Patent ID: 7659792

Claim:
A circulator/isolator device comprising: a housing including a segmented flexible wall structure configured to form an interior housing volume having a predetermined geometry, the segmented flexible wall structure including a plurality of port apertures disposed therein, the plurality of port apertures being separated from each other and disposed at predetermined locations in the segmented flexible wall structure; a central stack disposed within the interior housing volume at a predetermined position, the central stack including a substantially flat conductor having a plurality of port structures extending therefrom, each of the plurality of port structures being disposed at predetermined positions at a perimeter portion of the substantially flat conductor, the predetermined positions substantially conforming to the predetermined locations such that each of the plurality of port structures extend through the segmented flexible wall structure at a corresponding one of the plurality of port apertures; at least one cover member substantially conforming to the predetermined geometry and disposed within the housing at one end thereof, the at least one cover member including an exterior major surface accessible via an exterior of the device and an interior major surface disposed adjacent the central stack; and at least one retaining member disposed around a perimeter of the segmented flexible wall structure at the one end, the at least one retaining member being configured to apply a substantially uniform radial compressive force to the segmented flexible wall structure to retain the at least one cover member there within, the at least one cover member applying a registration force to the central stack assembly to maintain the central stack assembly at the predetermined position.