US 2002/0153976 A1Published application

Short coaxial transmission line and method for use thereof

AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation

InventorBrian Alan Pluymers

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Abstract

An arrangement for interconnecting RF ports on mutually parallel printed-circuit boards includes an arrangement of a ladder-shaped conductive foil or thin plate rolled to make a cylindrical inner conductor, and another arrangement of a ladder-shaped conductive foil rolled to make an outer conductor, with the ladder “rungs” being parallel to the axis of the interconnection. The rungs are long slender columns, which deflect laterally or “bulge” in response to axial forces. The inner and outer conductors are spaced apart by a dielectric solid material, preferably elastomeric.

Claims12

Dependent claims

An assemblage, comprising:

a first stripline board including first and second ground planes, and a circuit trace lying between said first and second ground planes, said first ground plane defining a circular first electromagnetic coupling aperture, a conductive center trace lying at the center of said first coupling aperture, to thereby define, in cross-section, a first coaxial transmission line, said center trace of said first electromagnetic coupling aperture connecting by way of a plated-through via to an end of said circuit trace of said first stripline board;
a second stripline board including first and second ground planes, and a circuit trace lying between said first and second ground planes of said second stripline board, said first ground plane of said second stripline board defining a circular second electromagnetic coupling aperture and a conductive center trace at the center of said second electromagnetic coupling aperture, to thereby define, in cross-section, a second coaxial transmission line essentially identical to said first coaxial transmission line, said center trace of said second electromagnetic coupling aperture connecting by way of a plated-through via to an end of said circuit trace of said second stripline board;
a separator defining two parallel planar surfaces spaced from each other by a predetermined distance, said separator defining a circular through aperture extending between said parallel planar surfaces, said through aperture being larger in diameter than said first and second electromagnetic coupling apertures, said separator being physically fastened to said first and second stripline boards so that said through aperture is concentric with said first and second electromagnetic coupling apertures;
and
an axially compliant third coaxial transmission line insert including a center conductor coaxial with an outer conductor, at least one of said center conductor and said outer conductor of said third coaxial transmission line being in the form of a conductive ladder-shaped spring structure defining a plurality of rungs lying between elongated parallel members, which elongated members are formed into circles so that said rungs lie generally parallel with each other and with said axis of the other one of said center conductor and said outer conductor, said axially compliant third coaxial transmission line lying within said through aperture with a first end of said center conductor abutting said center trace of said first coaxial transmission line and a second end of said center conductor abutting said center trace of said second coaxial transmission line, and with a first end of said outer conductor of said coaxial third transmission line abutting said first ground plane of said first stripline board in a region surrounding said through aperture of said first stripline board, and with a second end of said outer conductor of said coaxial third transmission line abutting said first ground plane of said second stripline board in a region surrounding said through aperture of said second stripline board.

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A method for interconnecting transmission paths defined on the surface of first and second separated stripline boards, where said transmission paths are in the form of a circular aperture and a conductive central trace defined in a conductive ground plane of the associated stripline board, said method comprising the steps of:

forming a first electrically conductive planar ladder-shaped spring structure defining two elongated parallel elements and a plurality of rungs extending therebetween into a tube-like form defined about an axis, so that said rungs lie parallel with said axis, to thereby define a center conductor having a nominal diameter;
forming a second electrically conductive planar ladder-shaped spring structure defining two elongated parallel elements and a plurality of rungs extending therebetween into a tube-like form defined about an axis, so that said rungs lie parallel with said axis, to thereby define an outer conductor having a nominal diameter greater than said nominal diameter of said center conductor;
placing said center conductor coaxially within said outer conductor to thereby form a coaxial transmission line;
juxtaposing said first and second stripline boards with said circular apertures facing each other, and with said center and outer conductors of one end of said coaxial transmission line abutting said central trace and that portion of said ground plane surrounding said circular aperture, respectively, of said transmission path of said first stripline board, and with said center and outer conductors of the other end of said coaxial transmission line abutting said central trace and that portion of said ground plane surrounding said circular aperture, respectively, of said transmission path of said second stripline board, to thereby establish a coaxial transmission path between said transmission paths of said first and second stripline boards;
and
fastening said first and second stripline boards to each other with said coaxial transmission path in place.

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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

An assemblage, comprising:

a first stripline board including first and second ground planes, and a circuit trace lying between said first and second ground planes, said first ground plane defining a circular first electromagnetic coupling aperture, a conductive center trace lying at the center of said first coupling aperture, to thereby define, in cross-section, a first coaxial transmission line, said center trace of said first electromagnetic coupling aperture connecting by way of a plated-through via to an end of said circuit trace of said first stripline board;
a second stripline board including first and second ground planes, and a circuit trace lying between said first and second ground planes of said second stripline board, said first ground plane of said second stripline board defining a circular second electromagnetic coupling aperture and a conductive center trace at the center of said second electromagnetic coupling aperture, to thereby define, in cross-section, a second coaxial transmission line essentially identical to said first coaxial transmission line, said center trace of said second electromagnetic coupling aperture connecting by way of a plated-through via to an end of said circuit trace of said second stripline board;
a separator defining two parallel planar surfaces spaced from each other by a predetermined distance, said separator defining a circular through aperture extending between said parallel planar surfaces, said through aperture being larger in diameter than said first and second electromagnetic coupling apertures, said separator being physically fastened to said first and second stripline boards so that said through aperture is concentric with said first and second electromagnetic coupling apertures;
and
an axially compliant third coaxial transmission line insert including a center conductor coaxial with an outer conductor, at least one of said center conductor and said outer conductor of said third coaxial transmission line being in the form of a conductive ladder-shaped spring structure defining a plurality of rungs lying between elongated parallel members, which elongated members are formed into circles so that said rungs lie generally parallel with each other and with said axis of the other one of said center conductor and said outer conductor, said axially compliant third coaxial transmission line lying within said through aperture with a first end of said center conductor abutting said center trace of said first coaxial transmission line and a second end of said center conductor abutting said center trace of said second coaxial transmission line, and with a first end of said outer conductor of said coaxial third transmission line abutting said first ground plane of said first stripline board in a region surrounding said through aperture of said first stripline board, and with a second end of said outer conductor of said coaxial third transmission line abutting said first ground plane of said second stripline board in a region surrounding said through aperture of said second stripline board.

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