Dielectric waveguide for propagating high-frequency waves

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023411816-A1
Application number	US-202318337972-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 20, 2023
Priority date	Jun 20, 2022
Publication date	Dec 21, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A dielectric waveguide for propagating high-frequency waves is provided, the dielectric waveguide including a first section having a substantially uniform cross-section; and a second section having a larger cross-section than the first section. A method of manufacturing a dielectric waveguide is also provided. A dielectric waveguide assembly is also provided. A radar device is also provided, including the dielectric waveguide or a dielectric waveguide arrangement including the dielectric waveguide and a holder that at least partially surrounds the dielectric waveguide.

First claim

1 . A dielectric waveguide for propagating high-frequency waves, the dielectric waveguide comprising:
a first section having a substantially uniform cross-section; and a second section having a larger cross-section than the first section.

2 . The dielectric waveguide according to claim 1 ,
wherein a cross-sectional area of the second section is larger than a cross-sectional area of the first section by a factor of 5 to 80.

3 . The dielectric waveguide according to claim 1 ,
wherein a cross-sectional area of the second section is larger than a cross-sectional area of the first section by a factor of 15 to 30.

4 . The dielectric waveguide according to claim 1 ,
wherein a transition between the first section and the second section is stepped, sloped, and/or rounded.

5 . The dielectric waveguide according to claim 1 ,
wherein a cross-section of the first section has a cross-sectional area between 0.25 mm 2 and 8 mm 2 , and/or the cross-section of the first section and/or of the second section is elliptical.

6 . The dielectric waveguide according to claim 1 ,
wherein a cross-section of the first section has a cross-sectional area between 0.3 mm 2 and 3 mm 2 , and/or the cross-section of the first section and/or of the second section is round, rectangular, square, and/or polygonal.

7 . The dielectric waveguide according to claim 1 ,
wherein the dielectric waveguide has a plurality of second sections, and wherein the second sections have a spacing of between 10 mm and 300 mm.

8 . The dielectric waveguide according to claim 1 ,
wherein the dielectric waveguide has a DK value between 2 and 5, and/or has loss factors between 0.00001 and 0.1, and/or wherein the dielectric waveguide is made of or comprises a plastic material.

9 . The dielectric waveguide according to claim 1 ,
wherein the dielectric waveguide has a DK value between 2.5 and 3.5, and/or has loss factors between 0.00001 and 0.1, and/or wherein the dielectric waveguide is made of or comprises a material from a group comprising polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), perfluoroalkoxy (PFA), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and/or hard polyethylene (HDPE).

10 . A method of manufacturing a dielectric waveguide according to claim 1 by injection molding.

11 . A dielectric waveguide assembly, comprising:
a dielectric waveguide according to claim 1 ; and a holder that at least partially surrounds the dielectric waveguide.

12 . The dielectric waveguide assembly according to claim 11 ,
wherein the holder is made of stainless steel, or of aluminum, and/or of a metallic-coated plastic, of a foam, or comprises the stainless steel or the aluminum or the metallic-coated plastic or the foam, and wherein a material of the holder has a lower DK value than the dielectric waveguide.

13 . The dielectric waveguide assembly according to claim 11 ,
wherein the holder is made of 316L stainless steel, or of aluminum, and/or of hard polyethylene (HDPE), of a hard foam, or comprises the 316L stainless steel or the aluminum or the HDPE or the hard foam, and wherein a material of the holder has a lower DK value than the dielectric waveguide.

14 . The dielectric waveguide assembly according to claim 11 ,
wherein the holder is connected to the dielectric waveguide by means of a form-fit, force-fit, and/or material-fit connection, and/or wherein the holder is detachably connected to the dielectric waveguide.

15 . The dielectric waveguide assembly according claim 11 ,
wherein the holder is composed of a first partial holder and a second partial holder having a design corresponding to the first partial holder, and/or wherein the first partial holder and/or the second partial holder has a receptacle configured for the dielectric waveguide.

16 . The dielectric waveguide assembly according to claim 11 ,
wherein the holder and the dielectric waveguide are arranged in a housing, and/or wherein the housing is made of plastic or of metal, and/or wherein the housing is constructed from a first half shell and a second half shell.

17 . The dielectric waveguide assembly according to claim 11 ,
wherein the holder and the dielectric waveguide are arranged in a housing, and/or wherein the housing is made of polyetheretherketone (PEEK), or of aluminum, brass, or stainless steel, and/or wherein the housing is constructed from a first half shell and a second half shell.

18 . A radar device, comprising a dielectric waveguide according to claim 1 , or a dielectric waveguide arrangement comprising the dielectric waveguide and a holder that at least partially surrounds the dielectric waveguide.

19 . The radar device according to claim 18 , the radar device being configured for level measurement, for topology determination, and/or for level limit determination.

20 . The dielectric waveguide according to claim 1 , the dielectric waveguide being configured for propagating radar waves for frequencies between 70 GHz and 500 GHz.

Assignees

• Grieshaber Vega Kg

Inventors

• Weinzierle Christian
• Waelde Steffen

Classifications

• H01P3/16 Primary

  Dielectric waveguides, i.e. without a longitudinal conductor · CPC title

• H01P5/087

  Transitions to a dielectric waveguide · CPC title

• H01P11/006

  Manufacturing dielectric waveguides · CPC title

• H01P5/022

  Transitions between lines of the same kind and shape, but with different dimensions · CPC title