Choke-slot ground plane and antenna system

• US 5,132,698 A
• Filed: 08/26/1991
• Issued: 07/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Swineford, Kevin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wise, Robert E.
• Application Number:
  US07/750,144
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 343/829, 343/830, 343/846, 343/DIG. 2
• US Class Current: 343/846
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/48 Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/38 with counterpoise with counterpoise comprising elongated elements coplanar with the active element H01Q9/44
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 343/02 Satellite-mounted antenna

Abstract

A choke-slot ground plane and antenna system 30 is disclosed. In one embodiment the choke-slot ground plane and antenna system 30 includes a monopole antenna 44, a ground plate 36 having a plurality of concentric annular grooves 38a-c. Other embodiments include a ground plane 36 having varying size grooves to 38a-l, a ground plane having grooves having filled with dielectric material 38a'"'"'-c'"'"', a ground plate having a broadened bandwidth and having a series of first and second-type grooves 34a-c and 38a"-c", and a ground plate having a frusto-conical shape 36a and 36b.

Claims

1. An antenna system, comprising:

a monopole antenna;

a ground plate having a plurality of concentric annular grooves; and

means for attaching said monopole antenna to said ground plate.

2. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein said monopole antenna is perpendicular to said ground plate.

3. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein said attaching means is located central to said plurality of concentric annular grooves.

4. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein said monopole antenna has an operating wavelength, each said groove has a depth of 1/4 of the monopole operating wavelength, and each said groove has a width of a whole fraction of the monopole operating wavelength.

5. The antenna system of claim 4, wherein each said groove has a width of 1/8 the monopole operating wavelength.

6. The antenna system of claim 4, wherein each said groove has a width of 1/16 the monopole operating wavelength.

7. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein each said groove is filled with a dielectric material.

8. The antenna system of claim 7, wherein each said groove has a width of 1/4 the monopole operating wavelength.

9. The antenna system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of grooves have top surfaces which form a top plane and said attachment means is adjustable over a range of 0.0 inches to 0.5 inches above said top plane.

10. An antenna system, comprising:

a monopole antenna;

a ground plate having a plurality of closed grooves, said grooves having a common axis; and

moving means, insulating said monopole antenna and ground plate, for moving said monopole along said common axis.

11. The antenna system of claim 10, wherein said closed grooves are concentric and substantially circular.

12. The antenna system of claim 10, wherein said moving means includes an adjustable feed section, said feed section has a body having a central bore and having an annular surface, said annular surface forming an angle with a plane normal to said common axis.

13. The antenna system of claim 10, wherein the monopole antenna is operable over wavelengths, λ

_a and λ

_b, wherein said closed grooves have a series of widths and depths corresponding to said wavelengths, said width and said depth for a first-type groove being λ

_a /n and λ

_a /4, respectively, said width and said depth for a second-type groove being λ

_b /n and λ

_b /4, respectively, said series having alternating first and second-types grooves, and where n is an integer and whereby the ground plane has an extended operating bandwidth.

14. An antenna system, comprising:

a monopole antenna;

a ground plate having a frusto-conical shape;

a plurality of concentric annular grooves formed on said ground plate; and

means for movably attaching said monopole antenna to said ground plate.

15. The antenna system of claim 14, wherein the ground plate, the plurality of concentric annular grooves, and the monopole antenna have a common axis.

16. The antenna system of claim 14, wherein the frusto-conical shaped ground plate slopes upwardly toward the monopole antenna.

17. The antenna system of claim 14, wherein the frusto-conical shaped ground plate slopes downwardly from the monopole antenna.