Waveguide device and antenna array

• US 10,594,045 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2018
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nidec Corporation, Wgr Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nidec Corporation
• Inventors: Kirino, Hideki, Kamo, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Baltzell, Andrea Lindgren
• Application Number:
  US16/150,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20190036230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 343786
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/123 with a complex or stepped cross-section, e.g. ridged or grooved waveguides H01P3/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/10 for coupling balanced lines or devices with unbalanced lines or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 5/12 Coupling devices having more than two ports H01P5/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/02 Waveguide horns
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/0283 Apparatus or processes specially provided for manufacturing horns
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/10 Resonant slot antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0006 Particular feeding systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/06 Arrays of individually energised antenna units similarly polarised and spaced apart
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/064 using horn or slot aerials slotted waveguides arrays H01Q21/005

Abstract

An antenna array according to an embodiment includes a conductive member having a first and second slots adjacent to each other. The conductive surface on a front side of the conductive member is shaped so as to define a first and second horns respectively communicating with the first and second slots. The respective E planes of slots are on the same plane, or on a plurality of planes which are substantially parallel to each other. In an E-plane cross section of the first horn, a length from one of two intersections between the E plane and an edge of the first slot to one of two intersections between the E plane and an edge of the aperture plane of the first horn is longer than a length from the other intersection between the E plane and the edge of the first slot to the other intersection between the E plane and the edge of the aperture plane of the first horn, the lengths extending along an inner wall surface of the first horn.

Claims

1. A waveguide device comprising:

a first electrically conductive member having a first electrically conductive surface on a front side and a second electrically conductive surface on a rear side;

a waveguide member provided at the rear side of the first electrically conductive member, the waveguide member having an electrically-conductive waveguide face of a stripe shape that opposes the second electrically conductive surface, the waveguide member extending in a manner of following along the second electrically conductive surface;

a second electrically conductive member provided at the rear side of the first electrically conductive member, the second electrically conductive member supporting the waveguide member, the second electrically conductive member having a third electrically conductive surface on the front side that opposes the second electrically conductive surface, and a fourth electrically conductive surface on the rear side; and

an artificial magnetic conductor extending on both sides of the waveguide member, the artificial magnetic conductor being provided on at least one of the second electrically conductive surface and the third electrically conductive surface, wherein,

the second electrically conductive surface, the waveguide face, and the artificial magnetic conductor define a waveguide extending in a gap between the second electrically conductive surface and the waveguide face;

the second electrically conductive member includes

a port at a position adjacent to one end of the waveguide member, the port communicating from the fourth electrically conductive surface to the waveguide, and

a choke structure at a position opposing the one end of the waveguide member via the port;

the choke structure includes an electrically-conductive ridge at a position adjacent to the port and includes one or more electrically conductive rods provided on the third electrically conductive surface with a gap from a farther end of the ridge from the port; and

when an electromagnetic wave propagating in the waveguide has a central wavelength λ

0 in free space, the ridge has a length equal to or greater than λ

0/16 and less than λ

0/4 in a direction along the waveguide.

2. The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein,

the waveguide member includes a gap enlargement at a site adjacent to the port;

and

a distance between the gap enlargement and the second electrically conductive surface is larger than a distance between the second electrically conductive surface and a site of the waveguide member adjoining the gap enlargement on the opposite side from the port.

3. The waveguide device of claim 2, wherein the waveguide member has a slope at the gap enlargement.

4. The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein,

the ridge includes a first portion adjacent to the port and a second portion adjacent to the first portion;

and

a distance between the first portion and the second electrically conductive surface is longer than a distance between the second portion and the second electrically conductive surface.

5. The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein,

the waveguide member includes a gap enlargement at a site adjacent to the port;

a distance between the gap enlargement and the second electrically conductive surface is larger than a distance between the second electrically conductive surface and a site of the waveguide member adjoining the gap enlargement on the opposite side from the port;

the ridge includes a first portion adjacent to the port and a second portion adjacent to the first portion; and

a distance between the first portion and the second electrically conductive surface is longer than a distance between the second portion and the second electrically conductive surface.

