Plural layer co-planar waveguide coupling system for feeding a patch radiator array

An antenna system comprising:

• a first electrically-conductive sheet;
• a second electrically-conductive sheet;
• means for supporting said second sheet parallel to said first sheet and spaced apart therefrom;
• an array of radiators;
• means for positioning said array of radiators in spaced-apart relation from said second sheet, said second sheet being located between said radiators and said first sheet;
• a plurality of crossovers for transferring electromagnetic power from said first sheet to said second sheet, wherein each of said crossovers comprises a first coupler and a second coupler, each of said couplers comprising:
• a first coplanar transmission line disposed in said first sheet, a portion of said first transmission line being formed as a first coupling pad;
• a second coplanar transmission line disposed in said second sheet, a portion of said second transmission line being formed as a second coupling pad, and wherein each of said transmission lines has a first end and a second end, and each of said transmission lines is a coplanar waveguide formed as a pair of slots within a corresponding conductive sheet, the pair of slots being spaced apart to define a central strip conductor therebetween;
• a plurality of coupling elements disposed within said second sheet and connected to corresponding ones of said crossovers for coupling electromagnetic power between said corresponding ones of said crossovers and respective ones of said radiators;
• power distribution means disposed at least in part on said first sheet and connected to each of said crossovers, said second sheet shielding said radiators from said power distribution means;
• in each of said transmission lines, said coupling pad is formed as a widened portion of the strip conductor, and each slot has a widened portion contiguous the pad;
• in each of said couplers, said first pad is disposed in corresponding registration with said second pad for coupling electromagnetic power betweeen said first and said second transmission lines;
• each of said pads has a first and a second end, and extends in a longitudinal direction along a corresponding transmission line from the first end of the pad to the second end of the pad, and each of said pads has opposed sides extending in the longitudinal direction from the first end of the pad to the second end of the pad, the sides and the ends of said first pad being in registration with the sides and the ends respectively of said second pad;
• said first end of said first transmission line of said first coupler serves as an input port of said crossover and is connected to said power distribution means;
• said first end of said second transmission line of said first coupler is terminated in a matched load;
• said second end of said first transmission line of said first coupler is connected to said first end of said first transmission line of said second coupler;
• said second end of said second transmission line of said first coupler is connected to said first end of said second transmission line of said second coupler;
• said second end of said first transmission line of said second coupler is terminated in a matched load;
• and
• said second end of said second transmission line of said second coupler serves as an output port of said crossover, and is connected to a corresponding coupling element for transferring power from said distribution means past said second sheet to a corresponding radiator of said array of radiators.