The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 23, 1993
Filed:
Jun. 03, 1991
Frank R Chiappetta, Berwyn, PA (US);
Christopher L Frame, King of Prussia, PA (US);
Kenneth L Johnson, Eagleville, PA (US);
General Electric Company, East Windsor, NJ (US);
Abstract
A stowable and self-deployable array antenna includes flat, rectangular antenna panels hinged side-by-side so that when deployed they are coplanar, and they fold like an accordion for stowing. The deployed array antenna is stiffened by lateral stiffening panels hingedly attached to every other hinge between antenna panels, and to the unhinged ends of the antenna panels. Foldable longitudinal stiffening panels are hinged between adjacent lateral stiffening panels. Each hinged connection includes a pair of thin spring elements, corresponding to a portion of a cylinder. The two spring elements of each hinge are spaced apart with their concave sides facing, and with the axes of the defining cylinder parallel. The hinge pivots, when the spring elements buckle, about a line orthogonal to a line extending between the cylinder axes. The hinges are used as the structural elements of self-deployable masts. The mast may have a polygonal cross-section.