CONTROLLED COMPLIANCE ACOUSTIC BAFFLE

Abstract

An acoustic baffle for reflecting sound waves and rejecting background interference noise for use with a hydrophone array. The baffle utilizes a plurality of lenticular resilient elements embedded in a compliant foam elastomer compound. The embedded elements provide control of overall baffle compliance for submarine applications, particularly for high hydrostatic pressure operation. The resilient members are formed from pairs of resilient lenticular shaped elements which are integrally bonded to a highly damped constrained viscoelastic layer to provide uniform noise reduction performance over a broad frequency range. The pairs of elements are joined at their ends by compliant end caps which provide minimum constraint on the motion of the ends, thus limiting bending stresses in the elements. The members are designed to freely deflect up to a maximum operating depth, at which point the elements bottom and no further deflection occurs, thereby assuring that deflections of the members do not exceed a design limit, even when the apparatus is tested at depths exceeding its operating range.

Source: Google Patents

35 USC §181 Secrecy Order

Inventor

• 1ALFRED DENARO