U.S. patent number 3,618,111 [Application Number 04/634,700] was granted by the patent office on 1971-11-02 for expandable truss paraboloidal antenna.
This patent grant is currently assigned to General Dynamics Corporation. Invention is credited to Desmond H. Vaughan.
United States Patent |
3,618,111 |
Vaughan |
November 2, 1971 |
EXPANDABLE TRUSS PARABOLOIDAL ANTENNA
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: |
Vaughan; Desmond H. (San Diego,
CA) |
Assignee: |
General Dynamics Corporation
(San Diego, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
24544874 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/634,700 |
Filed: |
April 28, 1967 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
343/840; 248/436;
248/166; 343/915 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01Q
15/161 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01Q
15/14 (20060101); H01Q 15/16 (20060101); H01q
015/20 () |
Field of
Search: |
;343/880,881,882,912,915,916,840 ;248/166,436 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Lieberman; Eli
Claims
Having described my invention, I now claim:
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. In an expanded truss paraboloidal antenna structure as claimed
in claim 2,
said struts forming substantially equilateral triangles in said
modules.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. In an expandable truss paraboloidal antenna structure as
claimed in claim 12,
automatic feed extension means for automatically extending said
telescoping support legs.
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. 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.
16. 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.
17. 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.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. An expandable truss structure as claimed in claim 19 in
which,
said surface struts and said diagonal struts collapse in different
planes.
21. 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.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are several different types of antenna structures that are
used in communication and navigation systems. While each type is
unique in its application, paraboloidal-type antennas have been
found to be particularly useful in many of such systems. However,
the use of paraboloidal antennas is normally limited because of the
reflector size, the surface and contour tolerance that can be
maintained when using higher frequencies and their weight. Thus
while in many applications it is particularly advantageous to use
large paraboloidal reflectors, it is often necessary to build up
the structure in rather inaccessible or inconvenient places which
makes their use impractical in these inaccessible places. As for
example, it is difficult to use a parabolic reflector antenna of
large size in space, because of the difficulty of lifting such a
large structure into space and assembling it there. Further, it is
usually impractical to use large paraboloidal antennas on, for
example, small ships or the like where space is limited. Thus, in
many such applications smaller paraboloidal antennas are used when
larger ones are desired.
There are several expandable antenna structures that have been used
in attempts to solve the foregoing problems. Examples of these
antenna structures are assembled rigid panelled modules, hinged
rigid panels, and inflatable structures. Such structures are either
constructed or expanded at point of use into the large paraboloidal
reflector. In using such structures, it is necessary that the
imperfections in the structure be held at a minimum since as the
wavelength becomes shorter, the imperfections in the structure
becomes an appreciable fraction of the wavelength. In this regard,
the rigidity of inflatable-type structures is difficult to
maintain. Modular-type construction and hinged rigid panels are
limited in use by their heavy weight and because they are difficult
to assemble at point of use, and because it is difficult to package
them compactly. It would therefore be advantageous to have a
relatively lightweight, expandable paraboloidal antenna that is
easily and automatically expanded into a paraboloidal reflector at
point of use and which paraboloidal antenna, when expanded, has a
rigid truss-type structure that assures a contour tolerance that
will permit the transmitting or receiving of higher frequency
signals.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The expandable truss paraboloidal antenna of my invention utilizes
the expandable truss structure of my invention to provide a
reflector truss structure. This truss structure comprises connected
struts that, when deployed, lie in two geometric surfaces forming
the inner and outer surface of the structure. Diagonal struts join
the surface struts at their apex and form a rigid triangular three
dimensional truss structure. The structural elements lying in the
two geometric surfaces are hinged at both ends and at their
midpoints. The diagonal struts are hinged at both ends and are
rigid throughout their length. The ends of the diagonal struts and
the surface struts in the geometric surfaces are connected by
spider connector joints as apex points with the surface struts on
the geometric surfaces and the diagonal struts forming a plurality
of triangular truss modules between the two geometric surfaces.
When packaged, the surface struts are broken at their midpoints and
are folded inwardly, or outwardly, to a vertical, contracted
package. The folding of the surface struts also draws the diagonal
struts into the package.
When deployed, the surface struts are resiliently biased to an
extended position and are locked in this position. The diagonal
struts are automatically forced into a position where the composite
structure forms a plurality of modules of near equilateral
triangular trusses. Thus the elements of the entire structure are
joined in groups at "spider" coupling joints, which joints as
convergent points. When the spider joints are drawn together in
collapsing or folding the antenna structure, all the structural
struts are brought into vertical orientation from their truss
positions and the struts are then strapped together as a whole in a
physically compact unit for later expansion at point of use. The
compact, integrated, packaged unit has high strength and rigidity
and is ideally suited to withstand transportation and handling
conditions. When deployed or expanded, the structure has a high
rigidity against dynamic distortion and vibration and forms a
parabolic antenna reflector that has broad frequency application,
high-gain, lightweight, large-size potential and basic electrical
simplicity.
The antenna structure of this invention may function as a receiver
or as a transmitter with the employment of an expandable antenna
feed that is connected to the expandable truss structure at
predetermined spider joints and is supported by telescoping
expandable feed support legs. A webbing, screening, or the like is
used to cover the concave surface of the expandable truss
structure. This screen material is folded with the contraction of
the expandable truss structure of the antenna in an integrated
manner. When expanded, the screen material follows the concave
surface of the antenna forming the paraboloidal reflector
surface.
While antennas made with the expandable truss structure of this
invention may be used in ground installations, where the antennas
are expanded at point of use and supported by supporting means, the
antennas have many other uses as, for example, they may be expanded
on ships such as submarines, destroyers and other small ships and
then contracted after use and returned to a small package for
storage.
The expandable paraboloidal antenna of my invention has particular
application for use in space where the antenna is packaged in a
small unit and lifted into space by a missile. When in space the
structure is released by appropriate radio control means to expand
automatically through resilient biasing means at certain of the
hinge points into a rigid and locked paraboloidal antenna structure
of extremely large size. The screen is unfurled by the expansion of
the antenna and forms the reflector surface of the antenna. In
addition the expandable feed mechanism for the antenna is carried
as a part of the package and is secured to the antenna for
transmission as desired. Thus it is possible through my invention
to place a large paraboloidal antenna or transmitter into space and
automatically assemble it without requiring the use of astronauts
or the like. However, astronauts or the like may easily assemble
parts of my antenna structure in space where desirable, since the
main structural elements would already be joined together and
expanded into a correct and rigid orientation through the
expandable resiliently, biased mechanism of the antenna structure.
Further my invention has interlocking forces that assures expansion
of the entire structure even though certain of the mechanisms in
the hinge structure may fail to function properly.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and
improved expandable truss.
It is another object of this invention to provide a new and
improved expandable truss paraboloidal antenna.
It is another object of this invention to provide a new and
improved expandable truss structure that is capable of unfolding
from a compact, rigid, high-density packaged unit to a large,
rigid, low-density, expanded truss structure having a definite
shape.
It is another object of this invention to provide a new and
improved expandable truss paraboloidal antenna that has a broad
frequency application, high gain, relatively lightweight and basic
electrical simplicity.
It is another object of this invention to provide a new and
improved expandable truss paraboloidal antenna that may be packaged
in a small size unit, carried to point of use and then
automatically expanded to a rigid antenna having a smooth and
stable reflector surface.
It is another object of this invention to provide a new and
improved expandable truss structure that expands automatically into
an expanded structure from a small packaged unit and which force of
expansion is sufficient to expand malfunctioning components in the
structure.
It is another object of this invention to provide a new and
improved expandable truss paraboloidal antenna that may be carried
in a small package by a space missile or the like into space and
automatically expanded in space providing a paraboloidal reflector
and feed mechanism that will transmit and receive signals, without
requiring the application of human hands in the assembly thereof in
space.
These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become
more apparent upon a reading of the following specification and a
consideration of the attached drawings in which like referenced
numerals designate like parts throughout the figures and
wherein:
FIG. 1 is a view illustrating the lifting of the packaged antenna
structure and feed structure into space by missile propulsion.
FIG. 2 is a partial side view in perspective of an embodiment of
the expandable truss paraboloidal antenna in the state of being
partially expanded.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the expandable
truss structure in expanded condition.
FIG. 4 is a partial view of an embodiment of the expandable truss
frame structure with the reflector mesh mounted thereon and which
structure is partially expanded.
FIG. 5 is a partial view of an embodiment of the expanded truss
structure.
FIG. 6 is a top view of the spider and attachment joint in the
expandable truss structure.
FIG. 7 is a side view of the spider and attachment joints.
FIG. 8 is a side view of the spring-loaded knee joint in the
surface struts of the expandable truss structure.
