Underwater communication apparatus and underwater microphone, and closed-type sound converter

• US 5,825,718 A
• Filed: 08/18/1997
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Uetax Corporation
• Original Assignee: Uetax Corporation
• Inventors: Ueki, Masataka, Kimura, Shouzou, Ueki, Masaharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Pihulic, Daniel T.
• Application Number:
  US08/912,721
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 367/132, 367/188, 367/165, 367/173
• US Class Current: 367/132
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/02 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the earth or a large mass of water thereon, e.g. earth telegraphy

Abstract

An underwater communication apparatus is provided which enables safe and clear speech transmission. An exhalation pipe which defines an acoustic space for communicating with an interior space of a mouthpiece is connected at one end to a site adjacent a breathing port of the mouthpiece. An exhaust valve which allows the flow of air only from the mouthpiece toward an exhaust port of the exhalation pipe is provided adjacent the exhaust port. A sound receiver portion having a capacitor microphone is provided within the exhalation pipe at a site upstream of the exhaust valve. When voice is uttered while the mouthpiece is held in the mouth, exhaled air is emitted from the exhaust port through the exhalation pipe and the exhaust valve, so that the capacitor microphone is less liable to noise trouble due to bubbles produced at the exhaust port, or on the downstream side. Speech transmission is made underwater by a waterproof speaker on the basis of an output of the capacitor microphone.

Claims

1. An underwater communication apparatus comprising an underwater microphone including an acoustic space member connected at one end to a site adjacent a breathing port of an aqualung mouthpiece to define an acoustic space communicating with an interior space of the mouthpiece, and a sound signal-electric converter device disposed in the interior of the acoustic space member at a position spaced from said breathing port, said sound signal-electric converter device being operable to convert a sound signal into an electric signal;

and

a closed-type sound converter for transmitting a sound wave underwater on the basis of an output of the sound signal-electric signal converter device of the underwater microphone.

2. An underwater communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the acoustic space member is an exhalation pipe provided with an exhaust valve which allows the flow of air only from the mouthpiece toward an exhaust port, the underwater microphone being disposed upstream of the exhaust valve.

3. An underwater communication apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the underwater microphone includes a screen having pores for reducing in size bubbles of air exhausted from the exhaust valve.

4. An underwater communication apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the underwater microphone includes a bottom-closed cylindrical body disposed on the inner periphery of the exhalation pipe, with the sound signal--electric signal converter device fixed to an inner bottom of the cylindrical body, a diaphragm supported at an open end of the cylindrical body for vibratory movement in the axial direction of the cylindrical body, and an elastic member attached at one end to the inner side of the diaphragm through a resilient member and fixed at other end to the sound signal--electric signal converter device.

5. An underwater communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the closed-type sound converter includes a closed vessel having an elastically deformable acoustic diaphragm, an electric signal--mechanical vibration signal converter device mounted in the closed vessel so as to join with the acoustic diaphragm which is operative to convert an electric signal into a mechanical vibration signal thereby to vibrate the acoustic diaphragm through a joint portion, and an elastically deformable support plate disposed in the closed vessel to define an enclosed space in cooperation with the acoustic diaphragm and to support the electric signal--mechanical vibration signal converter device.

10. An underwater communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said acoustic space member is defined by an exhalation pipe connected at one end to a site adjacent a breathing port of an aqualung mouthpiece, and further comprising an exhaust valve provided in said exhalation pipe which allows the flow of air only from the mouthpiece toward an exhaust port, wherein said exhalation pipe exhaust port is positioned higher than a regulator exhaust port.

11. An underwater communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sound signal-electric signal converter device is disposed at a position in the interior of said acoustic space member determined in accordance with water pressure under which the underwater communication device is expected to operate.

12. An underwater communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a waterproof speaker, wherein a voice coil of said waterproof speaker is fixed to an acoustic diaphragm by an indirect joining method wherein the voice coil does not abut against the acoustic diaphragm.

13. An underwater communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a waterproof speaker, wherein a voice coil of said waterproof speaker is fixed to an acoustic diaphragm by a direct joining method wherein the voice coil abuts against the acoustic diaphragm.

6. An underwater microphone comprising an exhalation pipe connected at one end to a site adjacent a breathing port of an aqualung mouthpiece to define an acoustic space communicating with an interior space of the mouthpiece,

an exhaust valve provided in the exhalation pipe which allows the flow of air only from the mouthpiece toward an exhaust port,

a sound signal-electric signal converter device disposed on the inner periphery side of the exhalation pipe and upstream of the exhaust valve at a position spaced from said breathing port, said sound signal-electric signal converter device operative to convert a sound signal into an electric signal;

and

a screen having pores for reducing in size bubbles of air exhausted from the exhaust valve.

7. An underwater microphone as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a bottom-closed cylindrical body disposed on the inner periphery of the exhalation pipe, with the sound signal--electric signal converter device fixed to an inner bottom of the cylindrical body, a diaphragm supported at an open end of the cylindrical body for vibratory movement in the axial direction of the cylindrical body, and a spring member attached at one end to the inner side of the diaphragm through a resilient member and fixed at other end to the sound signal--electric signal converter device.

14. An underwater microphone as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

an exhaust port of the exhalation pipe is positioned higher than a regulator exhaust port.

8. A closed-type sound converter comprising:

a closed vessel having an elastically deformable acoustic diaphragm,

an electric signal--mechanical vibration signal converter device mounted in the closed vessel so as to be spot-joined to the acoustic diaphragm which is operative to convert an electric signal into a mechanical vibration signal thereby to vibrate the acoustic diaphragm through the spot joined portion, and an elastically deformable support plate disposed in the closed vessel to define an enclosed space in cooperation with the acoustic diaphragm and to support the electric signal--mechanical vibration signal converter device.

9. A closed-type sound converter as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

the electric signal--mechanical vibration signal converter device comprises a voice coil spot-joined to the acoustic diaphragm, and a magnet portion defining a closed magnetic path intersecting the voice coil.

15. A closed-type sound converter according to claim 8, wherein said electric signal-mechanical vibration signal converter device includes a voice coil which is fixed to said acoustic diaphragm by an indirect joining method wherein the voice coil does not abut against said acoustic diaphragm.

16. A closed-type sound converter according to claim 8, wherein said electric signal-mechanical vibration signal converter device includes a voice coil which is fixed to said acoustic diaphragm by a direct joining method wherein the voice coil abuts against said acoustic diaphragm.

17. A closed-type sound converter comprising:

a closed vessel having an elastically deformable acoustic diaphragm,

a voice coil receiving an electric signal and accommodated in the closed vessel so as to be joined at its one end to an inner surface of the acoustic diaphragm,

an elastically deformable support plate disposed in the closed vessel to define a space in cooperation with the acoustic diaphragm and to have a bore in which the voice coil is fitted,

a permanent magnet composed of a cylindrical portion fitting movably in an axial direction in the voice coil and a disk portion fixed to a back surface of the support plate to seal the space hermetically,

wherein when the acoustic diaphragm is subjected to an external water pressure to be elastically deformed, the support plate is deformed due to pressure of the hermetically sealed space so that a position of the voice coil relative to the permanent magnetic is kept substantially constant.