Radar reflector

Claim 2

A folding radar reflector of the kind which is made up of eight mutually adjoining right-angled tetrahedrons having a common apex, with the bases of the said tetrahedrons not being physically present but forming a regular octahedron whose centre is the said common apex, wherein the reflector has a covering which before being fitted is formed by three squares of a flexible reflective material, each of which is cut along one line joining the centre of the squares to the periphery thereof joining the centre, and each square being joined to another square at the said line of another square in such a way as to form a helix, the said covering being held under tension by a rigid frame after the said reflector has been unfolded.

Claim 3

A reflector according to claim 1 wherein said frame comprises a central hub and six rods hinged to said central hub, the rods lying parallel when the reflector is folded and mutually orthogonal when the reflector is unfolded, the covering being cut-away in the fashion of hinges at points where it intersects the rods.

Claim 4

A reflector according to claim 1, wherein said frame is formed by a central hub, and six pairs of rods which are hinged to said central hub, wherein the central hub is a cruciform and is made of a flexible plastics material so as to have a central block and arms extending therefrom, each arm incorporating a block which pivots through 90° in relation to the central block on a hinge which is formed by a web of plastics material, two half-blocks also being provided adjacent two opposing blocks, the said half-blocks pivoting through 90° in relation to blocks by means of a hinge.

Claim 5

A reflector according to claim 3, wherein the hub has an abutment which is situated below the central block and which restricts the pivoting movement of the blocks and the half-blocks.

Claim 6

A reflector according to claim 1, wherein the said frame is formed of six pairs of rods which are hinged to a central hub, these pairs of rods forming ribs which lie parallel when the reflector is folded and which are mutually orthogonal when the said reflector is unfolded.

Claim 7

A reflector according to claim 5, wherein the lower rods of the lower pair are provided at the ends with hooks which co-operates with a ring which holds them in the closed position, thus tensioning the covering to the reflector and locking the reflector in its assembled position.

Claim 8

A reflector according to claim 5, wherein means is provided to join together the two rods forming each rib, thus stiffening the rib, openings being formed for this purpose along the diagonals of the square forming the covering.

Claim 9

A reflector according to claim 7, wherein the central hub is so designed that two rods form an upper rib, four pairs of rods are able to pivot through an angle of 90°, and a final lower pair of rods able to pivot individually through 180°, whereby all the rods lie parallel to the rods of the upper rib when the reflector is folded.

Claim 10

A reflector according to claim 8, wherein an end-cap is provided which is equipped with two holes intended to receive the ends of the rods of the lower pair, thus locking the reflector in its assembled position.

Claim 11

A folding radar reflector of the kind which is made up of eight mutually adjoining rignt-angled tetrahedrons having a common apex, with the bases of the said tetrahedrons not being physically present but forming a regular octahedron whose centre is the said common apex, wherein the reflector has a covering which before being fitted is formed by three squares of a flexible reflective material, each of which is cut along one line joining the centre of the square to the periphery thereof joining the centre, and each square being joined to another square at the said lines of another square in such a way so as to form a helix, the said covering being held under tension by a rigid frame after the said reflector has been unfolded, said frame comprising a central hub, six pairs of rods hinged to said central hub so that two rods form an upper rib, four pairs of rods are able to pivot through an angle of 90°, and a final lower pair of rods able to pivot individually through 180°, whereby all the rods lie parallel to the rods of the upper rib when the reflector is folded, and wherein the lower rods of the lower pair are provided at the ends with hooks which co-operates with a ring which holds them in the closed position, thus tensioning the covering to the reflector and locking the reflector in its assembled position.

Claim 12

A folding radar reflector of the kind which is made up of eight mutually adjoining rignt-angled tetrahedrons having a common apex, with the bases of the said tetrahedrons not being physically present but forming a regular octahedron whose centre is the said common apex, wherein the reflector has a covering which before being fitted is formed by three squares of a flexible reflective material, each of which is cut along one line joining the centre of the square to the periphery thereof joining the centre, and each square being joined to another square at the said lines of another square in such a way so as to form a helix, the said covering being held under tension by a rigid frame after the said reflector has been unfolded, said frame comprising a central hub, six pairs of rods hinged to said central hub so that two rods form an upper rib, four pairs of rods are able to pivot through an angle of 90°, and a final lower pair of rods able to pivot individually through 180°, whereby all the rods lie parallel to the rods of the upper rib when the reflector is folded, and wherein the lower rods of the lower pair are provided at the ends with hooks which co-operates with a ring which holds them in the closed position, thus tensioning the covering to the reflector and locking the reflector in its assembled position.