Hybrid-drive multi-mode pipe projector

• US 7,626,890 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2007
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Her Majesty The Queen In Right of Canada As Represented By The Minister of National Defence
• Original Assignee: Her Majesty The Queen In Right of Canada As Represented By The Minister of National Defence
• Inventors: Fleming, Richard A. G.
• Primary Examiner(s): PIHULIC, DANIEL T
• Application Number:
  US11/979,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20090116341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 367/176, 367/168, 367/156, 367/155, 181/113
• US Class Current: 367/176
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 15/00 Magnetostrictive transducers magnetostrictive elements in general H10N30/00

Abstract

A hybrid drive (HD) multi-mode pipe projector (MMPP) for use in underwater acoustic applications is provided. The HD MMPP is formed with an inner magnetostrictive drive motor nested within an outer drive motor. The inner motor is surrounded by a magnetic field generating coil winding. Preferably the inner drive motor is a Terfenol-D motor and the outer drive motor is a radially-poled piezoceramic drive motor. This nested configuration provides increased bandwidth and low-frequency extension to the MMPP design.

Claims

1. An acoustic projector having a pair of spaced apart tubular pipe waveguides, each waveguide extending inwards and surrounding opposing end portions of the projector, the acoustic projector comprising:

a piezoceramic outer drive motor extending longitudinally between the waveguides, the outer drive motor having a smaller cross-sectional dimension than the waveguides; and

a magnetostrictive inner drive motor nested within the outer drive motor and extending longitudinally between the two waveguides.

2. The acoustic projector of claim 1 wherein the outer drive motor is mounted resiliently to the endcaps and the inner drive motor is mounted rigidly to the end caps.

3. The acoustic projector of claim 2 wherein the inner drive motor is surrounded by a magnetic field generating coil winding.

4. The acoustic projector of claim 3 wherein the piezoceramic outer drive motor is a radially poled piezoceramic drive motor.

5. The acoustic projector of claim 4 wherein the inner drive motor is a terbium dysprosium iron magnetostrictive alloy drive motor.

6. The acoustic projector of claim 2 further comprising a rubber ring separating the outer drive motor from each waveguide.

7. The acoustic projector of claim 2 wherein the inner drive motor is attached to the waveguides with epoxy.

8. The acoustic projector of claim 1 further comprising a prestress rod extending longitudinally through the inner drive motor and through the waveguides, and a nut threaded onto each end of the prestress rod.

9. The acoustic projector of claim 1 wherein the acoustic projector has a wide bandwidth and is operable at low frequencies.

10. The acoustic projector of claim 1 wherein the inner and outer motors are operated electrically and mechanically in parallel.

11. The acoustic projector of claim 1 wherein the inner and outer motors are operated electrically and mechanically in series.

12. The acoustic projector of claim 1 wherein the inner drive motor and outer drive motor are operated independently.