EP0489593A1 - Détecteur acoustique sous-marine - Google Patents

Détecteur acoustique sous-marine Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0489593A1
EP0489593A1 EP91311335A EP91311335A EP0489593A1 EP 0489593 A1 EP0489593 A1 EP 0489593A1 EP 91311335 A EP91311335 A EP 91311335A EP 91311335 A EP91311335 A EP 91311335A EP 0489593 A1 EP0489593 A1 EP 0489593A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
hydrophone
line
sonobuoy
hydrophones
deployed
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP91311335A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Robert Philip Lock
Grenville Roderick Dillon Cockings
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
BAE Systems Electronics Ltd
Original Assignee
GEC Marconi Ltd
Marconi Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by GEC Marconi Ltd, Marconi Co Ltd filed Critical GEC Marconi Ltd
Publication of EP0489593A1 publication Critical patent/EP0489593A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
    • B63B22/00—Buoys
    • B63B22/003—Buoys adapted for being launched from an aircraft or water vehicle;, e.g. with brakes deployed in the water

Definitions

  • This invention relates to acoustic sensing apparatus for use in underwater applications.
  • an array of hydrophones for detecting incident acoustic energy is deployed beneath the surface of the water, being suspended from a float by a supporting cable to hold the array at a constant depth.
  • Signal processing circuitry is associated with the array for producing signals representative of sensed acoustic vibrations.
  • the float carries an antenna for transmitting the output of the hydrophone array, the supporting cable also acting as a signal transmission path between the antenna and the signal processing circuitry.
  • the sonobuoy typically is operational for one to six hours, after which time the float is punctured in some manner and the device allowed to drop to the sea bed.
  • the present invention seeks to provide improved underwater acoustic sensing apparatus.
  • underwater acoustic sensing apparatus comprising a float portion supporting an antenna for transmission and/or reception of signals, a hydrophone portion supporting a hydrophone arrangement and a line between the two portions providing a signal path between the arrangement and the antenna, the apparatus being such that, when deployed in water, the hydrophone portion moves downwardly during its reception period.
  • the float portion need only have sufficient buoyancy to ensure that it reaches the surface for the antenna to transmit and/or receive signals.
  • the float portion does not require a large enough buoyancy chamber to support the whole hydrophone portion and thus the apparatus may be made much more compact than a conventional device.
  • the line between the two portions is only necessary to provide a signal path for data transmission. It therefore does not need to be sufficiently strong to support a heavy hydrophone portion.
  • the line may be of much smaller diameter than that hitherto used and could, for example, be an optical transmission path such as an optical fibre.
  • the volume occupied by the line may be much reduced compared to that required in a conventional device.
  • the hydrophone portion may move downwardly during its reception period because the apparatus as a whole has a negative buoyancy. However, preferably, the hydrophone portion has negative buoyancy and the line has insufficient tensile strength to support it. Thus, when the line is put under stress as the hydrophone portion moves downwardly, it breaks, allowing the hydrophone portion to continue towards the sea bed and transmission of the hydrophone arrangement output is terminated.
  • the apparatus may be a solely passive device but also may be capable of generating acoustic vibrations, the returns of which from potential targets are then detected.
  • the antenna is only required for the transmission of signals, it may in some arrangements be used for the reception of an interrogating signal from a remote location, for example.
  • the invention may be particularly advantageously employed where the hydrophone arrangement includes at least two hydrophones contained within a housing disposed substantially orthogonally to the direction of movement during the reception period.
  • a sonobuoy in accordance with the invention comprises two main portions, a float portion 1 and a hydrophone support structure 2, the sonobuoy being substantially cylindrical.
  • the float portion 1 includes a flotation chamber 3 within which is located an r.f. transmitter 4 and a battery 5 for powering the transmitter 4.
  • the float portion 1 has an outer casing which includes a vaned flight stabilisation ring 6 to keep the sonobuoy substantially vertical when it is launched from an aircraft or ship prior to entry into water.
  • An aerial 7 is fixed to the upper surface of the float portion 1 at 8, as shown, and is connected to the transmitter 4.
  • the aerial 7 is bent downwardly along the outer surface of the sonobuoy, being held in position at its lower end 9 by a nose cap 10 which extends across the bottom of the sonobuoy.
  • the hydrophone support structure 2 includes four arms 11, 12, 13 and 14, two of which 11 and 13 are shown in Figure 2.
  • Each arm is an elongate structure having a pivot 15 and 16 at the end nearest the float portion 1 and, at its other end, a lug 17 and 18 engaging in a slot in the nose cap 10.
  • Each arm 11, 12, 13 and 14 includes an array of hydrophones and associated electronics.
  • the arms 11, 12, 13 and 14 surround a water-tight casing 19 within which is located a cable pack 20 comprising a drum on which is wound a length of line 21.
  • the line 21 is connected at one end to the battery 5 in the float portion 1 and at the other end to processing circuitry 22, which is arranged to receive the output of the hydrophones and associated circuitry and produce a signal output representative of received acoustic signals.
  • the lower part of the casing 19 is occupied by four batteries 23, 24, 25 and 26.
  • Two acoustic projectors 27a and 27b are positioned between the casing 19 and the nose cap 10 to provide sources of acoustic energy.
  • the sonobuoy When it is wished to deploy the sonobuoy in the sea, it is ejected from an aircraft, say, at a height of 100 feet for example, and enters the water in a substantially upright orientation due to the flight stabilisation ring 6. On entering the water, the sonobuoy travels downwardly until a predetermined depth is reached, when a pressure sensitive release mechanism 28 is activated, causing the nose cap 10 to move downwardly on support rods 29. This frees the lugs 17 and 18 at the bottom of the arms 11, 12, 13 and 14 and the transducer arrays are deployed as the arms pivots about 15 and 16.
  • a latch mechanism securing the float portion 1 to the hydrophone support structure 2 at 30 and 31 is released and the two portions 1 and 2 separate.
  • the aerial 7 is also released by the movement of the nose cap 10 relative to the remainder of the structure and the acoustic projectors 27a and 27b are deployed on the rods 29.
  • the cable drum 20 unwinds so that the line 21 pays out freely, providing a data path between the processing circuitry 22 of the hydrophone support structure 2 and the aerial 7.
  • the hydrophone support structure 2 When the float 1 and the aerial 7 reach the surface of the sea, the hydrophone support structure 2 is still moving downwardly with its arms deployed to receive acoustic signal returns from objects insonofied by the acoustic projectors 27a and 27b.
  • the processed signals representative of received acoustic vibrations are transmitted via the aerial 7 as the hydrophone arrays move downwardly through the water.
  • the line 21 When the line 21 reaches its greatest extent, after 5 minutes of operation, for example, it is put under tension by the weight of the hydrophone support structure 2. It is of insufficient tensile strength to support the hydrophone and projector portion and consequently, the line 21 breaks, and information transmission from the sonobuoy ceases.
  • the hydrophone support structure 2 sinks to the bottom of the sea and the float structure 1 is left at the surface.
  • the sonobuoy is required to act solely as a passive, listening arrangement, in which case, the acoustic projectors are omitted.
  • the line 21 may be suitable for electrical signal transmission, it could alternatively be an optical fibre for carrying optical signals.
  • the invention may be used with different types of arrangements in which the hydrophone array, or arrays, is retained in the cylindrical structure of the sonobuoy and not deployed on arms which open outwardly.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Velocity Or Position Using Acoustic Or Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
  • Transducers For Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Mechanical Vibrations Or Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
EP91311335A 1990-12-06 1991-12-05 Détecteur acoustique sous-marine Withdrawn EP0489593A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9026589 1990-12-06
GB9026589A GB2250592A (en) 1990-12-06 1990-12-06 Underwater acoustic sensing apparatus

