# US 2018/0026368 A1 · Cupped antenna > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0026368 A1 - Document ID: US20180026368A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/870,277 - Filed: 2015-09-30 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-09-30 - Assignees: Raytheon Company - Applicants: Raytheon Company - Inventors: Michael T. Pace; Jerret Eastburg; Christopher S. Patscheck - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180026368A1 ## CPC - H01Q 5/20: characterised by the operating wavebands - H01Q 1/288: {Satellite antennas} - H01Q 5/55: for horn or waveguide antennas - H01Q 19/108: {Combination of a dipole with a plane reflecting surface (H01Q19/106 takes precedence; strip line H01Q9/065)} - H01Q 21/062: {using dipole aerials; (H01Q21/067, H01Q21/068 take precedence)} - H01Q 21/26: Turnstile or like antennas comprising arrangements of three or more elongated elements disposed radially and symmetrically in a horizontal plane about a common centre - H01P 5/19: of the junction type - H01Q 15/16: curved in two dimensions [2D], e.g. paraboloidal - H01Q 19/17: the primary radiating source comprising two or more radiating elements (H01Q19/15, H01Q25/00 take precedence) - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) - H01P: WAVEGUIDES; RESONATORS, LINES, OR OTHER DEVICES OF THE WAVEGUIDE TYPE (operating at optical frequencies G02B) ## Abstract Described embodiments provide a cupped antenna for transmitting and receiving radio signals. The cupped antenna includes a cup having a rear surface and one or more side surfaces. The rear surface and side surfaces define a cavity having a first radiating element of the cupped antenna disposed within it. The first radiating element is coupled to a first feed circuit. The one or more side surfaces have one or more indentations disposed therein. The one or more indentations are configured to reduce a size and weight of the cup. The one or more indentations also provide an opening within an aperture of the cupped antenna such that an additional antenna can be disposed within the opening. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cupped antenna for transmitting and receiving radio signals, the cupped antenna comprising: a cup having a rear surface and one or more side surfaces wherein the rear surface and one or more side surfaces define a cavity and wherein the one or more side surfaces are provided having one or more indentations disposed therein and wherein the one or more indentations are configured to reduce a size and weight of the cup; and a first radiating element disposed within the cavity, wherein the first radiating element is configured to couple to a first feed circuit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cupped antenna of claim 1, further comprising a second radiating element disposed within the cavity orthogonal to the first radiating element, with the second radiating element configured to couple to a second feed circuit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cupped antenna of claim 1, wherein the one or more indentations comprise: an even number of indentations substantially symmetrically disposed in the side surfaces of the cup about a center of the cup. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The cupped antenna of claim 3, comprising: four indentations, a first indentation pair comprising a first indentation and a second indentation disposed opposite the center of the cup from each other, and a second indentation pair comprising a third indentation and a fourth indentation disposed opposite the center of the cup from each other, wherein the first indentation pair and the second indentation pair are disposed substantially orthogonally to each other. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The cupped antenna of claim 4, wherein each of the four indentations are located in an associated quadrant of a front surface of the cup. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The cupped antenna of claim 1, further comprising: a dielectric loading material disposed within the cavity. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The cupped antenna of claim 6, wherein the dielectric loading material comprises a cross-linked polystyrene divinylbenzene copolymer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The cupped antenna of claim 2, wherein each of the first and second radiating elements are configured to operate at one or more frequency bands. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The cupped antenna of claim 8, wherein the cupped antenna is configured to operate at a first frequency band from 1.0 to 2.0 GHz and a second frequency band from 2.0 to 4.0 GHz. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The cupped antenna of claim 1, wherein the cup is cylindrical in shape and the one or more indentations comprise rounded arcs. ### Claim 11 A multi-element antenna comprising: a plurality of capped antennas coupled by a feed network, each cupped antenna comprising: a cup having a rear surface and one or more side surfaces wherein the rear surface and one or more side surfaces define a cavity and wherein the one or more side surfaces are provided having one or more indentations disposed therein and wherein the one or more indentations are configured to reduce a size and weight of the cup; and a first radiating element disposed within the cavity, wherein the first radiating element is configured to couple to a first feed circuit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The multi-element antenna of claim 11, further comprising a second radiating element disposed within the cavity orthogonal to the first radiating element, with the second radiating element configured to couple to a second feed circuit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The multi-element antenna of claim 11, wherein the one or more indentations comprise: an even number of indentations substantially symmetrically disposed in the side surfaces of the cup about a center of the cup. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The multi-element antenna of claim 13, comprising: four indentations, a first indentation pair comprising a first indentation and a second indentation disposed opposite the center of the cup from each other, and a second indentation pair comprising a third indentation and a fourth indentation disposed opposite the center of the clip from each other, wherein the first indentation pair and the second indentation pair are disposed substantially orthogonally to each other. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The multi-element antenna of claim 14, wherein each of the four indentations are located in an associated quadrant of a front surface of the cup. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The multi-element antenna of claim 11, further comprising; a dielectric loading material disposed within the cavity. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The multi-element antenna of claim 16, wherein the dielectric loading material comprises a cross-linked polystyrene divinylbenzene copolymer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The multi-element antenna of claim 12, wherein each of the first and second radiating elements are configured to operate at one or more frequency bands. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The multi-element antenna of claim 18, wherein the cupped antenna is configured to operate at a first frequency band from 1.0 to 2.0 GHz and a second frequency band from 2.0 to 4.0 GHz. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The cupped antenna of claim 11, wherein the cup is cylindrical in shape and the one or more indentations comprise rounded arcs. ### Claim 21 (depends on 11) The antenna of claim 11, wherein the plurality of cupped antennas are disposed in a planar grid formation. ### Claim 22 (depends on 11) The antenna of claim 11, wherein the plurality of cupped antennas are disposed in a linear formation. ### Claim 23 (depends on 11) The antenna of claim 11, wherein the antenna is disposed on a satellite. ### Claim 24 An antenna array comprising: a plurality of cupped antennas coupled by a feed network to form a cupped antenna array, each cupped antenna comprising: a cup having a cavity formed by a rear surface of the cup and side surfaces of the cup; at least one radiating element disposed within the cavity, wherein the at least one radiating element is coupled to a feed; and one or more indentations disposed in the side surfaces of the cup, wherein the one or more indentations are configured to (i) reduce a size and weight of the cup, and (ii) provide an opening within an aperture of the cupped dipole antenna array; and an additional antenna disposed within the opening. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The antenna array of claim 24, wherein the additional antenna has an aperture that is within the aperture of the cupped antenna array. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The antenna array of claim 24 wherein the antenna array is disposed as a feed for a reflector antenna. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The antenna array of claim 26, wherein the reflector antenna comprises a parabolic reflector antenna. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The antenna array of claim 26, wherein the cupped antenna array and the additional antenna are both configured as prime focus antennas. ### Claim 29 (depends on 24) The antenna array of claim 24, wherein the cup of each cupped is cylindrical in shape and the one or more indentations comprise rounded arcs. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The antenna of claim 29, wherein a radius of each of the rounded arcs of the one or more indentations is selected be greater than or equal to a radius of the additional antenna. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The antenna of claim 29, wherein a radius of each of the rounded arcs of the one or more indentations is selected be greater than or equal to a radius of a feed element for the additional antenna. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The antenna array of claim 31, wherein the feed element is a cylindrical waveguide feed and the second antenna is configured to operate in at least a frequency band from 4.0 to 8.0 GHz. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The antenna array of claim 32, wherein the antenna array is a tri-band array configured to operate in an L frequency band, an S frequency band and a C frequency band. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The antenna array of claim 33, wherein the tri-band array is configured to be retrofitted into an existing installation. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The antenna array of claim 34, wherein the existing installation comprises one of a satellite communication station and a radar telemetry station. ### Claim 36 (depends on 32) The antenna array of claim 32, wherein the feed element comprises; a C band waveguide feed, the waveguide feed coupled to the additional antenna; and a plurality of and S band feeds, each of the plurality of L and S band feeds coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of cupped antennas; wherein the waveguide feed is disposed within the opening within the aperture of the cupped antenna array. ### Claim 37 (depends on 24) The antenna array of claim 24, wherein the antenna array is disposed on a monopulse radar system. ### Claim 38 (depends on 24) The antenna array of claim 24, wherein one or more arrays are disposed on a satellite.