Antenna feed and support system

• US 5,861,858 A
• Filed: 06/30/1997
• Issued: 01/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GSLE Subco, LLC (SPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Niekamp, Rex Leonard
• Primary Examiner(s): Font, Frank G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TU T
• Application Number:
  US08/885,370
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 343/800, 343/890, 343/795
• US Class Current: 343/800
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1242 Rigid masts specially adapted for supporting an aerial
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0006 Particular feeding systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/20 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a curvilinear path slotted waveguide arrays H01Q21/005; circularly or helically slotted waveguides H01Q21/0062
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/205 providing an omnidirectional coverage turnstile aerials H01Q21/26
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/28 Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/285 Planar dipole H01Q9/065 takes precedence; patch antenna H01Q9/0407

Abstract

An antenna system is presented having a feed for feeding an antenna and apparatus for supporting the feed. The system includes a vertically oriented, electrically conductive hollow mast which carries first and second groups of vertically spaced bays of radiating elements. Each bay includes an arrangement of N radiating elements extending outward from the mast. N vertically oriented electrically conductive, hollow feed support members are spaced away from the mast. Each support member carries an elongated feed conductor extending vertically within the support member. The support members extend vertically upward coextensively with that of the mast to approximately midway between said first and second groups of bays. N hollow electrically conductive, coupling arms are provided and each arm extends between the mast and one of the N support members. Each arm carries first and second conductors each connected at one end to a feed conductor. The first conductor extends upwardly within the mast to feed the first group. The second conductor extends downwardly within the mast to feed the second group.

Claims

1. An antenna system having a feed for feeding an antenna and apparatus for supporting said feed, comprising:

a vertically oriented, electrically conductive hollow mast;

first and second groups of vertically spaced bays of radiating elements carried by said mast, each bay including an arrangement of N radiating elements extending outward from said mast;

N vertically oriented electrically conductive, hollow feed support members spaced away from said mast, each said support member carrying an elongated feed conductor extending vertically within said support member, said support members extending vertically upward coextensively with that of said mast to approximately midway between said first and second groups of bays; and

N hollow electrically conductive, coupling arms each extending between said mast and one of said N support members and carrying first and second conductors each connected at one end to a said feed conductor and said first conductor extending upwardly within said mast to feed said first group and said second conductor extending downwardly within said mast to feed said second group.

2. An antenna system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mast includes N mast tubes, each mast tube being coextensive with said mast.

3. An antenna system as set forth in claim 2, wherein each said first conductor extends upwardly within one of said N mast tubes and each said second conductor extends downwardly within one of said N mast tubes.

4. An antenna system as set forth in claim 3, wherein each said radiating element has a feed end and means for coupling RF energy from one of said first and second conductors to said feed end.

5. An antenna system as set forth in claim 4, wherein each said radiating element is a dipole element.

6. An antenna system as set forth in claim 5, wherein N equals four.

7. An antenna system as set forth in claim 5, wherein each said dipole element is a flat dipole wing element.

8. An antenna system as set forth in claim 7, wherein N equals four and said wing elements are spaced 90°

apart from each other about said mast in a turnstile arrangement.

9. An antenna system as set forth in claim 1 including an antenna support structure for supporting said antenna, said support structure having a support plate, said mast having a lower end carried by said support plate, said N feed support members being mounted to and carried by said support plate.

10. An antenna system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said support structure includes a tower.

11. An antenna system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said mast includes N mast tubes, each mast tube being coextensive with said mast.

12. An antenna system as set forth in claim 11, wherein each said first conductor extends upwardly within one of said N mast tubes and each said second conductor extends downwardly within one of said N mast tubes.

13. An antenna system as set forth in claim 12, wherein each said radiating element has a feed end and means for coupling RF energy from one of said first and second conductors to said feed end.

14. An antenna system as set forth in claim 13, wherein each said radiating element is a dipole element.

15. An antenna system as set forth in claim 14, wherein N equals four.

16. An antenna system as set forth in claim 14, wherein each said dipole element is a flat dipole wing element.

17. An antenna system as set forth in claim 16, wherein N equals four and said wing elements are spaced 90°

apart from each other about said mast in a turnstile arrangement.