FIG. 9 is a side view of a modified spring-loaded knee joint in the
surface struts.
FIG. 10 is a view taken along lines 10--10 of FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is a view partly in section with parts broken away taken
along lines 11--11 of FIG. 9.
FIG. 12 is a side view of the spring-loaded midstrut knee joint of
FIG. 9 in the parted condition.
FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic illustration of the spider joints,
surface struts and diagonal struts in the collapsed or packaged
condition.
FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic illustration of the spider joints,
surface struts and diagonal members in the transition from packaged
to expanded condition.
FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic illustration of the structures in FIGS.
13 and 14 in the expanded condition.
FIG. 16 is a side view with parts broken away of the means of
attaching the reflector mesh onto the surface struts and the spider
joints.
FIG. 17 is a side view of a reflector mesh support member for
attachment to the surface struts.
FIG. 18 is a top partial view of a reflector edge support.
FIG. 19 is a side view with parts in section of the expandable
truss paraboloidal antenna with expandable feed structure in the
expanded condition and being supported on the ground for vertical
reception and radiation.
FIG. 20 is an exploded view of a reflector screen attachment.
FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram of a pyrotechnic deployment
initiation circuit for releasing the straps holding a packaged
expandable truss structure.
FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram of a pressure means for expanding
the telescoping feed structure.
Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5, 13, 14 and 15, the expandable truss
structure of my invention comprises interconnecting surface struts
20 and 24 that are connected to spider junctions 30 and 31 and when
expanded lie in two geometrical planes or in inner and outer
surfaces. Diagonal struts 22 interconnect the spider joints 30
forming a triangular truss structure within the inner and outer
surfaces having a given width. All struts 22 are substantially
equal in length unless it is desired that the top and bottom faces
of the packaged unit be other than flat. The struts 20, 22 and 24
have varying lengths relative to each other and the surface struts
24 have varying shorter lengths relative to the surface struts 20
in the outer surface causing an overall difference in length of the
two geometrical surfaces. Thus when expanded, the surface struts on
the geometric surfaces form substantially equilateral triangular
truss modules on the two surfaces with the peripheral distance of
the concave surface being shorter than the convex surface giving
the desired curvature. The diagonal struts 22 are also connected to
form isosceles triangles relative to the surface struts 20 and 24
forming triangular pyramid truss modules whose height equals the
thickness of the antenna frame structure. The truss modules are
thus wrapped on the curve forming the parabolic surface 1.
Each of the diagonal struts 22 and the surface struts 20 and 24 are
connected by hinge means 34 to the spider junctions 30. These hinge
means permit the struts to pivot relative to the spider junctions
34. The surface struts 20 and 24 are hinged 35 at a point midway
along their length to allow the struts to bend inwardly or
outwardly and be moved as a unit into a compact structure as
illustrated in FIG. 13. Each of the hinged structures 35 are
resiliently biased to force the surface struts 20 and 24 to an
extended condition as illustrated in FIG. 15 and to force diagonal
struts 22 to the inclined position. Thus the structure as
compressed in FIG. 13, when released, automatically expands by
passing through the transition stage illustrated in FIG. 14. It
should be recognized that this particular expandable truss
structure may have many uses other than in the particular
expandable truss antenna antenna embodiment of this invention.
While the truss members may be constructed from any suitable
materials such as metal or the like, it has been found particularly
advantageous to construct the truss members of aluminum alloy
tubing. In a representative construction, the surface struts 20 on
the inner surface have a length of approximately 36 inches and the
surface struts 24 on the outer surface have a length of
approximately 40 inches and the diagonal struts 22 have a length
somewhere between 36 and 40 inches. Of course, these dimensions
will vary with the size of the antenna and the particular curvature
and the depth of structure of the paraboloidal reflector
desired.
Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the reflector surface comprises a
conductive, highly reflective material flexible enough to be folded
into the packaged configuration and stretched onto the expanded
structure without wrinkling when deployed. A wire mesh reflector 26
is used to permit maximum solar transmission and to minimize
shadowing the antenna structure. The effects of thermal distortion
of the antenna are thereby diminished. An example of a mesh that
can be used is that constructed of high tensile strength aluminum
with approximately a 0.03-inch spacing that provides a strong
flexible fabric with 80 percent solar transmission. Etched foil
sheet and hold punched foil sheet and other mesh may also be used
for the reflector surface. The surface of the mesh is normally
coated with a white pigmented Teflon for temperature control and
reduction of intermesh drag during deployment. It should also be
recognized that a folding plastic screen of monofilament nylon or
mylar can be used that is dip coated with polyimide and then plated
successively with aluminum and silicon oxide. The reflector mesh 26
is supported on the structure in a manner that will be more
specifically described hereinafter.
Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the spider joint 30 comprises a
flat connector structure having six tubular connector members for
pivotally securing the surface struts 20 and 24. The spider joints
30 and 31 also have inwardly projecting members to which are
connected the three diagonal struts 20. The surface struts are
pivotally secured through a pivot connection 34 having a connecting
pin 38 and a sleeve 36. The connection of the end of the surface
strut 24 abuts against the end of the tubular member 30 as
illustrated in FIG. 7 when in the extended position forming a rigid
extended structure. The diagonal strut 22 is connected through a
threaded clevis 40 that allows pivoting in the vertical direction
and also has a sufficiently loose connection that will permit
10.degree. of rotation as is necessary in the collapse of the
structure to a packaged unit. Also the connection 40 may comprise a
well-known spherical bearing connection that provides vertical
pivoting action and a limited bearing rotation of approximately
10.degree. . Each of the three diagonal members 22 are connected to
the spider joints 30 in the manner previously described and
illustrated in FIG. 7 and each of the horizontal strut members are
also connected to the spider structure as described and illustrated
in FIGS. 6 and 7.
Each of the surface struts 20 and 24 have hinged sections or knee
joints 35, see FIG. 8, by which the surface strut may be folded. A
bearing pin 47 is connected to vertical arm members 45 and 49 that
are secured by welding or the like to the ends of the respective
parts of the surface strut. A spiral spring 46 having projecting
ends 51 that contact the inner surface of struts 24, bias the two
parts of the surface struts 50 and 52 into the extended or
longitudinal position. When extended to the longitudinal position a
spring lock detant 54 hooks over a shoulder portion 58 and locks
the structure together.
An alternate midstrut, knee joint structure is illustrated in FIGS.
9, 10, 11 and 12 and may be used in place of the hinged junction 35
illustrated in FIG. 8. It comprises a scissor-type pivoting means
64 that pivots around a bearing pin connection 62. A longitudinal
spiral spring 67 extends through the knee joint and is held at each
end by spring anchor clips 69 that passes through eyelets 68 and
hooks through a pair of apertures in the surface strut portions 50
and 52. As may be seen in FIG. 12, when in the broken condition,
spring 67 exerts a pulling force on the knee joint resiliently
biasing the knee joint and the parts of the surface struts to the
extended, longitudinal position. A known spring-biased,
ball-detent, locking structure 74 having a tongue 70 with side
recesses 72 projects into a center recess of end 66 to lock the
joint structure together in the extended position.
The reflector mesh connectors 27, 42 and 61 are secured to the
inner or concave surface of the paraboloidal expandable truss
structure at the spider joints, at the knee joints of the surface
struts and also at points along the surface struts. A cylindrical
projection 32 projects from the spider joints 30 and 31 and has a
threaded stud 42 on which the reflector mesh 26 may be secured by a
grommet connection or the like positioned in the mesh 26. The knee
joints also have a similar structure, as for example in FIGS. 8 and
9, in which tubular members 44 and 60 have studs thereon for
receiving and holding the reflector mesh 26. Positioned along the
surface struts 24 are a plurality of reflector mesh supports 27
that are pivotally connected by a stud, bolt or the like to the
struts. A stud is threaded into the U-shaped member 27 for holding
the reflector mesh 26.
Also the reflector mesh 26 may be connected to the connectors 27,
42, 44 and 61 by a line 25 or the like that is secured at one end
to the connectors and at the other end to the reflector mesh at a
point spaced from said connectors. By suitably adjusting tension in
this line 25, it is possible to control the mesh 26 to closely
conform to the true paraboloidal curvature.
It may thus be seen that upon the bending of the various
spring-biased hinges in the entire structure, the mesh 26 is drawn
or folded with the parts to which it is connected into spaces
within the structure and thereby cover the collapsed spiders an
surface struts as illustrated in FIG. 4. The mesh is secured at its
outer edge to the outermost surface struts 24 by a band connection
74 in which a stud 76 holds a wire 72 that passes through a grommet
in the reflector mesh 26, (see FIG. 18). The mesh 26 at its outer
edge has a longitudinal flexible member made from plastic or other
suitable materials that passes through a hem in the edge of the
mesh structure 26.
