IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,454,182
Granted Patent B2
US 10,454,182 · App. 16/234,771 · Granted Oct 22, 2019

Method for dish reflector illumination via sub-reflector assembly with dielectric radiator portion

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,454,182
App. No.
16/234,771
Filed
Dec 28, 2018
Granted
Oct 22, 2019
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2845
USPC
343/781CA
Abstract

A unitary dielectric block is provided having a waveguide transition portion located at a first end of the unitary dielectric block, a sub-reflector support portion located at a second end of the unitary dielectric block, and a radiator portion between the waveguide transition portion and the sub-reflector support portion. The unitary dielectric block may have a longitudinal axis. The sub-reflector support portion may have a proximal surface and a distal surface. The distal surface may be located further from the longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block than the proximal surface. The distal surface may be angled at a first angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block, and the proximal surface may be angled at a second angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block. The second angle may be greater than the first angle.

Claims (35)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a unitary dielectric block having a waveguide transition portion located at a first end of the unitary dielectric block, a sub-reflector support portion located at a second end of the unitary dielectric block that is opposite from the first end, and a radiator portion between the waveguide transition portion and the sub-reflector support portion; and

a waveguide coupled between a dish reflector of a reflector antenna and the unitary dielectric block,

wherein the waveguide is and aligned with a longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block,

wherein the sub-reflector support portion comprises a proximal surface and a distal surface,

wherein the distal surface is located further from the longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block than the proximal surface,

wherein the distal surface is angled at a first angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block,

wherein the proximal surface is angled at a second angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block, and

wherein the second angle is greater than the first angle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sub-reflector support portion has a peripheral reference surface located further from the longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block than the distal surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the peripheral reference surface is normal to the longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a sub-reflector attached to the sub-reflector support portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the sub-reflector comprises a radiofrequency (RF) reflective coating applied to the sub-reflector support portion.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the sub-reflector comprises a metallic disk seated upon the sub-reflector support portion.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the unitary dielectric block is inserted into the waveguide up to a shoulder of the waveguide transition portion.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the unitary dielectric block is dimensioned to operate in a desired microwave frequency band, and wherein the shoulder is at least 0.75 wavelengths of a radiated wave having a frequency at a midpoint of the desired microwave frequency band.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the unitary dielectric block is dimensioned to operate in a desired microwave frequency band, and wherein a diameter of the sub-reflector support portion is at least 2.5 wavelengths of a radiated wave having a frequency at a midpoint of the desired microwave frequency band.

10. A method comprising:

providing a dish reflector;

providing a unitary dielectric block having a waveguide transition portion located at a first end of the unitary dielectric block, a sub-reflector support portion located at a second end of the unitary dielectric block that is opposite from the first end, and a radiator portion between the waveguide transition portion and the sub-reflector support portion, wherein the sub-reflector support portion comprises a proximal surface and a distal surface, wherein the distal surface is located further from a longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block than the proximal surface, wherein the distal surface is angled at a first angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block, wherein the proximal surface is angled at a second angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block, and wherein the second angle is greater than the first angle;

coupling a first end of a waveguide to the dish reflector;

aligning a longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block with the waveguide; and

coupling the unitary dielectric block to a second end of the waveguide.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the sub-reflector support portion has a peripheral reference surface located further from the longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block than the distal surface.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the peripheral reference surface is normal to the longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising attaching a sub-reflector to the sub-reflector support portion.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the sub-reflector comprises a radiofrequency (RF) reflective coating applied to the sub-reflector support portion.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the sub-reflector comprises a metallic disk seated upon the sub-reflector support portion.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein coupling the unitary dielectric block to a second end of the waveguide comprises inserting the unitary dielectric block into the waveguide up to a shoulder of the waveguide transition portion.

17. A method comprising:

selecting dimensions for a unitary dielectric block having a waveguide transition portion located at a first end of the unitary dielectric block, a sub-reflector support portion located at a second end of the unitary dielectric block that is opposite from the first end, and a radiator portion between the waveguide transition portion and the sub-reflector support portion, wherein the dimensions are selected based on a desired operating frequency, wherein the waveguide transition portion is dimensioned to couple with a distal end of a waveguide, wherein the sub-reflector support portion comprises a proximal surface and a distal surface, wherein the distal surface is located further from a longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block than the proximal surface, wherein the distal surface is angled at a first angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block, wherein the proximal surface is angled at a second angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block, and wherein the second angle is greater than the first angle; and

manufacturing the unitary dielectric block based on the selected dimensions.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the manufacturing comprises machining the unitary dielectric block, and wherein a periphery of a distal surface of the unitary dielectric block that is normal to the longitudinal axis of the unitary dielectric block is dimensioned such that the periphery provides a reference surface.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the manufacturing comprises injection molding.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising attaching a sub-reflector to the sub-reflector support portion.