Arrangement for interconnection of waveguide structures and a structure for a waveguide structure interconnecting arrangement

Abstract

An arrangement (100) for interconnection of waveguide structures (10,20) or components comprising a number of waveguide flange adapter elements (100) having a surface of a conductive material with a periodic or quasi-periodic structure (15) formed by a number of protruding elements (115) arranged or designed to allow waves to pass across a gap between a surface around a waveguide opening (3) to another waveguide opening in a desired direction or waveguide paths, at least in an intended frequency band of operation, and to stop propagation of waves in the gap in other directions. Interconnection with a waveguide flange or another waveguide flange adapter element is allowed without requiring electrical or conductive contact and assuring that the gap is present between the at least one surface (15) formed by periodically or quasi-periodically arranged protruding elements (115) and a surface around a waveguide opening of the other waveguide flange (20), hence assuring that the surface (15) formed by the periodically or quasi-periodically arranged protruding elements (115) is not in direct mechanical contact with the other, opposite, interconnecting, waveguide flange (20).

1 . An arrangement for interconnecting waveguide components, comprising:
 a waveguide flange adapter element having a first waveguide opening and being configured to provide an interconnection between first and second waveguide structures;   a first waveguide flange of the first waveguide structure having a second waveguide opening;   the waveguide flange adapter element comprising a first surface of a conductive material with a periodic or quasi-periodic structure formed by a number of protruding elements surrounding the first waveguide opening;   an interconnector configured to releasably or fixedly interconnect the waveguide flange adapter element to the first waveguide flange without requiring electrical contact and to provide a first gap between a second surface around the first waveguide opening and the second waveguide opening and provide a second gap between the first surface and a third surface around the second waveguide opening assuring that the first surface is not in direct mechanical contact with the third surface of the waveguide flange, wherein the number of protruding elements surrounding the first waveguide opening allow waves to pass across the first gap in a desired direction or waveguide path, at least in an intended frequency band of operation, and that stop propagation of waves in the first gap in other directions;   wherein the second gap is smaller than λ/4, where λ is a wavelength in a medium surrounding the protruding elements of a waveguide signal to be measured, the interconnector comprises a rim, a ridge, a protective element or layer, or a supportive element or layer that at least partly surrounds the periodically or quasi-periodically arranged protruding elements to provide the second gap; and   wherein the waveguide flange adapter element comprises alignment pin holes substantially symmetrically disposed around, and at a distance from, the first surface, and the waveguide flange is aligned with respect to the first waveguide flange by alignment pins introduced into the alignment pin holes and into cooperating pin holes in the first waveguide flange to interconnect the waveguide flange to the first waveguide flange.   
     
     
         2 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , further comprising a second waveguide flange of the second waveguide structure or a second waveguide flange adapter element connected to the waveguide flange adapter element, wherein the second waveguide flange or the second waveguide flange adapter element is interconnected to the first waveguide flange. 
     
     
         3 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the interconnector further comprises interconnecting elements; the waveguide flange adapter element comprises a number of through recesses, protruding sections, or wing portions for receiving at least a portion of the interconnecting elements; the interconnecting elements comprise magnetic elements or magnetic portions adapted for cooperating with magnetic elements of the first waveguide flange, at least some of the interconnecting elements include at least one of snap-on elements, clip-on elements, clamping elements, and fasteners with magnetic heads or elements fixedly or releasably connected thereto. 
     
     
         4 . The arrangement of  claim 3 , wherein the waveguide flange adapter element is interposed and aligned between the first waveguide flange of the first waveguide structure and a second waveguide flange of the second waveguide structure, and the first waveguide flange and the second waveguide flange are interconnected. 
     
     
         5 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the interconnector further comprises interconnecting elements; the waveguide flange adapter element comprises a number of through recesses, protruding sections, or wing portions for receiving the interconnecting elements; the interconnecting elements comprise screws; the waveguide flange adapter element has a thickness or height that corresponds to substantially twice a height of a of the respective screws or a protruding portion; and the screws are disposed in screw holes in both interconnecting waveguide flanges. 
     
