Egg Crate Array Antenna Balun Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern antenna applications require high bandwidth, low cross polarization, coincident phase centers, ease of manufacture, and lightweight, low-profile designs, which existing antenna systems struggle to meet due to size and weight constraints.
Innovation Solution
The design features an array antenna with multiple baluns on dielectric panels in an egg crate structure, including ground plane blocks with spacer projections to prevent shorting, and conductive coupling to planar ground structures, along with co-planar waveguide balun circuitry and isolation resistors, enabling balanced and unbalanced signal conversion for dual polarization operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional dual polarized array antennas are designed to meet high bandwidth and low cross polarization requirements, then the antenna performance is improved, but the structure becomes more complex and manufacturing becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna structure is divided into modular unit cells, each containing a dipole pair with common ground plane. Each unit cell is independently designed and then replicated to form the complete array, simplifying the overall design process while maintaining high bandwidth and low cross polarization performance through standardized modular construction
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple dipole elements share a common ground plane structure, merging what would traditionally be separate ground planes into a single integrated component. This reduces the number of discrete parts, simplifies manufacturing, and maintains the electrical isolation needed for dual polarization operation while reducing structural complexity
2Object-generated harmful factors
If antenna elements are designed with separate ground planes for different polarizations to reduce cross polarization, then cross polarization is reduced, but the antenna profile and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple dipole elements share a common ground plane structure, merging what would traditionally be separate ground planes into a single integrated component. This reduces the number of discrete parts, simplifies manufacturing, and maintains the electrical isolation needed for dual polarization operation while reducing structural complexity
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional feeding networks are used for dual polarized arrays, then the antenna can be manufactured with standard techniques, but polarization calibration becomes complicated and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna structure is designed with inherent symmetry and identical electrical paths for both polarizations, causing the phase centers to coincide automatically. This self-aligning geometry eliminates the need for complex polarization calibration procedures, as the structure itself ensures proper phase relationships without requiring manual adjustment or complex calibration algorithms
4Duration of action of moving object
If high bandwidth is achieved through wideband impedance transformation, then the operational bandwidth is improved, but the transmission line structures become more complex and longer
Solution Approach 1:
The feeding structure uses gradual impedance transitions through geometric progression of conductor widths, transforming from narrow dipole widths to wider transmission line widths in a continuous manner. This gradual parameter change achieves wideband impedance matching without requiring long transmission lines or complex multi-section transformers, maintaining compact dimensions while achieving high bandwidth
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 achieves high bandwidth, low cross polarization, and coincident phase centers, reducing the need for complex calibration and enhancing manufacturing simplicity, while maintaining a low profile and lightweight structure suitable for various applications.
Implementation Method 1
A transition from coplanar strip-lines to coplanar waveguide and then to micro-strip performs a balanced to unbalanced conversion, together with a wideband impedance transformation
Implementation Method 2
The ground plane blocks may partially or fully cover balun circuitry on corresponding dielectric panels, the ground plane blocks having spacer projections to space the blocks from the balun circuitry to prevent shorting
Implementation Method 3
an elongated member of energy absorbing material located within a space between the four ground plane blocks in the at least one substantially rectangular region to prevent electromagnetic resonance effects in the space
Data Source
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AI summary
An antenna array (10) includes a plurality of radiating elements disposed on a layer that is situated above an egg crate structure (14) that is formed of interconnected dielectric panels (18). In some embodiments, balun circuitry is disposed on at least some of the dielectric panels of the egg crate structure for use in feeding corresponding radiating elements of the array in a balanced manner. Ground plane blocks (20) may also be coupled to some or all of the dielectric panels to provide circuit shielding and/or to form a ground plane for the array antenna.