Waveguides and waveguide sensors with signal-improving grooves and/or slots
AssigneeVeoneer US, Inc.
InventorsScott B. Doyle, Angelos Alexanian, Konstantinos Konstantinidis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Waveguide and/or antenna structures for use in RADAR sensor assemblies and the like. In some embodiments, the assembly may comprise a waveguide block comprising a first surface on a first side of the waveguide block and a second surface on a second side of the waveguide block opposite the first side. One or more waveguides may be formed in the waveguide block. One or more antenna slots may be operably coupled with one or more of the waveguides. One or more auxiliary grooves may be positioned adjacent to at least one of the antenna slots and may mimic, or at least substantially mimic, at least one of the one or more antenna slots, such as in length and/or width.
Claims20
An antenna module, comprising:
- a waveguide block comprising a first surface on a first side of the waveguide block and a second surface on a second side of the waveguide block opposite the first side;
- one or more waveguides at least partially formed along the first surface of the waveguide block;
- one or more antenna slots, wherein each of the one or more antenna slots is operably coupled with a waveguide of the one or more waveguides, and wherein each of the one or more antenna slots extends through the waveguide block between the first and second sides of the waveguide block;
- and
- one or more auxiliary grooves, wherein each of the one or more auxiliary grooves is positioned adjacent to at least one of the one or more antenna slots, wherein each of the one or more auxiliary grooves at least substantially mimics at least one of the one or more antenna slots in both length and width.
An antenna assembly, comprising:
- a waveguide;
- and
- an antenna structure operably coupled with the waveguide, wherein the antenna structure comprises:
- an antenna slot array comprising one or more antenna slots extending between opposing surfaces of a unitary structure of the antenna assembly;
- a first auxiliary groove positioned at a first end of the antenna slot array, wherein the first auxiliary groove extends into the unitary structure without extending entirely through the unitary structure;
- and
- an auxiliary groove array comprising one or more auxiliary grooves, wherein each auxiliary groove of the auxiliary groove array differs in at least one of length and width relative to the first auxiliary groove.
An antenna assembly, comprising:
- a first antenna array comprising one or more elongated antenna slots each extending along an elongated axis, wherein each elongated antenna slot of the first antenna array is positioned and configured to deliver electromagnetic radiation therethrough, and wherein each elongated antenna slot of at least a subset of the one or more elongated antenna slots of the first antenna array intermittently oscillates on opposite sides of its respective elongated axis along at least a portion of its respective elongated axis;
- and
- an elongated groove positioned adjacent to at least one of the one or more elongated slots and extending along an elongated axis, wherein the elongated groove intermittently oscillates on opposite sides of its elongated axis along at least a portion of its elongated axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.