US 6,204,824 B1Granted

Collapsible folded dipole antenna

AssigneeRecoton Corporation

InventorsLeonard A. Davi, Harvey E. Gilbert

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Abstract

A collapsible antenna is provided; it is preferably a folded dipole antenna. The antenna has a main body section and two arm sections attached to the main body. At least one of the arms may be moved from an extended position to a collapsed position, thereby reducing the overall length of the antenna. Preferably, the arms may be rotated or pivoted from a first expanded configuration in which they extend in opposite directions from one another to a second collapsed configuration in which they subtend an angle substantially less than 180°. Preferably, the arms extend from the body section in substantially the same direction when they are in the collapsed configuration. A locking mechanism selectively secures the arms in both configurations. Alternatively, one or both arms may telescope. The invention also includes mutual inductance cancelling coils for further reducing the overall length of the antenna without reducing the effective length of the antenna.

Claims22

Dependent claims

An antenna for receiving electromagnetic signals, comprising:

a body section, housing electronic components, said body section having hinged portions;
and
at least two arm sections hingedly attached to said body section at said hinged portions, said arm sections housing a conductor electrically connected to said electronic components, said arm sections disposed on opposite sides of said body section, each of said hinged portions including a hub fixedly attached to said body section and a bore formed in each of said arm sections, said hub disposed in said bore,
wherein said arm sections pivot about said hinged portions and are movable between a first position in which said arm sections extend from said body section in substantially opposite directions to a second position in which said arm sections extend from said body section subtending an angle less than 180°,
and wherein said hinged portions further comprise locking means for locking respective said arm sections in said first and second positions, said locking means comprises:
at least one protuberance disposed on one of said hub and an inner wall of each of said bores;
and
at least two indentations formed in the other of said hub and said inner wall of each of said bores, said protuberance selectively engageable in said indentations,
wherein when said protuberance is engaged in a first indentation, said arm section is secured in said first position, and when said protuberance is engaged in a second indentation, said arm section is secured in said second position.

6 more elements

A folded dipole antenna comprising:

a body section, housing electronic components, said body section having hinged portions;
and
at least two arm sections housing a folded dipole conductor, said arm sections hingedly attached to said body section at said hinged portions, said folded dipole conductor electrically connected to said electronic components, said arm sections disposed on opposite sides of said body section, wherein each of said hinged portions includes a hub fixedly attached to said body section and a bore formed in each of said arm sections, said hub disposed in said bore,
wherein said arm sections pivot about said hinged portions and are movable between a first position in which said arm sections extend from said body section in substantially opposite directions to a second position in which said arm sections extend from said body section in substantially the same direction,
and wherein said hinged portions further comprise locking means for locking respective said arm sections in said first and second positions, said locking means comprising:
at least one protuberance disposed on one of said hub and an inner wall of each of said bores;
and
at least two indentations formed in the other of said hub and said inner wall of each of said bores, said protuberance selectively engageable in said indentations,
wherein when said protuberance is enraged in a first indentation, said arm section is secured in said first position, and when said protuberance is engaged in a second indentation, said arm section is secured in said second position.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.