An antenna feed mechanism 16 and 18 comprises a telescoping tripod
support mechanism 64 and 66 that is initially collapsed into a
package and is capable of being expanded in a manner that will be
more specifically described hereinafter upon expansion of the
expandable truss paraboloidal antenna structure. The support of the
tripod are connected to appropriately positioned ones of the said
spider joints 30 by any known swivel connection such as by
spherical bearing connections, clevises, or the like. While the
telescoping legs 64 and 66 are telescoped in the packaged condition
as shown in FIG. 1, they are expanded through expansion of the
antenna structure itself as shown in FIG. 3. Also a positive means
may be provided to expand the telescopic legs such as by spring
means or other known means. For example, see FIG. 22, a tank 110
provides a supply of pressurized gas. The gas passes through a pair
of explosive control valves 112, through a manifold 114 and through
inlet ports 120 to the respective hollow telescoping members 64 and
66. Thus, upon actuation from a ground control unit, such as by
radio control or the like, the explosive valves 112 are ignited
opening the valves an allowing the pressurized gas 110 to pass
through the manifold 114 and into the telescoping members forcing
the members 64 into the extended position. The system can be held
in this pressurized condition over a period of time holding the
telescoping members in the extended position. Also the telescoping
members can be locked in a manner similar to that illustrated in
FIG. 8 or in FIG. 12 or by any other known locking means. In the
latter structure, an explosive release valve 116 would be ignited
opening the valve 116 and venting the compressed gas.
In the packaged condition the collapsed antenna structure 10 is
held by straps 11. These straps 11 may be automatically released,
as for example, in space, by using explosive charges on the straps.
The explosive charges are ignited by a conventional ground control
unit connected by radio control or the like. As for example, in
FIG. 21, a schematic circuit is illustrated for igniting three
explosive units on each strap. A battery 112 provides a source of
voltage that is connected through a switch 104 to lines 108 and 110
and to a plurality of pyrotechnic deployment initiation circuits
106. In operation, the switch 104 is closed prior to sending the
unit into space, then a ground control signal operates the control
unit 100 to close the circuit igniting the pyrotechnic deployment
initiation charges that explode and sever the straps 11. This then
allows the packaged antenna to expand in the manner previously
described.
In operation to deploy and erect the antenna and feed mechanism in
space, the antenna is packaged and held by straps 11 and carried
into space by a missile 12. A booster missile 14 normally carries
the antenna unit to the desired position in space. The control unit
100 is then actuated by a ground unit through a known radio control
system to provide electricity to the pyrotechnic igniting units 106
that explode charges that sever the straps 11. The spring
mechanisms in the hinge elements of the surface struts, that are
spring loaded for deployment, are released causing the struts to
expand outwardly and move the spider joints laterally outwardly in
a folding-out action as previously described. Simultaneously with
this, the explosive valves 112 are exploded from a ground control
unit providing gas pressure to the telescoping feed mechanism 16
that extends outwardly as previously described. The antenna
structure thus assumes the operative position as illustrated in
FIG. 3 of the drawings.
The antenna structure can also be used as a ground installation by
transporting the packaged antenna unit and feed mechanisms to an
appropriate site, releasing the mechanism and supporting it on a
plurality of vertical support members 70 (see FIG. 19). In a ground
installation, the vertical support members 70 abut and are fixed to
the respective spider joints 30 on the inner and outer surfaces of
the parabolic structure. Since the spider joints 30 are offset from
the other, it is possible to project the vertical support members
70 through the width of the antenna structure. The other ends of
members 70 are supported on ground 81 in the known manner. The feed
mechanism 16 is expanded by any of several known means, such as by
using the gas actuated system as illustrated in FIG. 22. The
reflector mesh 26 may be attached to the expanded structure in the
manner previously described. An alternative structure for
installing the reflector mesh is illustrated in FIG. 20 wherein a
web assembly 86 is secured to the surface struts 24 and spiders 30
by appropriate connections 88 and 97. The reflecting mesh 95 is
attached by lacing the mesh to the web assembly 93 and 94. The
panels are each laced together by a line or the like 92. A
plurality of lines 90 may be threaded through the web assembly and
pulled as tight as desired to give curvature to the reflecting mesh
95 and provide a more concave surface across the triangular truss
members 24.
It is understood that minor variations from the form of my
invention disclosed herein may be made without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and
drawings are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than
limiting.
* * * * *