Polyhedral-shaped redundant coaxial switch

• US 6,252,473 B1
• Filed: 01/06/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Ando, Michael N.
• Primary Examiner(s): PASCAL, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US09/225,956
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 333/105, 333/108, 200/51.05, 200/51.06, 200/504, 335/4, 335/5
• US Class Current: 333/105
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/122 Waveguide switches

Abstract

A three dimensional microwave switch having a plurality of waveguide transmission lines configured in an octahedral shape having microwave I/O ports at the corners. Individual actuators selectively move respective reeds within the waveguide transmission lines between a signal-attenuating position abutting the interior surface of the waveguide transmission line and a signal-conducting position substantially coaxial with the waveguide transmission line and abutting the signal lines of the I/O microwave ports couple to opposite ends of the waveguide transmission line.

Claims

1. A three dimensional microwave switch for routing signals in an operating frequency band along selectable signal paths between a plurality of switch ports, said switch comprising:

a plurality of I/O microwave ports having respective signal lines;

a plurality of waveguide transmission lines coupled between respective pairs of said I/O microwave ports, each said waveguide transmission line having an interior surface and being dimensioned to have a cutoff frequency greater than said operating frequency band, said waveguide transmission lines being spatially configured in three dimensions to define a polyhedron with said I/O microwave ports positioned at the corners of said polyhedron;

a through path coupled between at least two opposing I/O microwave ports and passing through the interior of said polyhedron;

a plurality of conductive reeds, each said reed being positioned in a respective waveguide transmission line of said plurality of waveguide transmission lines; and

an actuator that selectively moves each said reed between a signal-attenuating position abutting said interior surface of said waveguide transmission line and a signal-conducting position substantially coaxial with said waveguide transmission line and abutting said signal lines of said I/O microwave ports coupled to opposite ends of said waveguide transmission line.

2. The microwave switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said signal lines of said plurality of microwave ports point toward the center of said polyhedron so that they are angled inward at opposite ends of each said waveguide transmission line and away from the interior surfaces, said actuator switching each said reed into said signal-conducting position by moving it toward the center of said polyhedron so that said reed is contacted between the opposing signal lines and moving each said reed into said signal attenuating position by moving it away from the center of said polyhedron against said interior surface.

3. The microwave switch as claimed in claim 2 wherein all of said signal lines have the same angle with respect to all of the reeds they contact, all of said waveguide transmission lines have substantially the same length and cross-section, and all of said reeds have substantially the same length so that the signal paths between any two of said I/O microwave ports have substantially the same microwave properties in said operating frequency band.

4. The microwave switch as claimed in claim 3 wherein said polyhedron has an octahedral shape with thirteen waveguide transmission lines coupled between six coaxial connectors, said actuator comprising a plurality of mechanisms that independently actuate said respective reeds.

5. The microwave switch as claimed in claim 2 wherein said switch further comprises:

a) a one-piece polyhedral-shaped conductive cavity comprising;

i) a plurality of faces;

ii) a plurality of edges, each of said edges having a groove having a pair of open ends; and

iii) a plurality of corners, each of said corners having a port for providing access to said open ends of said grooves, said grooves abutting said port;

b) a plurality of conductive members that are fastened to said grooves forming waveguide transmission lines; and

c) a plurality of coaxial connectors located in said ports to form I/O microwave ports, each said coaxial connector having a center conductor extending through said port into said open ends of said grooves and an outer conductor coaxially arranged with said center conductor and contacting said cavity to form said signal line.

6. The microwave switch as claimed in claim 5 wherein said one-piece polyhedral-shaped cavity has an octahedral shape with twelve waveguide transmission lines coupled between six coaxial connectors, a through path coupled between two opposing coaxial connectors and passing through the interior of said cavity, said actuator comprising a plurality of mechanisms that independently actuate respective reeds.

7. The switch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuator further comprises a different actuating mechanism for each said reed.

8. The microwave switch as claimed in claim 2 wherein said polyhedron has an octahedral shape with twelve transmission lines, a through path, and six ports.

9. A three dimensional microwave switch for routing signals in an operating frequency band along thirteen signal paths between six switch ports, said switch comprising:

a) an octahedral-shaped conductive cavity comprising;

i) eight faces;

ii) twelve edges each having a groove and a pair of open ends; and

iii) six corners, each of said corners formed with a coax port for providing access to said open ends of said grooves, said open ends of said grooves abut said coax port;

b) twelve conductive reeds positioned in respective grooves;

c) twelve conductive members fastened to said grooves to define twelve waveguide transmission lines that are coupled between respective pairs of said coaxial connectors, each of said waveguide transmission lines having an interior surface and dimensioned to have a cutoff frequency greater than said operating frequency band;

d) said cavity having a through path extending between opposing coax connectors and passing through the interior of said cavity;

e) a conductive reed positioned in said through path;

f) a conductive member fastened to said through path to define a thirteenth waveguide transmission line; and

g) an actuator that selectively moves said reeds a signal-attenuating position abutting the interior surface of their respective waveguide transmission lines and a signal-conducting position substantially coaxial with their respective waveguide transmission lines and contacted between the center conductors of the coaxial connectors that are coupled to opposite ends of their waveguide transmission lines.

10. The switch as claimed in claim 9 wherein said actuator further comprises a different actuating mechanism for each said reed.