Spiraled Conductive Sheet Antenna for Wideband Multiband Performance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional coiled antennas are large, bulky, and limited to a single narrow frequency band due to their size relative to the characteristic wavelength, making them inefficient for wideband and multiband applications.
Innovation Solution
A compact, single-fed spiraled antenna assembly formed by a sheet of conductive material interlaced with dielectric material, where the height of the radiative element is equal to its width, allowing for a shorter length that is less than a quarter of the characteristic wavelength, enabling wideband and multiband omnidirectional performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If conventional coiled antenna geometries are used, then the antenna can transmit and receive electromagnetic signals, but the antenna size becomes large and bulky relative to the operating frequency
Solution Approach 1:
The radiative element is formed by rolling a conductive sheet into a spiraled configuration where the sheet is nested upon itself in a compact manner. This nesting allows the antenna to achieve the necessary electrical length for electromagnetic radiation while maintaining a compact physical volume, directly resolving the contradiction between small size and functional performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from conventional planar or simple coiled geometries to a three-dimensional spiraled configuration formed by rolling a sheet. This dimensional transformation allows the antenna to pack a longer effective electrical length into a smaller physical footprint, achieving both compact size and reliable frequency coverage.
2Reliability
If conventional coiled antennas are designed with sufficient length for frequency coverage, then the antenna operates reliably, but the bandwidth becomes narrow
Solution Approach 1:
The spiraled sheet configuration provides multi-functionality by enabling the antenna to operate across multiple frequency bands simultaneously. The geometric progression of the spiral allows different portions of the structure to resonate at different frequencies, making the antenna adaptable to both military and civilian bands without sacrificing reliable operation at any single frequency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes parameter changes in the spiral geometry, specifically varying the spacing and dimensions of the spiral turns, to achieve broadband performance. By carefully controlling the geometric parameters of the rolled sheet, the antenna can be tuned to operate reliably across a wide frequency range, resolving the contradiction between narrow bandwidth and reliable single-frequency operation.
3Volume of moving object
If the radiative element length is reduced to less than 1/4 of the characteristic wavelength, then the antenna becomes compact, but conventional designs lose their ability to effectively radiate
Solution Approach 1:
The spiraled configuration introduces curvature in multiple dimensions, creating a three-dimensional radiating structure that is more effective at radiating power than straight or simple coiled elements of the same length. The curved spiral path allows the electromagnetic energy to be distributed more effectively in space, maintaining high radiation efficiency despite the compact size constraint of less than 1/4 wavelength.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution results in a significantly smaller antenna with enhanced frequency coverage, capable of operating across multiple bands, including military frequencies, while reducing material usage and power consumption, and providing better performance compared to traditional antennas.
Implementation Method 1
a radiative element having a height and connected to the lead for sending and receiving electromagnetic signals
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an antenna assembly for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves. More particularly, this invention relates to a wideband and multiband omnidirectional antenna assembly for sending and receiving radio waves. Specifically, this invention relates to a radiative antenna element formed by way of a single-fed spiraled sheet of conductive material. The conductive material is interlaced with a dielectric material to form the radiative element. The radiative element includes a height of substantially less than ¼ of the characteristic wavelength of the lowest operating frequency.