Patent ID: 6771564
Filing Date: 2004-08-03
Classification: G10K

Abstract:
A mounting bracket for removably connecting an acoustic sensor element to an inside wall of a sonar dome of a marine vessel, the mounting bracket comprising:a first protrusion bonded at a first end thereof to the inside wall of the sonar dome and extending inwardly therefrom, the first protrusion being provided with a first widthwise extending slot in a side thereof, the first slot being spaced from the inside wall; a second protrusion bonded at a first end thereof to the inside wall of the sonar dome and extending inwardly therefrom and spaced from said first protrusion, the second protrusion being provided with a widthwise extending second slot in a side thereof, the second slot being spaced from the inside wall and being opposed to and in alignment with the first slot; the slots being adapted to receive portions of the acoustic sensor element and to hold the acoustic sensor element in a position proximate to and removed from the inside wall of the sonar dome; and at least one of said first and second protrusions being sufficiently flexible to permit bending of the protrusion to facilitate insertion of the acoustic sensor element into the first and second slots, and being sufficiently rigid to snap back into a non-bent configuration to lock the acoustic sensor element in the first and second slots.