6. The waveguide device of claim 4, wherein the ridge of the choke structure has a slope at the first portion.

7. The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein,

the waveguide member includes a gap enlargement at a site adjacent to the port;

a distance between the gap enlargement and the second electrically conductive surface is larger than a distance between the second electrically conductive surface and a site of the waveguide member adjoining the gap enlargement on the opposite side from the port;

the ridge includes a first portion adjacent to the port and a second portion adjacent to the first portion;

a distance between the first portion and the second electrically conductive surface is longer than a distance between the second portion and the second electrically conductive surface; and

the ridge of the choke structure has a slope at the first portion.

8. A waveguide device comprising:

a first electrically conductive member having a first electrically conductive surface on a front side and a second electrically conductive surface on a rear side;

a waveguide member provided at the rear side of the first electrically conductive member, the waveguide member having an electrically-conductive waveguide face of a stripe shape that opposes the second electrically conductive surface, the waveguide member extending in a manner of following along the second electrically conductive surface;

a second electrically conductive member provided at the rear side of the first electrically conductive member, the second electrically conductive member supporting the waveguide member, the second electrically conductive member having a third electrically conductive surface on the front side that opposes the second electrically conductive surface, and a fourth electrically conductive surface on the rear side; and

an artificial magnetic conductor extending on both sides of the waveguide member, the artificial magnetic conductor being provided on at least one of the second electrically conductive surface and the third electrically conductive surface, wherein,

the second electrically conductive surface, the waveguide face, and the artificial magnetic conductor define a waveguide extending in a gap between the second electrically conductive surface and the waveguide face;

the first electrically conductive member includes a port provided at a position opposing a portion of the waveguide face adjacent to one end of the waveguide member, the port communicating from the first electrically conductive surface to the second electrically conductive surface;

the second electrically conductive member includes a choke structure in a region containing the one end of the waveguide member;

the choke structure comprises a waveguide member end portion and one or more electrically conductive rods, the waveguide member end portion spanning from an edge of an opening of the port to an edge of the one end of the waveguide member as projected onto the waveguide face, the one or more electrically conductive rods being provided on the third electrically conductive surface with a gap from the one end of the waveguide member; and

when an electromagnetic wave propagating in the waveguide has a central wavelength λ

0 in free space, the waveguide member end portion has a length equal to or greater than λ

0/16 and less than λ

0/4 in a direction along the waveguide.

9. The waveguide device of claim 8, wherein,

the second electrically conductive surface of the first electrically conductive member includes a gap enlargement at a site adjacent to the port on a farther side from the choke structure;

and

a distance between the gap enlargement and the waveguide face is longer than a distance between the waveguide face and a site of the second electrically conductive surface adjacent to the gap enlargement on an opposite side from the port.

10. The waveguide device of claim 8, wherein,

the second electrically conductive surface of the first electrically conductive member includes a gap enlargement at a site adjacent to the port on a farther side from the choke structure;

a distance between the gap enlargement and the waveguide face is longer than a distance between the waveguide face and a site of the second electrically conductive surface adjacent to the gap enlargement on an opposite side from the port; and

the first electrically conductive member has a slope at the gap enlargement.

11. A waveguide device comprising:

a first electrically conductive member having a first electrically conductive surface on a front side and a second electrically conductive surface on a rear side;

a waveguide member provided at the rear side of the first electrically conductive member, the waveguide member having an electrically-conductive waveguide face of a stripe shape that opposes the second electrically conductive surface, the waveguide member extending in a manner of following along the second electrically conductive surface;

a second electrically conductive member provided at the rear side of the first electrically conductive member, the second electrically conductive member supporting the waveguide member, the second electrically conductive member having a third electrically conductive surface on the front side that opposes the second electrically conductive surface, and a fourth electrically conductive surface on the rear side; and

an artificial magnetic conductor extending on both sides of the waveguide member, the artificial magnetic conductor being provided on at least one of the second electrically conductive surface and the third electrically conductive surface, wherein,

the second electrically conductive surface, the waveguide face, and the artificial magnetic conductor define a waveguide extending in a gap between the second electrically conductive surface and the waveguide face;

the second electrically conductive member includes

a port at a position adjacent to one end of the waveguide member, the port communicating from the fourth electrically conductive surface to the waveguide, and

a choke structure at a position opposing the one end of the waveguide member via the port;

the choke structure includes an electrically-conductive ridge at a position adjacent to the port and includes one or more electrically conductive rods provided on the third electrically conductive surface with a gap from a farther end of the ridge from the port;

the ridge includes a first portion adjacent to the port and a second portion adjacent to the first portion; and

a distance between the first portion and the second electrically conductive surface is longer than a distance between the second portion and the second electrically conductive surface.

