US4931808A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Embedded surface wave antenna
Assignee: Ball Corp
•
Filing: 1989-01-10
•
Granted: 1990-06-05
•
Expires: 2009-01-10
Abstract
Abstract An embedded surface wave antenna is described of compact design capable of broadband performance both for impedance match and for radiation pattern characteristics comprising two spaced apart conductive planar elements, one element being a transition from a narrow portion to a wider portion according to a continuous function, said one element having an upward inclination away from the other of said conductive planar elements and ending in a termination at the wider portion, a tapered lens material having a downward inclination from said termination toward said other of said conductive planar elements to define a sloping surface therebetween for launching and receiving electromagnetic waves. The subject surface wave antenna may be readily adapted into assemblies of radiating elements in a predetermined electrical and geometric configuration to provide an array rendering a preferred radiation pattern.
Inventors
- 👤 Farzin Lalezari
- 👤 Michael G. Munson
- 👤 Theresa A. Cronin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 16:54
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01Q; H01Q3/00; H01Q13/00; H01Q13/20; H01Q13/26; H01Q1/00; H01Q1/27; H01Q1/28; H01Q1/286; H01Q1/287; H01Q13/08; H01Q19/00; H01Q19/06; H01Q21/00; H01Q21/0006; H01Q21/06; H01Q21/08; H01Q21/20; H01Q21/205
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 55
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
A broadband antenna device comprising two spaced apart conductive planar members, one member being a transition from a narrow portion to a wider portion according to a continuous function, said one member having an upward inclination away from the other of said conductive planar members and ending in a termination at the wider portion, a tapered lens material having a downward inclination from said termination toward said other of said conductive planar members to define a sloping surface therebetween for launching and receiving electromagnetic waves.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
85 words
A broadband antenna device comprising two spaced apart conductive planar members, one member being a transition from a narrow portion to a wider portion according to a continuous function, said one member having an upward inclination away from the other of said conductive planar members and ending in a termination at the wider portion, a tapered lens material having a downward inclination from said termination toward said other of said conductive planar members to define a sloping surface therebetween for launching and receiving electromagnetic waves.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 1 wherein the one member being a transition comprises a microstrip transmission line and a flared metallization integrally coupled therewith.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 2 wherein the flared metallization is triangular.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 2 wherein the flared metallization is trumpet-shaped.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 2 wherein the microstrip transmission line supports a TEM mode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 1 wherein the other of said conductive planar members extends substantially past said termination of said one member being a transition.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 1 wherein the termination of the one member being a transition is linear.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 1 wherein the termination of the one member being a transition is serrated.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 1 wherein the tapered lens material has a dielectric constant of 1 or greater and said tapered lens material decreases in thickness in the forward direction from the termination.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A broadband antenna array comprising a plurality of broadband antenna devices as recited in claim 1 arranged to form a predetermined radiation field pattern.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
An array as recited in claim 10 wherein the devices are linearly configured.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
An array as recited in claim 10 wherein the devices are curvilinearly configured.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
An array as recited in claim 12 wherein the devices are disposed in a cylindrical array.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
An array as recited in claim 12 wherein the devices are arranged in a planar array, for launching and receiving a collimated beam.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
105 words
A broadband antenna device comprising two spaced apart conductive planar members, one member being a transition from a narrow portion to a wider portion according to a continuous function, said one member having an upward inclination away from the other of said conductive planar members and ending in a termination at the wider portion, a tapered lens material having a downward inclination from said termination toward said other of said conductive planar members to define a sloping surface therebetween for launching and receiving electromagnetic waves, said tapered lens material being a material selected from the group consisting of dielectric material, lossy material and a ferrite.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
105 words
A broadband antenna device comprising two spaced apart conductive planar members, one member being a transition from a narrow portion to a wider portion according to a continuous function, said one member having an upward inclination away from the other of said conductive planar members and ending in a termination at the wider portion, a tapered lens material having a downward inclination from said termination toward said other of said conductive planar members to define a sloping surface therebetween for launching and receiving electromagnetic waves, said tapered lens material being a material selected from the group consisting of dielectric material, lossy material and a ferrite.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 15 wherein the one member being a transition comprises a microstrip transmission line and a flared metallization integrally coupled therewith.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 15 wherein the flared metallization is trumpet-like.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 15 wherein the microstrip transmission line supports a TEM mode.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 15 wherein the other of said conductive planar members extends substantially beyond said termination of said one member being a transition.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 15 wherein the termination of the one member being a transition is linear.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 15 wherein the termination of the one member being a transition is curved.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
