US 5,966,100 A · Quadruple-delta antenna structure

Abstract

An antenna element is disclosed that is a set of approximately coplanar conductors that form four approximately triangular conductors, each of which has a perimeter of approximately one wavelength. Three parallel conductors are the central part and the two outer parts. Joining these three parallel conductors, there are four diagonal conductors, of approximately equal length, that connect each end of the central parallel conductor to the opposite end of each of the outer parallel conductors. Where these diagonal conductors cross, they do not touch. Compared to previous antennas constructed for the same purposes, antennas constructed with these antenna elements can yield more directivity, particularly in the principal H plane, or more bandwidth. Several applications of such antenna elements in various arrays also are disclosed.

Claims48

Dependent claims

An antenna element, comprising:

(a) three approximately parallel conductors, disposed in approximately the same plane, and separated from each other by approximately equal distances;
(b) four diagonal conductors, of approximately equal length, connect each of the ends of the proximal approximately parallel conductor to the opposite ends of the two distal approximately parallel conductors, without producing a connection where said diagonal conductors cross each other, thereby producing four approximately triangular conductors with perimeters of approximately one wavelength;
and
(c) means for connecting the associated electronic equipment to said antenna element effectively at the center of said proximal approximately parallel conductor.

1 more element

An antenna, comprising two interconnected antenna elements in two planes that are approximately parallel, such that:

(a) the perpendicular distance between said planes is much smaller than one wavelength;
(b) two proximal approximately parallel conductors, one in each of said planes, are disposed so that a line between their centers is approximately perpendicular to said planes;
(c) a first pair of diagonal conductors, of approximately equal length, extends from the ends of the first proximal approximately parallel conductor, in the plane of said first proximal approximately parallel conductor, so that these first diagonal conductors cross without touching at approximately their centers;
(d) a second pair of diagonal conductors, with lengths approximately equal to the lengths of said first pair of diagonal conductors, also extends from the ends of said first proximal approximately parallel conductor, in said plane of said first proximal approximately parallel conductor, but in the opposite direction from the direction of said first pair of diagonal conductors, so that these second diagonal conductors cross without touching at approximately their centers;
(e) a third pair of diagonal conductors, with lengths approximately equal to the lengths of the first two pairs of diagonal conductors, extends from the ends of the second proximal approximately parallel conductor, in the plane of said second proximal approximately parallel conductor and in the direction of said first pair of diagonal conductors, so that these third diagonal conductors cross without touching at approximately their centers;
(f) a fourth pair of diagonal conductors, with lengths approximately equal to the lengths of the first three pairs of diagonal conductors, also extends from the ends of said second proximal approximately parallel conductor, in said plane of said second proximal approximately parallel conductor, but in the direction of said second pair of diagonal conductors, so that these fourth diagonal conductors cross without touching at approximately their centers;
(g) a distal approximately parallel conductor, approximately parallel to said proximal approximately parallel conductors, connects from the distal end of one of said first diagonal conductors, on one side of said antenna, to the distal end of one of said third diagonal conductors, on the other side of said antenna;
(h) a second distal approximately parallel conductor, approximately parallel to said proximal approximately parallel conductors, connects from the distal end of the unconnected first diagonal conductor to the distal end of the unconnected third diagonal conductor;
(i) a third distal approximately parallel conductor, approximately parallel to said proximal approximately parallel conductors, connects from the distal end of one of said second diagonal conductors, on one side of said antenna, to the distal end of one of said fourth diagonal conductors, on the other side of said antenna;
(j) a fourth distal approximately parallel conductor, approximately parallel to said proximal approximately parallel conductors, connects from the distal end of the unconnected second diagonal conductor to the distal end of the unconnected fourth diagonal conductor;
(k) said distal approximately parallel conductors cross each other but do not touch each other;
(l) the lengths of the approximately parallel conductors and the diagonal conductors are such that each of the eight interconnected triangular conductors so produced have perimeters of approximately one wavelength;
and
(m) said antenna is connected to the associated electronic equipment only, effectively, at the center of one of said two proximal approximately parallel conductors.

11 more elements

An antenna system of at least one antenna, each of those antennas comprising two antenna elements, such that:

(a) in each of said antenna elements, there are three approximately parallel conductors, disposed in approximately the same plane, and separated from each other by approximately equal distances;
(b) in each of said antenna elements, four diagonal conductors, of approximately equal length, connect each of the ends of the proximal approximately parallel conductor, to the opposite ends of the two distal approximately parallel conductors, without producing a connection where said diagonal conductors cross each other, thereby producing four approximately triangular conductors with perimeters of approximately one wavelength;
(c) the planes of said two antenna elements are approximately perpendicular to each other;
(d) the intersection of said planes forms a line that passes much closer to the centers of all said approximately parallel conductors than the length of a wavelength and much closer to the crossing points of all said diagonal conductors than the length of a wavelength;
(e) except perhaps at said centers of said approximately parallel conductors, said two antenna elements do not touch each other;
(f) means are provided for connecting to the associated electronic equipment effectively at the centers of the proximal approximately parallel conductors so that the currents in the corresponding conductors of said two antenna elements are consistently related in amplitude by approximately equal ratios of values and are consistently unequal in phase by approximately equal amounts;
and
(g) said antennas are aligned so that the line of intersection of said planes of each of said antennas approximately is the line of intersection of said planes of the other antennas.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Quadruple-delta antenna structure

Life of this patent

Quadruple-delta antenna structure

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims48