Patent · US Expired

Quadrifilar helix antenna

US5635945A · kind A · utility

51Cited by
15References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 12, 1995
Grant dateJun 3, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 12, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01Q1/362
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A quadrifilar helix antenna for use in satellite communications comprises four conductive elements arranged to define two separate helically twisted loops, one slightly differing in electrical length than the other, to define a cylinder of constant radius supported by itself or by a cylindrical non-conductive substrate. The two separate helically twisted loops are connected to each other in such a way as to constitute the impedance matching, electrical phasing, coupling and power distribution for the antenna. In place of a conventional balun, the antenna is fed at a tap point on one of the conductive elements determined by an impedance matching network which connects the antenna to a transmission line. The matching network can be built with distributed or lumped electrical elements and can be incorporated into the design of the antenna.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.