Microwave antenna with adjustable reflector shape and automatically regulated focal distance spacing of radiation element

Claim 1

MICROWAVE ANTENNA APPARATUS COMPRISING A SUPPORTING BASE, A CONTOURED ANTENNA REFLECTOR STRUCTURE OF PREDETERMINED HEIGHT AND WIDTH MOUNTED ON SAID BASE AND A PRIMARY ANTENNA MEANS INCLUDING A RADIATION ELEMENT DIRECTED ELECTRICALLY AGAINST SAID REFLECTOR, SAID REFLECTOR STRUCTURE COMPRISING A SKELETAL STRUCTURE INCLUDING ELONGATED STIFFENER MEMBERS JOINED TOGETHER IN INTERSECTING RELATIONSHIP INTO A COMPOSITE GRID-LIKE CONTOURED STRUCTURE HAVING A FRONT PRESENTED BY SAID STIFFENER MEMBERS GENERALLY DEFINING A PREDETERMINED ANTENNA REFLECTOR CONTOUR, REFLECTIVE SHEET MEANS OF SUCH FLEXIBILITY AS TO REQUIRE SUPPORT TO MAINTAIN A CONTOUR, SAID SHEET MEANS BEING SECURED AS A COVERING ON SAID SKELEETAL STRUTURE''S FRONT AND PRESENTING SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS REFLECTOR SURFACING THEREON, THE INTERCONNECTED SKELETAL STRUCTURE AND REFLECTOR SURFACING COMPRISING A SEMIRIGID FORM-RETAINING REFLECTOR STRUCTURE, A SUPPORTING TRUSS STRUCTURE MOUNTED ON SAID BASE AND SPANNING, IMMEDIATELY BEHIND SAID SKELETAL STRUCTURE, OVER AT LEAST A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE HEIGHT AND WIDTH OF THE SKELETAL STRUCTURE, THE TRUSS STRUCTURE BEING RIGID IN RELATION TO THE REFLECTOR STRUCTURE, AND A PLURALITY OF INDEPENDENTLY-ADJUSTABLE SPACING DEVICES INTERPOSED BETWEEN AND INTERCONNECTING THE SKELETAL STRUCTURE AND TRUSS STRUCTURE AT RESPECTIVE LOCATIONS DISTRIBUTED AT SPACED INTERVALS ACROSS AT LEAST A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF BOTH HEIGHT AND WIDTH OF THE REFLECTOR, SAID SPACING DEVICES BEING OPERABLE TO VARY THE FRONT-TO-REAR SPACING BETWEEN THE SKELETAL STRUCTURE AND TRUSS STRUCTURE, WHEREBY TO SUPPORT THE REFLECTOR STRUCTURE IN PREDETERMINED CONTOUR-MAINTAINING RIGID RELATION TO THE TRUSS STRUCTURE AND TO PERMIT CHANGING THE CONTOUR OF SAID REFLECTOR STRUCTURE BY INDEPENDENT ADJUSTMENT OF SELECTED SPACING DEVICES.