Integrated Antenna System

• US 20130016019A1
• Filed: 07/15/2011
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Stoneback, Matthew A., Layton, Otis Franklin, Marshall, Joseph A. IV, Sego, Daniel Joseph, Gaw, Kevin O'Brien
• Granted Patent: US 9,270,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/705
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/30 Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/40 Shaping or impregnating by compression B29C70/34 takes precedencenot applied
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/865 completely encapsulated
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/885 with incorporated metallic wires, nets, films or plates as lost heating elements B29C35/0272, B29C61/0625
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/28 Adaptation for use in or on aircraft, missiles, satellites, or balloons
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/287 integrated in a wing or a stabiliser
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/40 Radiating elements coated with or embedded in protective material
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/106 Microstrip slot antennas patch antenna elements H01Q9/0407
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1089 of discrete laminae to single face of additional lamina

Abstract

A method and apparatus comprising a resin layer, a number of conductive elements, and a number of layers of reinforcement material. The number of conductive elements is on the resin layer. The number of conductive elements has a configuration that forms an antenna system. The number of layers of reinforcement material forms a reinforcement for a composite structure, and at least a portion of the resin layer forms a matrix for the composite structure.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a resin layer;

a number of conductive elements on the resin layer, wherein the number of conductive elements has a configuration that forms an antenna system; and

a number of layers of reinforcement material, wherein the number of layers of reinforcement material form a reinforcement for a composite structure, and at least a portion of the resin layer forms a matrix for the composite structure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resin layer is a first resin layer, the number of conductive elements is a first number of conductive elements, and further comprising:

a second resin layer, wherein at least a portion of the second resin layer is part of the matrix for the reinforcement; and

a second number of conductive elements, wherein a configuration of the second number of conductive elements on the second resin layer is a part of the antenna system.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least one layer in the number of layers of reinforcement material separates the first resin layer and the second resin layer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the number of conductive elements comprises at least one of an antenna, a control line, a radio frequency transmission line, a conductive radio frequency transmission line, a conductive trace, a capacitor, a switch, a resistor, and an inductor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resin layer and the number of layers of reinforcement material are consolidated to form a laminate in which the laminate is shaped to have a desired shape to form the composite structure.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the resin layer is selected from one of a thermoplastic resin layer and a thermoset resin layer.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein thermoplastic resin in the thermoplastic resin layer comprises at least one of a polyether ketone, a polyolefin, and a polyamide.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement material in the number of layers of reinforcement material is selected from at least one of fiberglass, carbon, and graphite.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a layer in the number of layers of reinforcement material is in a form selected from one of a cloth, a tape, and woven fibers.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the composite structure is selected from one of a wing, a horizontal stabilizer, a vertical stabilizer, a flap, an engine housing, and a fuselage.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the composite structure is associated with a platform selected from a group, wherein the platform is selected from one of a mobile platform, a stationary platform, a land-based structure, an aquatic-based structure, a space-based structure, an aircraft, an unmanned aerial vehicle, a surface of a ship, a tank, a personnel carrier, a train, a spacecraft, a space station, a satellite, a submarine, an automobile, a power plant, a bridge, a dam, a manufacturing facility, and a building.

12. A method for operating an antenna, the method comprising:

generating a signal in a number of conductive elements in a composite structure, wherein the composite structure comprises a matrix formed from at least a portion of a resin layer and a reinforcement formed from a number of layers of reinforcement material and wherein a configuration of the number of conductive elements forms an antenna system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the signal is generated in the number of conductive elements with an electromagnetic signal received by the antenna system.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the signal is an electromagnetic signal generated in the number of conductive elements by at least a portion of the number of conductive elements.

15. A method for forming an antenna system, the method comprising:

forming a number of conductive elements in a configuration on a resin layer, wherein the configuration of the number of conductive elements forms the antenna system;

positioning the resin layer with the number of conductive elements with respect to a number of layers of reinforcement material; and

consolidating the resin layer with the number of layers of reinforcement material to form a composite structure, wherein the antenna system is in the composite structure.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the consolidating step comprises:

consolidating the resin layer with the number of layers of reinforcement material to form a laminate in which the laminate has a substantially planar shape;

placing the laminate on a mold; and

changing a shape of the laminate on the mold into a desired shape for the composite structure to form the composite structure.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the desired shape for the composite structure is selected from one of a wing, a horizontal stabilizer, a vertical stabilizer, a flap, an engine housing, and a fuselage.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the resin layer is selected from one of a thermoplastic resin layer and a thermoset resin layer.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein thermoplastic resin in the resin layer comprises at least one of a polyether ketone, a polyolefin, and a polyamide.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the number of layers of reinforcement material is selected from at least one of fiberglass, carbon, and graphite.