Ultrasonic irradiation apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An ultrasonic irradiation apparatus, comprising:
- an ultrasonic generating unit including a plurality of piezoelectric elements configured to irradiate an ultrasonic wave;
a selection unit configured to select more than one of the piezoelectric elements among the plurality of piezoelectric elements, and configured to change the selected piezoelectric elements; and
a driving unit configured to drive the selected piezoelectric elements.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasound irradiation apparatus which irradiates an ultrasonic wave to a desired area by selecting two or more piezoelectric elements and by changing the selected piezoelectric elements. The selection may be performed by mechanical movement of substrates or electrical switches. A size of an aperture defined by selected irradiating piezoelectric elements may be determined based on a focal distance of an ultrasonic wave focusing is performed by varying delay times of drive signals applied to the selected piezoelectric elements.
-
Citations
29 Claims
-
1. An ultrasonic irradiation apparatus, comprising:
-
an ultrasonic generating unit including a plurality of piezoelectric elements configured to irradiate an ultrasonic wave;
a selection unit configured to select more than one of the piezoelectric elements among the plurality of piezoelectric elements, and configured to change the selected piezoelectric elements; and
a driving unit configured to drive the selected piezoelectric elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. An ultrasonic irradiation apparatus, comprising:
-
an ultrasonic generating unit including a plurality of piezoelectric elements configured to irradiate an ultrasonic wave;
a first substrate including a plurality of first electrodes connected to the piezoelectric elements;
a second substrate including a plurality of second electrodes located opposite the first electrodes and a common electrode connected to plural of the second electrodes;
a moving mechanism unit configured to relatively move the first substrate along a surface of the second substrate; and
a driving unit configured to supply driving signals for driving the piezoelectric elements to the common electrode.
-
-
19. An ultrasonic irradiation apparatus, comprising:
-
an ultrasonic generating unit including a plurality of piezoelectric elements configured to irradiate an ultrasonic wave;
a plurality of switches connected to the plurality of piezoelectric elements;
a controller configured to switch the plurality of switches in a predetermined pattern; and
a driving unit configured to drive the piezoelectric elements in the predetermined pattern. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. An ultrasonic irradiation apparatus, comprising:
-
an ultrasonic generating unit including a plurality of piezoelectric elements configured to irradiate an ultrasonic wave;
a controller configured to set a size of an aperture defined by irradiating piezoelectric elements based on a focal distance of a ultrasonic wave irradiated from the ultrasonic generating unit; and
a selection unit configured to select plural of the piezoelectric elements based on the set size of the aperture. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
-
Specification