US3585540A - Flexible waveguide having means to reduce deformation of internal cross section - Google Patents

Flexible waveguide having means to reduce deformation of internal cross section Download PDF

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Publication number
US3585540A
US3585540A US745578A US3585540DA US3585540A US 3585540 A US3585540 A US 3585540A US 745578 A US745578 A US 745578A US 3585540D A US3585540D A US 3585540DA US 3585540 A US3585540 A US 3585540A
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United States
Prior art keywords
waveguide
cross
section
wall
tube
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Expired - Lifetime
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US745578A
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English (en)
Inventor
Erich Schuttloffel
Heinz Zanzinger
Gerhard Schickle
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Telefunken Patentverwertungs GmbH
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Telefunken Patentverwertungs GmbH
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Priority claimed from DE19671690288 external-priority patent/DE1690288C3/de
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01P—WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE
    • H01P3/00—Waveguides; Transmission lines of the waveguide type
    • H01P3/12—Hollow waveguides
    • H01P3/14—Hollow waveguides flexible

Definitions

  • Gensler Anorney*Spencer and Kaye ABSTRACT A flexible waveguide for the correct transmission of electromagnetic waves, comprising a relatively thin, seamless'metal waveguide tube having a noncircular internal cross section, the edges or profile which is free of abrupt changes ofdirection. Means are provided, according to the invention, for imparting a rigidity to the waveguide tube which will reduce to a minimum any deformation of the internal cross section, when the waveguide is bent or twisted.
  • JUN1SI87I 3585540 sum 2 0F 2 %//I/IIIIIIIIIIII F ig-3 INVENTORS.
  • the present invention relates to a flexible waveguide for the correct transmission of preferably linearly polarized electromagnetic waves.
  • This waveguide possesses a noncircular effective internal cross section, the edge of which is free of abrupt changes of direction, and is formed from a relatively thin seamless metal tube.
  • This type of waveguide which may be reeled on a drum, possesses an approximately elliptical cross section; compared to analogous rectangular waveguides, it exhibits a lower damping factor.
  • manufacture of these waveguides is relatively time-consuming and expensive since at the present, it is necessary to first provide the copper tube employed for the waveguide with a very particular corrugation and then to deform the circular cross section of the tube into an approximate ellipse.
  • T0 protect the waveguide from physical damage
  • the metal tube which has been shaped in the manner described above, is provided, in addition. with a suitable dielectric protective jacket.
  • a waveguide constructed in this manner is not unqualifiedly suited for all installations. This is especially true when it is employed as an antenna feed line at permanent microwave stations, since the ability of the waveguide to be reeled on relatively small cable drumsmade possible by the corrugations-is practically not utilized at all.
  • the long waveguide sections are reeled on suitable drums at most only when transported from the factory to the microwave station, but after installation no longer need to be moved, the expense required for the manufacture of the elliptical corrugated tube waveguide described above is not justified.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a new type of flexible waveguide the electrical properties of which are as good 0r better than that of the waveguides known in the prior art, which waveguide may also be employed in permanent installations at reduced cost.
  • the present invention makes use of the knowledge of what occurs when a thin metal tube is bent. Such knowledge comes into play, for example, with the metal shields 0r jackets of coaxial cables.
  • lt is a prerequisite for the employment of a thin metal tube as a waveguide, that the waveguide be dimensioned to avoid a damaging deformation ofits internal cross section.
  • the deformation of the internal cross section may be kept to a minimum.
  • Another possible means for imparting the necessary rigidity to the waveguide is to surround the outside surface of the waveguide tube with a dielectric jacket which, in profile, exhibits a variable thickness.
  • the thickness of the jacket is increased at those points of the cross section of the waveguide which would be deformed t0 the greatest extent if the waveguide were bent.
  • the desired effect of the present invention is achieved by making the wall of the metal waveguide tube itself of variable thickness when the tube is viewed in profile. This can be realized, for example, by adding longitudinally extending metal strips to the outer surface of the waveguide to give the waveguide the desired rigidity. For technical reasons which arise in the production of the waveguide, it is practical, in this embodiment, to make the cross-sectional edge of the external surface with a continuous derivative; that is, free of abrupt changes of direction. In order to reduce the forces necessary to bend the waveguide, the thickness of the waveguide walls, preferably in the region of the principal axes, is made thinner than at the remaining points on the cross section.
  • the effective internal cross section of the waveguide constructed according to the present invention with a smooth internal wall can be made with various shapes.
  • this internal cross section can be symmetrical to the principal axes of the waveguide cross section. lt is possible, in addition, to make the internal cross section symmetrical with respect to only one of the principal axes.
  • the length of the two aforementioned principal axes is alWays different; however, the ratio of the minor to the major principal axis is preferably made greater than 0.45.
  • the cross-sectional shape of the waveguide, according to the present invention should be rectangular, in the first approximation, to obtain the greatest possible bandwidth. lt is possible, depending on the requirements, to arch the waveguide walls either inward or outward; that is to make them concave or convex.
  • the waveguide should be constructed, similar to a ridge waveguide, with at least one indentation running parallel to its longitudinal axis.
  • the waveguide can be advantageously produced by the seamless extrusion of a metal tube in a suitable cable-making machine.
  • Aluminum is an especially suitable metal to use for the metal tube.
  • Corrugated metal tubes of copper have been used in the prior art as flexible antenna leads.
  • the corrugation effects a physical elongation of the waveguide, however; furthermore, it leads to undesirable reflections and affects the damping.
  • the waveguide constructed with the smooth wall according to the present invention produces no greater damping than the corrugated tube.
  • An aluminum waveguide of this type has the additional advantages that it is softer and, therefore, more flexible than a copper waveguide and has a greater resistance to corrosion.
  • FIG. l is a cross-sectional view of a waveguide according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • F IG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a waveguide according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a waveguide according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • F IG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a waveguide according to a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a waveguide according to a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. l shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • the wall of the waveguide tube l is of uniform thickness.
