TRANSDUCER ARRANGEMENT
First Claim
1. A transducer apparatus for acoustic communications through a substrate at a predetermined centre frequency, the apparatus comprising:
- an active piezoelectric element for generating an acoustic signal;
an intermediate layer, having a surface for accommodating the piezoelectric element, and having a first array of protrusions on a surface opposite the surface for accommodating the piezoelectric element; and
a second array of protrusions at a surface of the substrate,wherein the active piezoelectric element is mounted onto the intermediate layer, and the intermediate layer is secured in position relative to the substrate such that the first array of protrusions faces the second array of protrusions such that the acoustic signal may propagate through the first and second arrays.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There is disclosed a transducer apparatus for acoustic communications through a substrate at a predetermined centre frequency, the apparatus comprising: —an active piezoelectric element for generating an acoustic signal; an intermediate layer, having a surface for accommodating the piezoelectric element, and having a first array of protrusions on a surface opposite the surface for accommodating the piezoelectric element; and a second array of protrusions at the substrate, wherein the active piezoelectric element is mounted onto the intermediate layer, and the intermediate layer is secured in position relative to the substrate such that the first array of protrusions faces the second array of protrusions such that the acoustic signal may propagate through the first and second arrays. There are further disclosed a method of mounting such an apparatus and a plate suitable for use in the transducer apparatus.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A transducer apparatus for acoustic communications through a substrate at a predetermined centre frequency, the apparatus comprising:
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an active piezoelectric element for generating an acoustic signal; an intermediate layer, having a surface for accommodating the piezoelectric element, and having a first array of protrusions on a surface opposite the surface for accommodating the piezoelectric element; and a second array of protrusions at a surface of the substrate, wherein the active piezoelectric element is mounted onto the intermediate layer, and the intermediate layer is secured in position relative to the substrate such that the first array of protrusions faces the second array of protrusions such that the acoustic signal may propagate through the first and second arrays. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of arranging a transducer unit at a substrate, for acoustic communications through the substrate, comprising:
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i. forming a first array of protrusions at a surface of the substrate; providing a transducer unit for generating or receiving an acoustic signal at a predetermined centre frequency; forming a second array of protrusions upon a surface of the transducer unit; and fixing the transducer unit relative to the substrate such that the transducer unit is arranged to receive/transmit acoustic signals via the first and second array of protrusions into/out of the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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- 16. A plate comprising an array of protrusions for mitigating acoustic impedance loss in a transducer apparatus operating at a predetermined centre-frequency, and in an environment comprising a predetermined medium, wherein the array of protrusions are dimensioned and arranged such that the distance between the median point on a first protrusion and the median point on an adjacent protrusion is less than the wavelength of an acoustic wave in the plate at the predetermined centre-frequency, and is less than the wavelength of an acoustic wave in the predetermined medium at the predetermined centre-frequency.
Specification