Phase adjustable adapter
A phase adjustable adapter that can maintain its value of characteristic impedance in a manner that is independent of its electrical length. Embodiments of the adapter include a center conductor and an adapter body in surrounding relation to the center conductor so as to form an insulative gap. The adapter body has form factor that is defined by the ratio of an outer dimension of the adapter body to the length of the adapter body, where the form factor changes in accordance with the change in the length of the adapter body.
1. An adapter for conducting an electrical signal having a wavelength (λ), the adapter comprising:
a center conductor having a longitudinal axis;
an adapter body in surrounding relation to the center conductor, the adapter body having an outer dimension and a length including a first length and a second length that is greater than the first length; and
an insulative gap disposed between the center conductor and the adapter body, the insulative gap remaining substantially constant along the length,
wherein the adapter body has a form factor defined as the ratio of the outer dimension to the length, the form factor includes a first form factor at the first length and a second form factor at the second length, the second form factor is less than the first form factor.
2. The adapter according to claim 1 , further comprising a connective element disposed on opposite sides of the adapter body, the connective elements having an outer threaded surface adapted to receive a transmission line thereon.
3. The adapter according to claim 2 , wherein the center conductor includes a plurality of conductive portions that each have a shape that is different from the shape of the other conductive portions.
4. The adapter according to claim 2 , wherein the second length is consistent with about the wavelength (λ) of the electrical signal.
5. The adapter according to claim 1 , wherein the adapter body has a first value of characteristic impedance at the first length and a second value of characteristic impedance at the second length that is substantially the same as the first value.
6. The adapter according to claim 5 , wherein the insulative gap includes a dielectric material.
7. The adapter according to claim 1 , wherein the form factor is defined in accordance with,
f
f
=
D
l
,
where f f is the form factor, D is the outer dimension of the adapter body, and l is the length of the adapter body.
8. A phase adjustable adapter for use in a system having a nominal value of characteristic impedance, the phase adjustable adapter comprising:
a center conductor having a longitudinal axis;
a first elongated section in surrounding relation to the center conductor;
a second elongated section insertably engaging the first elongated section along the longitudinal axis, the second elongated section having a first position and a second position that is different than the first position; and
an insulative gap disposed between the center conductor and the adapter body, the insulative gap remaining substantially constant when the second elongated section moves from the first position toward the second position,
wherein the first elongated section and the second elongated section form an adapter body that has a form factor has a first form factor at the first position and a second form factor at the second position, the second form factor is less than the first form factor when the form factor is defined in accordance with,
f
f
=
D
l
,
where f f is the form factor, D is an outer dimension of the adapter body, and l is a length of the adapter body.
9. The adapter according to claim 8 , further comprising further comprising a connective element disposed on opposite sides of the adapter body, the connective elements having an outer threaded surface adapted to receive a transmission line thereon.
10. The adapter according to claim 8 , further comprising a third elongated section in surrounding relation to at least one of the first and second sections.
11. The adapter according to claim 10 , wherein the center conductor includes a plurality of conductive portions that each have a shape that is different from the shape of the other conductive portions.
12. The adapter according to claim 8 , wherein the adapter body has a first value of characteristic impedance at the first length and a second value of characteristic impedance at the second length that is substantially the same as the first value.
13. The adapter according to claim 12 , wherein the insulative gap includes a dielectric material.
14. The adapter according to claim 8 , further comprising at least one retentive element in communication with the first elongated section and the second elongated section.
15. A method of varying an electrical length of an adapter for connecting a first component and a second component in a system having a nominal value of characteristic impedance, comprising:
providing a center conductor having a longitudinal axis;
providing an adapter body in surrounding relation to the center conductor, the adapter body including a first elongated section and a second elongated section insertably engaging the first elongated section, the second elongated section having a first position and a second position that is different than the first position; and
forming an insulative gap between the center conductor and the adapter body, the insulative gap remaining substantially constant when the second elongated section moves from the first position toward the second position,
wherein the first elongated section and the second elongated section form an adapter body that has a form factor with a first form factor at the first position of the second elongated section and a second form factor at the second position of the second elongated section, the second form factor is less than the first form factor when the form factor is defined in accordance with,
f
f
=
D
l
,
where f f is the form factor, D is an outer dimension of the adapter body, and l is a length of the adapter body.
16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein relative movement between the first elongated section and the second elongated section causes the first position of the second elongated section to change to the second position of the second elongated section.
17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising coupling the first elongated section and the second elongated section in a manner preventing rotation of at least the second elongated section when changing the first position of the second elongated section to the second position of the second elongated section.
18. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising preventing relative movement between the first elongated section and the second elongated section with an external collar.
19. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising disposing a dielectric material in the insulative gap.
20. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the center conductor includes a plurality of conductive portions that each have a shape that is different from the shape of the other conductive portions.