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Patent US4733379A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4733379A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Line array transducer assembly
Assignee: Edo Western Corp
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Filing: 1986-03-17
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Granted: 1988-03-22
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Expires: 2006-03-17
Abstract
Abstract A flexible line array transducer assembly for detecting underwater acoustical signals. The assembly includes an array of spaced-apart piezoelectric elements arranged generally in a line and selected to have low cross-coupling characteristics, low sensitivity to incoherent mechanical perturbations in the directions longitudinal and lateral to the axis of the array, and high sensitivity to coherent mechanical perturbations such as acoustical signals. The elements are polarized in a direction generally transverse to the array and each include opposing surface areas which are generally parallel with the linear axis of the array. Electrodes are disposed on the opposing surface areas of the elements and are coupled to conductors which carry signals produced by the piezoelectric elements when the elements are stressed by acoustical signals. A porous, open-cell material is disposed about the piezoelectric elements as an encasement to maintain the elements in place and mechanically isolate the elements. An outer, water-tight jacket encloses the open cell material and holds a fill fluid carried within the open-cell material. An electrically conductive flexible sleeve may be placed either about the open-cell material or about the outer jacket to shield the piezoelectric elements from electromagnetic waves.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert A. Lapetina
- 👤 Gordon L. Snow
- 👤 David P. Baird
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 13:53
CPC Classifications
B; B06; B06B; B06B1/00; B06B1/02; B06B1/06; B06B1/0607; B06B1/0622; B06B1/0629; G; G01; G01V; G01V1/00; G01V1/16; G01V1/20; G01V1/201; H; H10; H10N; H10N30/00; H10N30/01; H10N30/04; H10N30/045; H10N30/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
A flexible transducer assembly comprising an array of spaced-apart piezoelectric elements arranged generally in a line and selected to have low cross-coupling characteristics, low sensitivity to incoherent mechanical perturbations in the directions longitudinal and lateral to the axis of the array, and high sensitivity to coherent mechanical perturbations, said elements being polarized in a direction generally transverse to the linear axis of the array, and each element including opposing surface areas which are generally parallel with the linear axis of the array, a plurality of electrodes disposed on said opposing surface areas of the piezoelectric elements, conductor means coupled to the electrodes of the piezoelectric elements to carry therefrom electrical signals produced by the elements when the elements are stressed by acoustical signals, and wherein at least some of said elements are arranged with their opposing surfaces aligned in a direction different from the direction of alignment of other of said elements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
152 words
A flexible transducer assembly comprising an array of spaced-apart piezoelectric elements arranged generally in a line and selected to have low cross-coupling characteristics, low sensitivity to incoherent mechanical perturbations in the directions longitudinal and lateral to the axis of the array, and high sensitivity to coherent mechanical perturbations, said elements being polarized in a direction generally transverse to the linear axis of the array, and each element including opposing surface areas which are generally parallel with the linear axis of the array, a plurality of electrodes disposed on said opposing surface areas of the piezoelectric elements, conductor means coupled to the electrodes of the piezoelectric elements to carry therefrom electrical signals produced by the elements when the elements are stressed by acoustical signals, and wherein at least some of said elements are arranged with their opposing surfaces aligned in a direction different from the direction of alignment of other of said elements.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
84 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 1 further comprising porous, open-cell material disposed about the piezoelectric elements as an encasement to maintain the elements in place and to mechanically isolate the elements from one another, said material adapted to allow the flow therethrough of a fluid, an outer, water-tight jacket for enclosing the open-cell material, a fluid carried by the open-cell material within the jacket, and an electrically conductive shield means disposed to circumscribe the piezoelectric elements to shield the elements from electromagnetic waves.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 2 wherein the shield means comprises an electrically conductive cloth material enclosing the open cell material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 2 wherein the shield means comprises an electrically conductive coating applied to the jacket.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 1 wherein said electrodes cover substantially the entire surface areas on which they are disposed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 5 wherein said electrodes are comprised of a conductive sheet of material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
77 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 1 wherein the piezoelectric elements comprise elongate bars having generally opposing top and bottom surfaces, and generally opposing first and second side surfaces, wherein the electrodes are disposed on opposing surfaces of each element, and wherein the conductor means comprise a pair of conductors, one of which is coupled to one of the electrodes of each element and the other of which is coupled to the other electrode of each element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 7 wherein the conductors are spot soldered to the lectrodes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 7 wherein the electrodes are disposed on corresponding opposing surfaces of each element in the array so that the elements are all polarized in substantially the same transverse direction.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
A transducer as in claim 7 wherein the electrodes are disposed alternately on the top and bottom surfaces and then the side surfaces of the elements in the array so that every other element in the array is polarized through the top and bottom surfaces, and the remaining elements are polarized through the side surfaces.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
