360° sonar

Abstract

This utility model relates to all-round scanning sonars. Specifically, it relates to a sonar design with a rotary mechanism that enables antenna rotation. The utility model can be used to manufacture sonar equipment for various purposes. The technical result: the proposed technical solution reduces the vertical dimensions of the product and improves its vibration resistance. This technical result is achieved by the proposed design, where the all-round scanning sonar includes a stepper motor, a stepper motor driver, an encoder, a rotating slip ring, and an antenna unit. The stepper motor has an axis extending from both ends. The stepper motor axis is connected to the encoder on one end and to the antenna unit, which can rotate 360°, on the opposite end.

Description

[0001] The utility model describes the design of a circular scanning sonar with a rotating mechanism.

[0002] PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF APPLICATION

[0003] This utility model relates to the field of all-round scanning sonars. Specifically, it relates to the design of a sonar with a rotary mechanism that enables antenna rotation. The utility model can be applied to the production of sonar equipment for various purposes, such as for surface and underwater vessels, including unmanned ones, as well as for special devices such as sonar buoys.

[0004] STATE OF THE ART

[0005] There are numerous solutions available in the current state of the art. Most of them are industrially known. For example, those produced by the Canadian company Imagenex, in particular the Imaginex 881 or 882-GS; or Furuno, which produces the FSV-25; or Micron's developments, such as the Sonar Tritech or MiniKing, among others.

[0006] Circular scanning sonars are characterized by such a technical design when, in order to ensure the transmission of the emitting signal by the antenna over 360°, a rotary mechanism is used, rotating the sonar antenna. Rotating mechanisms for all kinds of locating devices are also typically known from the prior art, and modern patent scientific and technical and scientific and technical information considers solutions aimed at solving individual problems that ultimately improve the quality indicators of the devices. For example, these may be issues of non-stationary speed [Strelkov, V. F. Electric drive of a radar antenna with variable rotation speed / V. F. Strelkov, M. V. Andryukhin, V. V. Vanyaev / / Bulletin of the Almaz-Antey Air Defense Concern. - 2015. - No. 3 (15). - P. 81-87], or issues of signal transmission or interpretation of the resulting image [Mosolov, S. S. Side-scan sonar with phase signal processing / S. S. Mosolov, A. V. Sknarya / / Bulletin of SFedU. Technical sciences. - 2011.- No. 9(122). - P. 78-82], [Vagin, A. V. Hydroacoustic device for bottom soil profiling with synthetic aperture / A. V. Vagin, A. S. Vorotyntseva / / News of higher educational institutions of Russia. Radio electronics. - 2023. - Vol. 26, No. 1. - P. 78-86. - DOI 10.32603 / 1993-8985-2023-26-1-78-86].

[0007] The patent information also contains solutions to specific problems: for example, the solution [US10107908B2, published 10 / 23 / 2018] describes a set of technical solutions that allow for the rapid deployment of a circular scanning sonar and its attachment to the transom. The solution is as follows: a deployment mechanism comprising: a housing configured to be installed on the transom of a boat; an extendable rod located at least partially inside the housing in the deployed position, wherein a significant portion of the extendable rod is located inside the housing in the retracted position, and the hydroacoustic transducer is located near the housing. And the solution [CN204044358, published 12 / 24 / 2014] discusses a design aimed at reducing contamination and entanglement of a fishing echo sounder in algae.

[0008] At the same time, due to the well-known nature of the typical design approach, new technical solutions that optimize the layout or weight and size parameters of all-round scanning sonars are currently rare.

