Patent ID: 7180828

Claim:
Acoustic apparatus suitable for underwater use, said acoustic apparatus comprising: a tube generally characterized by a geometric longitudinal tubular axis; plural hydrophonic devices each generally characterized by a geometric longitudinal hydrophone axis, each said hydrophonic device having an axial bore and a diametric bore wherein said axial bore is disposed generally along said hydrophonic axis and said diametric bore is disposed generally perpendicular to said hydrophonic axis; a line generally characterized by a geometric longitudinal linear axis that is approximately coincident with said tubular axis, said line having an at least substantially braided configuration; and plural pins; wherein said hydrophonic devices, said line and said pins are situated inside said tube, said line passing through said axial bores of said hydrophonic devices, said hydrophonic devices being approximately aligned with each other so that the corresponding said hydrophonic axes are approximately coincident with said tubular axis, said pins each being associated with said line and a said hydrophonic device so that said hydrophonic devices are each fastened with respect to said line, each said pin passing through said line and through said diametric bore of the corresponding said hydrophonic device; wherein said tube is characterized by a tubular length and two tubular ends, said tube being smooth in two end portions of said length, said end portions being proximate said two tubular ends, said tube having generally circumferential folds in a medial portion of said length, said medial portion being between said two end portions, said circumferential folds being one of corrugations and convolutions.