Non-woven textile microwave antennas and components
A method of constructing an antenna, filter, or similar structure comprising one or more planar electrically conductive radiating and/or receiving elements having conductive feedlines attached thereto and a planar around reference conductor spaced therefrom by a spacer layer, comprising the steps of: providing a planar dielectric fabric spacer layer; applying conductive material to a first side of said spacer layer, by an embroidery process employing conductive thread or yarn, to define said electrically conductive radiating and/or receiving elements having conductive feedlines attached thereto; providing a planar around reference conductor on the opposite side of said planar spacer layer in a position corresponding to the pattern of said electrically conductive radiating and/or receiving elements having conductive feedlines attached thereto; and providing a connection whereby said conductive feedlines attached to said electrically conductive radiating and/or receiving elements, and said planar around reference conductor, can each be connected to associated signal transmitting and/or receiving equipment.
1. A microwave stripline antenna comprising:
a plurality of conductive antenna patterns;
a plurality of groundplanes;
a plurality of feed elements;
a plurality of feed slots to allow feed elements to pass through the non-woven dielectric spacers; and
a plurality of dielectric separator layers comprised of corrugated non-woven fabric as necessary to form a stripline antenna construction.
2. The antenna of claim 1 in which the conductive antenna patterns are comprised of a metalized fabric.
3. The antenna of claim 1 in which the groundplane is comprised of a metalized fabric.
4. The antenna of claim 1 in which said non-woven fabric dielectric spacer is comprised of dimpled non-woven fabric.
5. The antenna of claim 1 in which said corrugated or dimpled non-woven fabric dielectric spacer is interposed between said groundplane layers and said antenna layers.