US3673516A

US3673516A - Continuous phase shifter/resolver employing a rotary halfwave plate

Info

Publication number: US3673516A
Application number: US113532A
Authority: US
Inventors: William M Spanos
Original assignee: Deutsche ITT Industries GmbH
Current assignee: TDK Micronas GmbH; ITT Inc
Priority date: 1971-02-08
Filing date: 1971-02-08
Publication date: 1972-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 1989-06-27

Abstract

A rotary coaxial phase shifter/resolver providing continuous low-loss phase shift or signal resolving capability over a broad band or frequencies. A rotatable balanced coaxial halfwave plate is capacitively coupled between balanced input and output dual orthogonally polarized coaxial launchers, which launchers are in turn coupled to respectively input and output feed arrangements appropriate to the particular mode of operation. The input and output launchers each consist of a stationary balanced stator having a plurality of concentrically arranged capacitive plates to permit excitation of duel orthogonal coaxial balanced line modes and a balanced rotor having a plurality of capacitive plates in one-to-one correspondence with and concentrically arranged inside the stator plates about the same axis for coupling and transferring the signals in the two orthogonally polarized modes. The halfwave plate includes a pair of orthogonal balanced transmission lines, the conductors of one of which are reversed to provide a 180* phase reversal between the input and output launchers for one of the orthogonally excited electric field components. The relative phase/polarization shift derived from input launcher to output launcher is in a two-to-one correspondence with the physical angle of rotation of the halfwave plate.

Description

United States Patent Spanos 1 June 27, 1972 [72] Inventor: William M. Spanos, Wayne, NJ.

International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation, Nutley, NJ.

22 Filed: Feb. 8, 1971 211 Appl.No.: 113,532

[73] Assignee:

52 use: ..333/s,31s 661,323/93, 333/21 A, 333 24 0, 333 31 R 51 Int.Cl ..-.n01 1/1s,H01 3 04 [58] Field ofSearch ..3l8/66 l, 662; 323/93, 128; 333/4, 5, 24 C, 31 R, 21 A; 328/155; 340/200 Resolver Handbook, Reeves Instrument Corp., Garden City, NY, 1954, pp. 6 and 17.

Primary Examiner-Paul L. Gensler Attorney-C. Cornell Remsen, .lr., Walter J. Baum, Paul W. I-Iemminger, Charles L. Johnson, Jr., Philip M. Bolton, Isidore Togut, Edward Goldberg and Menotti J. Lombardi, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT A rotary coaxial phase shifter/resolver providing continuous low-loss phase shift or signal resolving capability over a broad band or frequencies. A rotatable balanced coaxial halfwave plate is capacitively coupled between balanced input and output dual orthogonally polarized coaxial launchers, which launchers are in turn coupled to respectively input and output feed arrangements appropriate to the particular mode of operation. The input and output launchers each consist of a stationary balanced stator having a plurality of concentrically arranged capacitive plates to permit excitation of due] orthogonal coaxial balanced line modes and a balanced rotor having a plurality of capacitive plates in one-to-one correspondence with and concentrically arranged inside the stator plates about the same axis for coupling and transferring the signals in the two orthogonally polarized modes. The halfwave plate includes a pair of orthogonal balanced transmission lines, the conductors of one of which are reversed to provide a 180 phase reversal between the input and output launchers for one of the orthogonally excited electric field components. The relative phase/polarization shift derived from input launcher to output launcher is in a two-to-one correspondence with the physical angle of rotation of the halfwave plate.

19 Clains, 1 1 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJIIIZ! m2 3,. 673 51 6' SHEET 10F 4 INVENTOR WILLIAM H. SPA/V05 AG ENT PATENTEDJUHZ? x972 SHEET 2 OF 4 INVENTOR WILLIAM M. SPANOS W M 2 7 AGENT PATENTEUJUHN I972 3,673,516

' sum w 4 EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT OR ON BALANCED LIA/5 A-A iQ-B TAT R ROTOR /HALFWAV PLATE INPUT /Z) I SECTOR OUTPUT INVENTOR WM LIAM M. SPA/V05 AGENT CONTINUOUS PHASE SHIFTER/RESOLVER EMPLOYING A ROTARY I-IALFWAVE PLATE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to phase shifters and resolvers, and more particularly to continuous rotary phase shifters/resolvers which are matched over a broad band of frequencies.

