Integrated antenna system
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- a thermoplastic resin layer;
a number of conductive elements on the thermoplastic resin layer, wherein the number of conductive elements has a configuration that forms an antenna system and the antenna system comprises a slot antenna system;
a number of layers of reinforcement material, wherein the number of layers of reinforcement material form a reinforcement for a composite structure, and at least a portion of the thermoplastic resin layer forms a matrix for the composite structure, the thermoplastic resin layer, the number of conductive elements, and the number of layers of reinforcement material consolidated in a nonplanar configuration; and
a composite layer including a fiberglass layer, a reinforcement layer, a thermoplastic resin layer of the composite layer, and a thermoset resin layer;
wherein the antenna system is integrated into the composite structure, the composite structure comprising a wing of an aircraft such that the number of layers have a surface in a shape of the wing;
wherein the number of conductive elements are formed on the thermoplastic resin layer prior to positioning the thermoplastic resin layer on one of the number of layers of reinforcement material;
wherein the thermoplastic resin layer is flowed into and infused with two layers of the number of layers;
wherein the thermoplastic resin layer is placed onto the composite layer;
wherein the number of layers of reinforcement material are placed over the thermoplastic resin layer; and
wherein the composite layer, the thermoplastic resin layer, and the number of layers of reinforcement material are consolidated to form the composite structure.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus comprising a resin layer, a number of conductive elements, and a number of layers of reinforcement material. The number of conductive elements is on the resin layer. The number of conductive elements has a configuration that forms an antenna system. The number of layers of reinforcement material forms a reinforcement for a composite structure, and at least a portion of the resin layer forms a matrix for the composite structure.
10 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a thermoplastic resin layer; a number of conductive elements on the thermoplastic resin layer, wherein the number of conductive elements has a configuration that forms an antenna system and the antenna system comprises a slot antenna system; a number of layers of reinforcement material, wherein the number of layers of reinforcement material form a reinforcement for a composite structure, and at least a portion of the thermoplastic resin layer forms a matrix for the composite structure, the thermoplastic resin layer, the number of conductive elements, and the number of layers of reinforcement material consolidated in a nonplanar configuration; and a composite layer including a fiberglass layer, a reinforcement layer, a thermoplastic resin layer of the composite layer, and a thermoset resin layer; wherein the antenna system is integrated into the composite structure, the composite structure comprising a wing of an aircraft such that the number of layers have a surface in a shape of the wing; wherein the number of conductive elements are formed on the thermoplastic resin layer prior to positioning the thermoplastic resin layer on one of the number of layers of reinforcement material; wherein the thermoplastic resin layer is flowed into and infused with two layers of the number of layers; wherein the thermoplastic resin layer is placed onto the composite layer; wherein the number of layers of reinforcement material are placed over the thermoplastic resin layer; and wherein the composite layer, the thermoplastic resin layer, and the number of layers of reinforcement material are consolidated to form the composite structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for operating an antenna integrated into a wing of an aircraft, the method comprising:
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generating a signal in a number of conductive elements in a wing composite structure, wherein the wing composite structure comprises a matrix formed from at least a portion of a thermoplastic resin layer and a reinforcement formed from a number of layers of reinforcement material and wherein a configuration of the number of conductive elements forms an antenna system and the antenna system comprises a slot antenna system, wherein the wing composite structure and the antenna system are integrated into an aircraft structure without a pod, the wing composite structure and the antenna system having a nonplanar configuration of a surface of a wing of the aircraft structure, and the number of conductive elements comprising an antenna, a feed line, a number of capacitors, and a number of switches; wherein the number of conductive elements are formed on the thermoplastic resin layer prior to positioning the thermoplastic resin layer on one of the number of layers of reinforcement material; wherein the thermoplastic resin layer is flowed into and infused with two layers of the number of layers; wherein the thermoplastic resin layer is placed onto a composite layer that includes a fiberglass layer, a reinforcement layer, a thermoplastic resin layer of the composite layer, and a thermoset resin layer; wherein the number of layers of reinforcement material are placed over the thermoplastic resin layer; and wherein the composite layer, the thermoplastic resin layer, and the number of layers of reinforcement material are consolidated to form the composite structure. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method for forming an antenna system in a composite structure of an aircraft, the method comprising:
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forming a number of conductive components in a configuration on a thermoplastic resin layer, wherein the configuration of the number of conductive components forms the antenna system and the antenna system comprises a slot antenna system; positioning the thermoplastic resin layer with the number of conductive components with respect to a number of layers of reinforcement material; consolidating the thermoplastic resin layer with the number of layers of reinforcement material to form the composite structure, wherein the antenna system is in the composite structure in which the composite structure has a substantially planar shape; placing the composite structure on a mold; and changing a shape of the composite structure on the mold into a nonplanar shape for the composite structure to form the composite structure, wherein the nonplanar shape of the antenna system is integrated into the composite structure so as to provide a surface of the aircraft; wherein the number of conductive components are formed on the thermoplastic resin layer prior to positioning the thermoplastic resin layer on one of the number of layers of reinforcement material; wherein the thermoplastic resin layer is flowed into and infused with two layers of the number of layers; wherein the thermoplastic resin layer is placed onto a composite layer that includes a fiberglass layer, a reinforcement layer, a thermoplastic resin layer of the composite layer, and a thermoset resin layer; wherein the number of layers of reinforcement material are placed over the thermoplastic resin layer; and wherein the composite layer, the thermoplastic resin layer, and the number of layers of reinforcement material are consolidated to form the composite structure. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification