Ultrasound transducer with focused ultrasound refraction plate
First Claim
1. A system for vibrational heating of tissue with ultrasonic energy, comprising:
- a spherical ultrasound transducer having a spherical surface for generating a spherical wave of ultrasonic energy in a direction toward a single focal region; and
a refraction plate disposed between the spherical ultrasound transducer and the focal region for refracting said spherical wave of ultrasonic energy to a plurality of refraction focal regions, said refraction plate comprising a phased lens having a first surface facing the spherical ultrasound transducer and being substantially concentric with the spherical surface of the transducer, a center substantially axially aligned with the center of the spherical surface of the transducer, an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the spherical transducer, and a second surface facing the focal region, said phased lens having a mode of transmission equal to an integral number of one or greater.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for performing surgery by vibrational heating employs an ultrasonic transducer 80 for focusing a spherical ultrasound wave on a focal region. In one embodiment a refraction plate 410 having a spherical surface facing the transducer and a refracting surface with refracting pyramid elements 450 facing the subject causes the ultrasound beam to impinge on a plurality of overlapping focal regions and thereby expand the focal area of the transducer. In a second embodiment the refraction plate comprises a phased lens 600 having a constant thickness at any angular location but with its thickness varying linearly over 2π radians or multiples thereof.
385 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A system for vibrational heating of tissue with ultrasonic energy, comprising:
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a spherical ultrasound transducer having a spherical surface for generating a spherical wave of ultrasonic energy in a direction toward a single focal region; and a refraction plate disposed between the spherical ultrasound transducer and the focal region for refracting said spherical wave of ultrasonic energy to a plurality of refraction focal regions, said refraction plate comprising a phased lens having a first surface facing the spherical ultrasound transducer and being substantially concentric with the spherical surface of the transducer, a center substantially axially aligned with the center of the spherical surface of the transducer, an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the spherical transducer, and a second surface facing the focal region, said phased lens having a mode of transmission equal to an integral number of one or greater. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A system for vibrational heating of tissue with ultrasonic energy, comprising:
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a spherical ultrasound transducer having a spherical surface for generating a spherical wave of ultrasonic energy in a direction toward a single focal region; and a refraction plate disposed between the spherical ultrasound transducer and the focal region for refracting said spherical wave of ultrasonic energy to a plurality of refraction focal regions, said refraction plate comprising an array of refracting elements in the shape of four sided pyramids for refracting the spherical wave of ultrasonic energy and generating four refraction focal regions. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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6. A system for vibrational heating of tissue with ultrasonic energy, comprising:
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a spherical ultrasound transducer having a spherical surface for generating a spherical wave of ultrasonic energy in a direction toward a single focal region; and a refraction plate disposed between the spherical ultrasound transducer and the focal region for refracting said spherical wave of ultrasonic energy to a plurality of refraction focal regions, said spherical ultrasound transducer having a spherical surface of a first radius of curvature and said refraction plate having a first surface facing the transducer and a second surface facing the focal region and comprising a plurality of refracting surfaces in the form of an array of four-sided pyramid shapes with the apex of each of said pyramids pointing away from the second surface. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for vibrational heating of tissue with ultrasonic energy, comprising:
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a spherical ultrasound transducer having a spherical surface for generating a spherical wave of ultrasonic energy in a direction toward a single focal region; and a refraction plate disposed between the spherical ultrasound transducer and the focal region for refracting said spherical wave of ultrasonic energy to a plurality of refraction focal regions, said refraction plate comprising a phased lens having a first surface facing the spherical ultrasound transducer and being substantially concentric with the spherical surface of the transducer, a center substantially axially aligned with the center of the spherical surface of the transducer, an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the spherical transducer, and a second surface facing the focal region, the phased lens having a thickness along any radius from the center to the edge that is constant and varies with angular location. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification