Seismic apparatus

Claim 2

A seismic streamer section including a flexible tube adapted to contain liquid, end means at each end of the tube for making mechanical and electrical connection with an adjacent tube and for closing the ends of the tube, bulkheads in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube, mechanical tension lines extending from one end means at one end of the tube through the tube and said bulkheads to the other end means at the other end of the tube, hydrophones in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube between the bulkheads, and an electric conductor bundle in the tube including through conductors extending from said one end means to said other end means and other conductors extending from said one end means to various ones of said components, each hydrophone comprising a drum shaped case and two wafer shaped piezoelectric transducer means disposed within the case, the case including a ring forming the sides of the case, said ring having two open ends, diaphragms closing the ends of the ring and forming the ends of the case and each separately supporting one of said piezoelectric transducer means, support means supporting one diaphragm directly from one end of the ring and the other diaphragm directly from the other end of the ring with the plane of each diaphragm being displaced inwardly from the plane of the end of the ring from which the diaphragm is supported to provide standoff between the diaphragm and said bundle and lines.

Claim 3

A hydrophone adapted for use in a seismic streamer section of the kind including a flexible tube adapted to contain liquid, end means at each end of the tube for making mechanical and electrical connection with an adjacent tube and for closing the ends of the tube, bulkheads in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube, mechanical tension lines extending from one end means at one end of the tube through the tube and said bulkheads to the other end means at the other end of the tube, hydrophones in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube between the bulkheads, and an electric conductor bundle in the tube including through conductors extending from said one end means to said other end means and other conductors extending from said one end means to various ones of said components, said hydrophone comprising a drum shaped case and two wafer shaped piezoelectric transducer means disposed within the case, the case including a ring forming the sides of the case, said ring having two open ends, diaphragms closing the ends of the ring and forming the ends of the case and each separately supporting one of said piezoelectric transducer means, support means supporting one diaphragm directly from one end of the ring and the other diaphragm from the other end of the ring with the plane of each diaphragm being displaced inwardly from the plane of the end of the ring from which the diaphragm is supported to provide standoff between the diaphragm and the bundle and lines of a streamer section of the aforesaid kind in which the hydrophone may be used.

Claim 4

A hydrophone adapted for use in a seismic streamer section of the kind including a flexible tube adapted to contain liquid, end means at each end of the tube for making mechanical and electrical connection with an adjacent tube and for closing the ends of the tube, bulkheads in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube, mechanical tension lines extending from one end means at one end of the tube through the tube and said bulkheads to the other end means at the other end of the tube, hydrophones in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube between the bulkheads, and an electric conductor bundle in the tube including through conductors extending from said one end means to said other end means and other conductors extending from said one end means to various ones of said components, said hydrophone comprising a drum shaped case and two wafer shaped piezoelectric transducer means disposed within the case, the case including a ring forming the sides of the case, said ring having two open ends, diaphragms closing the ends of the ring and forming the ends of the case and each separately supporting one of said piezoelectric transducer means, support means supporting one diaphragm directly from one end of the ring and the other diaphragm from the other end of the ring with the plane of each diaphragm being displaced inwardly from the plane of the end of the ring from which the diaphragm is supported to provide standoff between the diaphragm and the bundle and lines of a streamer section of the aforesaid kind in which the hydrophone may be used.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, one of said piezoelectric transducer means being secured to the inner face of said one diaphragm and the other of said piezoelectric transducer means being secured to the inner face of said other diaphragm, the adjacent faces of said piezoelectric transducer means being separated but in close proximity to limit their inward flexure under hydrostatic pressure external to said case.

Claim 6

A seismic streamer section including a flexible tube adapted to contain liquid, end means at each end of the tube for making mechanical and electrical connection with an adjacent tube and for closing the ends of the tube, bulkheads in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube, mechanical tension lines extending from one end means at one end of the tube through the tube and said bulkheads to the other end means at the other end of the tube, hydrophones in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube between the bulkheads, an electric conductor bundle in the tube including through conductors extending from said one end means to said other end means and other conductors extending from said one end means to various ones of said components, the space inside said tube around said bundle and said hydrophones and said lines and said bulkheads being filled with liquid, each hydrophone comprising a liquid tight case and piezoelectric means disposed within the case, said case including a ring having two ends and two dished diaphragm means, each diaphragm means including a diaphragm disposed inwardly of said ends and a flange extending around the perimeter of the diaphram and flaring from the diaphragm toward the adjacent end of the ring, each flange having an annular lip secured to the periphery of the flange that is remote from the diaphram, said flange being integral with said diaphragm and lip, said diaphragms being parallel and flexible said ring itself having open ends and each of said two dished diaphragm means closing a different one of said two ends of said ring and to that end each of said dished diaphragm means being disposed with its lip overlying the respective end of the ring and sealed thereto, the exterior of both diaphragms being exposed to the ambient exterior to said case, said piezoelectric means comprising first piezoelectric transducer means secured to the inner face of only one of said diaphragms and second piezoelectric transducer means secured to the inner face of only the other of said diaphragms, the adjacent faces of said piezoelectric transducer means being separated, said flanges providing support means for said diaphragms creating a standoff between each diaphragm and said bundle and lines, said support means positioning said transducer means to engage each other upon flexure of said diaphragms and thereby limit the maximum displacement of each said transducer means under hydrostatic pressure external to said case.

Claim 7

A seismic streamer section including a flexible tube adapted to contain liquid, end means at each end of the tube for making mechanical and electrical connection with an adjacent tube and for closing the ends of the tube, bulkheads in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube, mechanical tension lines extending from one end means at one end of the tube through the tube and said bulkheads to the other end means at the other end of the tube, hydrophones in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube between the bulkheads, an electric conductor bundle in the tube including through conductors extending from said one end means to said other end means and other conductors extending from said one end means to various ones of said components, the space inside said tube around said bundle and said hydrophones and said lines and said bulkheads being filled with liquid, each hydrophone comprising a liquid tight case and piezoelectric means disposed within the case, said case including a ring having two ends and two dished diaphragm means, each diaphragm means including a diaphragm disposed inwardly of said ends and a flange extending around the perimeter of the diaphram and flaring from the diaphragm toward the adjacent end of the ring, each flange having an annular lip secured to the periphery of the flange that is remote from the diaphram, said flange being integral with said diaphragm and lip, said diaphragms being parallel and flexible said ring itself having open ends and each of said two dished diaphragm means closing a different one of said two ends of said ring and to that end each of said dished diaphragm means being disposed with its lip overlying the respective end of the ring and sealed thereto, the exterior of both diaphragms being exposed to the ambient exterior to said case, said piezoelectric means comprising first piezoelectric transducer means secured to the inner face of only one of said diaphragms and second piezoelectric transducer means secured to the inner face of only the other of said diaphragms, the adjacent faces of said piezoelectric transducer means being separated, said flanges providing support means for said diaphragms creating a standoff between each diaphragm and said bundle and lines, said support means positioning said transducer means to engage each other upon flexure of said diaphragms and thereby limit the maximum displacement of each said transducer means under hydrostatic pressure external to said case.

Claim 8

A hydrophone for use in a seismic streamer section of the kind including a flexible tube adapted to contain liquid, end means at each end of the tube for making mechanical and electrical connection with an adjacent tube, and for closing the ends of the tube, bulkheads in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube, mechanical tension lines extending from one end means at one end of the tube through the tube and said bulkheads to the other end means at the other end of the tube, hydrophones in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube, an electric conductor bundle in the tube including through conductors extending from said one end means to said other end means and other conductors extending said one end means to various ones of said components, the space inside said tube around said bundle and said hydrophones and said lines and said bulkheads being filled with liquid, said hydrophone comprising a liquid tight case and piezoelectric means disposed within the case, said case including a ring having two ends and two dished diaphragm means, each diaphragm means including a diaphragm disposed inwardly of said ends and a flange extending around the perimeter of the diaphragm and flaring from the diaphragm toward the adjacent end of the ring, each flange having an annular lip secured to the periphery of the flange that is remote from the diaphragm, said flange being integral with said diaphragm and lip, said diaphragms being parallel and flexible, said ring thereof having open ends and each of said two dished diaphram means closing a different one of said two ends of said ring and to that end each of said dished diaphragm means being disposed with its lip overlying the respective end of the ring and sealed thereto, the exterior of both diaphragms being exposed to the ambient exterior to said case, said piezoelectric means comprising first piezoelectric transducer means secured to the inner face of one of said diaphragms and second piezoelectric transducer means secured to the inner face of the other of said diaphragms, the adjacent faces of said piezoelectric transducer means being separated, said flanges providing support means for said diaphragms creating a standoff between each diaphragm and said bundles and lines when said hydrophone is disposed in a streamer section as aforesaid, said support means positioning said transducer means to engage each other upon flexure of said diaphragms and thereby limit the maximum displacement of each said transducer means under hydrostatic pressure external to said case.

Claim 9

A hydrophone for use in a seismic streamer section of the kind including a flexible tube adapted to contain liquid, end means at each end of the tube for making mechanical and electrical connection with an adjacent tube, and for closing the ends of the tube, bulkheads in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube, mechanical tension lines extending from one end means at one end of the tube through the tube and said bulkheads to the other end means at the other end of the tube, hydrophones in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube, an electric conductor bundle in the tube including through conductors extending from said one end means to said other end means and other conductors extending said one end means to various ones of said components, the space inside said tube around said bundle and said hydrophones and said lines and said bulkheads being filled with liquid, said hydrophone comprising a liquid tight case and piezoelectric means disposed within the case, said case including a ring having two ends and two dished diaphragm means, each diaphragm means including a diaphragm disposed inwardly of said ends and a flange extending around the perimeter of the diaphragm and flaring from the diaphragm toward the adjacent end of the ring, each flange having an annular lip secured to the periphery of the flange that is remote from the diaphragm, said flange being integral with said diaphragm and lip, said diaphragms being parallel and flexible, said ring thereof having open ends and each of said two dished diaphram means closing a different one of said two ends of said ring and to that end each of said dished diaphragm means being disposed with its lip overlying the respective end of the ring and sealed thereto, the exterior of both diaphragms being exposed to the ambient exterior to said case, said piezoelectric means comprising first piezoelectric transducer means secured to the inner face of one of said diaphragms and second piezoelectric transducer means secured to the inner face of the other of said diaphragms, the adjacent faces of said piezoelectric transducer means being separated, said flanges providing support means for said diaphragms creating a standoff between each diaphragm and said bundles and lines when said hydrophone is disposed in a streamer section as aforesaid, said support means positioning said transducer means to engage each other upon flexure of said diaphragms and thereby limit the maximum displacement of each said transducer means under hydrostatic pressure external to said case.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 5, including electric terminal means extending from the exterior to the interior of the case, and electric connector means connecting said piezoelectric means with said electric terminal means, each said transducer means comprising a piezoelectric wafer having one side secured to the respective diaphragm, said electric connector means comprising a leaf of electroconductive material secured to the other side of each wafer and a wire extending from the leaf connected to said electric terminal means.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 6, said electric terminal means including an electroconductive tube, said wires extending from the leaf being flat and integral with the leaf and extending into the tube.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 7, said diaphragms, wafers and leaf being circular and concentric.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 8, said electric terminal means including a feed through electrical terminal in said ring, said feed through terminal including said tube and a ceramic bushing therearound, said tube providing an electrical terminal external to the case on the outer periphery of the ring.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 9, said ring, support means and diaphragms being electroconductive, said lips being secured to said ring in electroconductive relationship, said one side of each wafer being electro-conductively secured to the inside of the respective diaphragm, said ring having a metal post on its outer periphery providing a second electrical terminal external to the case.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 10, said diaphragms each being made of the nickel steel alloy "Elinvar Extra".

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 10, including an annular elastomeric bumper around said ring, said bumper having at each end an inturned annular flange extending over the adjacent one of said lips, said bumper having two separate aperture means in its side, each aperture means passing one of said electrical terminals.

Claim 17

A hydrophone for use in a seismic streamer section of the kind including: a flexible tube adapted to contain liquid, end means at each end of the tube for making mechanical and electrical connection with an adjacent tube, and for closing the ends of the tube, bulkheads in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube, mechanical tension lines extending from one end means at one end of the tube through the tube and said bulkheads to the other end means at the other end of the tube, hydrophones in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube between the bulkheads, and an electric conductor bundle in the tube including through conductors extending from said one end means to said other end means and other conductors extending from said one end means to various ones of said components, the space inside said tube around said bundle and said hydrophones and said lines and said bulkheads being filled with liquid, said hydrophone comprising a case and piezoelectric means disposed within the case, said case including flexible diaphragms, said piezoelectric means comprising first piezoelectric transducer means secured to the inner face of one of said diaphragms and second piezoelectric transducer means secured to the inner face of said other diaphragm, said hydrophone including electric terminal means extending from the exterior to the interior of the case, and electric connector means connecting said piezoelectric means with said electric terminal means, each said transducer means comprising a piezoelectric wafer having one side secured to the respective diaphragm, said electric connector means comprising a leaf of electroconductive material secured to the other side of each wafer and a wire extending from the leaf connected to said electric terminal means.

Claim 18

A hydrophone for use in a seismic streamer section of the kind including: a flexible tube adapted to contain liquid, end means at each end of the tube for making mechanical and electrical connection with an adjacent tube, and for closing the ends of the tube, bulkheads in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube, mechanical tension lines extending from one end means at one end of the tube through the tube and said bulkheads to the other end means at the other end of the tube, hydrophones in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube between the bulkheads, and an electric conductor bundle in the tube including through conductors extending from said one end means to said other end means and other conductors extending from said one end means to various ones of said components, the space inside said tube around said bundle and said hydrophones and said lines and said bulkheads being filled with liquid, said hydrophone comprising a case and piezoelectric means disposed within the case, said case including flexible diaphragms, said piezoelectric means comprising first piezoelectric transducer means secured to the inner face of one of said diaphragms and second piezoelectric transducer means secured to the inner face of said other diaphragm, said hydrophone including electric terminal means extending from the exterior to the interior of the case, and electric connector means connecting said piezoelectric means with said electric terminal means, each said transducer means comprising a piezoelectric wafer having one side secured to the respective diaphragm, said electric connector means comprising a leaf of electroconductive material secured to the other side of each wafer and a wire extending from the leaf connected to said electric terminal means.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 13 said electric terminal means including a tube of electroconductive material, said wires extending from the leaf being flat and one-piece integral with the leaf and extending into the tube.

Claim 20

Apparatus according to claim 13 or 14, said diaphragms, wafers and leaf being circular and concentric.

Claim 21

A seismic streamer section including a flexible tube adapted to contain liquid, end means at each end of the tube for making mechanical and electrical connection with an adjacent tube and for closing the ends of the tube, bulkheads in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube, mechanical tension lines extending from one end means at one end of the tube through the tube and said bulkheads to the other end means at the other end of the tube, hydrophones in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube between the bulkheads, and an electric conductor bundle in the tube including through conductors extending from said one end means to said other end means and other conductors extending from said one end means to various ones of said components, each hydrophone comprising a liquid tight case and piezoelectric means disposed within the case, the case including parallel flexible diaphragms said piezoelectric means comprising first wafer shaped piezoelectric electric transducer means secured to the inner face of only one of said diaphragms and second wafer shaped piezoelectric transducer means secured to the inner face of only the other of said diaphragms, the adjacent faces of said piezoelectric transducer means being separated by less than twice the thickness of each transducer means.

Claim 22

A seismic streamer section including a flexible tube adapted to contain liquid, end means at each end of the tube for making mechanical and electrical connection with an adjacent tube and for closing the ends of the tube, bulkheads in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube, mechanical tension lines extending from one end means at one end of the tube through the tube and said bulkheads to the other end means at the other end of the tube, hydrophones in the tube disposed at intervals along the length of the tube between the bulkheads, and an electric conductor bundle in the tube including through conductors extending from said one end means to said other end means and other conductors extending from said one end means to various ones of said components, each hydrophone comprising a liquid tight case and piezoelectric means disposed within the case, the case including parallel flexible diaphragms said piezoelectric means comprising first wafer shaped piezoelectric electric transducer means secured to the inner face of only one of said diaphragms and second wafer shaped piezoelectric transducer means secured to the inner face of only the other of said diaphragms, the adjacent faces of said piezoelectric transducer means being separated by less than twice the thickness of each transducer means.

Claim 23

A hydrophone comprising a liquid tight case filled with an aeroform fluid, said case including parallel flexible diaphragms, first wafer shaped piezoelectric transducer means secured to the inner face of one of said diaphragms and second wafer shaped piezoelectric transducer means secured to the inner face of the other of said diaphragms, the adjacent faces of said piezoelectric transducer means being separated by less than twice the thickness of each transducer means.

Claim 24

A hydrophone comprising a liquid tight case filled with an aeroform fluid, said case including parallel flexible diaphragms, first wafer shaped piezoelectric transducer means secured to the inner face of one of said diaphragms and second wafer shaped piezoelectric transducer means secured to the inner face of the other of said diaphragms, the adjacent faces of said piezoelectric transducer means being separated by less than twice the thickness of each transducer means.