Origami Folded Antennas for Miniaturized Satellites
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Solution Overview
Problem
Miniaturized satellites face challenges due to poorly deployable antennas that do not scale with signal wavelengths, resulting in larger dimensions and reduced benefits from size reduction.
Innovation Solution
A deployable antenna design using a dielectric sheet folded into segments with a conductive film pattern that expands to increase length, allowing for compact storage and adjustable deployment, incorporating a ground element and various folding shapes like accordion and helical configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If antenna dimensions are reduced to match miniaturized satellite size, then satellite size is reduced, but antenna wavelength requirements cannot be met
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna is divided into multiple fold segments that can be collapsed into each other, allowing the antenna to be divided into compact sections when stored and fully extended when deployed. This segmentation enables the antenna to achieve its required operational length while fitting into a much smaller satellite volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The fold segments are designed to nest within each other when compressed, similar to nested dolls. Each segment contains the next smaller segment, allowing the antenna to reduce to a compact form factor that fits within miniaturized satellite constraints while maintaining full operational length when deployed.
2Volume of moving object
If antenna is compressed into small volume, then deployability is improved, but current path continuity may be disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive film pattern is designed to be dynamic and adaptable to the folded configuration. The pattern includes pathways that route around fold lines and through segment connections, allowing current to flow continuously whether the antenna is fully extended, partially deployed, or completely compressed. This dynamic current path design ensures reliable electrical connectivity across all deployment states.
Data Source
AI summary
An antenna includes a dielectric sheet and a conductive film. The dielectric sheet is folded into a plurality of fold segments and is configured to be compressed into a compressed state and to be expanded into an expanded state. The conductive film is disposed on a portion of the dielectric sheet. The conductive film has a pattern that defines a current path from the bottom of the dielectric sheet to the top of the dielectric sheet. The pattern is configured so that the each of the plurality of fold segments includes a portion of the pattern and so that the portion of the pattern on each fold segment is substantially non-juxtaposed with respect to the portion of the pattern on each adjacent fold segment when the dielectric sheet is fully compressed into the compressed state.