18. An antenna structure comprising:

a first elongated antenna bay including a plurality of antennas, each of the antennas being separated longitudinally by mounting on a centrally located elongated support element, each of said plurality of antennas including an equal number of a plurality of radiating elements extending circumferentially from the centrally located support element and separated by equal angular arcs, and wherein the support elements include a plurality of signal feed elements wherein the support elements and signal feed elements form a plurality of coaxial feed lines, one line for each of the angular arcs of the plurality of radiating elements,

a second elongated antenna bay including a plurality of antennas, each of the antennas being separated longitudinally by mounting on a centrally located elongated support element, each of said plurality of antennas including an equal number of a plurality of radiating elements extending circumferentially from the support element and separated by equal angular arcs, and wherein the support element includes a plurality of signal feed elements wherein the support elements and signal feed elements form a plurality of coaxial feed lines, one line for each of the angular arcs of the plurality of radiating elements,

a plurality of support member feed lines corresponding to the number of coaxial feed lines in the first and second antenna bays extending longitudinally through the second bay for providing a support structure for the first and second antenna bays, the support members being formed of a hollow shaft supporting member and an inner conductor, wherein the support members form a plurality of coaxial feed lines,

means adapted for mounting the first antenna bay longitudinally onto the second antenna bay wherein the second bay is adapted to vertically support the first antenna bay, and

coupling means adjacent the mounting means, for coupling separate ones of the plurality support member feed lines to the coaxial feed lines in the first and second antenna bays.

19. An antenna structure comprising:

first and second elongated antenna bays, each bay including a plurality of turnstile antennas, each of the antennas being separated longitudinally by mounting on a centrally located elongated support element, each of said plurality of antennas including four radiating elements, and wherein the support element includes four signal feed elements forming coaxial feed lines, one coaxial feed line for each of the radiating elements,

four support member feed lines extending longitudinally through the second bay for providing a support structure for the first and second antenna bays, the support members being formed of a hollow shaft supporting member and an inner conductor, wherein the support members and inner conductors form four coaxial feed lines,

means adapted for vertically mounting the first antenna bay onto an end of the second antenna bay and longitudinally therewith wherein the four support member feed lines of the second bay provide vertical support the first antenna bay, and

coupling means adjacent the mounting means, for coupling separate ones of the four support member feed lines to separate ones of the four coaxial feed lines in each of the first and second antenna bays.

20. A base antenna structure comprising:

an elongated base antenna bay including a plurality of antennas, each of the antennas being separated longitudinally by mounting on a centrally located elongated support element, each of said plurality of antennas including an equal number of a plurality of radiating elements extending circumferentially from the centrally located support element and separated by equal angular arcs, and wherein the support element include a plurality of signal feed elements wherein the support elements and signal feed elements form a plurality of coaxial feed lines, one line for each of the angular arcs of the plurality of radiating elements,

a plurality of support member feed lines corresponding to the number of coaxial feed lines in the antenna bay extending longitudinally through the base antenna bay for providing a support structure for the base antenna bay, the support members being formed of a hollow shaft supporting member and an inner conductor, wherein the support members form a plurality of coaxial feed lines,

means adapted for mounting an additional elongated antenna bay having a plurality of antennas of similar construction longitudinally onto the base antenna bay wherein plurality of support member feed lines of the base antenna bay are adapted to provide vertical support for the additional antenna bay, and

coupling means adjacent the mounting means, for coupling separate ones of the plurality support member feed lines to the coaxial feed lines in the base antenna bay and adapted to be coupled to the coaxial feed lines in the additional antenna bay.

21. A method of providing a combined signal feed element and structural member for supplying signals for an antenna structure including first and second elongated antenna bays wherein each antenna includes a plurality of antennas mounted serially on an elongated structure and wherein signal feed lines run along the elongated structure and are coupled to the antennas, the method comprising:

mechanically coupling the first and second antenna bays together into a single elongated antenna structure for vertical mounting of the first antenna bay on the second antenna bay,

providing a plurality of rigid elongated conductive hollow structural members extending the length of the second antenna bay formed as transmission lines, wherein the structural elements function as support members for the vertical antenna structure as well as signal transmission lines, and

coupling the transmission lines to the first and second antenna bay signal feed lines adjacent the point at which the first and second antenna bays are mechanically coupled together.