Aircraft ultra-thin airfoil conformal communication antenna

Abstract

The invention belongs to the field of radio communication, and relates to an aircraft ultra-thin airfoil conformal communication antenna which comprises a force transmission and load bearing framework, a radiator is laid outside the force transmission and load bearing framework according to the antenna working frequency band requirement, filling foam is arranged between the force transmission and load bearing framework and the radiator, a layer of wave-transparent skin is laid on the outer side of the radiator, and the wave-transparent skin is arranged on the outer side of the radiator. According to the invention, on the premise of ensuring the rigidity and strength of the airfoil of the aircraft body, the communication between the small aircraft and the outside is realized through the ultra-thin airfoil conformal communication antenna of the embedded antenna radiator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of radio communications, and relates to a conformal antenna technology in the field of airborne data link communications of a small aircraft, and in particular to an extremely thin wing conformal communication antenna for an aircraft. Background Art

[0002] In the field of aviation radio communications, pilots need to use voice communications to achieve voice communications between aircraft and between aircraft and the ground; and use airborne data link systems to achieve intelligence transmission and situation sharing of command and control systems, so as to facilitate the integration of aircraft into the command and control system, and to achieve organic combination between multiple formations, multiple aircraft types, and multiple arms, and to conduct coordinated training and mission execution.

[0003] To this end, the outer surface of the aircraft needs to be equipped with corresponding antennas for communication with the outside world, converting the guided waves on the transmission line inside the aircraft into electromagnetic waves in an unbounded medium, so as to receive intelligence and command and control information sent by other aircraft, ground command posts, individual soldiers, etc.; at the same time, converting electromagnetic waves in space into guided waves to achieve signal transmission and energy conversion, so as to send information such as target information discovered by the aircraft detection system, the aircraft's weapon status, the pilot's target allocation, and mission requests to the command system or other aircraft. At present, general large aircraft mainly use internal or external open antennas to realize antennas with independent frequency bands and independent functions. However, the fuselage wing surface of small aircraft is relatively thin. Under the premise of ensuring rigidity and strength, there is not enough space for the installation of the radiator, and the traditional antenna embedded design cannot be realized. Therefore, at present, small aircraft can only use the limited outer surface of the fuselage to arrange independent external open antennas to realize communication functions, which will have an adverse effect on the aircraft's aerodynamics and limit the aircraft's maneuverability.

[0004] In order to solve the above problems, it is necessary to propose an aircraft ultra-thin wing conformal communication antenna structure. Summary of the invention

[0005] Purpose of the present invention:

[0006] In order to solve the problem that the extremely thin communication antennas on the wing surfaces of existing small aircraft cannot be embedded and can only be exposed, which affects the aerodynamics of the aircraft, the present invention proposes a conformal communication antenna on the extremely thin wing surface of the aircraft, and carries out an integrated design of the aircraft wing surface. The present invention breaks the boundary of the traditional design of separate antenna radiators and antenna covers by optimizing the wing surface structure, replacing the wing surface material, and embedding the antenna radiator, and designs the wing surface of the small aircraft together with the antenna as a conformal communication antenna, thereby avoiding the influence of additional outdoor exposed antennas on the flight aerodynamics of the small aircraft.

[0007] The technical solution of the present invention:

[0008] An ultra-thin wing conformal communication antenna for an aircraft comprises a force transmission and load-bearing frame, a radiator is laid outside the force transmission and load-bearing frame according to the antenna working frequency band requirements, filling foam is arranged between the force transmission and load-bearing frame and the radiator, and a layer of wave-transparent skin is laid flat on the outside of the radiator.

[0009] Furthermore, the force transmission and load bearing frame is constructed by a plurality of glass fiber structural ribs.

[0010] Furthermore, the wave-transmitting skin is a glass fiber wave-transmitting skin or a melamine glass fiber wave-transmitting skin.

[0011] Furthermore, the wave-transmitting skin, the radiator and the glass fiber structural ribs are fixedly connected by rivets.

[0012] Furthermore, according to the antenna working frequency band requirements, the radiator includes an L-band radiator and a U / V-band radiator.

[0013] Furthermore, the L-band radiator and the U / V-band radiator are both mounted on the ribs, and the two do not overlap or contact each other.

[0014] Furthermore, the L-band radiator is connected to the corresponding RLC feeding network, and the U / V-band radiator is also connected to the corresponding RLC feeding network.

[0015] Furthermore, an antenna installation point and a feeding point are arranged at the bottom end of the glass fiber structural rib.

[0016] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0017] The present invention proposes an ultra-thin wing conformal communication antenna for an aircraft. By utilizing the external dimensions of the existing wing surface of an aircraft, a typical force transmission and load-bearing skeleton is designed by constructing glass fiber structural ribs. A special internal radiator is laid on the outside of the rib according to the antenna working frequency band requirements to ensure the electrical performance of the conformal antenna. The gap between the antenna radiator and the rib is filled with foam to ensure that the performance of the radiator will not be degraded due to deformation during the aircraft's aerial maneuvers. Finally, a layer of glass fiber wave-transparent skin is laid on the outside of the radiator, and the skin, antenna radiator and ribs are forcibly fixed together by countersunk rivets to prevent delamination. Finally, under the premise of ensuring the rigidity and strength of the wing surface of the aircraft, the ultra-thin wing conformal communication antenna with the embedded antenna radiator is used to realize communication between the small aircraft and the outside world. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the aircraft ultra-thin wing conformal communication antenna of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Section view along AA direction;

[0020] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Section view along BB direction;

[0021] Figure 4 This is the schematic diagram of the RLC feeding network structure;

[0022] Among them, 1. Structural ribs; 2. Radiator; 3. Filling foam; 4. Wave-transmitting skin; 5. Rivets. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] One embodiment of the present invention is to propose an extremely thin wing conformal communication antenna for an aircraft, and to carry out an integrated design of the aircraft fuselage wing. The present invention breaks the boundary of the traditional design of separate antenna radiator and antenna cover by optimizing the fuselage wing structure, replacing the fuselage wing material, and embedding the antenna radiator. The wing of a small aircraft and the antenna are designed as a conformal communication antenna together, thus avoiding the influence of adding an additional outdoor antenna on the small aircraft on the flight aerodynamics.

[0024] The specific structure is: it includes a force transmission and load-bearing frame, a radiator is laid outside the force transmission and load-bearing frame according to the antenna working frequency band requirements, filling foam is set between the force transmission and load-bearing frame and the radiator, and a layer of wave-transparent skin is laid flat on the outside of the radiator.

[0025] In this embodiment, the force transmission and load bearing frame is constructed by a number of glass fiber structural ribs.

[0026] In this embodiment, the wave-transmitting skin is a glass fiber wave-transmitting skin or a melamine glass fiber wave-transmitting skin, which can ensure its wave-transmitting performance.

[0027] In this embodiment, the wave-transmitting skin, the radiator and the glass fiber structural ribs are fixedly connected by rivets, which is convenient for disassembly and assembly.

[0028] In this embodiment, according to the antenna working frequency band requirement, the radiator includes an L-band radiator and a U / V-band radiator.

[0029] In this embodiment, both the L-band radiator and the U / V-band radiator are mounted on the ribs, and the two do not overlap or contact each other.

[0030] In this embodiment, the L-band radiator is connected to the corresponding RLC feeding network, and the U / V-band radiator is also connected to the corresponding RLC feeding network. Figure 4 The feed matching network of the ultra-thin wing conformal communication antenna is composed of L1~L3 and C1~C4, inductance L1=157.3nH; capacitance C1=18pF; inductance L2=18nH; capacitance C2=62pF; capacitance C3=51pF; inductance L3=26nH; capacitance C4=78.7pF.

[0031] In this embodiment, antenna installation points and feeding points are arranged at the bottom of the glass fiber structural ribs, so as to facilitate the installation of the antenna in the feeding network without interfering with other components.

[0032] Figure 1 and Figure 2 It is the structural composition of an extremely thin wing surface conformal communication antenna.

[0033] Figure 2 The solid line in the figure is the antenna cover, i.e., the wave-transmitting skin, wherein the structure arranged in sequence along the length direction is a rib, specifically, a force-dissipating structural rib, and the dot-dash line is the internal radiator of the antenna. The gap between the antenna cover, the structural rib and the internal radiator of the antenna is filled and sealed with foam using a foaming agent.

[0034] The antenna configuration consists of: 1. structural ribs; 2. internal radiator; 3. filling foam; 4. antenna cover.

