Communications: radio wave antennas – Antennas – With housing or protective covering
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-18
2001-09-18
Le, Hoanganh (Department: 2821)
Communications: radio wave antennas
Antennas
With housing or protective covering
C343S873000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06292155
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a removable protective coating for a satellite terminal, such as a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) satellite terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method employing a layered protective coating which can be applied to a reflector, sub-reflector, and feed horn of a satellite terminal to protect the original surfaces of those components, and whose outermost layer can be removed as desired to expose an underlying layer, which thus essentially restores the exposed surface of the coating to an “as new” condition without harming the satellite terminal components, and thereby restores optimum reception quality of the satellite terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
The quality of reception of a satellite terminal, such as a VSAT satellite terminal, depends on the cleanliness and dryness of the surface of the concave portion of the main reflector of the VSAT satellite terminal, as well as the surfaces of the sub-reflector and the feed horn (hereinafter “critical surfaces”). As a satellite terminal is being used, it eventually becomes more and more dirty as dust and bird droppings accumulate on the bottom portion of the concave portion of the main reflector, as well as on the sub-reflector and the feed horn. As this accumulation of dirt and debris occurs, the reception quality of the VSAT satellite terminal deteriorates. In addition, the quality of reception depends upon the effectiveness of the hydrophobic coating used to repel and minimize water and condensation build-up. These coatings generally degrade with ultra violet exposure. Therefore, these critical surfaces of the VSAT satellite terminals must be cleaned periodically in order to restore reception quality.
Earlier forms of cleaning the critical surfaces of a VSAT satellite terminal require specialized tools, such as spray washers or aerosol sprays and cleaning utensils such as cloths, brushes and the like. These methods of cleaning are complex and labor intensive. They may also cause damage to the surfaces, thus permanently destroying quality of reception. What is needed is a simple, quick and easy way to restore the cleanliness and reception of a VSAT satellite terminal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simple means for restoring the cleanliness and performance of the critical surfaces of a satellite terminal, such as the main reflector, the sub-reflector, and the feed horn of a VSAT satellite terminal, to an “as new” condition when the surfaces become dirty, begin to exhibit hydrophilic properties, or when the surfaces have been exposed to excessive ultra-violet radiation.
It is also an object to provide a simple and easy means of restoring the hydrophobic properties of the critical surfaces of a satellite terminal when those surfaces begin to absorb or adsorb water.
It is yet another object to provide a simple and easy means of restoring the ultra violet protection to the critical surfaces of a VSAT satellite terminal when the ultra violet screening to the satellite terminal deteriorates.
It is still yet another object to provide a simple and easy means for restoring the quality of signal reception of a VSAT satellite terminal that is not harmful to the satellite terminal and that is compatible with the satellite terminal.
These and other objects can be substantially achieved by providing a satellite terminal that contains a multiplicity of removable sheets on its critical surfaces that can be removed one at a time when the critical surfaces of the satellite terminal become dirty. Each sheet comprises a substrate layer made of, for example, either mylar or polyester, a metallic layer on top of the substrate layer that can be, for example, either specular aluminum or silver, an ultraviolet stable hydrophobic layer such as acrylic on top of the metallic layer, and a mild adhesive layer beneath the substrate layer allowing each sheet to be removed from the remaining sheets. The bottom sheet is bonded to a critical surface on a satellite antenna receiver and has a thermal coefficient of expansion substantially equivalent to that of the critical surface, such as aluminum. In one embodiment, the multiplicity of sheets covers the entire concave surface of the main reflector of a satellite terminal, in another embodiment, the multiplicity of sheets covers only the bottom portion of the concave surface of the main reflector of a satellite terminal where dirt is likely to accumulate. In a third embodiment, another multiplicity of sheets covers the surface of a sub-reflector, and in a fourth embodiment, a further multiplicity of sheets covers the exposed surface of the feed horn. Each sheet has at least one tab and, if desired, at least one opening which enables it to be easily removed by hand without special tools.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5344685 (1994-09-01), Cassell
patent: 5729241 (1998-03-01), Ergen et al.
patent: 6211843 (2001-04-01), Antipov et al.
Lundstadt Jack
McPhilmy Steven
Hughes Electronics Corporation
Le Hoang-anh
Sales Michael W.
Whelan John T.
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