ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER

• US 20100147080A1
• Filed: 12/16/2008
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Nieters, Edward James, Barshinger, James Norman, Gigliotti, Michael Francis Xavier JR.
• Application Number:
  US12/335,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20100147080A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/600
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/102 one emitter, one receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/22 Details , e.g. general constructional or apparatus details
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2437 Piezoelectric probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/28 providing acoustic coupling , e.g. water impedance matching G10K11/02

Abstract

An ultrasonic transducer comprises a transmitting element for transmitting an ultrasonic signal at a fundamental frequency and a receiving element adaptable for multiple receive water path operations and for receiving ultrasonic signals at the fundamental frequency and harmonics of the fundamental frequency.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic transducer, comprising:

a transmitting element for transmitting an ultrasonic signal at a fundamental frequency; and

a receiving element adaptable for multiple receive water path operations and for receiving ultrasonic signals at the fundamental frequency and harmonics of the fundamental frequency.

2. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 1, wherein the receiving element is movable and securable at various positions with respect to the transmitting element to adapt for multiple receive water paths.

3. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 2, wherein the receiving element is positioned with respect to the transmitting element such that a transmit water path and the receive water path are same.

4. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 2, wherein the receiving element is positioned with respect to the transmitting element such that a transmit water path and the receive water path are different.

5. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 2, wherein the receiving element is movable along a central axis of the transducer.

6. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 2, wherein the receiving element comprises a broadband hydrophone.

7. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 2, wherein the receiving element is co-axial with the transmitting element.

8. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 1, wherein the transmitting element comprises a focusing feature to focus the ultrasonic signals.

9. An ultrasonic transducer, comprising:

a transmitting element for transmitting an ultrasonic signal at a fundamental frequency; and

a receiving element for receiving ultrasonic signals at the fundamental frequency and harmonics of the fundamental frequency, the receiving element is movable and securable at various positions with respect to the transmitting element to adapt for multiple receive water paths.

10. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 9, wherein the receiving element is positioned with respect to the transmitting element such that a transmit water path and the receive water path are same.

11. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 9, wherein the receiving element is positioned with respect to the transmitting element such that a transmit water path and the receive water path are different.

12. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 9, wherein the receiving element is movable along a central axis of the transducer.

13. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 9, wherein the receiving element comprises a broadband hydrophone.

14. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 9, wherein the receiving element is co-axial with the transmitting element.

15. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 9, wherein the transmitting element comprises a focusing feature to focus the ultrasonic signals.

16. An ultrasonic transducer, comprising:

a transmitting element for transmitting an ultrasonic signal at a fundamental frequency; and

a receiving element comprising a broadband hydrophone for receiving ultrasonic signals at the fundamental frequency and harmonics of the fundamental frequency, the receiving element is movable and securable at various positions with respect to the transmitting element to adapt for multiple receive water paths.

17. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 16, wherein the receiving element is positioned with respect to the transmitting element such that a transmit water path and the receive water path are same.

18. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 16, wherein the receiving element is positioned with respect to the transmitting element such that a transmit water path and the receive water path are different.

19. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 16, wherein the receiving element is movable along a central axis of the transducer.

20. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 16, wherein the receiving element is co-axial with the transmitting element.

21. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 16, wherein the transmitting element comprises a focusing feature to focus the ultrasonic signals.

22. An ultrasonic transducer, comprising:

a transmitting element for transmitting an ultrasonic signal at a fundamental frequency and receiving ultrasonic signals at the fundamental frequency; and

a receiving element adaptable for multiple receive water path operations and for receiving harmonics of the fundamental frequency.

23. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 22, wherein the receiving element is movable and securable at various positions with respect to the transmitting element to adapt for multiple receive water paths.

24. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 22, wherein the receiving element is movable along a central axis of the transducer.

25. The ultrasonic transducer of claim 22, wherein the transmitting element comprises a focusing feature.