Helical antenna

• US 7,038,636 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2004
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Macdonald Dettwiler and Associates Limited
• Original Assignee: EMS Technologies Canada Ltd. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Richard, Sylvain, Larouche, Steve, McDougall, John, Moss, Geoffrey, Senechal, Gerard, Bussieres, François, Bouvrette, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tan
• Application Number:
  US10/868,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20040257298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 348/878, 348/895
• US Class Current: 343/895
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/362 for broadside radiating helical antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 11/08 Helical antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 11/083 Tapered helical aerials, e.g. conical spiral aerials

Abstract

A helical antenna has a helix supported by a helix support. The helix support includes at least one piece of flexible sheet having its two surfaces covered with a layer antistatic material. The flexible sheet is curlable into a revolution surface configuration to form a revolution surface-shaped support section for at least partially supporting a portion of the helix component there around. A grounding mechanism electrically grounds the external sheet surface to the helix and the two sheet surfaces to one another when in the revolution surface configuration while a locking mechanism locks the flexible sheet in the revolution surface configuration. The combination of the helix and the flexible support renders the antenna structurally relatively rigid in all directions.

Claims

1. A helical antenna, comprising:

a helix component defining a helix axis, said helix component being made out of rigid-type electrically conductive material formed into a helix shape, said helix component being substantially flexible in an axial direction and in a bending direction generally transverse to the helix axis and substantially rigid in a radial compression direction;

a helix support including a flexible sheet, said flexible sheet being curlable in a revolution surface configuration to form a revolution surface-shaped support section for at least partially supporting a portion of the helix component therearound, said section defining a section axis, said section axis being substantially in a co-linear relationship relative to the helix axis when said flexible sheet is in said revolution surface configuration;

said support section being substantially rigid in said axial and bending directions and substantially flexible in said radial compression direction, said helix component and said support section structurally cooperating with one another so that said antenna is substantially rigid in said axial, bending and radial compression directions when said support section supports said helix component therearound.

2. The antenna of claim 1, wherein said flexible sheet is at least partially Radio-Frequency transparent, said antenna further including an antistatic coating covering said helix component and said support section to allow electrostatic charge built-up to bleed off therefrom, said antistatic coating being at least partially Radio-Frequency transparent.

3. The antenna of claim 2, wherein said antistatic coating is an antistatic paint.

4. A helix support for supporting a groundable helix component of a helical antenna, the antenna defining a mounting base thereof, said helix support comprising:

a flexible sheet being curlable in a revolution surface configuration to form a revolution surface-shaped support section for at least partially supporting a portion of the helix component therearound, said section defining a section axis;

said flexible sheet defining generally opposed first and second sheet surfaces thereof, said first sheet surface being oriented outwardly when in said revolution surface configuration and including an antistatic coating thereon;

a grounding means for electrically grounding said first sheet surface to said helix component when at least partially supporting said portion of said helix component thereon;

a locking means for locking said flexible sheet in said revolution surface configuration.

5. The helix support of claim 4, wherein said flexible sheet defines generally opposed first and second interlocking edges interlockable to one another when in said revolution surface configuration, said locking means interlocking said first and second interlocking edges to one another.

6. The helix support of claim 5, wherein said locking means includes a locking tab extending outwardly from said first interlocking edge and a tab receiving slot extending through said flexible sheet between said first and second sheet surfaces and substantially parallel to and adjacent said second interlocking edge for at least partially receiving said locking tab therein so as to secure said flexible sheet in said revolution surface configuration.

7. The helix support of claim 4, wherein said first and second sheet surfaces include an antistatic coating thereon, said grounding means further electrically grounding said first and second sheet surfaces to one another when in said revolution surface configuration.

8. The helix support of claim 7, wherein said flexible sheet defines generally opposed first and second interlocking edges interlockable to one another when in said revolution surface configuration, said grounding means including a ground tab, said first and second sheet surfaces being at least partially in an overlap relationship relative to one another at a position adjacent said first and second interlocking edges respectively when said flexible sheet is in said revolution surface configuration, said ground tab extending outwardly from said first interlocking edge so as to have said antistatic coating on said first sheet surface of said first ground tab electrically connecting to said antistatic coating on said second sheet surface when said flexible sheet is in said revolution surface configuration.

9. The helix support of claim 7, wherein said flexible sheet defines generally opposed first and second end portions thereof, said first and second end portions being in an overlap relationship relative to one another when in said revolution surface configuration, said first sheet surface of said first end portion being in contact engagement with said second sheet surface of said second end portion when in said revolution surface configuration so as to form said grounding means between said first and second sheet surfaces.

10. The helix support of claim 4, wherein said flexible sheet defines generally opposed first and second end portions thereof, said first and second end portions being in an overlap relationship relative to one another when in said revolution surface configuration, said first end portion having a plurality of through holes extending from said first sheet surface to said second sheet surface;

said locking means including an adhesive, said adhesive substantially filling said plurality of through holes so as to secure said first and second end portions to one another when in said revolution surface configuration.

11. The helix support of claim 10, wherein said plurality of through holes are substantially uniformly distributed relative to each other so as to cover said first end portion.

12. The helix support of claim 4, wherein said flexible sheet and said antistatic coating are at least partially Radio-Frequency transparent.

13. The helix support of claim 4, wherein said helix portion is substantially circumferentially and helically located around said support section, said helix portion defining a predetermined tangent point therealong, said helix portion extending substantially tangentially away from said support section at said predetermined tangent point, said support section having a through opening located adjacent said predetermined tangent point.

14. A helical antenna, comprising:

a groundable helix component;

a helix support for at least partially supporting said helix component, said helix support including;

a flexible sheet being curlable in a revolution surface configuration to form a revolution surface-shaped support section for at least partially supporting a portion of said helix component therearound, said section defining a section axis;

said flexible sheet defining generally opposed first and second sheet surfaces thereof, said first sheet surface being oriented outwardly when in said revolution surface configuration and including an antistatic coating thereon;

a grounding means for electrically grounding said first sheet surface to said helix component when at least partially supporting said portion of said helix component thereon;

a locking means for locking said flexible sheet in said revolution surface configuration.

15. The antenna of claim 14, wherein:

said helix component defines a helix axis, said helix component being substantially flexible in an axial direction and in a bending direction generally transverse to said helix axis and substantially rigid in a radial direction;

said section axis being substantially in a co-linear relationship relative to said helix axis when said flexible sheet is in said revolution surface configuration;

said support section being substantially rigid in said axial and bending directions and substantially flexible in said radial direction, said helix component and said support section structurally cooperating with one another so that said antenna is substantially rigid in said axial, bending and radial directions when said support section supports said helix component therearound.

16. The antenna of claim 15, wherein said helix component is made out of a rigid-type electrically conductive material.

17. The antenna of claim 14, wherein said helix portion is substantially circumferentially and helically located around said support section, said helix portion defining a predetermined tangent point therealong, said helix portion extending substantially tangentially away from said support section at said predetermined tangent point, said support section having a through opening located adjacent said predetermined tangent point.

18. The antenna of claim 14, wherein said helix support with said antistatic coating are at least partially Radio-Frequency transparent.

19. A helix support for supporting a helix component of a helical antenna, the antenna defining a mounting base thereof, said helix support comprising:

first flexible sheet being curlable in a first revolution surface configuration to form a first revolution surface-shaped support section for at least partially supporting a first portion of the helix component therearound, said first section defining a first section axis;

second flexible sheet being curlable in a second revolution surface configuration to form a second revolution surface-shaped support section for at least partially supporting a second portion of the helix component therearound, said second section defining a second section axis, said second section being connectable to said first section with said second section axis extending substantially along said first section axis.

20. The helix support of claim 19, wherein said first and second revolution surface configurations are substantially cylindrical and conical configurations to form cylindrical-shaped and conical-shaped support sections, respectively.

