Patent ID: 6859177

Claim:
A four port hybrid microstrip circuit of modified Lange type, comprising a substantially planar dielectric substrate ( 1 ) having first and second surfaces located in opposite relation to each other, a ground plane layer ( 2 ) of conducting material on said first surface, a microstrip pattern ( 3 ) of conducting material on said second surface, said microstrip pattern including a first strip conductor ( 11 , 13 , 31 , 21 , 23 ) extending between an input port (P 1 ) and a direct port (P 2 ) and a second strip conductor ( 12 , 14 , 41 , 22 , 24 ) extending between an isolated port (P 3 ) and a coupled port (P 4 ). said first and second strip conductors having mutually parallel conductor sections extending along a longitudinal direction (L), the conductor sections of the first strip conductor being situated in close vicinity to the conductor sections of the second strip conductor so as to couple electromagnetic energy from said first strip conductor to said second strip conductor and to divide a RF signal applied to said input port (P 1 ) to said direct and coupled ports (P 2 , P 4 ), cross-over connectors ( 15 - 18 , 25 - 28 ) being mounted onto said parallel strip conductors in order to establish a direct conductive connection between various portions of said sections belonging to said first strip conductor and to said second strip conductor, respectively, Characterized in that the strip conductor sections of said first and second strip conductors are divided into first and second parts ( 10 , 20 ) extending in opposite directions side by side in parallel to said longitudinal direction (L), said parallel conductor sections of each strip conductor in said first part ( 10 ) being joined to a first and a second junction strip section ( 31 , 41 ), respectively, leading sideways to the associated parallel conductor sections in the second part ( 20 ), and each of said first and second parts ( 10 , 20 ) comprising at least two parallel conductor sections ( 11 , 13 ; 21 , 23 ) belonging to said first strip conductor and at least two conductor sections ( 12 , 14 ; 22 , 24 ) belonging to said second strip conductor.