Communications – electrical: acoustic wave systems and devices – Signal transducers – Underwater type
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-04
2001-09-04
Pihulic, Daniel T. (Department: 3662)
Communications, electrical: acoustic wave systems and devices
Signal transducers
Underwater type
Reexamination Certificate
active
06285631
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST
The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefore.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to slotted cylinder transducers and in particular, to a reliable sealing boot for preventing external fluid from entering the slotted cylinder transducer and method of making the slotted cylinder transducer with reliable sealing boot.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Slotted cylinder transducers have enjoyed notably high acoustic output and efficiency for their size and frequency of operation. These slotted cylinder transducers typically comprise an actuated slotted cylinder with end caps and a boot for sealing the slotted cylinder transducer. Prior art slotted cylinder transducers are found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,812,452 issued to W. T. Harris, U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,044 issued to H. W. Kompanek, U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,130 issued to K. D. Rolt, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,229,978 and 5,267,223 issued to Flanagan et al.
Prior art slotted cylinder transducers have suffered from poor reliability as a result of leaky boots. The leaking boots allow liquid to enter the transducer causing failure of the transducer. The leak conditions result from a marginally successful manual application of the boot to the slotted cylinder and end caps using an epoxy adhesive. The boot has historically been attached to relatively small bond areas where the boot is subject to high static and dynamic operating stresses causing failure of the seal formed by the boot. In addition, the manual application of the boot in combination with the epoxy adhesive can lead to the epoxy entering critical areas of the transducer affecting performance, e.g., variations in impedance near the mechanical resonance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to produce a reliable seal of consistent quality by eliminating or substantially reducing the inconsistencies inherent in the prior manual application of boot seals to slotted cylinder transducers.
Another object of the present invention is to create reliable and efficient slotted cylinder transducers by preventing adhesive from interfering with the mechanical operation of the transducer in the critical areas of the transducer slot and interface between the cylindrical body and end caps.
A further object of the present invention is a booting process that can improve repeatability through automation.
The present invention features a sealed slotted cylinder transducer comprising an active transducer assembly, a pair of end caps and a boot. The end caps are spaced in relation to the cylinder body and the boot is fused to the end caps, e.g., by vulcanizing. The seal is then completed by adhering the boot to the cylinder of the transducer using conventional adhesives such as epoxy.
The present invention further comprises a method of forming a slotted cylinder transducer boot. The method comprises the step of attaching a pair of end caps to a dummy insert. A boot material is then wrapped around the dummy insert and end caps. The boot material is then fused to the end caps in a mold. In one example, the boot material is an uncured rubber material, which is fused to the end caps by vulcanizing. The assembly is then removed from the mold and a central region of the boot material is removed, allowing the end caps to be separated from the dummy insert. The dummy insert is removed and an active slotted cylinder is placed between the end caps. The boot material is then bonded to the active slotted cylinder in the region between the end caps and opposite the slot where the static and dynamic stresses are considerably less.
The present invention further includes a system for fusing a boot material to end caps of a slotted cylinder transducer. The system comprises a dummy insert, a spacer and a mold. The spacer is inserted into the dummy insert for spacing a pair of end caps in relation to the dummy insert. The dummy insert and end caps are wrapped with an boot material and inserted in the mold. The mold then fuses the boot material to the end caps.
Accordingly, the present invention encompasses the reliable boot seal of slotted cylinder transducers, the novel process for producing the sealed slotted cylinder transducer, and the unique system used in producing the sealed slotted cylinder transducer.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2812452 (1957-11-01), Harris
patent: 5103130 (1992-04-01), Rolt et al.
patent: 5229978 (1993-07-01), Flanagan
patent: 5267223 (1993-11-01), Flanagan et al.
Lall Prithvi C.
McGowan Michael J.
Oglo Michael F.
Pihulic Daniel T.
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
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