Hughes Aircraft Company

Hughes Electronics Corporation

Other

The Boeing Company

Rolf Kich

Paul J Tatomir

Richard L Bennett

James M Barker

Louis W Hendrick

Devon J Gray

Martin B Hammond

Christopher L Trammell

Robert L Reynolds

James D Thompson

Keith N Loi

Krishnan K Raghavan

Michael N Ando

Craig N Schwartz

Joseph A Elliott

Omar M Al-Bundak

David M Kershner

Daniel B Goetschel

Ku'ulei C Kent

An interface that provides minimum changes in contact pressure over a thermal range is disclosed. The interface is a mated joint of given material, typically metallic, joined by a mechanical fastener or fasteners. The fastener(s) create contact pressure at the joint surface wherein the contact pressure variation over a temperature range is minimized by the use of a thermal compensator having a predetermined length. The thermal compensator's length is chosen by setting the thermally induced expansion delta to offset an equal delta created by the fastener and interface configuration. The difference in expansion of the mated joint and fastener is canceled by the equal, but negative, difference between compensator and fastener. This cancellation of expansion minimizes the change in contact pressure at the joint interface. Maintaining a constant pressure provides PIM reliability during temperature changes.

Constant contact pressure PIM interface

A generally Y-shaped ferrite power divider for transferring an RF input from an input port to either one of two outlet ports or to both outlet ports in an equal or unequal fashion. The input port and the two output ports meet at a junction. An internal magnetic return is positioned in the junction and is in communication with an upper magnetic return and a lower magnetic return. An upper ferrite puck is positioned at the junction above the internal magnetic return and a lower ferrite puck is positioned at the junction below the internal magnetic return.

Ferrite variable power divider

A microwave waveguide filter includes a main-line cavity structure with a group of at least two rectangular main-line cavities arrayed along a main propagation path and including a first main-line cavity and a second main-line cavity. Each main-line cavity includes a sidewall, and each pair of adjacent main-line cavities has a common transverse wall transverse to the main propagation path and a main-line aperture in the common transverse wall. A rectangular first feedback cavity is in microwave communication with each of the first main-line cavity and the second main-line cavity through the respective sidewall of the first main-line cavity and the second main-line cavity. There is a first-cavity feedback aperture between the first feedback cavity and the first main-line cavity, and a second-cavity feedback aperture between the first feedback cavity and the second main-line cavity. There may be additional feedback cavities as well.

Microwave waveguide filter having rectangular cavities, and method for its fabrication

A resonant waveguide load structure is provided for use in waveguide systems. The load structure includes a length of waveguide which is open at one end and closed at the other end. The load structure also includes a support pin mounted inside the waveguide near the closed end thereof. The load structure further includes a resonant body mounted on the support pin. The load structure also includes at least one spacer member mounted on the support pin for maintaining the position of the resonant body. This load structure may be combined with a waveguide circulator to provide a novel waveguide equalizer apparatus.

Frequency adjustable multipole resonant waveguide load structure

H-plane offset transitions in a switchable waveguide

An apparatus and method for switching waveguides between a junction waveguide and a bypass waveguide among a plurality of housing ports. The apparatus comprises a housing having a first, second and third housing port and a waveguide rotor, having a first and second rotary position. The waveguide rotor includes a junction waveguide, having a first, second and third junction port, for combining the first, second and third housing ports in the first rotary position and a bypass waveguide, having a first and second bypass port, for connecting the first and second housing ports in the second rotary position. The junction and bypass waveguides are alternately selectable by rotating the waveguide rotor to the first and second rotary positions. The method comprises rotating a waveguide rotor including a junction waveguide having a first, second and third junction port and a bypass waveguide having a first and second bypass port, to a first rotary position in a housing including a first, second and third housing port, whereby the first, second and third junction ports connect the first, second and third housing ports and rotating the waveguide rotor to a second position a bypass waveguide, whereby the first and second bypass ports connect the first and second housing ports.

