COMPACT WIDE-ANGLE SCANNING ANTENNA SYSTEM

• US 3,833,909 A
• Filed: 05/07/1973
• Issued: 09/03/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SP-Microwave, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Arthur H. Schaufelberger
• Inventors: Schaufelberger, Arthur H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieberman, Eli
• Application Number:
  US05/358,242
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 343/754,761,839,911L
• US Class Current: 343/754
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/14 for varying the relative position of primary active element and a refracting or diffracting device
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/245 in the focal plane of a focussing device

Abstract

A compact, rapidly scannable, high frequency directional antenna system provides wide-angle space scanning in one or more dirctions by employing a moving feed for commutating energy flow through a wave guide array illuminating or receiving high frequency energy from a cylindrical or spherical energy collimator.

Claims

1. Antenna apparatus comprising:

dielectric electromagnetic wave collimating means having substantially spherical boundary means, electromagnetic wave distributor means having energy exhanging aperture means movable along spherical sector means, and multiple transmission line means extending in energy exchanging relation between a portion of said spherical boundary means and a portion of said spherical sector means, said multiple transmission line means including;

an array of wave guides in parallel alignment, each of said wave guides having wall means in contiguous relation with wall means of an adjacent one of said wave guides, and delay means within said array of wave guides adapted for making the electromagnetic wave propagation times through all of said wave guides substantially equal.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said array of wave guides has first and second opposed concave energy exchanging ends. said first energy exchanging end being disposed in energy exchanging relation with said dielectric electromagnetic wave collimating means, and said second energy exchanging end forming said portion of said circular sector means.

3. Apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said array of wave guides is equipped with impedance matching means at said first and second opposed energy exchanging ends.

4. Apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said delay means comprise dielectric phase delay means.

5. Apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said electromagnetic wave distributor means comprises wave guide means journalled for movement about at least one axis.

6. Apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said first and second opposed concave energy exchanging ends are each in the forms of segments of spherical surfaces.

7. Apparatus as described in claim 6 wherein said dielectric electromagnetic wave collimating means is a solid sphere of low loss dielectric material.

8. Apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein said solid sphere of low loss dielectric material has an effective index of refraction n which varies with the normalized sphere radius r as:

n Square Root 2 - r2

9. Apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein said electromagnetic wave distribution means comprises wave guide means journalled for movement about first and second mutually perpendicular axes.