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US 10,854,971 B1Granted
Reconfigurable arrays with foldable panels
AssigneeThe Florida International University Board of Trustees
InventorsAbdul-Sattar Kaddour, Stavros Georgakopoulos, Constantinos L. Zekios
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Abstract
Arrays that are deployable and can change their electromagnetic behavior by changing their shape are provided. An array can include a central panel and at least one foldable panel attached thereto. The central panel can include radiating elements on its upper surface while each foldable panel can have radiating elements on its bottom surface. The array is reconfigurable by each foldable panel being foldable onto the central panel such that its bottom surface then faces upward and covers part or all of the upper surface of the central panel.
Claims20
An array, comprising:
- a central panel comprising an upper surface, a bottom surface opposite from the upper surface, and a first plurality of radiating elements disposed on the upper surface;
- and
- a first foldable panel foldably attached to the central panel and comprising an upper surface, a bottom surface opposite from the upper surface, and a second plurality of radiating elements disposed on the bottom surface,
- the first foldable panel being foldable such that it is capable of:
- folding onto the upper surface of the central panel and having the upper surface of the first foldable panel face the bottom surface of the central panel;
- and folding onto the bottom surface of the central panel and having the upper surface of the first foldable panel face the bottom surface of the central panel, and
- the array being a reflectarray or a phased array.
4 more elements
A method for changing the electromagnetic properties of an array, the array comprising:
- a central panel comprising an upper surface, a bottom surface opposite from the upper surface, and a first plurality of radiating elements disposed on the upper surface;
- and
- a first foldable panel foldably attached to the central panel and comprising an upper surface, a bottom surface opposite from the upper surface, and a second plurality of radiating elements disposed on the bottom surface,
- the first foldable panel being foldable such that it is capable of:
- folding onto the upper surface of the central panel and having the upper surface of the first foldable panel face the upper surface of the central panel;
- and folding onto the bottom surface of the central panel and having the bottom surface of the first foldable panel face the bottom surface of the central panel,
- the array being a reflectarray or a phased array, and
- the method comprising:
- folding the first foldable panel onto the upper surface of the central panel and having the upper surface of the first foldable panel face the upper surface of the central panel, thereby having the second plurality of radiating elements be visible from a point of view above the upper surface of the central panel and changing the electromagnetic properties of the array.
6 more elements
A reflectarray, comprising:
- a central panel comprising an upper surface, a bottom surface opposite from the upper surface, and a first plurality of radiating elements disposed on the upper surface;
- a first foldable panel foldably attached to the central panel and comprising an upper surface, a bottom surface opposite from the upper surface, and a second plurality of radiating elements disposed on the bottom surface;
- a second foldable panel foldably attached to the central panel and comprising an upper surface, a bottom surface opposite from the upper surface, and a third plurality of radiating elements disposed on the bottom surface;
- a plurality of hinges, each of the first foldable panel and the second foldable panel being respectively attached to the central panel by a hinge of the plurality of hinges,
- the first foldable panel, the second foldable panel, the central panel, and the plurality of hinges being monolithically formed with each other,
- the first foldable panel being foldable such that it is capable of:
- folding onto the upper surface of the central panel and having the upper surface of the first foldable panel face the upper surface of the central panel;
- and folding onto the bottom surface of the central panel and having the bottom surface of the first foldable panel face the bottom surface of the central panel,
- the second foldable panel being foldable such that it is capable of:
- folding onto the upper surface of the central panel and having the upper surface of the second foldable panel face the upper surface of the central panel;
- and folding onto the bottom surface of the central panel and having the bottom surface of the second foldable panel face the bottom surface of the central panel,
- the upper surface of each of the first foldable panel and the second foldable panel having an area that is less than that of the upper surface of the central panel,
- the central panel comprising a substrate on which the first plurality of radiating elements disposed on the upper surface,
- the first foldable panel comprising a substrate on which the second plurality of radiating elements is disposed,
- the second foldable panel comprising a substrate on which the third plurality of radiating elements is disposed,
- a material of the substrate of the central panel being the same as that of the first foldable panel and that of the second foldable panel, and
- the second plurality of radiating elements and the third plurality of radiating elements being configured such that different patterns of radiating elements are formed by folding different combinations of the first foldable panel and the second foldable panel onto the upper surface of the central panel.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.