Phase shifting and resolver devices are particularly useful in the transformation of antenna polarization axes and for antenna pattern control. In general, the only electrical difference between these devices is the phase with which the input (and output) components are fed. At the higher microwave frequencies these devices are readily designed into waveguide structures in which polarization of the electrical field is employed to make the device operational. However, at lower RF frequencies, such as below the UHF range, waveguide devices become very large and impractical.

Related devices have been developed for use at RF and IF frequencies; they are, however, mismatched devices in general, with inherent high loss characteristics. Goniometers are used to perform resolving functions in low frequency direction finding receiving systems. Such phase shifting devices are useful at lower frequencies where mismatches and high losses are overcome through use of amplifier stages for amplification and isolation. These devices cannot be used in passive systems operating at RF frequencies where it is essential that losses be minimized and impedances matched.

Coaxial phase shifter/resolver arrangements are known for operation at the lower RF frequencies as defined above, wherein a pair of launcher sections are mated together, with one physically rotated with respect to the other to achieve the desired shift. A one-to-one correspondence exists between the physical angle of rotation and the angle of the principle polarization axis (in the case of resolver use) or the phase shift angle produced in a phase shifting application. The physical rotation of one launcher with respect to the other, however, gives rise to some rotary-joint/sliding-contact problems, and generally leads to a cumbersome and electrically undesirable arrangement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a matched continuous rotary coaxial phase shifter/resolver for frequencies generally below the UHF range having small physical dimensions and which is capable of relatively high power transmissions.

It is another object of this invention to provide a continuous phase shifter/resolver which is matched over a broad band of frequencies with a substantially linear phase shift as a function of shaft angle.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a rotary continuous phase shifter/resolver which eliminates the need for rotary joints or rotary contacts and the physical rotation of one launcher with respect to the other.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a continuous rotary phase shifter/resolver utilizing a rotatable halfwave plate.

According to the broader aspects of this invention, the physical rotation of input and/or output launcher sections and the attendant problems and drawbacks associated therewith are eliminated by the insertion of a halfwave plate coupled between input and output launcher means, and rotating the halfwave plate to produce the desired polarization or phase shift. The halfwave plate comprises two balanced transmission lines orthogonally arranged about a common axis to prevent mutual coupling, one of which lines is arranged to provide a crossover or reversal of its conductors to introduce a fixed 180 phase reversal in one of the incident orthogonal polarizations, with the result that the rate of electrical shift becomes twice that of the actual rotation of the halfwave plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above-mentioned and other features and objects of the invention will become more apparent, and the invention itself will be best understood, by reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings comprising FIGS. 1-6, in which:

FIG. 1 in a breakaway diagrammatic longitudinal view illustrates the basic phase shifter/resolver construction according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along W- FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate the rotary portion of the phase shifter/resolver of FIG. 1 according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a feed arrangement which utilizes the phase shifter/resolver according to the invention in a phase shifting capacity;

FIG 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a feed arrangement which utilizes the phase shifter/resolver according to the invention in a resolving capacity;

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate respectively a compensating arrangement and the equivalent circuit thereof for further improving the SWR of the phase shifter/resolver according to the invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of an alternative embodiment of the launcher portions of the phase shifter/resolver of FIG. 1 according to the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of a low frequency embodiment of phase shifter/resolver according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1-3, there is illustrated therein a coaxial continuous rotary phase shifter/resolver according to the invention having optimized electrical characteristics, in which FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of the basic embodiment of FIG. 1 taken along the line WW and FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate the rotary inner portion thereof, with FIGS. 38 and 3C representing cross-sectional and longitudinal views of the perspective view of FIG. 3A taken respectively along the lines X-X and YY.

The arrangement provides almost complete symmetry as viewed longitudinally and in cross-section, with the only significant differences being the ends of the rotary portion 4, one end of which terminates in a control shaft 11, and the conductors of one of the transmission lines of the halfwave plate at the crossover point 13. Thus, either the left or right portions of the phase shifter/resolver, as viewed in FIG. 1 may be considered an input section, with the other correspondingly connected to terminal circuitry as the output section. Therefore, for purposes of explanation the left section will be chosen hereinafter as the input section, i.e. the section including the coaxial connections 1.

Signal energy is applied to and derived from the phase shifter/resolver arrangement of FIG. 1 via four input coaxial connections 1 and four output coaxial connections 9 respectively. The outer conductors of

coaxial connections

1 and 9 form part of the stationary cylindrical shield/outer conductor 3, and are positioned equally spaced apart around the cylindrical outer conductor 3 and near the ends thereof. The coaxial connections at each end are to be considered as two orthogonally arranged pair connections. The inner or center conductors la of coaxial connections I, 9 each terminate in a stationary inner conductor

capacitive plate

2, 10, having an arcuate shape which substantially parallels the inner surface of the cylindrical shield 3. It is to be noted that orthogonally arranged balanced line configurations may be employed for the input and output feeds in place of the illustrated coaxial arrangement.

Positioned between the stationary inner capacitive plates 2, l0 and extending within the outer shield 3 over substantially the entire length thereof is a cylindrical rotary portion 4, which is shown extending through the right-hand side of outer conductor 3 and terminating in the control shaft 11 in FIG. 1,

and is separately shown in FIGS. 3A-3C. The cylindrical rotary portion 4 is comprised of a dielectric core which may be hollow and two orthogonally oriented

balanced transmission lines

5, 6 and 7, 8 each having two conductors oppositely arranged on the outer surface of the core. The conductors 5-8, at least in the range of the stationary inner

capacitive plates

2, 10, are broad-surfaced and shaped to the core of the rotor portion 4 so as to be substantially parallel and closely adjacent to the

stationary plates

2, 10. The broad portions of the conductors 5-8, in the range of the

stationary plates

2, 10, constitute rotary inner conductor capacitive plates. It is intended, in order to establish the true transmission properties, that the dielectric support core portion of the rotor 4 be composed of low-loss material such as texolite or teflon and constructed (machined) in a manner which reduces losses through the entire unit to a value which is negligible in comparison to that encountered in the feed arrangements and interconnecting cabling.

While keeping in mind the optimization of transmission properties, it may be advantageous from a structural construction point of view to give additional support to the stationary plates 2 by enclosing the entire rotary assembly including the core 4 and the transmission line conductors 5-8 in a hollow dielectric cylinder, the thickness of which closely corresponds to the spacing between the stationary and rotor capacitive plates.

A channel 12 is provided through the middle of the core of the rotary portion 4 to permit the conductors of one

transmission line

5, 6 to reverse or cross over to the opposite side of the core. Via the crossover occurring at point 13, as particularly indicated and shown in FIGS. 1 and 3A,

conductors

5 and 6 comprise a balanced transmission line which introduces a 180 phase reversal between input and output coaxial connections l and 9. This is accomplished by having conductor 6 pass through conductor 5 substantially at the center of the channel 12. The

remaining conductors

7, 8 which constitute the other balanced transmission line extend, as shown, straight through from input to output without reversal or crossover. The orthogonal arrangement of the balanced transmission lines on the core 4 as described above constitutes a rotary halfwave plate. The operative arrangement of the stationary plates 2 with the rotary plates 5-8 constitutes the input launcher; the symmetrical equivalent thereto comprising stationary plates 10 and rotary plates 5-8 constitutes the output launcher, as conventionally decided hereinbefore. The inventive concept therefore essentially comprises a phase shifter/resolver having a basic input launcher-halfwave plate output launcher configuration.

OPERATION FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate basic feed arrangements for operation respectively as a phase shifter and a resolver. The designation input or output in FIGS. 4 and 5 indicates the complete symmetry which exists in the chosen feed arrangements shown as corresponding to the input and output launcher sections. In FIG. 4 the signal energy to be. phase shifted is applied to port 21 of quadrature hybrid 20. In the illustrated example, there results a 0 phase shift (indicated throughout FIG. 4 as+) at port 23 of hybrid 20 which is coupled to the balanced port 26 of balanced hybrid 25. Hybrid 25 provides a 0 phase shift of the signal energy for excitation of the coaxial connection coupled thereto and a 180 phase shift (indicated throughout as for excitation of the coaxial connection designated-"in the figure.

