US 12,237,575 B2
Antenna apparatus having radome spacing
Ersin Yetisir, Redmond, WA (US); Trevor Cameron, Redmond, WA (US); David Milroy, Kirkland, WA (US); and Duncan E. Adams, Redmond, WA (US)
Assigned to Space Explortion Technologies Corp., Hawthorne, CA (US)
Filed by Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Hawthorne, CA (US)
Filed on Jun. 3, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/892,237.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/856,730, filed on Jun. 3, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0381814 A1, Dec. 3, 2020
Int. Cl. H01Q 1/42 (2006.01); H01Q 1/02 (2006.01); H01Q 1/12 (2006.01); H01Q 1/22 (2006.01); H01Q 1/38 (2006.01); H01Q 9/04 (2006.01); H01Q 15/14 (2006.01); H01Q 21/00 (2006.01); H01Q 21/06 (2006.01); H01Q 21/10 (2006.01); H01Q 23/00 (2006.01)
CPC H01Q 1/428 (2013.01) [H01Q 1/02 (2013.01); H01Q 1/1207 (2013.01); H01Q 1/1228 (2013.01); H01Q 1/2283 (2013.01); H01Q 1/38 (2013.01); H01Q 1/42 (2013.01); H01Q 1/422 (2013.01); H01Q 9/0407 (2013.01); H01Q 9/0414 (2013.01); H01Q 15/144 (2013.01); H01Q 21/00 (2013.01); H01Q 21/065 (2013.01); H01Q 21/10 (2013.01); H01Q 23/00 (2013.01); H01Q 1/2291 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A housing for an antenna system having a plurality of antenna elements defining an antenna aperture for use as part of a user terminal to communicate with a satellite, the housing comprising:
a lower enclosure;
a radome portion configured for coupling to the lower enclosure to define an inner chamber, the radome portion having a planar top surface and an inner surface opposite the planar top surface, and a radome spacer, the radome spacer configured for spacing the planar top surface from the plurality of antenna elements defining the antenna aperture with equal spacing between the planar top surface and a top surface of each of the plurality of antenna elements defining the antenna aperture, wherein the radome spacer includes a plurality of apertures defined by cell walls, each aperture configured to align with an antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements, wherein the plurality of antenna element are disposed on a carrier surface having carrier surface spacing between adjacent antenna elements, wherein the radome spacer includes a first end coupled to the inner surface of the radome portion and a second end configured for coupling to the carrier surface spacing, and wherein the radome portion has a thickness between 3 mm and 4.5 mm such that the planar top surface of the radome portion is spaced apart from each of the plurality of antenna elements by a distance between 3 mm and 4.5 mm.