Raytheon Company

Ratheon Company

Vincent Giancola

Kenneth William Brown

David D Crouch

A combined environmental and electromagnetic rotary seal. The invention is adapted for use between two mutually rotating components of an electromagnetic energy transmission system and provides simultaneous protection against contamination from the environment and unwanted electromagnetic leakage. In the illustrative embodiment, a first set of grooves is cut into the exterior of a first conductive cylindrical component whose interior contains a portion of a millimeter-wave beam waveguide energy transmission system, the grooves comprising the electromagnetic portion of the seal and a second set of grooves is cut into the interior of the conductive housing enclosing the first conductive cylindrical component. The second set of grooves comprises the environmental portion of the seal when a set of standard environmental seals (such as elastomeric o-ring seals) are seated in each groove in the second set of grooves and each seal is compressed between the groove in which it is seated and the exterior of the first conductive cylindrical component. The environmental seals maintain a nearly uniform annular gap between the first conductive cylindrical component and the conductive housing such that the two conductors do not make physical contact.

Combined environmental-electromagnetic rotary seal

In various representative aspects, the present invention provides systems and methods for waveguides. A waveguide may comprise a housing and a plurality of reflective surfaces configured to couple to the housing. The housing may be configured to couple to an electromagnetic wave beam generator. The electromagnetic wave beam generator may, be configured to provide a wave beam having a polarization substantially similar to its initial polarization. At least one of the plurality of reflective surfaces may be configured to convert the mode of an incident wave beam. The plurality of reflective surfaces may be configured for alignment in a waveguide.

Waveguide system comprising reflective surfaces for directing a wave beam to a target

A compact four-way waveguide power divider ( ). The inventive power divider ( ) includes an input waveguide ( ) that terminates at a junction with two adjacent waveguides on opposite sides of the input waveguide. On the opposite side of the junction is a conducting wall into which is built an inductive septum ( ). The inductive septum ( ) serves to partially match the input impedance of the structure. Second and third inductive septums ( and ) are also built into the output arms of the power divider ( ). The purpose of the second and third septums ( and ) is twofold. In addition to partially matching the power divider's input impedance, the positions of the second and third septums ( and ) can be adjusted to equalize the power division between the output arms. Hence, the waves exiting the four output arms of the power divider have highly equalized amplitudes and phases. Further, the phases at the output ports are equalized by adjusting the lengths of the output arms. The use of offset inductive septums ( and ) in the output arms to achieve equalized power division allows the input and output waveguides to be placed in very close proximity, resulting in an extremely compact structure.

Compact four-way waveguide power divider

A phased array antenna including at least one configurable phase shifter. The configurable phase shifter includes a U-shaped primary waveguide section and multiple switchable waveguide U-shaped sections disposed within the primary section. The switchable waveguide sections include a plunger in the U-shaped waveguide section and one or more solenoids attached to the plunger, driving the plunger in and out such that the switches can be actuated in less than 100 milliseconds. The plunger and the switchable waveguide section are shaped such that the waveguide height is constant in the U-shaped waveguide section when the switch is closed and constant in the primary waveguide section when the switch is open, thereby minimizing return loss. The U-shaped primary waveguide section includes an input port and an output port at opposite sides. A radiating slot is located at the bottom face of the U-shaped primary waveguide section. The radiating slot may be formed in a detachable plate attached to the bottom the U-shaped primary waveguide section. Further, multiple one configurable phase shifters may be cascaded to form a traveling wave phased array antenna.

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Chino, CA, United States of America

Vincent Giancola