US2928059A - Waveguide coupling - Google Patents

Description

March 8, 1960 G- CHAMBERLAIN ET AL WAVEGUIDE COUPLING Filed Jan. 6, 1958 N D W M N W 2 a w r y l y 6 Y Wm M. l m I 5?9 6N a United States Patent WAVEGUIDE COUPLING George Chamberlain, Hasbrouck Heights, N .J and Morton P. Nashman, New York, N.Y., assignors to International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation, Nutley, N.J., a corporation of Maryland Application January 6, 1958, Serial No. 707,215

3 Claims. (Cl. 333-98) This invention relates to waveguides and more particularly to a coupling for coupling together two waveguide sections.

In the usual method of coupling waveguides together, the waveguide sections are provided with end flanges having means for receiving the screws or bolts to draw them together. Another method of coupling waveguide sections is by providing clamping rings on one section which are screwed on to a matching threaded portion of the adjacent section thereby drawing the two waveguide sections together. These methods of securing waveguide sections together is time consuming since, in the first case, it usually requires four or more screws or bolts and the second method also requires that these sections be screwed together by hand. Another drawback of these coupling devices is that when the waveguide sections are subject to shock and vibration, they may become overstressed and so fail, or the sections may separate sufficiently at the coupling and so break the electrical connection. There are cases, however, where both of these methods are inapplicable because a more rapidmethod of connection and disconnection is required and, secondly, because of the design of the equipment with which these waveguide sections are associated. If the area in which the couplingof the two sections occurs is inaccessible, manual coupling of the waveguide sections cannot be made.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel coupling arrangement for waveguide sections whereby they may be coupled together without the use of threaded parts on the end portions of these waveguide sections, and provide for coupling together the two waveguide sections in an indirect manner and which is also less time consuming than the use of conventional coupling arrangements.

It is a further object to provide a coupling for waveguide sections which has at least one resilient member which can absorb the shock or vibration to which the waveguide sections may be subjected.

A feature of this invention is the provision of a coupling for two waveguide sections having end portions adapted to be coupled together, which are mounted on first and second members adaptedto be brought and held together in juxtaposed relation. At least one of these waveguide sections has a resilient portion therein whereby when the first and second members are brought together in the juxtaposed relation, pressure is exerted upon the waveguide sections and the resilient reaction of the wave guidesection having the resilient portion forcibly but resilientlyclamps together the end portions of the waveguide sections in coupling engagement.

The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this invention will become more apparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation with part broken away of the two waveguide sections each disposed on its respective member in uncoupled arrangement;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the same waveguide sections and members shown in coupled engagement; and

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of two waveguide sections mounted in a typical electronic equipment rack with parts broken away to show the coupling engagement of the two waveguide sections.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a member 1 on which ismounted a waveguide section 2 having flangelike end portion 3. The waveguide section 2 is mounted to the member 1 by means of a clamp 4 which is screwed to the member 1. Disposed opposite to member 1 is a member 5 on which is mounted a waveguide section 6. Waveguides 2 and 6 are similar and may be either of the hollow, round or rectangular type, which are applicable to the circuitry involved. The end portion 7 of waveguide section 6 has alignment pins 8 disposed on a flange 9. These alignment pins 8 are receivable in matching holes 8a in the end portion 3 of waveguide section 2. In back of the flange 9 is a metal plate 10 to which it is fastened by welds 10a. A pad of resilient material 11 is bonded to the plate 10. A backing plate 12 is bonded to the rear surface of this resilient material 11. The opposite side of the plate 12 is disposed against the bottom surface 13 of a counterbored or hollowed-outsection 14. A first straight portion 15 of waveguide section 6 extends backwards of the flange 9 and the resilient pad 11 through a hole 16 in the member 5. A looped waveguide portion 17 extends laterally of the first straight portion 15 on the opposite side of the member 5. A second straight waveguide portion 18 extends laterally back from the looped portion 17. Clamping means 19 coupled to the second straight portion 18 anchorswaveguide section 6 to the member 5. The two end portions 3 and 7 of the waveguides 2 and 6 are there-- by disposed opposite each other for coupling engagement when member 5 is moved into a predetermined juxtaposed relation with respect to member 1.

In Fig. 2 there is shown the effect on the waveguide section 6 when members 1 and 5 are brought together in. predetermined juxtaposed position thereby coupling together end portions 3 of waveguide section 2 and end portion 9 of waveguide section 6. The pressure exerted by the juxtaposition of members 1 and 5 compresses the resilient pad 11 thereby reducing its effective length between the plates 10 and 12. The first straight portion 15 of waveguide section 6 is then moved backwards by the amount that the resilient pad 11 is compressed and by means of the cantilever action of the backwards force applied on the looped portion 17. The portion 20 of the loop 17 is deflected backwards about the bend 21 which acts as a pivot for the deflection. The loop 17 is also deflected backwards about the clamp 19 of the point 19a where the clamp 19 anchors the straight section 18. The resilient reaction of the compressed resilient pad together with the reactive force exerted by the deflection of the waveguide portion operates to exert a forward force to clamp together the end portions 3 and 9 of the waveguide sections in forcible but resilient coupling engagement. It will be noted that the resilient pad assembly of pads 10 and 12 and the pad 11 is securely fastened to the flange 9 but is free to move about the surface 13 of the counterbored hole 14. This is necessary to provide suflicient movement laterally about the axis 6a of the waveguide section 6 to permit the proper engagement of the waveguide sections when they are brought together and the alignment pins 8 are received in the matching alignment holes of the flange 3. It should be noted that the mating surface of flange 9 should be slightly inclined to compensate for the angular deflection so that in the coupled position flanges 3 and 9 will be parallel.

