Patent ID: 7038636

Claim:
A helical antenna, comprising: a helix component defining a helix axis, said helix component being made out of rigid-type electrically conductive material formed into a helix shape, said helix component being substantially flexible in an axial direction and in a bending direction generally transverse to the helix axis and substantially rigid in a radial compression direction; a helix support including a flexible sheet, said flexible sheet being curlable in a revolution surface configuration to form a revolution surface-shaped support section for at least partially supporting a portion of the helix component therearound, said section defining a section axis, said section axis being substantially in a co-linear relationship relative to the helix axis when said flexible sheet is in said revolution surface configuration; said support section being substantially rigid in said axial and bending directions and substantially flexible in said radial compression direction, said helix component and said support section structurally cooperating with one another so that said antenna is substantially rigid in said axial, bending and radial compression directions when said support section supports said helix component therearound.