US 4,539,534 AGranted

Square conductor coaxial coupler

AssigneeHughes Aircraft Company

InventorsThomas Hudspeth, Richard V. Basil, Jr., Harmon H. Keeling

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Abstract

A hybrid coupler is of the type known as a transverse electromagnetic mode, coupled transmission line coupler. The hybrid coupler is formed within a plate of metal by milling out channels of square cross-sections therein. The walls of the channels serve as outer conductors of coaxial lines, there being inner conductors of square cross-section positioned within the channel. A diagonally disposed window crosses the intersection of the ports and includes a separator. The central conductors of the respective coaxial lines are joined by diagonally disposed segments of inner conductor such that each pair of coaxial lines is so joined. Each pair of lines provides a pair of ports. The line segments are spaced apart by a spring-loaded separator for rigidly maintaining a coupling distance.

Claims9

Dependent claims

The microwave coupler comprising:

(a) a set of ports, each of said ports being formed of coaxial transmission lines having inner and outer conductors of rectangular shape cross-section;
(b) pairs of said ports being joined by transmission line segments having inner and outer conductors;
(c) a dielectric frame located between said inner conductors of said transmission line segments for separating said inner conductors by a fixed distance preselected to permit coupling of microwave energy between said segments;
(d) at least one electrically conductive spring disposed in an outer conductor of at least one of said line segments at a site of minimal electric field strength;
and
(e) means connecting said at least one spring with the inner conductor of one of said line segments for urging together said inner conductors of said line segments against said dielectric frame for maintaining said distance.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.