T-Shaped Parallel Plate Antenna for Broadband Adaptability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing parallel plate antennas have limited operational bandwidth, restricting their application beyond specific uses and requiring adaptation for different center frequencies.

Innovation Solution

A compact antenna design featuring T-shaped parallel plates with varying widths and spacings, forming a serpentine gap region, which enhances the plate width-to-spacing ratio to achieve a cascade of transmission lines with alternating characteristic impedance, allowing for broader operational bandwidth and adaptability to any center frequency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a traditional parallel plate antenna design is used, then the antenna structure is compact, but the operational bandwidth is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational bandwidthVSAvoidantenna structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The antenna structure is divided into multiple parallel plate elements with varying widths and spacings. Each plate segment contributes to different frequency ranges, and the segmented design allows the antenna to operate across a broad bandwidth while maintaining a compact overall form factor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the antenna have locally optimized properties - the parallel plates have varying widths and spacings at different locations along the antenna structure. This local variation in geometric properties creates a cascade of transmission lines with alternating characteristic impedances, enabling broad bandwidth operation without increasing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If the antenna is designed for a specific center frequency, then the design is simple, but it cannot be adapted to other frequencies

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefrequency adaptabilityVSAvoiddesign adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The parallel plate antenna structure is designed to perform multiple functions across different frequency ranges. The varying plate widths and spacings create a universal design that can operate at any center frequency within the broad bandwidth, eliminating the need for separate antenna designs for different frequency applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The antenna utilizes controlled variations in geometric parameters - specifically plate width and plate spacing - to achieve frequency adaptability. By changing these parameters along the antenna structure, the design can be tuned to operate at different center frequencies while maintaining the same basic compact form factor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10511087B1Parallel plate antenna

Publication Date: 2019.12.17 THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

AI summary

An antenna includes a base, and first and second supports coupled to the base and extending perpendicular therefrom. The first and second supports oppose one another and are spaced apart from one another. The antenna also includes a plurality of plates spaced apart and parallel to one another. Each plate is T-shaped to have a trunk and a top wherein a width of the trunk is less than a width of the top. Each trunk is coupled to one of the first support and second support, and extends perpendicular thereto wherein a corresponding top of the plate is spaced from an opposing one of the first support and second support to thereby generate a gap region that serpentines between the first support and second support and around the top of each of the plates.