Drive system and filament for a twistable septum in a feedhorn
AssigneeChaparral Communications, Inc.
InventorRobert B. Taggart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drive system for a twistable septum in a feedhorn for use in satellite communications antenna systems. The drive system includes a flexible drive rod, coupled to a drive motor, which bends to accommodate off-center coupling with the septum drive wheel.
Claims45
A drive system including a twistable septum disposed along the diameter and along the longitudinal axis of a feedhorn having a circular waveguide, an aperture and an output, said septum having one end near the aperture of the feedhorn and the other end fixedly mounted with respect to the circular waveguide near the output of the feedhorn, said system further comprising:
- an aperture cover mounted over the aperture of the feedhorn concentric with the longitudinal axis of the circular waveguide thereof;
- a drive wheel, having a rim, a center and first coupling means disposed intermediate the rim and the center, concentrically and rotatably mounted on the inside surface of the aperture cover, said drive wheel also having second coupling means for fixedly coupling to said one end of the septum;
- a drive motor having a rotational output oriented parallel to and near the longitudinal axis of the circular wave guide;
- and
- a flexible drive rod, coupled to the rotational output of the drive motor and to the first coupling means on the drive wheel, for rotating the drive wheel in response to torsional rotation applied by the drive motor.
Apparatus including a twistable septum disposed along the diameter and along the longitudinal axis of a feedhorn, said feedhorn having a circular waveguide, an aperture and an output end, said septum having a rotatable end near the aperture of the feedhorn and the other end fixedly mounted with respect to the circular waveguide near the output end of the feedhorn, said apparatus further comprising:
- drive means for producing rotational motion;
- coupling means having a longitudinal aixs, said coupling means having a first end coupled to said drive means and a second end coupled to said rotatable end of the septum for applying rotational motion thereto;
- said coupling means including means for rotatably mounting said second end of said coupling means near the aperture of said feedhorn.
Apparatus including a twistable septum disposed along the diameter and along the longitudinal axis of a feedhorn having a circular waveguide, an aperture and an output, said septum having one end near the aperture of the feedhorn and the other end fixedly mounted with respect to the circular waveguide near the output of the feedhorn, said apparatus further comprising:
- engaging means mounted near the aperture of the feedhorn concentric with the circular wave guide thereof;
- a drive wheel concentrically and rotatably mounted on the engaging means, and fixedly coupled to said one end of the septum;
- a drive motor having a rotational output oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis, and near the aperture, of the circular waveguide;
- and
- belt means, coupled to the rotational output of the drive motor and to the drive wheel, for rotating the drive wheel in response to said rotational output of the drive motor.
Apparatus including a twistable septum mounted within a signal receiver having an aperture, one end of said septum being rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof relative to the other end, said apparatus further comprising:
- a drive shaft having one end pivotally mounted on pivot means disposed substantially at the aperture of said signal receiver;
- means for rotating said drive shaft;
- and
- means mounted on said pivot means for interconnecting said rotatable end of the septum to the drive shaft near the pivotally mounted end thereof, whereby said septum may be caused to twist within said signal receiver.
Apparatus including a twistable septum mounted in a signal receiver having an aperture, one end of said septum being rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof relative to the other end, said apparatus further comprising:
- a rotatable drive shaft having a first end and a second end;
- a drive motor coupled to said first end of the drive shaft for rotating said drive shaft;
- pivot means for engaging the rotatable end of said septum pivotally mounted substantially at said aperture;
- a drive wheel concentrically and rotatably mounted on said pivot means and coupled to the rotatable end of said septum, said drive wheel engaging the second end of said drive shaft off-center near the outer perimeter of said drive wheel, said second end of said drive shaft engaged off-axially with respect to said longitudinal axis;
- and
- coupling means coupling said drive wheel to said rotatable end of said septum coaxially with said longitudinal axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.