Patent ID: 6418792
Filing Date: 2002-07-16
Classification: G01N,G01V,G10K

Abstract:
A pressure compensated transducer for transmitting and receiving sound, said transducer comprising:a rigid, impermeable, support housing, said housing having an outer surface, said outer surface having at least one opening penetrating said housing, said outer surface otherwise defining a closed surface, said housing having an inner surface, each of said at least one opening having a rim bordering thereto, said housing having a first connecting means for a plurality of electrically conducting leads penetrating thereinto; a pressure compensating mensurational duct, having an inner orifice and an outer orifice, said duct piercing said housing, said inner orifice abutting said inner surface of said housing and said outer orifice abutting said outer surface of said housing, said mensurational duct having mensural parameters calculated and determined prior to fabrication thereof; at least one piezoelectric element, each said element corresponding in number to each of said at least one opening, each said element affixed to a concomitant flexural metal plate by means of an electrically conductive bonding agent, each said plate having a peripheral edge, each said peripheral edge of each said plate impermeably affixed and sealed to corresponding each said rim of each of said at least one opening of said housing, each of said at least one piezoelectric element electrically connected to each other in a piezoelectric element configuration circuit, the piezoelectric element configuration circuit electrically connected to a plurality of electrically conducting leads, said conducting leads connecting to said first connecting means and extending therefrom, for subsequently connecting the piezoelectric element configuration circuit to a sound signal conditioning system; a protective boot, for retaining and protecting a pressure compensation fluid, said boot fabricated from a compliant impermeable material, said boot having a boot outer wall, a boot inner wall, and a singular opening thereinto, said boot inner wall having a plurality of boot ribs molded thereinto, said boot and said ribs receiving said housing and securely maintaining position of said housing within said boot, said boot further having an impermeable, rigid end cap, having an inner cap surface and an outer cap surface, said cap having a second electrical connecting means penetrating thereinto, said second connecting means receiving said plurality of electrical conducting leads connected to said first connecting means and extending therefrom, said second connecting means having said leads extending therefrom, said connecting leads further connected from said second connecting means to the sound signal conditioning system, said end cap received into and affixed against said inner wall of said boot with a sealing band, for preventing contamination of the compensating fluid from the external environment and preventing loss of the compensating fluid to the external environment; an inner reservoir, defined by the void bounded by said inner surface of said housing and each said rim of each said opening of said housing; and an outer reservoir, enveloping said housing, defined by the void between said outer surface of said housing, said boot inner wall of said boot, and said inner cap surface of said end cap, said inner reservoir and said outer reservoir completely filled with the pressure compensating fluid, said inner orifice of said mensurational duct proximate to said inner reservoir and said outer orifice of said duct proximate to said outer reservoir, for communicating flow of the pressure compensating fluid between said outer reservoir and said inner reservoir, for providing pressure compensation and equalization of ambient pressure variations on each surface of each of said at least one piezoelectric element.