Antenna having internal and external structures

• US 8,836,581 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2011
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NETGEAR, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NETGEAR, Inc.
• Inventors: Nysen, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi, Jacob Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, JAE K
• Application Number:
  US12/983,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20120169562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: 343/843, 343/825, 343/700.MS
• US Class Current: 343/700.MS
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/378 Combination of fed elements with parasitic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0414 in a stacked or folded configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0421 with a shorting wall or a shorting pin at one end of the element H01Q9/0414 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0442 with particular tuning means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/26 with folded element or elements, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of operating wavelength resonant loop antennas H01Q7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/28 Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/40 Element having extended radiating surface

Abstract

The present technology provides an improved antenna having a conductive first plate, a conductive second plate and a conductive third plate. The conductive first plate and the conductive second plate are disposed and have an electrical connection to form an external antenna structure having a U-shaped cross section. The conductive third plate is disposed parallel to the conductive first plate between the conductive first plate and the conductive second plate and has a proximate edge proximate the electrical connection. The conductive third plate has an electrical length with respect to the proximate edge corresponding to an odd integer multiple of a quarter of a guide wavelength associated with a resonant frequency of the antenna. The conductive third plate forms part of an internal antenna structure.

Claims

1. An antenna comprising:

a. a conductive first plate and a conductive second plate, the conductive first plate and the conductive second plate disposed and having a first galvanic connection between an edge of the conductive first plate and an edge of the conductive second plate to form an external antenna structure, the conductive first plate and the conductive second plate having electrical lengths in the same direction with respect to the first connection corresponding to an odd integer multiple of a quarter of a guide wavelength or less associated with a resonant frequency of the antenna; and

b. a conductive third plate disposed parallel to the conductive first plate between the conductive first plate and the conductive second plate, the conductive third plate having a proximate edge positioned proximal to the first connection and a distant edge positioned distal to the first connection,

wherein the conductive third plate forms part of an internal antenna structure provided with a feed point configured for transmission or reception of antenna signals,

wherein the internal antenna structure is free from contact with the external antenna structure,

wherein the internal antenna structure further comprises a conductive fourth plate having a second galvanic connection to the conductive third plate and disposed parallel to the conductive second plate between the conductive second plate and the conductive third plate, wherein the conductive fourth plate has a proximate edge positioned proximal to the first connection and a distant edge positioned distal to the first connection, and

wherein dielectric structure surrounds the internal antenna structure and keeps the internal antenna structure within the external antenna structure.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the conductive third plate and the conductive fourth plate have said second galvanic connection at the respective distant edge of each.

3. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the conductive third plate and the conductive fourth plate have equal electrical lengths with respect to the respective proximate edge of each.

4. The antenna according to claim 3, wherein the conductive third plate and the conductive fourth plate have electrical lengths with respect to the first connection corresponding to an odd integer multiple of a quarter of a guide wavelength or less associated with the resonant frequency.

5. The antenna according to claim 4, wherein the conductive first plate, the conductive second plate, the conductive third plate and the conductive fourth plate have equal electrical lengths with respect to the first connection.

6. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the conductive fourth plate provides the feed point.

7. The antenna according to claim 6, wherein the feed point is disposed near the proximate edge of the conductive fourth plate.

8. The antenna according to claim 6, wherein the feed point is operatively connected to a drive system via a through hole in the external antenna structure.

9. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the external antenna structure is grounded and the conductive third plate provides the feed point for driving the antenna.

10. The antenna according to claim 8, wherein the external antenna structure is grounded near the first connection and the feed point is disposed near the proximate edge of the conductive third plate.

11. The antenna according to claim 9, wherein the feed point is operatively connected to a drive system via a through hole in the external antenna structure.

12. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the first connection comprises a back plate.

13. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the conductive first plate is planar.

14. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the conductive second plate is planar.

15. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the conductive third plate is planar.

16. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the conductive fourth plate is planar.

17. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the conductive third plate has an electrical length with respect to the proximate edge corresponding to a second odd integer multiple of a quarter of the guide wavelength or less.

18. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the conductive third plate and the conductive first plate is equal or smaller than a distance between the proximate edge of the conductive third plate and the first connection.