Horn antenna for a radar device

• US 8,890,759 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2012
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Singh, Baljinder, Pantea, Valentin, Serban, Mihai-Gabriel
• Primary Examiner(s): Karacsony, Robert
• Application Number:
  US13/655,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20130099989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 343/783, 343/784, 343/786
• US Class Current: 343/783
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/284 Electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/225 used in level-measurement devices, e.g. for level gauge measurement
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/0208 Corrugated horns waveguide mouth antenna with corrugated flange H01Q13/065; manufacturing details H01Q13/0283
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/08 for modifying the radiation pattern of a radiating horn in which it is located corrugated horns H01Q13/0208; producing a circular polarisation H01Q13/0241

Abstract

A horn antenna for a radar device including a dielectric filling body arranged in a hollow horn section of a metal body and a dielectric cover attached to the filling body and sealingly closing the open end of the metal body. The filling body includes a first conical portion that is fittingly received in the hollow horn section, and a second conical portion that is situated away from the open end and dimensioned to leave a gap between itself and the wall of the hollow horn section. The dielectric filling body has a third portion between the first and second portions, where the third portion and the opposite portion of the wall of the hollow horn section are provided with circumferential grooves arranged in pairs opposite each other to provide a wear and maintenance-free attachment of the dielectric filling body in the horn antenna.

Claims

1. A horn antenna for a radar device comprising:

a metal body having a hollow horn section which expands to an open end in the metal body;

a dielectric filling body arranged in the hollow horn section and having a first conical portion situated towards the open end of the metal body and fittingly received in the hollow horn section, a second conical portion situated away from the open end and dimensioned to leave a gap between itself and a wall of the hollow horn section, and a third portion between said first and second portions;

a dielectric cover attached to the dielectric filling body and sealingly closing the open end of the metal body; and

circumferential grooves arranged in pairs opposite each other provided in the third portion and in an opposite portion of the wall of the hollow horn section, the circumferential grooves being filled with a cured encapsulation material which is one of dielectric and conductive;

wherein a depth of the circumferential grooves in the metal body is one of constant and increases with increasing distance from the open end of the metal body if the encapsulation material is dielectric; and

wherein a depth of the circumferential grooves in the dielectric filling body is one of constant and increases with increasing distance from the open end of the metal body if the encapsulation material is conductive.

2. The horn antenna according to claim 1, wherein the third portion of the dielectric filling body and the opposite portion of the wall of the hollow horn section have an opening angle of less than an angle of the first and second portions.

3. The horn antenna according to claim 2, wherein the third portion of the dielectric filling body and the opposite portion of the wall of the hollow horn section have cylindrical shapes.

4. The horn antenna according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the dielectric filling body and the metal body includes at least two blind grooves or channels which intersect with the circumferential grooves and open towards the open end of the metal body.

5. The horn antenna according to claim 1, wherein the third portion of the dielectric filling body is dimensioned to leave a gap between itself and the opposite portion of the wall of the hollow horn section.

6. The horn antenna according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the third portion of the dielectric filling body and the opposite portion of the wall of the hollow horn section includes an additional circumferential groove which is farther from the open end of the metal body than the circumferential grooves and which receives a seal between the dielectric filling body and the metal body.

7. The horn antenna according to claim 1, wherein the metal body includes a tubular hollow waveguide section which opens into the hollow horn section;

and wherein the dielectric filling body comprises a cylindrical section which is slidably engaged within the tubular waveguide section.

8. The horn antenna according to claim 1, wherein the metal body includes a further groove arranged around the open end for receiving a seal between the metal body and the dielectric cover.

9. The horn antenna according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric cover forms a convex microwave lens.