Gap Waveguide Second Layer Direct Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current microwave devices, particularly those using gap waveguide technology, are cumbersome and costly to produce due to the need for a suspended second layer at a constant height and avoiding contact with protruding elements, which complicates manufacturing and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
The microwave device allows the second conducting layer to rest on or be connected to the protruding elements, enabling mechanical and electrical contact without affecting the electromagnetic performance, facilitating manufacturing and reducing costs by eliminating the need for a substrate and expensive low-loss materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a suspended second layer is used to avoid contact with protruding elements, then electromagnetic performance is maintained, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of suspending the second layer to avoid contact with protruding elements, the patent inverts the approach by allowing the second layer to rest directly on the protruding elements. This inversion resolves the contradiction by demonstrating that contact does not degrade electromagnetic performance, thereby eliminating the need for complex suspension structures and constant height maintenance while preserving the waveguide functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the requirement for a substrate and constant height suspension from the gap waveguide structure. By removing these complex elements and allowing direct contact between the second layer and protruding elements, the design achieves simpler manufacturing while maintaining electromagnetic performance through the inherent properties of the gap waveguide configuration.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a substrate is used to support the second layer, then structural stability is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases due to expensive low-loss materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the substrate from the gap waveguide structure entirely. By removing the substrate requirement, the design achieves structural stability through the mechanical connection of the second layer to the protruding elements and the inherent rigidity of the waveguide configuration, thereby eliminating the need for expensive low-loss dielectric materials and significantly reducing manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive low-loss dielectric substrates with a simpler, more cost-effective structure where the second layer is directly supported by protruding elements. This substitution uses cheaper materials and manufacturing processes while maintaining the necessary structural stability for waveguide operation.
3Reliability
If the second layer is suspended at constant height, then electromagnetic performance is optimized, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of maintaining constant height through precise suspension, the patent inverts the approach by allowing height variation through direct contact between the second layer and protruding elements. This inversion eliminates the need for high manufacturing precision regarding height control, as the structure naturally accommodates variations while maintaining electromagnetic performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the critical parameter from constant height to variable height with direct contact. By allowing the second layer to rest on the protruding elements, the design transforms the height from a tightly controlled parameter to a more flexible dimension that can vary without affecting electromagnetic performance, thereby reducing manufacturing precision requirements.
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
This approach simplifies production, reduces costs, and maintains the advantageous properties of gap waveguides, such as low dielectric and conductive losses, while enabling robust and adjustable devices with improved manufacturability.
Implementation Method 1
The gap waveguides guide waves that propagate mainly in the air gap between the conducting layers
Implementation Method 2
The protruding elements are arranged in a textured surface pattern that forms a stopband to prevent wave propagation between the two metal surfaces in directions other than along the waveguide paths
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3c
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A microwave device, such as a waveguide, transmission line, waveguide circuit, transmission line circuit or radio frequency (RF) part of an antenna system, is disclosed. The microwave device comprises two conducting layers arranged with a gap there between, and a set of periodically or quasi-periodically arranged protruding elements fixedly connected to at least one of said conducting layers, thereby forming a texture to stop wave propagation in a frequency band of operation in other directions than along intended wave guiding paths, thus forming a so-called gap waveguide. All protruding elements are connected electrically to each other at their bases at least via the conductive layer on which they are fixedly connected, and some or all of the protruding elements are in conductive or non-conductive contact also with the other conducting layer.A corresponding manufacturing method is also disclosed.