Contrawound helical antenna

• US 6,320,550 B1
• Filed: 04/05/1999
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: West Virginia University
• Original Assignee: Vortexx, Inc.
• Inventors: Van Voorhies, Kurt L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOANG V
• Application Number:
  US09/285,987
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: H01/Q 1.112, 343/742, 343/743, 343/744, 343/748, 343/866, 343/867, 343/868, 343/895, 343/878, 343/787, 343/788
• US Class Current: 343/742
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/36 Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewithH01Q1/08, H01Q1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 11/08 Helical antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 11/12 Resonant antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 11/14 with parts bent, folded, shaped or screened or with phasing impedances, to obtain desired phase relation of radiation from selected sections of the antenna or to obtain desired polarisation effect H01Q11/20 takes precedence

Abstract

A contrawound helical antenna produces a uniformly directed circulation of magnetic current with a plurality of magnetic dipole elements. In one embodiment, the magnetic dipole elements have the same curvature, and the magnetic currents on respective magnetic dipole elements are each directed in the same direction, relative to the central signal coupler of the magnetic dipole antenna. In another embodiment, the magnetic dipole elements have the opposite curvature, and the magnetic currents on respective magnetic dipole elements are each directed in opposite directions, relative to the central signal coupler of the magnetic dipole antenna.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic antenna comprising:

(a) first and second conductors in generalized contrawound helical relation to one another, wherein said first and second conductors arc insulated from one another, said first conductor is divided into first and second portions by a first node, said second conductor is divided into first and second portions by a second node, said first and second nodes are in proximate location to one another and constitute a first port, said first portion of said first conductor is in overlapping relation with said first portion of said second conductor as a first portion of a generalized contrawound helix, said second portion of said first conductor is in overlapping relation with said second portion of said second conductor as a second portion of said generalized contrawound helix, said generalized contrawound helix has an axis having curvature; and

(b) a signal feed comprising first and second terminals, wherein said first and second terminals are operatively coupled to said first and second nodes.

2. An electromagnetic antenna as recited in claim 1, wherein the direction of curvature of said axis from said first port within said first portion of said generalized contrawound helix is equal to the direction of curvature of said axis from said first port within said second portion of said generalized contrawound helix.

3. An electromagnetic antenna as recited in claim 1, wherein the direction of curvature of said axis from said first port within said first portion of said generalized contrawound helix is opposite to the direction of curvature of said axis from said first port within said second portion of said generalized contrawound helix.

4. An electromagnetic antenna as recited in claim 1, wherein the helical pitch sense of said first length portion of said first conductor is the same as the helical pitch sense of said second length portion of said first conductor.

5. An electromagnetic antenna as recited in claim 1, wherein the helical pitch sense of said first length portion of said first conductor is opposite to the helical pitch sense of said second length portion of said first conductor.

6. An electromagnetic antenna as recited in claim 1, wherein the distal end of said first length portion of said first conductor is connected to the distal end of said first length portion of said second conductor.

7. An electromagnetic antenna as recited in claim 6, wherein the distal end of said second length portion of said first conductor is connected to the distal end of said second length portion of said second conductor.

8. An electromagnetic antenna, comprising:

(a) a first generalized helical conductive path from a first node to a second node;

(b) a second generalized helical conductive path from a third node to a fourth node, wherein the helical pitch sense of said first generalized helical conductive path is opposite to the helical pitch sense of said second generalized helical conductive path, said first and second generalized helical conductive paths insulated from and overlapping one another so as to constitute a first generalized contrawound helix, and said first generalized contrawound helix has an axis that is curved;

(c) a third generalized helical conductive path from a fifth node to a sixth node;

(d) a fourth generalized helical conductive path from a seventh node to an eighth node, wherein the helical pitch sense of said third generalized helical conductive path is opposite to the helical pitch sense of said fourth generalized helical conductive path, said third and fourth generalized helical conductive paths insulated from and overlapping one another so as to constitute a second generalized contrawound helix, and said second generalized contrawound helix has an axis that is curved; and

(e) a signal feed comprising first and second terminals, wherein said first and second terminals are operatively coupled to said first and second generalized contrawound helices.

9. An electromagnetic antenna as recited in claim 8, wherein the direction of curvature of the axis of said first generalized contrawound helix from said first and fourth nodes is the same as the direction of curvature of the axis of said second generalized contrawound helix from said fifth and eighth nodes.

10. An electromagnetic antenna as recited in claim 8, wherein the direction of curvature of the axis of said first generalized contrawound helix from said first and fourth nodes is opposite to the direction of curvature of the axis of said second generalized contrawound helix from said fifth and eighth nodes.

11. An electromagnetic antenna as recited in claim 8, wherein said second node is connected to said third node, said fourth node is connected to said fifth node, said sixth node is connected to said seventh node, and said signal feed is operatively coupled to said first and eighth nodes.

12. An electromagnetic antenna as recited in claim 8, wherein the helical pitch sense of said first conductive path is opposite to the helical pitch sense of said fourth conductive path.

13. An electromagnetic antenna as recited in claim 8, wherein the helical pitch sense of said first conductive path is the same as the helical pitch sense of said fourth conductive path.

14. A method of transmitting an electromagnetic signal, comprising

(a) applying a signal to a signal port;

(b) generating a first magnetic current along a first curved path relative to said signal port, responsive to said signal;

(c) generating a second magnetic current along a second curved path relative to said signal port, responsive to said signal.

15. A method of transmitting an electromagnetic signal as recited in claim 14, wherein the direction of curvature of said first and second paths relative to said signal port is the same.

16. A method of transmitting an electromagnetic signal as recited in claim 14, wherein the directions of said first and said second magnetic currents relative to said signal port is the same.

17. A method of transmitting an electromagnetic signal as recited in claim 14, wherein the direction of curvature of said first path relative to said signal port is opposite to the direction of curvature of said second path relative to said signal port.

18. A method of transmitting an electromagnetic signal as recited in claim 14, wherein the directions of said first magnetic current relative to said signal port is opposite to the direction of said second magnetic current.

19. A method of transmitting an electromagnetic signal as recited in claim 14, wherein said first and second magnetic currents are resonant at a first resonant frequency, further comprising:

(a) generating a third magnetic current along a third curved path relative to said signal port, responsive to said signal;

(b) generating a fourth magnetic current along a fourth curved path relative to said signal port, responsive to said signal, wherein said third and fourth magnetic currents are resonant at a second resonant frequency.

20. A method of transmitting an electromagnetic signal as recited in claim 14, wherein a direction of circulation of said first magnetic current is the same as a direction of circulation of said second magnetic current.

21. An electromagnetic antenna comprising:

(a) first and second conductors in generalized contrawound helical relation to one another, wherein said first and second conductors are insulated from one another, said first conductor is divided into first and second portions by a first node, said second conductor is divided into first and second portions by a second node, said first and second nodes are in proximate location to one another and constitute a first port, said first portion of said first conductor is in overlapping relation with said first portion of said second conductor as a first portion of a generalized contrawound helix, said second portion of said first conductor is in overlapping relation with said second portion of said second conductor as a second portion of said generalized contrawound helix, said generalized contrawound helix has an axis, said axis is curved , and the direction of curvature of said axis from said first port within said first portion of said generalized contrawound helix is equal to the direction of curvature of said axis from said first port within said second portion of said generalized contrawound helix; and

(b) a signal feed comprising first and second terminals, wherein said first and second terminals are operatively coupled to said first and second nodes.

22. An electromagnetic antenna as recited in claim 21, wherein the helical pitch sense of said first length portion of said first conductor is the same as the helical pitch sence of said second length portion of said first conductor.

23. An electromagnetic antenna comprising:

(a) first and second conductors in generalized contrawound helical relation to one another, wherein said first and second conductors are insulated from one another, said first conductor is divided into first and second portions by a first node, said second conductor is divided into first and second portions by a second node, said first and second nodes are in proximate location to one another and constitute a first port, said first portion of said first conductor is in overlapping relation with said first portion of said second conductor as a first portion of a first generalized contrawound helix, said second portion of said first conductor is in overlapping relation with said second portion of said second conductor as a second portion of said first generalized contrawound helix, said first generalized contrawound helix has a first axis, said first axis is curved, and the direction of curvature of said first axis from said first port within said first portion of said first generalized contrawound helix is opposite to the direction of curvature of said first axis from said first port within said second portion of said first generalized contrawound helix;

(b) third and fourth conductors in generalized contrawound helical relation to one another, wherein said third and fourth conductors are insulated from one another, said third conductor is divided into first and second portions by a third node, said fourth conductor is divided into first and second portions by a fourth node, said third and fourth nodes are in proximate location to one another and constitute a second port, said first portion of said third conductor is in overlapping relation with said first portion of said fourth conductor as a first portion of a second generalized contrawound helix, said second portion of said third conductor is in overlapping relation with said second portion of said fourth conductor as a second portion of said second generalized contrawound helix, said second generalized contrawound helix has a second axis, said second axis is curved, the direction of curvature of said second axis from said second port within said first portion of said second generalized contrawound helix is opposite to the direction of curvature of said second axis from said second port within said second portion of said second generalized contrawound helix, and said first and second ports are proximate to one another; and

(c) a signal feed comprising first and second terminals, wherein said first and second terminals are operatively coupled to said first and second nodes and to said third and fourth nodes.

24. An electromagnetic antenna as recited in claim 23, wherein the helical pitch sense of said first length portion of said first conductor opposite to the helical pitch sense of said second length portion of said first conductor, and the helical pitch sense of said first length portion of said third conductor is opposite to the helical pitch sense of said second length portion of said third conductor.

25. An electromagnetic antenna as recited in claim 23, wherein a signal applied to said signal feed produces a first magnetic current in said first portions of said first generalized contrawound helix, said signal applied to said signal feed produces a second magnetic current in said second portion of said first generalized contrawound helix, said signal applied to said signal feed produces a third magnetic current in said first portion of said second generalized contrawound helix, said signal applied to said signal feed produces a fourth magnetic current in said second portion of said second generalized contrawound helix, and said first and second generalized contrawound helices are adapted so that said first, second, third, and fourth magnetic currents have a common direction of circulation.