US5444453A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Microstrip antenna structure having an air gap and method of constructing same
Assignee: BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems Inc
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Filing: 1994-06-28
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Granted: 1995-08-22
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Expires: 2014-06-28
Abstract
Abstract A microstrip antenna structure comprising a radiator layer that includes a substrate layer and a radiator patch that is disposed on one surface of the substrate layer; a ground plane; and support elements, formed as an integral part of either the radiator layer or the ground plane, for maintaining a dielectric space between the radiator patch and the ground plane that includes an air gap of predetermined thickness between the substrate layer and the ground plane. The present invention also includes a method for constructing such a microstrip antenna structure.
Inventors
- 👤 Farzin Lalezari
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 20:02
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01Q; H01Q9/00; H01Q9/04; H01Q9/0407
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
208 words
A microstrip antenna comprising: a substantially rigid radiator layer that includes a substrate layer and a radiator patch disposed on one of a lower surface and an upper surface of said substrate layer; a ground plane that is located adjacent to only said lower surface of said substrate layer, wherein said upper surface of said substrate layer is substantially free of any portion of said ground plane positioned adjacent thereto; and a plurality of support means, each made from the same piece of material as at least one of said ground plane and said radiator layer, for maintaining a dielectric space between said radiator patch and said ground plane that includes an air gap, wherein each of said plurality of support means maintains a predetermined distance between said radiator patch and said ground plane, wherein each of said plurality of support means has a dimple shape that, if a cross-section is taken which is substantially between and substantially parallel to said radiator layer and said ground plane, has a closed surface, wherein each of said plurality of support means has a base that is surrounded by said ground plane or said radiator layer, and wherein each of said plurality of support means has substantially the same dimple shape.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
208 words
A microstrip antenna comprising: a substantially rigid radiator layer that includes a substrate layer and a radiator patch disposed on one of a lower surface and an upper surface of said substrate layer; a ground plane that is located adjacent to only said lower surface of said substrate layer, wherein said upper surface of said substrate layer is substantially free of any portion of said ground plane positioned adjacent thereto; and a plurality of support means, each made from the same piece of material as at least one of said ground plane and said radiator layer, for maintaining a dielectric space between said radiator patch and said ground plane that includes an air gap, wherein each of said plurality of support means maintains a predetermined distance between said radiator patch and said ground plane, wherein each of said plurality of support means has a dimple shape that, if a cross-section is taken which is substantially between and substantially parallel to said radiator layer and said ground plane, has a closed surface, wherein each of said plurality of support means has a base that is surrounded by said ground plane or said radiator layer, and wherein each of said plurality of support means has substantially the same dimple shape.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 1, wherein: said radiator patch is disposed on a bottom surface of said substrate layer, such that said radiator patch is positioned between said substrate layer and said ground plane.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 1 wherein: said radiator patch is disposed on a bottom surface of said substrate layer such that said radiator patch is positioned between said substrate layer and said ground plane, and said air gap extends from said radiator patch to said ground plane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 1, wherein: each of said plurality of support means is arranged to avoid interposition between said radiator patch and said ground plane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 1, wherein: said radiator patch and said ground plane are separated by a distance substantially equal to H, and wherein said distance between each of said plurality of support means and said radiator patch is substantially equal to W, wherein W is at least approximately three times larger than H.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 1 wherein: at least one of said plurality of support means includes a first portion that is made from the same piece of material as said radiator layer and a second portion that is made from the same piece of material as said ground plane.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 1, wherein: said plurality of support means each serve to maintain a distance between said radiator patch and said ground plane that is less than about 0.5 millimeters so that high frequency operation can be achieved.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 1, wherein: at least one of said substrate layer and said ground plane include a perforation of predetermined size to allow air and water to pass between said air gap and an exterior environment.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 1, wherein: the air gap is open to the ambient atmosphere.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
60 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 1, further comprising: a connector for conveying a signal to said radiator patch, wherein said connector includes a feed element that overlaps said radiator patch and a dielectric material that is located between said feed element and said radiator patch thereby forming a capacitively coupled connection between said feed element and said radiator patch.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 1, further comprising: one of the following: a back-launch connector, an edge-launch connector, and a reverse angle edge launch connector that is operatively attached to said radiator patch and said ground plane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 1, wherein: said substantially rigid radiator layer is substantially planar and each of said plurality of support means is made from the same piece of material as said ground plane.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 1, wherein: said predetermined distance is fixed.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 1, wherein: said plurality of support means includes at least three support means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
51 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 1, wherein: said said substantially rigid radiator layer extends to a first circumferential edge and said ground plane extends to a second circumferential edge; wherein at least one of said plurality of support means is located interior to both said first and second circumferential edges.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 1, wherein: said substantially rigid radiator layer includes a plurality of said radiator patch; wherein at least three of said plurality of support means are located around each of said plurality of said radiator patch.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
49 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 1, wherein: at least one of said plurality of support means includes a contact surface for contacting each of said ground plane and said radiator layer, wherein said contact surface is oriented other than perpendicular to said radiator layer and said ground plane.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
65 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 1, wherein: said substantially rigid radiator layer includes a driver layer with a driver element; each of said plurality of support means is made from the same piece of material as both said substrate layer of said substantially rigid radiator layer and said ground plane; and said driver layer is supported between said substrate layer and said ground plane.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
197 words
