Small volume dual offset reflector antenna

• US 5,859,619 A
• Filed: 10/22/1996
• Issued: 01/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Yee, Benny, Wu, Te-Kao, Simkins, George H.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HOANGANH T
• Application Number:
  US08/735,285
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 343/781 P, 343/781 CA, 343/781 R, 343/840, 343/839
• US Class Current: 343/781.0CA
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/192 with dual offset reflectors

Abstract

The problem of reducing the size of a dual offset Cassegrain reflector type microwave antenna without adversely affecting performance while retaining the simplicity of the main reflector'"'"'s (1) and subreflector'"'"'s (3) traditional simple surface curvatures is solved by having the paraboloidal shaped main reflector'"'"'s focal length, fm, and diameter, D, fulfil the criteria that the ratio of fm to D is less than 1.0; and in which the hyperboloidal shaped subreflector (3) is oriented so that its left foci, at which the microwave feed (5) aperture is placed, lies above the main reflector'"'"'s focal axis. It'"'"'s subreflector subtends an angular arc about the focal point that is slightly larger than the corresponding arc subtended by the main reflector. The elegance of the compact antenna is demonstrated by improved performance, attaining efficiencies in excess of seventy three percent.

Claims

1. A dual offset dual reflector antenna for a satellite-to-satellite communication system, said antenna comprising:

a main reflector having a paraboloidal shape, comprising a segment of a paraboloid and defining a paraboloid focal axis, a focal length and a focal point, comprising a terminus of said focal length, located on said paraboloid focal axis;

a subreflector having a hyperboloidal shape, comprising a segment of a hyperboloid and defining first and second foci to said hyperboloidal segment;

said sub-reflector being positioned with said first foci in coincident position with said focal point and said second foci being located at a predetermined position above said focal axis;

a microwave feed horn having an aperture and a feed axis;

said microwave feed horn aperture being positioned at said second foci and above said paraboloid focal axis with said feed horn axis being oriented parallel to said paraboloid focal axis and intersecting said subreflector; and

said focal length bearing a ratio relationship to said diameter of said main reflector that is less than one.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said main reflector subtends a predetermined arc about said focal point and wherein said subreflector subtends at least said same predetermined arc.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2, wherein said arc subtended by said subreflector comprises an arc approximately fifteen percent greater than said predetermined arc.

4. The invention as defined in claim 2, wherein said arc subtended by said subreflector is greater than said predetermined arc and at its upper end extends beyond said arc by an amount equal to five percent of said predetermined arc and at its lower end extends below said predetermined arc by an amount equal to ten percent of said predetermined arc.

5. The invention as defined in claim 2, wherein said predetermined arc is sixty-eight degrees.

6. The invention as defined in claim 2, wherein said predetermined arc is sixty-eight degrees;

and wherein said arc subtended by said subreflector is seventy-seven degrees.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6, wherein said second foci of said subreflector is located at a first predetermined angle of elevation above said paraboloid focal axis, α

, as viewed from said first foci of said subreflector, of 11.375 degrees.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7, wherein said ratio of focal length to diameter is 0.636.

9. The invention as defined in claim 2, wherein said microwave feed means includes a port having a circular geometry for propagating circular polarized waves.

10. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said second foci of said subreflector is located at a first predetermined angle of elevation above said paraboloid focal axis, α

, as viewed from said first foci of said subreflector.

11. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said ratio relationship of said focal length to said diameter of said main reflector is 0.636.

12. A dual offset dual reflector antenna for a V-band satellite-to-satellite communication system, said antenna comprising:

a main reflector having a paraboloidal shape, comprising a segment of a paraboloid and defining a paraboloid focal axis, a focal length of 8.26 inches and a focal point located on said paraboloid focal axis;

said main reflector having a diameter of 13 inches and subtending an arc of 68 degrees;

a subreflector having a hyperboloidal shape, comprising a segment of a hyperboloid and defining first and second foci to said hyperboloidal segment;

said sub-reflector being positioned with said first foci in coincident position with said focal point and said second foci being located at a predetermined position above said paraboloid focal axis and having a diameter of 3.3 inches and subtending an arc of 77 degrees;

a microwave feed horn having an aperture and a feed axis;

said microwave feed horn aperture being positioned at said second foci and above said focal axis with said feed horn axis being oriented parallel to said paraboloid focal axis and intersecting said subreflector; and

said focal length bearing a ratio relationship to said diameter of said main reflector of 0.636.

13. A dual offset dual reflector antenna for a satellite-to-satellite communications system, said antenna comprising:

a main reflector having a paraboloidal shape, comprising a segment of a paraboloid and defining a paraboloid focal axis, a focal length and a focal point located on said paraboloid focal axis;

said focal length bearing a ratio relationship to said diameter of said main reflector of less than one;

a subreflector having a hyperboloidal shape, comprising a segment of a hyperboloid and defining first and second foci to said hyperboloidal segment;

said sub-reflector being positioned with said first foci in coincident position with said focal point and said second foci being located at a predetermined position above said focal axis;

and a microwave feed having a feed aperture for directing microwave energy to said subreflector, said microwave feed aperture being positioned at said second foci and above said paraboloid focal axis, and said feed having an axis oriented parallel to said paraboloid focal axis and intersecting said subreflector.