US 11,969,788 B1
Additive manufacturing of aperture fed patch antenna
Jean L. Kubwimana, Merrimack, NH (US); Alexander D. Johnson, Waltham, MA (US); Jacob Tamasy, Nashua, NH (US); James F. Fung, Manchester, NH (US); and Matthew J. Ney, Derry, NH (US)
Assigned to BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc., Nashua, NH (US)
Filed by BAE SYSTEMS Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc., Nashua, NH (US)
Filed on Jan. 25, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/101,447.
Int. Cl. B22F 10/40 (2021.01); B22F 10/60 (2021.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01); H01Q 1/48 (2006.01); H01Q 9/04 (2006.01)
CPC B22F 10/40 (2021.01) [B22F 10/60 (2021.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 40/20 (2020.01); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); H01Q 1/48 (2013.01); H01Q 9/0407 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing an antenna assembly, the method comprising:
additively manufacturing an element that is a monolithic structure and that includes (i) a ground plane comprising one or more aperture slots, (ii) a patch antenna above the ground plane, and (iii) a sacrificial support feature to support the patch antenna above the ground plane;
applying a dielectric material between the ground plane and the patch antenna; and
removing at least a section of the sacrificial support feature;
wherein removing at least the section of the sacrificial support feature creates a void within the dielectric material, and wherein the method further comprises:
further applying the dielectric material to fill at least a section of the void.