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:
Aug. 27, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 30, 2000
Byron F. Knight, Vienna, VA (US);
Joseph Duffy, Gainesville, FL (US);
Carl David Crane, III, Gainesville, FL (US);
Joseph Rooney, Olney, GB;
Harris Corporation, Melbourne, FL (US);
Abstract
A screw motion-driven tensegrity antenna support architecture is configured to stably deploy and adjustably control an energy-focusing surface, such as an RF wave-reflecting conductive mesh. A parallel platform structure is configured of an upper hexagonal platform and a lower hexagonal base, the perimeter geometry of each of which is defined by plural interconnected tensioned ties. Vertices of the hexagonal tie base and the hexagonal upper tie platform are interconnected by pairs of legs, each including a compression strut and a tension tie. The stability of the structure requires that the sum of the tie tension forces matches the sum of the compression forces in the struts. To control deployment from a stowed condition and the geometric parameters of the deployed RF reflecting surface, a screw motion-based drive system is coupled to the struts to define relative mutual rotation and pitch between the upper platform and lower base.