Patent ID: 6429820
Filing Date: 2002-08-06
Classification: H01Q

Abstract:
An antenna comprising:a conductive plate; a driven upright conductive element connected to said conductive plate and projecting away from said conductive plate; a plurality of non-driven upright conductive elements connected to said conductive plate in a substantially parallel spaced apart orientation with respect to each other and to said driven conductive element, wherein said plurality of non-driven upright conductive elements project away from said conductive plate; a top conductive element bridging the space between said driven conductive element and said plurality of non-driven conductive elements, wherein said top conductive element is spaced away from said plurality of non-driven conductive elements so as to create a gap therebetween, wherein said top conductive element is spaced apart from said driven conductive element so as to create a gap therebetween, and wherein said top conductive element is spaced apart from said conductive plate; a first plurality of meanderline couplers equal in number to the plurality of non-driven conductive elements, wherein one of said first plurality of meanderline couplers is connected between each one of said plurality of non-driven conductive elements and said top conductive element so as to provide an electrical path across the gap therebetween; a second meanderline coupler connected between said driven conductive element and said top conductive element so as to provide an electrical path across the gap therebetween; wherein said first plurality of meanderline couplers and said second meanderline coupler have an effective electrical length that affects the electrical length and operating characteristics of the antenna; and wherein at least one of said plurality of non-driven conductive elements has an effective length that is an odd multiple of a quarter wavelength at a selected operating frequency.