Wide-band L-band corporate fed antenna for space based radars

• US 5,227,808 A
• Filed: 05/31/1991
• Issued: 07/13/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Inventors: Davis, Mark B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hille, Rolf
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ho, Tan
• Application Number:
  US07/708,541
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 343/767, 343/770, 343/771, 343/700 MS, 343/881, 343/915
• US Class Current: 343/915
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/08 Means for collapsing antennas or parts thereof collapsible loop antennas H01Q7/02; means for collapsing H-antennas or Yagi antennas H01Q19/04
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 13/085 Slot-line radiating ends

Abstract

A large antenna array is constructed in sub-arrays which are supported in a stacked and folded (stowed) condition, and then deployed by first unfolding and then expanding the stack. The sub-arrays are compressed together to yield a very compact stowed configuration, due to the absence of a continuous ground planes. The compressed sub-arrays are contained within a foldable cage like frame.

Claims

1. In a collapsible antenna array having no ground plane, the combination comprising:

a plurality of planar sub-arrays, each of said sub-arrays comprising an elongated, thin, flexible substrate having a plurality of antenna elements printed thereon;

a feed strip comprising a second flexible substrate having feedlines thereon for supplying R.F. energy to said antenna elements of said sub-arrays, said sub-arrays being mounted in spaced parallel relationship on said second substrate, said second substrate being foldable when said sub-arrays are compressed in a direction transverse to said parallel relationship, whereby said antenna array can be stored in a compressed state.

2. The antenna array of claim 1 in which said feedlines for supplying said R.F. energy to said antenna elements are printed on said second flexible substrate, and said second substrate is comprised of a dielectric material.