Patent ID: 8689935

Claim:
An apparatus that reduces the decibel level of underwater sounds emanating from an underwater device comprising: a support positionable proximate to the underwater device, wherein the support comprises a plurality of rigid support members; and a plurality of gas-filled containers coupled to the support, wherein each of the plurality of gas-filled containers comprises a flexible membrane filled with a gas, and wherein the plurality of gas-filled containers are connected to the plurality of rigid support members such that at least some of the plurality of gas-filled containers are in contact with one or more of the plurality of rigid support members, and wherein when deployed proximate to the underwater device, the rigid support members prevent vertical and horizontal movement of the plurality of gas-filled containers; wherein each of the gas-filled containers has a physical characteristic that confers a selected resonance frequency to each of the plurality of gas-filled containers upon immersion into the water surrounding the underwater device; and wherein the total volume of air contained in the gas-filled containers and/or and the number of gas-filled containers creates a void fraction for the device such that a preselected noise reduction is achieved.