Patent Application
20100029130
The present invention relates to the field of microwave engineering. The invention relates in particular to a coaxial connecting element for the microwave band according to the preamble of claim 1, and to a method for producing a connecting element such as this.
Coaxial components and connecting elements for the microwave band (from several GHz up to 250 GHz) generally have an outer conductor which extends along an axis and in which an inner conductor is arranged and held concentrically. One or more dielectric supporting element or elements is or are used for holding the inner conductor in the outer conductor. The configuration and the installation of the supporting elements influence not only the electrical but also the mechanical characteristics of the coaxial connecting element. On the one hand, the supporting elements should have as little influence as possible, in comparison with the air-cored line that is used as a reference, on wave propagation in the connecting element. On the other hand, the mechanical retention must be designed to be sufficiently permanent and precise that a large number of connecting cycles can be carried out with constant accuracy.
Examples of supporting elements such as these are disclosed, for example, in the documents U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,864, U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,703 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,702. The technology of hermetically sealed glass bushings is also known, in which an inner conductor is held by means of glass in a concentric metal ring, with the glass filling the annular space between the metal ring and the inner conductor, and being introduced by means of a melting process.
Another problem caused by the supporting elements is that higher transverse modes (in particular TE11) are stimulated in the area of the supporting elements, which leads to distortion of the transmitted signals and limits the range of operation of the connecting element in the direction of lower frequencies.
The article by R. Fuks, “New Dielectric Bead for Millimeter-wave Coaxial Components”, Microwave Journal No. 5, p. 318 ff (2001) explains this problem and, in order to solve it, proposes a novel type of supporting elements which is completely symmetrical on the radial plane and has inclined surfaces with respect to the axis. However, the supporting elements are produced as separate components and are then fitted, and this is at the expense of the precision of the arrangement.
Another way to hold the inner conductor in the outer conductor has been proposed in the document U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,324. In this known solution, the inner conductor is centred by and held by four curved dielectric platelets, which are held in a slotted hollow cylinder of the outer conductor and form the configuration of a Maltese cross, through whose centre the inner conductor passes. This type of retention has the advantage that only a very small amount of dielectric material need be used for support purposes. However, one considerable disadvantage is the complicated and complex assembly of the arrangement, which leads to considerable difficulties, especially in the case of coaxial arrangements with diameters in the millimetre range. Furthermore, the desired accuracies can be achieved only with difficulty because it is assembled from a large number of individual parts. The slots in the outer conductor are used to hold the dielectric platelets. No other function is recognized for them.
The object of the invention is to provide a coaxial connecting element for the microwave band, which avoids the disadvantages of known solutions and is distinguished, with high precision and good mechanical robustness at the same time, by simplified installation and excellent electrical characteristics, and to specify a method for producing a connecting element such as this.
The object is achieved by the totality of the features of claims 1 and 17. The essence of the invention is to form the supporting element integrally and, in particular, to mould it integrally or to spray it directly onto the outer conductor. This results in good mechanical robustness with high precision and simplified production and assembly at the same time, without having to accept any deterioration in the electrical characteristics.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the supporting element is formed integrally, in particular moulded, on the outer conductor, in which case preferably the supporting element is non-detachably connected to the outer conductor.
Another embodiment is distinguished in that the outer conductor has a housing in which an essentially hollow-cylindrical insert is arranged and held concentrically, in that the supporting element is formed integrally on the insert and in that the slots are arranged in the insert, in which case, in particular, the supporting element fills the slots in the insert in the circumferential direction, in order to fix the supporting element on the insert.
A further embodiment is characterized in that the insert has an annular groove on the outside, and in that the supporting element fills the annular groove in the axial direction, in order to fix the supporting element on the insert.
The housing of the outer conductor preferably has two housing parts which are arranged one behind the other in the axial direction, can be screwed to one another, hold the insert with the integrally formed supporting element and fix it in the axial direction, in which case an axial through-hole is provided respectively in the two housing parts, through which the inner conductor runs, and in that both through-holes have a step on which the insert together with the integrally formed supporting element is supported in the axial direction.
In particular, the insert has a third through-hole, and the internal diameters of the three through-holes are the same.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the supporting element is arranged in the centre area of the connecting element seen in the axial direction.
A further embodiment is characterized in that the supporting element has two hollow cylinders which are arranged concentrically in one another and are connected to one another preferably by radial webs, with the inner hollow cylinder holding the inner conductor and with the outer hollow cylinder being connected to the insert, and in that the preferably radial webs are formed by walls of blind holes which extend into the supporting element between the two hollow cylinders preferably in the axial direction and alternately from both sides. In particular, the blind holes taper towards the base, in which case in the area of the supporting element the inner conductor has a section which holds the inner hollow cylinder of the supporting element fixing it in the axial direction and/or securing it against rotation about the axis. This section may be knurled or may have a groove (round, triangular or polygonal), or some other shape which is suitable for fixing.
According to a further embodiment, two or more slots (26) are provided, distributed uniformly over the circumference of the outer conductor of the insert.
The supporting element (15) is preferably composed of a liquid-crystal polymer (LCP) or a thermoplastic PTFE.
One preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterized in that the outer conductor has a housing in which an essentially hollow cylindrical insert is arranged and held concentrically, in that the supporting element is moulded onto the insert and in that the insert, together with the moulded-on supporting element, is installed in the housing.
The invention will be explained in more detail in the following text with reference to exemplary embodiments and in conjunction with the drawing, in which:
The connecting element 10 is intended for use at frequencies in the two-digit to three-digit GHz range. On the one hand, the precision and mechanical robustness with which the inner conductor 13, which has an external diameter of <1 mm, is mounted in the outer conductor 11, 12, 14, are therefore particularly important. On the other hand, the excitation of undesirable modes, in particular TE11 mode, in the area of the supporting element 15 must be suppressed as much as possible in order to ensure that the connecting element has optimum transmission characteristics. Finally, the production and assembly should be sufficiently simple that even relatively large quantities can be produced with high quality and at acceptable costs.
This is achieved by integrally forming or moulding the supporting element 15 on the insert shown separately in
In order to mould the supporting element 15, the insert 14 is inserted into an appropriate mould, giving the supporting element 15 the shape illustrated in
In the area of the slots 26, the insert 14 has an annular bead 37 which is cut through by the slots 26. An annular groove 27 with a reduced diameter is provided behind the annular bead 37. The mould is designed such that the moulded supporting element 15 has a first ring 28 in front of the annular bead 37, and the annular groove 27 is filled by a second ring 36. The two rings 28, 36 are firmly connected to one another and to the outer hollow cylinder 29 by webs 35, which are created by filling the slots 26. The two rings 28, 36 with the annular bead 37 between them fix the supporting element in the axial direction, and the webs 35 fix the supporting element 15 in the circumferential direction.
After the moulding of the supporting element 15, the insert 14, together with the moulded supporting element 15 and the inner conductor 13 held therein are inserted as far as the step 19 into one of the housing parts 12, and the arrangement is then screwed to the other housing part 11.
The supporting element 15 is preferably composed of a liquid-crystal polymer (LCP) which has a relative dielectric constant ∈r of about 3. However, it is likewise also possible to use PTFE, which can be processed thermoplastically, or some other material. The supporting element 15 has an axial length in the region of about 2 to 3 mm for a connecting element 10 whose overall length is more than 7 times greater.
Overall, the invention results in a coaxial connecting element which is suitable for frequencies up to 65 GHz and is distinguished by good electrical and transmission characteristics, with the capability to be produced easily and with good mechanical robustness, at the same time. It is self-evident that numerous modifications are possible within the scope of the invention and on the basis of the exemplary embodiment explained here. In particular, the frequency range can be extended up to 250 GHz or more by adaptation of the dimensions.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1465/06 | Sep 2006 | CH | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CH07/00376 | 7/31/2007 | WO | 00 | 3/4/2009 |
