Dielectric waveguide slot antenna

• US 9,373,892 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2011
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: TOKO Incorporated (Murata Manufacturing Co Limited)
• Inventors: Yatabe, Yukikazu, Ito, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Levi, Dameon E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Islam, Hasan
• Application Number:
  US13/236,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20120068900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• Field of Search: 343/767, 343/772, 343768-771
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas

Abstract

A dielectric waveguide slot antenna which is capable of radiating a circularly-polarized wave comprises: a dielectric waveguide having a slot through which a dielectric is exposed in a part of an electrically conductive film formed on a surface of the dielectric waveguide; a printed circuit board having a via hole opposed to the slot with the same shape as that of the slot; and a conductor plate having a first through-hole opposed to and having approximately the same shape as the via hole, and a pair of second through-holes in a vicinity of the first through-hole. The dielectric waveguide, the printed circuit board and the conductor plate are joined together with aligning the slot, the via hole and the first through-hole with each other. The printed circuit board has a conductor layer formed in positions facing to the second through-holes, and the second through-holes are arranged point-symmetrically with each other.

Claims

1. A dielectric waveguide comprising:

a dielectric waveguide having a slot of elongate shape through which a dielectric is exposed in a part of an electrically conductive film formed on a surface of the dielectric waveguide;

a printed circuit board having a via hole of elongate shape formed therein at a position opposed to the slot; and

a conductor plate having a first through-hole of elongate shape formed therein at a position opposed to the via hole, and a pair of second through-holes of elongate shape formed in a vicinity of the first through-hole,

wherein the first through-hole and the second through-holes are in the same plane;

wherein the first through-hole is fed with electric power while the second through-holes are not fed with electric power;

wherein the dielectric waveguide, the printed circuit board and the conductor plate are joined together with aligning the slot, the via hole and the first through-hole with each other;

wherein the printed circuit board has a conductor layer formed in positions facing to the second through-holes;

wherein the pair of second through-holes are arranged point-symmetrically with each other with respect to the center of the first through-hole and are not aligned symmetrically with respect to a line orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the first through-hole, and are rotated with respect to the longitudinal direction of the first through-hole;

wherein a rotation angle of each of the pair of second through-holes is about 45°

with respect to the longitudinal direction of the first through-hole;

wherein the second through-holes have a longitudinal length of about 1.4 times as long as a longitudinal length of the first through-hole; and

wherein the dielectric waveguide radiates a circular polarized wave.

2. The dielectric waveguide of claim 1, wherein the second through-holes are disposed away from the center of the first through-hole by a distance less than a half of the wavelength of a frequency to be used.

3. The dielectric waveguide of claim 1, wherein the via hole has a longitudinal length larger than a longitudinal length of the slot, and the first through-hole has a longitudinal length larger than the longitudinal length of the via hole.