High frequency, wide band, triple balanced mixer

Claim 2

The mixer of Claim 1 wherein said RF, IF and LO balun pairs (28, 32, 30) are orthogonally positioned relative to each other in order to enhance port signal isolation of the mixer.

Claim 3

The mixer of Claim 2 wherein said first and second rings (12, 14) are suspended from said RF, IF and LO balun pairs.

Claim 4

The mixer of Claim 1 wherein said walls (40, 42) include an electromagnetic energy absorbent material on their inner surfaces in order to minimize reflection of signal emitted from said rings (12, 14), balun pairs (28, 30, 32) and balun connectors (34, 36).

Claim 5

The mixer of Claim 4 wherein said absorbent material includes sintered iron.

Claim 6

The mixer of Claim 1 wherein said rings (12, 14) are positioned on opposite faces of a sheet (16).

Claim 7

The mixer of Claim 6 wherein said sheet (16) is composed of a dielectric material.

Claim 8

The mixer of Claim 7 wherein said sheet (16) is composed of a duroid material.

Claim 9

The mixer of Claim 6 wherein said sheet (16) is of generally consistent thickness so that said first ring (12) and said second ring (14) lie in generally parallel planes.

Claim 10

The mixer of Claim 1 wherein said RF balun pair (28) includes a RF ground plane (60) and an RF line (58) disposed in a parallel relationship, said IF balun pair (32) includes an IF ground plane (68) and an IF line (66) disposed in a parallel relationship and said LO balun pair (30) includes an LO ground plane (64) and an LO line (62) disposed in a parallel relationship, said RF line (58) and plane (60) utilizing a duroid layer (18) therebetween, said IF line (66) and plane (68) utilizing a duroid layer (18) therebetween and said LO line (62) and plane (64) utilizing a duroid layer (18) therebetween.

Claim 11

The mixer of Claim 10 wherein said sheet (16) is integral with said duroid layer (18) of said LO balun pair (30).

Claim 12

The mixer of Claim 10 wherein said duroid layers (18) of said balun pairs (28, 30, 32) are approximately 0.127 mm. thick and prongs (46, 47, 51, 52, 55, 56) of said balun pairs (28, 30, 32) are approximately 0,.254 mm. wide in order to provide a desired impedance of approximately 84 ohms.

Claim 13

The mixer of Claim 1 wherein said RF, IF and LO balun pairs (28, 30, 32) have forked portions (44, 45, 50, 53, 54, 57).

Claim 14

The mixer of Claim 13 wherein prongs (37, 39, 46, 47, 51, 52) of said forked portions (44, 45, 50, 53, 54, 57) have a length approximately equal to a quarter wavelength of a 26 Ghz signal to maximize performance of the mixer between LO frequency signals of 12 Ghz to 40 Ghz.

Claim 15

The mixer of Claim 13 wherein prongs (37, 39, 46, 47, 51, 52) of said forked portions (44, 45, 50, 53, 54, 57) are bent so that ends (48) of the prongs (37, 39, 46, 47, 51, 52) are closer together than approximately medial portions (49) of the prongs (37, 39, 46, 47, 51, 52).

Claim 16

The mixer of Claim 13 wherein prongs (37, 39, 46, 47, 51, 52) of each of said forked portions (44, 45, 50, 53, 54, 57) are spaced approximately 1.143 mm. apart at medial portions (49) thereof and spaced approximately 0.559 mm. apart at ends (48) thereof to maximize impedance of said forked portions (44, 45, 50, 53, 54, 57) and minimize inductance of said balun connectors (34, 36).

Claim 17

The mixer of Claim 13 wherein said forked portions (44, 45, 50, 53, 54, 57) are generally curved.

Claim 18

The mixer of Claim 17 wherein said forked portions (44, 45, 50, 53, 54, 57) are curved around so that the forked portions (44, 45, 53, 54, 57) are generally in the shape of a circle open at one end.

