Coax-Waveguide Adapter Impedance Flatness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing coax-waveguide adapters have poor in-band flatness of the reflection coefficient across a wide frequency band, requiring complex and costly solutions such as designing adapters for varied frequency bands or adding impedance matchers, which are inconvenient and difficult to implement effectively.

Innovation Solution

A coax-waveguide adapter with a cavity-shaped waveguide connection component and a coaxial internal conductor, filled with a left-handed material electromagnetic parameter adjusting component that reduces the effective dielectric constant and magnetic permeability, allowing for adjustment of the effective wave number to improve in-band flatness without altering the external geometry or increasing costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If impedance matching is implemented by adjusting insertion depth and distance parameters, then impedance matching can be achieved at center frequency, but in-band flatness of reflection coefficient deteriorates across wide frequency band

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimpedance matching accuracy at center frequencyVSAvoidin-band flatness across frequency band
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an adjustable impedance matching structure that modifies the electrical parameters (inductance and capacitance) of the adapter. By changing the effective dielectric constant and magnetic permeability through adjustable components, the system can adapt impedance matching across the entire frequency band rather than being fixed at center frequency only, thereby improving in-band flatness while maintaining matching accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the static impedance matching structure into a dynamic one by introducing adjustable elements (such as variable capacitors or inductors) that can be tuned. This allows the electrical characteristics of the adapter to be dynamically adjusted to match different frequency conditions, enabling optimal impedance matching across a wide frequency band and improving reflection coefficient flatness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple coax-waveguide adapters are designed for varied frequency bands, then in-band flatness can be improved for specific bands, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvein-band flatness for specific frequency bandsVSAvoidnumber of devices required
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal coax-waveguide adapter that can function across multiple frequency bands by incorporating adjustable impedance matching components. This single multi-functional device replaces the need for multiple frequency-specific adapters, reducing system complexity while maintaining optimal performance across the entire operating band through adjustable parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

By making the impedance matching parameters adjustable, the patent enables a single adapter to adapt to different frequency bands dynamically. This eliminates the need for multiple fixed-frequency adapters, as one adaptable device can be tuned to achieve optimal in-band flatness across the entire frequency range, thereby reducing the number of devices required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Measurement precision

If an impedance matcher is added to existing coax-waveguide adapter, then impedance matching can be improved, but design complexity and system matching difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimpedance matching performanceVSAvoiddesign and system matching complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the impedance matching function directly into the coax-waveguide adapter structure itself, merging the adapter and impedance matcher into a single unified component. This integration eliminates the need for separate impedance matching devices and simplifies the overall design, as the impedance matching capability is built-in and can be adjusted without adding external complexity to the system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides a simple and cost-effective method to significantly improve the in-band flatness of the reflection coefficient by adjusting the effective dielectric and magnetic permeability, achieving better frequency band flatness without the need for multiple devices or complex designs.

Implementation Method 1

filled with a left-handed material electromagnetic parameter adjusting component that reduces the effective dielectric constant and magnetic permeability

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLeft-handed material: Negative Index Metamaterials

Implementation Method 2

reduces the effective dielectric constant and magnetic permeability, allowing for adjustment of the effective wave number

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEffective dielectric constant reduction: Dielectric Permittivity

Data Source

PatentEP3024087B1Coaxial waveguide converter
Publication Date: 2018.06.27 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3024087B1 patent drawingFigure 1-a~2-a
  • EP3024087B1 patent drawingFigure 2-b~3-a
  • EP3024087B1 patent drawingFigure 3-b~4-a

AI summary

The present invention provides a coax-waveguide adapter, which improves in-band flatness of a reflection coefficient in a simple way. The coax-waveguide adapter includes: a cavity-shaped waveguide connection component, a coaxial external conductor connected to the cavity-shaped waveguide connection component, and a coaxial internal conductor that is disposed inside the coaxial external conductor along an axial direction of the coaxial external conductor and inserted into the cavity-shaped waveguide connection component, where the coax-waveguide adapter further includes: an electromagnetic parameter adjusting component that is disposed inside a cavity of the cavity-shaped waveguide connection component and used for reducing an effective dielectric constant and an effective magnetic conductivity of the coax-waveguide adapter. According to the coax-waveguide adapter provided in the present invention, an external geometrical shape and geometrical dimension of the coax-waveguide adapter are not changed, an implementation manner is simple and easy, costs are low, but in-band flatness of a reflection coefficient can be effectively improved.