12. The waveguide device of claim 11, wherein,

the waveguide member includes a gap enlargement at a site adjacent to the port;

and

a distance between the gap enlargement and the second electrically conductive surface is larger than a distance between the second electrically conductive surface and a site of the waveguide member adjoining the gap enlargement on the opposite side from the port.

13. The waveguide device of claim 11, wherein,

the waveguide member includes a gap enlargement at a site adjacent to the port;

a distance between the gap enlargement and the second electrically conductive surface is larger than a distance between the second electrically conductive surface and a site of the waveguide member adjoining the gap enlargement on the opposite side from the port; and

the waveguide member has a slope at the gap enlargement.

14. The waveguide device of claim 11, wherein the ridge of the choke structure has a slope at the first portion.

15. The waveguide device of claim 11, wherein,

the waveguide member includes a gap enlargement at a site adjacent to the port;

a distance between the gap enlargement and the second electrically conductive surface is larger than a distance between the second electrically conductive surface and a site of the waveguide member adjoining the gap enlargement on the opposite side from the port.

16. A waveguide device comprising:

a first electrically conductive member having a first electrically conductive surface on a front side and a second electrically conductive surface on a rear side;

a waveguide member provided at the rear side of the first electrically conductive member, the waveguide member having an electrically-conductive waveguide face of a stripe shape that opposes the second electrically conductive surface, the waveguide member extending in a manner of following along the second electrically conductive surface;

a second electrically conductive member provided at the rear side of the first electrically conductive member, the second electrically conductive member supporting the waveguide member, the second electrically conductive member having a third electrically conductive surface on the front side that opposes the second electrically conductive surface, and a fourth electrically conductive surface on the rear side; and

an artificial magnetic conductor extending on both sides of the waveguide member, the artificial magnetic conductor being provided on at least one of the second electrically conductive surface and the third electrically conductive surface, wherein,

the second electrically conductive surface, the waveguide face, and the artificial magnetic conductor define a waveguide extending in a gap between the second electrically conductive surface and the waveguide face;

the first electrically conductive member includes a port provided at a position opposing a portion of the waveguide face adjacent to one end of the waveguide member, the port communicating from the first electrically conductive surface to the second electrically conductive surface;

the second electrically conductive member includes a choke structure in a region containing the one end of the waveguide member;

the choke structure comprises a waveguide member end portion and one or more electrically conductive rods, the waveguide member end portion spanning from an edge of an opening of the port to an edge of the one end of the waveguide member as projected onto the waveguide face, the one or more electrically conductive rods being provided on the third electrically conductive surface with a gap from the one end of the waveguide member;

at a site opposing the waveguide member end portion, the second electrically conductive surface of the first electrically conductive member includes a first portion adjacent to the port and a second portion adjacent to the first portion; and

a distance between the first portion and the waveguide face is longer than a distance between the second portion and the waveguide face.

17. The waveguide device of claim 16, wherein,

the second electrically conductive surface of the first electrically conductive member includes a gap enlargement at a site adjacent to the port on a farther side from the choke structure;

and

a distance between the gap enlargement and the waveguide face is longer than a distance between the waveguide face and a site of the second electrically conductive surface adjacent to the gap enlargement on an opposite side from the port.

18. The waveguide device of claim 16, wherein,

the second electrically conductive surface of the first electrically conductive member includes a gap enlargement at a site adjacent to the port on a farther side from the choke structure;

a distance between the gap enlargement and the waveguide face is longer than a distance between the waveguide face and a site of the second electrically conductive surface adjacent to the gap enlargement on an opposite side from the port; and

the first electrically conductive member has a slope at the gap enlargement.

19. The waveguide device of claim 16, wherein the waveguide member has a slope at the one end.

20. The waveguide device of claim 16, wherein,

the second electrically conductive surface of the first electrically conductive member includes a gap enlargement at a site adjacent to the port on a farther side from the choke structure;

a distance between the gap enlargement and the waveguide face is longer than a distance between the waveguide face and a site of the second electrically conductive surface adjacent to the gap enlargement on an opposite side from the port; and

the waveguide member has a slope at the one end.