Conformal driveshaft cover SATCOM antenna

• US 20060250317A1
• Filed: 05/03/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Florenio Pinili Regala
• Original Assignee: Florenio Pinili Regala
• Inventors: Regala, Florenio Pinili
• Granted Patent: US 7,233,295 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/795
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/282 Modifying the aerodynamic properties of the vehicle, e.g. projecting type aerials
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/286 substantially flush mounted with the skin of the craft
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/40 Radiating elements coated with or embedded in protective material
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/26 Turnstile or like antennas comprising arrangements of three or more elongated elements disposed radially and symmetrically in a horizontal plane about a common centre

Abstract

An antenna assembly (700) includes a set of conformal shells (704, 706) housing a set of orthogonal dipoles (102, 104, 108, 110) that produce a circularly polarized radiation pattern. The dipoles (102, 104, 108, 110) are fed by a quadrature hybrid (118) and impedance matching circuit (114). The assembly (700) also includes a set of baluns (126, 128) to reduce VSWR.

Claims

1. An antenna assembly, comprising:

an arcuate-shaped dielectric substrate formed to fit a horizontal-driveshaft cover of a rotor assembly in a non-fixed-wing aircraft; and

a set of arcuate-shaped dipoles disposed on the dielectric substrate to conform to the arcuate shape thereof,

wherein, the arcuate-shaped dipoles transceive an electromagnetic radiation pattern at a larger angle from a line perpendicular to a lengthwise dimension of the horizontal-driveshaft cover than an electromagnetic radiation pattern transceived by a set of substantially co-planar dipoles of a length equal to a length of the arcuate dipoles and placed in a plane parallel to the lengthwise dimension of the horizontal-driveshaft cover.

2. The antenna assembly according to claim 1, wherein the arcuate-shaped dielectric substrate comprises at least one of:

fiberglass;

plastic;

carbon fiber;

RT/Duroid; and

composite.

3. The antenna assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fit is against one of:

a concave inside surface of the horizontal-driveshaft cover; and

a convex outside surface of the horizontal-driveshaft cover.

4. The antenna assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fit is within a layer of the horizontal-driveshaft cover.

5. The antenna assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

an electrical connector;

an impedance-matching circuit; and

a quadrature hybrid circuit disposed between the electrical connector and the impedance-matching circuit

6. The antenna assembly according to claim 5, wherein:

the quadrature hybrid circuit is disposed on a concave surface of the arcuate-shaped dielectric substrate.

7. The antenna assembly according to claim 5, further comprising:

at least one balun in electrical communication with the impedance-matching circuit.

8. An antenna assembly, comprising:

a radome formed to fit an arcuate-shaped horizontal-driveshaft cover for a rotor assembly in a non-fixed-wing aircraft; and

a set of arcuate-shaped dipoles disposed within the radome and shaped to conform to the arcuate-shaped horizontal-driveshaft cover,

wherein, the arcuate-shaped dipoles transceive an electromagnetic radiation pattern at a larger angle from a line perpendicular to a lengthwise dimension of the horizontal-driveshaft cover than an electromagnetic radiation pattern transceived by a set of substantially co-planar dipoles of a length equal to a length of the arcuate dipoles and placed in a plane parallel to the lengthwise dimension of the horizontal-driveshaft cover.

9. The antenna assembly according to claim 8, wherein the set of arcuate-shaped dipoles are formed as one or more layers within the radome.

10. The antenna assembly according to claim 8, further comprising:

a honeycomb material disposed within the radome.

11. The antenna assembly according to claim 10, further comprising:

at least one recessed section disposed within the honeycomb material, the recessed section for accepting the set of arcuate-shaped dipoles.

12. The antenna assembly according to claim 8, wherein the set of arcuate-shaped dipoles are electrically connected so at to transceive a circularly-polarized electromagnetic radiation pattern.

13. A communication system for a non-fixed-wing aircraft having a rotor assembly with a horizontal driveshaft, the communication system comprising:

a radio connected to an antenna assembly, the antenna assembly including;

an arcuate-shaped dielectric substrate formed to fit a horizontal-driveshaft cover of the rotor assembly; and

a set of arcuate-shaped dipoles disposed on the dielectric substrate to conform to the arcuate shape thereof,

wherein, the arcuate-shaped dipoles transceive an electromagnetic radiation pattern at a larger angle from a line perpendicular to a lengthwise dimension of the horizontal-driveshaft cover than an electromagnetic radiation pattern transceived by a set of substantially co-planar dipoles of a length equal to a length of the arcuate-shaped dipoles and placed in a plane parallel to the lengthwise dimension of the horizontal-driveshaft cover.

14. The antenna assembly according to claim 13, wherein the arcuate dielectric substrate comprises at least one of:

fiberglass;

plastic;

carbon fiber;

RT/Duroid; and

composite.

15. The antenna assembly according to claim 13, wherein the fit is against one of:

a concave inside surface of the horizontal-driveshaft cover; and

a convex outside surface of the horizontal-driveshaft cover.

16. The antenna assembly according to claim 13, wherein the fit is within a layer of the horizontal-driveshaft cover.

17. The antenna assembly according to claim 13, further comprising:

an electrical connector;

an impedance-matching circuit; and

a quadrature hybrid circuit disposed between the electrical connector and the impedance-matching circuit

18. The antenna assembly according to claim 17, wherein:

the quadrature hybrid circuit is disposed on a concave surface of the arcuate-shaped dielectric substrate.

19. The antenna assembly according to claim 17, further comprising:

at least one balun in electrical communication with the impedance-matching circuit.

20. The antenna assembly according to claim 13, wherein the set of arcuate-shaped dipoles are electrically connected so at to transceive a circularly-polarized electromagnetic radiation pattern.