Switch device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022013877-A1
Application number	US-202017429128-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 10, 2020
Priority date	Mar 14, 2019
Publication date	Jan 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a switch device that can be used in a millimeter wave band and that can exhibit both low loss and high isolation characteristics. This switch device ( 1 ) includes: a post-wall waveguide (filter main body 1 M) in which openings (AP 1 to AP 5 ) are formed in a broad wall (conductor layer 2 ); a cover ( 5 ) including a portion that blocks the openings (AP 1 to AP 5 ), the portion being made of an electrically conductive material; and a cover control mechanism (actuator 6 ) that switches between a first state in which the openings (AP 1 to AP 5 ) are blocked by the cover ( 5 ) and a second state in which the openings (AP 1 to AP 5 ) are open.

First claim

1 . A switch device, comprising:
a post-wall waveguide that includes:
a dielectric substrate;
a first conductor layer and a second conductor layer that are a pair of broad walls and provided on a first main surface and a second main surface, respectively, of the dielectric substrate; and
a post wall that passes through the dielectric substrate and is constituted by a conductor post group which is a plurality of conductor posts arranged in a palisade arrangement and via which the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer are in electrical communication with each other, a waveguide region being formed by the first conductor layer, the second conductor layer, and a part of the dielectric substrate which part is surrounded by the post wall;
at least one opening formed in one or both of the pair of broad walls; a cover including a portion that blocks the at least one opening, the portion being made of an electrically conductive material; and a cover control mechanism that controls a position of the cover so as to switch between a first state in which all of the at least one opening are blocked by the cover and a second state in which all of the at least one opening are open.

2 . The switch device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein:
the post-wall waveguide includes, at least in a partial section of the post-wall waveguide, a plurality of resonators electromagnetically coupled together via a coupling window; and each of the at least one opening is formed in a part of one or both of the pair of broad walls which part corresponds to at least one of the plurality of resonators.

3 . The switch device as set forth in claim 2 , wherein each of the at least one opening is formed in a part of one or both of the pair of broad walls which part corresponds to all of the plurality of resonators.

4 . The switch device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the at least one opening is formed only in one of the pair of broad walls.

5 . The switch device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the portion of the cover which portion blocks the at least one opening is a plate-shaped or block-shaped member made of a conductor.

6 . The switch device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the cover control mechanism is an actuator that moves the cover in a uniaxial direction.

7 . The switch device as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the uniaxial direction is a direction perpendicular to the at least one opening.

8 . The switch device as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the uniaxial direction is a direction parallel to the at least one opening.

9 . The switch device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein:
one end portion of the cover is directly or indirectly secured to a part of the switch device via a hinge; and the cover control mechanism is an actuator that changes an angle between the portion and the at least one opening.

10 . The switch device as set forth in claim 4 , further comprising a frame that is provided on the one of the pair of broad walls and that surrounds all of the at least one opening collectively or separately, wherein:
the cover is made of a material having fluidity as well as electrical conductivity and is positioned on an inner side of the frame in the first state; and the cover control mechanism is a fluid pump that switches between the first state and the second state by moving the cover.

11 . The switch device as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a shield that is made of a conductor and that covers a space containing the at least one opening and the cover.

Assignees

• Fujikura Ltd

Inventors

• Uemichi Yusuke

Classifications

• H01P1/122 Primary

  Waveguide switches · CPC title

• H01P1/2088

  Integrated in a substrate · CPC title

• H01P3/127

  with a circular, elliptic, or parabolic cross-section · CPC title

• H01P1/262

  the dissipative medium being a liquid or being cooled by a liquid · CPC title

• H01P1/2002

  Dielectric waveguide filters (H01P1/212, H01P1/213, H01P1/215, H01P1/219 take precedence) · CPC title