Low dielectric, low loss radomes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11848491-B2
Application number	US-202117490831-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2021
Priority date	Apr 3, 2019
Publication date	Dec 19, 2023
Grant date	Dec 19, 2023

Abstract

A low dielectric, low loss radome comprising microspheres integrated into a matrix. The microspheres reduce overall dielectric constant, whereby the radome has a dielectric constant less than 2.5 through a thickness of the radome.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A low dielectric, low loss radome comprising microspheres integrated into a matrix, the microspheres reducing overall dielectric constant, whereby the radome has a dielectric constant less than 2.5 through a thickness of the radome, wherein:
the radome comprises first and second layers and a core between the first and second layers;
the first and second layers comprise the microspheres integrated into the matrix;
the first and second layers further comprise fibers integrated into the first and second layers for reinforcement and mechanical strength; and
the microspheres are integrated into the first and second layers and reduce the overall dielectric constant of the radome, whereby the first and second layers each have a dielectric constant of about 3.6 or less.

2. A low dielectric, low loss radome comprising microspheres integrated into a matrix, the microspheres reducing overall dielectric constant, whereby the radome has a dielectric constant less than 2.5 through a thickness of the radome, wherein the radome comprises first and second layers and a core between the first and second layers, wherein the first and second layers comprise the microspheres integrated into the matrix, and wherein the core comprises:
microspheres within a thermoset matrix and having a dielectric constant of about 1.7 or less; or
a thermoplastic honeycomb core having a dielectric constant of about 1.03 or less.

3. A low dielectric, low loss radome comprising microspheres integrated into a matrix, the microspheres reducing overall dielectric constant, whereby the radome has a dielectric constant less than 2.5 through a thickness of the radome, wherein the radome comprises first and second layers and a core between the first and second layers, wherein the first and second layers comprise the microspheres integrated into the matrix, and wherein:
the core comprises a thermoset core such that the radome is thermoformed and cured; or
the core comprises a thermoplastic foam core such that the radome is thermoformable.

4. A low dielectric, low loss radome comprising microspheres integrated into a matrix, the microspheres reducing overall dielectric constant, whereby the radome has a dielectric constant less than 2.5 through a thickness of the radome, wherein the radome comprises first and second layers and a core between the first and second layers, wherein the first and second layers comprise the microspheres integrated into the matrix, and wherein the radome comprises:
a partially cured B-stage material configured to be formed or shaped in three dimensions and fully cured; and/or
a B-staged epoxy resin including fabric and/or fibers embedded therein.

5. A low dielectric, low loss radome comprising microspheres integrated into a matrix, the microspheres reducing overall dielectric constant, whereby the radome has a dielectric constant less than 2.5 through a thickness of the radome, wherein the radome comprises first and second thermoplastic layers and a thermoplastic core between the first and second thermoplastic layers, whereby the radome is thermoformable, wherein:
the thermoplastic core comprises a thermoplastic foam or a thermoplastic honeycomb; and
the first and second thermoplastic layers comprise the microspheres integrated into the matrix.

6. The radome of claim 5 , wherein:
the first and second thermoplastic layers further comprise fibers integrated into the first and second thermoplastic layers for reinforcement and mechanical strength; and
the microspheres are integrated into the first and second thermoplastic layers and reduce the overall dielectric constant of the radome, whereby the first and second thermoplastic layers each have a dielectric constant of about 2.8 or less.

7. A low dielectric, low loss radome comprising microspheres integrated into a matrix, the microspheres reducing overall dielectric constant, whereby the radome has a dielectric constant less than 2.5 through a thickness of the radome, wherein:
the matrix comprises an injection moldable resin; and
the radome is an injection molded radome configured to have an overall dielectric constant within a range from about 1.5 to about 2.5 and an overall low loss tangent or dissipation factor (Df) less than about .01 at frequencies from about 20 GHz to about 90 GHz and/or from about 20 GHz to about 50 GHz and/or from about 24 GHz to about 40 GHz.

8. A low dielectric, low loss radome comprising microspheres integrated into a matrix, the microspheres reducing overall dielectric constant, whereby the radome has a dielectric constant less than 2.5 through a thickness of the radome, wherein:
the matrix comprises an injection moldable resin; and/or
the matrix comprises polypropylene; and/or
the matrix comprises a blend of polycarbonate and polybutylene terephthalate.

9. The radome of claim 8 , further comprising fibers, and wherein the fibers and the microspheres are integrated into the matrix such that the radome has a homogenous and/or unitary structure that is thermoformable prior to cure.

10. The radome of claim 9 , wherein the homogenous and/or unitary structure is a single layer structure.

11. The radome of claim 8 , wherein the radome comprises first and second layers and a core between the first and second layers, wherein the first and second layers comprise the microspheres integrated into the matrix.

12. The radome of claim 8 , further comprising fibers within the matrix for reinforcement and mechanical strength.

13. A low dielectric, low loss radome comprising microspheres integrated into a matrix, the microspheres reducing overall dielectric constant, whereby the radome has a dielectric constant less than 2.5 through a thickness of the radome, wherein the radome further comprises fibers within the matrix, wherein:
the fibers comprise one or more of flame-resistant meta-aramid material, open weave polymeric fabric, high-density polyethylene, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, high density plastic fibers with a low dielectric constant, and/or high density polypropylene fibers; and
the microspheres comprise one or more of hollow glass microspheres, hollow plastic microspheres, and/or hollow ceramic microspheres.

14. A low dielectric, low loss radome comprising microspheres integrated into a matrix, the microspheres reducing overall dielectric constant, whereby the radome has a dielectric constant less than 2.5 through a thickness of the radome, wherein the radome further comprises fibers, and wherein the fibers and the microspheres are integrated into the matrix such that the radome does not have outer and inner skin layers disposed on opposite sides of a core that define a three-layer A-sandwich structure.

15. A low dielectric, low loss radome comprising microspheres integrated into a matrix, the microspheres reducing overall dielectric constant, whereby the radome has a dielectric constant less than 2.5 through a thickness of the radome, wherein the radome further comprises flame retardant applied to and/or integrated into at least a portion of the radome such that the radome has a UL94 flame rating of V0.

16. A low dielectric, low loss radome comprising microspheres integrated into a matrix, the microspheres reducing overall dielectric constant, whereby the radome has a dielectric constant less than 2.5 through a thickness of the radome, wherein the radome is configured to be anisotropic and/or configured to reduce cross polarization differences between horizontal and vertical polarizations.

17. A low dielectric, low loss radome comprising microspheres integrated into a matrix, the micr

Assignees

• Laird Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Do Hoang Dinh
• Johnson Richard N
• Mcbain Douglas S

Classifications

• H01Q1/422 Primary

  comprising two or more layers of dielectric material (H01Q1/425 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B32B3/12

  characterised by a layer of regularly- arranged cells, e.g. a honeycomb structure · CPC title

• B32B5/024

  Woven fabric · CPC title

• B32B5/18

  characterised by features of a layer {of} foamed material · CPC title

• B32B5/245

  another layer next to it being a foam layer · CPC title