Phase shifter arrangement having relatively movable member with projections

A phase shifter element comprising a transmission line provided by a planar first dielectric member having a first surface opposite a second surface, said first surface supporting thereon a pattern of at least one conductive track arranged to provide a signal path of a predetermined physical length, the at least one conductive track including a signal input at one end thereof, a signal output at the other end thereof and an intermediate section of conductive track, said transmission line being supported in a substantially parallel relationship with a conductive ground plane member, said ground plane member being either spaced from or contiguous with said dielectric member's second surface, wherein said phase shifter element further includes a second planar dielectric member adjacent said first surface of said first dielectric member, said second planar dielectric member including at least two opposite edges, and variable adjustment means arranged to selectively produce relative linear movement between the first and second dielectric members in a direction which is transverse to said intermediate section of conductive track, the phase of a signal at the respective signal output being determined by the extent to which said second dielectric member overlaps said pattern of said at least one conductive track, such overlap being varied by said relative linear movement, wherein

• at least one of said at least one conductive track and said second dielectric member having an edge with a plurality of projections extending in a direction parallel to the direction of said relative movement, such that an amount of overlap between the at least one conductive track and the second dielectric member is segmented to produce a stable impedance,
• said intermediate section of conductive track includes at least one portion extending substantially in a first direction,
• said relative movement between said first and second dielectric members is in a direction substantially transverse to said first direction, and
• at least one of said at least one portion of said intermediate section of conductive track and said second dielectric member has said edge with said plurality of projections.

A phase shifter element comprising a transmission line provided by a planar first dielectric member having a first surface opposite a second surface, said first surface supporting thereon a pattern of at least one conductive track arranged to provide a signal path of a predetermined physical length, the at least one conductive track including a signal input at one end thereof, a signal output at the other end thereof and an intermediate section of conductive track, said transmission line being supported in a substantially parallel relationship with a conductive ground plane member, said ground plane member being either spaced from or contiguous with said dielectric member's second surface, wherein said phase shifter element further includes a second planar dielectric member adjacent said first surface of said first dielectric member, said second planar dielectric member including at least two opposite edges, and variable adjustment means arranged to selectively produce relative linear movement between the first and second dielectric members in a direction which is transverse to said intermediate section of conductive track, the phase of a signal at the respective signal output being determined by the extent to which said second dielectric member overlaps said pattern of said at least one conductive track, such overlap being varied by said relative linear movement;

• wherein at least one of said at least one conductive track and said second dielectric member having an edge with a plurality of projections extending in a direction parallel to the direction of said relative movement, such that an amount of overlap between the at least one conductive track and the second dielectric member is segmented to produce a stable impedance,
• wherein said variable adjustment means comprises an arrangement of said second planar dielectric member slidably fixed adjacent said first surface of said first planar dielectric member, the phase of a signal at the respective signal output being determined by the extent to which said second planar dielectric member overlaps said pattern of said at least one conductive track, such overlap extent being varied by linear movement of said second planar dielectric member, and
• wherein said second planar dielectric member includes a plurality of extension members extending from at least one said edge thereof.

A phase shifter element comprising a transmission line provided by a planar first dielectric member having a first surface opposite a second surface, said first surface supporting thereon a pattern of at least one conductive track arranged to provide a signal path of a predetermined physical length, the at least one conductive track including a signal input at one end thereof, a signal output at the other end thereof and an intermediate section of conductive track, said transmission line being supported in a substantially parallel relationship with a conductive ground plane member, said ground plane member being either spaced from or contiguous with said dielectric member's second surface, wherein said phase shifter element further includes a second planar dielectric member adjacent said first surface of said first dielectric member, and variable adjustment means arranged to selectively produce relative movement between the first and second dielectric members in a direction which traverses said intermediate section of conductive track, the phase of a signal at the signal output being determined by the extent to which said second dielectric member overlaps said pattern of said at least one conductive track, such overlap being varied by said relative movement, wherein

• at least one of said at least one conductive track and said second dielectric member having an edge with a plurality of projections extending in a direction parallel to the direction of said relative movement, such that an amount of overlap between the at least one conductive track and the second dielectric member is segmented to produce a stable impedance,
• said intermediate section of conductive track includes at least one portion extending substantially in a first direction,
• said relative movement between said first and second dielectric members is in a direction substantially transverse to said first direction, and
• at least one of said at least one portion of said intermediate section of conductive track and said second dielectric member has said edge with said plurality of projections.

A phase shifter element comprising a transmission line provided by a planar first dielectric member having a first surface opposite a second surface, said first surface supporting thereon a pattern of at least one conductive track arranged to provide a signal path of a predetermined physical length, the at least one conductive track including a signal input at one end thereof, a signal output at the other end thereof and an intermediate section of conductive track, said transmission line being supported in a substantially parallel relationship with a conductive ground plane member, said ground plane member being either spaced from or contiguous with said dielectric member's second surface, wherein said phase shifter element further includes a second planar dielectric member adjacent said first surface of said first dielectric member, said second planar dielectric member including at least two opposite edges, and variable adjustment means arranged to selectively produce relative linear movement between the first and second dielectric members in a direction which is transverse to said intermediate section of conductive track, the phase of a signal at the respective signal output being determined by the extent to which said second dielectric member overlaps said pattern of said at least one conductive track, such overlap being varied by said relative linear movement;

• wherein at least one of said at least one conductive track and said second dielectric member having an edge with a plurality of projections extending in a direction parallel to the direction of said relative movement, such that an amount of overlap between the at least one conductive track and the second dielectric member is segmented to produce a stable impedance,
• wherein said variable adjustment means comprises an arrangement of said second planar dielectric member slidably fixed adjacent said first surface of said first planar dielectric member, the phase of a signal at the respective signal output being determined by the extent to which said second planar dielectric member overlaps said pattern of said at least one conductive track, such overlap extent being varied by linear movement of said second planar dielectric member, and
• wherein said second planar dielectric member includes a plurality of extension members extending from each of said two opposite edges of the second planar dielectric member.