Printed or etched, folding, directional antenna

Abstract From the Canadian patent

An antenna array formed on a deformable dielectric material or substrate includes a center element and plurality of radial elements extending from a center hub. In the operative mode the radial elements are folded upwardly into an approximately vertical position with the center element at the center of the hub and the radial elements circumferentially surrounding the center element. In one embodiment the center element serves an active element of the antenna array and the radial elements are controllable in a directive or reflective state to effect a directive beam pattern from the antenna array. When not in use the antenna elements are deformed into a plane and can therefore be integrated …