Fig. 3 shows a portion of a rack 22 or similar mounting means for electronic equipment. A chassis assembly 23 containing the electronic components 24 is receivable in the rack 22 and is movable therein along slides 25.

The front panel 26 of the chassis assembly 23 has handles 27 and also contains fasteners 28 of any conventional type which securely keep the chassis assembly 23 in place in the rack when the panel 26 is disposed against the surface 29 of the rack 22. In this juxtaposed position the end portions 3 and 7 of the waveguide sections 1 and are in aligned coupling engagement. In this illustration the waveguide section 5 is coupled to the electronic components which are mounted on the chassis assembly 23, and the waveguide section 1 is a fixed part which is mounted on the rack 22, so that on the motion of the chassis 23 relative to the rack 22 the waveguide sections are coupled together when the chassis is moved inwardly of the rack 22 and uncouple when the chassis is moved out. The durorneter of the resilient pad 11 and the deflection of the loop of the waveguide section 6 may be varied to suit the conditions of the particular equipment in which they are used, and to provide the correct force for the resilient coupling together of the end portions.

While we have described above the principles of our invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that many changes are possible, such for example as mounting the resilient pad 11 and loop 17 on the fixed rack portions rather than on the movable chassis assembly 23, thus this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of our invention as set forth in the objects thereof and in the accompanying claims.

We claim:

1. A coupling for first and second waveguide sections having end portions adapted to be coupled together comprising first and second members one movable relative the other to bring them into juxtaposed relation, said end portion of said first waveguide section having alignment holes therein, said end portion of said second waveguide section having matching alignment pins receivable in said alignment holes, said second waveguide section having a resilient portion therein including a first straight waveguide portion extending back of said end portion thereof, a looped waveguide portion extending laterally of said first straight portion, a second straight waveguide portion extending laterally of said looped portion, means mounting said second waveguide section to said second member, second means mounting said first waveguide section to said first member, whereby said end portions of said first and second waveguide sections are disposed opposite each other for coupling engagement, means associated with the relative motion of said first and second members to bring said members into juxtaposed relation and thereby bring said end portions into coupling engagement whereby pressure is exerted by said juxtaposed relation of said members upon said resilient portion, urging backwards said first straight portion to cause deflection of said looped portion, said deflection reactively urging forward said end portion of said second waveguide section against said end portion of said first waveguide section thereby bringing together said end portions in forcible but resilient coupling engagement.

2. A coupling for first and second waveguide sections having end portions adapted to be coupled together comprising first and second members one movable relative the other to bring them into juxtaposed relation, said end portion of said first waveguide section having alignment holes therein, said second waveguide section having matching alignment pins disposed on the front surface'of its end portion and receivable in said alignment holes, said second waveguide section having a resilient portion therein including a pad of resilient material disposed on the opposite side of said end portion, a first straight wave- .4 guide portion extending back of said end portion and said resilient pad, a looped waveguide portion extending laterally of said first straight portion, a second straight waveguide portion extending laterally of said looped portion, first clamping means coupled to said second straight portion and mounting said second waveguide section to said first member whereby said end portion and said resilient pad are disposed on one side of said first member and said looped portion and said second straight portion are disposed on the opposite side of said first member, second clamping means coupled to said first waveguide section and mounting said second waveguide section to said second member, whereby said end portions of said first and second waveguide sections are disposed opposite each other for coupling engagement, means associated with the relative motion of said first and second members to bring said members into juxtaposed relation and thereby bring said end portions into coupling engagement whereby pressure is exerted by said juxtaposed relation of said members upon said resilient pad thereby compressing said pad and urging backwards said first straight portion to cause deflection of said looped portion, said deflection and said compression reactively urging forward said end portion of said second waveguide section against said end portion of said first waveguide section thereby clamping together said end portions in forcible but resilient coupling engagement.

3. In a combination, mounting means having slide means therein, a chassis assembly containing electronic equipment, means coupled to said chassis assembly to coact with said slide means whereby said chassis assembly is movable within said mounting means into predetermined juxtaposed relation with said mounting means, means to couple together said chassis assembly and said mounting means in said predetermined juxtaposed relation, first and second waveguide sections having end portions adapted to be coupled together, at least one of said waveguide sections having a resilient portion therein comprising a pad of resilient material and a looped wave guide portion, means mounting said first waveguide section on said mounting means, means mounting said second waveguide section on said chassis assembly, means associated with the relative motion of said chassis assembly and said mounting means along said slide means and adapted to place said Waveguide sections into coupling engagement and thereby to exert pressure upon said waveguide sections when said chassis assembly and said mounting means are brought together into said predetermined juxtaposed relation whereby the resilient reaction of said waveguide section having said resilient portion forcibly but resiliently clamps together said end portions in said coupling engagement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,069,375 Lane Feb. 2, 1937 2,505,163 Wanner Apr. 25, 1950 2,514,246 Knox July 4, 1950 2,609,268 Nye Sept. 2, 1952 2,643,139 Hamilton June 23, 1953 2,688,500 Scott Sept. 7, 1954 2,810,114 Shaw Oct. 15, 1957 2,848,697 Scal Aug. 19, 1958 2,862,728 Druschel Dec. 2, 1958 2,883,632 Street Apr. 21, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 896,375 Germany Nov. 12, 1953

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