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An ultrasonic beam shaping device includes a plate-like beam shaping element formed of opaque material. The beam shaping element has first and second conical surfaces, with a common axis, formed as opposite surface portions of the beam shaping element. A cylindrical aperture is formed in the beam sh

An ultrasonic beam shaping device includes a plate-like beam shaping element formed of opaque material. The beam shaping element has first and second conical surfaces, with a common axis, formed as opposite surface portions of the beam shaping element. A cylindrical aperture is formed in the beam shaping element along the common axis of the first and second conical surfaces such that the cylindrical aperture is also co-axial with the conical surfaces and passes through the conical surfaces. The beam shaping element thus has a circular open end at each conical surface.

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What is claimed is: 1. An ultrasonic beam shaping device comprising, a) a plate-like beam shaping element formed of opaque material, said beam shaping element having first and second conical surfaces formed as opposite surface portions of said beam shaping element, said first and second conical sur

What is claimed is: 1. An ultrasonic beam shaping device comprising, a) a plate-like beam shaping element formed of opaque material, said beam shaping element having first and second conical surfaces formed as opposite surface portions of said beam shaping element, said first and second conical surfaces having respective first and second axes, said first and second axes being co-axial, b) a cylindrical aperture in said beam shaping element formed along the co-axial axes of said first and second conical surfaces, said cylindrical aperture having a central axis co-axial with the first and second co-axial axes of said conical surfaces, said cylindrical aperture intersecting said first and second conical surfaces to form a first circular open end of said aperture at said first conical surface and a second circular open end of said cylindrical aperture at said second conical surface, c) a mounting plate for an ultrasonic transmitter and means for adjusting the distance between said beam shaping element and the mounting plate, d) and wherein said means for adjusting the distance between said beam shaping element and said mounting plate include spacer legs joining said beam shaping element and said mounting plate to permit adjustable movement of said beam shaping element relative to said mounting plate. 2. An ultrasonic beam shaping device comprising, a) a plate-like beam shaping element formed of opaque material, said beam shaping element having first and second conical surfaces formed as opposite surface portions of said beam shaping element, said first and second conical surfaces having respective first and second axes, said first and second axes being co-axial, b) a cylindrical aperture in said beam shaping element formed along the co-axial axes of said first and second conical surfaces, said cylindrical aperture having a central axis co-axial with the first and second co-axial axes of said conical surfaces, said cylindrical aperture intersecting said first and second conical surfaces to form a first circular open end of said aperture at said first conical surface and a second circular open end of said cylindrical aperture at said second conical surface, c) a mounting plate for an ultrasonic transmitter and means for adjusting the distance between said beam shaping element and the mounting plate, d) and wherein said beam shaping element includes an annular peripheral rim extending radially beyond the first and second conical surfaces relative to the central axis of said cylindrical aperture and said means for adjusting the distance between said beam shaping element and said mounting plate include spacer legs on said annular peripheral rim joining said beam shaping element and said mounting plate to permit adjustable movement of said beam shaping element relative to said mounting plate. 3. An ultrasonic beam shaping device comprising, a) a plate-like beam shaping element formed of opaque material, said beam shaping element having first and second conical surfaces formed as opposite surface portions of said beam shaping element, said first and second conical surfaces having respective first and second axes, said first and second axes being co-axial, b) a cylindrical aperture in said beam shaping element formed along the co-axial axes of said first and second conical surfaces, said cylindrical aperture having a central axis co-axial with the first and second co-axial axes of said conical surfaces, said cylindrical aperture intersecting said first and second conical surfaces to form a first circular open end of said aperture at said first conical surface and a second circular open end of said cylindrical aperture at said second conical surface c) and wherein said beam shaping element includes an annular peripheral rim extending radially beyond the first and second conical surfaces relative to the central axis of said cylindrical aperture. 4. An ultrasonic beam shaping device comprising, a) a plate-like beam shaping element formed of opaque material, said beam shaping element having first and second conical surfaces formed as opposite surfaces of said beam shaping element, said first and second conical surfaces each having an axis, and each said axis being co-axial, a cylindrical aperture formed in said beam shaping element along the co-axial axes of said first and second conical surfaces and extending through said first and second conical surfaces such that said cylindrical aperture has a central axis that is co-axial with the axes of said first and second conical surfaces, b) a mounting plate for an ultrasonic transducer, said mounting plate including a beam emission opening of greater diametrical magnitude than the diameter of said cylindrical aperture, c) spacer means connected to said mounting plate and said beam shaping element to maintain a predetermined distance between said mounting plate and the cylindrical aperture in said beam shaping element, and to maintain alignment between said beam emission opening and said cylindrical aperture, such that a beam emitted by an ultrasonic transducer can pass through the beam emission opening, and a predetermined portion of the beam that passes through the beam emission opening passes through the cylindrical aperture of said beam shaping element, d) means for adjusting the distance between said beam shaping element and the mounting plate, e) and wherein said means for adjusting the distance between said beam shaping element and said mounting plate include spacer legs joining said beam shaping element and said mounting plate to permit adjustable movement of said beam shaping element relative to said mounting plate. 