13 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 15 wherein the termination is serrated.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 15 wherein the other of said conductive planar members covers an entire surface of said tapered lens material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 15 wherein the other of said conductive planar members cover less than an entire surface of said tapered lens material.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 20 wherein the flared transition has a narrow portion to a wide portion according to an exponential function.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 21 wherein the flared transition has a narrow portion to a wide portion according to a continuous function.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
66 words
A broadband antenna comprising a radiator including a ground plane and a ribbon having a flared transition from a narrow portion spaced above the ground plane to a wider portion spaced a greater distance from the ground plane, a lens member having a tapered configuration joined to said radiator, said lens member having a sloping surface inclined downwardly from the flared transition to said ground plane.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
66 words
A broadband antenna comprising a radiator including a ground plane and a ribbon having a flared transition from a narrow portion spaced above the ground plane to a wider portion spaced a greater distance from the ground plane, a lens member having a tapered configuration joined to said radiator, said lens member having a sloping surface inclined downwardly from the flared transition to said ground plane.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
24 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 27 wherein the flared transition comprises a microstrip transmission line and a trumpet-shaped metallization integrally coupled therewith.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 28 wherein the ground plane extends substantially past an end of said flared transition having the wider portion.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
26 words
A broadband antenna as recited in claim 27 wherein the lens member is selected from the group consisting of dielectric material, lossy material and a ferrite.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
23 words
A broadband antenna array comprising a plurality of broadband antennas as recited in claim 27 arranged to form a predetermined radiation field pattern.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
13 words
An array as recited in claim 29 wherein the elements are linearly configured.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
13 words
An array as recited in claim 29 wherein the elements are curvilinearly configured.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
16 words
An array as recited in claim 33 wherein the elements are formed in a cylindrical array.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
23 words
An array as recited in claim 33 wherein the elements are arranged in a planar array for launching and receiving a collimated beam.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
93 words
An antenna structure for receiving and transmitting electromagnetic waves comprising a conductive means comprising first and second spaced-apart planar legs, the first conductive leg having a transition from a narrow portion to a wide portion according to a function, said first and second conductive legs spreading outwardly from respective first terminations and ending into respective second terminations, and an electromagnetic lens material coupled to and filling the space between said first and second conductive legs, said material having a maximum thickness at the second terminations and a thinner thickness at the first terminations.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
93 words
An antenna structure for receiving and transmitting electromagnetic waves comprising a conductive means comprising first and second spaced-apart planar legs, the first conductive leg having a transition from a narrow portion to a wide portion according to a function, said first and second conductive legs spreading outwardly from respective first terminations and ending into respective second terminations, and an electromagnetic lens material coupled to and filling the space between said first and second conductive legs, said material having a maximum thickness at the second terminations and a thinner thickness at the first terminations.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
18 words
An antenna structure as recited in claim 36 in which the lens material is a lossy dielectric material.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
17 words
An antenna structure as recited in claim 36 in which the lens material is a ferrite material.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
19 words
An antenna structure as recited in claim 36 in which the two planar legs are substantially identical in configuration.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
17 words
An antenna structure as recited in claim 36 in which the transition follows a continuous linear function.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
16 words
An antenna structure as recited in claim 36 in which the transition follows a parabolic function.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
21 words
An antenna structure as recited in claim 36 in which the electromagnetic lens material decreases in thickness past the second terminations.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
22 words
An antenna structure as recited in claim 42 in which the decreasing thickness defines a sloping surface for launching surface waves therefrom.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
14 words
An antenna structure as recited in claim 36 in which the transition is trumpet-like.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
15 words
An antenna structure as recited in claim 36 in which the second terminations are straight.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
15 words
An antenna structure as recited in claim 36 in which the second terminations are serrated.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
24 words
A broadband antenna array comprising a plurality of broadband antenna structures as recited in claim 36 arranged to form a predetermined radiation field pattern.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
15 words
A broadband antenna array as recited in claim 47 wherein the structures are linearly configured.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
15 words
A broadband antenna array as recited in claim 47 wherein the structures are curvilinearly configured.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
18 words
A broadband antenna array as recited in claim 49 wherein the structures are formed in a cylindrical array.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
25 words
A broadband antenna array as recited in claim 49 wherein the structures are arranged in a planar array for launching and receiving a collimated beam.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-06-04 | 1993-12-04 | 1994-06-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-06-04 | 1997-12-04 | 1998-06-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-06-04 | 2001-12-04 | 2002-06-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |