Ultrasonic sensor

Claim 2

Ultrasonic sensor comprising: an electroacoustic transducer (17) adapted to alternately emit a burst of acoustic energy in response to a corresponding electrical drive signal and to convert the portion of the burst of acoustic energy reflected back from a remote target (26) to a corresponding electrical signal, said transducer (17) being subject to unavoidable ringing for a known time interval after each emission of a burst of acoustic energy, characterized by a housing (11 - 13, 15, 19, 20, 27) defining a housing envelope (24), said housing supporting said electroacoustic transducer (17) so that acoustic energy emitted thereby traverses a distance at least half as great as that which it travels during the known time interval before leaving the housing envelope (24).

Claim 3

Ultrasonic sensor comprising: an electroacoustic transducer (17) adapted to alternately emit a burst of acoustic energy in response to a corresponding electrical drive signal and to convert the portion of the burst of acoustic energy reflected back from a remote target to a corresponding electrical signal, said transducer (17) being subject to unavoidable ringing for a known time interval after each emission of a burst of acoustic energy, characterized by mounting means (64) for supporting said electroacoustic transducer (17) and reflector means (66) inclined to said burst of acoustic energy and located at a distance from said transducer (17) with said distance being at least half as great as that which it travels during the known time interval before leaving the reflector means.

Claim 4

Ultrasonic sensor comprising: an electroacoustic transducer (17) adapted to alternately emit a burst of acoustic energy in response to a corresponding electrical drive signal and to convert the portion of the burst of acoustic energy reflected back from a remote target to a corresponding electrical signal, said transducer (17) being subject to unavoidable ringing for a known time interval after each emission of a burst of acoustic energy, characterized by mounting means (64) for supporting said electroacoustic transducer (17) and reflector means (66) inclined to said burst of acoustic energy and located at a distance from said transducer (17) with said distance being at least half as great as that which it travels during the known time interval before leaving the reflector means.

Claim 5

Sensor according to claim 1, characterized b y reflector means (20, 27) within the housing envelope (24) positioned to intercept at least a portion of the acoustic energy emitted by said electroacoustic transducer (17) and to reflect the intercepted energy out of the housing envelope (24).

Claim 6

Ultrasonic sensor according to claim 3, characterized in that said reflector means (20, 27) is based from said electroacoustic transducer (17) by a distance substantially equal to half the distance traversed by acoustic energy during the known time interval.

Claim 7

A sensor according to claim 2 and 4, characterized in that said reflector means (20, 27; 66) is positioned to reflect the intercepted energy in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the direction in which acoustic energy is emitted by said electroacoustic transducer (17).

Claim 8

Sensor according to claims 1, 3 and 4, characterized in that said housing includes: a body (11, 12) having first and second ends (13, 14) and a major dimension transverse to the first and second ends (13, 14); and a head (15) mounted on the first end (13) of said body (11, 12), said head (15) having a portion (16) which extends substantially parallel with the first end (13) of said body (11, 12) beyond the edge thereof, said head (15) supporting said electroacoustic transducer (17) in a position so that the path of acoustic energy emitted by said transducer is substantially parallel with the major dimension of said body (11, 12), said reflector means (20, 27) being located on said body (11, 12) near the second end (14) thereof and positioned to reflect acoustic energy from said transducer (17) in a direction transverse to the major dimension of said body (11, 12).

Claim 9

Sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that said reflector (20, 27) is detachably mounted on said body (11, 12).

Claim 10

Sensor according to claims 2 and 6, characterized in that said reflector means (27, 66) has a planar reflecting surface (28) thereon.

Claim 11

Sensor according to claim 6, characterized in that said reflector means (20) has a non-planar reflecting surface (21) thereon.

Claim 12

Sensor according to claim 9, characterized in that the reflecting surface (21) on said reflector means (20) defines a parabolic section whose focus is substantially at a radiating surface (23) of said electroacoustic transducer (17), whereby the gain of the ultrasonic sensor is increased.

Claim 13

Sensor according to claim 2, characterized in that said mounting means and said reflecting means are formed by an angle sheet iron (64).

Claim 14

Sensor according to claim 11, characterized in that said transducer (17) is arranged within a cylindrical housing (54) provided with an external thread (56) and being adjustably secured to said angle sheet iron (64) by means of nuts (60, 62).