Method for making a waveguide microwave antenna

• US 7,934,308 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2003
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Averty, Florent, Person, Christian, Coupez, Jean-Philippe, Louzir, Ali, Lo Hine Tong, Dominique
• Primary Examiner(s): TRINH, MINH N
• Application Number:
  US10/529,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20070096986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,771 Days
• Field of Search: 296/00, 296/01, 298/30, 298/31, 343/876, 343/772, 343/872, 343/784, 343/700.MS, 264/219, 264/334
• US Class Current: 29/600
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/021 characterised by the shape of the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/251 Particles, powder or granules expandable particles B29K2105/046
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/0208 Corrugated horns waveguide mouth antenna with corrugated flange H01Q13/065; manufacturing details H01Q13/0283
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/0291 for corrugated horns
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for making a waveguide microwave antenna with corrugated horn, which consists in forming the corrugations of the horn on the outer surface of a synthetic material form block followed by surface metallization of the foam block configured to produce the antenna.

Claims

1. A manufacturing process for a microwave corrugated-horn antenna comprising a horn, an impedance adapter, and a polarizer, comprising the steps of:

thermoforming the corrugations of the horn on the external surface of a first section of a block of foam of conical shape in order to form the horn,

thermoforming a circular groove on the external surface of a second section of the block of foam in order to form an impedance adapter, and

thermoforming two radial slots on the external surface of a third section of the block of foam in order to form a polarizer,

wherein the thermoforming of the three sections of the block of foam is carried out in a single step using a single mold, and

metallizing the surfaces of the three sections of the conformed block of foam in order to form the antenna.

2. The manufacturing process of claim 1 wherein the metallization of the surface of the block of foam is carried out by a process selected amongst projection, using a brush, or dipping.