US Patent 7091924 - MEMS Reconfigurable Antenna
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7091924.pdf
High frequency communication devices are benefiting from microelectromechanical systems that allow for electrically steerable microantenna elements that can be mechanically reconfigured to provide variable impedance parameters. This patent employs a series of micromechanical hinges to rotate respective antenna arms and form a reconfigurable vee antenna. Claim 1 reads:
1. A MEMS reconfigurable vee antenna comprising: a transmission line end comprising conductors; antenna arms, each of the antenna arms being rotatably coupled to a corresponding one of the conductors; actuator mechanisms; support arms, each of the support arms having one end rotatably coupled to a corresponding one of the antenna arms and the other end rotatably coupled to a corresponding one of the actuator mechanisms; first micro-mechanical hinges, each of the first micro-mechanical hinges rotatably coupling one of the antenna arms to a corresponding one of the conductors; second micro-mechanical hinges, each of the second micro-mechanical hinges rotatably coupling one end of a corresponding one of the support arms to a corresponding one of the antenna arms; and third micro-mechanical hinges, each of the third micro-mechanical hinges rotatably coupling one end of a corresponding one of the support arms to a corresponding one of the actuator mechanisms; wherein, for each of the actuator mechanisms, when the actuator mechanism is controlled to move linearly forward, the corresponding support arm pushes on the corresponding antenna arm so as rotate the corresponding antenna arm inward, and when the actuator mechanism is controlled to move linearly backward, the corresponding support arm pulls on the corresponding antenna arm so as rotate the corresponding antenna arm outward.
High frequency communication devices are benefiting from microelectromechanical systems that allow for electrically steerable microantenna elements that can be mechanically reconfigured to provide variable impedance parameters. This patent employs a series of micromechanical hinges to rotate respective antenna arms and form a reconfigurable vee antenna. Claim 1 reads:
1. A MEMS reconfigurable vee antenna comprising: a transmission line end comprising conductors; antenna arms, each of the antenna arms being rotatably coupled to a corresponding one of the conductors; actuator mechanisms; support arms, each of the support arms having one end rotatably coupled to a corresponding one of the antenna arms and the other end rotatably coupled to a corresponding one of the actuator mechanisms; first micro-mechanical hinges, each of the first micro-mechanical hinges rotatably coupling one of the antenna arms to a corresponding one of the conductors; second micro-mechanical hinges, each of the second micro-mechanical hinges rotatably coupling one end of a corresponding one of the support arms to a corresponding one of the antenna arms; and third micro-mechanical hinges, each of the third micro-mechanical hinges rotatably coupling one end of a corresponding one of the support arms to a corresponding one of the actuator mechanisms; wherein, for each of the actuator mechanisms, when the actuator mechanism is controlled to move linearly forward, the corresponding support arm pushes on the corresponding antenna arm so as rotate the corresponding antenna arm inward, and when the actuator mechanism is controlled to move linearly backward, the corresponding support arm pulls on the corresponding antenna arm so as rotate the corresponding antenna arm outward.
posted by blaisemouttet at 11:56 PM
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