Fiber optic self-multiplexing amplified ring transducer and force transfer sensor with pressure compensation
First Claim
1. A sensor comprising:
- a force transfer transducer;
an optical fiber fixed to said force transfer transducer;
a detector operably coupled to said fiber for detecting strain induced in said optical fiber by said transducer;
a shell containing said transducer; and
a pressure equalizer for substantially equalizing pressure within said shell with respect to pressure outside said shell.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fiber optic sensor is also disclosed for measuring or detecting the prece of an environmental field condition such as under-water acoustic perturbations. The sensor includes a force transfer transducer, which is enclosed within a shell, with a pressure equalizer for equalizing the interior and exterior shell pressures. An optical fiber is coiled about the transducer. An optical detector detects stress or strain in the optical fiber, resulting from external perturbations. The sensor is able to operate at various depths or altitudes. Pressure equalization enables the isolation of dynamic external perturbations from other pressure variations. For this purpose, a pressure equalizing valve may be used to allow the equalization of slow changes in static pressures, and the detection of higher frequency perturbations which might emanate from a target source.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A sensor comprising:
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a force transfer transducer; an optical fiber fixed to said force transfer transducer; a detector operably coupled to said fiber for detecting strain induced in said optical fiber by said transducer; a shell containing said transducer; and a pressure equalizer for substantially equalizing pressure within said shell with respect to pressure outside said shell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification