Abstract: A slotted cylinder acoustic transducer assembly is provided that has a cylindrical housing shell and an electromechanical driver disposed within the shell. The driver is formed with a plurality of single crystal piezoelectric elements joined to the inner surface of the housing shell and arranged to form an electromechanical stack. Each piezoelectric element has a pair of sidewalls, wherein each sidewall provides an electrode having a predetermined polarity. Each single piezoelectric element has a tapering width between the sidewalls. The transducer assembly includes a plurality of electrically conductive members. Each conductive member is disposed between each pair of adjacent piezoelectric elements such that each electrically conductive member electrically contacts the electrodes of adjacent piezoelectric elements.

Abstract: An electro acoustic transducer has a housing having an axial threaded bore. A transducer driver element is axially aligned in the bore and has a first end mounted on an electrically conductive holder that is axially displaceable by a conductive screw member. A hemisphere on the other end of the driver element contacts a diaphragm for radiating acoustic signals. An electrical connector has a conductive coil spring coupled to the screw member and is electrically connected to the first end of the driver element via the coil spring, screw member, holder, and mounting plug. Another electrical connector is connected to the other end of the driver element via a conductive front plate, diaphragm, and hemisphere in one embodiment or a flexible lead in another embodiment. In both embodiments, the electrical connectors couple electrical driving signals to the driver elements to cause the driver elements to mechanically vibrate.

Abstract: A encapsulation method of an acoustic sensor module and a resultant lightweight watertight acoustic sensor module for use in towed array retrieval systems. In the method, a composite is cast to encapsulate the support between end plates of the module, an exterior of a passage tube in which the array is retrieved, transducers positioned on the tube exterior and supporting telemetry lines for the transducers. The components, listed previously, are cast into a block of the cured composite such that the arrangement of the components is fixed. Residual composite emitting from an aperture of an end plate allows a conductor for the telemetry lines to be potted into the composite with an end of the conductor free from the composite thereby allowing connection to an external controller or generator.

Abstract: A slotted cylinder transducer is provided having a cylindrical metal or cosite material shell. A cylindrical piezoelectric driver is bonded to the inside of the shell with an opening corresponding to the slot. The shell thickness is tapered radially about the longitudinal axis such that the thickness is a maximum 180.degree. away from the slot and decreases progressively to a minimum adjacent each side of the slot. The piezoelectric driver is reverse tapered from the shell taper in that the thickness of the driver is a minimum 180.degree. away from the slot and increases progressively to a maximum adjacent each side of the slot. This taper places a larger volume of the driver material in the slot region of the shell where the maximum radial displacements occur, thus providing higher acoustic energy levels. When used as a hydrophone to detect acoustic signals in the surrounding medium, the larger volume of material at the point of maximum displacement provides increased signal detection capability.

Abstract: An acoustic transducer comprising a housing, and first and second stacks of ransduction plates disposed within the housing for engaging opposed wall portions of the housing, the first and second stacks being adapted to be held in compression between the housing opposed wall portions. A threaded stud extends from the first stack to the second stack, and a nut is threadedly engaged with the stud and adjacent one of the stacks. Movement of the nut on the stud operates to move the stacks toward the housing walls, respectively, to compress the stacks, and operates to relax compressive force on the stacks to enable withdrawal of one of the stacks and replacement thereof.