Parallel-conductor transmission line antenna

Claim 2

A microwave antenna comprising, an elongated tubular radome made of a rigid nonconductive material and having an exterior surface and an interior surface; an elongated, vibration-damping, unitary core made of a rigid dielectric material, said unitary core having a first element-affixing surface and a second element-affixing surface generally parallel to said first element-affixing surface, said unitary core further including a first supporting surface and a second supporting surface generally opposed to said first supporting surface, said unitary core being inserted within said radome and said first supporting surface of said unitary core shaped to form a first contacting yet unattached engagement between said first supporting surface and said inner surface of said radome and said second supporting surface shaped to form a second contacting yet unattached engagement between said second supporting surface and said inner surface of said radome without said inner surface of said radome contacting said first and second element-affixing surfaces, said first and second contacting yet unattached engagements between said core and said radome allowing said core to move relative to said radome after said core being inserted within said radome; a plurality of conductive antenna elements affixed to said first and second element-affixing surfaces of said core and extending along a length thereof; and a microwave transmission line connected to said conductive antenna elements for transmitting electromagnetic energy to and from said elements.

Claim 3

The microwave antenna of claim 1 wherein said radome is a single unitary member.

Claim 4

The microwave antenna of claim 1 wherein said exterior surface of said radome interfacing with free space.

Claim 5

The microwave antenna of claim 1 wherein said core is made of dielectric foam.

Claim 6

The microwave antenna of claim 1 wherein said microwave transmission line is a coaxial cable.

Claim 7

The microwave antenna of claim 1 wherein said conductive antenna elements are recessed from said first and second supporting surfaces of said unitary core.

Claim 8

The microwave antenna of claim 1 which includes multiple resilient dielectric spacers spaced along a length of said core and extending between said core and said radome to damp vibrations of said core.

Claim 9

The microwave antenna of claim 1 which includes a support plate positioned inside said radome and secured thereto near a lower portion of the radome for supporting said core.

Claim 10

The microwave antenna of claim 1 wherein said core is in the form of a flat septum extending diametrally across the interior of said radome.

Claim 11

The microwave antenna of claim 1 wherein said first and second contacting yet unattached engagements are formed between said first and second supporting surfaces of said core and any generally opposing portions of said inner surface of said radome.

Claim 12

The microwave antenna of claim 7 wherein each of said plurality of conductive antenna elements having alternating narrow and wide sections.

Claim 13

The microwave antenna of claim 11 wherein said dielectric spacers positioned along said first and second element-affixing surfaces at intervals coinciding with said narrow sections of said plurality of conductive antenna elements.

Claim 14

A microwave antenna comprising, an elongated tubular radome made of a rigid nonconductive material and having an exterior surface and an interior surface; a diametral septum in said radome, said septum being made of a rigid dielectric material, said diametral septum having a first element-affixing surface along the length of said septum and a second element-affixing surface generally parallel to said first element-affixing surface along the length of said septum, said diametral septum further including a first supporting surface along the length of said septum and adjacent to said first and second element-affixing surfaces and a second supporting surface generally opposed to said first supporting surface along the length of said septum and adjacent to said first and second element-affixing surfaces, said diametral septum being inserted within said radome and said first supporting surface of said diametral septum shaped to form a first contacting yet unattached engagement between said first supporting surface and said inner surface of said radome and said second supporting surface shaped to form a contacting yet unattached engagement between said second supporting surface and said inner surface of said radome without said inner surface of said radome contacting said first and second element-affixing surfaces, said first and second contacting yet unattached engagements between said septum and said radome allowing said septum to move relative to said radome after said septum being inserted within said radome; a first elongated conductive antenna element affixed to said first element-affixing surface of said septum and a second elongated conductive antenna element affixed to said second element-affixing surface of said septum, said first and second conductive antenna elements extending along a length of said septum; a microwave transmission line connected to said conductive antenna elements for transmitting electromagnetic energy to and from said elements; and dielectric spacers spaced along a length of said first and second element-affixing surfaces extending between said radome and said septum to damp vibrations of said septum.

Claim 15

A microwave antenna comprising, an elongated tubular radome made of a rigid nonconductive material and having an exterior surface and an interior surface; a diametral septum in said radome, said septum being made of a rigid dielectric material, said diametral septum having a first element-affixing surface along the length of said septum and a second element-affixing surface generally parallel to said first element-affixing surface along the length of said septum, said diametral septum further including a first supporting surface along the length of said septum and adjacent to said first and second element-affixing surfaces and a second supporting surface generally opposed to said first supporting surface along the length of said septum and adjacent to said first and second element-affixing surfaces, said diametral septum being inserted within said radome and said first supporting surface of said diametral septum shaped to form a first contacting yet unattached engagement between said first supporting surface and said inner surface of said radome and said second supporting surface shaped to form a contacting yet unattached engagement between said second supporting surface and said inner surface of said radome without said inner surface of said radome contacting said first and second element-affixing surfaces, said first and second contacting yet unattached engagements between said septum and said radome allowing said septum to move relative to said radome after said septum being inserted within said radome; a first elongated conductive antenna element affixed to said first element-affixing surface of said septum and a second elongated conductive antenna element affixed to said second element-affixing surface of said septum, said first and second conductive antenna elements extending along a length of said septum; a microwave transmission line connected to said conductive antenna elements for transmitting electromagnetic energy to and from said elements; and dielectric spacers spaced along a length of said first and second element-affixing surfaces extending between said radome and said septum to damp vibrations of said septum.

Claim 16

The microwave antenna of claim 13 wherein said exterior surface of said radome interfacing with free space.

Claim 17

The microwave antenna of claim 13 wherein said first and second contacting yet unattached engagements are formed between said first and second supporting surfaces of said septum and any generally opposing portions of said inner surface of said radome.

Claim 18

The microwave antenna of claim 13 wherein said first and second elongated conductive antenna elements having alternating narrow and wide sections.

Claim 19

The microwave antenna of claim 16 wherein said dielectric spacers positioned along said first and second element-affixing surfaces at intervals coinciding with said narrow sections of said first and second elongated conductive antenna elements.