Patent Description:
A Sonar is an active or passive devices used for detecting objects under water. The acoustic frequencies used in sonar systems vary from very low infrasonic to extremely high ultrasonic.

An example of a general ultrasonic probe is disclosed in document <CIT>. The probe is made from a copper signal foil bonded to a piezoelectric plate.

For sound absorption the probe can be provided with felt.

The ultrasonic probe is not adapted for underwater operation.

Another document <CIT> discloses an ultrasonic sensor having a sound absorber made from sponge. This ultra-sonic sensor is not adapted for underwater operation.

<CIT> discloses an ultrasonic transducer having a matching layer made of resin filling including hollow glass beads, and a damping encapsulation including micro hollow spheres. The document is silent about 3D printing.

<NPL>, discloses a 3D-printed holder that allows the placement of multiple transducers in a variety of different positions. The document does not disclose that a plurality of damping structure cavities are printed, nor that the holder is inserted into a body element, nor that the body element is filled with resin.

In order to achieve a well operable sonar device for detection of underwater objects, in particular for under water operation, a damper is often needed. In the prior art discussed above it is disclosed to have a damper made from sponge or felt material. The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a sonar device for detection of underwater objects as specified in claim <NUM>.

The sonar device comprises a body element having a body element cavity. The sonar device also comprises a piezo electric element comprised within the body element cavity of the holder. A resin filling of the body element cavity of the body element in order to protect the piezo electric element from water at underwater operation is also provided. Further the sonar device comprises a holder adapted to hold the piezo electric element and the holder is arranged to centre and hold the piezo electric element within said body element. The said holder comprises in its structure a plurality of damping structures.

The advantage of the disclosed subject matter is that the holder of the piezo electric element in its structure can achieve an effective damping. Thus, a combination of a holder and a damping is achieved effectively.

According to a further development of the sonar device above there is suggested a piezo electric element that has a half spherical shape.

The advantage of this is that a half spherical shape is easy to manufacture and can be directed in a listening direction corresponding the flat side of the half spherical shape.

The holder is made of a resin material, for example urethane, nylon or other resin.

Further, the damping structures are damping structure cavities within the material of the holder.

The advantage of this is that no combination of materials is needed. No complex bonding processes is needed as the material itself comprises damping structure cavities.

According to a development of the sonar device above the damping structure cavities comprises spherical damping structure cavities.

According to a further development of the sonar device above the spherical radius of the damping structure cavities is comprised in a range of <NUM>/<NUM>-<NUM>/<NUM> of the spherical radius of the piezo electric element.

According to a further development of the sonar device above each damping structure cavity has a volume that is comprised in the range of <NUM>/<NUM> - <NUM>/<NUM><NUM> of the volume of the piezo electric element.

The advantage of using these dimensions to is that the damping effect is improved compared with for example one large damping structure cavity or many extremely small damping structure cavities. And further, the damping structure cavities can be adapted in size depending on the operation frequency range of the sonar device.

According to a further development of the sonar device the damping structure cavities are positioned in a regular pattern in the structure of the holder such that the damping structure cavities can provide equal damping from all relevant damping directions. If a half spherical shape is applied, no damping is desired in the listening direction of the flat surface of the half sphere.

The effect of this subject matter is that the damping is performed uniformly around the piezo electric element, in the directions that are not corresponding to the listening direction. According to a further development the sonar device the holder comprises a further accommodating cavity suitable to accommodate electronics for the sonar device directly within the structure of the holder.

The advantage of this is that the electronics is completely protected from all sides by the holder structure.

The holder is made by a reciprocating three dimensional printing device.

The advantage of this is an extremely easy and flexible manufacture that can be adapted to each piezo electric element, and body element.

The advantage of the above method is that the holder is more easily manufactured. The adaptation of the holder is very simple. Further the method allows for accommodating cavities to be produced within the holder structure for the damping of the sonar device. This provides for a much less complex sonar device that need not be made from several different materials.

The method provides for an accurate and well-functioning Sonar device where the piezo electronic element is well protected and kept in place.

The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a sonar device <NUM> for detection of underwater objects. The referenced sonar device in the detailed description that follows is to be understood as a sonar device manufactured using said method.

The present disclosure relates to sonar devices <NUM> for detection of underwater objects according to <FIG>.

The sonar device <NUM> for detection of underwater objects, comprises a body element <NUM>. The body element <NUM> is the element that forms the outer perimeter of the sonar device <NUM>.

As exemplified by <FIG> the body element is disclosed as having a circular cylinder shape. The cylinder shape is suitable for a sonar device as it is essentially uniform in a transversal plane as shown in <FIG>. Even though the cylindrical shape is preferred, the shape of the sonar device can be spherical, or in other ways regular.

The sonar device <NUM> comprises a piezo electric element <NUM>. The shape of the piezo electric element <NUM> is preferably half spherical, as shown in <FIG>. In <FIG> and <FIG>, the piezo electric element <NUM> is disclosed with a dashed line, as it is positioned inside the body element <NUM>, and not visible in when the sonar device <NUM> is in operation. The piezo electric element <NUM> is preferably made of a ferroelectrics material for example barium titanate or lead zirconate titanate or a piezo ceramic material.

The piezo electric element <NUM> is held by a holder <NUM>. The holder <NUM> is positioned concentric with the body element <NUM> in the lower part of the body element <NUM>. The piezo electric element <NUM> is positioned in the holder <NUM>. The body element <NUM> is provided with a resin fill.

The holder <NUM> is provided with a damping structure <NUM>. This damping structure <NUM> is disclosed in <FIG> as round spherical damping structure cavities. The shape of the individual damping structure <NUM>, need not be round or spherical, any suitable shape is thinkable.

The damping structure <NUM> is provided as a unity with the holder <NUM>. Thus damping structure cavities are formed within the material of the holder <NUM>. The holder <NUM> is preferably manufactured in one piece. The damping structure <NUM> is preferably provided by manufacturing the holder by means of a reciprocating three dimensional printing device <NUM>, see <FIG>.

The individual damping structure <NUM> as made up from the damping structure cavities <NUM> has a volume that is comprised in the range of <NUM>/<NUM> - <NUM>/<NUM><NUM> of the volume of the piezo electric element <NUM>.

The individual damping structure <NUM> can further be made up from spherical damping structure cavities preferably having a spherical radius <NUM> that is1/<NUM>-<NUM>/<NUM> of the spherical radius <NUM> of the piezo electric element <NUM>.

The damping structure <NUM> is preferably made as a regularly distributed three dimensional pattern. As propagating sound waves under water comes with a much higher velocity than in air, a regular pattern will interfere much less, and in a predictable way to the propagating sounds waves which are to be detected. If a half sphere is used for the piezo electronic equipment damping is regularly distributed on the bowl shape of the half sphere. Listening is preferred to be done from the flat side <NUM> of the half sphere.

The sonar device as disclosed in <FIG> has a filling of a resin <NUM>.

The resin is preferably a temperature resistant and has the ability prevent water from entering the sonar device <NUM> and thereby prevent the piezo electric element <NUM> from being damaged.

The filling of the resin is provided after installation of the piezo electric element <NUM> and the holder <NUM>. Thereby the piezo electric element <NUM> is kept in position during the filling, and after filling both the holder <NUM> and the resin fill can cooperate in order to hold the piezo electric element <NUM>.

As disclosed in <FIG>, by using a three dimensional printing device <NUM> for manufacture of the holder <NUM> it is possible to design the holder so as to incorporate within the holder the electronic equipment <NUM> that is needed for the operation of the sonar device <NUM>'. Also the wiring of the electronic equipment can be incorporated directly into the structure of the holder <NUM>. It is possible to completely contain the electronic equipment within the structure but also to leave an opening for easy access from outside if needed.

The electronics is arranged to receive signals from the piezoelectric element. The electronics is arranged to obtain a signal indicative of a detected object under water. Further the electronics may be arranged to obtain the sonar signal based on the received piezo electric signals and based on information related to the influence from the holder <NUM> on the provided piezo electric signal. In short the holder dampens the signal coming from the bottom or sides of <FIG>, and as no damping structure is provided from the above listening is mainly done in this direction.

The disclosure relates to a manufacturing method of the holder <NUM> for the sonar device <NUM>, <NUM>' of <FIG>. The method used as for some steps of the manufacturing a three dimensional printing device <NUM>. The manufacturing method as seen in <FIG>, comprises the steps of:
s1. providing a reciprocating three dimensional printing device.

In this step s1 a suitable reciprocating three dimensional printing device <NUM> is provided. The device can be any device however it must be suitable for providing a layer of for example resin that does not interfere with the piezo electric device <NUM>. providing an input to said reciprocating three dimensional printing device that gives instruction to print the holder for the piezo electric element,
wherein the input to the printer comprises instruction to print plurality of damping structure cavities in the holder for damping purposes.

In this step s2 the design of the damping structure and the outer dimensions of the holder <NUM> are set. This must of course be adapted to the chosen piezo electric element, its dimensions and the material of it. The damping structure can be freely designed and it is convenient to design complex damping structures which are contained within the structure of the holder <NUM>.

The formed damping structure cavities <NUM> provide the important feature for achieving the damping effect needed for the sonar device. By the manufacturing method it is very convenient as discussed above to provide a damping structure in the form of damping structure cavities.

Further there is disclosed a method as seen in <FIG>, of manufacturing a sonar device according to the above, comprising the steps of:.

Step s3 of obtaining a holder provides for having a holder before steps s5 and s6. The piezo electric element needs to be positioned at a certain position and not move around as the sonar device is finished, thus it is an advantage to have the holder to hold the piezo electric element before going to step s5 and s6.

The method of manufacturing a sonar device further comprises a step of
s5. providing the body element into which said holder comprising the piezo electric element is inserted,.

By inserting the piezo electric element before introducing the package of piezo electric element and the holder to the body element, the holder can also guide the insertion to the body element, and also protect the piezo electric element during the insertion.

The method of manufacturing a sonar device further comprises a step of
s6. providing a resin and filling the body element with said resin and covering at the same time said holder and piezo electric element.

The resin filling <NUM> is important for preventing water to enter into contact with the piezo electric element. The resin filling <NUM> also additionally gives a stabilizing effect on the piezo electric element in cooperation with the holder <NUM>, thus improving the stability of the complete sonar device <NUM>.

Claim 1:
Method of manufacturing a sonar device (<NUM>) for detection of underwater objects, said sonar device comprising a body element (<NUM>) having a body element cavity, a piezo electric element (<NUM>) comprised within the body element cavity, a resin filling (<NUM>) of the body element cavity in order to protect the piezo electric element (<NUM>) from water at underwater operation, wherein, it further comprises a holder (<NUM>) adapted to hold the piezo electric element (<NUM>), wherein the holder (<NUM>) is arranged to centre and hold the piezo electric element (<NUM>) within said body element (<NUM>), and wherein said holder (<NUM>) in its structure comprises a plurality of damping structures (<NUM>), said method comprising the steps of:
obtaining the holder, wherein the obtaining of the holder comprises
s1. providing a reciprocating three dimensional printing device
s2. providing an input to said reciprocating three dimensional printing device that gives instruction to print the holder for the piezo electric element, wherein the input to the printer comprises instruction to print a plurality of damping structure cavities in the holder for damping purposes the method further comprises
s4. positioning the piezo electric element in said holder,
s5. providing the body element into which said holder comprising the piezo electric element is inserted, and
s6. providing a resin and filling the body element with said resin and covering at the same time said holder and piezo electric element.