Simultaneously, the energy applied to port 21 is coupled from port 24 of quadrature hybrid 20 to the balanced port 31 of balanced hybrid 30, resulting in a 90 phase shift (designated throughout as j) at port 34 for excitation of the coaxial connection coupled thereto, and a 90 phase shift (designated j) at port 33 for excitation of the coaxial connection corresponding thereto. In the described feed arrangement, the other input ports to the various hybrids have been terminated and have no application in the given example.

The signal energy is then simultaneously applied to the orthogonally arranged coaxial input pairs of the input launcher section, wherein due to the balanced orthogonally arranged pairs of stator plates, there is provided excitation of dual orthogonal coaxial balanced line modes. As the balanced rotor portion of the input launcher comprises two pairs of orthogonally arranged rotor plates concentrically arranged inside the stator plates, a capacitive coupling and transfer of the signal energy is achieved in the two orthogonally polarized modes. Upon the transfer of the signal energy to the rotor portion of the input launcher a phase reversal is then automatically provided between input and output launchers for one of the orthogonally excited electric field components via

transmission line

5, 6, while the other passes from input to output launcher with no change in phase, via

transmission line

7,8. The relative phase shift derived from input launcher to output launcher is in a two-to-one correspondence with the physical angle of rotation of the halfwave plate. Additional description as to the operation of the symmetrical arrangement of FIG. 4, regarding the output launcher section and the feed network associated therewith, is deemed unnecessary as there would result considerable duplication of the above.

Referring to the resolver arrangement of FIG. 5 input signal energy is applied to port 36 of balanced hybrid 35, which in this feed arrangement may be considered as operating as a power divider. There is provided at each of ports 38 and 39 of hybrid 35 half the signal energy of the input. Balanced hybrid 40, in receiving one-half the signal energy at its balanced port 41, provides an in-phase condition at port 43 and a 180 out of phase condition at port 44 for excitation of the oppositely disposed coaxial connection pair designated and in the figure.

Similarly, the other half of the signal energy is fed to the balanced port 46 of balanced hybrid 45, resulting in an inphase condition at port 48 and an out of phase condition at port 49, for excitation of the orthogonally arranged pair of coaxial connections designated and As is the case in FIG. 4, the other input port to the hybrids employed in the arrangement of FIG. 5 is terminated. As before, the halfwave plate receives the launched dual orthogonal signal energy from the input stator and transforms same into output signal energy at the pick-up or output stator in accordance with the position of the rotor. The input balanced stator excites the orthogonal electric field vectorswhich are picked up by the balanced input rotor portion of the input launcher. These in turn excite the rotor section of the output launcher via the two transmission lines comprising the halfwave plate. However, one of the orthogonal vectors excited in the input rotor section is of course reversed in the output rotor section as the polarity of the feed in the one transmission line undergoes a 180 change due to the reversal of the two conductors thereof. Again, description in consideration of the output feed arrangement of FIG. 5 is deemed unnecessary in view of the obvious duplication.

The inventive arrangement provides for 360 rotation of the shaft 11 corresponding to a 360 rotation of the halfwave plate, while providing a continuous shift in phase or polarization in a twoto-one ratio with the physical rotation. It is entirely within the scope of this invention to provide the rotation of shaft 11 either manually or by some automatic servo or other electromechanical means. Thus, it can be readily seen that the inventive arrangement has utility in automatic tracking or anti-Jam systems and the like. Although the

stator plates

2,10 and rotor plate portions of the transmission lines 5-8 are shown with specific shape and arrangement, it is to be understood that optimization of the shaping of the stator and rotor plates and their cooperation may within the spirit of this invention take any practical form and size which minimizes capacitive reactance-and maintains a low SWR over a broad band of RF frequencies.

Further improvement of the SWR due to the series capacitive reactance may be provided by using standard matching techniques such as the modified arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B, in which FIG. 68 represents the equivalent circuit of the balanced line AA in FIG. 6A. As shown, inductive susceptance has been added on each side of the series capacitive reactance in order to compensate over a broad range of frequencies. The result is a 1r matching network with high pass characteristics.

It is to be noted that in the resolver mode the number of input or output terminals can vary depending on the application. For example, when optimizing polarizing for an antenna system, one input and two outputs are used. For transformation of polarization axes, two inputs and two outputs may be used. Thus, it is not intended that the invention be limited to the resolver application as described herein in accordance with FIG. 5.

