Winegard Company

John R Winegard

Keith B Cowan

Carey W Shelledy

A satellite dish antenna having parabolic-shaped support ribs firmly engaging the sides of adjacent screen-mesh reflected petals along the entire longitudinal length of each petal. Each support rib having an upper reflective surface lying in the same plane as the surface of the reflective petal, under which is located a locking arrangement which engages adjacent reflective petals the entire length of the petal.

Satellite dish antenna apparatus

Satellite dish antenna support rib

Satellite dish antenna support split rib

Satellite dish antenna outer rim

The improved director (10) of the present invention provides an apparatus and method for increasing the directive gain of an antenna (30), and more particular, for a director in the high VHF band region while reinforcing the low VHF band. The director (10) includes a first element (220) having two symmetrical half sections (222, 224) with inboard ends (240) of each of the half sections mounted to and insulated from the boom (20), a second element (210) having two symmetrical half sections (212, 214) with inboard ends (240) of each half section mounted to an insulated from the boom (20), a pair of opposing phasing lines (230) parallel to the longitudinal length of the boom (20) and separated from each other by a first predetermined distance (410) wherein each phasing line (230) is electrically interconnected with the inboard ends (240) of the first and second element half sections (212 and 222, 214 and 224) located on the same side as the boom (20). Each half section of the first element (220) is substantially one half-wavelength electrically long in the high VHF band and the second element (210) and substantially one half-wavelength electrically long in the high VHF band. The two elements (210 and 220) are substantially spaced at a guarter wavelength in the high VHF band. The capacitance existing between the phasing lines (230) provides sufficient tuning so that the resonating currents in the first half section (222) of the first element (220) and the second half section (224) of the first element (220) are substantially in phase and additive.

Antenna director and method therefor

A highly compact and lightweight 82 channel all band VHF-UHF television antenna having three antenna elements wherein each element is the identical physical length and each element includes two half sections. Each antenna element is separated a predetermined distance from each other element wherein the predetermined distance is substantially less than one-tenth of the shortest wave length in the VHF band. A first set of coils are utilized to electrically lengthen the halves of the two elements for reception in the VHF band and a second set of coils are utilized to provide proper delays between the signals received by each antenna element so that when the signals are combined the signals are substantially additive and in phase. The antenna system includes a weatherproof housing containing a rotor, a preamplifier, and electronic circuitry. A deloading mechanism is arranged around the housing to engage the circumference of each antenna element to provide stability under the driving forces that may occur in the atmosphere.

Compact television antenna system

A modified parabolic antenna exhibiting low wind load characteristics having a collapsible reflector boom and a plurality of reflector elements mounted thereon. The collapsible boom includes two symmetrical parabolically shaped half sections. A first and second series of thin substantially elongated rectangular shaped reflector elements are mounted to each boom in a predetermined spaced relationship. Each reflector element is identical to the other and is also parabolically curved.

Low wind load modified farabolic antenna

A highly compact and lightweight 82 channel all banded VHF-UHF television antenna having three antenna elements wherein each element is the identical physical length and each element includes two half sections. Each antenna element is separated a predetermined distance from each other element wherein the predetermined distance is substantially less than one-tenth of the shortest wave length in the VHF band. A first set of coils are utilized to electrically lengthen the halves of the two elements for reception in the VHF band and a second set of coils are utilized to provide proper delays between the signals received by each antenna element so that when the signals are combined the signals are substantially additive and in phase. The antenna system includes a weatherproof housing containing a rotor, a preamplifier, and electronic circuitry. A deloading mechanism is arranged around the housing to engage the circumference of each antenna element to provide stability under the driving forces that may occur in the atmosphere.

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Evergreen, CO, United States of America

John R Winegard