Claim 19

A triple balanced mixer, comprising: a pair of diode quad rings (12, 14); a housing (20) having walls (40, 42) at least partially defining a cavity (38), said pair of diode quad rings (12, 14) being positioned within said cavity (38); an RF port (22) mounted on said housing (20); an IF port (26) mounted on said housing (20); an LO port (24) mounted on said housing (20); an RF balun pair (28) for electrical communication between said RF port (22) and said pair of rings (12, 14), said RF balun pair (28) having forked portions (44, 45) which are bent so that ends (48) of prongs (46, 47) of said forked portions (44, 45) are closer together than approximately medial portions (49) of the prongs (46, 47); an IF balun pair (32) for electrical communication between said IF port (26) and said pair of rings (12, 14), said IF balun pair (32) having forked portions (54, 57) which are bent so that ends (48) of prongs (55, 56) of said forked portions are closer together than approximately medial portions (49) of the prongs (55, 56); an LO balun pair (30) for electrical communication between said LO port (24) and said pair of rings (12, 14), said LO balun pair (30) having forked portions (50, 53) which are bent so that ends (48) of prongs (51, 52) of said forked portions (50, 53) are closer together than approximately medial portions (49) of the prongs (51, 52).

Claim 20

The mixer of Claim 19 wherein the ends (48) of the LO balun pair prongs (51, 52) are directly connected to selected terminals (80, 82, 84, 86) of said pair of rings (12, 14).

Claim 21

The mixer of Claim 20 further including: an RF balun connector (34) interconnecting said RF balun pair (28) and selected terminals (80, 82, 84, 86) of said pair of rings (12, 14); and an IF balun connector (36) interconnecting said IF balun pair (32) and selected terminals (88, 90, 92, 94) of said pair of rings (12, 14).

Claim 22

The mixer of Claim 19 wherein said forked portions (44, 45, 50, 53, 54, 57) of said RF, IF and LO balun pairs (28, 30, 32) are curved around so that said forked portions (33, 35, 44, 45, 50, 53) are generally in the shape of a circular arc.

Claim 23

The mixer of Claim 19 wherein said RF, IF and LO balun pairs (28, 30, 32) are generally orthogonally positioned relative to each other in order to enhance port signal isolation of the mixer.

Claim 24

The mixer of Claim 19 wherein said RF balun pair (28) includes a RF line (58) and RF upper forked portions (44) and a RF ground plane (60) and RF lower forked portions (45) separated by a layer (18).

Claim 25

The mixer of Claim 24 wherein said layer (18) is composed of a dielectric material.

Claim 26

The mixer of Claim 25 wherein said layer is composed of a duroid material and wherein said forked portions (44, 45) are approximately 0.254 mm. wide and said duroid layer (18) is approximately 0.127 mm. thick in order to provide a desired impedance of approximately 84 ohms to said RF balun pair (28).

Claim 27

The mixer of Claim 19 wherein said IF balun pair (32) includes an IF line (66) and IF upper forked portions (54) and an IF ground plane (68) and IF lower forked portions (57) separated by a layer (18).

Claim 28

The mixer of Claim 27 wherein said layer (18) is composed of a dielectric material.

Claim 29

The mixer of Claim 28 wherein said layer (18) is composed of a duroid material and wherein said IF forked portions (54, 57) are approximately 0.254 mm. wide and said duroid layer (18) is approximately 0.127 mm. thick in order to provide a desired impedance of approximately 84 ohms to said IF balun pair (32).

Claim 30

The mixer of Claim 19 wherein said LO balun pair (30) includes an LO line (62) and LO upper forked portions (50) and an LO ground plane (64) and LO lower forked portions (53) separated by a layer (18).

Claim 31

The mixer of Claim 30 wherein said layer (18) is composed of a dielectric material.

Claim 32

The mixer of Claim 31 wherein said layer (18) is composed of a duroid material and wherein said LO forked portions (50, 53) are approximately 0.254 mm. wide and said duroid layer (18) is approximately 0.127 mm. thick in order to provide a desired impedance of approximately 84 ohms to said LO balun pair (30).

Claim 33

The mixer of Claim 32 wherein said pair of rings (12, 14) are positioned on opposite faces of said duroid layer (18) separating said LO line (62) and said LO upper forked portions (50) from said LO plane (64) and said LO lower forked portions (53).

Claim 34

The mixer of Claim 33 wherein said duroid layer (18) separating said LO line (62) and said LO upper portions (50) from said LO plane (64) and said LO lower portions (53) is of generally consistent thickness so that each of said pair of rings (12, 14) lies in a plane generally parallel to that of the other of said pair of rings (12, 14).

