US 7,443,764 B1 · Resonant acoustic projector

Abstract

Each of a pair of electrically conductive spiral coils is ensconced in a disk-shaped matrix. The two coil-ensconced matrices are joined face-to-face so as to sandwich between them a thin, non-magnetic elastic layer. An electronic device is connected so that each coil and a corresponding capacitor form an LC circuit. Electrification of the two LC circuits results in the departing and returning, in oscillatory fashion, of the two coil-ensconced matrices. This resonant behavior is both electromagnetic and mechanical in nature. The intermittent electromagnetic repelling is related to the LC circuitry and the oppositely polar electrifications of the respective coils. The springy mechanical activity is based on a spring-mass model and involves the elasticity of the intermediate material and the entrainment of ambient fluid. The dual oscillatory modes are merged at the same frequency through tuning of either/both oscillatory mode(s). In many applications, an inventive acoustic projector produces pressure waves underwater.

Claims17

Dependent claims

Oscillatory apparatus comprising a capacitance component, two inductance components, and an elastic component, each said inductance component including a matrix and a spiral-coiled electrical conductor embedded in said matrix, said elastic component being interposed between and abutting said matrices, said capacitance component being electrically connected to said spiral-coiled electrical conductors in inductance-capacitance circuitry in which said capacitance component represents the capacitance and in which said spiral-coiled electrical conductors represent the inductance, wherein electrical powering of said inductance-capacitance circuitry results in oscillation toward and away from each other of said two inductance components, said oscillation being associated with electromagnetic oscillatory behavior of said inductance-capacitance circuitry and with mechanical oscillatory behavior of a spring-mass system in which said elastic component represents the spring and in which said two inductance components and a portion of fluid represent the mass, said fluid being ambient with respect to said two inductance components and said elastic component.

Apparatus comprising an underwater acoustic projection device and an electrical device, said underwater acoustic projection device comprising two coil-containing disks and an elastic layer therebetween, each said coil-containing disk including a spiral-wound electrical coil and a disk-shaped shell encapsulating said spiral-wound electrical coil, said elastic layer adjoining said disk-shaped shells, said electrical device including capacitance means electrically connected to said spiral-wound electrical coils, said capacitance means and said spiral-wound electrical coils being constituents of inductance-capacitance circuitry, said spiral-wound electrical coils constituting inductance means in said inductance-capacitance circuitry;

wherein said underwater acoustic projection device effects both electromagnetic resonance and mechanical resonance when said underwater acoustic projection device is submerged in water and when said inductance-capacitance circuitry is electrically powered, said inductance-capacitance circuitry effecting electromagnetic resonance of said underwater acoustic projection device, said underwater acoustic projection device and a portion of said water being constituents of a spring-mass system, said elastic layer constituting the spring in said spring-mass system, said spring-mass system effecting mechanical resonance of said underwater acoustic projection device, said portion of said water being in the vicinity of and entrained by the resonant said underwater acoustic projection device so as to constitute substantially all of the mass in said spring-mass system, said underwater acoustic projection device producing pressure waves in said water in association with said electromagnetic resonance and said mechanical resonance.

A method for projecting sound underwater, said method comprising:

providing an underwater acoustic projection device, said underwater acoustic projection device comprising two coil-containing disks and an elastic layer therebetween, each said coil-containing disk including a spiral-wound electrical coil and a disk-shaped shell encapsulating said spiral-wound electrical coil, said elastic layer adjoining said disk-shaped shells;
electrically connecting capacitance means to said spiral-wound electrical coils so that said capacitance means and said spiral-wound electrical coils are constituents of inductance-capacitance circuitry, said spiral-wound electrical coils constituting inductance means in said inductance-capacitance circuitry;
submerging said underwater acoustic projection device in water;
electrically powering said inductance-capacitance circuitry so that said inductance-capacitance circuitry effects electromagnetic resonance of said underwater acoustic projection device and so that a spring-mass system effects mechanical resonance of said underwater acoustic projection device, said underwater acoustic projection device and a portion of said water being constituents of said spring-mass system, said elastic layer constituting the spring in said spring-mass system, said portion of said water being in the vicinity of and entrained by the resonant said underwater acoustic projection device so as to constitute approximately the entire mass in said spring-mass system, said underwater acoustic projection device producing pressure waves in said water in association with said electromagnetic resonance and said mechanical resonance.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Resonant acoustic projector

Life of this patent

Resonant acoustic projector

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17