What is claimed is:
1. A dual-balun formed on a substrate, said dual-balun comprising:
four inductors symmetrically disposed in a rectangular area on the substrate, each inductor including an electrical winding having a first end and a second end, wherein a first inductor and a second inductor are positioned adjacent to each other at one side of the rectangular area and a third inductor and a fourth inductor are positioned adjacent to each other at an opposite side of the rectangular area so that a circuit area including circuit elements is defined between the pair of the first and second inductors and the pair of the third and fourth inductors in a central portion of the rectangular area; and
a first output trace electrically coupled to the first end of the first inductor in the circuit area, a second output trace electrically coupled to the first end of the second inductor in the circuit area, a third output trace electrically coupled to the first end of the third inductor in the circuit area and a fourth output trace electrically coupled to the first end of the fourth inductor in the circuit area, wherein the first, second, third and fourth output traces extend through the circuit area between the second and third inductors, and wherein an output signal on the first output trace is out of phase with an output signal on the second output trace and an output signal on the third output trace is out of phase with an output signal on the fourth output trace.
2. The dual-balun according to claim 1 wherein the first end of each winding is an outer end of the winding and the second end of each winding is an inner end of the winding.
3. The dual-balun according to claim 2 wherein the inner end of each winding is electrically coupled to a circuit element in the circuit area by an air bridge formed by parallel portions of the winding of the inductor.
4. The dual-balun according to claim 2 wherein the inner end of each winding is electrically coupled to a capacitor in the circuit area.
5. The dual-balun according to claim 2 wherein the inner ends of the windings of the first and third inductors are coupled to an RF input metallized region, and the inner ends of the windings of the second and fourth inductors are coupled to a ground via.
6. The dual-balun according to claim 1 wherein the circuit elements include a plurality of capacitors in the circuit area, wherein the inductors and the capacitors are electrically coupled together to define the lumped element dual-balun.
7. The dual-balun according to claim 6 wherein the plurality of capacitors is four capacitors.
8. The dual-balun according to claim 1 wherein the circuit elements are selected from the group consisting of ground vias and capacitors.
9. The dual-balun according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the capacitors includes three plates.
10. The dual-balun according to claim 1 wherein the dual-balun is a lumped element star mixer balun.
11. A dual-balun for providing two zero phase RF output signals and two 180 phase RF output signals, said dual-balun comprising:
a monolithic substrate;
four inductors symmetrically disposed on the substrate, each inductor including an electrical winding having an inner end and an outer end, wherein the inductors include a pair of a first inductor and a second inductor where the first and second inductors are positioned adjacent to each other and a pair of a third inductor and a fourth inductor where the third and fourth inductors are positioned adjacent to each other, wherein a circuit area is defined between the pair of the first and second inductors and the pair of the third and fourth inductors; and
four capacitors disposed in the circuit area, wherein the inner end of each winding is electrically coupled to a capacitor in the circuit area by an air bridge formed by parallel portions of the winding of the inductor, and wherein the inner end of the first end inductor is electrically coupled to a first capacitor, the inner end of the second inductor is electrically coupled to a second capacitor, the inner end of the third inductor is electrically coupled to a third capacitor and the inner end of the fourth inductor is electrically coupled to a fourth capacitor.
12. The dual-balun according to claim 11 further comprising a first output trace electrically coupled to the outer end of the winding of the first inductor in the circuit area, a second output trace electrically coupled to the outer end of the winding of the second inductor in the circuit area, a third output trace electrically coupled to the outer end of the winding of the third inductor in the circuit area and a fourth output trace electrically coupled to the outer end of the winding of the fourth inductor in the circuit area, and wherein an output signal on the first output trace is 180 out of phase with an output signal on the second output trace and an output signal on the third output trace is 180 out of phase with an output signal on the fourth output trace.
13. The dual-balun according to claim 12 wherein the first, second, third and fourth output traces are parallel to each other and extend through the circuit area between the second and third inductors.
14. The dual-balun according to claim 11 wherein the inner ends of the windings of the first and third inductors are coupled to an RF input metallized region, and the inner ends of the windings of the second and fourth inductors are coupled to a ground via.
15. The dual-balun according to claim 11 wherein at least one of the capacitors includes three plates.
16. The dual-balun according to claim 11 wherein the dual-balun is a lumped element star mixer balun.
17. A dual-balun for providing two zero phase RF output signals and two 180 phase RF output signals for a mixer, said dual-balun comprising:
a monolithic substrate;
four inductors symmetrically disposed on the substrate, each inductor including an electrical winding having an inner end and an outer end, wherein the inductors include a pair of a first inductor and a second inductor where the first and second inductors are positioned adjacent to each other and a pair of a third inductor and a fourth inductor, where the third and fourth inductors are positioned adjacent to each other, wherein a circuit area is defined between the pair of the first and second inductors and the pair of the third and fourth inductors;
four capacitors disposed in the circuit area, wherein the inner end of each winding is electrically coupled to a capacitor in the circuit area by an air bridge formed by parallel portions of the winding of the inductor; and
a first output trace electrically coupled to the outer end of the winding first inductor in the circuit area, a second output trace electrically coupled to the outer end of the winding of the second inductor in the circuit area, a third output trace electrically coupled to the outer end of the winding of the third inductor in the circuit area and a fourth output trace electrically coupled to the outer end of the winding of the fourth inductor in the circuit area, and wherein an output signal on the first output trace is 180 out of phase with an output signal on the second output trace and an output signal on the third output trace is 180 out of phase with an output signal on the fourth output trace, and wherein the first, second, third and fourth output traces are parallel to each other and extend through the circuit area between the second and third inductors.