68 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 10 wherein one of said conductors is coupled successively to the top surface, first side surface, bottom surface, and second side surface in a helical fashion of a grouping of four successive piezoelectric elements, and the other of said conductors is coupled to the respective opposing surfaces of the elements of said grouping of four successive elements also in a helical fashion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
55 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 1 wherein said elements are made of material selected from the group consisting of lead metaniobate, lead titanate, perforated lead zirconate titanate, perforated barium titanate, polyvinylidene flouride, and co-polymer polyvinylidene flourides, with the direction of greater sensitivity of the material oriented transversely of the linear axis of the array.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 1 wherein the conductor means comprise a pair of flexible wire conductors, loosely interconnecting the piezoelectric elements.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 13 wherein each wire conductor comprises a plurality of wires braided together.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 14 wherein said wires are composed of cadmium bronze.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 2 wherein said porous, open-cell material comprises an inert solid foam having a porosity of from about 12 to 20 pores/centimeter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 16 wherein said foam is a polyurethane open-cell foam base selected from the group consisting of ether and ester.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 16 wherein said foam is a polyethylene open-cell foam.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 2 wherein said fill fluid has a positive buoyancy in water.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
154 words
A flexible transducer assembly comprising an array of piezoelectric elements spaced-apart generally in a line, and selected to have low cross-coupling characteristics, low sensitivity to incoherent mechanical perturbations or movement along the longitudinal and lateral axis of the array, and high sensitivity to coherent acoustical signals, each of said elements including oppositely facing surface areas which are generally parallel to the axis of the array, and being polarized across said oppositely facing surfaces, conductor means coupled to the piezoelectric elements on the oppositely facing surfaces thereof for carrying electrical signals produced by the elements when they are stressed by acoustical signals, means for supporting and maintaining the piezoelectric elements in position in the array while allowing transverse flexure of the array, and said piezoelectric elements being oriented so that the oppositely facing surfaces of selected ones of the elements are aligned in directions different from the directions of alignment of other of said elements.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
154 words
A flexible transducer assembly comprising an array of piezoelectric elements spaced-apart generally in a line, and selected to have low cross-coupling characteristics, low sensitivity to incoherent mechanical perturbations or movement along the longitudinal and lateral axis of the array, and high sensitivity to coherent acoustical signals, each of said elements including oppositely facing surface areas which are generally parallel to the axis of the array, and being polarized across said oppositely facing surfaces, conductor means coupled to the piezoelectric elements on the oppositely facing surfaces thereof for carrying electrical signals produced by the elements when they are stressed by acoustical signals, means for supporting and maintaining the piezoelectric elements in position in the array while allowing transverse flexure of the array, and said piezoelectric elements being oriented so that the oppositely facing surfaces of selected ones of the elements are aligned in directions different from the directions of alignment of other of said elements.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
63 words
A flexible transducer assembly as in claim 20 further comprising jacket means enclosing the supporting means, conductor means and piezoelectric elements for preventing external access of fluid to the elements, means disposed within jacket means for mechanically coupling the piezoelectric elements to the jacket means, and a flexible electrically conductive shield means disposed to shield the piezoelectric elements from externally generated electromagnetic waves.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
A flexible transducer assembly as in claim 21 wherein said shield means comprises a flexible, electrically conductive cloth sleeve disposed about the elements.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
63 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 21 wherein said supporting means comprises a porous, open-cell material disposed about and between the piezoelectric elements to maintain them in place and provide mechanical isolation between elements, said open-cell material being adapted to allow flow therethrough of fluid, and wherein said mechanical coupling means comprises a fluid carried by the open-cell material within the jacket means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 23 wherein said conductor means comprise a pair of flexible wire conductors connected loosely from one piezoelectric element to the next element in the array.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
56 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 20 wherein said piezoelectric elements comprise elongate bars having top and bottom surfaces and first and second side surfaces, and wherein one of the wire conductors is coupled to one of the surfaces of each element and the other conductor is coupled to the opposite surface of each corresponding element.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
69 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 25 wherein one of the conductors is coupled successively to selected ones of the top surface, first side surface, bottom surface, or second side surface, of the piezoelectric elements, with said one conductor being coupled to different surfaces of adjacent elements, and wherein the other conductor is coupled to the surface of each element opposite that to which the first conductor is coupled.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
36 words
A transducer assembly as in claim 24 wherein the piezoelectric elements are made of material selected from the group consisting of lead metaniobate, lead titanate, perforated lead zirconate titanate, perforated barium titanate and copolymer polyvinylidene flourides.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-03-22 | 1991-09-21 | 1992-03-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-03-22 | 1995-09-21 | 1996-03-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-03-22 | 1999-09-21 | 2000-03-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |