Shockwave source

• US 5,174,280 A
• Filed: 03/09/1990
• Issued: 12/29/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dornier Medizintechnik GmbH
• Original Assignee: Dornier Medizintechnik GmbH
• Inventors: Gruenwald, Michael, Eizenhoefer, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pfaffle, K. M.
• Application Number:
  US07/491,315
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 128/24 A, 128/24 EL, 606/127, 606/128, 181/106, 181/118, 181/120, 367/147, 367/151, 367/175
• US Class Current: 601/4
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/28 using reflection, e.g. parabolic reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 15/043 producing shock waves G10K15/046, G10K15/06 take precedence; generating seismic energy G01V1/02
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 9/12 electrically operated

Abstract

A shockwave source and generating device includes a ring shaped or cylindrical wave generator having a central axis for radiating shockwaves in an axial direction or radially towards a parabolic reflector so that any yet unreflected radiation from the generator is intercepted by the reflector and reflected towards a focal point on that axis.

Claims

1. Device for producing shockwaves comprising

a cylindrically shaped wave generator having (i) a carrier tube with a cylindrical surface and a central axis and (ii) further having a coil on said cylindrical surface of the carrier tube, said coil being areally configured on said cylindrical surface for radiating shockwaves in radially outward directions with respect to said axis of said cylindrical surface;

and

a parabolically shaped reflector having an axis that coincides with said central axis of the carrier tube, said reflector circumscribing the generator so that said outwardly radiated shockwaves from the generator are reflected by the reflector towards a focal point on said central axis.

2. Device as in claim 1, said cylindrical surface facing outwardly, and the coil including at least one radiating element for radiating shockwaves from said cylindrical surface, radiating in said radially outward directions toward the parabolically shaped reflector.

3. Device as in claim 1, wherein said coil is an electromagnetic coil.

4. Device as in claim 3, the generator including a cylindrical membrane around the coil, the membrane being provided for being acted upon by said coil for deflecting the membrane, the membrane being coaxial with the axis of the parabolically shaped reflector.

5. Device for producing shockwaves comprising:

a cylindrically shaped generator having an axis and a hollow cylindrical carrier having a cylindrical outer surface and being coaxial with said axis, further having means on said cylindrical outer surface of the carrier, for radiating shockwaves in radially outward directions; and

parabolically shaped reflector circumscribing the generator and its axis and facing the cylindrical outer surface of the carrier of the generator, for directly reflecting the shockwaves radiating radially outwardly from the generator toward a particular point on said axis, said particular point thus being a focal point.

6. Source and device as in claim 5, the means for radiating being a plurality of piezoelectric elements.

7. Device as in claim 5, the means on said cylindrical surface for radiating including a cylindrical coil and a cylindrical membrane, the coil being mounted on said carrier, the membrane being mounted on said coil.

8. Device as in claim 7, the coil including a copper layer, and a stainless steel layer on said copper layer.

9. Device as in claim 7, the coil having been thermally shrunken onto said carrier.