18. The dual-balun according to claim 17 wherein the mixer is selected from the group consisting of star mixers and double doubly balanced mixers.
19. The dual-balun according to claim 17 wherein the inner ends of the windings of the first and third inductors are coupled to an RF input metallized region, and the inner ends of the windings of the second and fourth inductors are coupled to a ground via.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. In combination having a cargo container, a transport vehicle with a transfer loader and a mechanism to move said loader to transfer said cargo container, and a driveway under said vehicle for said loader, wherein said transport vehicle having a frame having an exposed center sill supported on travelable end supports and container support beds spaced apart on and above said center sill with space for carrying said cargo container across said beds, the improvement comprising: said loader having a roadable running support frame with steerable swivel casters on said driveway including wheels that under-reach said sill sized and steerable to move on said driveway both lengthwise to position align and then transversely to enter under said center sill to support the loader from tipping and a lift platform sized to fit and align with and between said container support beds and the lift platform extending out over the center sill of said vehicle to support said cargo container within loading width limits for said vehicle, said casters being connected to swivel and steer in parallel to guide said wheels to steer in parallel to guide said loader to move on said driveway lengthwise and transversely to said vehicle between said beds to align said container for transfer on said vehicle and store under said container on said vehicle for transport with said container on said vehicle, a mechanism connecting said roadable running support frame and said lift platform aligned vertically along one side of said center sill to straddle said center sill, a lift mechanism to retract said wheels above said driveway for transport of said loader on said vehicle and extend to lift said lift platform for movement over said center sill and clear under said container and to lift further to support said container on said lift platform aligned for transfer to and from said vehicle, and supports for carrying said loader stored on said vehicle with said loader aligned between said container support beds and beneath space occupied by said cargo container on said vehicle, locating mechanism to hold said loader from moving sideways for transport on said vehicle, and a holding mechanism on said platform to hold said container in position on said platform during transfer on and off of said vehicle, said supports for carrying said loader including a shelf on each facing side of and below the top of said beds and at least high enough to support and guide the ends of said lift platform across the vehicle for travel on the shelves, leaving room for said container above on the vehicle, said mechanism connecting said roadable running support frame and said lift platform connected to said lift mechanism to lift and lower said roadable running support frame to stow said loader under the space for said container on said vehicle for transport therewith.
2. A structure as in claim 1, said casters each having some said wheels and a horizontal swivel ring and a support for said ring surrounding all of said wheels of each said caster, an axle supported substantially across the diameter of said ring, at least one of said wheels being on each side of the center of said ring within said ring on said axle and mounted to revolve separately on each side of the center of said ring, a mechanism to turn each said ring to steer all said casters together each on its swivel axis intersecting its said axle to turn to steer said loader both sideways and lengthwise and enable the diameters of said wheels to be sized to clear closely under said center sill.
3. A structure as in claim 2, said mechanism to steer including a ring gear or sprocket concentric on each said swivel ring, and gearing or chain and shafting connecting each said ring gear to turn said casters together operable to steer said loader.
4. A structure as in claim 1, said lift mechanism when retracted around said center sill clamping to said shelf at each end and the bottom of the sill between said lift platform and said roadable running support frame for transport of said loader underneath space for the cargo container.
5. A structure as in claim 1, a railway track flush in said driveway, said vehicle being a railway car setting on said railway track, said roadable running support frame being moveable on said driveway transversely under said center sill with said lift platform above to clear over said center sill to align transversely central with said vehicle to transfer said cargo container and travel central under said cargo container on said railway car.
6. A structure as in claim 1, said road running support including said wheels that are arranged in a first set of wheels for running and steering lengthwise, and a second set of wheels mounted for rolling the loader straight sideways, said lift mechanism including a lifting device for said second set of wheels to extendretract these wheels to lift said loader from said first set of wheels to a height to clear said loader for running sideways under center sill of, and any load on, the vehicle to substantially align a load central to a width of both the loader and the vehicle for transversely centrally aligned transfer.
7. A structure as in claim 6, said lifting device having additional lift left to extend said second set of wheels further to lift a load from the vehicle to clear for side transfer on the loader.
8. A structure as in claim 1, said lift platform including inflatable lift bags connected on said lift platform to inflate to lift and deflate to lower said cargo container on said lift platform for transfer between said vehicle and said loader and to conform to the bottom of said container to hold it in position on said loader when said cargo container is lifted on said lift bags.
9. A structure as in claim 1, said mechanism connecting said roadable running support frame being said lift mechanism including diamond jacks connected between said lift platform and said roadable running support frame along one side of the loader, and jack screws connected to operate said jacks together to transfer the container to and from the vehicle and to lift said wheels off of said driveway, said jack screws holding said wheels lifted up for transport of said loader on said vehicle.
10. A structure as in claim 1, wherein said vehicle is a semitrailer.
11. A structure as in claim 9, said diamond jacks being retractable to lower enough further to clamp said loader to said vehicle for transport thereon.
12. A structure as in claim 1, said lift platform having one or more air inflatable bags secured on top of said platform and connectable to air pressure to inflate to support the cargo container from bottom and deflate to set the container on either said vehicle, said air inflatable bags when inflated under the container conforming to the shape of the bottom of the container to secure the container in place on the platform.
13. In a combination as in claim 1, said supports being flanges along the top of the ends of said platform to overlay over facing sides of said beds to set down on said supports to carry said loader on said vehicle.
14. In a combination as in claim 1, said holding mechanism being at least one air pillow including air bags connected together for connection to a source of air.
15. In a combination as in claim 14, said air bags all connected together for connection to the source of air to inflate to lift said container up from said vehicle to hold and clear to transfer from and to said vehicle.