Continuous transverse stub element devices and methods of making same
First Claim
1. Antenna means comprising:
- a dielectric element comprising a first portion and a second portion that extends generally transverse to the first portion that forms a transverse stub that protrudes from a first surface of the first portion;
a first conductive element disposed coextensive with the dielectric element along a second surface of the first portion; and
a second conductive element disposed along the first surface of the dielectric element and disposed along transversely extending edgewalls formed by the second portion of the dielectric element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dielectric material is formed into a structure having two parallel broad surfaces with one or more raised integral portions extending transversely across at least one of the broad surfaces. The exterior is uniformly conductively coated resulting in a parallel plate waveguide having a continuous transverse stub element disposed adjacent one plate thereof. Purely reactive elements are formed by leaving the conductive coating on the terminus of the stub element, or by narrowing the terminus of the stub element. Radiating elements are formed when stub elements of moderate height are opened to free space. Radiating, coupling and/or reactive continuous transverse stub elements may be combined in a common parallel plate structure in order to form a variety of microwave, millimeter wave and quasi-optical components including integrated filters, couplers and antenna arrays. Fabrication of the dielectrically-loaded continuous transverse stub element can be efficiently accomplished by machining, extruding or molding the dielectric structure, followed by uniform conductive plating in order to form the parallel plate transmission line. In the case of antenna applications, machining or grinding is performed on the stub terminus to expose the dielectric material at the end of the stub element.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. Antenna means comprising:
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a dielectric element comprising a first portion and a second portion that extends generally transverse to the first portion that forms a transverse stub that protrudes from a first surface of the first portion; a first conductive element disposed coextensive with the dielectric element along a second surface of the first portion; and a second conductive element disposed along the first surface of the dielectric element and disposed along transversely extending edgewalls formed by the second portion of the dielectric element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An antenna array comprising:
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a planar sheet of dielectric material having two generally parallel broad surfaces separated by a predetermined distance and having a plurality of elongated, raised, relatively thin, rectangular dielectric members formed along a broad surface of the sheet of dielectric material that extend across one dimension of the broad surface and that extend away from the broad surface, and wherein the plurality of thin rectangular dielectric members are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance; and a conductive material disposed on the broad surfaces of the sheet of dielectric material and on transversely extending edgewalls formed by the plurality of thin rectangular dielectric members so as to define a parallel plate waveguide having a plurality of continuous transverse stubs disposed on one plate thereof, and wherein distal ends of the plurality of thin rectangular dielectric members are free of the conductive material so as to define a plurality of radiating elements, and wherein an edge of the sheet of dielectric material is free of conductive coating so as to define a feed for the antenna array. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of making a continuous transverse stub antenna element which comprises the following steps:
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processing a sheet of dielectric material to form an integral dielectric member having two generally parallel broad surfaces and at least one elongated raised relatively thin rectangular dielectric portion extending transversely across one of the broad surfaces; metalizing the exterior surfaces of the dielectric member to define a parallel plate waveguide having at least one continuous transverse stub disposed on one plate thereof; and removing plating from predetermined surfaces of the exterior of the parallel plate waveguide to permit coupling of energy into and out of the antenna element. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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Specification