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US 6,660,193 B2Granted
Method of manufacturing a lens for microwave frequencies
AssigneeAndrew Corporation
InventorJohn D. Myhre
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a microwave antenna lens includes the provision of a mold that has a lens defining cavity formed therein. The shape of the lens defining cavity is predetermined. The lens defining cavity is filled with a suitable filler material such as, for example, microspheres of a certain dielectric constant. A quantity of a resin is introduced into the lens defining cavity to fill the interstices between the individual pieces of filler material. Then, after the resin is cured, a microwave lens if formed.
Claims26
A method for manufacturing a microwave lens, comprising the steps of:
- providing a mold having a lens defining cavity formed therein;
- filling said lens defining cavity with a predetermined amount of a filler material, said filler material comprising a predetermined amount of individual pieces each of which has a given dielectric constant;
- introducing a binding material into said lens defining cavity so that said binding material generally fills the portion of said lens defining cavity that is not occupied by said filler material;
- and
- curing said binding material to form a microwave lens, said curing producing the microwave lens having generally the predetermined shape of the surface of the lens mold.
2 more elements
A method for manufacturing a microwave lens, comprising:
- determining ultimate desired design parameters including at least a lens surface radii, thickness, and a predetermined dielectric constant;
- providing a mold having a lens-defining cavity with predetermined dimensions corresponding to said desired design parameters, which dimensions do not allow for significant lens shrinkage after removal of a lens from the cavity;
- substantially filling said lens-defining cavity with a filler having a predetermined dielectric constant that closely approximates said predetermined dielectric constant;
- introducing a binding material into said lens-defining cavity to bind said filler, said binding material occupying an insubstantial volume of the cavity as compared to the volume of said lens-defining cavity that is occupied by said filler;
- and
- curing said binding material to form a microwave lens, wherein insignificant shrinkage of said the lens due to the insubstantial volume of binding material in the mold cavity, and thereby producing a microwave lens having substantially the ultimate desired design parameters, the filler essentially determining the dielectric constant of the lens.
3 more elements
A method for manufacturing a microwave lens, comprising the steps of:
- providing a mold having a lens defining cavity formed therein;
- filling said lens defining cavity with a predetermined amount of a filler material, said filler material comprising a predetermined amount of individual pieces each of which has a given dielectric constant;
- covering said lens defining cavity of said mold with a polymer before filling said lens defining cavity with said filler material;
- introducing a binding material into said lens defining cavity so that said binding material generally fills the portion of said lens defining cavity that is not occupied by said filler material and said polymer;
- and
- curing said binding material to form a microwave lens, said curing producing the microwave lens having generally the predetermined shape of the surface of the lens mold, wherein a unitary mass is formed as said resin is cured.
3 more elements
A method for manufacturing a microwave lens, comprising:
- determining ultimate desired design parameters including at least a lens surface radii, thickness, and a predetermined dielectric constant;
- determining a lens surface radii, thickness, and other ultimate desired design parameters, including a predetermined dielectric constant;
- providing a mold having a lens-defining cavity with predetermined dimensions corresponding to said desired design parameters, which dimensions do not allow for significant lens shrinkage after removal of a lens from the cavity;
- substantially filling said lens-defining cavity with a filler having a predetermined dielectric constant that closely approximates said predetermined dielectric constant;
- covering said lens defining cavity of said mold with a polymer before filling said lens defining cavity with said filler material;
- introducing a binding material into said lens-defining cavity to bind said filler, said binding material occupying an insubstantial volume of the cavity as compared to the volume of said lens-defining cavity that is occupied by said filler;
- and
- curing said binding material to form a microwave lens, wherein insignificant shrinkage of said the lens due to the insubstantial volume of binding material in the mold cavity, and thereby producing a microwave lens having substantially the ultimate desired design parameters, the filler essentially determining the dielectric constant of the lens, and wherein a unitary mass is formed as said resin is cured.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.