Sonar system including transducer elements with a gap therebetween

A sonar system for generating one or more sonar images of an underwater environment, the sonar system comprising:

• a first transducer element, the first transducer element having a first emitting face and a second emitting face, wherein the first emitting face is disposed on an opposite side of the first transducer element from the second emitting face;
• a second transducer element, the second transducer element having a third emitting face and a fourth emitting face, wherein the third emitting face is disposed on an opposite side of the second transducer element from the fourth emitting face;
• a first barrier;
• a second barrier;
• and
• a sonar signal processor in electronic communication with the first transducer element and the second transducer element, the sonar signal processor operative to cause transmission of signals from the first transducer element and the second transducer element to cause a first acoustic beam to be emitted from the first emitting face in a first beam direction, a second acoustic beam to be emitted from the second emitting face in a second beam direction, a third acoustic beam to be emitted from the third emitting face in a third beam direction, and a fourth acoustic beam to be emitted from the fourth emitting face in a fourth beam direction, wherein the first beam direction and the second beam direction intersect,
• wherein, when the second acoustic beam and the third acoustic beam are emitted, the second acoustic beam and the third acoustic beam are directed into a fully enclosed volume defined by the first barrier, the second barrier, the second emitting face of the first transducer element and the third emitting face of the second transducer element.

A sonar transducer assembly comprising:

• a first transducer element, the first transducer element having a first emitting face and an opposing third emitting face, wherein the first transducer element is in electronic communication with a sonar signal processor, and wherein the sonar signal processor is operative to cause transmission of signals from the first transducer element to cause at least one first acoustic beam to be emitted from the first emitting face in a first beam direction;
• and
• a second transducer element, the second transducer element having a second emitting face and an opposing fourth emitting face, wherein the second transducer element is in electronic communication with the sonar signal processor, and wherein the sonar signal processor is operative to cause transmission of signals from the second transducer element to cause at least one second acoustic beam to be emitted from the second emitting face in a second beam direction,
• wherein the first transducer element and the second transducer element are positioned in a spaced apart manner with a gap formed between the third emitting face of the first transducer element and the fourth emitting face of the second transducer element, wherein a first barrier, a second barrier, the third emitting face of the first transducer element and the fourth emitting face of the second transducer element form an enclosed volume within the gap so as to contain fluid within the enclosed volume, wherein acoustic energy emitted from both the first transducer element and the second transducer element into the enclosed volume bounces off at least the first barrier or the second barrier to cause movement of the fluid within the enclosed volume so as to contribute to an emission of sound power in both the first beam direction and the second beam direction.