Conformal helmet antenna

• US 3,977,003 A
• Filed: 10/15/1974
• Issued: 08/24/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Kershaw, Joseph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gensler, Paul L.
• Application Number:
  US05/514,334
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 325/310, 343/718, 343/720, 343/702, 343/802, 343/812, 343/814
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/30 Mounting radio sets or communication systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/276 for mounting on helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3866 carried on the head

Abstract

An antenna which conforms to the surface of a non-metallic helmet for man-the-move communications. A metallic electronics housing mounted on the helmet and judiciously arranged antenna fingers comprise the radiating structure which is operable over a wide band of frequencies without tuning.

Claims

1. In a non-metallic helmet, an antenna comprising:

a metallic housing for enclosing transmitter-receiver electronics mounted on the exterior of said helmet;

a plurality of elongated metallic fingers bonded to the outer surface of said helmet and conforming to the shape of said helmet;

all of said fingers being physically connected at a single point adjacent to said housing and diverging outwardly therefrom, said fingers being operably coupled to said housing;

whereby said housing and said fingers form a broad band radiating structure with mixed polarization.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein there are three of said plurality of fingers.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a reactive compensation element connected to said radiating structure.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plurality of fingers diverge rearwardly and downwards from said point adjacent to said housing.