Patent ID: 7400214

Claim:
A directional coupler comprising: a conductive housing having an inner open space; and a laminated structure including planar dielectric and conductive layers providing air dielectric coupled striplines within the open space, wherein the laminated structure is a printed circuit board (PCB) comprised of said planar dielectric and conductive layers, and wherein the air dielectric coupled striplines are provided by voids in sections of the PCB which electrically disconnect portions of the conductive layers, wherein the laminated structure including the planar dielectric and conductive layers providing the air dielectric coupled striplines further includes: a first laminar substructure comprising a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer separated by a first dielectric layer therebetween; and a second laminar substructure comprising a third conductive layer and a fourth conductive layer separated by a second dielectric layer therebetween, wherein the first laminar substructure and the second laminar substructure are separated by a prepreg.