# US 10,374,299 B1 · Method for making a radiator structure for a helical antenna > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,374,299 B1 - Document ID: US10374299B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 14/615,879 - Filed: 2015-02-06 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-06 - Assignees: FIRST RF Corporation - Applicants: FIRST RF Corporation - Inventors: Robert J. Marshall - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10374299B1 ## CPC - H01Q 1/362: {for broadside radiating helical antennas} - H01Q 11/083: {Tapered helical aerials, e.g. conical spiral aerials} - Y10T 29/49016: Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An embodiment of the invention is directed to a method for manufacturing a radiator structure for a conical helical antenna that includes: (a) processing a piece of metal so as to produce a first metal structure with conical exterior and interior surfaces, and (b) processing the first metal structure to remove material between the conical exterior and interior surfaces to yield a radiator structure with a conical helical shaped conductor that can be combined with a ground plane to produce a conical helical antenna. In one embodiment, the radiator structure includes a matching structure and a cap with the conical helical conductor, matching structure, and cap being a single piece of metal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for making a radiator structure for a helical antenna, comprising: providing a piece of metal stock; processing the piece of metal stock to produce a processed piece of metal with a frusto-conical exterior side surface and a frusto-conical interior side surface with the frusto-conical exterior and interior side surfaces defining a frusto-conical side wall, the processed piece of metal having a radiator portion and a non-radiator portion; and removing metal located between the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface and associated with the non-radiator portion to produce a self-supporting conical helix having an upper lateral edge and a lower lateral edge that is separated from the upper lateral edge; the step of removing includes first removing metal located between the frusto-conical interior side surface and the frusto-conical exterior side surface and associated with the non-radiator portion to define a portion of the upper lateral edge of the conical helix and a portion of the lower lateral edge of the conical helix; the portion of the upper lateral edge of the conical helix extending partially from one of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface to the other of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface; the portion of the lower lateral edge of the conical helix extending partially from one of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface to the other of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface; and the step of removing includes, following the step of first removing, second removing metal associated with the non-radiator portion to define a series of helical voids with one helical void separated from an immediately adjacent helical void by a helical strut that is associated with the non-radiator portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the step of second removing includes removing metal extending from a groove base surface to one of the frusto-conical interior side surface and the frusto-conical exterior side surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the step of second removing includes removing metal extending from the frusto-conical interior side surface to the frusto-conical exterior side surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the step of removing includes, following the step of second removing, third removing each helical strut associated with the non-radiator portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the frusto-conical side wall is a side wall of one of: (a) a frustum of a right circular cone, (b) a frustum of an oblique circular cone, (c) a frustum of a right elliptical cone, and (d) a frustum of an oblique elliptical cone. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: removing metal from the frusto-conical exterior side surface to the frusto-conical interior side surface and associated with the non-radiator portion to produce an impedance matching structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A method, as claimed in claim 6, wherein: the conical helix and the matching structure are a single piece of metal. ### Claim 8 A method for making a radiator structure for a helical antenna, comprising: providing a piece of metal stock; processing the piece of metal stock to produce a processed piece of metal with a frusto-conical exterior side surface and a frusto-conical interior side surface with the frusto-conical exterior and interior side surfaces defining a frusto-conical side wall, the processed piece of metal having a radiator portion and a non-radiator portion; and removing metal located between the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface and associated with the non-radiator portion to produce a self-supporting conical helix having an upper lateral edge and a lower lateral edge that is separated from the upper lateral edge; the step of removing includes first removing metal located between the frusto-conical interior side surface and the frusto-conical exterior side surface and associated with the non-radiator portion to define a portion of the upper lateral edge of the conical helix and a portion of the lower lateral edge of the conical helix; the portion of the upper lateral edge of the conical helix extending partially from one of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface to the other of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface; the portion of the lower lateral edge of the conical helix extending partially from one of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface to the other of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface; and the step of first removing metal establishes a first helical groove in the frusto-conical side wall and a second helical groove in the frusto-conical side wall that is separated from the first helical groove; wherein the first and second helical grooves each have a first groove side surface, a second groove side surface, and a groove base surface located between the first and second groove side surfaces; the step of removing includes, following the step of first removing, second removing metal associated with the non-radiator portion to define a series of helical voids with one helical void separated from an immediately adjacent helical void by a helical strut that is associated with the non-radiator portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A method, as claimed in claim 8, wherein: the step of second removing includes removing metal extending from the groove base surface of each of the first and second grooves to one of the frusto-conical interior side surface and the frusto-conical exterior side surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A method, as claimed in claim 8, wherein: the step of second removing includes removing metal extending from the