[0009] A close solution according to the layout of the sonar components may be [RU2754604 C1, publ. [11 / 19 / 2020] a circular scanning sonar (CSS) comprising a cylindrical body with a bow ogive, an electronics unit, emitting and receiving hydroacoustic antennas, wherein the input of the emitting antenna and the output of the receiving antenna are connected to the corresponding output and input of the electronics unit, characterized in that the CSS is made in the form of a cut-off payload module of an autonomous unmanned underwater vehicle of a light or medium class of modular design, the electronics unit, the emitting and receiving hydroacoustic antennas are made in the form of a structurally and functionally complete antenna system installed along the CSS axis in its bow ogive, which is a removable sound-transparent fairing filled with water, a stepper drive is introduced into the device, configured to rotate the antenna system in a sector of 360° around the CSS axis,wherein the stepper drive is mechanically connected to the antenna system, and its electrical input is connected to the corresponding output of the electronic unit, while the emitting antenna is made in the form of a cylindrical piezoelectric transducer with one active segment, and the receiving antenna is made in the form of a linear antenna array, while the emitting and receiving antennas are installed at an angle of 20° to the axis of the antenna system.

[0010] Also a close solution can be considered the invention [US9322915, published 04 / 26 / 2016], which presents a circular scanning sonar mounted overboard a boat, in which, according to one of the described embodiments, the use of a stepper motor is assumed with an encoder, however, the design described in the solution and illustrated in the indicated source (Fig. 20) can only assume the placement of an encoder between the stepper motor and the antenna.

[0011] At the same time, the same principle of the arrangement of the component parts is present in industrially known analogues, such as the above-mentioned Imaginex and Micron, despite the fact that the number and type of connecting and / or functional elements on the axis (shaft) of the engine between the engine and the antenna may differ.

[0012] PROBLEMATIZATION AND TECHNICAL RESULT

[0013] A significant drawback of the prototype, as well as well-known industrial analogues (e.g., Imaginex 881), is the complex design of the rotating assembly, which increases the overall dimensions of the product. Between the product's motor and the rotating antenna array, there are typically additional components (gears, seals, etc.), or the encoder itself, which, in the case of a stepper motor-driven 360-degree sonar, is located directly between the motor and the antenna array. The drive element also plays a significant role: if the antenna is rotated by a gear transmission using an extended axis, this design not only impacts the vertical dimensions of the product but also reduces vibration resistance.

[0014] Technical result: the proposed technical solution allows to reduce the vertical dimensions of the product and increase its vibration resistance.

[0015] DISCLOSURE OF UTILITY MODEL

[0016] The technical result can be achieved thanks to the proposed design of a circular scanning sonar, which includes a stepper motor, a stepper motor driver, an encoder, a rotating current collector, an antenna unit, in which the stepper motor is made with an axis extending from two sides, the axis of the stepper motor is connected on one side to the encoder, and on the opposite side to the antenna unit, which can rotate 360°, and between the antenna unit and the stepper motor there is a rotating current collector, wherein the encoder is an absolute encoder, the antenna unit is an ultrasonic antenna array.

[0017] In a particular case, according to an embodiment, the proposed all-round scanning sonar has a sealed housing.

[0018] PICTURE DESCRIPTION

[0019] The presented utility model is illustrated in Fig. 1, which shows the design of a circular scanning sonar outside the housing, without mechanical and electrical connections to other objects according to the field of application. The positions indicated in the figure:

[0020] 1 - absolute encoder;

[0021] 2 - stepper motor;

[0022] 3 - rotating current collector;

[0023] 4 - antenna block.

[0024] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The proposed technical solution is a device comprising the following components (assemblies): an encoder, also known as an angular displacement transducer, is a device for measuring the parameters of rotating objects (e.g., a shaft). It converts the rotation angle into digital or analog signals, i.e., ensures the rotation angle is determined, which is an integral part of the control process for a 360-degree sonar. In this case, an absolute encoder (1) is used. This device generates a unique digital code for each encoder step (depending on the specific encoder model, the device may have different resolutions, steps per revolution), which ultimately allows for fairly precise control of the shaft position. A stepper motor (2) is an electric motor that converts an electrical impulse into a precisely defined mechanical movement.Unlike conventional electric motors, which rotate continuously, stepper motors move in preset increments, i.e., by rotating their shaft at a specific angle. A stepper motor is operated using a stepper motor driver (not shown separately in the figure). This is an electronic device that controls the stepper motor's operation, converting control signals directly into rotational motion of the stepper motor's axis.

