US 4,902,988 AGranted

Control for flexible probe

AssigneeChapparal Communications, Inc.

InventorsRobert W. Bruns, Lorenzo J. Morris, John G. Weber, H. Taylor Howard

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Abstract

An electrically-conductive flexible probe is mounted within a wave guide that receives radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation. A leading portion of the probe has an orientation that is adjustable between two positions that are angularly displaced with respect to each other by 90.degree.. A permanent bar magnet is connected to the leading portion of probe, and an electromagnet is mounted adjacent to the bar magnet so as to be capable of being magnetically coupled to the bar magnet. The electromagnet is electrically controllable so as to control the magnetic coupling between the bar magnet and the electromagnet, move the bar magnet selectively to one of the two angular positions, and thereby correspondingly move the leading portion of the probe and cause the wave guide to transmit radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation having a selected one of two polarizations in planes that are mutually orthogonal with respect to each other and reflect radio frequency electromagnetic radiation having the other polarization.

Claims18

Dependent claims

Apparatus comprising:

wave-guide means for receiving radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation;
electrically-conductive probe means mounted in said wave-guide means, at least a given portion of said probe means having an orientation that is adjustable between two positions angularly displaced with respect to each other by a given angle;
first magnetic means connected to said given portion of said probe means;
and
second magnetic means mounted adjacent to said first magnetic means so as to be capable of being magnetically coupled to said first magnetic means;
at least one of said first and second magnetic means being electrically controllable so as to control the magnetic coupling therebetween, move said first magnetic means selectively to one of said two angular positions, and thereby correspondingly move said given portion of said probe means and cause said wave-guide means to
preferentially transmit radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation having a selected one of two polarizations in planes that are angularly displaced with respect to each other substantially by said given angle and
preferentially reflect radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation having the other of said
polarizations.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.