IP Library Granted Patent US 8,456,955
Granted Patent B2
US 8,456,955 · App. 13/443,473 · Granted Jun 4, 2013

Housings for phased array monostatic sodar systems

Inventors: Niels LaWhite (Somerville, MA); Louis Manfredi (Amherst, MA); Walter L. Sass (Somerville, MA)
Assignee: Second Wind Systems, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,456,955
App. No.
13/443,473
Granted
Jun 4, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A housing for a phased array monostatic sodar system with a transducer array that sequentially emits and receives a set of sound beams along different primary axes. The housing includes an enclosure having a plurality of sidewalls, each sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls having an inner surface, the enclosure configured to emit and receive the set of sound beams. Each inner surface of each sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls defines at least a partially elliptical cross-section configured to substantially envelop at least a portion of an angled, conical sound beam of the set of sound beams.

Claims (24)

1. A housing for a phased array monostatic sodar system with a transducer array that sequentially emits and receives a set of sound beams along different primary axes, the housing comprising:

an enclosure having a plurality of sidewalls, each sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls having an inner surface, the enclosure configured to emit and receive the set of sound beams; and

each inner surface of each sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls defining at least a partially elliptical cross-section configured to substantially envelop at least a portion of an angled, conical sound beam of the set of sound beams.

2. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure comprises a lip extending along a top portion of the plurality of sidewalls, the lip being rounded relative to a longitudinal axis of the lip.

3. The housing of claim 2 , wherein the lip defines a substantially circular cross-section relative to the longitudinal axis.

4. The housing of claim 1 , further comprising a sound absorbent material disposed on at least a portion of the inner surface of the enclosure, the sound absorbent material facing an interior volume defined by the plurality of sidewalls.

5. The housing of claim 3 , wherein a radius of curvature for the lip is at least equal to a wavelength of a sound beam of the set of sound beams.

6. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sidewalls comprises a set of three sidewalls.

7. The housing of claim 6 , wherein each inner surface of each sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls defining at least a partially elliptical cross-section comprises each inner surface of each sidewall of the set of three sidewalls defining a lobe, each lobe being spaced at about 120° from an adjacent lobe about a central vertical axis of the enclosure.

8. The housing of claim 7 , wherein each inner surface of each lobe is disposed at about the location of a null of a corresponding sound beam of the set of sound beams.

9. The housing of claim 8 , wherein the null of each corresponding sound beam of the set of sound beams is disposed at a location that is about ten degrees from a corresponding main axis of the corresponding sound beam of the set of sound beams.

10. The housing of claim 6 , wherein the enclosure comprises a lip extending along a top portion of the set of three sidewalls, the lip being rounded relative to a longitudinal axis of the lip.

11. The housing of claim 10 , wherein the lip defines a substantially circular cross-section relative to the longitudinal axis.

12. A system, comprising:

a transducer array configured to emit and receive a set of sound beams along different primary axes; and

an enclosure configured to house the transducer array, the enclosure having a plurality of sidewalls, each sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls having an inner surface and each inner surface of each sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls defining at least a partially elliptical cross-section configured to substantially envelop at least a portion of an angled, conical sound beam of the set of sound beams.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the enclosure comprises a lip extending along a top portion of the plurality of sidewalls, the lip being rounded relative to a longitudinal axis of the lip.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the lip defines a substantially circular cross-section relative to the longitudinal axis.

15. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a sound absorbent material disposed on at least a portion of the inner surface of the enclosure, the sound absorbent material facing an interior volume defined by the plurality of sidewalls.

16. The housing of claim 14 , wherein a radius of curvature for the lip is at least equal to a wavelength of a sound beam of the set of sound beams.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of sidewalls comprises a set of three sidewalls.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein each inner surface of each sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls defining at least a partially elliptical cross-section comprises each inner surface of each sidewall of the set of three sidewalls defining a lobe, each lobe being spaced at about 120° from an adjacent lobe about a central vertical axis of the enclosure.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein each inner surface of each lobe is disposed at about the location of a null of a corresponding sound beam of the set of sound beams.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the null of each corresponding sound beam of the set of sound beams is disposed at a location that is about ten degrees from a corresponding main axis of the corresponding sound beam of the set of sound beams.

Assignments (3)
MERGER Recorded Feb 19, 2014
From: SECOND WIND SYSTEMS, INC.
To: VAISALA INC.
Reel/Frame 032242/0153 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 22, 2012
From: SECOND WIND, INC.
To: SECOND WIND SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 028431/0079 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 8, 2012
From: LAWHITE, NIELS; MANFREDI, LOUIS; SASS, WALTER L.
To: SECOND WIND, INC.
Reel/Frame 028339/0786 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 12125166 · May 22, 2008
Continuation In Part 11934915 · Nov 5, 2007
Provisional Application 60941302 · Jun 1, 2007
Related Publication 20120218866A1 · Aug 30, 2012