James C Marsik

US Patent:

6396448, May 28, 2002

Filed:

Aug 15, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/638602

Inventors:

Kurt Alan Zimmerman - Indialantic FL
John Elliott Wann - Dacula GA
Robert Alan Freeman - Norcross GA
James Charles Marsik - Loganville GA

Assignee:

EMS Technologies, Inc. - Norcross GA

International Classification:

H01Q 1906

US Classification:

343753, 343754, 343757, 343766, 343911 R

Abstract:

An antenna comprising a feed for delivering electromagnetic energy to a rotatable combination of a dielectric lens and a reflective surface. The combination of the dielectric lens and the reflective surface is placed proximate to and in front of an energy feed, such as a horn, to support the scanning of an antenna beam in response to rotation of the lens/reflective surface assembly. The lens typically comprises a dielectric material and the reflective surface can comprise a thin layer of material operable to reflect electromagnetic energy. For example, the lens can comprise a half-cylinder shape of dielectric material and the reflective surface can be applied to the flat portion of the half-cylindrical lens. Alternatively, the antenna can comprise two or more electromagnetic feeds and a cylindrical lens of dielectric material including a centrally-embedded, two-sided reflective surface. A positioning system can be used to rotate the combination of the lens and the reflective material proximate to and in front of the electromagnetic feed(s).