US 12,643,683 B2 · Solar, electronic, RF radiator for a self-contained structure for space application array

Abstract

An array of antenna assemblies each generate solar power and utilize the generated solar power at that antenna assembly, which enables large amounts of power to be generated. An antenna assembly having a flat antenna layer forming a first outer surface of said antenna assembly, a flat solar layer forming a second outer surface of said antenna assembly, and a flat structural layer having a flat support structure sandwiched between the antenna layer and the solar layer. The antenna layer has a flat antenna plate with one or more antennas at the first outer surface of the antenna assembly to communicate with Earth. The solar layer has a flat solar plate with one or more solar cells at the second outer surface of the antenna assembly to receive solar energy and generate power.

Claims10

Dependent claims

An antenna assembly comprising:

a flat first layer comprising a plurality of antennas;
and
a flat second layer comprising one or more solar cells configured to generate power from solar energy, the flat second layer connected to the flat first layer,
wherein the flat first layer comprises a plurality of recesses, wherein each recess of the plurality of recesses is defined by a portion of the flat first layer that extends inward from an outward facing surface of the flat first layer, and
wherein each recess of the plurality of recesses having an octagon shape and configured to receive at least one antenna of the plurality of antennas, wherein the plurality of recesses is arranged as an array to form an uninterrupted planar array of the plurality of antennas that are flush with the outward facing surface of the flat first layer.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

18/312,410Filed 4 May 2023 · continuation

Priority

ES ES20203012313 Feb 2020

Published

US 2023/0391476 A17 Dec 2023

Granted

2 Jun 2026

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification25 codes

B64G 1/222
Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles: for deploying structures between a stowed and deployed state
B64G 1/10
Cosmonautic vehicles: artificial satellites; Systems of such satellites; Interplanetary vehicles
B64G 1/1007
Artificial satellites; Systems of such satellites; Interplanetary vehicles: communications satellites
B64G 1/2222
Characterised by the manner of deployment: folding

Family

Application62/848,317Us provisional application · filed 15 May 2019

Application62/977,864Us provisional application · filed 18 Feb 2020

Application62/978,081Us provisional application · filed 18 Feb 2020

Application62/977,860Us provisional application · filed 18 Feb 2020

Application16/875,703Parent of this continuation · filed 15 May 2020

US 2023/0391476 A1Pre-grant publication · published 7 Dec 2023

US 11,683,009 B2Parent of this continuation

US 2020/0366237 A1Published application

US 12,643,683 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Solar, electronic, RF radiator for a self-contained structure for space application array

Life of this patent

Solar, electronic, RF radiator for a self-contained structure for space application array

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10