Patent ID: 8887862

Claim:
A sound energy waveguide, comprising: (a) a unitary chamber having a substantially circular input aperture at one end of said chamber and an elongated, thin output aperture at an opposed end of said chamber, said chamber comprising an outer wall having an inner surface; (b) an integral insert disposed within said unitary chamber, said insert having a continuous, smooth, outer surface and a positioning mount for disposing the insert within the inner surface of the outer wall of the unitary chamber, said insert further comprising: i) a first essentially conical portion located adjacent the input aperture when disposed within the unitary chamber, ii) a third wedge shaped portion having an elongated end proximate the elongated output aperture when disposed within the unitary chamber, and iii) an ovoid central section disposed between said first and second portions, wherein the outer surfaces of the three portions are without discontinuities and blend one into the other to provide a smooth outer surface of the insert; and wherein the inner surface of the chamber wall and the insert outer surface are equidistantly disposed from each other throughout the unitary chamber when measured perpendicularly to the respective surfaces, the two wall surfaces defining an acoustic conduit between the inner surface of the outer chamber wall and the outer surface of the insert, the equidistant relationship between the surfaces in said conduit completely extending from the input aperture to the output aperture of said unitary chamber, said conduit thereby forming a waveguide that provides essentially constant length paths that extend from said input aperture to said output aperture of said unitary chamber, the waveguide propagating sound waves along said substantially constant length paths from said input aperture to said output aperture of said unitary chamber.