Ultrasonic irradiation apparatus and processing apparatus based thereon
First Claim
1. An apparatus for irradiating an object with a plurality of ultrasonic waves having mutually different frequencies, comprising:
- first generating means for generating a fundamental ultrasonic wave having a fundamental frequency fo ;
second generating means for generating a second harmonic ultrasonic wave having a second harmonic frequency 2fo ;
driving means for driving the first generating means with a first electric signal for causing the first generating means to generate the fundamental ultrasonic wave substantially continuously, and for driving the second generating means with a second electric signal for causing the second generating means to generate the second harmonic ultrasonic wave substantially continuously; and
irradiating means for substantially simultaneously irradiating an object with the fundamental ultrasonic wave and the second harmonic ultrasonic wave so as to generate ultrasonic cavitation in the object or in a vicinity of the object by virtue of a synergistic effect occurring between the fundamental ultrasonic wave and the second harmonic ultrasonic wave.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
By providing an ultrasonic irradiation apparatus for generating acoustic cavitation efficiently, it is intended to realize an ultrasonic therapeutic apparatus for generating the action of cavitation on a living body suitable for medical treatment of malignant tumors and medical treatment of thrombi and calculi, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for generating cavitation for emphasizing an ultrasonic echo image such as a blood flow and utilizing the reflection capability of the cavitation, an ultrasonic chemical reaction accelerating apparatus, an ultrasonic cleaning apparatus or an ultrasonic sterilizing apparatus. Irradiation focus/code signals for defining irradiated acoustic fields of a fundamental wave and a second harmonic wave as well as focus positions/acoustic pressure distribution forms of the respective waves are applied from an irradiation unit main control circuit to drive phase generating circuits. Generated drive phases are applied to drive signal generating circuits, generated drive signals are applied to element drive circuits and a group of fundamental frequency elements and a group of second harmonic elements are driven. The drive phases are controlled such that the fundamental wave and second harmonic wave are superimposed on each other in a medium near a focal point, thus generating acoustic caviation locally and efficiently.
388 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for irradiating an object with a plurality of ultrasonic waves having mutually different frequencies, comprising:
-
first generating means for generating a fundamental ultrasonic wave having a fundamental frequency fo ; second generating means for generating a second harmonic ultrasonic wave having a second harmonic frequency 2fo ; driving means for driving the first generating means with a first electric signal for causing the first generating means to generate the fundamental ultrasonic wave substantially continuously, and for driving the second generating means with a second electric signal for causing the second generating means to generate the second harmonic ultrasonic wave substantially continuously; and irradiating means for substantially simultaneously irradiating an object with the fundamental ultrasonic wave and the second harmonic ultrasonic wave so as to generate ultrasonic cavitation in the object or in a vicinity of the object by virtue of a synergistic effect occurring between the fundamental ultrasonic wave and the second harmonic ultrasonic wave. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. An apparatus for irradiating an object with a plurality of ultrasonic waves having mutually different frequencies, comprising:
-
generating means for generating a fundamental ultrasonic wave having a fundamental frequency fo, and for generating a second harmonic ultrasonic wave having a second harmonic frequency 2fo ; driving means for driving the generating means with an electric signal for causing the generating means to generate the fundamental ultrasonic wave and the second harmonic ultrasonic wave substantially continuously; and irradiating means for substantially simultaneously irradiating an object with the fundamental ultrasonic wave and the second harmonic ultrasonic wave so as to generate ultrasonic cavitation in the object or in a vicinity of the object by virtue of a synergistic effect occurring between the fundamental ultrasonic wave and the second harmonic ultrasonic wave. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. An ultrasonic cleaning apparatus for ultrasonically cleaning an object with a plurality of ultrasonic waves having mutually different frequencies, comprising:
-
generating means for generating a fundamental ultrasonic wave having a fundamental frequency fo, and for generating a second harmonic ultrasonic wave having a second harmonic frequency 2fo ; driving means for driving the generating means with at least one electric signal for causing the generating means to generate the fundamental ultrasonic wave and the second harmonic ultrasonic wave substantially continuously; and cleaning means for ultrasonically cleaning an object substantially simultaneously with the fundamental ultrasonic wave and the second harmonic ultrasonic wave. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. An ultrasonic liquid sterilizing apparatus for ultrasonically sterilizing a liquid with a plurality of ultrasonic waves having mutually different frequencies, comprising:
-
generating means for generating a fundamental ultrasonic wave having a fundamental frequency fo, and for generating a second harmonic ultrasonic wave having a second harmonic frequency 2fo ; driving means for driving the generating means with at least one electric signal for causing the generating means to generate the fundamental ultrasonic wave and the second harmonic ultrasonic wave substantially continuously; and irradiating means for substantially simultaneously irradiating a liquid with the fundamental ultrasonic wave and the second harmonic ultrasonic wave so as to ultrasonically sterilize the liquid. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
-
-
24. An apparatus for irradiating an object with a plurality of ultrasonic waves having mutually different frequencies, comprising:
-
a piezoelectric vibrator element for generating a fundamental ultrasonic wave having a fundamental frequency fo, and for generating a second harmonic;
ultrasonic wave having a second harmonic frequency 2fo ;a first driving circuit for driving the piezoelectric vibrator element such that the piezoelectric vibrator element generates the fundamental ultrasonic wave; a second driving circuit for driving the piezoelectric vibrator element such that the piezoelectric vibrator element generates the second harmonic ultrasonic wave; a first capacitance connected in parallel with the piezoelectric vibrator element, a total capacitance of the first capacitance and the piezoelectric vibrator element connected in parallel being C; a first inductance having an inductance of (5/8)L connected between the first driving circuit and the first capacitance and the piezoelectric vibrator element connected in parallel, L being a total inductance which is resonant with the total capacitance C at the fundamental frequency fo ; and a second inductance having an inductance of (10/9)L and a second capacitance having a capacitance of (9/25)C connected in series between the second driving circuit and the first capacitance and the piezoelectric vibrator element connected in parallel.
-
Specification