Acoustic transformer with non-piezoelectric core

• US 5,594,705 A
• Filed: 02/04/1994
• Issued: 01/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dynamotive Canada Corporation
• Original Assignee: Dynamotive Canada Corporation
• Inventors: Cummings, Gerald F., Star, Michael J., Connor, Denis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo, Ian J.
• Application Number:
  US08/192,395
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 367/13, 367/191, 367/140, 367/137, 381/64, 381/65, 381/190, 310/321, 310/322, 310/323, 310/328, 310/334, 310/316, 310/317, 310/319, 73/587, 73/594, 73/632
• US Class Current: 367/13
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves

Abstract

A transformer for transmitting energy across a medium, comprised of a primary transducer juxtaposed to the first side of the medium, a secondary transducer juxtaposed to the medium on a second side opposite to the first side and a generator coupled to the primary transducer for applying a driving signal thereto.

Claims

1. A transformer for transmitting energy across a medium, comprising:

(a) a primary transducer juxtaposed to a first side of the medium;

(b) a secondary transducer juxtaposed to said medium on a second side thereof opposite to said first side;

(c) a generator coupled to said primary transducer for applying an AC driving signal thereto; and

(d) means for varying the load across said secondary transducer so as to induce variations in said AC driving signal across said primary transducer.

2. A transformer according to claim 1, including a rectifier and filter circuit coupled to an output of said secondary transducer to provide a DC power supply on a secondary side of said medium.

3. A transformer according to claim 1, wherein said varying means includes a switch across the secondary transducer for varying the load across the latter in response to a control signal and a demodulator across the primary transducer operative to detect changes in voltage and current induced across said primary transducer by varying the load.

4. A transformer according to claim 3, including a sensor for sensing a physical condition on the second side of the medium and generating said control signal in response to a magnitude of the condition sensed.

5. A transformer according to claim 4, including a gate driver or modulator, a sensor signal source coupled to said modulator and wherein said switch is an FET having a source connected to one lead, a drain connected to another lead of said secondary transducer, a gate coupled to said driver or modulator.

6. A transformer according to claim 5, wherein said sensor signal source includes a sensor and an analog to digital converter coupled to an output of said amplifier.

7. A transformer according to claim 1, including a backing mass coupled to each of said primary and secondary transducers on a side opposite a side of attachment of a corresponding one of said transducers to said medium.

8. A transformer according to claim 1, wherein the frequency of the AC, driving signal from said generator is at or near the resonant frequency of said transformer.

9. A transformer for transmitting energy across a medium, comprising:

(a) a primary piezoelectric transducer coupled to one side of said medium;

(b) a secondary piezoelectric transducer coupled to an opposite side of said medium;

(c) means for generating an AC signal driving across said primary transducer;

(d) means for varying the load on said secondary transducer;

(e) detecting means for detecting changes in current through and voltage across said primary transducer due to varying the load on said secondary transducer;

(f) a rectifier and filter at an output of said secondary transducer operative to produce a source of DC voltage on said opposite side.

10. A transformer according to claim 9, including two backing masses coupled to respective ones of said primary and secondary transducers on a side of associated ones of said primary and secondary transducers opposite a side of attachment of each of said transducers to said medium.

11. A transformer according to claim 9, wherein said varying means is a switch across electrical leads of said secondary transformer.

12. A transformer according to claim 9, including means for shorting across electrical leads of said secondary transducer at a rate proportional to the magnitude of a sensed signal and means for detecting the rate of shorting on said primary transducer.

13. A transformer according to claim 9, wherein the frequency of said AC driving signal is at or near the resonant frequency of said primary and secondary transducers.

14. A transformer according to claim 12, wherein said shorting means includes an FET coupled across said secondary transducer, a sensor for sensing a physical parameter and form generating an electrical signal proportional to the magnitude of the parameter, an analog to digital converter coupled to an output of said sensor for converting the sensed analog signal to a digital one and a modulator coupled to an output of said analog to digital converter with an output of said modulator driving a gate of said FET.

15. A transformer according to claim 9, wherein said load varying means is an FET connected in series with said rectifier.

16. A transformer assembly for transmitting energy across a medium, comprising:

(a) a piezoelectric power transducer coupled one side of said medium;

(b) a secondary power piezoelectric transducer coupled to a second side opposite said one side of said medium;

(c) means for generating an AC signal across said primary power transducer so as to induce a signal in said secondary power transducer;

(d) means for rectifying and filtering the signal induced in said secondary power transducer so as to provide a DC power supply for circuits on the side of said medium;

(e) means for generating a signal proportional to the magnitude of a sensed condition on the second side;

(f) a primary data transducer on the second side of said medium coupled to an output of said generating means;

(g) a secondary data transducer on the one side of said medium positioned so as to receive an induced signal from said primary data transducer; and

(h) a demodulator coupled to the secondary data transducer for demodulating the induced signal therefrom.

17. A transformer assembly according to claim 16, wherein said generating means includes a signal conditioning circuit, a modulator, and an amplifier coupled to said primary data transducer.

18. A transformer assembly according to claim 17, including a transducer on the second side for sensing the magnitude of a physical condition and for producing a signal in proportion thereto.

19. A method of transmitting energy across a medium comprising,

(a) driving a primary transducer on one side of a medium with a varying signal so as to induce a corresponding signal in a secondary transducer positioned on a second side of the medium;

and

(b) detecting the magnitude of a physical condition on the second side of the medium;

(c) generating a sensor signal proportional to the magnitude of the physical condition;

(d) varying the load on the secondary transducer in response to the magnitude of the generated sensor signal; and

(e) detecting a primary side signal induced in said primary transducer produced as a result of varying the load on the secondary transducer.