5. The ultrasonic beam shaping device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said beam shaping element includes an annular peripheral rim extending radially beyond the first and second conical surfaces relative to the central axis of said cylindrical aperture and said means for adjusting the distance between said beam shaping element and said mounting plate include spacer legs on said annular peripheral rim joining said beam shaping element and said mounting plate to permit adjustable movement of said beam shaping element relative to said mounting plate. 6. An ultrasonic beam shaping device comprising, a) a plate-like beam shaping element formed of opaque material, said beam shaping element having first and second conical surfaces formed as opposite surfaces of said beam shaping element, said first and second conical surfaces each having an axis, and each said axis being co-axial, a cylindrical aperture formed in said beam shaping element along the co-axial axes of said first and second conical surfaces and extending through said first and second conical surfaces such that said cylindrical aperture has a central axis that is co-axial with the axes of said first and second conical surfaces, b) a mounting plate for an ultrasonic transducer, said mounting plate including a beam emission opening of greater diametrical magnitude than the diameter of said cylindrical aperture, c) spacer means connected to said mounting plate and said beam shaping element to maintain a predetermined distance between said mounting plate and the cylindrical aperture in said beam shaping element, and to maintain alignment between said beam emission opening and said cylindrical aperture, such that a beam emitted by an ultrasonic transducer can pass through the beam emission opening, and a predetermined portion of the beam that passes through the beam emission opening passes through the cylindrical aperture of said beam shaping element, and d) wherein said beam shaping element includes an annular peripheral rim extending radially beyond the first and second conical surfaces relative to the central axis of said cylindrical aperture. 7. The ultrasonic beam shaping device as claimed in claim 6 further including a mounting member with a receiving bore for receiving an ultrasonic transducer to hold the ultrasonic transducer in a fixed position within the mounting member, and including joining means for joining the mounting plate to the mounting member. 8. An ultrasonic beam shaping device comprising, a) a plate-like beam shaping element formed of opaque material, said beam shaping element having first and second opposite surface portions in the form of respective first and second conical surfaces having respective first and second axes, said first conical surface converging toward said first axis in a direction away from said second conical surface and said second conical surface converging toward said second axis in a direction away from said first conical surface, and said first and second conical surfaces extending 360째 around their respective first and second axes, b) an aperture extending through said beam shaping element to form a first open end at said first conical surface and a second open end at said second conical surface, c) said beam shaping element including mounting means for mounting said beam shaping element in alignment with an ultrasonic transducer that emits ultrasonic beams, (i) to permit one portion of an ultrasonic beam emitted by the ultrasonic transducer to pass in a first direction away from the transducer through said aperture, and, upon reflection of said ultrasonic transducer beam back toward said ultrasonic transducer (ii) to permit one portion of the reflected beam to pass in a second direction, opposite the first direction through said aperture back to said ultrasonic transducer, d) the first cone angle of said first conical surface being selected to permit portions of an ultrasonic beam that reflect off said first conical surface to reflect radially away from the periphery of the first open end of the aperture, and the second cone angle of said second conical surface being selected to permit portions of an ultrasonic beam that reflect off said second conical surface to reflect away from the periphery of the second open end of said aperture, e) a mounting plate for an ultrasonic transducer and means for adjusting the distance between said beam shaping element and the mounting plate, and f) wherein said means for adjusting the distance between said beam shaping element and said mounting plate include spacer legs joining said beam shaping element and said mounting plate to permit adjustable movement of said beam shaping element relative to said mounting plate. 9. An ultrasonic beam shaping device comprising, a) a plate-like beam shaping element formed of opaque material, said beam shaping element having first and second opposite surface portions in the form of respective first and second conical surfaces having respective first and second axes, said first conical surface converging toward said first axis in a direction away from said second conical surface and said second conical surface converging toward said second axis in a direction away from said first conical surface, and said first and second conical surfaces extending 360째 around their respective first and second axes, b) an aperture extending through said beam shaping element to form a first open end at said first conical surface and a second open end at said second conical surface, c) said beam shaping element including mounting means for mounting said beam shaping element in alignment with an ultrasonic transducer that emits ultrasonic beams, (i) to permit one portion of an ultrasonic beam emitted by the ultrasonic transducer to pass in a first direction away from the transducer through said aperture, and, upon reflection of said ultrasonic transducer beam back toward said ultrasonic transducer, (ii) to permit one portion of the reflected beam to pass in a second direction, opposite the first direction through said