Raytheon Company

The Boeing Company

Hughes Aircraft Company

Steven Edward Bradshaw

Pyong K Park

James A Carr

Joseph M Anderson

Rohn Sauer

John A Crockett, Jr

Patrick Kevin Bailleul

Lonny Richard Walker

Robert G Yaccarino

John M Hadden, Iv

Sang H Kim

Steven W Bartley

David Y Kim

David Matthew Hudson

Luke Andrew Hardman

Thomas C DaVeiga

The present invention relates to active electronically scanned array antennas. A thin, low cost design is provided by coupling electromagnetic energy into periodically driven long slots () using circulators with integrated probes (). The long slots () are formed as grooves () in a conductive base plate (), each groove () bracketed on both sides by conductive strips (). The circulators with integrated probes () are installed between the conductive strips () and the base plate (), to reduce fabrication costs of the machined parts and to facilitate the making of connections between the circulators and the antenna electronics. The probes () protrude partway into the slots () and provide coupling to waves propagating in free space.

Low profile cavity backed long slot array antenna with integrated circulators

An electrical interconnect system includes a first circuit board that includes at least one via, and a conductor configured to transmit an electrical current therethrough. The conductor includes a first signal contact extending from a conductor first end, and a dielectric cylinder configured to receive the conductor therethrough. The dielectric cylinder includes a first bellows element extending from a first end of the dielectric cylinder that is positioned adjacent to the first signal contact. The first bellows element and the dielectric cylinder are configured to form a substantially continuous outer conductor, wherein the conductor and the first bellows are configured to electrically interface to the via and maintain connection thereto using a biasing force.

Electrical interconnect and method for electrically coupling a plurality of devices

Disclosed is a common aperture dual polarization antenna array (30). This common aperture dual polarization antenna array (30) includes an antenna aperture (36) and a plurality of centered slot arrays (32) positioned within the antenna aperture (36). A plurality of notch dipole arrays (34) are positioned within the antenna aperture (36) and positioned substantially orthogonal to the plurality of centered slot arrays (32). A first feed guide (46) is coupled to the plurality of centered slot arrays (32) and a second feed guide (56) is coupled to the plurality of notch dipole arrays (34).

Dual polarization antenna array with radiating slots and notch dipole

An antenna incorporating a slot and a plurality of ear-like dipole elements. The antenna comprises a ground plane having a slot disposed therein, and a plurality of ear-like elements attached to one side of the ground plane along the elongated edges of the slot. The ear-like elements are oriented orthogonal to the ground plane in the same direction. Typically, the plurality of ear-like elements are disposed in a symmetrically opposed relationship along the elongated edges of the slot. The plurality of ear-like elements typically comprise two generally quadrant-shaped elements having the centers of the respective quadrant-shaped elements are disposed at or near the outer edges of the slot and the outer edge of the elements extend to about the middle of the slot. The ear-like elements may be rotated with respect to the slot in order to fine tune the polarisation direction. In a typical antenna, a plurality of slots are employed, and the present invention permits the use of randomly oriented or regularly spaced slots that are fed by means of conventional rectangular waveguides or boxed stripline. A polarized radiation field having a controlled arbitrary polarization is selectively produced by controlling the relative positions of the slot and ear-like elements.

Slot antenna having controllable polarization

Growing community of inventors

West Hills, CA, United States of America

Steven Edward Bradshaw