Patch dipole array antenna including a feed line organizer body and related methods

• US 6,483,464 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2001
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: North South Holdings Incorporated (Spherix Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rawnick, James Joseph, Boozer, Randy Eugene, Taylor, Robert Charles, Clark, William Edward, Perkins, Gilbert Reeves
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): VANNUCCI, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US09/892,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20020050950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/824, 343/893, 343/797, 343/725, 343/729, 343/845
• US Class Current: 343/700.0MS
• 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 21/0087 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/062 using dipole aerials; H01Q21/067, H01Q21/068 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407

Abstract

An antenna includes a substrate including a ground plane and a dielectric layer adjacent thereto and at least one antenna unit carried by the substrate. The at least one antenna unit may include a plurality of adjacent antenna elements arranged in spaced apart relation from one another about a central feed position on the dielectric layer opposite the ground plane. The at least one antenna unit may also include an antenna feed structure including a respective coaxial feed line for each antenna element and a feed line organizer body having passageways therein for receiving respective coaxial feed lines.

Claims

1. An antenna comprising:

a substrate comprising a ground plane and a dielectric layer adjacent thereto; and

at least one antenna unit carried by said substrate comprising

a plurality of adjacent antenna elements arranged in spaced apart relation from one another about a central feed position on said dielectric layer opposite said ground plane, and

an antenna feed structure comprising a respective coaxial feed line for each antenna element and a feed line organizer body having passageways therein for receiving respective coaxial feed lines.

2. The antenna according to claim 1 wherein said feed line organizer body comprises:

a base connected to said ground plane; and

a guide portion carried by said base, said base and guide portion being integrally formed as a monolithic unit.

3. The antenna according to claim 2 wherein said guide portion comprises:

a bottom enclosed guide portion carried by said base;

a top enclosed guide portion adjacent said antenna elements; and

an intermediate open guide portion extending between said bottom enclosed guide portion and said top enclosed guide portion.

4. The antenna according to claim 3 wherein each coaxial feed line is soldered to said feed line organizer body at said intermediate open guide portion.

5. The antenna according to claim 2 wherein said antenna feed structure further comprises a tuning plate carried by said guide portion.

6. The antenna according to claim 1 wherein said passageways are all parallel to a common axis.

7. The antenna according to claim 1 wherein said feed line organizer body comprises at least one conductive material.

8. The antenna according to claim 1 wherein said ground plane extends laterally outwardly beyond a periphery of said at least one antenna unit.

9. The antenna according to claim 1 further comprising at least one hybrid circuit carried by said substrate and connected to said antenna feed structure.

10. The antenna according to claim 1 wherein each antenna element has a generally rectangular shape.

11. The antenna according to claim 1 wherein said at least one antenna unit comprises a plurality of antenna units arranged in an array.

12. The antenna according to claim 1 wherein said dielectric layer has a thickness in a range of about ½

an operating wavelength of the at least one antenna unit.

13. The antenna according to claim 1 further comprising at least one impedance matching dielectric layer on said at least one antenna unit.

14. An antenna comprising:

a substrate comprising a ground plane and a dielectric layer adjacent thereto; and

at least one antenna unit carried by said substrate comprising

a plurality of adjacent antenna elements arranged in spaced apart relation from one another about a central feed position on said dielectric layer opposite said ground plane, and

an antenna feed structure comprising a respective coaxial feed line for each antenna element and a feed line organizer body having passageways therein for receiving respective coaxial feed lines, said passageways all being parallel to a common axis and said feed line organizer body being integrally formed as a monolithic unit.

15. The antenna according to claim 14 wherein said feed line organizer body comprises:

a base connected to said ground plane; and

a guide portion carried by said base.

16. The antenna according to claim 15 wherein said guide portion comprises:

a bottom enclosed guide portion carried by said base;

a top enclosed guide portion adjacent said antenna elements; and

an intermediate open guide portion extending between said bottom enclosed guide portion and said top enclosed guide portion.

17. The antenna according to claim 16 wherein each coaxial feed line is soldered to said feed line organizer body at said intermediate open guide portion.

18. The antenna according to claim 15 wherein said antenna feed structure further comprises a tuning plate carried by said guide portion.

19. The antenna according to claim 14 wherein said feed line organizer comprises at least one conductive material.

20. The antenna according to claim 14 wherein said ground plane extends laterally outwardly beyond a periphery of said at least one antenna unit.

21. The antenna according to claim 14 further comprising at least one hybrid circuit carried by said substrate and connected to said antenna feed structure.

22. The antenna according to claim 14 wherein each antenna element has a generally rectangular shape.

23. The antenna according to claim 14 wherein said at least one antenna unit comprises a plurality of antenna units arranged in an array.

24. The antenna according to claim 14 wherein said dielectric layer has a thickness in a range of about ½

an operating wavelength of the at least one antenna unit.

25. The antenna according to claim 14 further comprising at least one impedance matching dielectric layer on said at least one antenna unit.

26. A method for making an antenna comprising:

providing at least one antenna unit on a substrate comprising a ground plane and a dielectric layer adjacent thereto, the at least one antenna unit comprising a plurality of adjacent antenna elements arranged in spaced apart relation from one another about a central feed position on the dielectric layer opposite the ground plane, the substrate having an opening therein exposing portions of the plurality of adjacent antenna elements;

forming an antenna feed structure by positioning respective coaxial feed lines within passageways of a feed line organizer body; and

inserting the antenna feed structure into the opening and connecting each of the coaxial feed lines to a respective antenna element.

27. The method according to claim 26 wherein the feed line organizer body comprises a base and a guide portion carried by the base, the base and guide portion being integrally formed as a monolithic unit;

and wherein inserting the antenna feed structure into the opening comprises connecting the base to the ground plane and connecting each coaxial cable to a respective antenna element.

28. The method according to claim 27 wherein the guide portion comprises:

a bottom enclosed guide portion carried by the base;

a top enclosed guide portion to be positioned adjacent the antenna elements; and

an intermediate open guide portion extending between the bottom enclosed guide portion and the top enclosed guide portion.

29. The method according to claim 28 wherein forming the antenna feed structure further comprises soldering each coaxial feed line to the feed line organizer body at the intermediate open guide portion.

30. The method according to claim 27 wherein forming the antenna feed structure further comprises connecting a tuning plate to the guide portion.

31. The method according to claim 26 wherein the passageways are each parallel to a common axis.

32. The method according to claim 26 wherein the feed line organizer comprises at least one conductive material.

33. The method according to claim 26 wherein the ground plane extends laterally outwardly beyond a periphery of the at least one antenna unit.

34. The method according to claim 26 further comprising providing at least one hybrid circuit on the substrate and connected to the antenna feed structure.

35. The method according to claim 26 wherein each antenna element has a generally rectangular shape.

36. The method according to claim 26 wherein providing the at least one antenna unit comprises arranging a plurality of antenna units in an array.

37. The method according to claim 26 wherein the dielectric layer has a thickness in a range of about ½

an operating wavelength of the at least one antenna unit.

38. The method according to claim 26 further comprising providing at least one impedance matching dielectric layer on the at least one antenna unit.