COLLAPSIBLE HIGH GAIN ANTENNA

• US 3,737,912 A
• Filed: 09/16/1971
• Issued: 06/05/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Herbert E. Cribb
• Original Assignee: Herbert E. Cribb
• Inventors: Cribb, Herbert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rolinec, Rudolph V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chatmon, Jr., Saxfield
• Application Number:
  US05/181,024
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 343/705,747,880,889,895,901,883,868
• US Class Current: 343/880
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/081 Inflatable antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/084 Pivotable antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 11/086 collapsible

Abstract

A lightweight small high gain antenna which is capable of being packaged in a collapsed form and automatically expanded when in use. The antenna includes a cylindrical housing having a rod with a piston adjacent one end extending therethrough. Attached to the outer end of the rod in a normally collapsed state is a helical wire coil. When the gas producing means is activated the piston and rod are shifted outwardly to expand the wire coil. A latch means is provided for holding the helical coil in the expanded position.

Claims

1. A collapsible helical antenna comprising:

A. an elongated cylindrical housing, B. said elongated cylindrical housing having an elongated bore therein, C. an enlarged housing carried adjacent an outer end of said elongated cylindrical housing communicating with said elongated bore, D. an elongated rod carried in said elongated bore with an outer end of said elongated rod extending out an outer end of said elongated bore into said enlarged housing, E. a piston carried on an inner end of said rod having a diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of said elongated bore, F. an antenna element consisting of a normally collapsed helical wire coil carried in said enlarged housing, G. one end of said helical wire coil being coupled to said outer end of said elongated rod, H. an electrical connector coupled to the other end of saiD helical wire coil, I. a gas producing means normally carried in said elongated cylindrical housing adjacent said piston, J. means for activating said gas producing means for producing gas in said elongated bore to push said piston and said elongated rod outwardly so as to expand said helical wire coil, and K. latch means for holding said helical wire coil in an expanded position.

2. The collapsible helical antenna as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

A. said gas producing means includes a pyrotechnic device that generates expanding gas when activated by an electrical signal.

3. The collapsible helical antenna as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

A. said latch means includes an expandible spring member carried by a lower end of said elongated rod which expands to hold said helical wire coil in said expanded position.

4. The collapsible helical antenna as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

A. said enlarged housing is cup-shaped, and B. a disc-shaped cap is carried on the outer end of said elongated rod for providing a cover for said enlarged housing when said helical wire coil is collapsed in said enlarged housing.