Transducer for high speed boats

• US 5,109,364 A
• Filed: 11/16/1990
• Issued: 04/28/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lowrance Electronics Incorporated (Brunswick Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lowrance Electronics Incorporated (Brunswick Corporation)
• Inventors: Stiner, Roy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): ELDRED, JOHN W
• Application Number:
  US07/614,440
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 367/165, 367/173, 367/910, 367/106, 367/130, 367/88
• US Class Current: 367/165
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/006 Transducer mounting in underwater equipment, e.g. sonobuoys

Abstract

A sonar transducer assembly is provided which is adapted to be mounted on the transom of a boat. The assembly includes a shaped transducer device comprising a housing having a base portion of substantially elliptical cross section and a nose of a flattened ellipsoidal shape. A connector stem having a faired leading edge connects the transducer housing to a mounting bracket assembly. The mounting bracket assembly includes a base member adapted to be connected to the transom and a pivotable member which supports the transducer device. A releasable connection between the members includes a pair of laterally spaced, outwardly extending projections on one member which engage ears formed on the other member. An elastomeric insert disposed between the arms controls the force necessary to cause release of the connection to provide "kick-up" when the transducer device strikes an object in the water.

Claims

1. A sonar transducer device adapted for attachment to the transom of a water craft so as to extend into the water, said transducer device comprising:

a shaped housing; and

a piezoelectric transducer crystal mounted within said housing such that a frontal geometric projection of said transducer crystal is rectangular;

said shaped housing comprising an integral base portion and nose portion, the outer surface of said base portion being of substantially elliptical shape in transverse cross section so as to minimize the frontal cross sectional area presented to oncoming water flow while providing a smooth flow of water thereby, the major axis of the base portion of elliptical shape extending orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the crystal, and said nose portion being of rounded tapering curvature which tapers down in cross section away from said base portion and the height of said nose portion being less than the width thereof so as to provide a smooth transition between said nose portion and said base portion of substantially elliptical shape.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said nose portion, in longitudinal cross section, is substantially the shape of one-half of an ellipsoid.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the end of said base portion opposite said nose portion is substantially flat apart from a radiused peripheral edge.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transducer device further includes a connecting member for attachment to a mounting bracket for mounting the device on the transom of the water craft, and a cable for connecting the transducer crystal to an electronics unit on the water craft, said connecting member being disposed on top of said shaped housing and the leading edge portion of said connecting member which, in use, faces upstream being faired so as to minimize the amount of disturbance to the water flowing past said leading portion, and said cable being located rearwardly of said leading edge portion of said connecting member so as to minimize the amount of disturbance to the flowing water produced by said cable.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said leading edge portion of said connecting member is forwardly inclined and is joined to said housing substantially at the tip of said nose portion so as to reduce the likelihood of debris in the water collecting on said transducer device.

6. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said cord extends outwardly from a trailing portion of said connecting member which is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base portion defines an internal space of substantially elliptical shape in transverse cross section and wherein, as viewed in transverse cross section, the frontal geometrical projection of the transducer crystal substantially fills said internal space.

8. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said leading edge portion of said connecting member is angled forwardly to minimize the amount of debris from the water that is collected on the transducer device.

9. In combination, a sonar transducer device and a mounting bracket assembly for mounting the transducer device on the transom of a water craft so that, in use, said transducer device extends into the water, said transducer device comprising:

a shaped housing; and

a piezoelectric transducer crystal mounted within said housing such that a frontal geometric projection of said transducer crystal is rectangular;

said shaped housing comprising an integral base portion and nose portion, the outer surface of said base portion being of substantially elliptical shape in transverse cross section, so as to, in use, minimize the frontal cross sectional area presented to oncoming water flow while providing smooth flow of water thereby, the major axis of the base portion of substantially elliptical shape extending orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the crystal and the shape of said nose portion being substantially that of one-half of an ellipsoid in longitudinal cross section and having a height less than the width thereof so as to provide a smooth transition between said nose portion and said base portion of substantially elliptical shape.

11. A combination as claimed in claim 9 wherein the leading edge portion of said connecting member is joined to said housing substantially at the tip of said nose portion and said cord extends rearwardly from a trailing portion of said connecting member.

12. A combination as claimed in claim 9 wherein said mounting bracket assembly comprises a pair of members molded of soft plastic and releasably connected together so as to permit relative pivoting movement of said members, one of said members being adapted to be mounted on the transom of a boat and the other of said members being connected to said transducer device and pivotably connected to the one member so as to enable pivoting of said transducer device out of harm'"'"'s way.

13. A combination as claimed in claim 9 wherein said mounting assembly comprises a base member adapted to be secured to the transom of the water craft;

a transducer support member connected to the transducer device; and

means for pivotably mounting said support member on said base member so as to permit pivoting of said support member from a first, operative position wherein said support member and said base member are in engagement and said transducer device is supported in a predetermined position, and a second, inoperative position wherein said support member is pivoted away from said base member;

said members including releasable connection means for releasably connecting said members together in said operative position such that when said support member is pivoted to said second position the support member can be returned by a user to said operative position so as to return the transducer device to said predetermined position, said connection means comprising a pair of spaced, projecting arms formed on one of said members and defining a space between said arms and a spaced pair of engagement members formed on the other of said members with which said arms are respectively engaged in said operative position of said support member, said arms, when in engagement with said engagement members, being biased so as to exert retaining forces acting in opposed directions and said arms being caused to move towards each other against said forces in order to provide release of said connection means, and said connection means further including a resilient member disposed in the space between said arms so as to control the size of the forces necessary to cause movement of said arms towards each other to provide release of said connecting means.

14. A combination as claimed in claim 13 wherein said assembly includes a plurality of resilient members of different resiliency which can be selectively disposed between said arms to control the size of the forces necessary to cause said movement of said arms towards each other.

15. A combination as claimed in claim 9 wherein said base portion defines an internal space of substantially elliptical shape in transverse cross section and wherein, as viewed in transverse cross section, the frontal geometrical projection of the transducer crystal substantially fills said internal space.

16. A combination as claimed in claim 9 wherein said leading edge portion of said connecting member is angled forwardly to minimize the amount of debris from the water that is collected on the transducer device.

17. A combination as claimed in claim 9 wherein said mounting bracket assembly comprises a single shaft for connecting said transducer device to said assembly so as to permit said device to freely rotate about said shaft.

10. A combination as claimed in 9 wherein said transducer device further includes a connecting member for attachment to a mounting bracket for mounting the device on the transom of the water craft, and a cable for connecting the transducer crystal to an electronics unit on the water craft, said connecting member being disposed on top of said shaped housing and the leading edge portion of said connecting member which, in use, faces upstream being faired so as to minimize the amount of disturbance to the water flowing past said leading portion, and said cable being located rearwardly of said leading edge portion of said connecting member so as to minimize the amount of disturbance to the flowing water produced by said cable.

18. A mounting bracket assembly for mounting a transducer on a transom of a water craft, said mounting assembly comprising:

a base member adapted to be secured to the transom of the water craft;

a transducer support member adapted to be connected to the transducer;

means for pivotably mounting said support member on said base member so as to permit pivoting of said support member from a first, operative position wherein said support member and said base member are in engagement and a transducer connected to the support member is supported in a predetermined position, and a second, inoperative position wherein said support member is pivoted away from said base member;

said members including releasable connection means for releasably connecting said members together in said operative position such that when said support member is pivoted to said second position the support member can be returned by a user to said operative position so as to return a transducer connected to said support member to said predetermined position, said connection means comprising a pair of spaced, projecting arms formed on one of said members and a spaced pair of engagement members formed on the other of said members with which said arms are respectively engaged in said operative position of said support member, said arms defining a space therebetween, said arms, when in engagement with said engagement members, being biased so as to exert retaining forces acting in opposed directions, and said arms being caused to move towards each other against said forces in order to provide release of said connection means, and said connection means further including a resilient member disposed in the space between said arms so as to control the size of the forces necessary to cause movement of said arms towards each other to provide release of said connecting means.

19. A mounting bracket assembly as claimed in claim 18 wherein said engagement members comprise L-shaped members and said retaining means comprise projections at the free ends of said arms which engage the ends of said L-shaped members.

20. A mounting bracket assembly as claimed in claim 18 wherein said assembly includes a plurality of resilient members of different resiliency which can be selectively disposed between said arms to control the size of the forces necessary to cause said movement of said arms towards each other.

21. A combination as claimed in claim 18 wherein said mounting bracket assembly comprises a single shaft for connecting said transducer device to said assembly so as to permit said device to freely rotate about said shaft.