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US 6,480,157 B1Granted
Foldable directional antenna
AssigneeTantivy Communications, Inc.
InventorsWilliam Robert Palmer, Griffin K. Gothard, Christopher A. Snyder
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A foldable antenna includes a plurality of passive elements radially spaced apart from a center active element. The radial passive elements are joined to the active element to create a deformable union. In this way, the surrounding passive elements can be folded toward the midplane of the antenna array to create a relatively compact stored configuration.
Claims39
An antenna array comprising:
- an active element;
- a plurality of controllable passive elements, each one comprising:
- a dielectric substrate having a first and a second portion;
- a conductive surface disposed on said first portion of said dielectric substrate;
- wherein said second portion of said dielectric substrate comprises a connecting arm substantially perpendicular to said first portion;
- wherein the distal end of said connecting arm is joined to said active element so as to form a deformable union therebetween.
3 more elements
An antenna array comprising:
- a first dielectric substrate;
- a conductive element disposed on said first dielectric substrate;
- a plurality of radial elements spaced at a distance from said conductive element and oriented approximately parallel to said conductive element, wherein each one of said plurality of radial elements comprises:
- a second dielectric substrate;
- a conductive element disposed on said second dielectric substrate;
- an interconnecting arm substantially perpendicular to said second dielectric substrate;
- wherein the free end of each of said plurality of interconnecting arms is deformably joined to said first dielectric substrate.
4 more elements
An antenna array comprising:
- a center element;
- a plurality of controllable passive elements spaced radially about said center element and oriented approximately parallel thereto;
- wherein at least one of said plurality of controllable passive elements and said center element are formed on a single substrate;
- and
- wherein each one of the remaining plurality of controllable passive elements is joined to said center element via a deformable union.
2 more elements
(Once amended) An antenna array comprising:
- a dielectric substrate
- center antenna element disposed on said dielectric substrate;
- at least one additional element disposed on said dielectric substrate and spaced apart from said center element;
- two spaced-apart elements joined by a deformable member there between;
- and
- wherein said deformable member is joined to said center element such that said two spaced-apart elements are deformable with respect to said center element.
3 more elements
(Once amended) An antenna array comprising:
- first and second antenna elements formed on a first H-shaped dielectric substrate;
- third and fourth antenna elements formed on a second H-shaped dielectric substrate;
- wherein the horizontal bar of said first and second H-shaped dielectric substrates are joined so as to form a deformable union therebetween;
- and
- wherein each one of the plurality of the antenna elements comprises a conductive surface for receiving and transmitting radio frequency energy.
2 more elements
(Once amended) An antenna array comprising:
- a plurality of antenna elements spaced radially about and parallel to a center axis and joined to form a rotationally deformable union at said center axis ;
- and
- wherein said rotationally deformable union allows the plurality antenna elements to be oriented in a deployable configuration spaced apart from each other, and in a stowed configuration proximate to each other, by rotation about said center axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.