Multielement radio-frequency antenna structure having linear and helical conductive elements

Claim 2

A radio-frequency antenna structure comprising a linear element formed from an elongated, longitudinally extending electrical conductor and a plurality of helical elements axially disposed relative to said linear element, said helical elements being elongated electrical conductors formed into cylindrical helixes of the same pitch and internal diameter disposed in coaxial, side-by-side relationship with each element electrically insulated from the other throughout their length but all being electrically connected together at one end, said linear element series connected electrically at one end with said helical elements at their interconnected ends with the other end of said linear element forming a connecting terminal of the antenna, said helical and linear element conductors being of selected crosssectional area to provide a desired antenna impedance, and a body structure formed from a dielectric material in which said linear and helical elements are embedded for support thereof in relatively fixed relationship said dielectric material having a relatively low loss characteristic as to electromagnetic wave energy and physical strength characteristic to maintain the physical configuration of the conductive elements and assure structural integrity of the antenna structure.

Claim 3

An r-f antenna structure according to claim 1 wherein said dielectric material is a snythetic resin matrix reinforced with strands of fiber glass extending longitudinally throughout the length of the antenna structure.

Claim 4

An r-f antenna structure according to claim 1 having a central core around which said helical elements are wound with said core formed from a material having a magnetic permeability greater than unity.

Claim 5

An r-f antenna structure according to claim 1 wherein said helical elements are of dissimilar cross-sectional area to provide a relatively greater effective band width at the nominal operating frequency.

Claim 6

An r-f antenna structure according to claim 1 wherein said helical elements are of dissimilar lengths to provide a relatively greater effective bandwidth at the nominal operating frequency.

Claim 7

A radio-frequency antenna structure comprising a plurality of linear elements of elongated, longitudinally extending electrical conductors disposed in spaced parallel relationship electrically insulated one from another throughout their length, a plurality of helical elements of elongated electrical conductors formed into cylindrical helixes of the same pitch and internal diameter disposed in coaxial, side-by-side relationship electrically insulated one from another throughout their length, said linear and helical elements relatively axially disposed with each of said linear elements series connected electrically with a respective one of said helical elements and having all of the series connected elements electrically interconnected at an end point forming an antenna terminal, said linear and helical element conductors being of selected cross-sectional area to provide a desired antenna impedance, and a body structure formed from a dielectric material in which said linear and helical elements are embedded for support thereof in relatively fixed relationship, said dielectric material having a relatively low loss characteristic as to electromagnetic wave energy and physical strength characteristic to maintain the physical configuration of the conductive elements and assure structural integrity of the antenna structure.

Claim 8

A radio-frequency antenna structure comprising a plurality of linear elements of elongated, longitudinally extending electrical conductors disposed in spaced parallel relationship electrically insulated one from another throughout their length, a plurality of helical elements of elongated electrical conductors formed into cylindrical helixes of the same pitch and internal diameter disposed in coaxial, side-by-side relationship electrically insulated one from another throughout their length, said linear and helical elements relatively axially disposed with each of said linear elements series connected electrically with a respective one of said helical elements and having all of the series connected elements electrically interconnected at an end point forming an antenna terminal, said linear and helical element conductors being of selected cross-sectional area to provide a desired antenna impedance, and a body structure formed from a dielectric material in which said linear and helical elements are embedded for support thereof in relatively fixed relationship, said dielectric material having a relatively low loss characteristic as to electromagnetic wave energy and physical strength characteristic to maintain the physical configuration of the conductive elements and assure structural integrity of the antenna structure.

Claim 9

An r-f antenna structure according to claim 6 wherein said dielectric material is synthetic resin matrix reinforced with strands of fiber glass extending longitudinally throughout the length of the antenna structure.

Claim 10

An r-f antenna structure according to claim 6 having a central core around which said helical elements are wouNd with said core formed from a material having a magnetic permeability greater than unity.

Claim 11

An r-f antenna structure according to claim 6 wherein said linear elements are electrically interconnected together at one end to form said antenna terminal.

Claim 12

An r-f antenna structure according to claim 9 having a helical element intermedially interposed in each linear element.

Claim 13

An r-f antenna structure according to claim 6 wherein said helical elements are electrically interconnected together at one end to form said antenna terminal.

Claim 14

An r-f antenna structure according to claim 11 having a linear element intermedially interposed in each helical element.

Claim 15

An r-f antenna structure according to claim 6 wherein said linear and helical elements are of dissimilar cross-sectional area to provide a relatively greater effective band width at the nominal operating frequency.

Claim 16

An r-f antenna structure according to claim 6 wherein said series connected linear and helical elements are of dissimilar lengths to provide a relatively greater effective band width at the nominal operating frequency.