An added feature of the invention, which has application when used as a phase shifting device for an antenna array, is the ability to extract simultaneously two outputs each containing one-half the input power and with one output having an increasing phase shift while the other input has a decreasing phase shift with shaft rotation (dual channel phase shift capa-. bility). When used in an antenna array, the two outputs may be used to feed radiators which are symmetrically arranged with respect to a center reference. When the shaft of the phase shifter is rotated to select the correct phase delay for one element, it automatically provides the required phase advance in the other element. Results in this regard may be obtained by feeding a linearly polarized field oriented at 45 with respect to the stator inputs, and replacing the quadrature hybrid on the input side (FIG. 4) with a balanced hybrid. The two phase shifted outputs are obtained by extracting signals from both output ports of the quadrature hybrid in the output feed network. The linearly polarized input signal is resolved into left hand and right hand circularly polarized signals which are simultaneously delayed and advanced in phase by rotation of the halfwave plate. The rate of phase shift is still twice that of the shaft angle rotation. Thus, it is to be understood also that the invention is not to be limited to the phase shifting application as described with reference to FIG. 4.

An alternative embodiment is proposed, in which the launchers in the phase shifter/resolver as described above are replaced with the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 7. Such an alternative arrangement may be employed in order to provide operation of the inventive arrangement at lower frequencies. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the individual stationary capacitive plates 2 of FIG. 1 have each been replaced with a series of stationary parallel capacitive plates 14 extending perpendicularly in relation to the axis of rotation of the rotor portion 4. Each series of plates 14 are coupled together at one end by a common portion 15 which in turn is coupled to the respective input/output

coaxial connector

1, 9. Additionally, each individual rotary capacitive plate is replaced with a series of parallel rotary capacitive plates 17 also arranged perpendicularly in relation to the axis of the rotor portion 4. The capacitive plates 17 are coupled to or are homogeneous with a common portion 16 which is arranged on the core of the rotor 4 in a form-fitting manner. Each common portion 16 is in turn connected to a respective conductor 5-8 of the balanced transmission lines, or alternatively plates 17 may be homogeneous with conductors 5-8. The rotary parallel plates 17 are interspaced between and parallel to the stationary plates 14 in a conventional capacitive coupling arrangement. Of course a greater number of parallel stacked plates and/or the size thereof, will permit an even greater extension of the operational frequency range.

Other specific arrangements of parallel stacked capacitive plates are also possible, and therefore it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the capacitive coupling embodiment described with reference to FIG. 7, in extending the range of operating frequencies.

Another preferred phase shifter/resolver embodiment according to the invention is schematically illustrated in FIG. 8, which arrangement is intended for operation at very low frequencies. Low frequency resolvers are in general commonly used to provide sine-cosine functions for analog computation and for position readout from mechanically rotating devices. These resolvers can also be used as phase shifters through appropriate input and output excitation. The prior art low frequency resolver is generally operated at power line frequencies of 60 to 400 Hertz and consists of a stator and a rotor constructed with electrical conductors and magnetic core material. The principle means of coupling from the rotor to the stator is magnetic. Rotor excitation is accompanied by transfer of electrical energy through moving contacts or brushes. These moving electrical contacts contribute greatly to the failure in such devices.

The brushless low frequency resolver according to the invention eliminates the need for use of electrical contacts by substituting launcher and pick-up stators and a rotary halfwave plate for the conventional stator/rotor arrangement. The halfwave plate, as was also indicated in the previously described embodiments, receives the launched signals from the input stator S1 and transforms same into output signals at the pick-up stator S2 in accordance with the position of the rotor. The input stator S1 excites the orthogonal magnetic vectors which are picked up by rotor section R1. The signals from rotor section R1 in turn excite rotor section R2 via a pair of transmission lines L1 and L2, except that one of the orthogonal vectors from section R1 is reversed in section R2 as the polarity of the feed in the lines L1 is changed by 180 due to the reversal of the two conductors thereof. Thus the criteria for a halfwave plate is established in the rotary section upon which the operation of the unit depends. As before, the rotation of magnetic vectors when using the halfwave plate is at a rate which is twice that of the physical rotation.

