RF signal combiner/splitter and related methods

• US 8,354,894 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harris Global Communications, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mui, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): GLENN, KIMBERLY E
• Application Number:
  US12/433,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20100277253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 333124-129, 333/131, 333/132, 333/134
• US Class Current: 333/131
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 19/04 Transformers or mutual inductances suitable for handling frequencies considerably beyond the audio range resonant circuits H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 21/12 discontinuously variable, e.g. tapped
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2804 Printed windings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 3/12 Magnetic shunt paths
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/00 Adaptations of transformers or inductances for specific applications or functions
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/12 Coupling devices having more than two ports H01P5/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/48 Networks for connecting several sources or loads, working on the same frequency or frequency band, to a common load or source phase shifters providing two or more output signals H03H7/21
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 incorporating printed inductors

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) signal combiner/splitter may include a printed circuit board (PCB) having first and second opposing major surfaces, and openings therethrough. The RF signal combiner/splitter may further include a ferromagnetic body. The ferromagnetic body may include a first portion spaced from the first major surface of the PCB, a second portion spaced from the second major surface of the PCB, and interconnecting portions coupling the first and second portions and extending through respective openings in the PCB. The PCB may include conductive traces cooperating with the ferromagnetic body to define circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals. For example, the PCB may further comprise additional conductive traces cooperating with the ferromagnetic body to define impedance matching circuitry coupled to the circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals.

Claims

1. A radio frequency (RF) signal combiner/splitter comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB) having first and second opposing major surfaces, and a plurality of openings therethrough; and

a ferromagnetic body comprising a first portion spaced from the first major surface of said PCB, a second portion spaced from the second major surface of said PCB, and a plurality of interconnecting portions coupling said first and second portions and extending through respective openings in said PCB;

said PCB comprising a substrate and conductive traces thereon in a laterally extending spiral pattern on said substrate and cooperating with said ferromagnetic body to define circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals, said circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals comprising a plurality of summing toroidal inductors based upon said ferromagnetic body and said conductive traces.

2. The RF signal combiner/splitter according to claim 1 wherein said PCB further comprises additional conductive traces cooperating with said ferromagnetic body to define impedance matching circuitry coupled to said circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals.

3. The RF signal combiner/splitter according to claim 2 wherein said impedance matching circuitry comprises a plurality of transformer toroidal inductors based upon said ferromagnetic body and said additional conductive traces.

4. The RF signal combiner/splitter according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of RF signal ports coupled to said conductive traces.

5. The RF signal combiner/splitter according to claim 1 wherein said ferromagnetic body comprises a plurality of joined together segments.

6. The RF signal combiner/splitter according to claim 1 further comprising at least one load resistor coupled to said conductive traces.

7. The RF signal combiner/splitter according to claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises at least one planar dielectric layer.

8. A radio frequency (RF) signal combiner/splitter comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB) having first and second opposing major surfaces, and a plurality of openings therethrough; and

a ferromagnetic body comprising a first portion spaced from the first major surface of said PCB, a second portion spaced from the second major surface of said PCB, and a plurality of interconnecting portions coupling said first and second portions and extending through respective openings in said PCB;

said PCB comprising a substrate and conductive traces thereon in a laterally extending spiral pattern on said substrate and cooperating with said ferromagnetic body to define circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals over a frequency range of 2 to 30 MHz and comprising a plurality of summing toroidal inductors based upon said ferromagnetic body and said conductive traces.

9. The RF signal combiner/splitter according to claim 8 wherein said PCB further comprises additional conductive traces cooperating with said ferromagnetic body to define impedance matching circuitry coupled to said circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals.

10. The RF signal combiner/splitter according to claim 9 wherein said impedance matching circuitry comprises a plurality of transformer toroidal inductors based upon said ferromagnetic body and said additional conductive traces.

11. The RF signal combiner/splitter according to claim 8 further comprising a plurality of RF signal ports coupled to said conductive traces.

12. The RF signal combiner/splitter according to claim 8 wherein said ferromagnetic body comprises a plurality of joined together segments.

13. A method of making a radio frequency (RF) signal combiner/splitter, the method comprising:

providing a printed circuit board (PCB) having first and second opposing major surfaces, and a plurality of openings therethrough; and

positioning a ferromagnetic body comprising a first portion spaced from the first major surface of the PCB, a second portion spaced from the second major surface of the PCB, and a plurality of interconnecting portions coupling the first and second portions and extending through respective openings in the PCB;

the PCB comprising a substrate and conductive traces thereon in a laterally extending spiral pattern on the substrate and cooperating with the ferromagnetic body to define circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals, the circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals comprising a plurality of summing toroidal inductors based upon the ferromagnetic body and the conductive traces.

