Antenna horn with unibody construction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9246226-B2
Application number	US-201414198868-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Jan 26, 2016
Grant date	Jan 26, 2016

Abstract

A low cost antenna horn for outdoor use having an extended housing with a unibody construction to enclose a waveguide and polarizing septum, the assembly of which rigidly retains and orients the waveguide and polarizing septum without using traditional hardware or sealants.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a feed horn having a mouth aperture at a first end, a waveguide interconnect at a second end, and an integrated polarizer assembly housing between the first end and second end, the integrated polarizer assembly housing having an interior surface disposed about a central axis defining a longitudinal interior region; and
a polarizer assembly in contact with at least a portion of the interior surface and contained substantially within the longitudinal interior region, the polarizer assembly comprising a waveguide channel and a polarizing septum positioned within the waveguide channel.

2. An apparatus of claim 1 wherein the polarizer assembly is press-fit into the longitudinal interior region.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the longitudinal interior region further comprises an engagement means that is adapted to engage the polarizer assembly only after partial insertion of the polarizer assembly into the interior region.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the engagement means comprises a conical interior surface substantially concentric with the central axis.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the polarizer assembly comprises a tapered exterior surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the engagement means comprises a plurality of cylinders substantially concentric with the central axis.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a transceiver housing attached to the waveguide interconnect, wherein the transceiver housing imparts an axial force on the polarizer assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the polarizer assembly comprises a first waveguide half and a second waveguide half.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first waveguide half and the second waveguide half are held together by a compression means selected from the group consisting of a spring clamp, a crimp ring, screws, bolts, a weld, and a radial load imparted by the interior surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each of the first waveguide half and the second waveguide half comprise a polarizing septum alignment ridge.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein each of the first waveguide half and the second waveguide half comprise a first mating surface and a second mating surface, and the polarizing septum alignment ridges are adjacent to the second mating surfaces, and wherein on a first side of the polarizer assembly the polarizing septum is positioned between the first mating surface of the first waveguide half and the alignment ridge of the second waveguide half, and wherein on a second side of the polarizer assembly the polarizing septum is positioned between the first mating surface of the second waveguide half and the alignment ridge of the first waveguide half.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the polarizing septum is substantially uniformly loaded along the polarizing septum alignment ridges.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second end further comprises a key slot and the polarizer assembly further comprises a key adapted for insertion into the key slot.

14. An apparatus, comprising:
a unibody feed horn means having a polarizer assembly housing with a central longitudinal axis;
means for guiding a signal;
means for polarizing the signal;
means for nesting the signal polarizing means within the signal guiding means, wherein the nesting means comprises a polarizer assembly;
engaging means for engaging the polarizer assembly into the unibody feed horn means; and
orienting means for orienting the polarizer assembly within the unibody feed horn means.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the engaging means is a press-fit that substantially uniformly applies force along at least one longitudinal edge of the signal polarizing means.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the engaging means is a clamping force substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis to clamp the guiding means between the unibody feed horn means and a transceiver housing.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the orienting means is at least one key slot and at least one key.

18. A method of manufacturing an apparatus, the method comprising:
forming a polarizer assembly having a waveguide and a polarizing septum;
obtaining a feed horn having an extended housing disposed about a central longitudinal axis, wherein the extended housing of the feed horn includes an interior cavity; and
inserting the polarizer assembly into the extended housing of the feed horn.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the polarizer assembly comprises two waveguide halves held together by a compression means selected from the group consisting of a spring clamp, a crimp ring, screws, bolts, a weld, and a radial load imparted by a surface of the interior cavity.

20. A product made by the method of claim 18 .

Assignees

• Viasat Inc

Inventors

• Voss John Daniel
• Newbury Terence D
• Maxwell James William

Classifications

• H01Q13/02 Primary

  Waveguide horns · CPC title

• H01Q15/244

  converting a linear polarised wave into a circular polarised wave (guided wave H01P1/17) · CPC title

• H01Q13/0283

  Apparatus or processes specially provided for manufacturing horns · CPC title

• H01Q15/242

  Polarisation converters · CPC title

• Y10T29/49016

  Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making · CPC title