It is to be noted also that the utilization of ferrites to achieve a continuous phase shifter/resolver having the input launcher rotary halfwave plate output launcher configuration, for operation in the frequency range bounded by the abovedescribed coaxial capacitive and inductive coupling embodiments, constitutes a further embodiment that is within the scope and spirit of this invention.

While the principles of the invention have been described above in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention as set forth in the objects and features thereof and in the accompanying claims.

, What is claimed is:

1. A broad band continuous phase shifter/resolver arrangement comprising:

a. electrically balanced stationary input launcher means;

b. electrically balanced stationary output launcher means;

and

c. means coupled between said input and output launcher means for providing a continuous phase shift when the arrangement is employed in a phase shifting capacity and a continuous polarization shift when employed in a resolving capacity, said means for providing said continuous shift comprising a rotary halfwave plate.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said halfwave plate is coaxially constructed.

3. The arrangement according to claim 3 wherein said halfwave plate is capacitively coupled between said input and output launcher means.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said halfwave plate includes an orthogonal pair of balanced transmission lines arranged on a rotatable dielectric core, the conductors of one of said transmission lines being arranged to provide a 180 phase reversal of the signal energy conducted thereby.

5. The arrangement according to claim 4 wherein in providing said l phase reversal the conductors of said one balanced transmission line extend substantially in parallel from said input launcher means on opposite sides of said dielectric core to a channel extending therethrough, in which said conductors cross one through the other in said core channel to the opposite side of said core maintaining electrical balance and extend therefrom substantially in parallel to said output launcher means.

6. The arrangement according to claim wherein the conductors of the other balanced transmission line are arranged substantially in parallel on opposite sides of said core and extend in orthogonal relationship to said one transmission line from said input launcher means straight through to said output launcher means.

7. The arrangement according to claim 2 wherein said coaxially constructed halfwave plate comprises an outer stationary conductor and an inner rotary conductor assembly, said assembly including an orthogonal pair of balanced transmission lines, one of which is arranged to provide a 180 phase reversal of the signal energy applied thereto.

8. The arrangement according to claim 7 wherein said inner rotary conductor assembly further includes a core of low-loss dielectric material upon which said pair of transmission lines are arranged.

9. The arrangement according to claim 8 wherein said core is cylindrically shaped and is positioned longitudinally between said input and output launcher means, said core including an extended shaft portion by which said halfwave plate is rotated.

10. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said input and output launcher means include inductive means and wherein said halfwave plate is inductively coupled between input and output launcher means, and comprises two orthogonally arranged balanced transmission lines, the two conductors of one of said balanced lines being reversed to pro vide an electrical reversal of the signal energy coupled thereby between said input and output launcher means.

11. The arrangement according to claim 10 wherein said inductive means include a stator having a pair of stationary orthogonal inductors and a rotor having a pair of orthogonal rotary inductors.

12. In a broad band continuous phase shifter/resolver, the arrangement comprising stationary input launcher means, stationary output launcher means and means coupled between said input and output launcher means for providing a continuous phase shift when employed in a phase shifting capacity and a continuous polarization shift when employed in a resolving capacity, said input and output launcher means each comprising an electrically balanced transmission arrangement which includes a pair of orthogonal stator portions and a pair of orthogonal rotor sections capacitively coupled to said stator portions.

13. The arrangement according to claim 12 wherein said balanced rotor section includes a plurality of rotary inner conductor capacitive plates coupled to said means providing a continuous phase or polarization shift.

14. The arrangement according to claim 12 wherein the input and output launcher means in the phase shifter mode respectively further include phase shift enabling input feed means and phase shift enabling output feed means.

15. The arrangement according to claim 12 wherein the input and output launcher means in the resolver mode respectively further include resolver enabling input feed means and resolver enabling output feed means.

16. The arrangement according to claim 12 wherein said balanced stator portion includes a plurality of stationary inner conductor capacitive plates substantially equally spaced from one another around and proximate to said balanced rotor section.

17. The arrangement according to claim 16 further including an outer stationary conductor, and wherein said input and output launching means further include a plurality of respectively input and output coaxial connectors the inner conduc tors of which are coupled to said capacitive plates in one-toone correspondence, and the outer conductors of which are mounted on said outer stationary conductor and in electrical connection therewith.