14. The method according to claim 13 further comprising providing the PCB having additional conductive traces cooperating with the ferromagnetic body to define impedance matching circuitry coupled to the circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals.

15. The method according to claim 13 further comprising coupling a plurality of RF signal ports to the conductive traces.

16. A radio frequency (RF) signal combiner/splitter comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB) having first and second opposing major surfaces, and a plurality of openings therethrough; and

a ferromagnetic body comprising a first portion spaced from the first major surface of said PCB, a second portion spaced from the second major surface of said PCB, and a plurality of interconnecting portions coupling said first and second portions and extending through respective openings in said PCB;

said PCB comprising conductive traces cooperating with said ferromagnetic body to define circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals and additional conductive traces cooperating with said ferromagnetic body to define impedance matching circuitry coupled to said circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals.

17. A radio frequency (RF) signal combiner/splitter comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB) having first and second opposing major surfaces, and a plurality of openings therethrough; and

a ferromagnetic body comprising a first portion spaced from the first major surface of said PCB, a second portion spaced from the second major surface of said PCB, and a plurality of interconnecting portions coupling said first and second portions and extending through respective openings in said PCB;

said PCB comprising

a substrate,

conductive traces thereon in a laterally extending spiral pattern on said substrate and cooperating with said ferromagnetic body to define circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals, and

additional conductive traces cooperating with said ferromagnetic body to define impedance matching circuitry coupled to said circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals.

18. The RF signal combiner/splitter according to claim 17 further comprising a plurality of RF signal ports coupled to said conductive traces.

19. The RF signal combiner/splitter according to claim 17 wherein said ferromagnetic body comprises a plurality of joined together segments.

20. A radio frequency (RF) signal combiner/splitter comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB) having first and second opposing major surfaces, and a plurality of openings therethrough;

a ferromagnetic body comprising a first portion spaced from the first major surface of said PCB, a second portion spaced from the second major surface of said PCB, and a plurality of interconnecting portions coupling said first and second portions and extending through respective openings in said PCB;

said PCB comprising

a substrate,

conductive traces thereon in a laterally extending spiral pattern on said substrate and cooperating with said ferromagnetic body to define circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals and being operable over a frequency range of 2 to 30 MHz, and

additional conductive traces cooperating with said ferromagnetic body to define impedance matching circuitry coupled to said circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals, said circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals comprising a plurality of summing toroidal inductors based upon said ferromagnetic body and said conductive traces; and

at least one load resistor coupled to said conductive traces.

21. The RF signal combiner/splitter according to claim 20 further comprising a plurality of RF signal ports coupled to said conductive traces.

22. The RF signal combiner/splitter according to claim 20 wherein said ferromagnetic body comprises a plurality of joined together segments.

23. A method of making a radio frequency (RF) signal combiner/splitter, the method comprising:

providing a printed circuit board (PCB) having first and second opposing major surfaces, and a plurality of openings therethrough;

positioning a ferromagnetic body comprising a first portion spaced from the first major surface of the PCB, a second portion spaced from the second major surface of the PCB, and a plurality of interconnecting portions coupling the first and second portions and extending through respective openings in the PCB;

the PCB comprising a substrate and conductive traces thereon in a laterally extending spiral pattern on the substrate and cooperating with the ferromagnetic body to define circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals; and

providing the PCB having additional conductive traces cooperating with the ferromagnetic body to define impedance matching circuitry coupled to the circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals.

24. The method according to claim 23 further comprising coupling a plurality of RF signal ports to the conductive traces.

25. A method of making a radio frequency (RF) signal combiner/splitter, the method comprising:

providing a printed circuit board (PCB) having first and second opposing major surfaces, and a plurality of openings therethrough; and

positioning a ferromagnetic body comprising a first portion spaced from the first major surface of the PCB, a second portion spaced from the second major surface of the PCB, and a plurality of interconnecting portions coupling the first and second portions and extending through respective openings in the PCB;

the PCB comprising a substrate and conductive traces thereon in a laterally extending spiral pattern on the substrate and cooperating with the ferromagnetic body to define circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals and being operable over a frequency range of 2 to 30 MHz, the circuitry for combining/splitting RF signals comprising a plurality of summing toroidal inductors based upon the ferromagnetic body and the conductive traces.

26. The method according to claim 25 further comprising coupling a plurality of RF signal ports to the conductive traces.