[0026] A rotating slip ring (3) is a device for transmitting signals between the fixed and moving parts of a mechanism, in this case, the rotating part. It ensures a continuous electrical connection with unlimited rotation, i.e., it enables the transmission of an electrical signal in devices and mechanisms where a direct cable connection is not possible.

[0027] And directly the antenna, or antenna unit (4), as it would be more correct to call it, due to the fact that in sonars, both circular and side-view, antenna units are a combination of several elements (elements of emission and reception of the reflected signal) that directly scan the environment being studied, when the antenna (antenna unit) provides signal emission and reception of the reflected signal from objects submerged in water.

[0028] The proposed technical solution features a unit optimized for size (compactness): the motor (2), specifically the stepper motor, is designed with an axis extending from both ends. This allows the encoder (1) to be mounted directly on the motor (2) axis without the need for an additional gear, on the side opposite the antenna array unit (4). This allows for a shorter axis length, reducing the load on it under lateral loads, unlike similar technical solutions in which the motor axis is significantly extended toward the antenna module.

[0029] Thus, the claimed technical solution consists of a stepper motor (2) mounted on an adapter plate with a double-sided shaft. An absolute encoder (1) is mounted on one side of the shaft, allowing for tracking the current rotation angle of the motor axis.

[0030] On the other side of the motor shaft, a rotating current collector (3) is mounted, providing commutation via a rotating joint. The transmitting / receiving antenna unit (4) is also mounted on this shaft, commutating via the rotating current collector (3). Thus, the antenna unit is connected directly to the motor shaft without any transmission mechanisms.

[0031] The stepper motor (1) rotates the antenna unit (4). A rotating slip ring (3) is used to transmit signals to and from the antenna unit (4). An absolute encoder (1) is used to control the antenna unit's position, quickly return it to its "home" position, and set scan angle limits (depending on the application and specific tasks of the sonar).

[0032] Based on the practical application of such devices, it is manufactured in a cased design. Typically, a cased design involves a cylindrical or prismatic housing, a radome housing, or both. The specific design of the cased design is not the subject of this technical solution, but it is fundamental in terms of industrial applicability and intended use, due to the need for both mechanical protection from the external environment and hermetic isolation from the external environment, which is achieved by the cased design. On the other hand, if desired, a cased design is not a prerequisite for implementing the invention, for example, for use in specialized test benches or laboratory setups, and is a particular embodiment.

[0033] IMPLEMENTATION EXAMPLE

[0034] According to the presented technical solution, a rotating all-round scanning sonar was manufactured under pilot conditions. A Nema14 OK35STH28-1004B double-sided stepper motor with an A4988 driver module was used to control the motor. A Lenz IRS-I50 absolute encoder was used for position control. A Senring H0522 module was used as a rotating slip ring. The antenna unit in the pilot prototype is a hydroacoustic piezoelectric antenna array, i.e., a set of cooperating piezoelectric electroacoustic transducers (array elements) used in hydroacoustic devices. Such arrays are designed to transmit and receive acoustic signals in an aquatic environment.

Claims

1. A circular scanning sonar comprising a stepper motor, a stepper motor driver configured to control the rotation of the stepper motor shaft, an absolute encoder, a rotating current collector and an antenna unit, wherein the stepper motor is provided with a shaft extending from two sides, an absolute encoder is mounted on one side of the shaft, and an antenna unit configured to rotate 360° is mounted on the opposite side of the shaft, wherein a rotating current collector is located between the stepper motor and the antenna unit, and the antenna unit is connected directly to the shaft of the stepper motor without transmission mechanisms and is a hydroacoustic piezoelectric antenna array.

2. A circular scanning sonar according to paragraph 1, characterized in that it has a sealed housing.

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