Flat-plate antenna for use with polarized waves

• US 6,020,858 A
• Filed: 03/19/1998
• Issued: 02/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sagisaka, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ho, Tan
• Application Number:
  US09/044,239
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 343/770, 343/771, 343/777, 333/21 R, 333/21 A
• US Class Current: 343/771
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/005 Slotted waveguides arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001

Abstract

A plate antenna for use with polarized waves, wherein pairs of slots are formed in a parallel-plate waveguide, feeding waveguides supply mutually orthogonal TEM waves, the pairs of slots are arranged in a V-shaped pattern, adjacent slot pairs are arranged in mutually opposite directions, the antenna beam can be tilted by adjusting the space between the pairs of slots, and the pairs of slots can induce electric fields in the same direction for horizontal and vertical TEM waves. It is then possible to transmit and receive a horizontal polarized wave and a vertical polarized wave even when the antenna beam is tilted.

Claims

1. A plate antenna for use with two polarized waves in transmitting and receiving two orthogonal polarized waves, comprising:

a plate waveguide; and

a plurality of adjacent pairs of slots, each pair of slots inclined at specified degrees with respect to two orthogonal TEM waves traveling in said plate waveguide, and which produces electric field vectors in the same direction for said two TEM waves;

wherein said adjacent pairs of said slots are arranged in mutually opposite directions.

2. A plate antenna according to claim 1, wherein said pair of slots are arranged in a wedge-shaped pattern.

3. A plate antenna according to claim 1, wherein said pair of slots are arranged in a V-shaped pattern.

4. A plate antenna according to claim 1, wherein a space between two slots constituting said pair of slots is a space where currents flow in opposite directions at the locations of said two slots.

5. A plate antenna according to claim 1, further comprising:

two orthogonal power feeding means for producing said two TEM waves; and

a circuit-changing switch for selectively changing over said two power feeding means.

6. A plate antenna for use with orthogonal two polarized waves in transmitting and receiving two orthogonal polarized waves, comprising:

a plate waveguide; and

a plurality of adjacent pairs of slots, each pair of slots respectively inclined at specified degrees with respect to two orthogonal TEM waves traveling in said plate waveguide, which produces electric field vectors in the same direction for said two TEM waves,

wherein said pair of slots are arranged in a wedge-shaped pattern, the slot located closer to a feeding side is shorter in length,

said adjacent pairs of said slots are arranged in mutually opposite directions, and

a space between two slots constituting said pair of slots is a space where currents flow in opposite directions at the locations of said two slots.

7. A plate antenna according to claim 6, further comprising:

two orthogonal power feeding means for producing said two TEM waves; and

a circuit-changing switch for selectively changing over said two power feeding means.

8. A plate antenna for use with two polarized waves in transmitting and receiving two orthogonal polarized waves, comprising:

a plate waveguide; and

a pair of slots inclined at specified degrees with respect to two orthogonal TEM waves traveling in said plate waveguide, and which produces electric field vectors in the same direction for said two TEM waves;

wherein of said pair of slots, a slot located closer to a feeding side is shorter in length than the other slot.

9. A plate antenna for use with two polarized waves in transmitting and receiving two orthogonal polarized waves, comprising:

a plate waveguide;

feeding waveguides disposed at right angles with respect to each other and disposed along edge portions of said plate waveguide, said feeding waveguides generating two respective TEM waves which propagate through said plate waveguide in orthogonal directions with respect to each other; and

a pair of slots inclined at specified degrees to form a wedge-shaped pattern with respect to said two orthogonal TEM waves traveling in said plate waveguide, and which produces electric field vectors in the same direction for said two TEM waves.