BALANCED RADIATOR SYSTEM

• US 3,659,203 A
• Filed: 06/15/1970
• Issued: 04/25/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David Lamensdorf, Gerald F. Ross
• Original Assignee: David Lamensdorf, Gerald F. Ross
• Inventors: Ross, Gerald F., Lamensdorf, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mayer, Albert J.
• Application Number:
  US05/046,079
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 325/101,102,106,107,120,121,125,129,160,164,166,167,169,178,179,185-187,105 328/66-68 333/13,152,4,19,20,32 343/701 307/246
• US Class Current: 375/256
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/08 Radiating ends of two-conductor microwave transmission lines, e.g. of coaxial lines, of microstrip lines
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/005 for radiating non-sinusoidal waves

Abstract

A transmission line system for having a primarily signalinitiating section and a primarily signal-radiating section, along both of which line sections traveling electromagnetic waves may propagate without adverse interference of impedance discontinuities, is employed cyclically as an energy storage device and as an impulse radiating device having spatially directive characteristics.

Claims

1. Apparatus for radiating impulses of electromagnetic energy comprising:

balanced conductor high frequency transmission line means having a substantially constant characteristic impedance between first and second ends thereof, current source means adjacent said first end having a first time constant for uniformly charging said transmission line means, and switching circuit means having conducting and non-conducting states adjacent said first end and having when in said conducting state a second time constant substantially shorter than said first time constant for causing a field collapsing wave to propagate on said transmission line means to said second end thereof for partially discharging said transmission line means, said second end of said transmission line means being adapted to reflect said field collapsing wave to propagate on said transmission line means toward said first end for substantially totally discharging said transmission line means into said switching circuit means, said second end of said transmission line means being further adapted to serve as an antenna aperture for radiating an impulse of electromagnetic energy into space at the instant of reversal of propagation of said field collapsing wave.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the impedance of said switching circuit means is substantially equal to the characteristic impedance of said transmission line means.

3. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said balanced conductor transmission line means has first and second planar conductors with opposed major conducting surfaces.

4. Apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said major conducting surfaces have a width b and a separation h where the ratio b/h is held substantially constant.

5. Apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said planar conductors are adapted to propagate traveling electromagnetic waves in the transverse electromagnetic mode.

6. Apparatus as described in claim 4 wherein said planar conducting surfaces have a region adjacent said second end in which b progressively expands for the purpose of forming said electromagnetic radiating antenna aperture.

7. Apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said first planar conductor has substantially the shape of a truncated equilateral triangle, the base of which forms the said second end of said first planar conductor.

8. Apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein said current source means for charging said line comprises:

unidirectional potential means, and first and second resistance means of substantially equal resistance, said potential means being connected through said resistance means to said transmission line means.

9. Apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein said switching circuit means for discharging said line comprises:

switch means, first and second resistance means of substantially equal resistance, said switching means being connected through said resistance means to said transmission line means.

10. Apparatus as described in claim 9, wherein said substantially equal resistors have a total resistance substantially equal to the characteristic impedance of said transmission line means.

11. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said switching circuit means comprises first and second substantially equal impedance means and switch means, said switch means being connected in series relation between said first and second impedance means, the total impedancE of said switching circuit means being substantially equal to the characteristic impedance of said transmission line means.

12. Apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said switching circuit means for discharging said transmission line comprises switch means adapted to be switched by a pulsed electrical signal.

13. Apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said switching circuit means for discharging said transmission line comprises semiconductor switch means adapted to initiate discharge when the potential across said transmission line means reaches a predetermined value.