E-plane offset transitions in a switchable waveguide

A common interface ( ) for a PIM sensitive diplexing filter ( ) is provided in a non-contacting, or isolated, configuration while providing PIM reliability, ESD conduction and thermal conduction, making it ideal for high power space applications. The common interface ( ) is a one-piece construction of a diplexed, or multiplexed, coaxial, or squareax, transmission line that is constructed with a direct non-contacting ( ), or connectionless, interface. Terminations ( ) connect the inner conductor ( ) to the outer conductor ( ) of the interface ( ) making the device one integral piece yet providing the necessary isolation through non-contacting interface with a PIM sensitive device and terminations ( ) that provide thermal and ESD conduction necessary for PIM reliablity.

Low PIM coaxial diplexer interface

A waveguide for guiding an arbitrarily polarized electrical field includes an elongated housing having a sidewall and a pair of feed ports located on the housing sidewall. One of the feed ports guides the horizontal component of the electrical field, while the other feed port guides the vertical component of the electrical field. A pair of planar septums are disposed within the housing and intersect along a line parallel to the axis of the housing.

Dual sidewall coupled orthomode transducer having septum offset from the transducer axis

A compact &ldquo;T&rdquo; switch for use in a waveguide communication system switch includes a housing, a rotor, and a motor. The housing includes a pair of ends and an interconnecting sidewall enclosing a cylindrical cavity. One of the housing ends including an entry port, and the sidewall includes a plurality circumferentially spaced exit ports. The rotor is rotatably disposed within the housing cylindrical cavity, and includes an input end having an input port aligned with the housing entry port and an outer surface having a plurality of output ports for alignment with the housing exit ports. The rotor includes a primary or first passage connecting the input port to one of the output ports and further includes at least one secondary passages connecting a pair of the output ports. A motor is provided for rotating the rotor within the cavity for aligning each of the output ports with an adjacent one of the exit ports, thereby permitting the first passage to be connected to a selected one of the exit ports, and further permitting the secondary passage to interconnect a pair of the remaining exit ports.

Compact waveguide &ldquo;T&rdquo; switch

A multiplexer/demultiplexer structure is provided which multiplexes multiple channel signals through a common tee of a tee/manifold mulitplexer arrangement. This multiplexing significantly reduces the number of tees required for a given number of multiplexed channels. Accordingly, mulitplexer/demulitplexer design time is reduced and fabricated multiplexers/demultiplexers are lighter, smaller and less expensive. The tee multiplexing is facilitated with multiple access apertures that are isolated by a septum. The septum forms reduced-height waveguides which define a path length between apertures that is sufficient to significantly reduce higher-order modes and, therefore, apeture interactions.

Multiplexer/demultiplexer structures and methods

A reflective waveguide variable power divider/combiner comprises an orthomode tee section, which includes a section of cylindrical waveguide and a rotatable reflective phase shifter section. The rotatable reflective phase shifter section is rotatably connected to the orthomode tee section by a cylindrical choke joint. The orthomode tee section includes a single orthomode tee unit. The reflective waveguide variable power divider/combiner terminates at a short circuit that separates a motor from the rotatable reflective phase shifter section. The motor is configured to rotate the rotatable reflective phase shifter section relative to the orthomode tee section.

Reflective waveguide variable power divider/combiner

A capacitive coupler for a microwave circuit that has a first cavity and a second cavity separated by a wall. The separating wall has an aperture that, due to its shape, is capacitive. The aperture has a pair of elongated walls separated by a pair of side walls. The elongated walls and the side walls each have a thickness substantially thicker than what is now the industry standard. At least one of the elongated walls has a ridge. Because the distance between the first elongated wall and the second elongated wall is substantially greater than that previously known, the aperture may be easily manufactured.

Ridged thick walled capacitive slot

An electromagnetic resonator comprises a waveguide body having a generally tubular side wall and a pair of end wall assemblies. The end wall assembly includes a bowed aluminum plate and an INVAR disk, attached to one another at the periphery thereof. The INVAR disk includes a relatively thick outer annular portion and a relatively thin inner circular portion. The bowed aluminum plate bows in response to increased temperature, thereby counteracting expansion of the waveguide body.

Growing community of inventors

Redondo Beach, CA, United States of America

Rolf Kich