Flexible feed line for an antenna system
AssigneeOrbital Science Corporation
InventorAnthony D. Robinson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flexible feed line is provided for use with a selectively deployable antenna system. The feed line is resilient and expandable so that it can maintain connections within antenna feed circuits while the antenna is being deformed or moved for stowage. An antenna system for use with the feed lines of the present invention may consist of a deployable quadrifilar helical antenna elements having four resilient conductive strips bonded thereto. Flexible feed lines are attached to each of the conductive helical strips. The feed lines expand to accommodate the shape of the antenna elements when compressed for stowing and return to their operating shape when deployed, thus providing identical feed paths to each of the antenna conductors when the antenna system is deployed.
Claims23
A flexible feed line for use with an antenna system having an alternatively stowable and redeployable antenna element, said feed line comprising:
- first connection means for providing a signal connection with said feed line;
- second connection means for establishing a signal connection with said antenna element;
- and
- at least one expandable and resilient conductive section made of a non-ferrous material formed into a spring-like, zig-zag pattern of multiple folds connected between said first connection means and said second connection means, so that said resilient section resiliently alters its shape to a first orientation when said antenna element is stowed and resiliently alters its shape to a second orientation when said antenna element is subsequently deployed.
A flexible feed line for use with an antenna system having an alternately stowable and deployable antenna element, said feed line comprising:
- first connection means for providing a signal connection to said feed line;
- second connection means for establishing a signal connection between the feed line and said antenna element;
- and
- at least one expandable and resilient conductive section made of a non-ferrous material formed into a spring-like, zig-zag pattern of multiple folds connected between said first connection means and said second connection means, so that said resilient section resiliently alters its shape to a first orientation when said antenna element is stowed and resiliently alters its shape to a second orientation when said antenna element is subsequently deployed;
- wherein said resilient conductive section comprises a conductive strip bonded to a strip of resilient material;
- and
- wherein at least one said resilient conductive section comprises two spring-like sections that emanate from a base section connected between said first connection means and said resilient conductive section, said two spring-like sections and said base section forming a "Y" shape.
A flexible feed line for use with an antenna system having an alternately stowable and deployable antenna element, said feed line comprising:
- first connection means for providing a signal connection to said feed line;
- second connection means for establishing a signal connection between the feed line and said antenna element;
- and
- at least one expandable and resilient conductive section made of a non-ferrous material formed into a spring-like, zig-zag pattern of multiple folds connected between said first connection means and said second connection means, so that said resilient section resiliently alters its shape to a first orientation when said antenna element is stowed and resiliently alters its shape to a second orientation when said antenna element is subsequently deployed;
- wherein the folds of each said resilient conductive section are of gradually increasing length from said first connection means to said second connection means.
An antenna system comprising:
- a collapsible antenna element having at least one resilient conductive segment attached thereto, said collapsible antenna element being collapsible for stowage and expandable for deployment;
- a mounting structure for supporting said antenna element and having a housing for attaching an external signal circuit;
- and
- resilient signal conducting means for establishing a signal path between each said conductive segment and said external signal circuit, wherein said signal conducting means resiliently alters its shape to a first orientation when said collapsible antenna element is collapsed for stowage and resiliently alters its shape to a second orientation when said antenna element expands for deployment,
- said resilient signal conducting means further comprising a feed line for each said conductive segment of said antenna element having a first connection means for establishing a signal connection with said external signal circuit, a second connection means for establishing a signal connection with said resilient conductive segment of said antenna element and at least one resilient conducting section made of a non-ferrous material formed into a spring-like section of multiple folds between said first connection means and said second connection means.
A flexible feed line for use with an antenna system having an antenna element, said feed line comprising:
- first connection means for providing a signal connection to said feed line;
- second connection means for establishing a connection between the feed line and said antenna element;
- and
- at least one expandable and resilient conductive section formed into a zig-zag pattern of multiple folds connected between said first connection means and said second connection means.
A flexible feed line for use with an antenna system having an antenna element, said feed line comprising:
- first connection means for providing a signal connection to said feed line;
- second connection means for establishing a connection between said feed line and said antenna element;
- and
- at least one expandable and resilient conductive section formed into a zig-zag pattern of multiple folds connected between said first connection means and said second connection means, wherein said resilient conductive section comprises two spring-like sections that emanate from a base section connected between said first connection means and said resilient conductive section, said two spring-like sections and said base section forming a "Y" shape.
A flexible feed line for use with an antenna system having an antenna element, said feed line comprising:
- first connection means for providing a signal connection to said feed line;
- second connection means for establishing a connection between the feed line and said antenna element;
- and
- at least one expandable and resilient conductive section formed into a zig-zag pattern of multiple folds connected between said first connection means and said second connection means, wherein the folds of said resilient conductive section are of gradually increasing length from said first connection means to said second connection means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.