Ultrasound-signal radiating device

• US 6,317,389 B1
• Filed: 04/21/2000
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toda, Kohji
• Original Assignee: Toda, Kohji
• Inventors: Toda, Kohji
• Primary Examiner(s): Pihulic, Daniel T.
• Application Number:
  US09/557,041
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 367/140, 367/157, 367/164, 310/313.B, 310/334, 310/322
• US Class Current: 367/164
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/06 operating with piezoelectric effect or with electrostriction piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices per se H10N30/00

Abstract

An ultrasound-signal radiating device comprises a piezoelectric substrate, a first input interdigital transducer, a second input interdigital transducer, an output interdigital transducer, a cap, an amplifier, and a modulator with an input terminal. All the interdigital transducers are formed on one end surface of the piezoelectric substrate. The cap is mounted on a surface part of the other end surface of the piezoelectric substrate. If an input electric signal is applied to the first input interdigital transducer, a non-leaky elastic wave is excited in the piezoelectric substrate owing to the existence of the cap. The non-leaky elastic wave is detected at the output interdigital transducer as a delayed electric signal, which is amplified via the amplifier. A signal part of an amplified electric signal is fed back to the first input interdigital transducer, again. A remaining signal part, as a carrier signal, of the amplified electric signal is transmitted to the modulator, where an amplitude of the carrier signal is modulated according to an input message-signal applied from the input terminal. Thus, an AM signal is generated, and then, applied to the second input interdigital transducer. In this time, a leaky elastic wave is excited in the piezoelectric substrate, and radiated effectively in the form of a longitudinal wave into a liquid kept in contact with a remaining surface part of the other end surface of the piezoelectric substrate.

Claims

1. An ultrasound-signal radiating device comprising:

a piezoelectric substrate having two end surfaces;

a first input interdigital transducer;

a second input interdigital transducer;

an output interdigital transducer, all said first input-, said second input-, and said output interdigital transducers being formed on one end surface of said piezoelectric substrate;

a cap mounted on a surface part of the other end surface of said piezoelectric substrate, said surface part corresponding to a surface part, including said first input- and said output interdigital transducers, of said one end surface of said piezoelectric substrate;

an amplifier; and

a modulator with an input terminal,

said first input interdigital transducer receiving an input electric signal, exciting a non-leaky elastic wave in said piezoelectric substrate,

said output interdigital transducer detecting said non-leaky elastic wave as a delayed electric signal,

said amplifier amplifying said delayed electric signal and feeding a signal part, as said input electric signal, of an amplified electric signal, back to said first input interdigital transducer, again,

said modulator receiving not only an input message-signal through said input terminal but also a remaining signal part, as a carrier signal, of said amplified electric signal, modulating an amplitude of said carrier signal according to said input message-signal, and generating an AM signal,

said second input interdigital transducer receiving said AM signal, exciting a leaky elastic wave in said piezoelectric substrate, and radiating said leaky elastic wave in the form of a longitudinal wave into a liquid through a remaining surface part of said other end surface of said piezoelectric substrate.

2. An ultrasound-signal radiating device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a voltage controller controlling a voltage of said carrier signal.

3. An ultrasound-signal radiating device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a filter for adjusting a frequency of said input electric signal.

4. An ultrasound-signal radiating device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a polymer film, with which at least said remaining surface part of said other end surface of said piezoelectric substrate is coated.

5. An ultrasound-signal radiating device as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

another output interdigital transducer, formed on said one end surface of said piezoelectric substrate and detecting a reflected longitudinal wave at a material in said liquid as a delayed output signal through said remaining surface part of said other end surface of said piezoelectric substrate; and

a demodulator with an output terminal, said demodulator receiving said delayed output signal, demodulating an amplitude of said delayed output signal, and delivering an output message-signal through said output terminal.

6. An ultrasound-signal radiating device as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

another piezoelectric substrate having two end surfaces;

another output interdigital transducer, formed on one end surface of said another piezoelectric substrate and detecting a reflected longitudinal wave at a material in said liquid as a delayed output signal through the other end surface of said another piezoelectric substrate; and

a demodulator with an output terminal, said demodulator receiving said delayed output signal, demodulating an amplitude of said delayed output signal, and delivering an output message-signal through said output terminal.

7. An ultrasound-signal radiating device as defined in claim 1, wherein said piezoelectric substrate is made of a piezoelectric ceramic thin plate, the polarization axis thereof being parallel to the thickness direction thereof.

8. An ultrasound-signal radiating device as defined in claim 1, wherein said piezoelectric substrate is made of a piezoelectric polymer thin plate.

9. An ultrasound-signal radiating device as defined in claim 1, wherein the electrode-finger direction of said first input interdigital transducer is orthogonal to that of said second input interdigital transducer.