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US 9,001,623 B1Granted
Sonar systems and sonar methods that use a tow body having a towed acoustic projector for which an orientation can be changed while being towed
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsDavid A. Sharp, Joseph Ricci, Patrick M. Brogan, Gregory S. Rosche, Michael A. Gonzalez, James R. Sturges, Arthur J. Pedro
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tow body and associated method have an acoustic projector that can be rotated about a vertical plane while the tow body is being towed through the water. In some embodiments, the tow body and method allow the tow body to be coupled to a tow cable while the tow cable is being towed through the water and under tension.
Claims27
A sonar system, comprising:
- a tow body for towing through the water, the tow body comprising:
- an outer structure having a length along a major axis and a width less than the length of the outer structure;
- an acoustic projector having a length along a major axis and a width less than the length of the acoustic projector;
- an axle in a horizontal plane and coupling the acoustic projector to the outer structure, the axle parallel to the width of the acoustic projector;
- and
- an actuator mechanism coupled to the acoustic projector and configured to rotate the acoustic projector in a vertical plane about the axle;
- wherein the sonar system further comprises:
- a tow cable comprising two tow cable retention features, wherein the outer structure comprises two tow cable retention structures for receiving the two tow cable retention features, respectively;
- and
- a support structure for coupling to a ship and for holding the tow body before it is deployed into the water, wherein the support structure comprises a movable arm, wherein, by movement of the movable arm, the movable arm is configured to guide the two tow cable retention features into respective ones of the two tow cable retention structures of the outer structure.
7 more elements
A method used in a towed sonar system, comprising:
- coupling a tow body having an acoustic projector to a tow cable, wherein the coupling the tow body comprises:
- attaching the tow body to the tow cable while the tow cable is being towed through water, while the tow cable is under tension, and while the tow body in out of the water, wherein then attaching comprises:
- moving a movable arm holding the tow body toward the tow cable so that two tow cable retention structures on the tow body engage two tow cable retention features on the tow cable, wherein the method further comprises
- deploying the tow body into the water while the tow body is attached to the tow cable and while the tow cable is under tension;
- towing the tow body through the water with the tow cable;
- and
- rotating the acoustic projector in a vertical plane while the tow body is being towed through the water.
4 more elements
A sonar system, comprising:
- a tow body for towing through the water, the tow body comprising:
- an outer structure having a length along a major axis and a width less than the length of the outer structure;
- and
- an acoustic projector coupled to the outer structure and having a length along a major axis and a width less than the length of the acoustic projector;
- wherein the sonar system further comprises:
- a tow cable comprising two tow cable retention features, wherein the outer structure comprises two tow cable retention structures for receiving the two tow cable retention features, respectively;
- and
- a support structure for coupling to a ship and for holding the tow body before it is deployed into the water, wherein the support structure comprises a movable arm, wherein, by movement of the movable arm, the movable arm is configured to guide the two tow cable retention features into respective ones of the two tow cable retention structures of the outer structure.
5 more elements
A method used in a towed sonar system, comprising:
- coupling a tow body having an acoustic projector to a tow cable, wherein the coupling the tow body comprises:
- attaching the tow body to the tow cable while the tow cable is being towed through water, while the tow cable is under tension, and while the tow body in out of the water, wherein then attaching comprises:
- moving a movable arm holding the tow body toward the tow cable so that two tow cable retention structures on the tow body engage two tow cable retention features on the tow cable, wherein the method further comprises:
- deploying the tow body into the water while the tow body is attached to the tow cable and while the tow cable is under tension;
- towing the tow body through the water with the tow cable.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.