US 12,283,738 B2
N-way coaxial signal injector with axial feeds
David D. Crouch, Farragut, TN (US); and David R. Sar, Marana, AZ (US)
Assigned to Raytheon Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by Raytheon Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed on Nov. 21, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/991,460.
Prior Publication US 2024/0170826 A1, May 23, 2024
Int. Cl. H01P 5/12 (2006.01); H01J 23/12 (2006.01); H01J 23/14 (2006.01); H01P 1/16 (2006.01); H01P 3/06 (2006.01)
CPC H01P 5/12 (2013.01) [H01J 23/12 (2013.01); H01J 23/14 (2013.01); H01P 1/16 (2013.01); H01P 3/06 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
17. An axially-fed signal injector, comprising:
an RF power combiner comprising a vacuum coaxial transmission line having a plurality of coaxial vacuum feedthroughs configured to receive a corresponding one of a plurality of input signals, the feedthroughs arranged axially around the vacuum coaxial transmission line; and
a cathode housed within a hollow portion of the vacuum transmission line,
wherein the vacuum coaxial transmission line comprises a vacuum envelope having an annular shape, the vacuum envelope provided between an inner conductive surface and an outer conductive surface, the inner conductive surface being an inner conductor of the vacuum coaxial transmission line,
wherein the inner conductive surface of the vacuum coaxial transmission line comprises a cylindrical conductive base and a plurality of radially-aligned conductive ridges azimuthally distributed within the vacuum envelope of the vacuum coaxial transmission line, wherein a respective one of the conductive ridges is coupled to a center conductor of a corresponding one of the coaxial vacuum feedthroughs, and
wherein the conductive ridges have a taper to provide an increasing gap between the conductive ridges and the outer conductive surface.