  • the two principal axes of the cross section of the waveguide are designated by the letters D and d.
  • the shape of the internal cross section is made to approximately correspond to a rectangle having sharply rounded edges and outwardly curved sides.
  • the outer surface of the waveguide tube is surrouncled with dielectric jacket 2 which, unlike the waveguide tube itself, does not exhibit a constant thickness along its cross-sectional edge.
  • the thickness of the wall of the jacket is the smallest in the region of the principal axes of the waveguide.
  • the outer contour o? the dielectric jacket forms a rectangle with sharply rounded edges and with inwardly arched sides.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the internal cross section of the waveguide is symmetrical about only a single principal axis.
  • the wall thicl ness of the waveguide tube 4 is constant along the crosssectional edge.
  • Four.metal strips 5, 6, 7 and 8 are attached to the wall of the waveguide tube 4 in the region of the four corners thereof. Because of their shape and position, these metal strips, which extend in the longitudinal direction of the waveguide, preveht the effective internal cross section of the waveguide from changing to an undue extent when the waveguid'e is bent and/er twisted.
  • the strips 5 6, 7 and 8 may, for example, be made of the Same material as the waveguide tube 4 and welded onto the outer tube surface.”lhe exact position and thickness of these longitudinalstrips is dependent upon the particular cross section of the waveguide tube 4 and the material of which the tube is made.
  • FIG. 3 A still further means for realizing the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 3.
  • the outer cross-sectional edge of the waveguide 10 forms a semicircle having rounded corners.
  • the internal cross section of the waveguide is chosen to give the waveguide wall various thicknesses along the edge of the waveguide cross section.
  • the walls of the waveguide thus exhibit various degrees of rigidity so that the shape of the internal cross section will be substantially retained when the waveguide is bei1tand/ortwisted.
  • the waveguide according to the present invention may be provided with at least 0118 indentation extending in the longitudinal direction.
  • the waveguide which is illustrated in cross section in FIG. 4 is constructed with two such indentations, symmetrically arranged and extending in the longitudinal direction.
  • the resulting waveguide is similar to a ridge waveguide.
  • the major principal axis of the waveguide 9 of FIG. 4 is designated with the letter D.
  • the minor axis which also designates the distance between the two indentations carries the letter a, while the distance between the nonindented portions of the waveguide is designated with the letter d.
  • the relationship of the waveguide width d to the separation a substantially determines the usable bandwidth of this type of waveguide.
  • the wall of the waveguide is made thinner in the region of the principal axes than in the reinaining reg'i0hs
  • the wall thickness around the Profile of the waveguide has a continuous derivative so that both the internal and the external edges or profiles of the wall are free of abrupt changes 0f direction.
  • the function described by the edge of the effective internal cross section is preferably made a Cassinian curve; that is, the internal cross-sectional edge may be described by the equation:
  • the particular waveguide cross sections produce a preferred plane in which the waveguide may be bent.
  • the waveguide may be bent with approximately equal ease in the planes defined by both the major as well as the minor principal axes of cross section. If the thickness of the walls is properly chosen, it is possible, according to still another embodiment of the present invention, to nearly equalize the bendability of the waveguide in these two planes.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of this type of waveguide which is equally pliable in the planes of the two principal axes of its cross section.
  • the effective internal cross section of the waveguide takes generally the shape of a rectangle with sharply rounded edges and outwardly arched sides.
  • the ratio of the minor principal axis of the waveguide, designated with the letter a, to the major principal axis, designated with the letter D, is made larger than 0.45.
  • the thickness of the wall of the waveguide 11 is made thinner in the region of the two principal axes than in the remaining regions which include the corners.
  • the radius of curvature of the effective internal cross section is equal to approximately one-fourth of the length of minor principal axis d.
  • the wall thiekness f is made approximately 2 to 4 times greater than the Wall thickness e in the region of the majot principal axis of the waveguide cross section.
  • the wall thicknesses e and c, respectively, in the regions of these principal axes may be made suitably different.
  • the transition between the various wall thicknesses around the cross section of the waveguide is made continuous in the illustrated embodiment.
  • the four rounded outcr corners lie on a circle with the radius R.
  • This arrangement makes it possible to make the flanges, which are necessary to connect sections of the waveguide in the manner known in the art, as simple coupling nuts. These nuts may be made with an internal thread which engages with a corresponding external thread on the waveguide in the region of these external corners.
  • the thickness of the wall may be increased in such a way that the outer edge of the waveguide cross section is made circular in the region of the waveguide ends.
  • a flexible waveguide fo1tlie correct transmission of electromagnetic waves comprising: a seamless metal waveguide tube having a relatively thin wall of constant thickness and a noncircular internal cross section, the profile of which is continuous and free of abrupt changes of direction; and means for imparting a rigidity to said wweguide tube at selected locations such that when said waveguide is bent or twisted, the deformation of said internal cross section is reduced to a minimum, said means including a waveguide jacket made of dielectric material surrounding the outer surface 0f said waveguide tube, said jacket having different thicknesses in profile with the thickness being smallest in the region of the principal cross-sectional axes of said waveguide tube.
  • a flexible waveguicle for the correct transmission of electromagnetic waves having a relatively thin walled seamless metal waveguide tube with a noncircular intemal cross section and with the i'nner and outer cross-sectional profiles of said wall being continuous and free of abrupt changes in direction.
  • said waveguide tube having two principal cross-sectional axes, the wall of said waveguide tube having different thicknesses in profile and being thinner in the region of said two axes than in the other regions thereof so that said wall imparts a rigidity to the waveguide tube such that the deformation of said internal cross section is reduced to a minimum when the waveguide is bent or twisted.
  • a flexible waveguide for the correct transmission of electromagnetic waves having a relatively thin walled drawn aluminum waveguide tube with a noncircular internal cross section, tl'xe inner and outer cross-sectional profiles of said wall being continuous and free of abrupt changes in direction, the wall ofsaid waveguide having a varying thickness in profile with a minimum thickness in the region 0f the two principal cross-sectional axes. and a maximum wall thickness in the regions therebetween, whereby undesirable deformations of said internal cross section are prevented during bending and/or twisting of said waveguide.