aperture back to said ultrasonic transducer, d) the first cone angle of said first conical surface being selected to permit portions of an ultrasonic beam that reflect off said first conical surface to reflect radially away from the periphery of the first open end of the aperture, and the second cone angle of said second conical surface being selected to permit portions of an ultrasonic beam that reflect off said second conical surface to reflect away from the periphery of the second open end of said aperture, e) a mounting plate for an ultrasonic transducer and means for adjusting the distance between said beam shaping element and the mounting plate, and f) wherein said beam shaping element includes an annular peripheral rim extending radially beyond the first and second conical surfaces relative to the central axis of said cylindrical aperture and said means for adjusting the distance between said beam shaping element and said mounting plate include spacer legs on said annular peripheral rim joining said beam shaping element and said mounting plate to permit adjustable movement of said beam shaping element relative to said mounting plate. 10. An ultrasonic beam shaping device comprising, a) a plate-like beam shaping element formed of opaque material, said beam shaping element having first and second opposite surface portions in the form of respective first and second conical surfaces having respective first and second axes, said first conical surface converging toward said first axis in a direction away from said second conical surface and said second conical surface converging toward said second axis in a direction away from said first conical surface, and said first and second conical surfaces extending 360째 around their respective first and second axes, b) an aperture extending through said beam shaping element to form a first open end at said first conical surface and a second open end at said second conical surface, c) said beam shaping element including mounting means for mounting said beam shaping element in alignment with an ultrasonic transducer that emits ultrasonic beams, (i) to permit one portion of an ultrasonic beam emitted by the ultrasonic transducer to pass in a first direction away from the transducer through said aperture, and, upon reflection of said ultrasonic transducer beam back toward said ultrasonic transducer, (ii) to permit one portion of the reflected beam to pass in a second direction, opposite the first direction through said aperture back to said ultrasonic transducer, d) the first cone angle of said first conical surface being selected to permit portions of an ultrasonic beam that reflect off said first conical surface to reflect radially away from the periphery of the first open end of the aperture, and the second cone angle of said second conical surface being selected to permit portions of an ultrasonic beam that reflect off said second conical surface to reflect away from the periphery of the second open end of said aperture, and e) wherein said aperture is a cylindrical aperture having a central axis and said beam shaping element includes an annular peripheral rim extending radially beyond the first and second conical surfaces relative to the central axis of said cylindrical aperture. 11. A beam shaping device as claimed in claim 10 further including a mounting member with a receiving bore for receiving an ultrasonic transducer to hold the ultrasonic transducer in a fixed position within the mounting member, and including joining means for joining the mounting plate to the mounting member. 12. A method of reducing ultrasonic reflections and echoes from a target during ultrasonic liquid level sensing comprising, a) providing a support base with a beam emission opening for an ultrasonic transducer and supporting the ultrasonic transducer on one side of the support base in alignment with the beam emission opening such that a beam emitted from the ultrasonic transducer passes through the beam emission opening in the support base, b) making the beam emission opening in the support base large enough to permit substantially the entire transducer beam to pass through the beam emission opening, c) supporting an opaque beam shaping element away from the other side of the support base, d) making a cylindrical aperture in the beam shaping element smaller than the beam emission opening in the support base and aligning the cylindrical aperture with the beam emission opening such that the difference in size between the beam emission opening and the cylindrical aperture permits only a portion of the ultrasonic beam from the ultrasonic transducer to be directed through the cylindrical aperture of the beam shaping element toward a target, e) forming the beam shaping element with two conical surfaces oriented base-to-base such that the cylindrical aperture passes through the conical surfaces, and the axis of the cylindrical aperture and the axis of each of the conical surfaces are co-axial, whereby the portion of the ultrasonic beam that is beyond the border of the cylindrical aperture and does not pass through the cylindrical aperture from the ultrasonic transducer is directed against one of the conical surfaces for reflection in directions away from the ultrasonic transducer and away from an intended target, and whereby any portion of the ultrasonic beam reflected from an intended target that is beyond the border of the cylindrical aperture and does not pass through the cylindrical aperture from the intended target but is directed against the other of the conical surfaces is reflected from the other of the conical surfaces in directions away from the ultrasonic transducer and away from the intended target, f) wherein the step of supporting the beam shaping element includes forming an annular peripheral rim to extend radially beyond the first and second conical surfaces relative to the axis of each of the conical surfaces, and g) adjusting the distance between the peripheral rim of the beam shaping element and the support base to a first selectable distance to obtain a first predetermined intensity of ultrasonic beam passing through the cylindrical aperture from the ultrasonic transducer. 13. The method as claimed in claim 12 including adjusting the distance between the beam shaping element and the intended target to a second selectable distance to obtain a second predetermined intensity of the reflected ultrasonic beam passing through the cylindrical aperture from the intended target.