Patent ID: 6859180
Filing Date: 2005-02-22
Classification: H01Q

Abstract:
1. An antenna for a towed, low-profile submarine buoy comprising: a tube; fins along a length of said tube; a first circular plate with an aperture, said first circular plate secured to a first end of said tube and said fins; a second circular plate secured to a second end of said tube and said fins wherein said first and second circular plates, an exterior of said tube and said fins define a plurality of resonant cavities; a first transmission line extending through an interior of said tube with said first transmission line including a feedpoint terminus removably conductive to a radio-frequency energy source, said feedpoint terminus filling out said aperture of said first circular plate; a hub with a cylindrical exterior and two ends with one end of said hub conductive to an opposite terminus of said first transmission line; a plurality of curved plates spaced apart from an extending plane of said fins and projecting from said second circular plate, each of said curved plates subtending to partially encompass a facing resonant cavity from said plurality of resonant cavities; and a plurality of electrical switches individually attaching said curved plates to said tube with each individual switch including a contact movable in a cavity of said individual switch; wherein a righting action of said curved plates inclines said cavity thereby allowing said contact to move to an-actuated position such that radio-frequency energy from the radio-frequency energy source conducted from said hub to said individual switch; and wherein the radio-frequency energy conducted by said individual switch distributes from said individual switch as current across said individually attached curved plate and said facing resonant cavity such that a radiation pattern is formed by the difference in phase of said facing resonant cavity and said individually attached curved plate.