Composite acoustic absorber for ultrasound transducer backing material and method of manufacture
First Claim
1. An ultrasound transducer for ultrasound transmission and/or reception, the ultrasound transducer comprising:
- at least one transducer element;
a backing block adjacent the at least one transducer element, the backing block comprising a composite of first and second materials, the first material including a plurality of pockets filled with but not bonded to particles comprised of the second material.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A backing block composite is provided. A transducer is manufactured to include the backing block of composite material. One constituent material provides a skeleton or matrix for enclosing volumes or pockets of another material. The materials are incompatible for bonding, so do not adhere to each other. For example, silicone microspheres are mixed with a nonsilicone resin, forming silicone pockets within the resin. Since the silicone does not adhere to the resin, the silicone may vibrate or otherwise move relative to the cured resin matrix, causing friction between the two materials. As acoustic energy propagates into the backing material, the composite structure of incompatible materials attenuates the acoustic energy as frictionally generated heat between the two material, or through other processes.
73 Citations
28 Claims
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1. An ultrasound transducer for ultrasound transmission and/or reception, the ultrasound transducer comprising:
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at least one transducer element;
a backing block adjacent the at least one transducer element, the backing block comprising a composite of first and second materials, the first material including a plurality of pockets filled with but not bonded to particles comprised of the second material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12)
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- 10. The transducer of claim wherein the pockets of the second material are enclosed within the first material, the second material unbound to the first material.
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13. An ultrasound transducer for ultrasound transmission or reception, the ultrasound transducer comprising:
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at least one transducer element;
a backing block adjacent the at least one transducer element, the backing block comprising a composite of first and second materials, the second material incompatible with the first material. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An ultrasound transducer for ultrasound transmission or reception, the ultrasound transducer comprising:
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at least one transducer element;
a backing block adjacent the at least one transducer element, the backing block comprising a composite of solid silicone and a cured, nonsilicone resin. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of manufacturing an ultrasound transducer for ultrasound transmission or reception, the method comprising:
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(a) mixing a plurality of substantially solid particles of a first material with a liquid second material;
(b) curing the mixture of (a), the first material free of adhesion to the second material after the curing; and
(c) connecting the cured mixture as a backing block to a transducer. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification