MICROWAVE ANTENNA AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME

• US 20110010926A1
• Filed: 09/23/2010
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Margomenos, Alexandros
• Granted Patent: US 7,928,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/600
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/02 by mechanical means, e.g. pressing B29C59/007 takes precedence; embossing expanded porous articles B29C44/5627
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/026 of layered or coated substantially flat surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/32 Adaptation for use in or on road or rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/02 Waveguide horns
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/0283 Apparatus or processes specially provided for manufacturing horns
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

A method for fabricating a microwave horn antenna in which a thermoplastic sacrificial layer is mounted to a thermoplastic horn layer. A heated horn embossing plate having at least one horn shaped embossing element is then moved into the horn layer so that the horn element penetrates through the horn layer and extends partially into the sacrificial layer thus forming a horn opening in the horn layer complementary in shape to the horn element. The horn layer and sacrificial layer are then separated from each other and the horn opening and at least a portion of the back surface of the horn layer is covered with a metal coating. A thermoplastic wave guide layer formed by embossing wave guide channels into the layer is covered with metal and attached to the back side of the horn layer to form the antenna. Alternatively, a portion of the horn and the remaining portion of a microwave channel are formed in both a first and second thermoplastic section. These portions of the microwave guide channel and horn are then coated with a metal material and the sections are secured together in a facing relationship so that the horn portions and wave guide channel portions on both the first and second sections register with each other.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating a microwave horn antenna comprising the steps of:

forming at least a portion of a horn and at least a portion of a microwave guide channel in a first thermoplastic section having a planar surface, said portions of said horn and said microwave guide channel in said first section being open to said first section planar surface,

forming at least a portion of a horn and at least a portion of a microwave guide channel in a second thermoplastic section having a planar surface, said portions of said horn and said microwave guide channel in said second section being open to said second section planar surface,

coating said portions of said horn and said microwave guide channels on both said first and second sections with a metal,

attaching said first and second sections together with said first section planar surface and said second surface planar section flatly abutting against each other and so that said portions of said horn and said portions of said wave guide channels in said first and second sections register with each other.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second sections are substantially identical to each other.

3. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein said forming steps each comprises moving a heated embossing plate against a block of thermoplastic material, said embossing plate containing embossing elements corresponding to said horn portions and said wave guide channel portions.

4. The method as defined in claim 3 wherein said coating step comprises the step of sputtering metal onto said horn portions and said wave guide channel portions of both said first and second sections prior to said attaching step.

5. The method as defined in claim 4 wherein said coating step further comprises the step of electroplating said horn portions and said wave guide channel portions of both said first and second sections.

6. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein said electroplating step is performed after said attaching step.