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US 7,126,553 B1Granted
Deployable antenna
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsPatrick W. Fink, Justin A. Dobbins, Greg Y. Lin, Andrew W. Chu, Robert C. Scully
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A deployable antenna and method for using wherein the deployable antenna comprises a collapsible membrane having at least one radiating element for transmitting electromagnetic waves, receiving electromagnetic waves, or both.
Claims65
An antenna comprising:
- a collapsible membrane having at least one radiating slot for transmitting electromagnetic waves, receiving electromagnetic waves, or both;
- and
- a ring support formed of a deformable material attached to the perimeter of the collapsible membrane, wherein the ring support is capable of collapsing by twisting opposing ends of the ring support in opposite screw senses while simultaneously bringing the opposing ends toward each other and forming a predetermined number of interleaved concentric sections.
An antenna comprising:
- at least one collapsible membrane;
- a ring support formed of a deformable material attached to the perimeter of the at least one collapsible membrane, wherein the ring support is capable of collapsing by twisting opposing ends of the ring support in opposite screw senses while simultaneously bringing the opposing ends toward each other and forming a predetermined number of interleaved concentric sections;
- and
- at least one radiating element attached to one of the at least one collapsible membrane for transmitting electromagnetic waves, receiving electromagnetic waves, or both.
1 more element
An antenna comprising:
- a collapsible membrane;
- a ring support formed of a deformable material attached to the perimeter of the collapsible membrane, wherein the ring support is capable of collapsing by twisting opposing ends of the ring support in opposite screw senses while simultaneously bringing the opposing ends toward each other and forming a predetermined number of interleaved concentric sections;
- and
- at least one radiating means for transmitting electromagnetic waves, receiving electromagnetic waves, or both attached to the collapsible membrane by an attachment means for attaching the radiating means to the collapsible membrane.
1 more element
An antenna comprising:
- a collapsible membrane of deformable, nonconductive material wherein the collapsible membrane is collapsible into a plurality of sections;
- a ring support formed of a deformable material attached to the perimeter of the collapsible membrane, wherein the ring support is capable of collapsing by twisting opposing ends of the ring support in opposite screw senses while simultaneously bringing the opposing ends toward each other and forming a predetermined number of interleaved concentric sections;
- and
- at least one array antenna attached to the collapsible membrane for transmitting electromagnetic waves, receiving electromagnetic waves, or both.
1 more element
An antenna comprising:
- a first collapsible membrane of deformable, nonconductive material wherein the first collapsible membrane is collapsible into a plurality of sections;
- a first ring support formed of a deformable material secured to the perimeter of the first collapsible membrane, wherein the first ring support is capable of collapsing by twisting opposing ends of the first ring support in opposite screw senses while simultaneously bringing the opposing ends toward each other and forming a predetermined number of interleaved concentric sections;
- and
- at least one radiating means for transmitting electromagnetic waves, receiving electromagnetic waves, or both wherein the at least one radiating means is attached to the first collapsible membrane.
1 more element
The claim according to 39, further comprising:
- a plurality of second collapsible membranes secured to the first collapsible membrane wherein the plurality of second collapsible membranes are formed of a deformable, conductive material;
- a plurality of second ring supports secured to the perimeter of the plurality of second collapsible membranes and wherein the plurality of second ring supports are formed of a second deformable material, wherein the second ring support is capable of collapsing by twisting opposing ends of the second ring support in opposite screw senses while simultaneously bringing the opposing ends toward each other and forming a predetermined number of interleaved concentric sections;
- and
- a third ring support surrounding the collapsible membrane and the plurality of second collapsible membranes and wherein the third ring support is formed of a nonconductive, deformable material, wherein the third ring support is capable of collapsing by twisting opposing ends of the third ring support in opposite screw senses while simultaneously bringing the opposing ends toward each other and forming a predetermined number of interleaved concentric sections.
1 more element
The claim according to 39, wherein the open ends of the two elongated boundary components in the shape of a “V” are connected with an elongated resistance, wherein the resistance is formed of a fabric with a predetermined conductivity.
The claim according to 39, further comprising:
- a plurality of second collapsible membranes secured to the first collapsible membrane wherein the plurality of second collapsible membranes are formed of a deformable, conductive material;
- and
- a plurality of second ring supports secured to the perimeter of the plurality of second collapsible membranes and wherein the plurality of second ring supports are formed of a second deformable material, wherein each second ring support is capable of collapsing by twisting opposing ends of each second ring support in opposite screw senses while simultaneously bringing the opposing ends toward each other and forming a predetermined number of interleaved concentric sections.