18. A continuous phase shifter/resolver comprising:

a. an outer stationary conductor; b. a plurality of input signal coupling means arranged on said outer stationary conductor near one end thereof;

c. a plurality of output signal coupling means arranged on said outer stationary conductor near the other end thereof;

. a first plurality of conductive plates arranged within said outer stationary conductor near said one end thereof and coupled through said outer conductor to said input signal coupling means;

e. a second plurality of conductive plates arranged within said outer stationary conductor near said other end thereof and coupled through said outer conductor to said output signal coupling means; and

f. a rotary halfwave plate coaxially arranged within said outer conductor and arranged to be capacitively coupled in an electrically balanced manner between said first and second pluralities of conductive plates;

19. In a broad band coaxial arrangement providing continuous phase shifting or resolving capability, the combination comprising:

a. electrically balanced input and output launcher means,

including concentrically arranged inner and outer corresponding arcuately shaped conductive plates arranged for relative rotation about a common axis; and rotary axial halfwave plate means for providing a continuous phase or polarization shift, said rotary coaxial halfwave plate means arranged to be capacitively coupled in an electrically balanced manner between said input and output launcher means.

Claims

1. A broad band continuous phase shifter/resolver arrangement comprising: a. electrically balanced stationary input launcher means; b. electrically balanced stationary output launcher means; and c. means coupled between said input and output launcher means for providing a continuous phase shift when the arrangement is employed in a phase shifting capacity and a continuous polarization shift when employed in a resolving capacity, said means for providing said continuous shift comprising a rotary halfwave plate.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said halfwave plate includes an orthogonal pair of balanced transmission lines arranged on a rotatable dielectric core, the conductors of one of said transmission lines being arranged to provide a 180* phase reversal of the signal energy conducted thereby.

5. The arrangement according to claim 4 wherein in providing said 180* phase reversal the conductors of said one balanced transmission line extend substantially in parallel from said input launcher means on opposite sides of said dielectric core to a channel extending therethrough, in which said conductors cross one through the other in said core channel to the opposite side of said core maintaining electrical balance and extend therefrom substantially in parallel to said output launcher means.

6. The arrangement according to claim 5 wherein the conductors of the other balanced transmission line are arranged substantially in parallel on opposite sides of said core and extend in orthogonal relationship to said one transmission line from said input launcher means straight through to said output launcher means.

7. The arrangement according to claim 2 wherein said coaxially constructed halfwave plate comprises an outer stationary conductor and an inner rotary conductor assembly, said assembly including an orthogonal pair of balanced transmission lines, one of which is arranged to provide a 180* phase reversal of the signal energy applied thereto.

10. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said input and output launcher means include inductive means and wherein said halfwave plate is inductively coupled between input and output launcher means, and comprises two orthogonally arranged balanced transmission lines, the two conductors of one of said balanced lines being reversed to provide an electrical reversal of the signal energy coupled thereby between said input and output launcher means.

17. The arrangement according to claim 16 further including an outer stationary conductor, and wherein said input and output launching means further include a plurality of respectively input and output coaxial connectors the inner conductors of which are coupled to said capacitive plates in one-to-one correspondence, and the outer conductors of which are mounted on said outer stationary conductor and in electrical connection therewith.

18. A continuous phase shifter/resolver comprising: a. an outer stationary conductor; b. a plurality of input signal coupling means arranged on said outer stationary conductor near one end thereof; c. a plurality of output signal coupling means arranged on said outer stationary conductor near the other end thereof; d. a first plurality of conductive plates arranged within said outer stationary conductor near said one end thereof and coupled through said outer conductor to said input signal coupling means; e. a second plurality of conductive plates arranged within said outer stationary conductor near said other end thereof and coupled through said outer conductor to said output signal coupling means; and f. a rotary halfwave plate coaxially arranged within said outer conductor and arranged to be capacitively coupled in an electrically balanced manner between said first and second pluralities of conductive plates.;

19. In a broad band coaxial arRangement providing continuous phase shifting or resolving capability, the combination comprising: a. electrically balanced input and output launcher means, including concentrically arranged inner and outer corresponding arcuately shaped conductive plates arranged for relative rotation about a common axis; and b. rotary axial halfwave plate means for providing a continuous phase or polarization shift, said rotary coaxial halfwave plate means arranged to be capacitively coupled in an electrically balanced manner between said input and output launcher means.