Reflective and permeable metalized laminate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9685710-B1
Application number	US-201414161343-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 22, 2014
Priority date	Jan 22, 2014
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

An antenna reflector includes a laminated structure including a first layer and a second layer, where the first layer has an electrically conductive and electrically reflective front surface and includes a nonwoven metallized fiber matte and the second layer includes an open weave fabric. The laminated structure is acoustically permeable. In some implementations, a laminated structure is formed by co-curing the first layer and the second layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An antenna reflector comprising a laminated structure including a first layer and a second layer, wherein:
the first layer is a nonwoven metallized fiber matte including metallized, randomly oriented, short-chopped fibers disposed within a binder, the nonwoven metallized fiber matte having a substantial percentage of open volume provided by randomly dispersed openings, an electrically conductive and electrically reflective front surface, and a rear surface laminated to a front surface of the second layer; and
the second layer includes an open weave fabric.

2. The antenna reflector of claim 1 , wherein the laminated structure is acoustically permeable.

3. The antenna reflector of claim 1 , wherein the first layer and the second layer are co-cured.

4. The antenna reflector of claim 1 , wherein the first layer and the second layer are bonded after curing the open weave fabric.

5. The antenna reflector of claim 1 , wherein each of the first layer and a second layer has a thickness not greater than 0.05 inches.

6. The antenna reflector of claim 1 , further comprising a honeycomb core.

7. The antenna reflector of claim 6 , wherein the honeycomb core is sandwiched between the laminated structure and a rear skin, the laminated structure being disposed proximate to a first surface of the honeycomb core and the rear skin being disposed proximate to a second surface of the honeycomb core, the second surface being opposite to the first surface.

8. The antenna reflector of claim 1 , wherein the fiber matte includes one or more of carbon fibers, carbon composite fibers, polyamide fibers and glass fibers.

9. The antenna reflector of claim 1 , wherein the open weave fabric is triaxially woven.

10. The antenna reflector of claim 1 , wherein the open weave fabric includes one or more of carbon fibers, carbon composite fibers, polyamide fibers and glass fibers.

11. A method of fabricating a laminated structure for an antenna reflector member, the method comprising:
forming a first layer of an electrically conductive and electrically reflective material, the first layer including a first plurality of gores, each gore including a nonwoven metallized fiber matte including metallized, randomly oriented short-chopped fibers disposed within a binder, the nonwoven metallized fiber matte having a substantial percentage of open volume provided by randomly dispersed openings, an electrically conductive and electrically reflective front surface, and a rear surface;
forming a second layer, the second layer including a second plurality of gores, each gore including an open weave fabric; and
laminating the rear surface of the first layer to a front surface of the second layer to form the laminated structure.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the laminated structure is acoustically permeable.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the first layer includes laying the first plurality of gores on a reflector mold.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the second layer includes laying the second plurality of gores on the first layer.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein laminating includes co-curing.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein laminating includes bonding.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first layer and the second layer are bonded after curing the open weave fabric.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein each of the first layer and a second layer has a thickness not greater than 0.05 inches.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising adhering the laminated structure to a honeycomb core.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising sandwiching the honeycomb core between the laminated structure and a rear skin, wherein the laminated structure is disposed proximate to a first surface of the honeycomb core, and the rear skin is disposed proximate to a second surface of the honeycomb core opposite to the first surface.

Assignees

• Space Systems/Loral LLC

Inventors

• Hijmans Carey
• Martens Trevor

Classifications

• H01Q15/16

  curved in two dimensions [2D], e.g. paraboloidal · CPC title

• H01Q15/144

  with a honeycomb, cellular or foamed sandwich structure · CPC title

• H01Q15/14 Primary

  Reflecting surfaces; Equivalent structures {(electromagnetic shields H01Q1/526)} · CPC title

• H01Q15/141

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing reflecting surfaces · CPC title

• H01Q1/288 Primary

  Satellite antennas · CPC title