T-top antenna for omni-directional horizontally-polarized operation

• US 6,249,260 B1
• Filed: 07/16/1999
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Comant Industries, Inc. (Cobham PLC)
• Original Assignee: Comant Industries, Inc. (Cobham PLC)
• Inventors: Holloway, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Hoanganh
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, THUY V
• Application Number:
  US09/356,073
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 343/793, 343/795, 343/700.MS, 343/806, 343/810, 343/818, 343/817, 343/819, 343/833, 343/834, 343/835, 343/893
• US Class Current: 343/795
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/28 Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407

Abstract

An antenna array includes two acutely bent dipole antenna elements placed back-to-back on a printed circuit board with integrated micro-strip balun transformers which a Wilkinson divider drives 180 degrees out of phase. In an embodiment, the antenna array sits on a vertical blade support structure to form a T-Top section.

Claims

1. An antenna structure, comprising:

a dielectric board having two faces;

two bent dipole antennas placed back-to-back on one face of said dielectric board;

two balun transformers on the faces of said board each connected to one of said dipole antennas, and in 180 degree out-of-phase relationship with each other;

a first director assembly extending between said first dipole antenna and said second dipole antenna and a second director assembly extended between said first dipole antenna and said second dipole antenna.

2. A device as in claim 1, wherein a Wilkinson divider is connected to said dipole antennas between said balun transformers.

3. An antenna structure as in claim 2, wherein

a first of said dipole antennas includes a first outer edge at one end and a second outer edge at an opposing end;

a second of said dipole antennas includes a first outer edge at one end opposite a second outer edge at a second end;

and said first director assembly extends between said first outer edge of said fist dipole antenna and said first outer edge of said second dipole antenna,

and said second director assembly extends between said second outer edge of said first dipole antenna and said second outer edge of said second dipole antenna.

4. An antenna structure as in claim 1, wherein said dipole antenna elements each include two dipole radiators elements and said first director assembly extends from a radiator element of said first dipole antenna to a first radiator of said second dipole antenna, and said second director assembly extends from a second radiator element of said first dipole antenna to a second radiator of said second dipole antenna.

5. An antenna structure as in claim 1, wherein each of said director assemblies includes two directors.

6. An antenna structure as in claim 1, wherein a resistor connects said balun transformers.

7. A device as in claim 5, wherein a Wilkinson divider includes quarter-wave coaxial cables connects to each of the balun transformers.

8. An antenna structure as in claim 7, wherein said coaxial cables of said Wilkinson divider join in a single third coaxial cable.

9. An antenna structure as in claim 1, wherein a Wilkinson divider includes quarter-wave coaxial cables connects to each of the balun transformers.

10. An antenna structure as in claim 1, wherein said balun transformers include two pairs of central sections, each pair connected one of said dipole antennas, each of said dipoles forming an arrowhead shape with one pair of said central sections.

11. An antenna structure as in claim 10, wherein said central sections in each balun transformer include metal forming an H-shape with spaces at extremes, each of said dipole antennas including a pair of radiating elements;

each of said central sections being formed on a face of said dielectric board and connected to said radiating elements.

12. An antenna structure as in claim 11, wherein each of said balun transformers includes a U shaped element having conductive arms on the face of the dielectric board away from the central sections and located on face of the board opposite the central sections, said U-shaped elements being conductive and isolated from each other.

13. An antenna structure as in claim 12, wherein said U shaped elements together form a clockwise and then counterclockwise path so as to form a modified S shape.

14. An antenna structure as in claim 11, wherein said U-shaped elements are narrower in width than the central sections of said balun transformers.

15. An antenna structure as in claim 10, wherein

a first of said dipole antennas includes a first outer edge at one end and a second outer end at an opposing end;

a second of said dipole antennas includes a first outer edge at one extremity opposite a second outer edge at a second extremity;

and said first director assembly extends between said first outer edge of said first dipole antenna and said first outer edge of said second dole antenna;

and said second director assembly extends between said second outer edge of said first dipole antenna and said second outer edge of said second dipole antenna.

16. An antenna structure as in claim 1, wherein said board includes the dipole antennas on one face and two pairs of tabs on a second face, each pair of tabs being connected to a dipole antenna.

17. An antenna structure as in claim 1, wherein

a first of said dipole antennas includes a first outer edge at one end and a second outer edge at an opposing end;

a second of said dipole antennas includes a first outer edge at one end opposite a second outer edge at a second end;

said first director assembly extends between said first outer edge of said first dipole antenna and said first outer edge of said second dipole antenna; and

said second director assembly extends between said second outer edge of said first dipole antenna and said second outer edge of said second dipole antenna.

18. An antenna structure, comprising:

a blade section extending, and a T-Top housing supported by said blade section;

said T-Top including;

a dielectric board having two faces;

two bent dipole antennas placed back-to-back on one face of said dielectric board;

two balun transformers on the faces of said board each connected to one of said dipole antennas, and in 180 out-of-phase relationship with each other;

a first director assembly extending between said first dipole and said second pole, and a second director assembly said first dipole and said second pole.

19. An antenna structure as in claim 18, wherein said blade section includes a wide-band monopole.

20. An antenna structure as in claim 19, wherein said monopole is tuned to two frequency bands.

21. An antenna structure as in claim 20, wherein said monopole includes a quarter-wave stub.

22. An antenna structure as in claim 21, wherein said blade section includes a monopole, said monopole and said coaxial cable being placed for maximum decoupling between each other.

23. An antenna structure as in claim 19, wherein said monopole is of the folded type.

24. An antenna structure as in claim 18, wherein said dipole antennas are connected to a coaxial cable.

25. An antenna structure as in claim 24, wherein said coaxial cable includes a Wilkinson divider.

26. An antenna structure as in claim 18, wherein

a first of said dipole antennas includes a first outer edge at one end and a second outer edge at an opposing end;

a second of said dipole antennas includes a first outer edge at one end opposite a second outer edge at a second end;

and said first director assembly extends between said first outer edge of said first dipole antenna and said first outer edge of said second dipole antenna;

and said second director assembly extends between said second outer edge of said first dipole antenna and said second outer edge of said second dipole antenna.