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US745578A 1967-07-20 1968-07-17 Flexible waveguide having means to reduce deformation of internal cross section Expired - Lifetime US3585540A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

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DE19671690288 DE1690288C3 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1967-07-20 1967-07-20

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US3585540A true US3585540A (en) 1971-06-15

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US (1) US3585540A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CH (1) CH493108A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE1690288B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR1572066A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1218663A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (20)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3790905A (en) * 1970-12-03 1974-02-05 Licentia Gmbh Waveguide for simultaneously transmitting two electromagnetic waves
US3792386A (en) * 1972-04-07 1974-02-12 Siemens Ag Rectangular waveguide having shaped external contour preventing internal deformation during bending or twisting
US3810302A (en) * 1971-12-09 1974-05-14 Philips Corp Method of manufacturing a wave-guide
JPS50109484A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1974-02-07 1975-08-28
US3964873A (en) * 1971-12-07 1976-06-22 Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Heating device having dumbbell-shaped reaction tubes therein
US4274854A (en) * 1978-01-13 1981-06-23 Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated Polarization-preserving optical fiber
US4789028A (en) * 1984-11-13 1988-12-06 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Anti-vibration bars for nuclear steam generators
US4930911A (en) * 1986-04-24 1990-06-05 Taurus Impressions, Inc. Flat-bed heated finger daisy wheel hot debossing stamper
US5363464A (en) * 1993-06-28 1994-11-08 Tangible Domain Inc. Dielectric/conductive waveguide
US5487875A (en) * 1991-11-05 1996-01-30 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Microwave introducing device provided with an endless circular waveguide and plasma treating apparatus provided with said device
US6363974B1 (en) 1999-11-05 2002-04-02 Wellstream, Inc. Flexible pipe and method of manufacturing same
US6446672B1 (en) 1999-11-05 2002-09-10 Wellstream, Inc. Flexible pipe including vent passage and method of manufacturing same
US6769454B2 (en) 1999-11-05 2004-08-03 Wellstream International Limited Flexible pipe including a vent passage and method of manufacturing same
US7055551B2 (en) 1999-11-05 2006-06-06 Wellstream International Limited Flexible pipe and method of manufacturing same
US20070045497A1 (en) * 2005-08-31 2007-03-01 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Plastic coil separator
JP2009228971A (ja) * 2008-03-21 2009-10-08 Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd ダクト
US8192098B1 (en) 2008-06-17 2012-06-05 Stalsen LLC Automatically loading printing device and method of printing
JP2013243518A (ja) * 2012-05-21 2013-12-05 Yazaki Corp 導波管及び車載用通信システム
US20140116360A1 (en) * 2012-10-31 2014-05-01 Westinghouse Electric Company Llc Method and apparatus for securing tubes in a steam generator against vibration
US11462808B2 (en) * 2020-05-19 2022-10-04 Roos Instruments, Inc. Conformable waveguide having an obround cross section, a tool for manually conforming an obround waveguide and a method for forming the conformable waveguide

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
HU177317B (en) * 1979-05-21 1981-09-28 Finommech Vallalat Curved wave guide for transfering microwave signals

Cited By (23)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3790905A (en) * 1970-12-03 1974-02-05 Licentia Gmbh Waveguide for simultaneously transmitting two electromagnetic waves
US3964873A (en) * 1971-12-07 1976-06-22 Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Heating device having dumbbell-shaped reaction tubes therein
US3810302A (en) * 1971-12-09 1974-05-14 Philips Corp Method of manufacturing a wave-guide
US3792386A (en) * 1972-04-07 1974-02-12 Siemens Ag Rectangular waveguide having shaped external contour preventing internal deformation during bending or twisting
JPS5446236U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1972-04-07 1979-03-30
JPS50109484A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1974-02-07 1975-08-28
US4274854A (en) * 1978-01-13 1981-06-23 Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated Polarization-preserving optical fiber
US4789028A (en) * 1984-11-13 1988-12-06 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Anti-vibration bars for nuclear steam generators
US4930911A (en) * 1986-04-24 1990-06-05 Taurus Impressions, Inc. Flat-bed heated finger daisy wheel hot debossing stamper
US5487875A (en) * 1991-11-05 1996-01-30 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Microwave introducing device provided with an endless circular waveguide and plasma treating apparatus provided with said device
US5538699A (en) * 1991-11-05 1996-07-23 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Microwave introducing device provided with an endless circular waveguide and plasma treating apparatus provided with said device
US5363464A (en) * 1993-06-28 1994-11-08 Tangible Domain Inc. Dielectric/conductive waveguide
US20060191311A1 (en) * 1999-11-05 2006-08-31 Fraser Dana J Flexible pipe and method of manufacturing same
US6446672B1 (en) 1999-11-05 2002-09-10 Wellstream, Inc. Flexible pipe including vent passage and method of manufacturing same
US6769454B2 (en) 1999-11-05 2004-08-03 Wellstream International Limited Flexible pipe including a vent passage and method of manufacturing same
US7055551B2 (en) 1999-11-05 2006-06-06 Wellstream International Limited Flexible pipe and method of manufacturing same
US6363974B1 (en) 1999-11-05 2002-04-02 Wellstream, Inc. Flexible pipe and method of manufacturing same
US20070045497A1 (en) * 2005-08-31 2007-03-01 Illinois Tool Works Inc. Plastic coil separator
JP2009228971A (ja) * 2008-03-21 2009-10-08 Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd ダクト
US8192098B1 (en) 2008-06-17 2012-06-05 Stalsen LLC Automatically loading printing device and method of printing
JP2013243518A (ja) * 2012-05-21 2013-12-05 Yazaki Corp 導波管及び車載用通信システム
US20140116360A1 (en) * 2012-10-31 2014-05-01 Westinghouse Electric Company Llc Method and apparatus for securing tubes in a steam generator against vibration
US11462808B2 (en) * 2020-05-19 2022-10-04 Roos Instruments, Inc. Conformable waveguide having an obround cross section, a tool for manually conforming an obround waveguide and a method for forming the conformable waveguide

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CH493108A (de) 1970-06-30
GB1218663A (en) 1971-01-06
DE1690288B2 (de) 1974-01-17
DE1690288A1 (de) 1970-12-17
FR1572066A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1969-06-20

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