US3618006A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Flush-mounted transducer array sonar system
Assignee: Boeing Co
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Filing: 1966-06-13
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Granted: 1971-11-02
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Expires: 1986-06-13
Abstract
Abstract 1. In a high-speed watercraft having an immersed generally horizontal bottom surface, a sonar system including an array of electroacoustic transducers mounted in substantially horizontal coplanar relationship imposed on an area of said surface, with said transducers emplaced in orderly arrangement of substantially parallel rows which extend transversely to other substantially parallel rows, and with the successive transducers in said rows being at approximately quarter-wavelength spacings, energy transfer means, and beam-forming circuit means operable to connect said individual transducers to said energy transfer means through predetermined different amounts of electrical delay so as to produce a directional pattern in the operation of said array, and to vary the amounts of delay so as to vary the angular direction of said pattern.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles P Wright
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 17:41
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10K; G10K11/00; G10K11/004; G10K11/006; G10K11/008; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/02; G01S15/06; G01S15/42; G01S7/00; G01S7/52; G01S7/521
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
In a high-speed watercraft having an immersed generally horizontal bottom surface, a sonar system including an array of electroacoustic transducers mounted in substantially horizontal coplanar relationship imposed on an area of said surface, with said transducers emplaced in orderly arrangement of substantially parallel rows which extend transversely to other substantially parallel rows, and with the successive transducers in said rows being at approximately quarter-wavelength spacings, energy transfer means, and beam-forming circuit means operable to connect said individual transducers to said energy transfer means through predetermined different amounts of electrical delay so as to produce a directional pattern in the opeRation of said array, and to vary the amounts of delay so as to vary the angular direction of said pattern.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
120 words
In a high-speed watercraft having an immersed generally horizontal bottom surface, a sonar system including an array of electroacoustic transducers mounted in substantially horizontal coplanar relationship imposed on an area of said surface, with said transducers emplaced in orderly arrangement of substantially parallel rows which extend transversely to other substantially parallel rows, and with the successive transducers in said rows being at approximately quarter-wavelength spacings, energy transfer means, and beam-forming circuit means operable to connect said individual transducers to said energy transfer means through predetermined different amounts of electrical delay so as to produce a directional pattern in the opeRation of said array, and to vary the amounts of delay so as to vary the angular direction of said pattern.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The combination defined in claim 1, wherein the beam-forming circuit means further includes selective switching means operable to interchange the connections of the individual transducers in such predetermined sequential manner as to progressively vary the angular direction of said pattern.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
106 words
A hydrofoil craft including a hydrofoil having a substantially horizontal bottom surface with a sonar transducer array mounted substantially flush thereon, said array comprising substantially parallel rows of transducer elements arranged transversely to other substantially flush thereon, said array comprising substantially parallel rows of transducer elements arranged transversely to other substantially parallel rows of transducer elements, and circuit means including energy transfer means electrically connected to said transducer elements with different electrical phasings respectively and means operable to vary such phasings, so as to produce a directional edge-fire pattern in the operation of such array and so as to vary the azimuth angle of such pattern.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
106 words
A hydrofoil craft including a hydrofoil having a substantially horizontal bottom surface with a sonar transducer array mounted substantially flush thereon, said array comprising substantially parallel rows of transducer elements arranged transversely to other substantially flush thereon, said array comprising substantially parallel rows of transducer elements arranged transversely to other substantially parallel rows of transducer elements, and circuit means including energy transfer means electrically connected to said transducer elements with different electrical phasings respectively and means operable to vary such phasings, so as to produce a directional edge-fire pattern in the operation of such array and so as to vary the azimuth angle of such pattern.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3409869A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-11-01 | 1975-05-03 | 1975-11-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-11-01 | 1979-05-03 | 1979-11-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-11-01 | 1983-05-03 | 1983-11-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |