Method for manufacturing vibrator unit and vibrator unit

Abstract

To provide a method for manufacturing a vibrator unit that is capable of reliably filling a filler into a housing of the vibrator unit.SOLUTION: A method for manufacturing a vibrator unit 10 includes a spacer / cable arrangement step and a filling step. In the spacer / cable arrangement step, a spacer 60 for partitioning an insertion hole 32 into two internal spaces 65, 66 extending along a longitudinal direction of a cable lead-out portion 31 is arranged in the cable lead-out portion 31, and a cable 50 is arranged in the insertion hole 32. In the filling step, one internal space 65 is caused to function as a filling path for a filler A1 while the other internal space 66 is caused to function as an air vent path when the filler A1 is filled in a state where the spacer 60 and cable 50 are arranged, and the filler A1 is filled into a main body portion 21 and the insertion hole 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a transducer unit, and to a transducer unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a transducer unit in which a housing having a main body and a cylindrical cable outlet is immersed in water and an ultrasonic transducer housed in the main body transmits and receives ultrasonic waves (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). A cable electrically connected to the ultrasonic transducer is inserted through an insertion hole in the cable outlet. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 3-191698 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-94493 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, when manufacturing a transducer unit, a filler is poured into the main body from the top of the cable pull-out portion and hardened. However, when filling the filler, the air in the main body is difficult to remove, so there is a problem that the amount of filler filled is not stable. As a result, if the amount of filler is insufficient, a transducer unit with low waterproof performance may be produced, or the sensitivity characteristics may vary greatly. In addition, the cable inserted in the insertion hole is prone to movement within the insertion hole, so the cable may get in the way when filling the filler.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has an object to provide a method for manufacturing a vibrator unit that can reliably fill the housing of the vibrator unit with a filler, and another object to provide a vibrator unit that can suppress movement of a cable arranged in an insertion hole of a cable pull-out portion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the invention described in claim 1 is a method for manufacturing a transducer unit including a housing having a main body and a cylindrical cable pull-out portion protruding from an upper surface of the main body, an ultrasonic transducer accommodated in the main body of the housing, a cable electrically connected to the ultrasonic transducer and arranged in an insertion hole of the cable pull-out portion, and a hardened filler filling a gap in the housing, the method including: a spacer / cable arrangement step of arranging a spacer in the cable pull-out portion to divide the insertion hole into two internal spaces extending along the longitudinal direction of the cable pull-out portion, and arranging the cable in the insertion hole; and a filling step of filling the main body and the insertion hole with the filler, with one of the internal spaces functioning as a filling path for the filler and the other internal space functioning as an air vent path when filling the filler, with the spacer and the cable arranged.

[0007] Therefore, according to the invention described in claim 1, in the spacer / cable arrangement step, a spacer is arranged in the cable pull-out portion to divide the insertion hole into two internal spaces, so that one internal space is used as a filling path for the filler, and the other internal space is used as an air vent path when the filler is filled. Therefore, if the filler is filled into the main body from one internal space in the filling step, the air in the main body can be reliably vented from the other internal space to the outside of the housing. As a result, the filler can be quickly filled into the main body, and the gaps in the main body can be reliably filled with the filler. Therefore, the amount of filler filled is stable, so that the risk of manufacturing a transducer unit with low waterproofness due to a small amount of filler can be reduced. In addition, the variation in sensitivity characteristics of each manufactured transducer unit can be reduced.

[0008] The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that, in claim 1, the spacer is a tubular spacer having one of the internal spaces inside, and in the spacer / cable placement process, the cable is inserted into the other internal space.

[0009] The invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that, in claim 2, the tubular spacer is provided separately from the cable pull-out portion and is housed within the cable pull-out portion in a state extending approximately parallel to the cable.

[0010] The invention described in claim 4 is based on claim 3, and its gist is that the tubular spacer has an upper end opening and a lower end opening, and the upper end opening, which also serves as an inlet for the filler, is located near the outlet of the cable pull-out section, and the lower end opening is located within the main body.

[0011] The invention described in claim 5 is characterized in that, in claim 4, the lower end of the tubular spacer is bent toward the outer periphery within the main body portion, and the lower end opening is positioned on the outer periphery of the main body portion.

[0012] The invention described in claim 6 is characterized in that in claim 5, a gap between an inner surface of the main body and an upper end surface of the ultrasonic transducer is smaller than an inner diameter of the cable outlet portion.

[0013] The invention described in claim 7 is a transducer unit comprising a housing having a main body and a cylindrical cable pull-out portion protruding from an upper surface of the main body, an ultrasonic transducer accommodated in the main body of the housing, a cable electrically connected to the ultrasonic transducer and arranged in an insertion hole of the cable pull-out portion, and a hardened filler that fills a gap in the housing, wherein a spacer that divides the insertion hole into two internal spaces extending along the longitudinal direction of the cable pull-out portion is arranged in the cable pull-out portion, the cable is arranged in one of the internal spaces, and the main body and the insertion hole are filled with the hardened filler.

