Non-Contact Coaxial Switch Using Rotating Waveguide Rotor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional coaxial switches face limitations in power handling due to overheating and multipacting breakdown, especially at high frequencies, leading to performance issues, reliability concerns, and the need for bulky waveguide switches.
Innovation Solution
A non-contact type coaxial switch using a rotating waveguide rotor to transfer signals between coax connectors, eliminating the need for contact bars and inner conductors, allowing for higher power handling and extended frequency range up to 40 GHz.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If conventional contact type coaxial switches are used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the power handling capability is limited due to overheating and multipacting breakdown
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the contact bars and inner conductors from the coaxial switch structure, extracting the problematic contacting components that cause overheating and multipacting breakdown. This leaves only the outer conductor and dielectric material, fundamentally eliminating the sources of thermal and electrical breakdown while maintaining the coaxial geometry for signal transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical contact-based switching system with a non-contact electromagnetic field-based system. Instead of relying on physical contact between conductors to switch signals, the invention uses the inherent electromagnetic properties of the coaxial structure without inner conductors, eliminating mechanical wear, arcing, and contact resistance issues.
2Temperature
If contact bars are used to transmit signals, then the switching function is achieved, but thermal conductivity is poor leading to excessive heat build-up
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the inner conductor and contact bars from the coaxial structure, removing the components that generate and trap heat through resistance and poor thermal conductivity. This extraction eliminates the primary heat generation sources while maintaining signal transmission through the outer conductor and electromagnetic field.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the dielectric material in the coaxial structure with properties that facilitate heat dissipation. The dielectric serves dual purposes: electrical insulation and thermal management, allowing heat to dissipate effectively without requiring separate cooling mechanisms or contact-based heat sinks.
3Reliability
If conventional coaxial switches are used at high frequencies, then the design is compact, but performance degrades with high VSWR and low isolation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical contact-based switching mechanism with a non-contact electromagnetic field-based system that operates effectively at high frequencies. This substitution eliminates the parasitic inductance and capacitance associated with contact bars and inner conductors, which degrade performance above 20-30 GHz, enabling reliable operation up to 40 GHz and beyond.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical parameters of the coaxial structure by removing the inner conductor and contact bars, fundamentally altering the impedance characteristics, voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), and isolation properties. These parameter changes enable the structure to maintain low VSWR and high isolation at frequencies where conventional designs fail.
4Power
If contact devices are used, then switching functionality is achieved, but they are prone to arcing, welding, and intermittent connections limiting RF power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes all contact-based components (contact bars, inner conductors, and switching contacts) from the coaxial switch structure. This extraction fundamentally eliminates the mechanisms that cause arcing, welding, and intermittent connections, as these phenomena require physical contact between conductors. The remaining non-contact structure cannot experience these failure modes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical contact-based switching system with a non-contact electromagnetic field-based system. This substitution replaces the unreliable mechanical contact process with a robust electromagnetic field interaction that does not involve physical contact, thereby eliminating arcing, welding, and contact wear while maintaining switching functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A non-contact type coaxial switch that eliminates all contacts and inner conductors. The switch includes a stator/coax base assembly and a rotor. The stator/coax base assembly is fixed, while the rotor is rotatably mounted to the stator/coax base assembly and eliminates all contacts and inner conductors. The rotor is disposed between bearings, and consists of waveguide paths that couple between selected coax connectors. When the rotor is rotated, different selected coax connectors occur. For other arrangements selected, the rotor can switch between a condition of coax and waveguide outputs. The rotor, between bearings, consists of waveguide paths which couple between selected coax connectors. When the rotor is rotated, a different selected coax connector occurs. For other arrangements selected, the rotor can switch between a combination of coax and waveguide outputs. The switch can assume many configurations. For example, a Double-Pole-Double-Throw (DPDT) configuration; a 3 and 4 Way R-Type configuration; a Single-Pole-Multiple-Throw (SPMT) configuration; a T-Switch configuration; and a Multiple-Pole-Multiple-Throw (MPMT) configuration.