Large scale low-loss combiner and divider

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIG.
1A, one of the two parallel plates producing the radial waveguide of the device, namely 12, illustrated in FIG.
1B has been removed.
The structure of FIG.
1A shown generally at 10 is built on the other of the two parallel plates, namely 11.
A circumferential or outer perimeter rim 13 makes a flat bottom dish-like supporting structure.
At the center of the plate 11, a transitional (matching) conical piece 19 is electrically fixed to 11.
This conical transition is essentially coaxial with rim 13 and also the inner rim 14 which provides inward support and electrical continuity for each of the loops the top legs of which are typically 17 and 18.
Associated with 17 and 18 are branch ports 15 and 16 respectively, the center conductors of these two coaxial ports 15 and 16 being connected to the outward edges of 17 and 18 respectively.
The configurations of the plural loops illustrated in FIG.
1A, the wedge-shaped quarter wavelengths of which are illustrated 17 and 18 for two of these loops will be described in more detail in connection with FIGS.
2 and 3.
This also applies to the mode suppression resistors under the conductive plates shown at 29.
Referring now to FIG.
2, the central feed side of the radial waveguide, i.
e.
, comprising plate 12 is assumed to be in place.
That is, subassembly of FIG.
1B is assumed to be placed over that of FIG.
1A, the subsequent figures presented herewith reflecting that situation.
Referring now to FIG.
2, a section as indicated on FIG.
1A is taken through the loop which includes the wedge-shaped leg 18.
As previously indicated, the internal ridge 14 forms a part of this loop as does the piece 26 placed against plate 11 and of the same shape basically as 18.
The loop leg 18 will be seen to be connected to the center conductor of the coax branch port 16 at 28.
At this point it is also helpful to refer to FIG.
3 in order that this connection might be more fully appreciated.
Here it will be seen that for coaxial branch ports 15 and 16 clearance holes 25 and 27 respectively are bored through the outer rim 13 so that the inner conductors of 15 and 16 pass coaxially therethrough in essentially the same coaxial (impedance) relationship as applied where 15 and 16 pass through 13