circuit board in a uniform pattern having an overall rhombic shape; and

coupling a first electrical connector along said peripheral edge of said printed wiring board.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

forming a second printed wiring board in a rhombic shape, and with a peripheral edge;

forming a second array of antenna elements on said second printed wiring board in a uniform pattern having an overall rhombic shape;

coupling a second electrical connector on said peripheral edge of said second printed wiring board;

locating said second printed wiring board in abutting relationship with said first printed wiring board such that said printed wiring boards cooperatively form a modular, enlarged antenna aperture having a uniform array of antenna elements with consistent, uniform spacing there between, and such that said electrical connectors do not interfere with abutting placement of said printed wiring boards.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

disposing said printed wiring boards on a cold plate; and

circulating said a coolant through said cold plate to assist in cooling said printed wiring boards.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

disposing a bus bar adjacent said peripheral edges of said first and second printed wiring boards;

coupling said bus bar to said electrical connectors of said printed wiring boards; and

using said bus bar to transfer power to said printed wiring boards.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising coupling a radio frequency (RF) amplifier to said printed wiring board.