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US 10,103,417 B2Granted
Waveguide hinge
AssigneeSpace Systems/Loral, Inc.
InventorEvan I. Gomberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Waveguide hinges are provided that allow for a substantially continuous RF waveguide to be formed through the hinge when the hinge elements are in a particular relative rotational configuration with respect to one another; the substantially continuous RF waveguide is not formed when the hinge elements are in various other relative rotational configurations. Such waveguide hinges allow for waveguide elements to be repositioned during periods when RF energy is not being transmitted.
Claims22
An apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
- a first member;
- a second member;
- a first radio-frequency (RF) waveguide portion located within the first member;
- and
- a second RF waveguide portion located within the second member, wherein:
- the first member and the second member are rotatably coupled with one another relative to a rotational axis, thereby forming a hinge, and are transitionable between a first relative rotational configuration and a second relative rotational configuration,
- in the first relative rotational configuration, the first RF waveguide portion and the second RF waveguide portion are aligned with one another to form a substantially continuous first waveguide through the first member and the second member, and
- in the second relative rotational configuration, the first RF waveguide portion and the second RF waveguide portion are not aligned with one another to form the substantially continuous first waveguide through the first member and the second member.
5 more elements
An apparatus comprising;
- a rotary microwave coupling, the rotary microwave coupling including a stator having (a) a first waveguide port and (b) a rotor having a rigid waveguide channel, a distal end of the rigid waveguide channel forming a second waveguide port, wherein the first waveguide port, the waveguide channel, and the second waveguide port are generally disposed in a common plane;
- a first waveguide coupled with the first waveguide port;
- and
- a second waveguide coupled with the second waveguide port, wherein:
- rotation of the rotor results in rotation of the second waveguide with respect to the first waveguide about an axis perpendicular to the common plane,
- the apparatus is transitionable between a first configuration and a second configuration through rotation of the rotor,
- a proximal end of the rigid waveguide channel is, in the first configuration, aligned with the first waveguide port such that the first waveguide, the first waveguide port, the rigid waveguide channel, the second waveguide port, and the second waveguide form a substantially continuous waveguide through the rotary microwave coupling, and
- the proximal end of the rigid waveguide channel is, in the second configuration, misaligned with the first waveguide port such that the first waveguide, the first waveguide port, the rigid waveguide channel, the second waveguide port, and the second waveguide do not form the substantially continuous waveguide through the rotary microwave coupling.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.