     
         6 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the waveguide flange adapter element interconnects the first waveguide flange to a second waveguide flange of the second waveguide structure, the first waveguide flange has an associated smooth surface; and the first surface faces the smooth surface of the first waveguide structure such that the gap less is than λ/4. 
     
     
         7 . The arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein the waveguide flange adapter element is connected to the smooth surface of the first waveguide flange by fasteners or glue. 
     
     
         8 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the first waveguide structure is interconnected to the second waveguide structure by the waveguide flange adapter, the first surface of the waveguide flange adapter element is optimized for low reflection coefficient and high transmission coefficient between the first and second waveguide structures connected by the waveguide flange adapter element; the first waveguide flange has a smooth conductive surface, and a height of the protruding element is between substantially λ/4-λ/2. 
     
     
         9 . The arrangement of  claim 8 , further comprising rim or ridge sections that surround the first surface of the waveguide flange adapter element. 
     
     
         10 . The arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein a wall thickness of the rim or ridge section is about λ g /4, λ g  being a wavelength in the waveguide. 
     
     
         11 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the number of protruding elements of the periodic or quasi-periodic structure are arranged in at least one row around the first waveguide opening. 
     
     
         12 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the periodic or quasi-periodic structure provides a stopband for waves leaking out from a gap between the first waveguide flanges and a second waveguide flange of the second waveguide structure, such that waves passing from the second waveguide opening in the first waveguide flange to a third waveguide opening in the second waveguide flange are unaffected. 
     
     
         13 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the rim or ridge sections surround the first waveguide opening in the waveguide flange adapter element, around which the periodic or quasi-periodic structure is disposed. 
     
     
         14 . The arrangement of  claim 13 , wherein the number of protruding elements of the periodic or quasi-periodic structure are arranged in between one and four rows around the first waveguide opening. 
     
     
         15 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , further comprising a second waveguide flange adapter element interconnected to the first waveguide flange adapter element, wherein a height of the protruding element is between λ/8-λ/4 for the waveguide flange adapter element interconnected with the second waveguide flange adapter element. 
     
     
         16 . An arrangement for interconnecting waveguide components, comprising:
 first and second waveguide flange adapter elements, the first waveguide flange adapter element comprising a first surface of a conductive material with a periodic or quasi-periodic structure formed by a number of first protruding elements surrounding a first waveguide opening, the second waveguide flange adapter element comprising a second surface of a conductive material with a periodic or quasi-periodic structure formed by a number of second protruding elements surrounding a second waveguide opening;   a first protruding element of the first protruding elements faces a second protruding element of the second protruding elements;   the facing first and second protruding elements each have a height or length such that a total height or length of the facing first and second protruding elements is a full length of the periodic or quasi-periodic structure needed to stop propagation of waves inside a second gap between the two waveguide flange adapter elements in any direction and to allow waves to pass across a first gap from the first waveguide opening to the second waveguide opening in an intended frequency band;   an interconnector configured for interconnecting the first and second waveguide flange adapters elements without requiring electrical contact and with assuring that the gap is present, hence assuring that the first surface is not in direct mechanical contact with the second surface;   wherein the second gap is smaller than λ/4, where λ is a wavelength in a medium surrounding the protruding elements pins of a waveguide signal to be measured, and   wherein the interconnector comprises a rim, a ridge, a protective element or layer, or a supportive element or layer that at least partly surrounds surfaces formed by the periodically or quasi-periodically arranged protruding elements.   
     
     
         17 . The arrangement of  claim 16 , wherein each waveguide flange adapter element comprises four protruding sections or wing sections disposed around the corresponding first surface and a corresponding hole adapted for receiving a corresponding interconnecting element. 
     
     
         18 . The arrangement of  claim 16 , wherein the first waveguide flange adapter element is interconnected to a first waveguide flange of a first waveguide structure and the second waveguide flange adapter element is interconnected to a second waveguide flange of a second waveguide structure. 
     
     
         19 . The arrangement of  claim 18 , wherein the first waveguide flange has an associated smooth surface; and the first surface faces the smooth surface of the first waveguide structure and has a gap less is than λ/4. 
     
     
         20 . The arrangement of  claim 16 , further comprising rim or ridge sections that surround the first surface of the first waveguide flange adapter element.