Slot-coupled array antenna structures
First Claim
1. An antenna for reception and radiation of electromagnetic signals, comprising:
- a first ground plane that forms at least one slot and transversely terminates in a first perimeter which defines a first resilient flange;
a feed circuit having a first side and a second side and terminating in at least one stub, said first side spaced from said first ground plane by a first space and said stub positioned to receive and radiate said electromagnetic signals through said slot;
a second ground plane that transversely terminates in a second perimeter which defines a second resilient flange, said second ground plane spaced from said second side by a second space with said first and second resilient flanges engaged in an overlapped and resiliently interlocked relationship;
resilience of said first and second resilient flanges facilitating their insertion into said relationship and enhancing electromagnetic continuity of said first and second ground planes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Antenna structures are shown that reduce fabrication and assembly time and cost, increase antenna reliability and enhance antenna performance. These structures include resilient flanges that are formed by a slotted ground plane and a rear ground plane which together surround a feed circuit. The ground planes are simply pressed together to engage the flanges in an overlapped and resiliently interlocked relationship. In other antenna structure, a capacitance probe forms a part of a coaxial transition. One end of the probe forms a capacitance face and the transition is configured to automatically space the capacitance face from a trunk end of the feed circuit. A second end of the probe is available for coupling signals to antenna-associated circuits (e.g., a downconverter). A pressed-together signal-transmission path through these circuits is formed with spring-loaded sockets. One socket receives the capacitance probe'"'"'s second end and the other receives the center pin of an external coaxial connector. The sockets can form the access ports of the antenna-associated circuits or form part of a direct path to the antenna'"'"'s exterior. In other structures, an antenna that includes a slotted ground plane and a feed circuit is converted to a slot-coupled patch array antenna with a polymer sheet that carries a plurality of metallic patches and a dielectric array spacer. These elements are simply pinned to the ground plane and feed circuit with a plurality of dielectric pins.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. An antenna for reception and radiation of electromagnetic signals, comprising:
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a first ground plane that forms at least one slot and transversely terminates in a first perimeter which defines a first resilient flange; a feed circuit having a first side and a second side and terminating in at least one stub, said first side spaced from said first ground plane by a first space and said stub positioned to receive and radiate said electromagnetic signals through said slot; a second ground plane that transversely terminates in a second perimeter which defines a second resilient flange, said second ground plane spaced from said second side by a second space with said first and second resilient flanges engaged in an overlapped and resiliently interlocked relationship; resilience of said first and second resilient flanges facilitating their insertion into said relationship and enhancing electromagnetic continuity of said first and second ground planes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An antenna for reception and radiation of electromagnetic signals, comprising:
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a first ground plane that forms at least one slot; a feed circuit having a trunk end and terminating in at least one stub end, said feed circuit having a first side and a second side with said first side spaced from said first ground plane by a first space and said stub positioned to receive and radiate said electromagnetic signals through said slot; and a probe having first and second ends with said first end defining a face that is capacitively spaced from said trunk end to facilitate passage of said electromagnetic signals between said feed circuit and said probe. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. An antenna for reception and radiation of electromagnetic signals, comprising:
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a first ground plane that forms at least one slot; a feed circuit having a trunk end and terminating in at least one stub end, said feed circuit having a first side and a second side with said first side spaced from said first ground plane by a first space and said stub positioned to receive and radiate said electromagnetic signals through said slot; and a probe having first and second ends with said first end capacitively spaced from said trunk end to facilitate passage of said electromagnetic signals between said feed circuit and said probe; and further including a coaxial transition which includes; a body that forms a first shoulder; and said probe which is coaxially arranged within said body; and wherein said transition is arranged with said first shoulder abutting said first ground plane to thereby capacitively space said probe first end from said trunk end. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An antenna, comprising:
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a patch array that includes; a) a polymer patch sheet; and b) a plurality of metallic patches that are carried on said polymer patch sheet; a dielectric array spacer; a feed circuit that includes; a) a polymer feed sheet; and b) a metallic pattern that is carried on said polymer feed sheet, said pattern having a first side and a second side and terminating in a plurality of stubs; a first ground plane that forms a plurality of slots, one side of said first ground plane spaced from said patch array by said array spacer and another side of said first ground plane spaced from said first side by a first space with each of said slots positioned between a respective one of said patches and a respective one of said stubs; a set of holes formed by said patch sheet, said array spacer, said feed sheet and said ground plane; and a set of dielectric pins inserted into said set of holes to secure and align said patch sheet, said array spacer, said feed sheet and said ground plane, wherein each of said dielectric pins has a pointed end to facilitate its insertion and a retention structure to inhibit its movement. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. An antenna, comprising:
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a patch array that includes; a) a polymer patch sheet; and b) a plurality of metallic patches that are carried on said polymer patch sheet; a dielectric array spacer; a feed circuit that includes; a) a polymer feed sheet; and b) a metallic pattern that is carried on said polymer feed sheet, said pattern having a first side and a second side and terminating in a plurality of stubs; a first ground plane that forms a plurality of slots, one side of said first ground plane spaced from said patch array by said array spacer and another side of said first ground plane spaced from said first side by a first space with each of said slots positioned between a respective one of said patches and a respective one of said stubs; a set of holes formed by said patch sheet and said array spacer and at least one of said first ground plane and said feed sheet; a set of dielectric pins inserted into said set of holes to secure and align said patch sheet, said array spacer, said feed sheet and said ground plane; and a second ground plane spaced from said second side by a second space and wherein said set of holes includes holes through said second ground plane; wherein said first and second ground planes respectively form first and second resilient flanges that are engaged in an overlapped and resiliently interlocked relationship.
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26. An antenna for reception and radiation of electromagnetic signals, comprising:
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a first ground plane that forms at least one slot; a feed circuit having a trunk end and terminating in at least one stub end, said feed circuit having a first side and a second side with said first side spaced from said first ground plane by a first space and said stub positioned to receive and radiate said electromagnetic signals through said slot; an environmental radome that surrounds said first ground plane and said feed circuit; and a signal transmission path for conducting said electromagnetic signals to and from said feed circuit, said transmission path including; a) at least one conductive path; b) first and second sockets coupled to said conductive path; c) a probe having first and second ends with said first end capacitively spaced from said trunk end and said second end inserted in said first socket; and d) a coaxial connector mounted in said radome, said connector having a center pin inserted in said second socket. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification