Low cost reduced-loss printed patch planar array antenna

• US 6,271,792 B1
• Filed: 07/24/1997
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cobham Defense Electronic Systems Corporation (Cobham PLC)
• Original Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation (Meggitt PLC)
• Inventors: Ziegner, Bernhard A., Storkus, Walter Leo, Soshea, Eric Andrew, Sletten, Robert John
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOANG V
• Application Number:
  US08/910,347
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: H01/Q.138, 343/700.MS
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0075 Stripline fed arrays H01Q21/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array

Abstract

An antenna has a relatively thick primary dielectric between a ground plane and a conducting radiating element being fed by a conducting transmission line, first and second thin dielectrics on opposite sides of the primary dielectric, the relatively thick primary dielectric having a relatively lower dielectric constant than that of at least the second thin dielectric to increase the bandwidth transmission capability of the transmission line for a given impedance, the second thin dielectric couples substantially less power than is coupled with the primary dielectric and the second thin dielectric is of relatively higher dielectric constant promoting surface wave coupling and reduction of wave losses.

Claims

1. An antenna comprising:

a first dielectric in a layer between a conducting ground plane and at least one conducting radiating element of an antenna supplied by a conducting transmission line, second and third dielectrics in layers on opposite sides of the first dielectric, at least the second dielectric being relatively thinner than the first dielectric to couple less power than is coupled with the first dielectric, the first dielectric having a relatively lower dielectric constant than that of at least the second dielectric to increase the band width transmission capability of said transmission line for a given transmission line impedance, the relatively thinner second dielectric is adjacent said transmission line and said radiating element, and the relatively thinner second dielectric having a relatively higher dielectric constant than that of the first dielectric to promote surface wave coupling and reduction of wave losses along said transmission line and said radiating element.

2. An antenna as recited in claim 1 wherein, the second and third dielectrics are adhesives that attach the first dielectric to the ground plane and to the transmission line and to said at least one conducting radiating element.

3. An antenna as recited in claim 1, wherein the second and third dielectrics are adhesives that attach the first dielectric to the ground plane and to said transmission line and to said radiating element, respectively, and each of the second and third dielectrics is of substantially uniform dielectric constant.

4. An antenna comprising:

a conducting ground plane, a relatively thick first dielectric, at least one conducting radiating element of an antenna being supplied by a conducting transmission line, relatively thin second and third dielelectics respectively between the first dielectric and said radiating element and said transmission line, and between the first dielectric and the ground plane, the relatively thick first dielectric having a relatively lower dielectric constant than that of the second and third dielectrics to increase the band width transmission capability of said transmission line for a given transmission line impedance, each of the second and third dielectrics being relatively thin to couple substantially less power than is coupled with the first dielectric, and at least the second of said dielectrics being of relatively higher dielectric constant promoting surface wave coupling and reduction of wave losses along said transmission line and said radiating element.

5. An antenna as recited in claim 4 wherein, the second and third dielectrics are adhesives that attach the first dielectric to the ground plane and to the transmission line and to said at least one conducting radiating element.

6. An antenna as recited in claim 4, wherein, the second and third dielectrics are adhesives that attach the first dielectric to the ground plane and to the transmission line and to said at least one conducting radiating element, and each of the second and third dielectrics is of substantially uniform dielectric constant.

7. An antenna comprising:

a conducting ground plane, a relatively thick first dielectric, at least one conducting radiating element of an antenna fed by a conducting transmission line, a second relatively thin dielectric between the first dielectric and the radiating element and the conducting transmission line, a third relatively thin dielelectric between the first dielectric and the ground plane, the relatively thick first dielectric having a relatively lower dielectric constant than that of at least the second dielectric of relatively higher dielectric constant to increase the band width transmission capability of said transmission line for a given transmission line impedance, the second dielectric being relatively thin to couple substantially less power than is coupled with the primary dielectric, and the relatively thin second dielectric is of relatively higher dielectric constant promoting surface wave coupling and reduction of wave losses along said transmission line and said radiating element.

8. An antenna as recited in claim 7 wherein, the second and third dielectrics are adhesives that attach the first dielectric to the ground plane and to said transmission line and said radiating element.

9. An antenna as recited in claim 7 wherein, the second and third dielectrics are adhesives that attach the first dielectric to the ground plane and to said transmission line and said radiating element, and each of said second and third dielectrics is of substantially uniform dielectric constant.