frusto-conical interior side surface to the frusto-conical exterior side surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) A method, as claimed in claim 8, wherein: the step of removing includes, following the step of second removing, third removing each helical strut associated with the non-radiator portion. ### Claim 12 A method for making a radiator structure for a helical antenna, comprising: providing a piece of metal having a frusto-conical interior side surface and a frusto-conical exterior side surface, the frusto-conical interior and exterior side surfaces defining a frusto-conical side wall, the piece of metal having a radiator portion and a non-radiator portion; and removing material between the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface and associated with the non-radiator portion to produce a self-supporting conical helix having an upper lateral edge and a lower lateral edge that is separated from the upper lateral edge; the step of removing includes first removing metal located between the frusto-conical interior side surface and the frusto-conical exterior side surface and associated with the non-radiator portion to define a portion of the upper lateral edge of the conical helix and a portion of the lower lateral edge of the conical helix; the portion of the upper lateral edge of the conical helix extending partially from one of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface to the other of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface; the portion of the lower lateral edge of the conical helix extending partially from one of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface to the other of the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface; the step of removing includes, following the step of first removing, second removing metal associated with the non-radiator portion to define a series of helical voids with one helical void separated from an immediately adjacent helical void by a helical strut that is associated with the non-radiator portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A method, as claimed in claim 12, wherein: the step of removing includes, following the step of second removing, third removing a helical strut associated with the non-radiator portion. ### Claim 14 A method for making a radiator structure for a helical antenna, comprising: providing a piece of metal having a frusto-conical interior side surface and a frusto-conical exterior side surface, the frusto-conical interior and exterior side surfaces defining a frusto-conical side wall, the piece of metal having a radiator portion and a non-radiator portion; and removing material between the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface and associated with the non-radiator portion to produce, in the radiator portion, a self-supporting conical helix having an upper lateral edge and a lower lateral edge that is separated from the upper lateral edge; the step of removing includes removing metal associated with the non-radiator portion to define, in the non-radiator portion, a series of helical voids with one helical void separated from an immediately adjacent helical void by a helical strut that is associated with the non-radiator portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A method, as claimed in claim 14, wherein: the step of removing includes removing a helical strut associated with the non-radiator portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) A method, as claimed in claim 14, wherein: the step of providing includes providing a frusto-conical interior top surface that engages the frusto-conical interior side surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A method, as claimed in claim 16, wherein: the step of providing includes providing a stub extending away from the frusto-conical interior top surface. ### Claim 18 A method for making a radiator structure for a helical antenna, comprising: providing a piece of metal having a frusto-conical interior side surface and a frusto-conical exterior side surface, the frusto-conical interior and exterior side surfaces defining a frusto-conical side wall, the piece of metal having a radiator portion and a non-radiator portion; and removing material between the frusto-conical exterior side surface and the frusto-conical interior side surface and associated with the non-radiator portion to produce a self-supporting conical helix having an upper lateral edge and a lower lateral edge that is separated from the upper lateral edge; the step of providing includes providing a frusto-conical interior top surface that engages the frusto-conical interior side surface; the step of providing includes providing a stub extending away from the frusto-conical interior top surface; removing a portion of the stub to produce a frusto-conical exterior top surface; the frusto-conical interior and exterior top surfaces defining a frusto-conical top. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A method, as claimed in claim 18, wherein: the conical helix and the frusto-conical top are a single piece of metal. ### Claim 20 A method for making a radiator structure for a helical antenna, comprising: providing a monolithic metal structure having a frusto-conical interior side surface and a frusto-conical exterior side surface that define a frusto-conical side wall that encloses a space and defines intermittent helical voids, the monolithic metal structure having a radiator portion and a non-radiator portion, the intermittent helical voids defining a helical void path that is associated with the non-radiator portion, the intermittent helical voids also defining a portion of an upper lateral edge and a portion of a lower lateral edge of a conical helix that is associated with the radiator portion, the helical void path is located between first and second portions of the conical helix associated with the radiator portion; the intermittent helical voids comprising a first helical void and a second helical void separated from the first helical void by a helical strut that extends from the first portion of the conical helix to the second portion of the conical helix and is associated with the non-radiator portion; and removing metal associated with the helical strut to produce the conical helix. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A method, as claimed in claim 20, wherein: the step of providing comprises processing a piece of metal to produce the frusto-conical exterior side surface. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) A method, as claimed in claim 20, wherein: the step of providing comprises processing a piece of metal to produce the frusto-conical interior side surface. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) A method, as claimed in claim 20, wherein: the step of providing comprises processing a piece of metal to define the intermittent helical voids. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) A method, as claimed in claim 20, wherein: the conical helix is a self-supporting conical helix. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) A method, as claimed in claim 20, wherein: the step of removing includes cutting metal associated with or adjacent to the helical strut.