[0014] Therefore, according to the invention described in claim 7, by disposing a spacer in the cable outlet portion, the insertion hole is divided into two internal spaces. As a result, the cross-sectional area of ​​each internal space is reduced, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the internal space through which the cable is inserted is also reduced. Therefore, the movement of the cable inserted in the internal space can be suppressed. In other words, the cable can be held in a stable and straight state with almost no movement in the insertion hole, and the variation in quality can be reduced.

[0015] The invention described in claim 8 is based on claim 7, and its gist is that the spacer is a tubular spacer having one of the internal spaces therein, and the cable is inserted into the other internal space.

[0016] The invention described in claim 9 is characterized in that, in claim 8, the tubular spacer is provided separately from the cable pull-out portion and is housed within the cable pull-out portion in a state extending approximately parallel to the cable.

[0017] The invention described in claim 10 is based on claim 9, and is characterized in that the tubular spacer has an upper end opening and a lower end opening, and the upper end opening, which also serves as an inlet for the filler, is located near the outlet of the cable outlet portion, and the lower end opening is located within the main body portion.

[0018] The invention described in claim 11 is characterized in that, in claim 10, the lower end of the tubular spacer is bent toward the outer periphery within the main body portion, and the lower end opening is positioned on the outer periphery of the main body portion.

[0019] The invention described in claim 12 is characterized in that in claim 11, the gap between the inner surface of the main body and the upper end surface of the ultrasonic transducer is smaller than the inner diameter of the cable outlet portion. Effect of the Invention

[0020] As described above in detail, according to the inventions recited in claims 1 to 6, the filler can be reliably filled into the housing of the transducer unit. Also, according to the inventions recited in claims 7 to 12, the movement of the cable arranged in the insertion hole of the cable pull-out part can be suppressed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 4 is a side view showing the transducer unit in the embodiment. [Diagram 2] Cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the internal structure of the transducer unit. [Figure 4] Cross-sectional view of line BB in Figure 2. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the transducer unit. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a transducer unit according to another embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a transducer unit according to another embodiment. [Figure 9] Cross-sectional view taken along line CC in Figure 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing an insertion hole of a cable outlet portion in another embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing an insertion hole of a cable outlet portion in another embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing an insertion hole of a cable outlet portion in another embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing an insertion hole of a cable outlet portion in another embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing an insertion hole of a cable outlet portion in another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0023] 1 and 2, a transducer unit 10 of this embodiment is a unit for a fish finder that detects a school of fish in water by irradiating ultrasonic waves into the water. The transducer unit 10 includes a housing 20, an ultrasonic transducer 40, and a cable 50.

[0024] The housing 20 has a main body 21 and a cylindrical cable outlet 31 protruding from the center of an upper surface 21a of the main body 21. The main body 21 has a case main body 22 and a bottom plate 23. The case main body 22 is a cylindrical case with a bottom that opens at a lower end 22a, and is configured to have a concave cross section by integrally forming a ceiling 24 and a side wall 25. The bottom plate 23 is a disk-shaped member. An annular packing 26 (see FIG. 3) is provided on the outer periphery of the upper surface 23a of the bottom plate 23, against which the lower end 22a of the case main body 22 abuts.

[0025] As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a groove 27 that opens on the inner peripheral surface 25a is provided in the side wall 25 of the case body 22. The groove 27 extends over the entire circumferential direction of the case body 22. A plurality of claws 28 (three in this embodiment) are protrudingly provided on the outer periphery of the upper surface 23a of the bottom plate portion 23, located inside the packing 26. The claws 28 are disposed at equal angular intervals (120° intervals in this embodiment) with respect to the center of the bottom plate portion 23. The claws 28 are adapted to engage with the grooves 27 when the bottom plate portion 23 is attached to the case body 22.

[0026] The ultrasonic transducer 40 is housed in the main body 21 of the housing 20. The ultrasonic transducer 40 is composed of an acoustic matching layer 41 and a piezoelectric element 42. The piezoelectric element 42 is a circular ceramic plate-like object formed, for example, using lead zirconate titanate (PZT), which is a piezoelectric ceramic. The piezoelectric element 42 has a front surface 43 and a back surface 44 on the opposite side of the front surface 43. Furthermore, a front surface electrode (not shown) is formed on the front surface 43 of the piezoelectric element 42, and a back surface electrode (not shown) is formed on the back surface 44 of the piezoelectric element 42. In this embodiment, the entire front surface 43 of the piezoelectric element 42 is bonded to the acoustic matching layer 41 via the front surface electrode and an adhesive layer (not shown). The front surface 43 bonded to the acoustic matching layer 41 functions as an acoustic radiation surface for irradiating (transmitting) ultrasonic waves when the piezoelectric element 42 vibrates.

[0027] As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a sheet-like soundproofing material 46 (backing material) is attached to the back surface 44 side of the piezoelectric element 42. The soundproofing material 46 is intended to absorb sound from the back surface 44 side and suppress reverberation. Furthermore, a soundproofing material 47 (side material) is wrapped around the outer peripheral surface 45 of the piezoelectric element 42. The soundproofing material 47 is intended to absorb sound from the outer peripheral surface 45 side and suppress reverberation. Note that the soundproofing materials 46 and 47 may be resin material or rubber containing particles or fibers made of metal or ceramics, or a resin material with dispersed pores (such as a sponge).

[0028] As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, an insertion hole 32 is provided in the cable pull-out portion 31. The insertion hole 32 has a circular cross section, with an upper end opening at the upper end of the cable pull-out portion 31 and a lower end opening inside the main body portion 21. The upper end of the cable pull-out portion 31 serves as a pull-out port 50a (see Fig. 2) for the cable 50. A male thread structure 33 (see Fig. 1) is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cable pull-out portion 31. The male thread structure 33 is used when fixing the housing 20 to a scupper hole (not shown) provided in the bottom of a ship (not shown).

[0029] The cable 50 is electrically connected to the ultrasonic transducer 40 and inserted through the insertion hole 32 of the cable outlet portion 31. As shown in Fig. 2, of the two wires 51 and 52 included in the cable 50, one wire 51 is connected to the front electrode, and the other wire 52 is connected to the rear electrode. More specifically, the wire 51 is connected by soldering or the like to a side terminal (not shown) extending outward from the front electrode. The wire 52 is connected by soldering or the like to the outer periphery of the rear electrode.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 4, a cylindrical spacer 60 is installed in the insertion hole 32 of the cable outlet portion 31. The spacer 60 is installed in the insertion hole 32 to suppress the movement of the cable 50 also arranged in the insertion hole 32 when the filler A1 is filled. The spacer 60 of this embodiment is in a state of almost contact with the outer circumferential surface of the cable 50. The spacer 60 of this embodiment is provided separately from the cable outlet portion 31, and is housed in the insertion hole 32 in a state of extending approximately parallel to the cable 50. The spacer 60 of this embodiment is formed of a resin material and has an upper end opening 61 and a lower end opening 62. Furthermore, the spacer 60 has a bellows portion 63, which is a bendable portion, at a position close to the lower end opening 62. The upper end opening 61 also serves as an inlet for the filler A1, and is located near the outlet 50a of the cable outlet portion 31. On the other hand, the lower end opening 62 also serves as an outlet for the filler A1 and is disposed within the main body 21. Specifically, the lower end 60a of the spacer 60 (a portion closer to the lower end opening 62 than the bellows portion 63) is bent at a substantially right angle toward the outer periphery within the main body 21, starting from the bellows portion 63. Thus, the lower end opening 62 is disposed at a position on the outer periphery side of the outer periphery 45 of the piezoelectric element 42, which is the outer periphery of the main body 21. The lower end 60a of the spacer 60 is attached to the upper end surface 40a side of the ultrasonic transducer 40, specifically, to the upper end surface 46a of the soundproofing material 46, via a double-sided tape 64 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The lower end 60a of the spacer 60 is disposed on a side different from the side on which the cable 50 is present.

[0031] The spacer 60 also divides the insertion hole 32 into two internal spaces 65, 66 that extend along the longitudinal direction of the cable outlet portion 31 over substantially the entire length of the insertion hole 32. In detail, the spacer 60 has a first internal space 65 inside, which is one of the internal spaces. The first internal space 65 has a circular cross section and serves as a filling path for the filler A1. The cable 50 is inserted into the second internal space 66, which is the other internal space, with a gap remaining around it. The second internal space 66 is a space obtained by removing the first internal space 65 from the internal space of the insertion hole 32, and serves as an air vent path when the filler A1 is filled. The cross-sectional area of ​​the cable 50 is substantially equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the first internal space 65. The cross-sectional area of ​​the second internal space 66 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first internal space 65.

[0032] 2, a gap S1 between the ceiling surface 21b (inner surface) of the main body 21 and the upper end surface 40a of the ultrasonic transducer 40 (i.e., the back surface 44 of the piezoelectric element 42) is smaller than the inner diameter D1 of the cable outlet portion 31. A gap S2 between the ceiling surface 21b and an upper end surface 46a of the soundproofing material 46 attached to the upper end surface 40a is also smaller than the inner diameter D1 of the cable outlet portion 31.

[0033] In this embodiment, the gaps in the housing 20, specifically, the entire inside of the main body 21 and the entire inside of the insertion hole 32 (i.e., the first internal space 65 and the second internal space 66), are filled with the hardened filler A1. More specifically, the filler A1 is in close contact with the entire inside surface of the main body 21, specifically, the entire ceiling surface 21b of the main body 21, the entire inner peripheral surface 25a of the side wall 25, the inner surface of the groove 27 opening in the inner peripheral surface 25a, and the outer peripheral portion of the upper surface 23a of the bottom plate 23. The filler A1 is in close contact with the entire outer surface of the ultrasonic transducer 40, specifically, the outer peripheral surface of the acoustic matching layer 41, the outer peripheral portion of the upper surface of the acoustic matching layer 41, a part of the outer peripheral surface 45 of the piezoelectric element 42, the outer peripheral surface of the soundproofing material 46, the entire upper surface of the double-sided tape 64 attached to the entire upper end surface 46a of the soundproofing material 46, and the entire outer surface of the soundproofing material 47. Furthermore, the filler A1 adheres to the entire inner surface of the insertion hole 32. The filler A1 adheres to the entire inner and outer circumferential surfaces of the cylindrical spacer 60, and adheres to the entire outer circumferential surface of the cable 50. The filler A1 in this embodiment is made of a resin material (epoxy resin, urethane resin, silicone resin, etc.), an adhesive (two-component curing type epoxy adhesive, rubber adhesive, etc.), or the like.

[0034] Next, the electrical configuration of the transducer unit 10 will be described.

[0035] 5, the liquid crystal monitor (not shown) of the transducer unit 10 includes a control device 70 that performs overall control of the entire device. The control device 70 is configured by a well-known computer including a CPU 71, a ROM 72, a RAM 73, etc.

[0036] The CPU 71 is electrically connected to the ultrasonic transducer 40 via a transmission / reception circuit 74. The transmission / reception circuit 74 outputs an oscillation signal to the ultrasonic transducer 40 to drive the ultrasonic transducer 40. As a result, the ultrasonic transducer 40 irradiates (transmits) ultrasonic waves into the water. An electrical signal indicating ultrasonic waves (reflected waves) received by the ultrasonic transducer 40 is input to the transmission / reception circuit 74. Furthermore, the CPU 71 is electrically connected to an operation unit 75 and a display unit 76 of the liquid crystal monitor.

[0037] 5 controls the transmission / reception circuit 74 to irradiate ultrasonic waves from the ultrasonic transducer 40. The CPU 71 also receives a reception signal, which is generated when the ultrasonic transducer 40 receives a reflected wave, via the transmission / reception circuit 74. The CPU 71 then generates detection image data based on the received reception signal, and stores the generated detection image data in the RAM 73. The CPU 71 controls the display unit 76 to display a detection image based on the detection image data stored in the RAM 73.

[0038] Next, a method for exploring underwater using the transducer unit 10 will be described.

[0039] First, the power supply (not shown) of the transducer unit 10 and the liquid crystal monitor is turned on. The liquid crystal monitor is used, for example, while being held by an operator. Next, the CPU 71 of the control device 70 controls the transmission / reception circuit 74 to output an oscillation signal to the ultrasonic transducer 40 via the cable 50, and drives the ultrasonic transducer 40. At this time, the piezoelectric element 42 repeats expansion and contraction in the thickness direction. As a result, the piezoelectric element 42 vibrates, and ultrasonic waves are irradiated (transmitted) from the ultrasonic transducer 40 into the water. Then, when the ultrasonic waves reach the school of fish or the bottom of the lake, the ultrasonic waves are reflected by the school of fish or the bottom of the lake and become reflected waves, which propagate toward the transducer unit 10 and are input (received) by the ultrasonic transducer 40. After that, the ultrasonic waves (reflected waves) received by the ultrasonic transducer 40 are converted into received signals and input to the CPU 71 via the cable 50 and the transmission / reception circuit 74. The CPU 71 visualizes the amplitude and time (timing) information of the received signals obtained by this series of transmissions and receptions, and displays them on the display unit 76.

[0040] Next, a method for manufacturing the transducer unit 10 will be described.

[0041] First, an acoustic matching layer 41 is prepared. A ceramic plate-like object to become a piezoelectric element 42 is prepared. Specifically, a disk-shaped ceramic sintered body made of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) is produced, and then the surface is polished to obtain a ceramic plate-like object. Next, a front electrode is formed on a front surface 43 of the ceramic plate-like object, and a rear electrode is formed on a rear surface 44 of the ceramic plate-like object. Specifically, a silver paste is applied to the front surface 43 and the rear surface 44 of the ceramic plate-like object, respectively, and the applied silver paste is fired to form a front electrode and a rear electrode. Then, a voltage is applied between the front electrode and the rear electrode to perform a polarization process in which the ceramic plate-like object is polarized in the thickness direction.

