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Antenna couplers and method of productionAntenna couplers and method of production description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070013607, Antenna couplers and method of production. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Technical Field [0002] The present invention relates to antennas and more particularly to antenna couplers. Even more particularly, the invention relates to a quick check conformal antenna coupler which provides a reliable and repeatable RF interface between aircraft electronic countermeasure (ECM) system installations and flightline automated test equipment (ATE) without requiring the removal of aircraft radomes. [0003] 2. Background Information [0004] Antenna couplers are devices used to match the impedance of a transmitter IS and/or receiver to an antenna to provide maximum power transfer. One of their uses is to provide the RF interface between an aircraft electronic countermeasure system (ECM) installation and flightline Automatic Test Equipment (ATE). Unlike most radar and communications systems, ECM systems typically operate over a wide range of frequencies, an octave or more is not uncommon. The interface must provide for a predictable and repeatable transfer function between the ATE and the System Under Test (SUT). Since this is an RF interface, the transfer function is described in terms of Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR), Insertion Loss (IL) and bandwidth (BW). Antenna couplers must also provide protection from interfering RF signals and security from disclosure of SUT performance parameters through unintentional broadcast of SUT/ATE emanations. [0005] Antenna couplers for aircraft installed ECM Systems are required to perform "end to end" system testing. Antenna couplers have unique mechanical interfaces for each system antenna and antenna location. Antenna coupler sets are different for each aircraft type due to the physical differences between locations on different type aircraft. Also each aircraft generally will have a number of radar antennas protected by radomes, each of which heretofore had to be removed in order to perform the required tests requiring the use of relatively expensive and bulky test equipment. Also the locations of the radar antennas vary and are at locations, sometimes difficult to reach conveniently with such prior art heavy and bulky test equipment. Because of these design constraints existing antenna couplers are high cost items. Antenna couplers must also perform with high transmit power systems. Thus, antenna couplers for these applications tend to be rather large, expensive to use and maintain, and bulky to transport and store. [0006] A need, therefore, exists for a low cost, compact size antenna coupler and a method for its production. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The present invention is a low cost, compact size antenna coupler and a method for its production and use, which is based on reducing the size, complexity and cost of antenna couplers by employing a novel near-field sensing probe in place of the usual coupler antenna element. All currently deployed U.S. Air Force antenna couplers utilize commercially produced antennas as the coupling elements. A 2.5'' broadband (2 to 18 GHz) Cavity Backed Spiral, similar to the antennas used for RWR quadrant receivers, is most commonly used. These antennas are well behaved over broad frequency ranges, are compact, and are widely available. A 2.5'' Cavity Backed Spiral (AS-218 series, .apprxeq.2-8 GHz BW) built by BAE SYSTEMS Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc. (IEWS) is widely used in BAE SYSTEMS IEWS designs as well as a smaller BAE SYSTEMS IEWS built 1.0'' variant (AS-83 series, .apprxeq.6-16 GHz BW). Virtually all BAE SYSTEMS IEWS built Antenna Couplers use either an AS-218 or AS-83 series antenna. [0008] One aspect of the present invention is to provide a quick check conformal antenna coupler which provides reliable, repeatable RF interfacing, a smaller footprint than traditional prior art couplers, and avoids the need to remove the aircraft radomes when performing tests on the enclosed radar. [0009] Another feature of the invention is to provide an antenna coupler which is less than 1/3 the weight of existing couplers heretofore required to perform the required tests, and which can be formed at approximately 1/2 the cost of such prior art couplers. [0010] A further aspect is to provide such a coupler which is formed of lightweight, durable fiberglass material, which is constructed to conform to the unique aircraft and radome profile on which it will be utilized, and which provides electromagnetic interference/electromagnetic compatibility (EMI/EMC) shielding and effective bandwidth. [0011] Another aspect of the invention is that the antenna coupler can be mounted easily on an aircraft with or without auxiliary hardware or can be manually held in position while performing tests thereon. [0012] The invention provides such an antenna coupler which can be a consumable end item, that is, it can be replaced due to its low cost and not repaired if damaged. This also avoids the need to store numerous repair parts, especially where space is at a premium, such as aboard a ship. Also it requires no complicated logistics to utilize the same. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] The present invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein: [0014] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an aircraft having a pair of the antenna couplers of the present invention mounted thereon for performing flightline testing on the ECM system. [0015] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional diagrammatic view of a first embodiment of the antenna coupler mounted adjacent one of the aircraft antennas. [0016] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional diagrammatic view of a second embodiment of the antenna coupler mounted adjacent an array of the aircraft antennas. [0017] FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the antenna coupler of the present invention. [0018] Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0019] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an aircraft indicated generally at 1, which is shown with two different embodiments of the antenna coupler of the present invention, indicated generally at 3 and 5, mounted thereon while testing. The first embodiment coupler 3 (FIG. 2) is a single antenna coupler wherein embodiment 5 (FIG. 3) is a multiple antenna coupler. The particular location and configuration of antennas 3 and 5 on aircraft 1 are merely representative of the various array of antenna couplers of the present invention, which can be utilized at various locations on the aircraft, with the embodiments shown in FIG. 1 being illustrative examples only. [0020] The compact coupler concept of the present invention utilizes a specific type of probe in place of the commercially produced antenna-coupling element and is referred to as a Lowe probe, named after Ralph Lowe, who first used the probe in the highly successful US Navy AN/ALR-59 and AN/ALR-73 Passive Detection System (PDS) Antenna Couplers for the E-2C Hawkeye Aircraft. One example of the Lowe probe is indicated generally at 7, and is a quarter wave stub fabricated from a piece of 0.141'' (0.36 cm) RF Hard-line coaxial cable stock. Continue reading about Antenna couplers and method of production... Full patent description for Antenna couplers and method of production Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Antenna couplers and method of production patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Antenna couplers and method of production or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Spiral antenna Next Patent Application: Dual display electronic device Industry Class: Communications: radio wave antennas ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Antenna couplers and method of production patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.11821 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Novartis , Pfizer , Philips , Polaroid , Procter & Gamble , 174 |
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