MODULAR ANTENNA ASSEMBLY

• US 20150303586A1
• Filed: 04/17/2014
• Published: 10/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Urcia, Manny S., Marshall, Joseph A., Manry, Charles W. Jr., HAFENRICHTER, JOSEPH L., Adeeyo, Mohammad-Nasar M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,658,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/40 Radiating elements coated with or embedded in protective material
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0025 Modular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0087 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing antenna arrays manufacturing waveguides H01P11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an antenna assembly that includes a plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules that are interconnected together to form an antenna layer. Each of the antenna modules may include a support structure including a core frame connected to a core support, and a backskin connected to one or both of the core frame and the core support. The antenna assembly may also include an alignment grid configured to receive and align each of the antenna modules, and/or a matching layer configured to receive and align each of the antenna modules.

Claims

1. An antenna assembly, comprising:

a plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules that are interconnected together to form an antenna layer.

2. The antenna assembly of claim 1, further comprising an alignment grid configured to receive and align each of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules.

3. The antenna assembly of claim 1, further comprising a cover layer configured to receive and align each of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules.

4. The antenna assembly of claim 1, further comprising an electronics layer operatively connected to the antenna layer.

5. The antenna assembly of claim 4, wherein the electronics layer comprises a plurality of separate and distinct electronics card modules.

6. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules comprises a core frame connected to a core support.

7. The antenna assembly of claim 6, wherein the core frame is separate and distinct from the core support.

8. The antenna assembly of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules further comprises a backskin connected to one or both of the core frame and the core support.

9. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules comprises an antenna card having a plurality of antenna elements.

10. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules is bonded together with adhesive through rotational curing.

11. The antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules comprises half-thickness outer walls that cooperate to form a full thickness outer wall when abutting against another half-thickness wall of another one of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules.

12. An antenna assembly, comprising:

a plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules that are interconnected together to form an antenna layer, wherein each of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules comprises a support structure including a core frame connected to a core support, and a backskin connected to one or both of the core frame and the core support;

an alignment grid configured to receive and align each of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules; and

a cover layer configured to receive and align each of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules.

13. The antenna assembly of claim 12, further comprising an electronics layer operatively connected to the antenna layer.

14. The antenna assembly of claim 13, wherein the electronics layer comprises a plurality of separate and distinct electronics card modules.

15. The antenna assembly of claim 12, wherein the core frame is separate and distinct from the core support.

16. The antenna assembly of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules further comprises an antenna card supported by the support structure, and wherein the antenna card comprises at least one antenna element.

17. The antenna assembly of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules is bonded together with adhesive through rotational curing.

18. The antenna assembly of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules further comprises half-thickness outer walls that cooperate to form a full thickness outer wall with another half-thickness wall of another one of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules.

19. An antenna assembly, comprising:

a plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules that are interconnected together to form an antenna layer, wherein each of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules comprises;

(a) a support structure including a core frame connected to a separate and distinct core support, (b) a backskin connected to one or both of the core frame and the core support, and (c) an antenna card supported by the support structure, wherein the antenna card comprises at least one antenna element, wherein the support structure, the backskin and the antenna card are bonded together with adhesive through rotational curing;

an alignment grid configured to receive and align each of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules;

a cover layer configured to receive and align each of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules; and

an electronics layer operatively connected to the antenna layer, wherein the electronics layer comprises a plurality of separate and distinct electronics card modules.

20. The antenna assembly of claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules further comprises half-thickness outer walls that cooperate to form a full thickness outer wall with another half-thickness wall of another one of the plurality of separate and distinct antenna modules.