Single or dual polarized molded dipole antenna having integrated feed structure

• US 20030222830A1
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Radio Frequency Systems Incorporated (Amphenol Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Radio Frequency Systems Incorporated (Amphenol Corporation)
• Inventors: Deblonde, Erie, Harel, Jean-Pierre, Cojean, Nicolas, Colleter, David
• Granted Patent: US 6,747,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/797
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/062 using dipole aerials; H01Q21/067, H01Q21/068 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• 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: H01Q 9/44 with a plurality of divergent straight elements, e.g. V-dipole, X-antenna; with a plurality of elements having mutually inclined substantially straight portions combinations of two or more active elements H01Q21/00; turnstile antennas H01Q21/26

Abstract

A polarized antenna for sending and receiving polarized radio frequency signals is disclosed which includes a dipole and a reflector plate. The dipole is formed as a single part including the radiating arms and feeding structures, thereby requiring minimum assembly. This dipole can be formed by molding conventional materials, such as copper, aluminum, and plastic, which can then be plated. The feeding structure through which the cable passes features a slotted aperture. The impedance of the dipole is based on the width of these apertures and the size of the cable conductor. By having a single-body construction, the dipole of the present invention provides, good impedance, low intermodulation distortion, good port-to-port isolation, and good pattern purity.

Claims

1. A polarized antenna comprising:

at least one dipole having a base portion and a plurality of radiating arms extending therefrom, wherein said dipole is a unitary structure; and

a reflector plate to which the base portion is attached, said reflector plate being a ground plane and reflecting polarized radio frequency signals.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein said dipole is a molded dipole.

3. The antenna of claim 2, wherein said dipole is made of plastic, aluminum, brass, or zamak.

4. The antenna of claim 3, wherein said dipole is covered at least partially with a plating material that can be soldered.

5. The antenna of claim 1, wherein said plurality of radiating arms are divided into two sets including a first set and a second set respectively having a first polarization and a second polarization corresponding to two polarizations of said dipole.

6. The antenna of claim 5, wherein each of said first and second sets of arms includes two pairs of arms arranged in a V-shape and having a vertex portion.

7. The antenna of claim 6, wherein a first pair of said arms has a first slot at said vertex portion and a second pair of said arms has a second slot at said vertex portion for receiving a feed cable, said first slot receiving a cable center conductor and said second slot receiving an insulating jacket of said feed cable.

8. The antenna of claim 1, wherein said dipole has a feeding structure located therein, said feeding structure having an aperture of width m, and wherein said dipole has a feed hole in said base portion of the dipole through which a feed cable can pass into said feeding structure, said hole having a diameter D, and wherein said cable has a center conductor with a diameter d.

9. The antenna of claim 8 wherein the impedance of the dipole is a function of the the center conductor diameter d and the diameter D of said feed hole.

10. The antenna of claim 8 wherein said feeding structure has a radius h and the aperture width m is less than the diameter 2h of said feeding structure.

11. The antenna of claim 10 wherein the impedance of the dipole is a function of the center conductor diameter d and the radius h of said feeding structure.

12. The antenna of claim 1 further comprising an insulating separator located between said arms.

13. A method of manufacturing a dipole for use in a polarized antenna, comprising;

forming a dipole body as a single piece, said dipole body having a base portion and a plurality of radiating arms extending therefrom.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said plurality of radiating arms are divided into two sets including a first set and a second set respectively having a first polarization and a second polarization corresponding to two polarizations of said dipole.

15. The antenna of claim 14, wherein each of said first and second sets of arms includes two pairs of arms arranged in a V-shape and having a vertex portion, wherein said vertex portion of said first set has a first slot and said vertex portion of said second set has a second slot, said second slot being smaller than said first slot.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said dipole has a feeding structure located therein, said feeding structure having an aperture of width m, and wherein said dipole has a feed hole in said base portion of the dipole through which a feed cable can pass into said feeding structure, said hole having a diameter D, and wherein said cable has a center conductor with a diameter d.

17. The method of manufacturing a dipole of claim 13, wherein said dipole body is molded.

18. The method of manufacturing a dipole of claim 17, wherein said dipole body is molded of plastic, aluminum, or zamak.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of covering at least part of the molded dipole body with a metallic material.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising an insulating separator located between said arms.