Tri-state tuning probe with single control
View Patent ↗Tri-state triple band remotely configurable tuning probes for slide screw impedance tuners allow instantaneous larger frequency coverage beyond the capacity of existing tuning probes using the single horizontal and vertical axis mechanism of a prior art single probe, single band tuner. This is done by combining two tuning slugs, a master slug and a slave slug into a configurable tuning probe assembly mounted in the same mobile tuner carriage and controlled using a single vertical axis mechanism. To avoid spurious resonance phenomena the tuning slugs are controlled, driven, and locked vertically sliding on each other, and guided appropriately allowing smooth, uninhibited vertical movement of the metallic bodies.
1 . A remotely configurable double-slug tuning probe system for load pull tuner, comprising:
a remotely configurable double-slug tuning probe, and
means for remotely configuring the double-slug tuning probe;
wherein
the load pull tuner comprises a slabline with two sidewalls and a center conductor linking two ports, a control port, and an idle port and at least one remotely controlled mobile carriage, moving horizontally along the slabline, and including a single, remotely controlled, vertical axis mechanism which holds and controls the configurable double-slug tuning probe;
and wherein
the configurable double-slug tuning probe is linked to the vertical axis mechanism and includes two metallic slugs, a master slug, and a slave slug, each having a parallelepiped body with a front, a back, two side walls and a bottom surface mirroring the center conductor, a horizontal length along the slabline, and a thickness allowing the slugs to slide-fit between the sidewalls of the slabline;
and wherein
the means for remotely configuring the double-slug tuning probe comprise: studs protruding one from the front wall and one from the back wall of the slave slug at the same level,
an interlock mechanism at common walls of the two slugs, an
unmovable control device, linked with the slabline, and
an automated double-slug configuration procedure;
and wherein
the slave slug slides vertically, spring pulled against the master slug, and is lockable, versus the master slug using the interlock mechanism, at three lock positions, a bottom lock position, a center lock position, and a top lock position;
and wherein
at the top lock position, the slave slug is withdrawn from the slabline, at the center lock position the two slugs are flush aligned at their bottom surface, and at the bottom lock position the master slug is withdrawn from the slabline.
2 . The double-slug tuning probe of claim 1 ,
wherein
the slave slug has one spring-loaded steel ball protruding from the side wall of the slave slug between the slave slug and the master slug, and the side wall of the master slug between the master slug and the slave slug has three troughs aligned vertically, a top trough, a center trough, and a bottom trough,
and wherein
the spring-loaded steel ball rolls vertically on the side wall of the master slug between the master slug and the slave slug, drops into and fits snuggly into either of the troughs.
3 . The unmovable control device of the configurable double-slug tuning probe system of claim 2 , comprising a fork, which is attached to the slabline close to one of the ports, and has two horizontal prongs, having an opening between them that is larger than the thickness of the slugs and is less than the sum of the thickness of the slugs plus the protrusion of the studs.
4 . The automated configuration procedure of claim 3 for switching the double-slug tuning probe between tuning modes comprises the following steps:
a) move the carriage close to the control port;
b) to lift the master slug relative to the slave slug, adjust the carriage position and the vertical axis for the prongs to catch above the studs and move the vertical axis upwards for the steel ball to latch into the bottom lock position;
c) to lift the slave slug relative to the master slug, adjust the carriage position and the vertical axis for the prongs to catch below the studs and move the vertical axis downwards for the steel ball to latch into the center or top lock position;
d) move the carriage outside of the reach of the prongs.
5 . The configurable double-slug tuning probe of claim 4 ,
wherein
after the automated configuration procedure, the slugs are locked firmly on each-other sidewise while moving vertically and horizontally as a single unit.
6 . The automatically configurable double-slug tuning probe system for load pull tuner of claim 1 ,
wherein
the slave slug is no longer than the master slug.
7 . The configurable double-slug tuning probe of claim 1 ,
wherein
the slugs are spring pre-loaded towards each-other using two expansion springs having two ends each and placed one spring on the front wall and one spring on the back wall of the slugs anchored one end of either spring on the master slug and the other end on the slave slug.
8 . The configurable double-slug tuning probe system of claim 1 ,
wherein
the vertical axis mechanism and the horizontal position of the mobile carriage of the load pull tuner are remotely controlled using stepper motors and gear.