Gravity drive for a rolling radar array

• US 20050225493A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Byron W. Tietjen
• Original Assignee: Byron W. Tietjen
• Inventors: Tietjen, Byron W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,256,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/766
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/08 for varying two co-ordinates of the orientation

Abstract

An azimuth drive for a radar array comprises at least one circular track mounted to a wheel on which the radar array is mounted. A motor is coupled to the at least one circular track and capable of moving along the track in the tangential direction, to relocate the center of mass of the wheel on which the radar array is mounted.

Claims

1. An azimuth drive for a radar array, comprising:

at least one circular track mounted to a wheel on which the radar array is mounted;

a motor that is coupled to the at least one circular track and capable of moving along the track in the tangential direction, thereby to relocate the center of mass of the wheel on which the radar array is mounted.

2. The azimuth drive of claim 1, wherein movement of the motor causes the wheel to roll along a path under operation of gravity and revolve about a platform.

3. The azimuth drive of claim 1, wherein the at least one circular track has teeth, and the motor has at least one pinion gear engaging the track.

4. The azimuth drive of claim 1, wherein the at least one circular track includes first and second circular tracks that provide power and ground, respectively, to the motor.

5. The azimuth drive of claim 4, wherein each of the first and second circular tracks have teeth, and the motor has at least first and second pinion gears for engaging the first and second tracks, respectively.

6. The azimuth drive of claim 1, wherein the motor has a weight attached thereto.

7. The azimuth drive of claim 1, wherein the motor is radially positioned proximate to a circumference of the wheel.

8. The azimuth drive of claim 1, further comprising a servomechanism that controls movement of the motor.

9. The azimuth drive of claim 8, wherein the servomechanism is driven by a constant angular velocity servo to cause the radar array to revolve about the platform with a constant angular velocity.

10. The azimuth drive of claim 8, wherein the servomechanism is driven by a positional servo to cause the radar array to revolve about the platform to a specific desired position.

11. The azimuth drive of claim 1, wherein the wheel has an axle, and the drive further comprises:

a moment arm having one end pivotally mounted to the axle and another end connected to the motor, allowing the motor to revolve around the axle as the motor moves along the circular track.

12. The azimuth drive of claim 11, wherein the axle has first and second commutators for providing power and ground, respectively, to the motor.

13. The azimuth drive of claim 12, wherein the moment arm has a pair of brushes or rolling surface contacts that form power and ground connections with the first and second commutators, respectively.

14. The azimuth drive of claim 1, wherein the wheel has an axle, and the drive further comprises:

a bearing rotatably mounted on the axle; and

a moment arm connecting the motor to the bearing, allowing the motor to revolve around the axle as the motor moves along the circular track.

15. An azimuth drive for a radar array, comprising:

at least one circular track mounted to a wheel of an array assembly that includes the radar array; and

a motor that is coupled to the at least one circular track and capable of moving along the track in the tangential direction, thereby to relocate the center of mass of the wheel of the array assembly.

16. A radar system, comprising:

a radar array mounted on a wheel;

at least one circular track mounted to the wheel;

a motor that is coupled to the at least one circular track and capable of moving along the track in the tangential direction, thereby to relocate the center of mass of the wheel on which the radar array is mounted, causing the wheel to roll along a path on a platform under operation of gravity and revolve about the platform.

17. The radar system of claim 16, wherein the path includes a platform track, along which the wheel rolls.

18. The radar system of claim 17, further comprising an axle attached to the wheel, and a second wheel attached to the axle, the second wheel having a smaller diameter than the wheel on which the radar array is mounted, the second wheel rolling along a second platform track, thereby maintaining the radar array tilted during rolling.

19. The azimuth drive of claim 16, wherein the wheel has an axle, and the drive further comprises:

a moment arm having one end pivotally mounted to the axle and another end connected to the motor, allowing the motor to revolve around the axle as the motor moves along the circular track.

20. The azimuth drive of claim 19, wherein the axle has first and second commutators for providing power and ground, respectively, to the motor.

21. The azimuth drive of claim 20, wherein the moment arm has a pair of brushes or rolling surface contacts that form power and ground connections with the first and second commutators, respectively.

22. The azimuth drive of claim 16, wherein the wheel has an axle, and the drive further comprises:

a bearing rotatably mounted on the axle; and

a moment arm connecting the motor to the bearing, allowing the motor to revolve around the axle as the motor moves along the circular track.

23. A method for driving a radar array in the azimuth direction, comprising:

(a) moving a weight to relocate a center of mass of a wheel on which a radar array is mounted;

(b) allowing the wheel to roll under operation of gravy; and

(c) guiding the wheel to revolve around a platform, thereby to adjust the azimuth position of the radar array.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein step (a) includes moving the weight about at least one circular track mounted to the wheel on which the radar array is mounted.

25. The method of claim 24, the weight is mounted to a motor, and the motor has at least one pinion gear engaging the track, and wherein the at least one circular track has teeth that are engaged by the pinion gear.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one circular track includes first and second circular tracks, and the weight is attached to a motor that moves along the first and second circular tracks, the method further comprising providing power and ground to the motor by way of the first and second circular tracks, respectively.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein step (a) includes moving the weight so as to cause the radar array to revolve about the platform with a constant angular velocity.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein step (a) includes moving the weight so as to cause the radar array to revolve about the platform to a specific desired position.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the wheel has an axle, and the method further comprises supporting the motor with a moment arm having one end pivotally mounted to the axle and another end connected to the motor.

30. The azimuth drive of claim 29, further comprising providing power and ground to the motor by way of the moment arm.

31. The azimuth drive of claim 30, further comprising contacting commutators on the axle with a pair of brushes or rolling surface contacts on the moment arm to form power and ground connections.