Communications: radio wave antennas – Antennas – With aircraft
Reexamination Certificate
1994-05-05
2001-05-08
Wimer, Michael C. (Department: 2821)
Communications: radio wave antennas
Antennas
With aircraft
C343S789000, C343S819000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06229491
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an integral Yagi antenna array particularly suited for installation in aircraft wings.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an improvement to U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,734 issued to the assignee of the present application. The antenna system disclosed in the patent provides a scanning antenna array system having low sidelobes in both the electronic and mechanical scanning modes. Further, the antenna array system set forth therein exhibited low mutual electromagnetic coupling between individual antenna elements. That system further exhibits smooth antenna in-array element patterns, improved power transfer characteristics when electronically scanned, and relatively high and uniform gain over a finite bandwidth.
Yet another advantage of the prior art system was its suitability for aircraft use and scannability over a total angle of about 90° with excellent gain uniformity throughout the scanning range. The design was adapted to low profile configurations for installation in leading and trailing edge airfoils having reasonably large cross sections.
In particular, the structure of the patented antenna comprised vertically stacked arrays, each having a plurality of mutually parallel-spaced directors physically mounted to the internal surface of the wings. As the wings of high-performance aircraft become thinner, with the result that less room is available in the leading edge, such a physical assembly of antenna components becomes impossible. Accordingly, a new type of Yagi antenna array assembly that is small with respect to wavelength is necessary. The challenge then becomes designing the antenna to be efficient and still practical for such aircraft.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention is particularly suited for installation within leading edge radomes of thin wing aircraft. In lieu of separately mounting the elements of each antenna, the present invention incorporates an integral antenna array. One wall of a wing box within the aircraft serves as a common ground plane reflector for the entire array. The individual elements of each antenna are fabricated from tubular members supported within a structural web, fabricated from a honeycomb material which conforms to the interior of a leading edge radome. This integral compact design allows an antenna array to be installed within a thin, low profile leading edge of a high-performance aircraft.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4336543 (1982-06-01), Ganz et al.
patent: 4749997 (1988-06-01), Ganonico
patent: 5151707 (1992-09-01), Kumpfbeck et al.
Bolden George H.
Casey James A.
Anderson Terry J.
Hoch, Jr. Karl J.
Northrop Grumman Corporation
Wimer Michael C.
LandOfFree
Compact Yagi antenna array for aircraft does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Compact Yagi antenna array for aircraft, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Compact Yagi antenna array for aircraft will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2500406