Wave transmission lines and networks – Plural channel systems – Having branched circuits
Patent
1995-12-24
1996-11-26
Gensler, Paul
Wave transmission lines and networks
Plural channel systems
Having branched circuits
333137, H01P 1213
Patent
active
055789730
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention is based on a waveguide multiplexer/demultiplexer. A waveguide multiplexer/demultiplexer is known comprising a rectangular collecting waveguide short-circuited at one end and coupled to a plurality of tunable waveguide filters at least on one of its sidewalls, the waveguide filters being tunable to different frequency bands.
Such a waveguide multiplexer/demultiplexer has been disclosed in PCT Application WO 88/03711. Here, two waveguide filters are in each case coupled in the same cross-sectional plane to the collecting waveguide, to be precise in each case one waveguide filter to one of two mutually opposite side walls. The coupling is effected via pins which project on one end into the collecting waveguide and on the other end into the waveguide filter, through its side walls. The same document also discloses a waveguide multiplexer/demultiplexer in the case of which waveguide filters are coupled at the ends via slots in two mutually opposite side walls of a collecting waveguide. The waveguide filters are alternately coupled along the collecting waveguide to the opposite side walls, so that there is always a coupling opening for a waveguide filter in a cross-sectional plane of the collecting waveguide.
This known type of coupling of waveguide filters to a collecting waveguide results in an extremely long physical length of the multiplexer/demultiplexer, particularly if it is intended to be designed for a very large number (for example 12) of frequency channels. Since such waveguide multiplexers/demultiplexers are used in the field of space flight, it is disadvantageous if their physical shapes are very voluminous.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a waveguide multiplexer/demultiplexer of the type mentioned initially which has a volume and weight which are as small as possible.
According to the invention, the waveguide multiplexer/demultiplexer comprises a rectangular collecting waveguide provided with a short-circuit plane at one end thereof and a device or elements for coupling the collecting waveguide to a plurality of tunable waveguide filters arranged on at least one of its sidewalls, the waveguide filters being tunable to different frequency channels. The at least one sidewall is provided with at least one pair of coupling openings. The two coupling openings of each pair are arranged in a side-by-side relationship in a transverse direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the collecting waveguide. Each coupling opening is spaced from the short-circuit plane at a distance corresponding to an odd-numbered multiple of a quarter mean wavelength for the frequency channel to be coupled via the respective coupling openings, and the two coupling openings of each pair are sufficiently offset or spaced from a center of the at least one sidewall of the collecting wave guide transversely towards respective longitudinal edges of the at least one sidewall so that one of the two waveguide filters for the two coupling openings can be coupled to the collecting waveguide via the coupling opening of the one waveguide filter when the two waveguide filters are tuned to different frequencies.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the waveguide has two mutually opposing sidewalls and each mutually opposing sidewall is provided with at least one pair of coupling openings. The coupling openings can be slots provided in the at least one sidewall and elongated in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the collecting waveguide. Each of the coupling openings is in a preferred embodiment surrounded by a flange for connection to one of the waveguide filters. In a waveguide multiplexer/demultiplexer which is designed in accordance with the invention, the space for coupling the waveguide filters to the collecting waveguide is used in an optimum manner. In consequence, the overall length of the arrangement is considerably shortened in comparison with that of the prior art. As a consequence of this, the weight of the arrangement is als
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patent: 3845415 (1974-10-01), Ando
patent: 3952270 (1976-04-01), Louvel
patent: 4060778 (1977-11-01), Hefni et al.
patent: 4614920 (1986-09-01), Tong
Rosbenberg Uwe
Speldrich Werner
Tokouzbalidis Stilianos
ANT Nachrichtentechnik GmbH
Gensler Paul
Striker Michael J.
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