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US 9,437,929 B2Granted
Dual polarized array antenna with modular multi-balun board and associated methods
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsRobert S. Isom, Justin A. Kasemodel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An array antenna includes a modular, multi-layer, multi-balun board structure for use in feeding a dual polarization radiating element. In some embodiments, contacts on a multi-balun board structure may be directly conductively coupled to corresponding feed points of a dual polarization radiating element during antenna assembly. The multi-balun board structure may be inserted into an opening within an aperture board of an array antenna before the contacts are secured to the feed points. Dual balun board structures may be provided for some or all of the radiating elements on the aperture board.
Claims19
An array antenna comprising:
- a plurality of dual polarized radiating elements on a first dielectric layer, the plurality of dual polarized radiating elements having a first dual polarized radiating element;
- and
- a modular, multi-layer, dual-balun board structure coupled directly to the first dual polarized radiating element, the modular, multi-layer, dual-balun board structure having a first balun to feed a first polarization orientation of the first dual polarized radiating element and a second balun to feed a second, orthogonal polarization orientation of the first dual polarized radiating element, the dual-balun board structure being held substantially perpendicular to the first dielectric layer and extending at least partially through an opening in the first dielectric layer;
- and
- the first dual polarized radiating element has first and second conductive members associated with the first polarization orientation and third and fourth conductive members associated with the second polarization orientation, wherein the first and third conductive members are coupled to first and third external contacts, respectively, located on a first surface of the modular, multi-layer, dual-balun board structure and the second and fourth conductive members are coupled to second and fourth external contacts, respectively, located on a second, opposite surface of the modular, multi-layer, dual-balun board structure.
2 more elements
A method for use in fabricating an array antenna, the method comprising:
- providing an aperture board having a plurality of dual polarized radiating elements disposed thereon, the aperture board having openings through central regions of at least some of the dual polarized radiating elements;
- providing a modular, multi-layer, dual-balun board having a first balun to feed a first polarization orientation of a dual polarized radiating element and a second balun to feed a second, orthogonal polarization orientation of the dual polarized radiating element;
- inserting the modular, multi-layer, dual-balun board through an opening in the aperture board associated with a first dual polarized radiating element;
- and
- securing contacts on the modular, multi-layer, dual-balun board directly to corresponding conductive portions of the first dual polarized radiating element using a conductive coupling agent;
- and
- wherein the first dual polarized radiating element includes first and second conductive members associated with the first polarization orientation and third and fourth conductive members associated with the second polarization orientation, and wherein securing contacts includes securing the first and third conductive members to first and third contacts located on a first surface of the dual-balun board structure and securing the second and fourth conductive members to second and fourth contacts located on a second, opposite surface of the dual-balun board structure.
4 more elements
A multi-layer printed circuit board (PCB) comprising:
- a first balun having a single ended port and a balanced port, the first balun being implemented on one or more first layers of the PCB;
- a second balun having a single ended port and a balanced port, the second balun being implemented on one or more second layers of the PCB;
- first, second, third, and fourth external contacts, the first and third contacts located on a first exterior surface of the PCB and the second and fourth contacts located on a second exterior surface of the PCB opposite the first surface;
- and
- a crossover network to conductively couple the first and second exterior contacts to the balanced port of the first balun in a phase matched manner and to conductively couple the third and fourth exterior contacts to the balanced port of the second balun in a phase matched manner;
- and
- wherein a balun end of the crossover network includes first and second terminals on a first layer and third and fourth terminals on a second layer, and an antenna end of the crossover network includes the first and third terminals on the first layer and the second and fourth terminals on the second layer, wherein the first and third terminals are coupled to the first and third contacts respectively and the second and fourth terminals are coupled to the second and fourth contacts respectively.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.