METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SENSING UNDERWATER SIGNALS

• US 20130319118A1
• Filed: 02/07/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIGICOURSE LLC
• Original Assignee: ION Geophysical Corporation
• Inventors: Deng, Ken Kan
• Granted Patent: US 9,502,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/514.32
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 11/08 using piezoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/09 by piezoelectric pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0915 of the shear mode type
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/123 by piezo-resistive elements, e.g. semiconductor strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0805 being provided with a particular type of spring-mass-system for defining the displacement of a seismic mass due to an external acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0828 the mass being of the paddle type being suspended at one of its longitudinal ends
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/18 Receiving elements, e.g. seismometer, geophone or torque detectors, for localised single point measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/38 specially adapted for water-covered areas G01V1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 13/00 Manufacturing, calibrating, cleaning, or repairing instruments or devices covered by groups G01V1/00 – G01V11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/006 of the gap-closing type H02N1/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49005 Acoustic transducer

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and systems are disclosed for forming a transducer. The transducer may include a bottom plate formed from a first sheet of material, a top plate formed from a second sheet of material, and a middle portion. The middle portion includes a mid-upper element formed from a third sheet of material, the mid-upper element having a mid-upper frame, a mid-upper mass, and a plurality of mid-upper attachment members coupling the mid-upper mass to the mid-upper frame. The middle portion also may include a central element formed from a fourth sheet of material, the central element having a central frame and a central mass.

Claims

1. A method of forming a transducer comprising

the acts of:

forming the bottom plate from a first sheet of metal material;

forming a top plate from a second sheet of metal material;

forming a middle portion comprising a mid-upper element and a central element

including the acts of;

forming the mid-upper element from a third sheet of material the mid-upper element comprising a mid-upper frame, a mid-upper mass, and a plurality of mid-upper attachment members coupling the mid-upper mass to the mid-upper frame;

forming the central element from a fourth sheet of material, the central element comprising a central frame and a central mass;

coupling the mid-upper mass and the central mass together to form a combined mass; and

coupling the mid-upper frame and the central frame together to form a combined frame;

coupling the combined frame to the top plate such that a first capacitance is provided between the combined mass and the top plate; and

coupling the combined frame to the bottom plate such that a second capacitance is provided between the combined mass and the bottom plate.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the acts of:

forming a mid-lower element from a fifth sheet of material, the mid-lower element comprising, a mid-lower frame, a mid-lower mass, and a plurality of mid-lower attachment members coupling the mid-lower mass to the mid-lower frame;

bonding the mid-lower mass, the central mass, and the mid-upper frame to form the combined mass; and

bonding the mid-lower frame, the central frame, and the mid-upper frame to form the combined frame.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the third sheet of material is a third sheet of metal material and the fourth sheet of material is a fourth sheet of metal material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first and second sheet of metal material comprises stainless steel.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the acts of:

forming a plurality of bottom plates from the first sheet of metal material;

forming a plurality of top plates from the second sheet of metal material; and

forming a plurality of middle portions from the third sheet of material.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the bottom plate is formed from plurality of sheets of material, the bottom plate is formed by bonding the plurality of sheets of material together, and the bonding includes thermal bonding.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the combined frame provides at least part of a casing for the transducer.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a first surface of the combined frame is coupled to the top plate through a first dielectric layer and a second surface of the combined frame is coupled to the bottom plate through a second dielectric layer, and wherein the first and second dielectric layers are formed by plating the first and second surfaces of the frame with a dielectric material.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer are formed on the top and bottom plates respectively, and the combined mass is also plated with a dielectric material.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the bottom plate is formed by etching a first plurality of perforations on the first sheet of material and the top plate is formed by etching a second plurality of perforations on the second sheet of material.

6. (canceled)

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10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

19. A transducer, comprising:

a bottom plate formed from a first sheet of a non-semiconductive material;

a top plate formed from a second sheet of material; and

a middle portion, the middle portion comprising;

a mid-upper element formed from a third sheet of material, the mid-upper element comprising a mid-upper frame, a mid-upper mass, and a plurality of mid-upper attachment members coupling the mid-upper mass to the mid-upper frame; and

a central element formed from a fourth sheet of material, the central element comprising a central frame and a central mass,

wherein the mid-upper mass and the control mass are coupled together to form a combined mass, the mid-upper frame and the central frame are coupled together to form a combined frame, the combined frame is coupled to the top plate such that a first capacitance is provided between the combined mass and the top plate, and the combined frame is coupled to the bottom plate such that a second capacitance is provided between the combined mass and the bottom plate.

20. The transducer of claim 19, wherein the bottom plate, the top plate, and the middle plate together form a first accelerometer, further comprising a second accelerometer and a third accelerometer, the first, second, and third accelerometers mounted in a housing and together forming a vector sensor.

21. A method of forming a transducer comprising the acts of:

forming a bottom plate from a first sheet of metal material;

forming a top plate from a second sheet of metal material;

forming a middle portion from a third sheet of material the middle portion comprising;

a frame with first and second surfaces;

a mass with first and second surfaces; and

a plurality of attachment members coupling the mass to the frame;

coupling the first surface of the frame to the top plate such that a first capacitance is provided between the mass and the top plate; and

coupling the second surface of the frame to the bottom plate such that a second capacitance is provided between the mass and the bottom plate.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the middle portion is formed by etching a plurality of apertures in the third sheet of material, the plurality of apertures defining the plurality of attachment members.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the etching includes photochemical machining.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the middle portion is formed by etching a plurality of grooves on the third sheet of material.

22. (canceled)

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30. (canceled)

31. A method comprising the acts of:

volume printing a conductive bottom plate;

volume printing a first non-conductive layer on a perimeter of the bottom plate;

volume printing a middle portion on the first non-conductive layer, the middle portion comprising;

a frame coupled to the first perimeter of the bottom plate;

a mass; and

a plurality of attachment members coupling the mass to the frame;

volume printing a second non-conductive layer on the frame; and

volume printing a conductive top plate on the second non-conductive layer,

wherein a first capacitance is provided between the conductive bottom plate and the mass and a second capacitance is provided between the conductive top plate and the mass.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the acts of priming do not include any etching.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the middle portion comprises a conductive layer.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the middle portion comprises two conductive layers and a non-conductive middle layer and the plurality of attachment members comprise 3D springs.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein at least one of the acts of volume printing includes printing an insulative via.

35. (canceled)