Patch antenna

• US 9,960,493 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2015
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: City University of Hong Kong
• Original Assignee: City University of Hong Kong
• Inventors: Luk, Kwai-Man, Li, Yujian
• Primary Examiner(s): Levi, Dameon E
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOTTER, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US14/808,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20170025760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 343720
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0457 electromagnetically coupled to the feed line

Abstract

A patch antenna is presented herein. The patch antenna can include a substrate layer, a dielectric layer and a conductive layer. The substrate layer can include a hollow thermoplastic structure. The dielectric layer can be attached to a surface of the substrate layer. Furthermore, the dielectric layer can include a thermoplastic structure filled with a fluid. The conductive layer can be associated with another surface of the substrate layer.

Claims

1. A patch antenna, comprising:

a substrate layer that comprises a first thermoplastic structure that comprises a first cavity filled with air, wherein the first cavity contains a feeding probe for the patch antenna;

a dielectric layer that is attached to a first surface of the substrate layer and comprises a second thermoplastic structure that comprises a second cavity filled with a nonmetal fluid; and

a conductive layer that is attached to a second surface of the substrate layer and the feeding probe contained within the first cavity filled with the air.

2. The patch antenna of claim 1, wherein the second thermoplastic structure that comprises the second cavity filled with the nonmetal fluid is smaller than the first thermoplastic structure that comprises the first cavity filled with the air.

3. The patch antenna of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is electrically coupled to the feeding probe.

4. The patch antenna of claim 1, wherein a communication connector is mounted to the feeding probe.

5. The patch antenna of claim 1, wherein the feeding probe is L-shaped.

6. The patch antenna of claim 1, wherein the feeding probe is T-shaped.

7. The patch antenna of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer comprises a coupling aperture.

8. The patch antenna of claim 1, wherein the substrate layer is a first substrate layer, and wherein the conductive layer is electrically coupled to a second substrate layer that comprises a microstrip transmission line.

9. The patch antenna of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer is electrically coupled to the feeding probe, and wherein the feeding probe is inserted into the dielectric layer.

10. The patch antenna of claim 1, wherein the substrate layer is square-shaped and the dielectric layer is a different shape.

11. The patch antenna of claim 1, wherein the nonmetal fluid comprises water, methanol, alcohol or glycerin.

12. The patch antenna of claim 1, wherein the first thermoplastic structure and the second thermoplastic structure are transparent.

13. The patch antenna of claim 1, wherein the substrate layer and the conductive layer are mounted to a set of solar cells.

14. A device, comprising:

an antenna that comprises a fluid layer, a metallic layer attached to a feeding probe, and a substrate layer between the fluid layer and the metallic layer, wherein the substrate layer comprises a first thermoplastic structure that comprises a first cavity filled with air, wherein the first cavity contains a feeding probe for the antenna, wherein the fluid layer comprises a second thermoplastic structure that comprises a second cavity filled with a nonmetal fluid, and wherein the metallic layer is attached to the feeding probe; and

a set of solar cells attached to the metallic layer and the substrate layer.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the substrate layer comprises a larger surface area than the fluid layer.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the first thermoplastic structure and the second thermoplastic structure are transparent thermoplastic structures.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the fluid layer comprises a different shape than the substrate layer.

18. An antenna system, comprising:

a first thermoplastic structure that comprises a first cavity filled with a nonmetal fluid;

a second thermoplastic structure that comprises a second cavity filled with air and supports the first thermoplastic structure via a first surface, wherein the second cavity contains a feeding probe for the antenna system; and

a conductive ground plane attached to the feeding probe and a second surface of the second thermoplastic structure.

19. The antenna system of claim 18, wherein a portion of the first surface is attached to the first thermoplastic structure.

20. The antenna system of claim 18, wherein the feeding probe is electrically coupled to the conductive ground plane.