Patent US3618111A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3618111A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Expandable truss paraboloidal antenna
Assignee: General Dynamics Corp
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Filing: 1967-04-28
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Granted: 1971-11-02
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Expires: 1987-04-28
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to an expandable truss paraboloidal antenna structure in which the truss structure of the reflector comprises hinged struts that form interconnecting, hinged, triangular truss modules that are aligned in two geometric planes with the struts terminating at junctions on the inner and outer surfaces of the paraboloidal shaped structure. The combination of hinge struts is packaged in a compact unit and then is deployed by being automatically unfolded outwardly by spring means in certain of the hinges.
Inventors
- 👤 Desmond H Vaughan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 11:20
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01Q; H01Q15/00; H01Q15/14; H01Q15/16; H01Q15/161
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
In an expandable truss paraboloidal antenna structure having a folded condition and an expanded condition and having two substantially geometric surfaces in the expanded condition with a paraboloidal surface, a plurality of coupling joints having multiple connections for being positioned on said geometric surfaces, each of said coupling joints being interconnected by a plurality of pivotally connected surface struts for lying in said geometric surfaces, a plurality of pivotally connected diagonal struts for interconnecting said coupling joints in one surface with said coupling joints in the other surface, said struts forming triangular trusses, said surface struts being pivoted at their midpoints forming knee joints, and resilient means at said knee joints for biasing said surface struts to an extended condition.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
120 words
In an expandable truss paraboloidal antenna structure having a folded condition and an expanded condition and having two substantially geometric surfaces in the expanded condition with a paraboloidal surface, a plurality of coupling joints having multiple connections for being positioned on said geometric surfaces, each of said coupling joints being interconnected by a plurality of pivotally connected surface struts for lying in said geometric surfaces, a plurality of pivotally connected diagonal struts for interconnecting said coupling joints in one surface with said coupling joints in the other surface, said struts forming triangular trusses, said surface struts being pivoted at their midpoints forming knee joints, and resilient means at said knee joints for biasing said surface struts to an extended condition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
In an expandable truss paraboloidal antenna structure as claimed in claim 1, said surface struts And said diagonal struts forming triangular modules with their ends terminating on said surfaces when said antenna is in said expanded condition.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
In an expanded truss paraboloidal antenna structure as claimed in claim 2, said struts forming substantially equilateral triangles in said modules.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
In an expanded truss paraboloidal antenna structure as claimed in claim 3, said triangular modules being curved as a group forming a paraboloidal surface, and individual adjacent struts being slightly shortened and lengthened to provide said curve.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
In an expandable truss paraboloidal antenna structure as claimed in claim 1 in which, in the folded condition, said surface struts being pivoted at said coupling joints, said coupling joints being drawn into a pair of adjacent and substantially flat planes, and said pivoted surface struts and said diagonal struts being parallel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
In an expandable truss paraboloidal antenna structure as claimed in claim 5 including, a flexible antenna reflector screen, and attachment means for securing said reflector screen to said coupling joints and said surface struts whereby portions of said screen are drawn into spaces between said struts when said antenna structure is in said folded condition.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
In an expandable truss paraboloidal antenna structure as claimed in claim 1 including, antenna-holding means for holding said antenna structure in said folded condition, and means for releasing said antenna-holding means and allowing said antenna structure to automatically expand to said expanded condition under the force of said resilient means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
In an expandable truss paraboloidal antenna structure as claimed in claim 1 including, a flexible antenna reflector screen, and attachment means for securing said reflector screen to said coupling joints and said surface struts.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
In an expandable truss paraboloidal antenna structure as claimed in claim 8, said attachment means including a plurality of pivotal connectors mounted on said surface struts.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
In an expandable truss paraboloidal antenna structure as claimed in claim 8, line means securing said flexible screen to said attachment means for selectively providing a curved surface on areas of said screen between ones of said attachment means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
In an expandable truss paraboloidal antenna structure as claimed in claim 1 including, an expandable antenna feed having telescoping support legs, said legs being connected to ones of said coupling joints.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
In an expandable truss paraboloidal antenna structure as claimed in claim 12, automatic feed extension means for automatically extending said telescoping support legs.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
In an expandable truss paraboloidal antenna structure as claimed in claim 1, support means for supporting said antenna structure on a base, said support means including a plurality of support members positioned on said base and contacting said coupling joints in both of said planes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
57 words
In an expandable truss paraboloidal antenna structure as claimed in claim 1, a plurality of frame modules for being fixed to said surface struts on said paraboloidal surface and providing a framing network over the space between said surface struts, an antenna reflector screen, and portions of said screen being attached to each of said frame modules.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
In an expandable truss paraboloidal antenna structure as claimed in claim 14, line means for being connected between portions of said frame and said surface struts for pulling portions of said frame and said attached screen to slightly curved shape.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
In an expandable truss paraboloidal antenna structure as claimed in claim 1, said surface struts comprising hollow tubes, said resilient means comprising longitudinal spiral springs positioned within said tubes and extending across said knee joints with ends of said springs being connected to said tubes.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
In an expaNdable truss paraboloidal antenna structure as claimed in claim 1 including, locking means for locking said knee joints when in the extended position.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
105 words
An expandable truss structure comprising, a plurality of surface struts, junction means for pivotally joining the ends of said plurality of surface struts in radial orientation at given points in two aligned surfaces, a plurality of pivotally connected rigid and nonfolding diagonal struts for interconnecting said junction means in one surface with ones of said junction means in said other surface, said surface struts and said diagonal struts in the expanded condition form a three dimensional curved truss structure in which said surface struts and diagonal struts are in different planes, and said surface struts are pivoted at their midpoints for folding said truss structures.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
105 words
An expandable truss structure comprising, a plurality of surface struts, junction means for pivotally joining the ends of said plurality of surface struts in radial orientation at given points in two aligned surfaces, a plurality of pivotally connected rigid and nonfolding diagonal struts for interconnecting said junction means in one surface with ones of said junction means in said other surface, said surface struts and said diagonal struts in the expanded condition form a three dimensional curved truss structure in which said surface struts and diagonal struts are in different planes, and said surface struts are pivoted at their midpoints for folding said truss structures.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
An expandable truss structure as claimed in claim 18 including, resilient means at said midpoints for biasing said surface struts to an extending condition and expanding said truss structure.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
An expandable truss structure as claimed in claim 19 in which, said surface struts and said diagonal struts collapse in different planes.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
61 words
An expandable truss structure as claimed in claim 18 in which, said junction means at each given point of said given points has a centered axis that is normal to said two aligned surfaces, and the axis of said junction means at each given point is spaced from the axis of the junction means at each of the other given points.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1215420A
Cited
US3381923A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-11-01 | 1975-05-03 | 1975-11-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-11-01 | 1979-05-03 | 1979-11-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-11-01 | 1983-05-03 | 1983-11-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |