Antenna with compact LRU array

• US 7,508,338 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2006
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Pluymers, Brian, Heinrich, Richard J., Fraschilla, John, Angelucci, Marc T., Lewis, Robert B., Ducker, Stuart R. IV, Harris, Daniel W., McGuigan, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bythrow; Peter M
• Application Number:
  US11/584,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20080169973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 342/175, 342/368, 343/824, 343/872, 361/600, 361/679, 361688-722
• US Class Current: 342/175
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/032 Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/02 Arrangements for de-icing; Arrangements for drying-out ; Arrangements for cooling; Arrangements for preventing corrosion
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/26 varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture H01Q3/12, H01Q3/22, H01Q3/24 take precedence

Abstract

An element support and thermal control arrangement for an active array antenna, preferably modular, using line-replaceable units (LRUs), includes a radiating-side liquid-cooled cold plate lying parallel with a liquid-cooled TR coldplate. Antenna elements are supported and cooled by the radiating cold plate, and a beamformer lies between the radiating and TR coldplates. A plurality of column coldplates are attached to the rear of the TR coldplate and define bays or volumes in which power LRUs can be fitted in thermal communication with the TR coldplate, the column coldplates, or both.

Claims

1. An array antenna, comprising:

a first cold plate defining first and second broad sides, said first cold plate being generally planar and extending in first and second dimensions;

a second cold plate defining first and second broad sides, said second cold plate being generally planar and extending in said first and second dimensions, said first broad side of said second cold plate lying generally parallel with said second broad side of said first cold plate and spaced therefrom to define a generally planar first volume;

a plurality of cold plate wall pairs, each of said wall pairs including first and second walls, each of said walls of each of said wall pairs being generally planar and extending in said first dimension and in a third dimension, an edge of each of said first and second walls being affixed to said second broad side of said second cold plate at spaced-apart locations, to thereby define a plurality of third volumes lying between mutually adjacent walls of adjacent ones of said wall pairs, each of said third volumes being generally three-dimensional, with the largest dimension of each of said third volumes extending parallel with said first dimension, and each of said third volumes extending in said third dimension by the same distance from said second broad side of said second cold plate;

a plurality of apertures provided in each of the first and second walls of the plurality of cold plate wall pairs, the apertures being open along edges of the first and second walls and extending into the interior of each of the first and second walls along the third dimension, wherein the apertures defining second volumes adapted for receiving additional electronic components;

a generally planar array of antenna elements supported on said first broad side of said first cold plate, and in thermal communication therewith;

a controllable transmit/receive arrangement physically juxtaposed with said second side of said second cold plate within each of said third volumes, said transmit/receive arrangement being in thermal communication with said second side of said second cold plate; and

a beamformer arrangement physically located in said first volume, and electrically connected through said first cold plate with said array of antenna elements and through said second cold plate with said transmit/receive arrangement, for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals by way of said antenna elements and said controllable transmit/receive arrangement.

2. An array antenna according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control module located in each of said second volumes, said control module communicating with said transmit/receive arrangement, for controlling the transmission and reception of said electromagnetic signals, said control module being in thermal communication with the first and second walls of the wall pair defining its associated second volume.

3. An array antenna according to claim 2, wherein:

each transmit/receive arrangement has an extent in said third dimension smaller than said distance, so that a portion of said third volume is not filled by said transmit/receive arrangement; and

further comprising at least a power supply for said transmit/receive arrangement located in said portion of said third volume.

4. An array antenna according to claim 2, wherein:

each transmit/receive arrangement has an extent in said third dimension smaller than said distance, so that a portion of said third volume is not filled by said transmit/receive arrangement; and

further comprising at least a power supply located in said portion of said third volume, said power supply being for said transmit/receive arrangement and an adjacent control module.

5. A subarray of an array antenna, said subarray comprising:

a first cold plate defining first and second broad sides, said first cold plate being generally planar and extending in first and second dimensions;

a second cold plate defining first and second broad sides, said second cold plate being generally planar and extending in said first and second dimensions, said first broad side of said second cold plate lying generally parallel with said second broad side of said first cold plate and spaced therefrom to define a generally planar first volume;

a plurality of cold plate wall pairs, each of said wall pairs including first and second walls, each of said walls of each of said wall pairs being generally planar and extending in said first dimension and in a third dimension, an edge of each of said first and second walls being affixed to said second broad side of said second cold plate at spaced-apart locations so that each of said wall pairs extends generally perpendicular to said second broad side of said second cold plate, to thereby define a plurality of elongated third volumes lying between mutually adjacent walls of adjacent ones of said wall pairs, with the direction of elongation of each of said third volumes extending parallel with said first dimension, and each of said third volumes extending in said third dimension by a selected distance from said second broad side of said second cold plate;

a plurality of apertures provided in each of the first and second walls of the plurality of cold plate wall pairs, the apertures being open along edges of the first and second walls and extending into the interior of each of the first and second walls along the third dimension, wherein the apertures defining second volumes;

a generally planar array of antenna elements supported on said first broad side of said first cold plate, and in thermal communication therewith;

at least one controllable transmit/receive arrangement physically juxtaposed with said second side of said second cold plate within each of said third volumes and in thermal communication therewith, the dimension of said transmit/receive arrangement in said third dimension being less than said selected dimension, so that a rear portion of said third volume lying adjacent said transmit/receive arrangement is not occupied;

a beamformer arrangement physically located in said first volume, and electrically connected through said first cold plate with said array of antenna elements and through said second cold plate with said transmit/receive arrangement, for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals by way of said antenna elements and said controllable transmit/receive arrangement; and

a control module located in each of said second volumes, and communicating with said transmit/receive arrangement, for controlling the transmission and reception of said electromagnetic signals, said control module being in thermal communication with the first and second walls of the wall pair defining its associated first volume; and

a power supply for at least said transmit/receive arrangement lies in said rear portion of said third volume.