21. The helix support of claim 20, wherein said first flexible sheet defines generally opposed first and second sheet surfaces thereof, said first and second sheet surfaces including an antistatic coating thereon, said helix support further including a grounding means for electrically grounding said first and second sheet surfaces to one another.

22. The helix support of claim 21, wherein said first flexible sheet defines generally opposed first and second interlocking edges interlockable to one another, said first and second sheet surfaces being at least partially in a overlap relationship relative to one another at a position adjacent said first and second interlocking edges respectively, said first flexible sheet including a first ground tab, said first ground tab extending outwardly from said first interlocking edge so as to have said first sheet surface of said first ground tab electrically connecting to said second sheet surface, thereby forming said grounding means.

23. The helix support of claim 22, wherein said second flexible sheet defines generally opposed third and fourth sheet surfaces thereof, said third and fourth sheet surfaces including an antistatic coating thereon.

24. The helix support of claim 23, wherein said second flexible sheet defines generally opposed third and fourth interlocking edges interlockable to one another, said third and fourth sheet surfaces being at least partially in a overlap relationship relative to one another at a position adjacent said third and fourth interlocking edges respectively, said second flexible sheet including a second ground tab, said second ground tab extending outwardly from said third interlocking edge so as to have said third sheet surface of said second ground tab electrically connecting to said fourth sheet surface.

25. The helix support of claim 24, wherein said second flexible sheet defines a first interconnecting edge extending between said third and fourth interlocking edges, said second flexible sheet including a third ground tab, said third ground tab extending outwardly from said first interconnecting edge so as to have said third sheet surface of said third ground tab electrically connecting to said second sheet surface when said second section is connected to said first section.

26. The helix support of claim 25, further including a connecting means for connecting said first and second flexible sheets to one another.

27. The helix support of claim 26, wherein said connecting means includes a connecting tab and a tab receiving slot for at least partially receiving said connecting tab therein so as to connect said first and second sections in a end-to-end relationship relative to one another with said second section axis extending substantially along said first section axis.

28. The helix support of claim 27, wherein said first flexible sheet defines a second interconnecting edge extending between said first and second interlocking edges, said second interconnecting edge being interlockable to said first interconnecting edge;

said connecting tab extending outwardly from one of said first and second interconnecting edges, said tab receiving slot extending through corresponding said first and second flexible sheets of the other one of said first and second interconnecting edges and substantially parallel to and adjacent the other one of said first and second interconnecting edges.

29. The helix support of claim 21, wherein said first section is positioned intermediate said second section and the mounting base.

30. The helix support of claim 29, wherein said mounting base is electrically conductive, said grounding means further electrically grounding said first flexible sheet to said mounting base.

31. The helix support of claim 30, wherein said grounding means includes a generally elongated and flexible ground strap, said ground strap defining generally opposed main strap surfaces and generally opposed strap longitudinal ends, at least one of said strap main surfaces being an antistatic surface, said strap longitudinal ends of said antistatic surface being electrically connectable to said first sheet surface and said mounting base, respectively, so as to electrically ground said helix support to said mounting base.

32. The helix support of claim 20, wherein said first flexible sheet defines generally opposed first and second sheet surfaces thereof, and said second flexible sheet defines generally opposed third and fourth sheet surfaces thereof, said first and third sheet surfaces facing generally radially outwardly from said first and second sections respectively and being coverable with an antistatic coating thereon to allow electrostatic charge built-up to bleed off therefrom.

33. The helix support of claim 32, wherein said first and second flexible sheets and said antistatic coating are at least partially Radio-Frequency transparent.

34. The helix support of claim 19, wherein said first portion of the helix component is substantially circumferentially and helically located around said first section, said first portion defining a predetermined tangent point therealong, said first portion extending substantially tangentially away from said first section at said predetermined tangent point, said first section having a through opening located adjacent said predetermined tangent point.