Method of manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer

• US 4,783,888 A
• Filed: 03/26/1987
• Issued: 11/15/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Sasaki, Masahiro, Yagami, Hiroyuki, Fujii, Tadashi, Seo, Iwao
• Primary Examiner(s): Hall, Carl E.
• Application Number:
  US07/031,427
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 29/25.35, 29/832, 29/840, 310/334-337, 310/800
• US Class Current: 29/25.35
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0688 with foil-type piezoelectric elements, e.g. PVDF
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 310/80 Piezoelectric polymers, e.g. PVDF
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/42 Piezoelectric device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49144 by metal fusion

Abstract

An ultrasonic transducer includes a piezoelectric member consisting of either a unpolarized piezoelectric polymer material or the like, or an in-advance polarized piezoelectric polymer material or the like, a first flexible substrate on which a first electrode set and their connecting leads are formed, these being bonded to one surface of the piezoelectric member, and a second flexible substrate on which a second electrode and its connecting lead are formed, these being bonded to the other surface of the piezoelectric member, wherein the piezoelectric member is sandwiched between the first electrode set and second electrode. The electrodes can apply a voltage to polarize the unpolarized piezoelectric polymer material in a manufacturing process of the piezoelectric member, or apply a drive voltage to the finished ultrasonic transducer.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer, comprising:

a single conductive pattern formation step which comprises forming a first electrode and a first lead conductor integral with a first flexible substrate on a surface thereof, said first lead conductor extending along the surface of said first flexible substrate starting from a side edge of said first electrode, and forming a second electrode and a second lead conductor integral with a second flexible substrate on a surface thereof, said second lead conductor extending along the surface of said second flexible substrate starting from a side edge of said second electrode;

a bonding step of bonding said first and second electrodes to opposing first and second main surfaces of a piezoelectric member, which is formed from a piezoelectric polymer material or a piezoelectric polymer composite, by applying an adhesive to a surface of said first electrode and to a surface of said second electrode;

said second flexible substrate being formed as a part of said first flexible substrate, and said bonding step further comprising a folding step of folding said second flexible substrate onto said first flexible substrate with said piezoelectric member interposed therebetween; and

a polarizing step of polarizing said piezoelectric member at least by applying a voltage across said first and second electrodes. PG,32

2. A method of manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer, comprising:

a conductive pattern formation step of forming a first electrode and a first lead conductor integral with a first flexible substrate on a surface thereof, said first lead conductor extending along the surface of said first flexible substrate starting from a side edge of said first electrode, and forming a second lead conductor having an electrode contact portion at one end thereof on a second flexible substrate;

a second electrode formation step of depositing a second electrode on a first main surface of a piezoelectric member formed from a piezoelectric polymer material or a piezoelectric polymer composite;

a bonding step of bonding said first electrode to a second main surface of said piezoelectric member by applying an adhesive to a surface of said first electrode, and bonding said electrode contact portion to an edge portion of said second electrode by applying an adhesive to a surface of said second flexible substrate adjacent said electrode contact portion;

said second flexible substrate being formed as a part of said first flexible substrate, and said bonding step further comprising a folding step of folding said second flexible substrate onto said first flexible substrate with said piezoelectric member interposed therebetween; and

a polarizing step of polarizing said piezoelectric member at least by applying a voltage across said first and second electrodes.

3. A method of manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer, comprising:

a polarizing step of arranging first and second conductive plates so as to cover opposing first and second main surfaces of a piezoelectric member formed from a piezoelectric polymer material or a piezoelectric polymer composite, and polarizing said piezoelectric member at least by applying a predetermined voltage across said first and second conductor plates;

a single conductive pattern formation step which comprises forming a first electrode and a first lead conductor integral with a first flexible substrate on a surface thereof, said first lead conductor extending along the surface of said first flexible substrate starting from a side edge of said first electrode, and forming a second electrode and a second lead conductor integral with a second flexible substrate on a surface thereof, said second lead conductor extending along the surface of said second flexible substrate starting from a side edge of said second electrode;

said second flexible substrate being formed as a part of said first flexible substrate, and said bonding step further comprising a folding step of folding said second flexible substrate onto said first flexible substrate with said piezoelectric member interposed therebetween; and

a bonding step of bonding said first and second electrodes to the opposing first and second main surfaces of said piezoelectric member by applying an adhesive to a surface of said first electrode and to a surface of said second electrode.

4. A method of manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer, comprising:

a conductive pattern formation step of forming a first electrode and a first lead conductor integral with a first flexible substrate on a surface thereof, said first lead conductor extending along the surface of said first flexible substrate starting from a side edge of said first electrode, and forming a second lead conductor having an electrode contact portion at one end thereof on a second flexible substrate;

a second electrode formation step of depositing a second electrode on a first main surface of a piezoelectric member formed from a piezoelectric polymer material or a piezoelectric polymer composite;

a polarizing step of arranging a conductive plate so as to cover a second main surface of said piezoelectric member, and polarizing said piezoelectric member at least by applying a predetermined voltage across said conductor plate and said second electrode;

said second flexible substrate being formed as a part of said first flexible substrate, said bonding step further comprising a folding step of folding said second flexible substrate onto said first flexible substrate with said piezoelectric member interposed therebetween; and

a bonding step of bonding said first electrode to a second main surface of said piezoelectric member by applying an adhesive to a surface of said first electrode, and bonding said electrode contact portion to an edge portion of said second electrode by applying an adhesive to a surface of said second flexible substrate adjacent and electrode contact portion.