Elastically configured waveguide connecting structure usable in a waveguide connector, a waveguide unit, a mode converter, an imaging device and an endoscope

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12355126-B2
Application number	US-202217683626-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2022
Priority date	Oct 12, 2020
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

Provided is a waveguide connecting structure of connecting a first waveguide to a second waveguide, or to a transmitting and receiving device. The waveguide connecting structure included: an elastic body configured to cause an external conductor to closely contact a dielectric body, the external conductor and the dielectric body being included in the first waveguide, the external conductor covering an outer periphery of the dielectric body; and a three-dimensional body configured to hold the dielectric body, and the second waveguide or the transmitting and receiving device, the three-dimensional body having electric conductivity inside an insertion hole holding the first waveguide, and the external conductor of the first waveguide including a radially spread portion that has been radially spread, the radially spread portion being where the first waveguide and the three-dimensional body are connected to each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A waveguide connecting structure configured to connect a first waveguide to a second waveguide which is different from the first waveguide, or to connect the first waveguide to a transmitting and receiving device which is configured to transmit and receive radio waves, the waveguide connecting structure comprising:
an elastic body configured to cause an external conductor to closely contact a dielectric body, the external conductor and the dielectric body being included in the first waveguide which is configured to transmit the radio waves having a frequency of millimeter waves or higher, the external conductor covering an outer periphery of the dielectric body; and
a three-dimensional body configured to hold the dielectric body of the first waveguide, and the second waveguide or the transmitting and receiving device,
wherein the three-dimensional body has electric conductivity inside an insertion hole for holding the first waveguide, and
wherein the external conductor of the first waveguide includes a radially spread portion where the external conductor has been radially spread away from the outer periphery of the dielectric body, the radially spread portion being where the first waveguide and the three-dimensional body are connected to each other.

2. The waveguide connecting structure according to claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional body includes a sharp portion that is in contact with each of the radially spread portion of the external conductor and the dielectric body.

3. The waveguide connecting structure according to claim 2 , wherein the sharp portion forms an acute angle and is positioned in a space formed between the radially spread portion and the dielectric body.

4. The waveguide connecting structure according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a fixing body configured to hold the elastic body, the external conductor being inserted through the fixing body; and
a holding body configured to hold the fixing body and the three-dimensional body closely to each other along a longitudinal direction of the dielectric body.

5. The waveguide connecting structure according to claim 4 , wherein the elastic body has an elastic modulus lower than those of the dielectric body, the fixing body, and the three-dimensional body.

6. The waveguide connecting structure according to claim 5 , wherein the elastic body has a Shore-A rubber hardness of 20 or more and 70 or less.

7. A waveguide unit, comprising:
the waveguide connecting structure according to claim 4 , the fixing body being provided at each of both ends of the first waveguide.

8. The waveguide connecting structure according to claim 4 , wherein the sharp portion is configured to be positioned between the elastic body and the dielectric body and protrudes toward the fixing body.

9. The waveguide connecting structure according to claim 8 , wherein:
the three-dimensional body includes a holding surface that is in contact with the dielectric body to hold the dielectric body, and
the sharp portion is thinner at a first portion where a cross-sectional shape of the dielectric body has a large curvature radius, than at a second portion where the cross sectional shape of the dielectric body has a small curvature radius, the first portion and the second portion facing the sharp portion.

10. The waveguide connecting structure according to claim 9 , wherein a clearance between the dielectric body and the external conductor and between the dielectric body and the holding surface of the three-dimensional body is 1/50 or less of a wavelength.

11. The waveguide connecting structure according to claim 8 , wherein the sharp portion includes a slit.

12. The waveguide connecting structure according to claim 3 , wherein the elastic body is provided to cover the external conductor, and
the elastic body has a sheet shape or is tubular.

13. A waveguide connector, comprising:
two or more of waveguide connecting structures where each is the waveguide connecting structure according to claim 3 .

14. The waveguide connecting structure according to claim 3 , wherein the three-dimensional body is formed using a resin material that is moldable, and includes an electrically conductive surface layer formed on at least faces of the three-dimensional body, the faces being faces that are in contact with the dielectric body and the external conductor.

15. An imaging device, comprising:
the waveguide connecting structure according to claim 3 ;
an optical lens configured to condense light from outside;
an imaging element configured to photoelectrically convert the light condensed by the optical lens; and
an image processor configured to process a signal input from the imaging element via the waveguide.

16. An endoscope, comprising:
the imaging device according to claim 15 .

17. A mode converter, comprising:
the waveguide connecting structure according to claim 3 , wherein the waveguide connecting structure connects the first waveguide and the transmitting and receiving device to each other,
wherein the transmitting and receiving device includes an antenna for mode conversion between a mode for electromagnetic waves and a mode for electric signals.

18. A waveguide connecting structure configured to connect a first waveguide to a second waveguide which is different from the first waveguide, or to connect the first waveguide to a transmitting and receiving device which is configured to transmit and receive radio waves, the waveguide connecting structure comprising:
the first waveguide, which is configured to transmit the radio waves having a frequency of millimeter waves or higher, and which comprises a dielectric body and an external conductor, the external conductor covering an outer periphery of the dielectric body;
an elastic body configured to cause the external conductor to closely contact the dielectric body; and
a three-dimensional body configured to hold the dielectric body of the first waveguide, and the second waveguide or the transmitting and receiving device,
wherein the three-dimensional body has electric conductivity inside an insertion hole for holding the first waveguide, and
wherein the external conductor of the first waveguide includes a radially spread portion where the external conductor has been radially spread away from the outer periphery of the dielectric body, the radially spread portion being where the first waveguide and the three-dimensional body are connected to each other.

Assignees

• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• Watanabe Tadashi

Classifications

• H01P3/122

  Dielectric loaded (not air) · CPC title

• H01P5/024

  between hollow waveguides · CPC title

• H01P5/026

  between coaxial lines · CPC title

• H04N23/555

  for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes · CPC title

• H04N23/50

  Constructional details · CPC title