Wave transmission lines and networks – Long lines – Waveguide type
Patent
1985-03-04
1987-12-01
LaRoche, Eugene R.
Wave transmission lines and networks
Long lines
Waveguide type
333242, 138121, 138122, H01P 314
Patent
active
047107367
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to flexible waveguides.
PRIOR ART
A known construction of flexible waveguide has walls which have a corrugated or bellows-like conformation, the corrugations lying in planes transverse to the longitudinal axis of the waveguide. The corrugations may be formed by winding a conductive metal strip such as brass and sealing adjacent windings together by solder. Such a waveguide is flexible by virtue of the flexibility of the strip forming the individual corrugations, but is not in general capable of being twisted. In order to sustain an angular deformation or twist about its longitudinal axis a corrugated waveguide has to be formed with interlocking corrugations which overlap, for example, around a wire core which is wrapped around the waveguide; sliding movement of the individual corrugations or "turns" relative to the wire core permits a degree of twist in the waveguide.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide, in a simple construction, a corrugated waveguide which is capable of sustaining both bending and twisting movements.
According to the invention there is provided a flexible waveguide having corrugated walls the corrugations of which are inclined to the transverse planes of the waveguide, that is, planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the waveguide at an angle of substantially 45.degree.. Such a corrugation angle has been found in practice to permit combined bending and twisting of the waveguide.
Upon flexing of the waveguide according to the invention the waveguide can exhibit both bending and twisting deformation. Such deformation can be useful for certain interfacing applications. In some cases the degree of twist imparted to a length of the flexible waveguide will be a result of a bending of the waveguide and will depend on the exact angle of the inclined corrugations, the length of the waveguide and the degree of bending imparted thereto. In other cases, bending and twisting deformations of the waveguide will be independent of each other.
The corrugations in the waveguide may be rectangular in cross sectional profile. Alternatively the corrugations may have a substantially sinusoidal cross sectional profile, applicable more particularly to the larger sizes of waveguide.
The waveguide according to the invention is preferably seamless. The corrugations may be obtained by, for example, an hydraulic cold-forming process or an electro-forming process.
The seamless flexible waveguide according to preferred embodiments of the invention, in contrast with previously known twistable waveguides, does not have any discontinuity between adjacent corrugations, for permitting relative sliding movement between these corrugations. Since the corrugations are formed in a single piece of sheet metal without discontinuity the degree of radio frequency leakage exhibited by the flexible waveguide according to the invention is potentially less than that exhibited by flexible waveguides of the traditional construction referred to previously.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying purely diagrammatic drawings, in which:
FIGS. 1 to 4 are respective plan views of sections of flexible waveguide according to four different embodiments of the invention,
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of part of the flexible waveguide illustrated in FIG. 3 with annular corrugations, illustrating its flexing and twisting characteristics, and
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of part of the flexible waveguide illustrated FIG. 3 with multi-start helical corrugations, showing its flexing and twisting.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrate sections of flexible waveguide 1 the walls of which are continuous, that is, seamless, and formed with corrugations 2 which are inclined at an angle .alpha. of substantially 45.degree. to the longitudinal axis of the waveguide 1. In other words, the corrugations 2 are inclined at 45.degree. to the transverse planes in which the corrugations of a c
REFERENCES:
patent: 3090019 (1963-05-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 3201723 (1965-08-01), Martin et al.
patent: 3315185 (1967-04-01), Muller
patent: 3331400 (1967-07-01), Vilkaitis
patent: 3345590 (1967-10-01), Wolfgang et al.
patent: 3372352 (1968-03-01), Krank et al.
patent: 3938244 (1976-02-01), Merle
patent: 4144510 (1979-03-01), Brown et al.
Greer, Jr. Thomas J.
LaRoche Eugene R.
Lee Benny
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