Dielectric Waveguide Filter Coupling Groove for Stable PCB Soldering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dielectric waveguide filters face challenges in production consistency, coupling strength, and reliability due to small thickness between coupling and frequency blind holes, leading to difficulties in debugging and potential filter failure from thermal expansion differences between metal and ceramic materials.
Innovation Solution
A dielectric waveguide filter with a coupling structure featuring a coupling groove embedded in the dielectric body, eliminating the need for a pin needle and allowing for strong coupling strength and soldering with a circuit board, where the coupling groove's depth and design adjust coupling strength and reduce sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pin needle structure is used to connect the circuit board to the dielectric body, then electrical connection is achieved, but the reliability decreases due to thermal expansion differences between metal and ceramic materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the pin needle structure from the design. Instead of using a separate metal pin to connect the circuit board to the dielectric body, the invention directly integrates the coupling structure into the dielectric body itself, eliminating the harmful metal-ceramic interface that causes thermal expansion issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the electrical connection function and the coupling function into a single integrated structure. The coupling groove and coupling surface are formed directly in the dielectric body, merging the previously separate pin needle connection with the dielectric coupling structure, thereby eliminating thermal expansion incompatibility.
2Volume of moving object
If the thickness between coupling and frequency blind holes is reduced, then the device size decreases, but the production consistency and reliability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a traditional blind hole coupling approach to a groove-based coupling structure. By changing the geometric form from cylindrical holes to grooves with specific depth and width dimensions, the design achieves better manufacturing consistency while maintaining compact size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the coupling groove parameters including depth, width, and positioning relative to the dielectric body surfaces. By carefully controlling these parameters, the invention achieves both small device size and high production consistency, resolving the contradiction between miniaturization and manufacturing precision.
3Strength
If the coupling groove depth is increased, then the coupling strength increases, but the coupling sensitivity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates different zones within the coupling groove structure. The groove has varying depth characteristics at different locations, with deeper regions providing strong coupling and shallower regions reducing sensitivity. This local variation in geometry allows simultaneous achievement of strong coupling and low sensitivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling structure combines the dielectric material of the body with metal plating on specific surfaces. This composite approach allows the non-conductive dielectric to provide structural stability while the metal surfaces provide electrical coupling, achieving strong coupling with reduced sensitivity to dimensional variations.
4Strength
If a coupling groove with metal plating is used, then the coupling strength increases, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the coupling groove into distinct segments: the groove structure itself formed in the dielectric body, and the metal plating applied to specific surfaces. This segmentation allows the groove geometry to be optimized for coupling strength while the metal plating is applied only where needed, simplifying the overall manufacturing process compared to complete metallization.
Data Source
AI summary
A dielectric waveguide filter includes a dielectric body including a first and a second surfaces. The dielectric waveguide filter includes a metal plating covering an outer surface of the dielectric body. The dielectric waveguide filter includes a coupling structure formed a portion of the second surface. The coupling structure includes a coupling groove extending from the second surface into the dielectric body and including a coupling surface parallel to the second surface. The coupling structure includes an inner conductor at an annular center of the coupling groove that surrounds the inner conductor and separates the dielectric body into the inner conductor and an outer conductor. The inner conductor in the coupling groove includes a metal surface on the second surface. A distance between the coupling surface and the second surface is related to a coupling degree of the coupling structure.