Low-temperature-difference TR module mounting, and antenna array using such mounting
US6469671B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 13, 2001 |
| Grant date | Oct 22, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 13, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH05K7/20636
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A generally planar active array antenna includes a plurality of transmit-receive (TR) modules arrayed in an array direction on a generally planar heat-conducting baseplate of a line-replaceable unit (LRU). Heat is coupled from the TR modules to their associated baseplate. Each baseplate of an LRU has a straight edge parallel to the array direction of the modules. In a preferred embodiment, the modules are located adjacent the straight edge without significant intermediary components. The LRUs are arrayed with their straight edges lying in a plane. The straight edges are coupled to a generally planar cold plate for extracting heat from the baseplates. Since the heat is extracted in a direction orthogonal to the arraying direction of the modules, all the modules tend to have the same operating temperature. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the circulators associated with each TR module are mounted on the opposite side of the cold plate relative to the module, to thereby minimize the thermal path length between each module and the cold plate.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.