27.8 m2 transmitter loop structure – collapsible

• Price: Price on application

The 27.8m2 transmitter loop structure telescopes to collapse into a form suitable for shipping in a 2.1m long tube suitable even for DHL’s stringent shipping restrictions. The loop itself unclips and can be replaced.

 The structure suspends the loop using a mutually movement damping set of supported elastic struts such that the loop maintains an octagonal shape. The elastic struts maintain damped movement correction forces on the loop that return it to the correct shape after any perturbation.

 A receiver loop is central to the transmitter loop structure and doubles as supports that make the structure easy to handle when side booms are not telescoped outwards, and the transmitter loop is not affixed. For this reason, it is not an option.

 Side booms are affixed using our design of elastic tendons and ball and knuckle joins to allow flexibility of 3D movement and a weak join should limit of movement be exceeded.

 The centre of gravity of this structure is set up slightly beneath the axis of the longitudinal boom. A pendular body will have a low frequency of oscillation when the distance from the centre of gravity of that body to an axis around which it is permitted to rotate is small compared to its radius of gyration about that same axis. The radius of gyration around the longitudinal boom is very large in comparison. The result is a very low frequency of oscillation and stable leveling of the loop at all times. Sidewards jolting forces on the structure will apply forces of period much smaller than the period of oscillation such that movement is strongly damped.

 The structure has rigging that can be pulled to raise the side booms and narrow the structure for passing through narrow gaps. When the rigging is pulled, the structure must be held upright as centre of gravity will pass up above the longitudinal boom axis. This rotation is opposed either by a downward extending handle if being walked or cantilever suspended, or by the central structure if on a cart – this central structure has a rotating rigging support at the top that allows for damped self-leveling.

 The structure has fixed location mounting points for the central battery suspender, AgTEM transmitter backpack, AgTEM computer operators backpack, AgTEM computer touchscreen, and AgTEM receiver, which is situated up front beyond the transmitter loop due to its high metal content. 

Diagrams shown are from the patent. See other Wallaroo implementation to see the structure in use.