Waveguide for transmitting microwave signals

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12388190-B2
Application number	US-202217938148-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2022
Priority date	Oct 13, 2021
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

A waveguide in the form of a wave duct for transmitting microwave signals includes at least one non-conducting body arranged in and/or on the wave duct, and by at least one MHD pump, by which an electrically conductive liquid medium can be admitted to fill the at least one body and/or to exert a force on at least one wall of the wave duct.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A waveguide arrangement for microwave signals, the waveguide arrangement comprising:
a waveguide structured with one or more wave passages for transmission of the microwave signals over the one or more wave passages;
at least one non-conducting body over which the microwave signals are not transmitted and that is arranged near the one or more passages of the waveguide; and
at least one magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) pump, by which a fill of the at least one non-conducting body with an electrically conductive liquid medium is dynamically modifiable to thereby control a change in at least one of an attenuation, a phase, and a reflection of the microwave signals that are in the one or more passages of the waveguide.

2. The waveguide arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-conducting body is partially or completely fillable with the liquid metal using the MHD pump.

3. The waveguide arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the waveguide is a wave duct.

4. The waveguide arrangement as recited in claim 3 , wherein the at least one non-conducting body is arranged in the wave duct to form a plane of reflection.

5. The waveguide arrangement as recited in claim 4 , wherein the at least one non-conducting body includes shiftable, non-conducting bodies arranged in the wave duct.

6. The waveguide arrangement as recited in claim 3 , wherein the at least one non-conducting body is arranged on at least one wave duct wall.

7. A waveguide arrangement for transmitting microwave signals, the waveguide arrangement comprising:
a wave duct;
at least one non-conducting body arranged on at least one wall of the wave duct; and
at least one MHD pump by which an electrically conductive liquid medium can be admitted to fill the at least one non-conducting body and/or to exert a force on at least one wall of the wave duct;
wherein at least one slot in the wave duct can be closed and opened by the at least one non-conducting body to influence a coupling state of the wave duct.

8. The waveguide arrangement as recited in claim 3 , wherein the MHD pump and a volume filled with the electrically conductive liquid medium are arranged on a wall of the wave duct such that, by actuating the MHD pump, a pressure element exerts a pressure on the wave duct wall.

9. The waveguide arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the waveguide is made of a metal or a metallized plastics material.

10. The waveguide arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the waveguide has a rectangular or polygonal or round or oval, cross-sectional shape.

11. The waveguide arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive liquid is a liquid metal.

12. The waveguide arrangement as recited in claim 11 , wherein the liquid metal is a eutectic alloy of gallium, indium, and tin.

13. The waveguide arrangement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the waveguide is configured to act as an antenna.

14. The waveguide arrangement as recited in claim 7 , wherein the at least one non-conducting body is partially or completely fillable with the liquid metal using the MHD pump.

15. The waveguide arrangement as recited in claim 7 , wherein the waveguide is made of a metal or a metallized plastics material.

16. The waveguide arrangement as recited in claim 7 , wherein the waveguide has a rectangular or polygonal or round or oval, cross-sectional shape.

17. The waveguide arrangement as recited in claim 7 , wherein the electrically conductive liquid is a liquid metal.

18. The waveguide arrangement as recited in claim 17 , wherein the liquid metal is a eutectic alloy of gallium, indium, and tin.

19. The waveguide arrangement as recited in claim 7 , wherein the waveguide is configured to act as an antenna.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Kocourek Vaclav
• Himmelstoss Armin
• Astner Martin
• Klein Rico Alf
• Schulz Udo
• Wostradowski Uwe

Classifications

• H01Q13/06

  Waveguide mouths (horns H01Q13/02) · CPC title

• H01Q3/01

  varying the shape of the antenna or antenna system · CPC title

• H01Q21/0043 Primary

  Slotted waveguides (combination with horns H01Q13/0233) · CPC title

• H01P1/182

  Waveguide phase-shifters (H01P1/181, H01P1/185, H01P1/19 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01P1/122 Primary

  Waveguide switches · CPC title