Microwave generator

• US 8,436,493 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2005
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diehl BGT Defence GmbH & Company KG (Diehl VA Systeme Stiftung & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Diehl BGT Defence GmbH & Company KG (Diehl VA Systeme Stiftung & Company KG)
• Inventors: Staines, Geoffrey, Dommer, Josef
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Fritz M
• Application Number:
  US11/631,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20090315406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,890 Days
• Field of Search: 307106-110, 361/249, 361/250
• US Class Current: 307/109
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0068 the high-energy beam being of microwave type, e.g. for causing a heating effect in the target
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0093 Devices generating an electromagnetic pulse, e.g. for disrupting or destroying electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 25/74 Tubes specially designed to act as transit-time diode oscillators, e.g. monotrons
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 11/02 excited by spark spark gaps therefor H01T9/00

Abstract

A microwave generator, which includes a housing having two mutually opposite electrodes which are separated via an electrode intermediate space which is filled with a dielectric, and with the electrodes having a spark gap between them, which breaks down in order to emit microwaves when a high voltage is applied. The electrode intermediate space (13, 13a, 13b) can be at least partially filled with a second dielectric (15, 15a, 15b), which has a different dielectric constant compared with that of the first dielectric (14, 14a, 14b) which is located between the electrodes (6, 7) in order to vary the microwave frequency, whereby the second dielectric (15, 15a, 15b) is held in a reservoir (17, 17a, 17b) which communicates with the electrode intermediate space (13, 13a, 13b).

Claims

1. A microwave generator, comprising a housing having two mutually opposite electrodes which are separated via an electrode intermediate space which is filled with a first dielectric, said electrodes having a spark gap therebetween, which breaks down in order to emit microwaves upon the application of a high voltage, wherein the electrode intermediate space (13, 13a, 13b) is at least partially filled with a second dielectric (15, 15a, 15b) which has a different dielectric constant in comparison with that of the first dielectric (14, 14a, 14b) which is located between the electrodes (6, 7) in order to vary the microwave frequency, said second dielectric (15, 15a, 15b) being retained in a first reservoir (17, 17a, 17b) which communicates with the electrode intermediate space (13, 13a, 13b).

2. The microwave generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein a further reservoir (22, 22a, 25) is provided for the first dielectric (14, 14a, 14b), so that the first and the second dielectrics (14, 14a, 14b, 15, 15a, 15b) are reversibly feedable into the electrode intermediate space (13, 13a, 13b).

3. The microwave generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrodes (6, 7) are constituted of similar spherical caps and are connected to the housing (2) at an edge which bounds the electrode intermediate space (13, 13a, 13b).

4. The microwave generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is provided a flexible stretchable membrane (16, 16a, 16b), which bounds the electrode intermediate space (13, 13a, 13b) towards the housing (2) and which membrane stretches into the electrode intermediate space (13, 13a, 13b) upon an application of pressure.

5. The microwave generator as claimed in claim 4, wherein the membrane (16, 16a, 16b) extends in an annular shape along an inner wall of the housing and, upon pressure being applied, is stretched uniformly into the electrode intermediate space (13, 13a, 13b) towards the spark gap (8) which is arranged encapsulated and centrally arranged.

6. The microwave generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one opening (20, 20a, 20b) is provided on one said electrode (7) for a selective extraction and appropriate supply of the first dielectric (14, 14a, 14b).

7. The microwave generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reservoir (17, 17a, 17b) for the second dielectric (15, 15a15b) is provided immediately behind one of the electrodes (6) and is bounded thereby.

8. The microwave generator as claimed in claim 7, wherein there is provided a further movable and flexible membrane (19, 19a, 19b) which bounds the first reservoir (17, 17a, 17b).

9. The microwave generator as claimed in claim 8, wherein the membranes (16, 16a, 16b, 19, 19a, 19b) are each selectively composed of plastic or rubber.

10. The microwave generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second dielectric (15, 15a) is feedable into the electrode intermediate space (13, 13a) by producing a reduced pressure in the electrode intermediate space (13, 13a), through an extraction of the first dielectric (14, 14a) by a pump device (P).

11. The microwave generator as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second dielectric (15b) is feedable into the electrode intermediate space (13b) by producing a pressure, which acts on the reservoir (17b), such as through a flexible membrane (19b) by the pump device (P).

12. The microwave generator as claimed in claim 10, wherein the pump device (P) is used for suctioning and for the application of pressure at the same time to the membrane (19a) which bounds the reservoir (17a).

13. The microwave generator as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first dielectric (14a), which is pumped by the pump device (P), is used for an application of pressure.

14. The microwave generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second dielectric (15, 15a, 15b) is fed into the electrode intermediate space (13, 13a, 13b) while microwaves are being produced.

15. The microwave generator as claimed in claim 14, wherein the supply of the second dielectric (15, 15a, 15b) is controlled as a function of a comparison of a nominal microwave frequency with an actual microwave frequency which is measured continuously while said microwaves are being produced.