Stacked bowtie radiator with integrated balun

• US 9,306,262 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2013
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Puzella, Angelo M., Komisarek, Kenneth S., Robbins, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, THO GIA
• Application Number:
  US13/956,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20140218253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 343/700.MS, 343/795, 343/797, 343/798, 343/878, 343/890, 343/898
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/10 for coupling balanced lines or devices with unbalanced lines or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/062 using dipole aerials; H01Q21/067, H01Q21/068 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/26 Turnstile or like antennas comprising arrangements of three or more elongated elements disposed radially and symmetrically in a horizontal plane about a common centre
• 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: Y10T 29/49018 with other electrical component

Abstract

A turnstile antenna element and balun for use in a phased array are described. The antenna includes a plurality of stacked bowtie radiators. Each stacked bowtie radiator includes a driven conductor and a passive conductor separated by a dielectric. The balun includes a central member having dielectric slabs symmetrically disposed on external surfaces thereof. At least one end of the balun is provided having a shape such that conductors on the dielectric slabs of the balun can be coupled to the driven radiator conductors.

Claims

1. An integrated antenna element comprising:

a. an antenna element comprising;

i. a dielectric substrate having a generally pyramidal shape with a feed point provided at the center, the substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface;

ii. at least two inner conductors disposed over the inner surface of the substrate, each of the inner conductors having a generally triangular shape with one vertex terminating proximate the feed point; and

iii. at least two outer conductors disposed over the outer surface of said substrate, each of the outer conductors opposite to at least one inner conductor.

2. The integrated antenna element of claim 1 having at least four inner conductors and at least four outer conductors.

3. The integrated antenna element of claim 1 wherein the surface area of the outer conductors is less than the surface area of any corresponding ones of the inner conductors.

4. The integrated antenna element of claim 1 further comprising:

a. a quad-line vertical balun column having an end electrically coupled to the feed point of the antenna element, the quad-line vertical balun column comprising;

i. a central member having four continuously connected conductive surfaces and first and second opposing conductive ends, the central member having a square cross-sectional shape;

ii. a first dielectric balun slab having a first surface disposed over a first conductive surface of the central member and wherein a second opposing surface of the first balun slab has a respective conductor disposed thereon;

iii. a second dielectric balun slab having a first surface disposed over a second conductive surface of the central member and wherein a second opposing surface of the second dielectric slab has a respective conductor disposed thereon;

iv. a third dielectric balun slab having a first surface disposed over a third conductive surface of the central member and wherein a second opposing surface of the balun slab has a respective conductor disposed thereon; and

v. a fourth dielectric balun slab having a first surface disposed over a fourth conductive surface of the central member and wherein a second opposing surface of the fourth balun slab has a respective conductor disposed thereon.

5. The integrated antenna element of claim 4 wherein the antenna element has an opening to receive the balun column.

6. The integrated antenna element of claim 4 wherein the inner conductors are fed by the balun and the outer conductors are parasitically coupled to the corresponding ones of the inner conductors.

7. An antenna assembly comprising:

a. a circuit board;

b. a feed circuit disposed on one surface of the circuit board;

c. an antenna element comprising;

i. a dielectric radiator block having a height and a cavity region formed therein with the cavity region having a pair of opposing surfaces and a feed point provide at the center point of the cavity; and

ii. a conductive layer disposed on each of the surfaces, each conductive layer coupled to the feed point;

d. a quad-line vertical balun column having a first end electrically coupled to the feed circuit and a second end electrically coupled to the antenna feed point, the quad-line vertical balun column comprising;

i. a central member having four conductive surfaces and first and second opposing conductive ends;

ii. a first dielectric balun slab having a first surface disposed over a first conductive surface of the central member and wherein a second opposing surface of the first balun slab has a respective feed conductor disposed thereon;

iii. a second dielectric balun slab having a first surface disposed over a second conductive surface of the central member and wherein a second opposing surface of the second balun slab has a respective feed conductor disposed thereon;

iv. a third dielectric balun slab having a first surface disposed over a third conductive surface of the central member and wherein a second opposing surface of the third balun slab has a respective feed conductor disposed thereon, and

v. a fourth dielectric balun slab having a first surface disposed over a fourth conductive surface of the central member and wherein a second opposing surface of the fourth balun slab has a respective feed conductor disposed thereon.

8. The antenna assembly of claim 7 wherein the dielectric radiator block cavity region has a generally pyramidal shape and each antenna element conductive layer has a generally triangular shape with one vertex terminating proximate the feed point.

9. The antenna assembly of claim 7 wherein each feed circuit comprises:

a. a ground conductor coupled to each balun central member conductive surface;

b. a first feed conductor coupled to first balun slab feed conductor;

c. a second feed conductor coupled to second balun slab feed conductor;

d. a third feed conductor coupled to third balun slab feed conductor; and

e. a fourth feed conductor coupled to fourth balun slab feed conductor.

10. The antenna assembly of claim 7 wherein the feed circuit is a first of a plurality of feed circuits, the antenna element is the first of a plurality of antenna elements, and the quad-line vertical balun column is the first of a plurality of quad-line vertical baluns, each of the quad-line vertical baluns are electrically coupled to a corresponding feed circuit at one end and electrically coupled to a corresponding antenna element at the opposite end.

11. The antenna assembly of claim 10 wherein the feed circuits are arranged in a two-dimensional array pattern on the circuit board.

12. The antenna assembly of claim 7 further comprising a support structure over which the antenna element is disposed, wherein a first end of the balun is exposed through a first opening in the support structure and a second end of said balun is exposed through a second opening in the support structure.

13. A method comprising:

a. coupling a first end of a quad-line vertical balun column to a circuit board, and

b. coupling a second end of the balun to an antenna element, the antenna element comprising;

i. a dielectric radiator block having a height h and a cavity region formed therein with the cavity region having a generally truncated pyramidal shape with a pair of opposing surfaces and a feed point provided at the center point of the cavity; and

ii. a conductive layer disposed on each of the surfaces, each of the conductive layers having a generally triangular shape with one vertices terminating proximate the feed point.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein first end of the balun is coupled to the circuit board before second end of balun is coupled to the antenna element.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein second end of the balun is coupled to the antenna element before first end of balun is coupled to the circuit board.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the first end of the balun includes a post, the circuit board provides a recess capable of receiving the post, and the first end of the balun is coupled to the circuit board by inserting the post into the recess.