Furlable solid surface reflector

A deployable, steerable reflector apparatus for reflecting electromagnetic signals, comprising:

• A. a plurality of elongate members each having a bottom surface for reflecting incident radiofrequency (RF) energy and a top surface opposite the bottom surface, each elongate member having a shape that tapers from a first end towards a second end and being of sufficient width such that the bottom surfaces of the plurality of elongate members forms a solid parabolic surface to incident RF energy when in a deployed position and the top surfaces of the plurality of elongate members form a conical shape when in an undeployed, stored position;
• B. a top ring, to which the second end of each elongate member is attached;
• C. a plurality of adjustable struts each attached at one end to said bottom surface of selected ones of the elongate members;
• D. first activating means attached .to the struts for lengthening the struts;
• E. a center disk positioned spaced apart from the top ring and attached to the top ring by at least one elongate attachment element;
• and
• F. second activating means attached to the at least one attachment element for positioning the center disk proximate the top ring in the deployed position,
• wherein the struts comprise linear actuators.

A deployable, steerable reflector apparatus for reflecting electromagnetic signals, comprising:

• A. a plurality of elongate members each having a bottom surface for reflecting incident radiofrequency (RF) energy and a top surface opposite the bottom surface, each elongate member having a shape that tapers from a first end towards a second end and being of sufficient width such that the bottom surfaces of the plurality of elongate members forms a solid parabolic surface to incident RF energy when in a deployed position and the top surfaces of the plurality of elongate members form a conical shape when in an undeployed, stored position;
• B. a top ring, to which the second end of each elongate member is attached;
• C. a plurality of adjustable struts each attached at one end to said bottom surface of selected ones of the elongate members;
• D. first activating means attached to the struts for lengthening the struts;
• E. a center disk positioned spaced apart from the top ring and attached to the top ring by at least one elongate attachment element;
• and
• F. second activating means attached to the at least one attachment element for positioning the center disk proximate the top ring in the deployed position, wherein
• each elongate member further comprises a locking notch on said bottom surface proximate the second end of the elongate member, for locking the center disk in the deployed position.

A deployable, steerable reflector apparatus for reflecting electromagnetic signals, comprising:

• A. a plurality of elongate members each having a bottom surface for reflecting incident radiofrequency (RF) energy and a top surface opposite the bottom surface, each elongate member having a shape that tapers from a first end towards a second end and being of sufficient width such that the bottom surfaces of the plurality of elongate members forms a solid parabolic surface to incident RF energy when in a deployed position and the top surfaces of the plurality of elongate members form a conical shape when in an undeployed, stored position;
• B. a top ring, to which the second end of each elongate member is attached;
• C. a plurality of adjustable struts each attached at one end to said bottom surface of selected ones of the elongate members;
• D. first activating means attached to the struts for lengthening the struts;
• E. a center disk positioned spaced apart from the top ring and attached to the top ring by at least one elongate attachment element;
• and
• F. second activating means attached to the at least one attachment element for positioning the center disk proximate the top ring in the deployed position, and further comprising
• a plurality of spaced apart structural members, each structural member being comprised of a structural elongated member having a rib element centrally positioned on a top surface thereof and extending along the length of the structural member, each of said structural members being attached to one of the struts and having a width greater than a width of the elongate members, and interspersed among the elongate members such that in the undeployed, stored position a plurality of the elongate members proximate the structural element overlap one another under the structural element.

A deployable, steerable reflector apparatus for reflecting electromagnetic signals, comprising:

• A. a plurality of elongate members each having a bottom surface for reflecting incident radiofrequency (RF) energy and a top surface opposite the bottom surface, each elongate member having a shape that tapers from a first end towards a second end and being of sufficient width such that the bottom surfaces of the plurality of elongate members forms a solid parabolic surface to incident RF energy when in a deployed position and the top surfaces of the plurality of elongate members form a conical shape when in an undeployed, stored position;
• B. a top ring, to which the second end of each elongate member is attached;
• C. a plurality of adjustable struts each attached at one end to said bottom surface of selected ones of the elongate members;
• D. first activating means attached to the struts for lengthening the struts;
• E. a center disk positioned spaced apart from the top ring and attached to the top ring by at least one elongate attachment element;
• and
• F. second activating means attached to the at least one attachment element for positioning the center disk proximate the top ring in the deployed position, and further comprising
• a circumferential cable element of fixed length that extends across the top surface of each elongate member for securing a preselected spacing among the elongate member in the deployed position.

A deployable, steerable reflector apparatus for reflecting electromagnetic signals, comprising:

• A. a plurality of elongate members each having a bottom surface for reflecting incident radiofrequency (RF) energy and a top surface opposite the bottom surface, each elongate member having a shape that tapers from a first end towards a second end and being of sufficient width such that the bottom surfaces of the plurality of elongate members forms a solid parabolic surface to incident RF energy when in a deployed position and the top surfaces of the plurality of elongate members form a conical shape when in an undeployed, stored position;
• B. a top ring, to which the second end of each elongate member is attached;
• C. a plurality of adjustable struts each attached at one end to said bottom surface of selected ones of the elongate members;
• D. first activating means attached to the struts for lengthening the struts;
• E. a center disk positioned spaced apart from the top ring and attached to the top ring by at least one elongate attachment element;
• and
• F. second activating means attached to the at least one attachment element for positioning the center disk proximate the top ring in the deployed position, and further comprising
• a selectively releasable lanyard element extending across the top surface of each elongate member when in the undeployed, stored position to maintain the elongate members in the stored position.

A method for deploying a reflector apparatus from a first, storage position to a second, deployed position, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a deployable, steerable reflector apparatus for reflecting electromagnetic signals, the reflector apparatus comprising (a) a plurality of elongate members, each member having a bottom surface for reflecting incident radiofrequency (RF) energy and a top surface opposite the bottom surface, each elongate member further having a shape that tapers from a first end towards a second end and being of sufficient width such that the plurality of elongate members forms a solid parabolic surface to incident RF energy when in a deployed position and a conical shape when in an undeployed, stored position;
• (b) a top ring, to which the second end of each elongate member is attached;
• (c) a plurality of adjustable strut elements each attached at one end to the bottom surface of selected ones of the elongate members;
• (d) first activating means attached to the strut elements for lengthening the struts;
• (e) a center disk positioned spaced apart from the top ring and attached to the top ring by at least one elongate attachment element;
• and (f) second activating means attached to the attachment elements for positioning the center disk proximate the top ring in the deployed position;
• the method further comprising the steps of,
• A. activating the first activating means to telescope the strut elements to a preselected length;
• B. activating the second activating means to move the center disk to a position proximate the top ring;
• and
• C. rotating the elongate members outward from the top ring.