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0489593A1 true EP0489593A1 (fr) 1992-06-10

Family

ID=10686612

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP91311335A Withdrawn EP0489593A1 (fr) 1990-12-06 1991-12-05 Détecteur acoustique sous-marine

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0489593A1 (fr)
CA (1) CA2056934A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB2250592A (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN108327854A (zh) * 2017-12-29 2018-07-27 中国船舶重工集团公司第七0研究所 一种用于探测水声信号的漂流锚系浮标

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN114018396A (zh) * 2021-10-22 2022-02-08 中国舰船研究设计中心 一种低频水声测量系统及布设方法

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3290642A (en) * 1965-01-08 1966-12-06 Russell I Mason Directional sonobuoy
DE2051675A1 (de) * 1969-10-21 1971-04-29 Motorola Ine , Franklin Park, Ul (V St A) Flussigkeitssonde
US3936895A (en) * 1975-01-14 1976-02-10 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Benthic bobbing buoy
FR2450194A1 (fr) * 1979-02-28 1980-09-26 Cit Alcatel Dispositif plongeur pour former une base lineaire immergee
EP0130722A1 (fr) * 1983-06-15 1985-01-09 Sippican Ocean Systems, Inc. Appareil à circuit électrique

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1602291A (fr) * 1968-02-14 1970-11-02
US4186374A (en) * 1978-01-03 1980-01-29 Raytheon Company Transducer housing with release mechanism
US4208738A (en) * 1978-05-01 1980-06-17 The Bendix Corporation Deployable sonar array with interconnected transducers operated in the bending mode
US4186370A (en) * 1978-09-05 1980-01-29 Raytheon Company Stabilized sonobuoy suspension
US4689773A (en) * 1982-12-02 1987-08-25 Magnavox Government And Industrial Electronics Company Extendible sonobuoy apparatus

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3290642A (en) * 1965-01-08 1966-12-06 Russell I Mason Directional sonobuoy
DE2051675A1 (de) * 1969-10-21 1971-04-29 Motorola Ine , Franklin Park, Ul (V St A) Flussigkeitssonde
US3936895A (en) * 1975-01-14 1976-02-10 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Benthic bobbing buoy
FR2450194A1 (fr) * 1979-02-28 1980-09-26 Cit Alcatel Dispositif plongeur pour former une base lineaire immergee
EP0130722A1 (fr) * 1983-06-15 1985-01-09 Sippican Ocean Systems, Inc. Appareil à circuit électrique

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN108327854A (zh) * 2017-12-29 2018-07-27 中国船舶重工集团公司第七0研究所 一种用于探测水声信号的漂流锚系浮标

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA2056934A1 (fr) 1992-06-07
GB9026589D0 (en) 1991-04-24
GB2250592A (en) 1992-06-10

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