An antenna comprising:
- a ring support formed of a conductive, deformable material, wherein the ring support is capable of collapsing by twisting opposing ends of the ring support in opposite screw senses while simultaneously bringing the opposing ends toward each other and forming a predetermined number of interleaved concentric sections;
- a collapsible membrane secured at its perimeter to the ring support wherein the collapsible membrane is formed of a nonconductive material;
- and
- an antenna interface adapter electrically connected to the ring support.
1 more element
An antenna comprising:
- a first ring support formed of a deformable material, wherein the first ring support is capable of collapsing by twisting opposing ends of the first ring support in opposite screw senses while simultaneously bringing the opposing ends toward each other and forming a predetermined number of interleaved concentric sections;
- a radiating element ring secured to the first ring support at the radiating element ring's outside perimeter wherein the at least radiating element ring is collapsible, forming a vacant area of air that shares a common center with the first ring support, and forming a gap such that the radiating element ring does not complete a full circle;
- and
- an antenna interface adapter electrically connected to the radiating element ring.
1 more element
An antenna comprising:
- at least one boundary component comprised of at least one collapsible membrane formed of a flexible, conductive material;
- a first ring support attached to the at least one boundary component wherein the first ring support is formed of a first deformable material, wherein the first ring support is capable of collapsing by twisting opposing ends of the first ring support in opposite screw senses while simultaneously bringing the opposing ends toward each other and forming a predetermined number of interleaved concentric sections;
- a second ring support attached to the at least one boundary component and coupled to the first ring support in such as way as to allow folding the first and second ring supports with respect to each other, thus forming a wedge, and wherein the second ring support is formed of a second deformable material, wherein the second ring support is capable of collapsing by twisting opposing ends of the second ring support in opposite screw senses while simultaneously bringing the opposing ends toward each other and forming a predetermined number of interleaved concentric sections;
- a feed probe electrically connected on the feed probe's first end to the at least one boundary component inside either the perimeter of the first or second ring supports and passing through the perimeter of the second ring support;
- and
- an antenna interface adapter electrically connected to the feed probe's second end.
3 more elements
An antenna comprising:
- a first collapsible membrane formed of a flexible, nonconductive material;
- a ring support attached to the perimeter of the first collapsible membrane wherein the ring support is formed of a deformable material, wherein the ring support is capable of collapsing by twisting opposing ends of the ring support in opposite screw senses while simultaneously bringing the opposing ends toward each other and forming a predetermined number of interleaved concentric sections;
- at least one top boundary component formed of flexible conductive material, flexible non-conductive material, or both supported by the first collapsible membrane;
- a ground plane boundary component attached to the ring support at the perimeter of the ground plane boundary component wherein the ground plane boundary component is formed of a flexible, conductive material;
- a collapsible dielectric spacer contained between the first collapsible membrane and the ground plane boundary component wherein the collapsible dielectric spacer is formed of a material with a relative dielectric constant greater than or equal to 1,
- at least one probe feed electrically connected to the at least one top boundary component, wherein the at least one probe feed extends through the collapsible membrane, collapsible dielectric spacer, and ground plane boundary component, wherein the at least one probe feed is not electrically connected to the ground plane boundary component, and wherein the at least one probe feed is formed of a conductive material;
- and
- an antenna interface adapter electrically connected to the at least one probe feed and the ground plane boundary component.
5 more elements
An antenna comprising:
- a collapsible membrane of deformable, nonconductive material wherein the collapsible membrane is collapsible into a plurality of sections;
- at least one array antenna attached to the collapsible membrane for transmitting electromagnetic waves, receiving electromagnetic waves, or both;
- a plurality of fasteners formed of nonconductive material and of predetermined length wherein one end of the plurality of fasteners is attached to the collapsible membrane;
- and
- a reflector attached to the second end of the plurality of fasteners wherein the reflector is generally parallel to the at least one array antenna and spaced at a predetermined distance from the at least one array antenna.
2 more elements
An antenna comprising:
- at least one collapsible membrane formed of a flexible material;
- a first ring support attached to the at least one collapsible membrane wherein the first ring support is formed of a deformable material, wherein the first ring support is capable of collapsing by twisting opposing ends of the first ring support in opposite screw senses while simultaneously bringing the opposing ends toward each other and forming a predetermined number of interleaved concentric sections;
- a second ring support attached to the at least one collapsible membrane and coupled to the first ring support in such as way as to allow folding the first and second ring supports with respect to each other, thus forming a wedge, and wherein the second ring support is formed of a deformable material, wherein the second ring support is capable of collapsing by twisting opposing ends of the second ring support in opposite screw senses while simultaneously bringing the opposing ends toward each other and forming a predetermined number of interleaved concentric sections;
- at least one boundary component attached to the at least one collapsible membrane;
- a feed probe electrically connected on the feed probe's first end to the at least one boundary component inside either the perimeter of the first or second ring supports and passing through the perimeter of the second ring support;
- and
- an antenna interface adapter electrically connected to the feed probe's second end.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.