Waveguide transition for flat plate antenna

Claim 2

A flat plate antenna comprising: a ground plane; a power distribution network layer disposed over said ground plane, said power distribution network layer comprising a central feed location, at least two power distribution lines radiating from said central feed location, and a plurality of feedlines radiating from said at least two power distribution lines; a radiating element layer capacitively coupled to said power distribution network layer, said radiating element layer comprising a plurality of radiating elements in one-to-one correspondence with and impedance matched with said plurality of feedlines; and a waveguide, fastened to a side of said ground plane opposite said power distribution network layer, for feeding power to said power distribution network layer at said central feed location, said ground plane forming one wall of said waveguide, wherein said central feed location comprises E-plane bend means, disposed within said waveguide, for bending a propagation path of an output of said waveguide.

Claim 3

A flat plate antenna as claimed in claim 1, said waveguide comprising a cast metal structure having a rectangular inner cavity.

Claim 4

A flat plate antenna as claimed in claim 1, said waveguide comprising a metallized plastic structure having a rectangular inner cavity.

Claim 5

A flat plate antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power distribution network layer comprises a stripline distribution network.

Claim 6

A flat plate antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power distribution network layer comprises a microstrip distribution network.

Claim 7

A flat plate antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power distribution network layer comprises a slotline distribution network.

Claim 8

A flat plate antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power distribution network layer comprises a finline distribution network.

Claim 9

A flat plate antenna as claimed in claim 1, wherein said radiating elements comprise elements having perturbation segments extending therefrom, each of said elements being fed at a single point, so as to achieve circular polarization.

Claim 10

A flat plate antenna comprising: a ground plane; a Power distribution network layer disposed over to said ground plane, said power distribution network layer comprising a central feed location, at least two power distribution lines radiating from said central feed location, and a plurality of feedlines radiating from said at least two power distribution lines; a radiating element layer capacitively coupled to said power distribution network layer, said radiating element layer comprising a plurality of radiating elements in one-to-one correspondence with and impedance matched with said plurality of feedlines; and a waveguide, fastened to a side of said ground plane opposite said power distribution network layer, for feeding power to said power distribution network layer at said central feed location; wherein said central feed location comprises E-plane bend means, disposed within said waveguide, for bending a propagation path of an output of said waveguide, said waveguide extending through said ground plane and being impedance matched to said power distribution lines on said power distribution network layer.

Claim 11

A flat plate antenna comprising: a ground plane; a Power distribution network layer disposed over to said ground plane, said power distribution network layer comprising a central feed location, at least two power distribution lines radiating from said central feed location, and a plurality of feedlines radiating from said at least two power distribution lines; a radiating element layer capacitively coupled to said power distribution network layer, said radiating element layer comprising a plurality of radiating elements in one-to-one correspondence with and impedance matched with said plurality of feedlines; and a waveguide, fastened to a side of said ground plane opposite said power distribution network layer, for feeding power to said power distribution network layer at said central feed location; wherein said central feed location comprises E-plane bend means, disposed within said waveguide, for bending a propagation path of an output of said waveguide, said waveguide extending through said ground plane and being impedance matched to said power distribution lines on said power distribution network layer.

Claim 12

A flat plate antenna comprising: a ground plane; a stripline power distribution network layer divided into four quadrants and disposed over said ground plane, said stripline power distribution network layer comprising a central feed location, four feedpoints, one in each of said quadrants, connected to said central feed location, at least two power distribution lines radiating from each of said feedpoints, and a plurality of feedlines radiating from said at least two power distribution lines; a radiating element layer capacitively coupled to said stripline power distribution network layer, said radiating element layer comprising a plurality of radiating elements in one-to-one correspondence with and impedance matched with said plurality of feedlines; and a waveguide, fastened to a side of said ground plane opposite said stripline power distribution network layer, for feeding power to said power distribution network layer at said central feed location, said ground plane forming one wall of said waveguide, said waveguide feeding power to said stripline power distribution network layer at each of said feedpoints; wherein each of said feedpoints comprises a coaxial connection, and a pair of mode suppression walls on either side of said coaxial connection and extending through said power distribution network layer, each said coaxial connection being impedance matched to said power distribution lines on said stripline power distribution network layer; wherein each of said feedpoints comprises E-plane bend means, disposed within said waveguide, for bending a propagation path of an output of said waveguide, said waveguide extending through said ground plane and being impedance matched to said power distribution lines on said power distribution network layer, said four feedpoints being capacitively connected to said central feed location.

Claim 13

A flat plate antenna comprising: a ground plane; a stripline power distribution network layer divided into four quadrants and disposed over said ground plane, said stripline power distribution network layer comprising a central feed location, four feedpoints, one in each of said quadrants, connected to said central feed location, at least two power distribution lines radiating from each of said feedpoints, and a plurality of feedlines radiating from said at least two power distribution lines; a radiating element layer capacitively coupled to said stripline power distribution network layer, said radiating element layer comprising a plurality of radiating elements in one-to-one correspondence with and impedance matched with said plurality of feedlines; and a waveguide, fastened to a side of said ground plane opposite said stripline power distribution network layer, for feeding power to said power distribution network layer at said central feed location, said ground plane forming one wall of said waveguide, said waveguide feeding power to said stripline power distribution network layer at each of said feedpoints; wherein each of said feedpoints comprises a coaxial connection, and a pair of mode suppression walls on either side of said coaxial connection and extending through said power distribution network layer, each said coaxial connection being impedance matched to said power distribution lines on said stripline power distribution network layer; wherein each of said feedpoints comprises E-plane bend means, disposed within said waveguide, for bending a propagation path of an output of said waveguide, said waveguide extending through said ground plane and being impedance matched to said power distribution lines on said power distribution network layer, said four feedpoints being capacitively connected to said central feed location.

Claim 14

A flat plate antenna comprising: a ground plane; a first stripline power distribution network layer divided into four quadrants and disposed over to said ground plane, said first stripline power distribution network layer comprising a first central feed location and first through fourth feedpoints, one in each of said quadrants, connected to said first central feed location, at least two power distribution lines radiating from each of said first to fourth feedpoints, and a first plurality of feedlines radiating from said at least two power distribution lines; a first radiating element layer capacitively coupled to said first stripline power distribution network layer, said first radiating element layer comprising a plurality of radiating elements in one-to-one correspondence with and impedance matched with said first plurality of feedlines; a first waveguide, disposed on a side of said ground plane opposite said first stripline power distribution network layer, said first waveguide feeding power to said first power distribution network layer at each of said first through fourth feedpoints, each of said first through fourth feedpoints comprising a coaxial connection, and a pair of mode suppression walls on either side of each said coaxial connection, each said coaxial connection being impedance matched to said power distribution lines on said first stripline power distribution network layer; a second stripline power distribution network layer divided into four quadrants and capacitively coupled to said first radiating element layer, said second stripline power distribution network layer comprising a second central feed location and fifth through eighth feedpoints, one in each of said quadrants, connected to said second central feed location, at least two power distribution lines radiating from each of said fifth through eighth feedpoints, and a second plurality of feedlines radiating from said at least two power distribution line; a second radiating element layer capacitively coupled to said second stripline power distribution network layer, said second radiating element layer comprising a plurality of radiating elements in one-to-one correspondence with and impedance matched with said second plurality of feedlines; and a second waveguide, fastened to a side of said ground plane opposite said first stripline power distribution network layer between said ground plane and said first waveguide, and disposed orthogonally to said first waveguide, said ground plane forming one wall of said second waveguide, said second waveguide feeding power to said second power distribution network layer at each of said fifth through eighth feedpoints, each of said fifth through eighth feedpoints comprising a coaxial connection, and a pair of mode suppression walls on either side of said coaxial connection, said coaxial connection being impedance matched to said power distribution lines on said first stripline power distribution network layer.

Claim 15

A flat plate antenna comprising: a ground plane; a first stripline power distribution network layer divided into four quadrants and disposed over to said ground plane, said first stripline power distribution network layer comprising a first central feed location and first through fourth feedpoints, one in each of said quadrants, connected to said first central feed location, at least two power distribution lines radiating from each of said first to fourth feedpoints, and a first plurality of feedlines radiating from said at least two power distribution lines; a first radiating element layer capacitively coupled to said first stripline power distribution network layer, said first radiating element layer comprising a plurality of radiating elements in one-to-one correspondence with and impedance matched with said first plurality of feedlines; a first waveguide, disposed on a side of said ground plane opposite said first stripline power distribution network layer, said first waveguide feeding power to said first power distribution network layer at each of said first through fourth feedpoints, each of said first through fourth feedpoints comprising a coaxial connection, and a pair of mode suppression walls on either side of each said coaxial connection, each said coaxial connection being impedance matched to said power distribution lines on said first stripline power distribution network layer; a second stripline power distribution network layer divided into four quadrants and capacitively coupled to said first radiating element layer, said second stripline power distribution network layer comprising a second central feed location and fifth through eighth feedpoints, one in each of said quadrants, connected to said second central feed location, at least two power distribution lines radiating from each of said fifth through eighth feedpoints, and a second plurality of feedlines radiating from said at least two power distribution line; a second radiating element layer capacitively coupled to said second stripline power distribution network layer, said second radiating element layer comprising a plurality of radiating elements in one-to-one correspondence with and impedance matched with said second plurality of feedlines; and a second waveguide, fastened to a side of said ground plane opposite said first stripline power distribution network layer between said ground plane and said first waveguide, and disposed orthogonally to said first waveguide, said ground plane forming one wall of said second waveguide, said second waveguide feeding power to said second power distribution network layer at each of said fifth through eighth feedpoints, each of said fifth through eighth feedpoints comprising a coaxial connection, and a pair of mode suppression walls on either side of said coaxial connection, said coaxial connection being impedance matched to said power distribution lines on said first stripline power distribution network layer.