Communications: radio wave antennas – Antennas – Loop type
Patent
1998-03-26
2000-08-15
Ho, Tan
Communications: radio wave antennas
Antennas
Loop type
343742, 429 30, H01Q 2100
Patent
active
061043575
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to the technique of achieving a large area of contact and a good connection between a conductive electrode and the electrolyte which is in contact with the electrode. The electrolyte could for instance be in the form of either salt water or fresh water. Such an electrode with water as electrolyte can be used for measuring purposes or as a part of an antenna construction. With this large area of contact, very small changes in electrical fields can be measured, whereby the electrode can be used for instance for measuring of water-currents.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For detecting changes in the electrical field under water, pairs of different kinds of electrodes, made of zinc, graphite, silver/silver chloride etc., have previously been used. They have all had their benefits and drawbacks, such as silver/silver chloride electrodes having high sensitivity but at high costs, zinc electrodes having a low price but being mechanically or electrically instable, and graphite electrodes which are difficult to manufacture according to defined specifications without discarding. Large active areas have required large physical dimensions and have, in connection with graphite electrodes, caused irreproducible properties conditioned by small chemical or morphological variations. Consequently, there are significant problems with the previously available techniques.
PURPOSE OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of the invention is to solve these problems by providing an electrode based on bundles of carbon fibres which are connected to a desired conductor, and a method for manufacturing this electrode. A further purpose of the invention is to provide an underwater electrode having much better performance characteristics than previously available underwater electrodes. Furthermore, the purpose of the invention is to provide an antenna mainly for underwater measurements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An electrode according to the invention is provided with tufts or bundles of carbon fibres which have been cleaned along the fibre surfaces to get a good electrical contact with surrounding water, and which, furthermore, have been gathered together at one end and connected to an electrical conductor.
Such a manufactured electrode constitutes, together with an electrode of the same kind, a pair of electrodes which has turned out to have good antenna properties in water. Furthermore, it is comparatively easy to manufacture. As the electrode is made by carbon fibres, which have a homogenous chemical structure all along the fibres, an electrode having reproducible properties is obtained.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a step in the manufacture of a device according to the is invention.
FIG. 2 shows a further step in the manufacture of a device according to the invention.
FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view according to FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 shows a first embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 6 shows an antenna according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An electrode according to the invention is produced by winding a bundle of carbon fibres into a carbon fibre skein 2, which is then gathered together at a connection area where the carbon fibres are bound together to form a connecting stud 5, which is then treated so that the end surfaces 6 will appear of all the carbon fibres gathered together in the connecting stud 5, after which the carbon fibres are connected to a signal conductor 8 through their end surfaces 6.
The electrode according to the invention is suitably produced, see FIG. 1, by winding carbon fibres 1, in the form of a bundle of generally 6000 carbon fibres, approximately 50 turns around two end poles 3,4 with an intermediate distance of about half a meter, into a skein 2. These chosen values of the number of carbon fibres, the number of turns and the distance, will result in an electrode having approximately 600 000 carbon fibre ends for connection to a signal conducting cable. With these values, the are
REFERENCES:
patent: 4443309 (1984-04-01), Van Duin et al.
patent: 4576706 (1986-03-01), Takata et al.
patent: 5429875 (1995-07-01), Okamoto
patent: 5436092 (1995-07-01), Ohtsuka et al.
patent: 5652056 (1997-07-01), Pepin
patent: 5672439 (1997-09-01), Wilkinson et al.
patent: 5955215 (1999-09-01), Kurzweil et al.
Forsvarets Forskningsanstalt
Ho Tan
LandOfFree
Electrode with multiple carbon fibre contact surface does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Electrode with multiple carbon fibre contact surface, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electrode with multiple carbon fibre contact surface will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2011906