Ferrite circulator with reduced-height transformers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9287602-B2
Application number	US-201313959977-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2013
Priority date	Aug 6, 2013
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

A circulator comprises a waveguide housing having a plurality of hollow waveguide arms that communicate with a central cavity, the waveguide housing having a height defined by a plurality of waveguide sidewalls between a waveguide floor and a waveguide ceiling. A ferrite element is disposed in the central cavity of the waveguide housing, with the ferrite element including a central portion. The ferrite element further includes a plurality of ferrite segments that each extend from the central portion and terminate at a distal end. A plurality of dielectric transformers each having an upper surface protrude into the waveguide arms away from the central cavity along the waveguide floor. The dielectric transformers have a height that is less than the height of the waveguide housing such that the upper surface of the transformers is separated from the waveguide ceiling by a gap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A circulator, comprising:
a waveguide housing having a plurality of hollow waveguide arms that communicate with a central cavity, the waveguide housing having a height defined by a plurality of waveguide sidewalls between a waveguide floor and a waveguide ceiling;
a ferrite element disposed in the central cavity of the waveguide housing, the ferrite element including a central portion having an upper surface and a lower surface, the ferrite element further including a plurality of ferrite segments that each extend from the central portion and terminate at a distal end; and
a plurality of dielectric transformers each having an upper surface and a lower surface, the dielectric transformers protruding into the waveguide arms away from the central cavity along the waveguide floor, with the lower surface of the dielectric transformers coupled to the waveguide floor, the dielectric transformers having a height that is less than the height of the waveguide housing such that the upper surface of the transformers is separated from the waveguide ceiling by a gap;
wherein a single transformer extends from each of the respective distal ends of the ferrite segments.

2. The circulator of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric transformers are respectively attached to a central location at the distal end of each of the ferrite segments and protrude into each waveguide arm in alignment with the central portion of the ferrite element.

3. The circulator of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric transformers are respectively attached to each distal end of the ferrite segments in an off-center location, and protrude into each waveguide arm in an offset position from the central portion of the ferrite element.

4. The circulator of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric transformers are respectively attached to the distal end of each of the ferrite segments, the dielectric transformers each having a width that is greater than a width of each of the ferrite segments.

5. The circulator of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric transformers are respectively attached to the distal end of each of the ferrite segments, the dielectric transformers each having a width that is greater than a width of each of the ferrite segments, the upper surface of the dielectric transformers tapered inwardly toward a middle section such that the height of the dielectric transformers is shorter along the middle section.

6. The circulator of claim 1 , further comprising a magnetizing winding disposed in the ferrite element.

7. The circulator of claim 1 , further comprising a first dielectric spacer located on the upper surface of the ferrite element, and a second dielectric spacer located on the lower surface of the ferrite element.

8. The circulator of claim 1 , wherein the gap provides a clearance between the upper surface of the transformers and the waveguide ceiling of at least about 0.005 inches.

9. The circulator of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric transformers are respectively coupled to the distal end of each of the ferrite segments, the dielectric transformers each having a width that is greater than a width of each of the ferrite segments such that the width of the dielectric transformers is substantially the same as a width between opposing sidewalls of the waveguide arms.

10. The circulator of claim 9 , wherein the distal end of each of the ferrite segments is mounted in a recess located along a proximal edge of each of the dielectric transformers.

11. The circulator of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide housing includes three waveguide arms.

12. The circulator of claim 11 , wherein the ferrite element has a Y-shaped structure that includes three ferrite segments that each respectively extend into one of the three waveguide arms.

13. The circulator of claim 12 , wherein each ferrite segment includes a channel for threading a control wire through the ferrite element.

14. A switching waveguide circulator, comprising:
an electrically conductive waveguide housing having a plurality of hollow waveguide arms that communicate with a central cavity, the waveguide housing having a height defined by a plurality of waveguide sidewalls between a waveguide floor and a waveguide ceiling;
a ferrite element disposed in the central cavity of the waveguide housing, the ferrite element including a central portion having an upper surface and a lower surface, the ferrite element further including a plurality of ferrite segments that each extend from the central portion and terminate at a distal end;
a plurality of dielectric transformers each having an upper surface and a lower surface, the dielectric transformers protruding into the waveguide arms away from the central cavity along the waveguide floor, with the lower surface of the dielectric transformers coupled to the waveguide floor, the dielectric transformers having a height that is less than the height of the waveguide housing such that the upper surface of the transformers is separated from the waveguide ceiling by a gap;
a magnetizing control wire threaded through the ferrite segments;
a first dielectric spacer located on the upper surface of the ferrite element; and
a second dielectric spacer located on the lower surface of the ferrite element;
wherein the dielectric transformers protrude into the waveguide arms away from the distal ends of the ferrite segment without contacting the dielectric spacers.

15. The switching waveguide circulator of claim 14 , wherein the waveguide housing includes three waveguide arms, and the ferrite element includes three ferrite segments that each respectively extend into one of the three waveguide arms.

16. The switching waveguide circulator of claim 14 , wherein the dielectric transformers are positioned along the waveguide sidewalls in each of the waveguide arms.

17. The switching waveguide circulator of claim 14 , wherein a pair of opposing transformers is positioned in each waveguide arm such that a central section of the waveguide arms is open between each opposing pair of transformers.

18. The switching waveguide circulator of claim 17 , wherein the dielectric transformers are dimensioned such that a proximal edge of each of the dielectric transformers overlaps with the distal end of each of the ferrite segments.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Covert Lance
• Kroening Adam M

Classifications

• H01P1/39 Primary

  Hollow waveguide circulators · CPC title

• H01P5/12 Primary

  Coupling devices having more than two ports (H01P5/04 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01P3/12

  Hollow waveguides (H01P3/20 takes precedence) · CPC title