Raytheon Company

Kyle W Maxhimer

Larry L Lai

Thomas Brennan

Robert Brett Williams

Clifton Quan

Fangchou Yang

David T Winslow

Derek Pruden

Robert B Williams

An inflatable structure mount is used for mounting a device to an inflatable structure. An example is mounting of radar panels to an inflatable structure within an airship. The mount includes the device, and inserts coupled to the back side of the device, which mechanically couple to flexures mounted on the inflatable structure. Some of the flexures may have slotted holes, used in positioning the inserts on the inflatable structure at positions that will allow the flexures to mate with the inserts. A jig or tool may be used as part of the installation process, to locate the flexures at points where they will properly engage the inserts. The flexures may also each face a center point that is underneath the device to be mounted. The flexures may engage the inserts in ways that allow for quick installation and de-installation of devices, and may allow for visual inspection of proper installation.

Device mount for an inflatable structure

An integrated stiffener and RF reflector (stiffener/reflector) () for a RF emitter which includes: a plurality of vertical ribs () constituting side walls of the stiffener/reflector; a plurality of horizontal ribs () formed in a width direction of the stiffener/reflector; a top cover () including metallization layer (), the top cover being electrically coupled to a ground layer () of the RF emitter and configured in such a way to direct all of RF energy in an opposite direction to the top cover. Each of the vertical () and horizontal () ribs has a sandwich structure, which includes: a foam core layer () disposed on a layer of the RF emitter (); a thin film layer () bonded to sides and top of the rib to form facesheets of the sandwich structure.

Lightweight stiffener with integrated RF cavity-backed radiator for flexible RF emitters

The present invention relates to lightweight antenna arrays and more particularly to an attachment mechanism for attaching a lightweight antenna array to a structure. In one embodiment, an antenna structure includes a platform having a first coefficient of thermal expansion; an antenna panel having a second coefficient of thermal expansion different from the first coefficient, and having first and second opposite ends; and a support structure mounting the panel to the platform. The support structure includes a first spacer element with a first height at the first end of the panel, and a second spacer element with a second height less than the first height between the first and second ends of the panel; a first adhesive layer adhering each spacer element to the platform; and a second adhesive layer adhering each spacer element to the antenna panel. A yield strength of the adhesive layers is less than a yield strength of the spacer elements.

Lightweight antenna attachment structure

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Hermosa Beach, CA, United States of America

Kyle W Maxhimer