[0035] Figure 2 , 3 They are two partial cross-sectional details of the antenna structure, and the configuration consists of: 1. Structural ribs; 2. Antenna cover; 3. Internal radiator; 4. Rivets; 5. Filling foam.

[0036] The present invention constructs a typical force transmission and load-bearing skeleton through glass fiber structural ribs; a specially made internal radiator (including L-band and U / V-band radiators, and embedded in the slots of the ribs) is laid on the outside of the ribs according to the antenna working frequency band requirements to ensure the electrical performance of the conformal antenna; the gap between the antenna radiator and the ribs is filled with foam to ensure that the radiator will not experience performance degradation due to deformation during the aircraft's aerial maneuvers; finally, a layer of glass fiber wave-transparent skin is laid flat on the outside of the radiator, and the skin, antenna radiator and ribs are forcibly fixed together by countersunk rivets to prevent delamination, such as Figure 1 As shown, it is finally achieved that under the premise of ensuring the stiffness and strength of the wing surface of the fuselage, the communication between the small aircraft and the outside world is achieved through the extremely thin wing surface conformal communication antenna of the embedded antenna radiator.

[0037] The design process of the present invention is:

[0038] This design is suitable for aircraft (including small aircraft or stealth aircraft) with thin wing surfaces and strict requirements on exposed equipment. Its design principle is simple, safe and reliable. It has been applied to various types of aircraft antennas and has high promotion value.

[0039] a) Carry out the production and manufacturing of the internal radiator of the antenna according to the actual aircraft wing shape, including the radiator shape, feed matching network, etc.;

[0040] The radiator shapes include an L-band radiator and a U / V-band radiator. Both the L-band radiator and the U / V-band radiator are installed on the ribs, and the two do not overlap or contact each other.

[0041] The feed matching network is an LC oscillation circuit, where the resistor R is LC

[0042] b) According to the actual aircraft wing shape, aerodynamic static load and dynamic load conditions, quartz epoxy glass fiber or melamine glass fiber material is used to produce conformal antenna structural ribs using a hot forming process. The material must be wave-transparent to ensure smooth transmission and reception of electromagnetic waves by the antenna.

[0043] c) According to the docking conditions between the antenna and the aircraft interface, the antenna installation point and the feeding point are adaptively designed. The antenna installation point is set at the bottom of the rib to facilitate the transmission of the antenna aerodynamic force to the aircraft to achieve force unloading;

[0044] d) Carry out the production of antenna outer skin;

[0045] e) After the ribs, antenna radiator and skin are fixed with glue, they are riveted together to prevent the antenna from delamination;

[0046] f) Carry out electrical performance tests such as antenna radiation pattern and gain, as well as antenna stiffness and strength tests to verify the comprehensive performance of the antenna.

Claims

1. An aircraft ultra-thin wing conformal communication antenna, characterized in that: It comprises a force transmission and load bearing frame, on the outside of which a radiator is laid according to the antenna working frequency band requirement, filling foam is arranged between the force transmission and load bearing frame and the radiator, and a layer of wave-transparent skin is laid flat on the outside of the radiator.

2. The aircraft ultra-thin wing conformal communication antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The force transmission and load bearing frame is constructed by a number of glass fiber structural ribs.

3. The aircraft ultra-thin wing conformal communication antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wave-transmitting skin is a glass fiber wave-transmitting skin or a melamine glass fiber wave-transmitting skin.

4. The aircraft ultra-thin wing conformal communication antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that: The wave-transmitting skin, the radiator and the glass fiber structural ribs are fixedly connected by rivets.

5. The aircraft ultra-thin wing conformal communication antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: According to the antenna working frequency band requirements, radiators include L-band radiators and U / V-band radiators.

6. The aircraft ultra-thin wing conformal communication antenna according to claim 5, characterized in that: The L-band radiator and the U / V-band radiator are both installed on the ribs, and there is no overlap or contact between the two.

7. The aircraft ultra-thin wing conformal communication antenna according to claim 5, characterized in that: The L-band radiator is connected to the corresponding RLC feeding network, and the U / V-band radiator is also connected to the corresponding RLC feeding network.

8. The aircraft ultra-thin wing conformal communication antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that: The antenna installation point and the feeding point are arranged at the bottom of the fiberglass structural ribs.

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