Geodesic radar retro-reflector
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
InventorElmond E. Decker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved radar retro-reflector providing overlapping coverage at low angles of elevation comprises a plurality of three-corner retro-reflectors made of electromagnetically reflective material lying in three planes which intersect each other at right angles. The individual retro-reflectors are supported between a horizontal base and a platform mounted above the base, and are interconnected to each other and to the base and to the platform in a geodesic configuration. Additional three-corner reflectors may be mounted atop the platform in back-to-back configuration. The radar retro-reflector may be foldable into a compact generally flattened storage position by making the device out of a plurality of hingedly connected triangular panels controlled by a hydraulic or other actuating system.
Claims16
A foldable radar retro-reflector device comprising:
- a housing;
- a rectangular base, connected to said housing;
- a rectangular platform above said rectangular base connected to said housing;
- a first set of four triangular quarter panels, each of said first set of four triangular quarter panels having a first side edge hingedly connected to a side of said rectangular base;
- a second set of four triangular quarter panels, each of said second set of four triangular quarter panels having a first side edge hingedly connected to a side of said rectangular platform;
- a third set of four triangular quarter panels, each of said third set of four triangular quarter panels having a side edge hingedly connected to a second side edge of one of said first set of four triangular quarter panels;
- a fourth set of four triangular quarter panels, each of said fourth set of four triangular quarter panels having a side edge hingedly connected to a second side edge of one of said second set of four triangular quarter panels;
- each of said third and fourth sets of four triangular quarter panels further having a second side edge hingedly connected to each other;
- a fifth set of four triangular quarter panels, each of said fifth set of four triangular quarter panels having a side edge hingedly connected to a third side edge of one of said first set of four triangular quarter panels;
- a sixth set of four triangular quarter panels, each of said sixth set of four triangular quarter panels having a side edge hingedly connected to a third side edge of one of said second set of four triangular quarter panels,
- means for moving said platform in a predetermined spaced apart position from said base such that said first and third, and said second and fourth sets of four triangular quarter panels are positioned perpendicular to each other;
- and,
- means for moving said fifth and sixth sets of four triangular quarter panels to a position perpendicular to said first and second sets of four triangular quarter panels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.