Claim 35

The mixer of Claim 19 wherein the forked portions (44, 45, 50, 53, 54, 57) of said balun pairs (28, 30, 32) are spaced approximately 1.143 mm. apart to maximize impedance and minimize inductance of said balun pairs (28, 30, 32).

Claim 36

The mixer of Claim 19 wherein prongs (46, 47, 51, 52, 55, 56) of the forked portions (44, 45, 50, 53, 54, 57) of said balun pairs (28, 30, 32) have a length approximately equal to the quarter wavelength of a 26 Ghz signal to maximize performance of the mixer between a desired operating LO frequence signal range of 12 Ghz to 40 Ghz.

Claim 37

The mixer of Claim 19 wherein the walls (40, 42) of said housing (20) are selectively dimensioned so that said RF, If and LO baluns (28, 30, 32) are each approximately 2.54 mm. from a generally parallel one of said walls (40, 42) to minimize electromagnetic coupling between said balun pairs (28, 30, 32) and said walls (40, 42).

Claim 38

The mixer of Claim 37 wherein said walls (40, 42) include an electromagnetic energy absorbent material on their inner surfaces in order to minimize reflection of signal emitted from said pair of rings (12, 14) and said balun pairs (28, 30, 32).

Claim 39

The mixer of Claim 19 wherein said pair of rings (12, 14) are suspended from said RF, IF and LO balun pairs (28, 30, 32).

Claim 40

A triple balanced mixer, comprising: a duroid sheet (16); a first diode quad ring (12) positioned adjacent one face of said sheet (16); a second diode quad ring (14) positioned adjacent another face of said sheet (16) so that said first and second rings (12, 14) lie in approximately parallel planes; an RF balun pair (28), said RF balun pair (28) being selectively dimensioned; a set of RF balun connectors (34) connecting input ends of said RF balun pair (28) to one of a first set of opposing terminals (80, 84) of said first diode ring (12) and to one of a first set of opposing terminals (82, 86) of said second diode ring (14) and connecting its grounded ends to the other of the first set of opposing terminals (80, 84) of said first ring (12) and the other of the first set of opposing terminals (82, 86) of said second ring (14); an IF balun pair (32), said IF balun pair (32) being selectively dimensioned; a plurality of IF balun connectors (36) connecting ends (48) of said IF balun pair (32) to one of a second set of opposing terminals (90, 92) of said first diode ring (12) and to one of a second set of opposing terminals (88, 94) of said second diode ring (14) and connecting ends (48) of said IF balun (32) to the other of said second set of opposing terminals (90, 92) of said first ring and to the other of said second set of opposing terminals (88, 94) of said second ring (14); an LO balun pair (30), said LO balun pair (30) being selectively dimensioned and having ends (48) connected to said first set of opposing terminals (90, 92) of said first diode ring (12) and ends (48) connected to said first set of opposing terminals (68, 94) of said second diode ring (14); means for connecting said second set of opposing terminals (88, 90, 92, 94) together; a housing (20) having lateral walls (40) and upper and lower walls (42) defining a cavity (38), said first and second rings (12, 14) being positioned within the cavity (38), said walls (40, 42) being selectively dimensioned in order to selectively space said first and second rings (12, 14), said balun pairs (28, 30, 32) and said balun connectors (34, 36) a desired minimal distance from said walls (40, 42) in order to minimize signal loss from said rings (12, 14), said baluns (28, 30, 32) and said balun connectors (34, 36); an RF port (22) mounted on said housing (20), said RF balun pair (28) connected to said RF port (22); an IF port (26) mounted on said housing (20), said IF balun pair (32) connected to said IF port (26); an LO port (24) mounted on said housing (20), said LO balun pair (30) connected to said LO port (24).

Claim 41

The mixer of Claim 40 wherein the dimensions of said walls (40, 42) are approximately 5.08 mm. square in order to provide an approximately 2.54 mm. spacing between said balun pairs (28, 30, 32) and said walls (40, 42) so that the cavity walls (40, 42) and said balun pairs (28, 30, 32) have an even mode impedance of approximately 400 ohms to minimize signal loss from said balun pairs (28, 30, 32).