Patch dipole array antenna and associated methods

An antenna comprising:

• a substrate comprising a ground plane and a dielectric layer adjacent thereto;
• at least one antenna unit carried by said substrate and comprising
• four adjacent antenna elements arranged in spaced apart relation from one another about a central feed position on said dielectric layer opposite said ground plane, and
• an antenna feed structure comprising four coaxial feed lines, each coaxial feed line comprising an inner conductor and a tubular outer conductor in surrounding relation thereto, said outer conductors having parallel adjacent ends joined together about an axis and connected to said ground plane, the ends of said outer conductors being tapered and arranged so that portions thereof adjacent the axis extend further beyond said ground plane in said dielectric layer and toward said antenna elements, said inner conductors extending outwardly from ends of respective outer conductors and being connected to respective antenna elements adjacent the central feed position.

A method of making an antenna comprising:

• forming a substrate comprising a ground plane and a dielectric layer adjacent thereto;
• providing at least one antenna unit on the substrate by
• arranging four adjacent antenna elements in spaced apart relation from one another about a central feed position on the dielectric layer opposite the ground plane, and
• forming an antenna feed structure comprising four coaxial feed lines, each coaxial feed line comprising an inner conductor and a tubular outer conductor in surrounding relation thereto, the outer conductors having parallel adjacent ends, wherein forming the antenna feed structure further comprises
• joining together the parallel adjacent ends of the outer conductors about an axis,
• connecting the parallel adjacent ends of the outer conductors to the ground plane,
• tapering and arranging the parallel adjacent ends of the outer conductors so that portions thereof adjacent the axis extend further beyond the ground plane in the dielectric layer and toward the antenna elements, and
• connecting the inner conductors to respective antenna elements adjacent the central feed position, the inner conductors extending outwardly from the parallel adjacent ends of respective outer conductors.