# US 10,122,063 B2 · Method of making a low mass foam electrical structure

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- Number: US 10,122,063 B2
- Document ID: US10122063B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/013,551
- Filed: 2016-02-02
- Published: 2016-05-26
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-09
- Assignees: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
- Applicants: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
- Inventors: Steven J. Mass; Anthony L. Long; Mansoor K. Siddiqui; Marijan D. Grgas; Gershon Akerling
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122063B2

## CPC

- H01P 11/006: {Manufacturing dielectric waveguides}
- H01P 3/06: Coaxial lines
- H01P 3/08: Microstrips; Strip lines
- H01P 3/087: {Suspended triplate lines}
- H01P 3/12: Hollow waveguides (H01P3/20 takes precedence)
- H01P 3/121: {integrated in a substrate}
- H01P 11/001: {Manufacturing waveguides or transmission lines of the waveguide type}
- H01P 11/002: {Manufacturing hollow waveguides}
- C04B 35/6269: {Curing of mixtures}
- H01B 3/30: plastics; resins; waxes
- H01P 3/085: {Triplate lines}
- Y10T 29/49016: Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
- Y10T 29/49018: with other electrical component
- H01P: WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE (operating at optical frequencies G02B)
- C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
- H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K})
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A method of making an electrical structure having a foam housing is set forth. The foam housing includes an interior surface forming a conductive cavity adapted to carry energized waveforms therethrough. An electrical component of the electrical structure is integrally formed with the interior surface as the foam housing of the structure is assembled. The method includes the steps of depositing a plating material into a mold, pouring a foam polymer into the mold and removing the plated foam structure from the mold without etching the section from the mold. The method further includes steps of forming a metallic form into a planar structure, filling the open pores of the foam with a material such as photo-resist, machining a cavity from the foam, electroplating the cavity in the foam then removing the photo-resist material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a low mass radio frequency (RF) transmission line structure comprising the steps of:
forming a first mold of a first housing section, said first mold further comprising at least a first cavity, said first cavity forming half of the RF transmission line structure;
forming a second mold of a second housing section, said second mold further comprising at least a second cavity, said second cavity forming half of the RF transmission line structure;
depositing a metallic plating material into the first and second molds to form first and second plated molds;
pouring a polymer foam into the first and second plated molds to form the first and second housing sections of the RF transmission line structure;
removing the first and second housing sections from the first and second plated molds without etching the structures from the first and second plated molds;
locating a printed circuit board comprising an electrical component between the first and second housing sections; and
coupling a first side of the first housing section to a first side of the second housing section so that the first and second cavities are aligned and form the RF transmission line structure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second plated molds further comprise a stainless steel mold.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the plating material is selected from the group consisting of silver, copper, and gold.