COMPACT ELECTRONIC SCANNING ANTENNA

• US 20170264023A1
• Filed: 11/25/2015
• Published: 09/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: VOUZELAUD, Franck, FAUQUEMBERGUE, Jean-Luc
• Granted Patent: US 10,931,028 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/02 Systems using reflection of radio waves, e.g. primary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/0254 Active array antenna
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/034 Duplexers switching devices for waveguides H01P1/10; transmit-receive switching in transceivers H04B1/44
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/02 Arrangements for de-icing; Arrangements for drying-out ; Arrangements for cooling; Arrangements for preventing corrosion
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/28 Adaptation for use in or on aircraft, missiles, satellites, or balloons
• 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

Abstract

An antenna comprises at least one cold plate serving as main mechanical structure and a set of transmission and reception modules, the modules supplied with electrical power by an electrical power distribution circuit connected to a power source delivering a power supply voltage, the distribution circuit formed by conductive tracks deposited by plasma spraying on the cold plate and crossing the cold plate to reach connection points to the transmission and reception modules.

Claims

1. An electronic scanning antenna comprising at least one cold plate serving as main mechanical structure and a set of transmission and reception modules, said modules being supplied with electrical power by an electrical power distribution circuit connected to a power source delivering a power supply voltage, wherein said distribution circuit is formed by conductive tracks deposited on said cold plate and crossing said cold plate to reach connection points to said transmission and reception modules.

2. The antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein said conductive tracks are deposited by plasma spraying.

3. The antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power source being opposite said set of modules relative to said cold plate, said conductive tracks are deposited on the face of the cold plate which is facing the power source, a connector being electrically linked to the tracks at each connection point, said connector passing through said cold plate, each transmission and reception module comprising a connector electrically coupled with a connector linked to said tracks.

4. The antenna as claimed in claim 3, wherein, said cold plate being pierced with holes for the passage of the through connectors connectors capable of conveying RF signals pass through said holes.

5. The antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein an electrical insulation having the same form as said tracks is arranged between said cold plate and said tracks, said insulation being deposited prior to the tracks by plasma spraying.

6. The antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tracks comprise at least two groups of tracks, each group being made up of a main track linked to track branches, one main track being brought to the potential of the power supply voltage and one main track being brought to the ground potential.

7. The antenna as claimed in claim 6, wherein, said connection points being placed in rows, one track branch at the power supply voltage and one track branch at the ground potential run along each row.

8. The antenna as claimed in claim 7, wherein the track branch at the power supply voltage and the track branch at the ground potential are arranged on each side of the row.

9. The antenna as claimed in claim 6, wherein the tracks at the power supply voltage and the tracks at the ground potential are in parallel on one and the same layer, said tracks being insulated.

10. The antenna as claimed in claim 6, wherein the tracks at the power supply voltage and the tracks at the ground potential are superposed, said tracks being insulated.

11. The antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein each transmission and reception module comprises an even number of active modules.

12. The antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tracks are made of copper.

13. The antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein it is of tile type.