# US 11,444,374 B2 · Lightning rod > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,444,374 B2 - Document ID: US11444374B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/906,318 - Filed: 2020-06-19 - Published: 2020-12-24 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-21 - Assignees: HENSOLDT Sensors GmbH - Applicants: Hensoldt Sensors GmbH - Inventors: Ralf Lorch; Rainer Mueller; Markus Forkel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11444374B2 ## CPC - H01Q 1/50: Structural association of antennas with earthing switches, lead-in devices or lightning protectors - H01C 7/12: Overvoltage protection resistors; Arresters - H01F 38/14: Inductive couplings - H01H 47/00: Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the relay and designed to obtain desired operating characteristics or to provide energising current - H02G 13/00: Installations of lightning conductors; Fastening thereof to supporting structure - H02G 13/40: {Connection to earth} - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) - H01C: RESISTORS - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) - H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES ## Abstract A lightning rod for protecting an antenna system involves a lightning rod having a plurality of sections. Each section of the plurality of sections has a dimension. The dimension is less than a quarter of a wavelength according to an operating frequency of the antenna system to be protected. The plurality of sections is inductively coupled. The lightning rod can also be part of a group of lightning rods, and a system of a lightning rod or a group of lightning rods with an antenna system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A lightning rod for protecting an antenna system, wherein the lightning rod comprises: a plurality of sections, wherein each section of the plurality of sections extends in a longitudinal direction less than a quarter of a wavelength according to an operating frequency of the antenna system to be protected, wherein neighboring sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled, wherein the sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled by inductive coupling elements, respectively, and wherein each of the inductive coupling elements has a dimension that is less than one half of a dimension of each of the plurality of sections, or the inductive coupling elements include air coils. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The lightning rod of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sections are concatenated with each other in the longitudinal direction along a common direction of each of the plurality of sections. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The lightning rod of claim 1, wherein consecutive sections of the plurality of sections are directly connected by a respective one of the inductive coupling elements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The lightning rod of claim 1, wherein the inductive coupling elements are coils with respective damping elements. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The lightning rod of claim 1, wherein the lightning rod has a metallic rod, and wherein consecutive sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled by a ferrite arranged around the metallic rod between the consecutive sections of the plurality of sections. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The lightning rod of claim 1, wherein the operating frequency is a frequency of an operating frequency range of the antenna system to be protected. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The lightning rod of claim 1, wherein a number of sections of the plurality of sections is at least N, and wherein a number of the inductive coupling elements is at least N-1, where N is a natural number greater than 3. ### Claim 8 A lightning rod for protecting an antenna system, wherein the lightning rod comprises: a plurality of sections, wherein each section of the plurality of sections extends in a longitudinal direction less than a quarter of a wavelength according to an operating frequency of the antenna system to be protected, wherein neighboring sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled, wherein the sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled by inductive coupling elements, respectively, and wherein consecutive sections of the plurality of sections are directly connected by a respective one of the inductive coupling elements, or a number of sections of the plurality of sections is at least N, and wherein a number of the inductive coupling elements is at least N-1, where N is a natural number greater than 3. ### Claim 9 A lightning rod for protecting an antenna system, wherein the lightning rod comprises: a plurality of sections, wherein each section of the plurality of sections extends in a longitudinal direction less than a quarter of a wavelength according to an operating frequency of the antenna system to be protected, wherein neighboring sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled, wherein the sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled by inductive coupling elements, respectively, and wherein the inductive coupling elements are coils with respective damping elements, or the lightning rod has a metallic rod, and wherein consecutive sections of the plurality of sections are inductively coupled by a ferrite arranged around the metallic rod between the consecutive sections of the plurality of sections.