A microstrip antenna comprising: a substantially rigid radiator layer that includes a substrate layer and a radiator patch which is disposed on one of a lower surface and an upper surface of said substrate layer; a ground plane that is located adjacent to only said lower surface of said substrate layer, wherein said upper surface of said substrate layer is substantially free of any portion of said ground plane positioned adjacent thereto; and a plurality of support means, each of said plurality of support means made from the same material as at least one of said ground plane and said radiator layer, for maintaining a dielectric space between said radiator patch and said ground plane that includes an air gap and that has a predetermined distance between said radiator patch and said ground plane; wherein at least one of said substrate layer and said ground plane forms at least a portion of an exterior surface that is exposed to the environment and includes a perforation to allow at least one of the following: air and water to pass between said air gap and an ambient environment exterior to said substantially rigid radiator layer and said ground plane.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
197 words
A microstrip antenna comprising: a substantially rigid radiator layer that includes a substrate layer and a radiator patch which is disposed on one of a lower surface and an upper surface of said substrate layer; a ground plane that is located adjacent to only said lower surface of said substrate layer, wherein said upper surface of said substrate layer is substantially free of any portion of said ground plane positioned adjacent thereto; and a plurality of support means, each of said plurality of support means made from the same material as at least one of said ground plane and said radiator layer, for maintaining a dielectric space between said radiator patch and said ground plane that includes an air gap and that has a predetermined distance between said radiator patch and said ground plane; wherein at least one of said substrate layer and said ground plane forms at least a portion of an exterior surface that is exposed to the environment and includes a perforation to allow at least one of the following: air and water to pass between said air gap and an ambient environment exterior to said substantially rigid radiator layer and said ground plane.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 19, wherein: said substrate layer and said ground plane each include a perforation to allow at least one of the following: air and water to pass therethrough.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
A microstrip antenna according to claim 19, wherein: said air gap is open to the ambient atmosphere.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
299 words
A method of constructing a microstrip antenna comprising the steps of: providing a substantially rigid radiator layer that includes a substrate layer and a radiator patch that is located on one of a lower surface and an upper surface of said substrate layer, and a ground plane, wherein at least one of said radiator layer and said ground plane includes a plurality of support means that are each made from the same piece of material as at least one of said radiator layer and said ground plane and serve to maintain a dielectric space between said radiator patch and said ground plane that includes an air gap, wherein each of said plurality of support means maintains a predetermined distance between said radiator patch and said ground plane, and each of said plurality of support means is located a distance from said radiator patch so as to avoid interposition between said radiator patch and said ground plane, wherein each of said plurality of support means has substantially a dimple shape that, if a cross-section is taken which is substantially between and substantially parallel to said radiator layer and said ground plane, has a closed surface, wherein each of said plurality of support means has a base that is surrounded by said ground plane or said radiator layer, and wherein each of said plurality of support means has substantially the same dimple shape; and operatively connecting said radiator layer and said ground plane layer to form a microstrip antenna in which said ground plane is located adjacent to only said lower surface of said substrate layer and said upper surface of said substrate layer is substantially free of any portion of said ground plane positioned adjacent thereto, and an air gap is located between the radiator patch and the ground plane.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
299 words
A method of constructing a microstrip antenna comprising the steps of: providing a substantially rigid radiator layer that includes a substrate layer and a radiator patch that is located on one of a lower surface and an upper surface of said substrate layer, and a ground plane, wherein at least one of said radiator layer and said ground plane includes a plurality of support means that are each made from the same piece of material as at least one of said radiator layer and said ground plane and serve to maintain a dielectric space between said radiator patch and said ground plane that includes an air gap, wherein each of said plurality of support means maintains a predetermined distance between said radiator patch and said ground plane, and each of said plurality of support means is located a distance from said radiator patch so as to avoid interposition between said radiator patch and said ground plane, wherein each of said plurality of support means has substantially a dimple shape that, if a cross-section is taken which is substantially between and substantially parallel to said radiator layer and said ground plane, has a closed surface, wherein each of said plurality of support means has a base that is surrounded by said ground plane or said radiator layer, and wherein each of said plurality of support means has substantially the same dimple shape; and operatively connecting said radiator layer and said ground plane layer to form a microstrip antenna in which said ground plane is located adjacent to only said lower surface of said substrate layer and said upper surface of said substrate layer is substantially free of any portion of said ground plane positioned adjacent thereto, and an air gap is located between the radiator patch and the ground plane.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method of constructing a microstrip antenna according to claim 22, wherein: said step of providing comprises punching one of the ground plane layer and the radiator layer with a die to form said support means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method of constructing a microstrip antenna according to claim 22, wherein: said step of providing comprises molding one of the ground plane and the radiator layer with said support means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method of constructing a microstrip antenna according to claim 22, wherein: said step of providing comprises molding one of the ground plane and the radiator layer with said support means to form a frame and metallizing said frame.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method of constructing a microstrip antenna according to claim 22, wherein: said step of providing comprises extruding one of the ground plane layer and the radiator layer to form said support means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of constructing a microstrip antenna according to claim 22, wherein: said step of providing comprises casting one of the ground plane and the radiator layer to form said support means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method of constructing a microstrip antenna according to claim 22, wherein: said step of operatively connecting includes positioning said radiator layer so that said radiator patch is located between said substrate layer and said ground plane.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
66 words
A method of constructing a microstrip antenna according to claim 22, further comprising the step of: placing a feed element and a dielectric material such that the feed element overlaps the radiator patch by a predetermined amount and said dielectric material is located between the feed element and the radiator patch thereby forming a capacitively coupled electrical connection between the feed element and the radiator patch.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method of constructing a microstrip antenna according to claim 22, wherein: said step of providing comprises at least one of said substrate layer and said ground plane including a perforation of predetermined size to allow at least one of the following: air and water to pass therethrough.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-08-21 | 1999-02-20 | 1999-08-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-08-21 | 2003-02-20 | 2003-08-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-08-21 | 2007-02-20 | 2007-08-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |