GB2524659A

GB2524659A - Method for manufacture of a flexible waveguide

Info

Publication number: GB2524659A
Application number: GB1504726.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Kinnaird
Original assignee: Global Invacom Ltd
Current assignee: Global Invacom Ltd
Priority date: 2014-03-25
Filing date: 2015-03-20
Publication date: 2015-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 2035-03-20
Also published as: GB2524659B; GB201405320D0; GB201504726D0

Abstract

A method of manufacture of a waveguide, the waveguide including a channel for the passage of data signals between first and second apertures and a portion of said waveguide is flexible, said method including feeding a strip of sheet material to forming apparatus, forming first engagement means at a first face of the sheet material and second engagement means at an opposing face of the sheet material, winding said strip material in a helical path and engaging said first and second engagement means to form the flexible portion of the waveguide, and at the same time as winding the sheet material an elongate member is fed and co-wound with the sheet material so as to be positioned internally of the said flexible portion. Thus, an elongate, rod like, material 42 is co-introduced along with the sheet material and wound therewith so as to be positioned internally of the waveguide portion and pass in spiral or helical path along the interior of the channel. This elongate member 42 acts as a former and maintains the form of the waveguide portion during manufacture. Once the waveguide is formed to the required length, the elongate member 42 is pulled out.

Description

Method for manufacture of a Flexible Waveguide The invention relates to a method for the manufacture of waveguides for data signals which are received at specific frequencies and which signals of the desired frequency range are allowed to pass along the waveguides to further apparatus at which the data signals are processed for further use l1he use of waveguides is well known as a means of allowing the passage of data signals at a specific frequency range from a receiving location to a proccssing location. Most wavcguidc arc manufacturcd as a rigid itcm in which the passage of the waveguide is deafly defined. However, it is also known to provide waveguides in which at least a portion of the waveguide passage is flexible. Thc aim of thc waveguides is to isolate vibration and also ensure that the flexible waveguides are still sufficiently flexible. This flexibility can be required to allow the waveguide to pass along a relatively tortuous path between the respective ends of the waveguide and/or to take into account relative movement between those parts of the apparatus to which the respective ends of the waveguide are connected. Whilst the flexibility is of advantage there is also a need to be able to control the characteristics of the waveguide such that the passage of the data signals along the interior of the waveguide is maintained in the required manner despite any bend or twist which may be imported onto the waveguide and/or movement of the waveguide during use.

An aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a method of manufacture of a flexible waveguide, which improves the control of the waveguide manufacture and improves the use of the waveguide formed in accordance with the method.

In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacture of a waveguide, said waveguide including a channel for the passage of data signals therealong between first and second apertures and a portion of said waveguide is flexible with respect to at least onc axis of thc waveguide channel, said method including the steps of feeding a strip of sheet material to forming apparatus, forming first engagement means at a first face of the sheet material and second engagement means at an opposing face of the sheet material, winding said strip material in a helical path and engaging said first and second engagement means to firm the flexible portion of the waveguide, continuing to do so until the required length of the flexible portion is formed and wherein at the same time as winding the sheet material an elongate member is fed and co-wound with the sheet material so as to be positioned internally of the said flexible portion as it is formed.

Typically the said elongate member is provided to aid in the maintenance of the shape of the flexible portion of the waveguide during the subsequent forming steps and is removed prior to the completion of the waveguide.

In one embodiment the engagement means are formed by any or any combination of forming rollers, dies and/or pressing tools through which the sheet matenal strip is passed.

In one embodiment the engagement means are engaged by means which serve to engage the first engagement means on a first edge of a wind of the strip with second engagement means on a second edge of the preceding wind of the strip as the strip sheet material is wound to form the flexible portion of the waveguide.

In one embodiment the said flexible portion of the waveguide is provided to be flexible about a first axis which is the longitudinal axis of the waveguide portion by twisting the same and about axes which are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, by bending the said portion.

In an alternative embodiment the waveguide is only flexible by bending the same about the said axes which are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. In one embodiment during the manufacture of the waveguide a second elongate member of material is introduced along with the winding of the strip material so as to be wound around the external surface of the waveguidc portion. Typically, said further elongate member is formcd of solder nuterial which is subsequently rendered into a liquid state.

Typically, once the waveguide has been formed, at least that portion of the same which is flexible is encapsulated. The encapsulating material can, for example, be a silicone or neoprene material.

In one embodiment the sheet material is fed to the forming apparatus in the direction of the longitudinal axis thereof In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a waveguide including a flexible portion and manufactured in accordance with the method as herein described.

Specific embodiments of the invention arc now described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 illustrates an example of a waveguide including a flexible portion manufactured in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 illustrates the steps of method of manufacturing in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and Figure 3 illustrates first and second engagement means in accordance with onc embodiment of the invention in section along line AA Referring firstly to Figure 1 there is illustrated a flexible waveguide 2 formed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The waveguide has first and second spaced flanges 4,6 which define the respective ends of the waveguide and each of which have an opening 20 into a channel 18 formed between the flanges and forming the passage along which data signals pass from one flange to the other. Each of the flanges has apertures 8 for the reception of securing means to allow the flanges to be attached to respective items of apparatus between which the data signals, at the required frequencies, are allowed to pass and arc carried via the passage defined between the said flanges 4,6. the channel is defined by sidc wails 10,12 and top and bottom walls 14,16. The size and dimension of the walls can be determined with regard to the particular requirements for the particular waveguide.

The walls are defined and formed from sheet material, typically a silver coated brass strip, which is spirally or helically wound about the longitudinal axis 22 of the passage. the width of the sheet material can be selected so as to at least partially define the degree of flexibility of the waveguide in use such that the thinner the width then the more flexibility may be provided.

Figure 2 illustrates the steps performed in accordance with one embodiment of the formation of the flexible portion in accordance with the invention. At the first stage 24, the strip of sheet material 27 which is to be used to form the waveguide channel is introduced to the winding apparatus 26.

As it is introduced engagement means 28,30 are formed on opposing side edges of the sheet material at stage 32 as ifiustrated in Figure 3a which shows part of the strip of material with the respective opposing edges having the engagement means formed 28, 30 formed therealong.

The shape and form of the engagement means 28 on a first edge of the sheet material are such that the same can be located with the engagement means 30' formed on the opposing cdge of the strip material in the previous winding. This subsequently allows the engagement of the engagement means together as illustrated in Figure 3b and in which the dimensions of the engagement means are shown in an exaggerated manner for ease of illustration. In addition to the strip of sheet material being wound and engaged at station 26, additional material can be added from stations 34 and/or 36.

With regard to station 34, an elongate, rod like, material 42 is co-introduced along with the sheet material 27 and wound therewith so as to, typically, be positioned internally of the waveguide portion and pass in spiral or helical path along the interior of the channel. The elongate member 42 is shown in broken lines in Figure 1. Tn one embodiment the elongate member is formed of a material which is more rigid, or less flexible, than the sheet material 27 and the elongate member is located so as to lie at or adjacent to the join of the engagement means but is not engaged with the engagement means. Typically the longitudinal axis of the elongate member lies substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the engagement means as and after the flcxible portion is formed.

This elongate member 42 acts as a fbrmer and maintains the form of the waveguide portion during manufacture of the same. Typically once the waveguide is formed to the requited length, the elongate member 42 is pulled out of the waveguide passage from one end of the same and thereby leaves the passage formed from the strip material 27.

A second elongate member can be introduced at station 36 in order to lnmt those axes about which the waveguide is to able to be flexed during use of the waveguide. In this case the material of the second elongate member which is added is a solder type material which, during the subscquent manufacture process when the waveguide is formed is heated into a liquid state and is then set so that the material, which acts to stiffen the flexibility of the waveguide at certain portions, lies at the required locations on the waveguide portion and, in one embodiment then only allows the waveguidc to be flexed certain axes subsequently. This second elongate member is typically located externally of the flexible portion and sheet material 27 and can be selectively positioned along the same.

When the waveguide flexible portion is formed to the required length the same is passed to station 38 and at which the flanges are added and connected to the passage. Once completed, at least the flexible portion of the waveguide is externally encapsulated at station 40, typically by applying a silicone or neoprene coating material therearound.

The waveguide formed in accordance with the invenon has many uses and cane be used in many forms of apparatus, including sateffite data transmission apparatus, x-ray apparatus and generally in any form of apparatus where frequency propagañon is a problem and/or the wavegtide is provided to apparatus which moves in operadon and which at least one end of the waveguide is required to follow,

Claims

Claims 1.A method of manufacture of a waveguide, said wavcguidc including a channel for the passage of data signals therealong between first and second apertures and a portion of said waveguide is flexible with respect to at least one axis of the waveguide channel, said method including the steps of feeding a strip of sheet material to forming apparatus, forming first engagement means at a first face of the sheet material and second engagement means at an opposing face of the sheet material, winding said strip material in a heilcal path and engaging said first and second engagement means to form the flexible portion of the waveguide, continuing to do so until the required length of the flexible portion is formed and wherein at the same time as winding the sheet material an elongate member is fed and co-wound with the sheet material so as to be positioned internally of the said flexible portion as it is formed.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the said elongate member is provided to aid in the maintenance of the shape of the flexible portion of the waveguide during the subsequent forming steps and is removed prior to the completion of the waveguide.
3. A method according to claim 3 wherein the said elongate member is located substantially adjacent to and parallel with the path of the engagement means when engaged.
4. A method according to claim I wherein the engagement means are formed by any or any combination of forming rollers, dies and/or pressing tools through which the sheet material strip is passed.A method according to claim 1 wherein the respective engagement means are engaged by means which serve to engage the first engagement means on a first edge of a wind of thc strip with second engagement means on a second edge of the preceding wind of the strip as the strip sheet material is wound to form the flexible portion of the waveguide.

S

6 A method according to claim 1 wherein the said flexible portion of the waveguide is flexible about a first axis which is the longitudinal axis of the said portion by twisting thc portion about axes which are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, by bending the said portion.

7 A method according to claim 1 whercin thc said flexible portion of the waveguide is flexible about axes which are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the portion.

8 A method according to claim 1 wherein a second elongate member is introduced along with the winding of the strip material so as to be wound around the external surface of the waveguide portion when formed.

9 A method according to claim 7 wherein said second elongate member is formed of solder material which is subsequently rendered into a liquid state by applying heat thereto.

A method according to claim 9 wherein at least the cxternal surface of the portion of the elongate member which is flexible is encapsulated once it has been formed.

11 A method according to claim 1 wherein the sheet material is fed to the forming apparatus in the direction of the longitudinal axis thereof 12 A waveguide, said waveguide including a flexible portion and manufactured in accordance with the method as herein described.