Millimeter wave variable width waveguide scanner
AssigneeMalibu Research Associates, Inc.
InventorsJoel F. Walker, Daniel G. Gonzalez, Gerald E. Pollon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variable width waveguide scanner includes a pair of spaced apart waveguides defined by U-shaped sleeves each having an open end. A U-shaped plunger having spaced apart parallel first and second arms is coupled to the waveguides such that the arms are received by the open ends of the sleeves and are reciprocatingly slidable in the sleeves. A plurality of radiating elements in the form of spaced apart slots are formed in an end wall of each waveguide.
Claims16
A variable width waveguide scanner, which comprises:
- means defining at least one signal propagation waveguide having an end wall, a first broad wall and a second broad wall opposite the first broad wall defining a waveguide cavity, the waveguide cavity being rectangular in cross-section and defined by an a-dimension in a direction parallel with the first and second broad walls and a b-dimension in a direction perpendicular to the a-dimension and in a direction parallel with the end wall;
- means for varying the a-dimension of the waveguide cavity, the a-dimension varying means being operatively coupled to the waveguide, the a-dimension varying means altering the a-dimension of the waveguide cavity in a substantially similar manner along substantially the entire b-dimension of the cavity and along a length of the waveguide;
- and
- a plurality of radiating elements, the radiating elements being in the form of spaced apart slots formed through the thickness of the end wall of the waveguide and communicating with the cavity.
A variable width waveguide scanner, which comprises:
- an elongated housing;
- means defining a pair of spaced apart signal propagation waveguides mounted on the housing, each propagation waveguide being defined with a first non-movable end wall and defining a waveguide cavity, each cavity being rectangular in cross-section and defined with an a-dimension and a b-dimension in a direction perpendicular to the a-dimension and in a direction parallel with the first end wall of the respective waveguide, the waveguide defining means further defining open ends, each open end being disposed opposite a corresponding first end wall;
- means for varying the a-dimension of each waveguide cavity, the a-dimension varying means including a U-shaped plunger having spaced apart parallel first and second arms and a shoulder interconnecting the first and second arms, the first and second arms being received by the open end of the waveguide defining means and being reciprocatingly slidable therein in a direction toward and away from the corresponding first non-movable end wall, each of the first and second arms having a free end defining a movable second end wall of a respective waveguide disposed opposite the first non-movable end wall;
- and
- a plurality of radiating elements, the radiating elements being in the form of spaced apart slots formed in the first non-movable end walls of the propagation waveguides and communicating with the respective cavities thereof.
A method of forming a slotted end wall variable width waveguide scanner, the scanner including a waveguide having a non-movable end wall and first and second broad walls, the second broad wall being opposite to the first broad wall wherein the width of the waveguide measured along the first and second broad walls is selectively altered, means for varying the width of the waveguide, and a plurality of radiating, spaced apart slots formed through the thickness of the end wall of the waveguide, the method comprising the steps of:
- dimensioning the slots formed in the end wall of the waveguide to operate off resonance to maintain a substantially constant impedance of the slots over variations in the width of the waveguide.
A variable width waveguide scanner which comprises:
- means defining at least one signal propagation waveguide having an end wall and defining a waveguide cavity, the cavity being rectangular in cross-section and defined with an a-dimension and a b-dimension in a direction perpendicular to the a-dimension and in a direction parallel with the end wall, the waveguide defining means including a U-shaped sleeve having an open end disposed opposite to the end wall;
- means for varying the a-dimension of the waveguide cavity, the a-dimension varying means being operatively coupled to the waveguide, the a-dimension varying means altering the a-dimension of the waveguide cavity in a substantially similar manner along the length of the waveguide, the a-dimension varying means including a rectangular plunger, the rectangular plunger being received by the open end of the U-shaped sleeve and being reciprocatingly slidable therein in a direction toward and away from the waveguide end wall;
- a plurality of radiating elements, the radiating elements being in the form of spaced apart slots formed through the thickness of the end wall of the waveguide scanner and communicating with the cavity;
- and
- at least one pair of chokes, the chokes being in the form of quarter wave slots formed in the rectangular plunger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.