Wave transmission lines and networks – Plural channel systems – Having branched circuits
Patent
1996-12-17
1999-09-07
Lee, Benny T.
Wave transmission lines and networks
Plural channel systems
Having branched circuits
333156, 333161, 343853, H01P 118
Patent
active
059493038
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns a device for adjusting the beam direction of a beam radiated from a stationary array of antenna elements, wherein at least two antenna element feed points are coupled to a common signal source via a feed line structure having a source connection terminal to be connected to said source and at least two feed connection terminals to be connected to said antenna element feed points, the feed line structure comprising a feed conductor line pattern disposed in a fixed planar arrangement, e.g. on a carrier plate, at a distance from and in parallel to a fixed ground plate, and a movable dielectric body located therebetween, said movable dielectric body being displaceable in parallel to the feed conductor line pattern and the ground plate so as to change the exciting phase of a signal component reaching one of the feed connection terminals. The invention also concerns a feed line structure for use in an antenna or any other device requiring a controlled adjustment of the phase difference between at least two signal components derived from a radio frequency signal generated by a common source.
A device of the kind referred to above is previously known from JP, A, 63296402. A number of triangular dielectric bodies are movable in two perpendicular directions, in each case transversely to a conductor line segment so as to enable a controlled delay of the corresponding signal component. The delay is substantially proportional to the surface portion of the triangle being in registry with the associated conductor line segment. In this way, the beam can be adjusted in two mutually perpendicular directions.
However, each triangular body has relatively small dimensions in relation to the length of each conductor line leading to a feed connection terminal. Therefore, the adjustment possibilities are rather limited. Furthermore, in case such triangular bodies with larger dimensions were to be used, the impedance of the feed line structure would be adversely affected.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Against this background, it is a primary object of the present invention to achieve an adjustment device, which enables a substantial phase shift while keeping the input impedance at the source connecting terminal essentially unchanged.
Another object is to achieve a feed line structure, which is easy to manufacture and convenient to operate, in particular by means of a manual control means.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, according to the invention, the feed line pattern is elongated in a main direction and includes longitudinal feed line segments extending in parallel to the main direction towards each one of the feed connection terminals. The dielectric body is formed substantially as a dielectric plate, which is displaceable in the main direction between two end positions. Furthermore, the dielectric plate is dimensioned and located so as to extend in a region covering overlapping portions of the longitudinal feed line segments. In this way, these overlapping portions will effect a well-defined propagation velocity reduction of the corresponding signal components before they reach the respective feed connection terminals.
Since the dielectric plate is movable in the same direction as the extension of the longitudinal feed line segments (the main direction), the propagation velocity reduction will be very distinct and easy to control by mechanically controlling the linear movement of the dielectric plate between the two end positions. Preferably, the dielectric plate is continuously displaceable so as to be positioned in any desired location. In this way, the beam direction can be adjusted accordingly.
Preferably, the source connection terminal is located at a central portion of the feed line pattern, whereas the feed connection terminals are located at opposite end portions of the pattern. The dielectric plate then extends in a region also covering the central portion of the feed line pattern and it will normally have a relatively large area corresponding to at least half
REFERENCES:
patent: 2831169 (1958-04-01), Casal
patent: 3440573 (1969-04-01), Butler
patent: 3656179 (1972-04-01), De Loach
patent: 4356462 (1982-10-01), Bowman
patent: 5126705 (1992-06-01), Carnevali et al.
Patent Abstracts of Japan, abstract of JP-A-62-196903 (Matsushita Electric Works Ltd), Aug. 31, 1987.
Patent Abstracts of Japan, abstract of JP-A-63-296402 (Mitsubishi Electric Corp), Dec. 2, 1988.
Andersson Stefan
Arvidsson Per-Anders
Allgon AB
Lee Benny T.
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