Array antenna comprising means to establish galvanic contacts between its radiator elements while allowing for their thermal expansion

• US 8,154,457 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2009
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales Nederland BV (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Thales Nederland BV (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Van Der Poel, Stephanus Hendrikus
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THO GIA
• Application Number:
  US12/545,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20100053026A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/754, 343/853, 343/908, 342/175, 342/372
• US Class Current: 343/700.MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/523 between antennas of an array
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0025 Modular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/065 Patch antenna array

Abstract

There is disclosed an apparatus comprising a plurality of three-dimensional radiator elements, each radiator element transmitting or receiving electromagnetic waves. The radiator elements are arranged so that at least one pair of adjacent radiator elements are separated by a gap, which behaves like a waveguide inducing by a coupling effect electromagnetic interferences with the waves. The apparatus includes a portion to establish a galvanic contact between the adjacent radiator elements, so as to suppress the coupling effect, while allowing for the thermal expansion of the adjacent radiator elements.

Claims

1. A multiple radiator element apparatus comprising:

a plurality of three-dimensional radiator elements, each three-dimensional radiator element comprising;

a plurality of sidewalls, at least one sidewall having at least one of a rounded groove and a concavely-dug corner edge;

a radiating top side substantially perpendicular to the plurality of sidewalls, the radiating top side transmitting or receiving electromagnetic waves,

the three-dimensional radiator elements arranged so that at least one pair of adjacent three-dimensional radiator elements are separated by a gap and so that their radiating top sides are in a substantially same plane, the gap forming a waveguide that couples by a coupling effect an electromagnetic interference with the electromagnetic waves; and

each radiator element further comprising a bottom side opposite from the radiating top side; and

the multiple radiator element apparatus further comprising a metallic cylinder having a top end and a bottom end opposite from the top end, the top end having a conductive head in galvanic contact with the radiating top sides of the adjacent three-dimensional radiator elements, the metallic cylinder having longitudinally cut slots so as to form a resilient cylindrical body, wherein the resilient cylindrical body is inserted in the gap at a location where at least two of the rounded grooves or the concavely-dug corner edges face each other,

wherein the metallic cylinder suppress the coupling effect, while allowing for a thermal expansion of adjacent three-dimensional radiator elements.

2. A multiple radiator element apparatus according to the claim 1, wherein:

the resilient cylindrical body further comprises a protuberant end joined to the bottom end of the metallic cylinder;

the rounded grooves or the concavely-dug corner edges have a greater radius in their respective bottom parts as compared to a radius of their respective top parts, so as to form a cavity between facing rounded grooves or concavely-dug corner edges; and

the resilient cylindrical body being locked in the gap when the protuberant end nests into the cavity between facing rounded grooves or concavely-dug corner edges.

3. A multiple radiator element apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the three-dimensional radiator elements are mounted onto a printed circuit board by their respective bottom sides, so as to form an array of three-dimensional radiator elements.

4. A multiple radiator element apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the three-dimensional radiator elements are arranged so as to form a triangular array.

5. A multiple radiator element apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the array of three-dimensional radiator elements forms an array antenna.

6. A multiple radiator element apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the array antenna comprises a scanning phased array antenna.