IP Library Granted Patent US 9,214,736
Granted Patent B2
US 9,214,736 · App. 13/558,080 · Granted Dec 15, 2015

Systems and methods for mitigating disturbances in a dual gridded reflector antenna

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,214,736
App. No.
13/558,080
Granted
Dec 15, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and systems for mitigating disturbances in a dual gridded reflector antenna are provided. An antenna system that includes a first reflective surface, a second reflective surface, and an intercostal ring is provided. The intercostal ring is configured to connect the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface. A baffle is disposed between the intercostal ring and a path of the electromagnetic waves. The baffle is configured to redirect the electromagnetic waves away from the intercostal ring. Alternatively, the baffle is not present, and the intercostal ring is configured to redirect a perturbed portion of an electromagnetic wave away from wave paths of electromagnetic waves reflected by the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface, respectively.

Claims (63)

1. An antenna system comprising:

a first reflective surface;

a second reflective surface;

an intercostal ring configured to connect the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface; and

a baffle disposed between the intercostal ring and a source of an electromagnetic wave, wherein the baffle is configured to redirect the electromagnetic wave away from the intercostal ring, and wherein the baffle contacts the first reflective surface.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more posts configured to connect the first surface to the second surface, wherein the baffle is disposed between the intercostal ring and one or more posts.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the first reflective surface is configured to reflect a first portion of the electromagnetic wave having a first polarization and to allow a second portion of the electromagnetic wave having a second polarization to pass through the first reflective surface, and

the second reflective surface is configured to reflect the second portion of the electromagnetic wave having the second polarization.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first polarization is orthogonal to the second polarization.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein:

the first portion of the electromagnetic wave is transmitted or received by a first feed horn element, and

the second portion of the electromagnetic wave is transmitted and received by a second feed horn element.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein:

the baffle is configured to redirect a perturbed portion of the electromagnetic wave away from a wave path of the first portion of the electromagnetic wave reflected by the first reflective surface, and

the baffle is configured to redirect the perturbed portion of the electromagnetic wave away from a wave path of the second portion of the electromagnetic wave reflected by the second reflective surface.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first surface is disposed between the second surface and a source of the electromagnetic wave.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle is connected to one or more of the first reflective surface, the second reflective surface, and the intercostal ring.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first reflector, second reflector, and the intercostal ring are assembled into a dual-gridded reflector system, and wherein the baffle is inserted into the assembled dual-gridded reflector system without disassembling the assembled dual-gridded reflector system.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle is disposed between the source of the electromagnetic wave and a portion of the intercostal ring corresponding to a largest separation between corresponding connected portions of the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface.

11. The antenna system of claim 1 , wherein the baffle further contacts the second reflective surface.

12. A method comprising:

configuring a baffle to redirect an electromagnetic wave away from an intercostal ring; and

disposing the baffle between the intercostal ring and a source of an electromagnetic wave, wherein:

the intercostal ring is configured to connect a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface; and

the baffle contacts the first reflective surface.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

one or more posts are configured to connect the first reflective surface to the second reflective surface, and

the baffle is disposed between the intercostal ring and the one or more posts.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

the first reflective surface is configured to reflect a first portion of the electromagnetic wave having a first polarization and allow a second portion of the electromagnetic wave having a second polarization to pass through the first reflective surface, and

the second reflective surface is configured to reflect the second portion of the electromagnetic wave having the second polarization.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first polarization is orthogonal to the second polarization.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein:

the first portion of the electromagnetic wave is transmitted and received by a first feed horn element, and

the second portion of the electromagnetic wave is transmitted and received by a second feed horn element.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein:

the baffle is configured to redirect a perturbed portion of the electromagnetic wave away from a wave path of the first portion of the electromagnetic wave reflected by the first reflective surface, and

the baffle is configured to redirect the perturbed portion of the electromagnetic wave away from a wave path of the second portion of the electromagnetic wave reflected by the second reflective surface.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first surface is disposed between the second surface and a source of the electromagnetic wave.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the baffle is connected to one or more of the first reflective surface, the second reflective surface, and the intercostal ring.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first reflector, second reflector, and the intercostal ring are assembled into a dual-gridded reflector system, the method further comprising:

inserting the baffle into the assembled dual-gridded reflector system without disassembling the assembled dual-gridded reflector system.

21. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

disposing the baffle between the source of the electromagnetic wave and a portion of the intercostal ring corresponding to a largest separation between corresponding connected portions of the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface.

22. The method of claim 12 , wherein the baffle further contacts the second reflective surface.

23. An antenna system comprising:

a first reflective surface configured to reflect a first portion of an electromagnetic wave having a first polarization and to allow a second portion of the electromagnetic wave having a second polarization to pass through the first reflective surface;

a second reflective surface configured to reflect the second portion of the electromagnetic wave having the second polarization; and

an intercostal ring configured to connect the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface wherein:

the intercostal ring is configured to redirect a perturbed portion of the electromagnetic wave away from a wave path of the first portion of the electromagnetic waves reflected by the first reflective surface,

the intercostal ring is configured to redirect the perturbed portion of the electromagnetic wave away from a wave path of the second portion of the electromagnetic wave reflected by the second reflective surface,

the intercostal ring connects a periphery of the first reflective surface to an interior of the second reflective surface, and

the intercostal ring connects a periphery of the second reflective surface to an interior of the first reflective surface.

24. The antenna system of claim 23 , wherein the intercostal ring is an oblique cylinder.

25. A method comprising:

configuring a first reflective surface to reflect a first portion of an electromagnetic wave having a first polarization and to allow a second portion of the electromagnetic wave having a second polarization to pass through the first reflective surface;

configuring a second reflective surface to reflect the second portion of the electromagnetic wave having the second polarization;

configuring an intercostal ring to redirect a perturbed portion of the electromagnetic wave away from a wave path of the first portion of the electromagnetic wave reflected by the first reflective surface, wherein the intercostal ring is configured to connect the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface,

configuring the intercostal ring to redirect the perturbed portion of the electromagnetic wave away from a wave path of the second portion of the electromagnetic wave reflected by the second reflective surface,

configuring the intercostal ring to connect a periphery of the first reflective surface to an interior of the second reflective surface, and

configuring the intercostal ring to connect a periphery of the second reflective surface to an interior of the first reflective surface.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the intercostal ring is an oblique cylinder.

Assignments (11)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 10, 2022
From: NORTHROP GRUMMAN INNOVATION SYSTEMS LLC
To: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059883/0392 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CONVEYING PARTY DATA AND RECEIVING PARTY DATA PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053840 FRAME 0679. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Apr 20, 2022
From: ORBITAL SCIENCES LLC
To: NORTHROP GUMMAN INNOVATION SYSTEMS LLC
Reel/Frame 059712/0526 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNMENT FOR CORRECT PATENT NUMBER 6667713 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 058824 FRAME: 0589. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Feb 9, 2022
From: ORBITAL SCIENCES CORPORATION
To: ORBITAL SCIENCES LLC
Reel/Frame 058979/0957 →
CORPORATE ENTITY CONVERSION Recorded Dec 20, 2021
From: ORBITAL SCIENCES CORPORATION
To: ORBITAL SCIENCES LLC
Reel/Frame 058824/0589 →
CORPORATE ENTITY CONVERSION Recorded Feb 24, 2021
From: NORTHROP GRUMMAN INNOVATION SYSTEMS, INC.
To: NORTHROP GRUMMAN INNOVATION SYSTEMS LLC
Reel/Frame 055386/0337 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2020
From: ORBITAL SCIENCES CORPORATION
To: NORTHROP GRUMMAN INNOVATION SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053840/0679 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 6, 2018
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: ALLIANT TECHSYSTEMS INC.; ATK/PHYSICAL SCIENCES, INC.; ORBITAL SCIENCES CORPORATION; ORBITAL ATK, INC.
Reel/Frame 045998/0801 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jun 6, 2018
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ORBITAL ATK, INC.
Reel/Frame 046477/0874 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 30, 2015
From: ORBITAL ATK, INC.; ORBITAL SCIENCES CORPORATION
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 036732/0170 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 23, 2015
From: ORBITAL SCIENCES CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 035065/0120 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 25, 2012
From: SAREHRAZ, MOHAMMAD; YAO, HUIWEN; EDWARDS, MARTIN; BENSON, MARK ANDREW
To: ORBITAL SCIENCES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 028638/0728 →