# US 10,320,083 B2 · Waveguide device and antenna device including the waveguide device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,320,083 B2 - Document ID: US10320083B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/010,784 - Filed: 2018-06-18 - Published: 2018-10-25 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-15 - Assignees: Nidec Corporation; Wgr Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Nidec Corporation; WGR Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hideki Kirino; Hiroyuki Kamo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10320083B2 ## CPC - H01Q 13/16: Folded slot antennas - H01P 3/00: Waveguides; Transmission lines of the waveguide type - H01Q 11/14: with parts bent, folded, shaped or screened or with phasing impedances, to obtain desired phase relation of radiation from selected sections of the antenna or to obtain desired polarisation effect (H01Q11/20 takes precedence) - H01Q 21/0006: {Particular feeding systems} - H01Q 21/064: {using horn or slot aerials (slotted waveguides arrays H01Q21/005)} - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) - H01P: WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE (operating at optical frequencies G02B) ## Abstract A waveguide device includes: a first conductive member having an electrically conductive surface; a second conductive member having a plurality of electrically conductive rods arrayed thereon, each conductive rod having a leading end opposing the conductive surface; and a waveguide member having an electrically conductive waveguide face opposing the conductive surface, the waveguide member being disposed among the conductive rods and extending along the conductive surface. The waveguide member includes at least one of a bend and a branching portion. A measure of an outer shape of a cross section of at least one of the plurality of conductive rods that is adjacent to the bend or the branching portion, taken perpendicular to an axial direction of the at least one conductive rod, monotonically decreases from a root that is in contact with the second conductive member toward a leading end. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A waveguide device comprising: a first electrically conductive member having an electrically conductive surface which is shaped as a plane or a curved surface; a second electrically conductive member having a plurality of electrically conductive rods arrayed thereon, each electrically conductive rod having a leading end opposing the electrically conductive surface of the first electrically conductive member; and a waveguide member having an electrically conductive waveguide face opposing the electrically conductive surface of the first electrically conductive member, the waveguide member being disposed among the plurality of electrically conductive rods and extending along the electrically conductive surface, wherein: the waveguide member includes at least one of a bend at which the direction that the waveguide member extends changes and a branching portion at which the direction that the waveguide member extends ramifies into two or more directions; a measure of an outer shape of a cross section of at least one of the plurality of electrically conductive rods that is adjacent to the bend or the branch, taken perpendicular to an axial direction of the at least one electrically conductive rod, monotonically decreases from a root that is in contact with the second electrically conductive member toward the leading end; the second electrically conductive member and each of the plurality of electrically conductive rods are composed of a dielectric coated with an electrically conductive material; and the second electrically conductive member and the plurality of electrically conductive rods are connected one another via the electrically conductive material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein at least one electrically conductive rod has one or more side face which is tilted with respect to the axial direction of the electrically conductive rod. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein at least one electrically conductive rod has one or more side face which is tilted with respect to the axial direction of the electrically conductive rod; and the at least one electrically conductive rod has another side face which is not tilted with respect to the axial direction of the electrically conductive rod. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The waveguide device of claim 1, wherein at least one electrically conductive rod has a side face having different tilting angles with respect to an axial direction of the electrically conductive rod between at a leading end and at a root thereof; and the tilting angle at the leading end is smaller than that at the root on a cross-sectional view of the electrically conductive rod along the axial direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The waveguide device of claim 2, wherein at least one electrically conductive rod has a side face having different tilting angles with respect to an axial direction of the electrically conductive rod between at a leading end and at a root thereof; and the tilting angle at the leading end is smaller than that at the root on a cross-sectional view of the electrically conductive rod along the axial direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The waveguide device of claim 3, wherein at least one electrically conductive rod has a side face having different tilting angles with respect to an axial direction of the electrically conductive rod between at a leading end and at a root thereof; and the tilting angle at the leading end is smaller than that at the root on a cross-sectional view of the electrically conductive rod along the axial direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An antenna device comprising: the waveguide device of claim 1; and an antenna element being connected to a waveguide extending between the electrically conductive surface and the waveguide face of the waveguide device to allow an electromagnetic wave having propagated through the waveguide to be emitted into space. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) An antenna device comprising: the waveguide device of claim 3; and an antenna element being connected to a waveguide extending between the electrically conductive surface and the waveguide face of the waveguide device to allow an electromagnetic wave having propagated through the waveguide to be emitted into space. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) An antenna device comprising: the waveguide device of claim 4; and an antenna element being connected to a waveguide extending between the electrically conductive surface and the waveguide face of the waveguide device to allow an electromagnetic wave having propagated through the waveguide to be emitted into space. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) An antenna device comprising: the waveguide device of claim 5; and an antenna element being connected to a waveguide extending between the electrically conductive surface and the waveguide face of the waveguide device to allow an electromagnetic wave having propagated through the waveguide to be emitted into space. ### Claim 11 A waveguide device comprising: a first electrically conductive member having an electrically conductive surface which is shaped as a plane or a curved surface; and a second electrically conductive member having a plurality of electrically conductive rods arrayed thereon, each electrically conductive rod having a leading end opposing the electrically conductive surface of the first electrically conductive member; and a waveguide member having an electrically conductive waveguide face opposing the electrically conductive surface of the first electrically conductive member, the waveguide member being disposed among the plurality of electrically conductive rods and extending along the electrically conductive surface; wherein, the waveguide member includes at least one of a bend at which the direction that the waveguide member extends changes and a branching portion at which the direction that the waveguide member extends ramifies into two or more directions; a measure of an outer shape of a cross section of at least one of the plurality of electrically conductive rods that is adjacent to the bend or the branch, taken perpendicular to an axial direction of the at least one electrically conductive rod, monotonically decreases from a root that is in contact with the second electrically conductive member toward the leading end; an area of a cross section of the at least one electrically conductive rod taken perpendicular to the axial direction is smaller at the leading end than at the root that is in contact with the second electrically conductive member; the second electrically conductive member and each of the plurality of electrically conductive rods are composed of a dielectric coated with an electrically conductive material; and the second electrically conductive member and each of the plurality of electrically conductive rods are connected one another via the electrically conductive material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The waveguide device of claim 11, wherein at least one electrically conductive rod has one or more side face which is tilted with respect to the axial direction of the electrically conductive rod. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The waveguide device of claim 11, wherein at least one electrically conductive rod has one or more side face which is tilted with respect to the axial direction of the electrically conductive rod; and the at least one electrically conductive rod has another side face which is not tilted with respect to the axial direction of the electrically conductive rod. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The waveguide device of claim 11, wherein at least one electrically conductive rod has a side face having different tilting angles with respect to an axial direction of the electrically conductive rod between at a leading end and at a root thereof; and the tilting angle at the leading end is smaller than that at the root on a cross-sectional view of the electrically conductive rod along the axial direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The waveguide device of claim 12, wherein at least one electrically conductive rod has a side face having different tilting angles with respect to an axial direction of the electrically conductive rod between at a leading end and at a root thereof; and the tilting angle at the leading end is smaller than that at the root on a cross-sectional view of the electrically conductive rod along the axial direction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The waveguide device of claim 13, wherein at least one electrically conductive rod has a side face having different tilting angles with respect to an axial direction of the electrically conductive rod between at a leading end and at a root thereof; and the tilting angle at the leading end is smaller than that at the root on a cross-sectional view of the electrically conductive rod along the axial direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) An antenna device comprising: the waveguide device of claim 11; and an antenna element being connected to a waveguide extending between the electrically conductive surface and the waveguide face of the waveguide device to allow an electromagnetic wave having propagated through the waveguide to be emitted into space. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) An antenna device comprising: the waveguide device of claim 13; and an antenna element being connected to a waveguide extending between the electrically conductive surface and the waveguide face of the waveguide device to allow an electromagnetic wave having propagated through the waveguide to be emitted into space. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) An antenna device comprising: the waveguide device of claim 14; and an antenna element being connected to a waveguide extending between the electrically conductive surface and the waveguide face of the waveguide device to allow an electromagnetic wave having propagated through the waveguide to be emitted into space. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) An antenna device comprising: the waveguide device of claim 15; and an antenna element being connected to a waveguide extending between the electrically conductive surface and the waveguide face of the waveguide device to allow an electromagnetic wave having propagated through the waveguide to be emitted into space.