[0042] Next, a ceramic plate-like object is bonded to one side of the acoustic matching layer 41 via the front electrode. Specifically, an adhesive (such as an epoxy adhesive) that will become an adhesive layer is applied to either the surface of the front electrode or the surface of the acoustic matching layer 41, and the ceramic plate-like object is bonded and fixed to the acoustic matching layer 41. At this point, the ultrasonic transducer 40 is completed. Note that brazing using solder or the like may be performed instead of applying an adhesive.

[0043] After the ultrasonic transducer 40 is completed, the wiring 51 is connected to the front electrode via a side terminal (not shown) by soldering or the like, and the wiring 52 is connected to the back electrode by soldering or the like. Next, a soundproofing material 47 for suppressing reverberation is wrapped around the outer peripheral surface 45 of the piezoelectric element 42, and then a soundproofing material 46 for suppressing reverberation is attached to the back surface 44 side of the piezoelectric element 42. Thereafter, the ultrasonic transducer 40 is housed in the main body 21 of the housing 20. Then, with the ultrasonic transducer 40 in place, the ultrasonic transducer 40 is bonded to the main body 21.

[0044] Next, a spacer / cable arrangement step is performed, in which the cable 50 including the wiring 51, 52 is inserted into the insertion hole 32 of the cable pull-out portion 31. Furthermore, a spacer 60 is installed (placed) in the insertion hole 32. As a result, the insertion hole 32 is divided into two internal spaces 65, 66, and the spacer 60 is in substantial contact with the outer circumferential surface of the cable 50, so that the cable 50 is held stably and linearly within the insertion hole 32 with almost no movement.

[0045] In the subsequent filling step, with the spacer 60 installed and the cable 50 inserted, the first internal space 65 functions as a filling path for the filler A1, and the second internal space 66 functions as an air vent path when the filler A1 is filled (see FIG. 6). Then, the filler A1 is filled into the main body 21 and the insertion hole 32. Specifically, first, the filler A1 is filled into the main body 21 from the filling path (first internal space 65) in the spacer 60, and the gap in the housing 20 is filled. As the filler A1 is filled, the air A2 (see FIG. 6) in the main body 21 passes through the air vent path (second internal space 66) in the cable lead-out portion 31 and is discharged to the outside of the transducer unit 10. Furthermore, the filler A1 spreads up to the upper surface 23a of the bottom plate portion 23 and also spreads up to the upper end opening (pulling outlet 50a) of the cable outlet portion 31 (insertion hole 32), so that the housing 20 is kept sealed.

[0046] Then, the housing 20 is left to stand and the filler A1 is hardened. Also, a heat treatment is performed according to the type of the filler A1 to harden the filler A1. At this point, the transducer unit 10 is completed with the spacer 60 remaining in the cable outlet portion 31.

[0047] Thereafter, the main body 21 of the transducer unit 10 is inserted into the scupper hole (not shown) of the scupper (not shown) from the outside of the ship. Then, the upper surface 21a of the main body 21 is brought into contact with the bottom of the ship (not shown). At this point, the cable outlet 31 is inserted through the scupper hole. Next, an annular packing (not shown) that surrounds the cable outlet 31 is placed on the scupper, and then the female thread structure of a nut (not shown) is screwed and tightened onto the male thread structure 33 of the cable outlet 31. As a result, the main body 21 is fixed to the scupper with the upper surface 21a of the main body 21 in close contact with the outer surface of the bottom of the ship and the scupper and the nut made watertight by the packing, completing the assembly of the transducer unit 10.

[0048] Therefore, according to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0049] (1) When manufacturing the transducer unit 10 of this embodiment, the filler A1 is poured into the main body 21 through the insertion hole 32 of the cable pull-out portion 31. However, if the inside of the insertion hole 32 is blocked with the filler A1 before the main body 21 is filled with the filler A1, it becomes difficult for the air A2 in the main body 21 to escape, which causes a problem that it takes a long time to fill with the filler A1. There is also a problem that the hardening of the filler A1 is completed while a cavity remains in the main body 21.

[0050] Therefore, in this embodiment, by installing the spacer 60 in the cable lead-out portion 31 in the spacer / cable arrangement step, the inside of the spacer 60 is used as a filling path (first internal space 65) for the filler A1, and the outside of the spacer 60 is used as an air vent path (second internal space 66) when filling the filler A1. Therefore, if the filler A1 is filled from the first internal space 65 into the main body portion 21 in the filling step, the air A2 in the main body portion 21 can be reliably vented from the second internal space 66 to the outside of the housing 20. In addition, since the cable 50 is inserted into the second internal space 66 that does not function as a filling path for the filler A1, the filler A1 can be filled without being hindered by the cable 50. As a result, the filler A1 can be quickly filled into the main body portion 21, and the gaps in the main body portion 21 can be reliably filled with the filler A1. Therefore, the amount of the filler A1 filled is stable, and the risk of manufacturing a vibrator unit 10 with low waterproofness due to a small amount of filler A1 can be reduced. Moreover, the variation in sensitivity characteristics between the manufactured transducer units 10 can be reduced.

[0051] (2) In this embodiment, the gap S2 between the ceiling surface 21b of the main body 21 and the upper end surface 46a of the soundproofing material 46 is smaller than the inner diameter D1 of the cable outlet 31. In addition, since the ultrasonic transducer 40 of this embodiment is a transducer for low frequencies, the piezoelectric element 42 is thick and the position of the upper end surface 46a is likely to be high. For the above reasons, the gap S2 tends to be narrow, and the filler A1 is likely to be clogged in the gap S2. Therefore, the lower end opening 62 of the spacer 60 is disposed on the outer periphery of the main body 21 and is separated from the gap S2 and the insertion hole 32 of the cable outlet 31, so that the filler A1 discharged from the lower end opening 62 can be prevented from entering the gap S2 and the insertion hole 32. Therefore, the gap S2 and the insertion hole 32 are less likely to be blocked by the filler A1, so that the air A2 inside the main body 21 is not discharged from the second internal space 66 to the outside of the housing 20, and the filler A1 does not overflow from the outlet 50a of the cable outlet portion 31. In addition, because the gap S2 is narrow, the main body 21 can be configured to be low and compact.

[0052] (3) In this embodiment, by installing the spacer 60 inside the cable pull-out portion 31, the insertion hole 32 is divided into two internal spaces 65, 66. As a result, the cross-sectional area of ​​each internal space is reduced, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the second internal space 66 through which the cable 50 is inserted is also reduced. This makes it possible to prevent the cable 50 inserted into the second internal space 66 from moving. In other words, the cable 50 can be held stably and linearly in the insertion hole 32 with almost no movement, and quality variation can be reduced.

[0053] (4) In this embodiment, the lower end 60a of the spacer 60 is disposed on a side different from the side where the cable 50 is present. This prevents interference between the lower end 60a and the wires 51, 52 included in the cable 50, and therefore the wires 51, 52 do not block the flow of the filler A1 during filling, allowing the filler A1 to be filled smoothly and reliably.

[0054] The above embodiment may be modified as follows.

[0055] In the above embodiment, the lower end 60a of the spacer 60 is bent toward the outer periphery inside the main body 21, and the lower end opening 62 is disposed on the outer periphery of the main body 21. However, as shown in FIG. 7, a tubular spacer 80 extending linearly from an upper end opening 81 to a lower end opening 82 may be provided in the cable outlet 31, and the lower end opening 82 may be disposed in the center of the main body 21. Furthermore, the lower end opening 82 may be cut obliquely so as to open obliquely downward toward the outer periphery of the cable outlet 31. With this configuration, the filler A1 can be more easily guided toward the outer periphery of the main body 21 than when the lower end opening 82 is simply cut horizontally.

[0056] In the above embodiment, the tubular spacer 60 is bent at a right angle at the bellows portion 63, but this is not limiting. For example, the tubular spacer may not have the bellows portion 63, but may have a bent portion at a position closer to the lower end opening 82. In the above embodiment, the tubular spacer 60 is made of a resin material, but may be made of a material other than a resin material (such as a metal).

[0057] In the above embodiment, the tubular spacer 60 is provided in the insertion hole 32 of the cable pull-out portion 31. However, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, for example, a plate-shaped spacer 90 may be provided in the insertion hole 32. The spacer 90 is accommodated in the cable pull-out portion 31 so as to extend substantially parallel to the cable 50. A guide wall 91 may be provided at the lower end of the spacer 90, which is curved toward the outer periphery in the main body 21 and guides the filler A1 to the outer periphery in the main body 21. The spacer 90 may be provided separately from the cable pull-out portion 31, or may be formed integrally with the cable pull-out portion 31.

[0058] Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 10, a plate-shaped spacer 100 may be installed in the insertion hole 32 so as to sandwich the cable 50 between the spacer and the inner surface of the insertion hole 32. In this way, the movement of the cable 50 can be reliably suppressed. Also, as shown in Fig. 11, a plate-shaped spacer 110 curved along the outer circumferential surface of the cable 50 may be installed in the insertion hole 32. In this way, the movement of the cable 50 can be easily suppressed.

[0059] In the above embodiment, the spacer 60 is provided in the insertion hole 32 of the cable outlet portion 31, but a spacer having another shape may be provided. For example, a spacer 120 (see FIG. 12) having a square tubular shape may be provided in the insertion hole 32, or a spacer 130 (see FIG. 13) having a semicircular tubular shape may be provided in the insertion hole 32. Also, a spacer having an elliptical, rectangular, hexagonal, or other tubular shape may be provided in the insertion hole 32.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the lower end 60a of the spacer 60 is joined to the upper end surface 46a of the soundproofing material 46 via the double-sided tape 64, but it may be joined to the upper end surface 46a of the soundproofing material 46 via another joining member. For example, the lower end 60a of the spacer 60 may be adhered to the upper end surface 46a with an adhesive, or may be attached to the upper end surface 46a using a mounting bracket or the like.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the spacer 60 is provided inside the insertion hole 32 of the cable outlet portion 31. However, a commercially available flex straw or the like may be used as the spacer 60.

[0062] In the above embodiment, the tubular spacer 60 is provided separately from the cable outlet portion 31. However, as shown in Fig. 14, the tubular spacer 140 may be formed integrally with the cable outlet portion 31.

[0063] In the spacer / cable arrangement step of the above embodiment, the spacer 60 is installed after the cable 50 is inserted into the insertion hole 32 of the cable pull-out portion 31. However, after the spacer 60 is installed in the insertion hole 32, the cable 50 may be inserted into the second internal space 66 of the insertion hole 32 while leaving gaps around it.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the cable 50 is inserted into the second internal space 66 out of the two internal spaces 65, 66 partitioned by the insertion hole 32 of the cable pull-out portion 31. However, the cable 50 may be inserted into the first internal space 65. However, the first internal space 65 in the above embodiment is a space inside the spacer 60, and has a cross-sectional area substantially equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the cable 50, so that the cable 50 cannot be inserted therein. Therefore, it is preferable that the first internal space is a space whose cross-sectional area is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the cable 50 and whose minimum inner diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the cable 50.

[0065] Although the housing 20 in the above embodiment has a cylindrical cable outlet portion 31, it may have a cable outlet portion having another shape. For example, it may have a cable outlet portion having an elliptical cylindrical shape, or a polygonal cylindrical shape such as a rectangular cylindrical shape or a hexagonal cylindrical shape.

[0066] The ultrasonic transducer 40 in the above embodiment includes a disk-shaped piezoelectric element 42. However, the ultrasonic transducer 40 may include a piezoelectric element divided into a plurality of vibration sections by forming a plurality of cuts. For example, the ultrasonic transducer 40 may include a piezoelectric element with a 1-3 composite structure divided into a plurality of columnar vibration sections by forming cuts extending vertically and horizontally. Also, the ultrasonic transducer 40 may include a piezoelectric element with a 2-2 composite structure divided into a plurality of band-shaped vibration sections by forming cuts extending in one direction.

[0067] In this case, each vibration part is easily deformed in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric element, so that the piezoelectric element is easily deformed at each part. As a result, the piezoelectric element is easily vibrated, so that the electromechanical coupling coefficient is high and the frequency band is widened. In addition, when a band-shaped vibration part is obtained by forming a cut extending in one direction, the number of cuts required to form the vibration part is half compared to when a columnar vibration part is obtained by forming a cut extending vertically and horizontally, and the formation of the cuts is easy. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the ultrasonic transducer 40 can be reduced. In addition, the band-shaped vibration part is longer in the planar direction than the columnar vibration part. In this case, the strength of the vibration part is high, so the reliability of the ultrasonic transducer 40 is improved.

[0068] Furthermore, the ultrasonic transducer 40 may include a circular or rectangular piezoelectric element. Also, a piezoelectric element having a 0-3 composite structure in which piezoelectric ceramic particles are mixed with a rubber material, or a piezoelectric element (porous element) made of porous piezoelectric ceramics may be used.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the acoustic matching layer 41 is sandwiched between the piezoelectric element 42 and the bottom plate portion 23, but since the bottom plate portion 23 also serves as an acoustic matching layer, the acoustic matching layer 41 may be omitted. In addition, the acoustic matching layer 41 is not limited to being made of one type of material, and may be a multi-layer matching layer made by laminating multiple types of materials.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the groove 27 opening on the inner circumferential surface 25a is provided on the side wall 25 of the case body 22, and three claws 28 that engage with the groove 27 are provided on the upper surface 23a of the bottom plate portion 23. However, one or two claws 28 may be provided, or four or more claws 28 may be provided. Note that the claws 28 and the groove 27 may not be provided.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the transducer unit 10 is used in a fish finder, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be used in other measuring devices. For example, the transducer unit 10 may be used in a sonar that electrically or mechanically changes the direction of ultrasonic wave irradiation, a depth sounder that measures water depth, an airborne sensor that measures distance in the air, or other measuring devices.

[0072] Next, in addition to the technical ideas described in the claims, the technical ideas grasped by the above-mentioned embodiments will be listed below.

[0073] (1) The transducer unit according to claim 11, wherein the tubular spacer has a bellows portion located near the lower end opening.

[0074] (2) The transducer unit according to claim 11, wherein a lower end of the tubular spacer is joined to an upper end surface of the ultrasonic transducer via a joining member.

[0075] (3) The transducer unit according to claim 11, wherein the lower end opening of the tubular spacer is open in a position that avoids a position where wiring extending from a cable is present inside the main body.

[0076] (4) The transducer unit according to claim 8, wherein the tubular spacer is integrally formed with the cable outlet portion.

[0077] (5) The transducer unit according to any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein the transducer unit is a transducer unit for a fish finder. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 10...Transducer unit 20…Housing 21...Main body 21a...Top surface of main body 21b…Ceiling surface as the inner surface of the main body 31…Cable outlet 32...Through hole 40...Ultrasonic transducer 40a...Ultrasonic transducer upper end surface 50…Cable 50a...Drawer opening 60,80,120,130,140…Tubular spacers 60a...Lower end of spacer 61,81...Top end opening 62,82…Bottom end opening 65…First interior space as one of the interior spaces 66…Second internal space as the other internal space 90, 100, 110...Spacer A1…Filler D1: Inner diameter of cable outlet S1: Gap between the inner surface of the main body and the top surface of the ultrasonic transducer

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a transducer unit including a housing having a main body and a cylindrical cable outlet portion protruding from an upper surface of the main body, an ultrasonic transducer housed in the main body of the housing, a cable electrically connected to the ultrasonic transducer and disposed in an insertion hole of the cable outlet portion, and a hardened filler filling a gap in the housing, a spacer / cable arrangement step of arranging a spacer in the cable pull-out portion to divide the insertion hole into two internal spaces extending along a longitudinal direction of the cable pull-out portion, and arranging the cable in the insertion hole; a filling step of filling the main body portion and the insertion hole with the filler while causing one of the internal spaces to function as a filling path for the filler and causing the other internal space to function as an air vent path during filling of the filler, with the spacer and the cable being disposed; A method for manufacturing a vibrator unit comprising:

2. the spacer is a tubular spacer having one of the internal spaces therein, In the spacer / cable arrangement step, the cable is inserted into the other internal space. The method for manufacturing a vibrator unit according to claim 1 .

3. 3. The method for manufacturing a vibrator unit according to claim 2, wherein the tubular spacer is provided separately from the cable outlet portion and is accommodated within the cable outlet portion in a state in which it extends substantially parallel to the cable.

4. 4. The method for manufacturing a vibrator unit according to claim 3, wherein the tubular spacer has an upper end opening and a lower end opening, the upper end opening which also serves as an inlet for the filler is disposed near the outlet of the cable outlet portion, and the lower end opening is disposed within the main body portion.

5. 5. The method for manufacturing a vibrator unit according to claim 4, wherein a lower end of the tubular spacer is bent toward the outer periphery within the main body portion, and the lower end opening is disposed on the outer periphery of the main body portion.

6. 6. The method for manufacturing a transducer unit according to claim 5, wherein a gap between an inner surface of the main body and an upper end surface of the ultrasonic transducer is smaller than an inner diameter of the cable lead-out portion.

7. A transducer unit comprising: a housing having a main body and a cylindrical cable outlet portion protruding from an upper surface of the main body; an ultrasonic transducer housed in the main body of the housing; a cable electrically connected to the ultrasonic transducer and disposed in an insertion hole of the cable outlet portion; and a hardened filler filling a gap in the housing, a spacer that divides the insertion hole into two internal spaces extending along a longitudinal direction of the cable pull-out portion is disposed in the cable pull-out portion, The cable is disposed in either one of the internal spaces, The inside of the main body and the inside of the insertion hole are filled with the hardened product of the filler. A transducer unit characterized by:

8. 8. The transducer unit according to claim 7, wherein the spacer is a tubular spacer having one of the internal spaces therein, and the cable is inserted into the other internal space.

9. 9. The transducer unit according to claim 8, wherein the tubular spacer is provided separately from the cable outlet portion and is housed within the cable outlet portion in a state where it extends substantially parallel to the cable.

10. The vibrator unit according to claim 9, characterized in that the tubular spacer has an upper end opening and a lower end opening, the upper end opening which also serves as an inlet for the filler is located near the outlet of the cable outlet portion, and the lower end opening is located within the main body portion.

11. The vibrator unit according to claim 10, characterized in that a lower end of the tubular spacer is bent toward the outer periphery within the main body, and the lower end opening is disposed on the outer periphery of the main body.

12. 12. The transducer unit according to claim 11, wherein a gap between an inner surface of the main body and an upper end surface of the ultrasonic transducer is smaller than an inner diameter of the cable outlet portion.

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