Transitional waveguide structures and related sensor assemblies
Antenna assemblies for vehicles, such as RADAR sensor antenna assemblies. In some embodiments, the assembly may comprise an antenna block defining a waveguide groove and an adapter portion comprising a ridge. The ridge may taper or otherwise transition in height and/or width to facilitate a transition between two adjacent elements of the assembly, such as two adjacent waveguide structures comprising ridges having different cross-sectional dimensions.
1. An antenna module, comprising:
an antenna block defining a waveguide groove on a first side of the antenna block; and
a ridge extending within the waveguide groove, wherein the waveguide groove comprises an adapter portion, the adapter portion comprising:
a first end comprising a first height and a first width at the first end; and
a second end opposite the first end, the second end comprising a second height and a second width at the second end, wherein the first height differs from the second height, and wherein the first width differs from the second width, wherein the adapter portion comprises a plurality of distinct sections, and wherein a ridge of each of the plurality of distinct sections transitions between a respective first height and second height differing from the respective first height, and between a respective first width and second width differing from the respective first width.
2. The antenna module of claim 1 , wherein the second height is greater than the first height, and wherein the second width is less than the first width.
3. The antenna module of claim 2 , wherein the adapter portion smoothly transitions between the first width and the second width.
4. The antenna module of claim 3 , wherein each of the first height, the first width, the second height, and the second width are defined by a ridge of the adapter portion, and wherein the adapter portion smoothly transitions between the first height and the second height.
5. The antenna module of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide groove is at least partially defined by a plurality of posts positioned opposite from one another, and wherein the ridge is positioned within the waveguide groove between opposite posts of the plurality of posts.
6. The antenna module of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of posts comprises a first set of posts comprising at least two rows of posts positioned on a first side of the ridge and a second set of posts comprising at least two rows of posts positioned on a second side of the ridge opposite the first side.
7. The antenna module of claim 6 , wherein at least two rows of posts of the first set of posts are staggered relative to each other such that posts in a first row of the first set of posts are positioned adjacent to gaps between adjacent posts in a second row of the first set of posts.
8. The antenna module of claim 5 , wherein the ridge comprises a first side and a second side opposite the first side, a ridge width being defined between the first and second sides, wherein the first side is straight, and wherein the second side tapers between the first end and the second end.
9. The antenna module of claim 1 , wherein the antenna block comprises a plurality of waveguide grooves each associated with a different antenna of the antenna block, wherein each of the plurality of waveguide grooves comprises a ridge extending therein, and wherein at least one of the ridges comprises an adapter portion comprising:
a first end having a first height and a first width; and
a second end opposite the first end having a second height and a second width, wherein the first height differs from the second height, and wherein the first width differs from the second width.
10. The antenna module of claim 1 , wherein the antenna module comprises a vehicle RADAR module.
11. A vehicle sensor module, comprising:
a plurality of waveguides, wherein each of the waveguides of the plurality of waveguides comprises a waveguide adapter section configured to facilitate a transition between adjacent ridges of the vehicle sensor module, each respective waveguide adapter section comprising:
a first row of posts;
a second row of posts; and
a ridge positioned in between the first and second rows of posts, wherein the ridge transitions from a first end having a first height and a first width to a second end opposite the first end, the second end comprising a second height and a second width at the second end, wherein the first width differs from the second width.
12. The vehicle sensor module of claim 11 , wherein the first height differs from the second height.
13. The vehicle sensor module of claim 12 , wherein the second height is greater than the first height, and wherein the second width is less than the first width.
14. The vehicle sensor module of claim 13 , wherein the adapter portion smoothly transitions between the first width and the second width, and wherein the adapter portion smoothly transitions between the first height and the second height.
15. The vehicle sensor module of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of waveguides further comprises a section adjacent to the adapter section comprising a ridge having an at least substantially constant height and an at least substantially constant width.
16. The vehicle sensor module of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of waveguides comprises at least two rows of posts positioned on a first side of its respective ridge and at least two rows of posts positioned on a second side of its respective ridge opposite the first side.
17. An antenna module, comprising:
an antenna block comprising a plurality of waveguides formed along a first side of the antenna block, wherein at least one of the waveguides of the plurality of waveguides comprises:
a first waveguide section;
a second waveguide section; and
a waveguide adapter section comprising:
a first row of posts;
a second row of posts; and
a ridge positioned in between the first and second rows of posts, wherein the ridge tapers from a first end having a first height and a first width to a second end opposite the first end, the second end comprising a second height and a second width at the second end, wherein the first height differs from the second height, wherein the first width differs from the second width, wherein each respective waveguide adapter section of the at least one of the waveguides of the plurality of waveguides is coupled to a respective first waveguide section at the first end, and is coupled to a respective second waveguide section at the second end.
18. The antenna module of claim 17 , wherein the first waveguide section is configured to receive electromagnetic energy from a printed circuit board, and wherein the second waveguide section is configured to transfer electromagnetic waves from the first side of the antenna block to a second side of the antenna block opposite the first side.
19. The antenna module of claim 17 , wherein the waveguide adapter section of each of the at least one waveguides further comprises a third row of posts positioned adjacent to the first row of posts on a first side of the ridge and a fourth row of posts positioned adjacent to the second row of posts on a second side of the ridge opposite the first side.