Low profile acoustic sensor arry and sensors with pleated transmission lines and related methods
First Claim
1. A low profile acoustic sensor array, comprising:
- a plurality of discrete aligned spaced apart conformable acoustic sensor element pads, each including an active sensing element comprising piezoelectric material, wherein each sensor element pad is conformable to a shape of an underlying structure, and wherein, in operation, the sensor element pads are configured to generate a respective electrical signal in response to flexure induced by acoustic signals; and
at least one longitudinally extending elongate strip integrally attached to at least one of the plurality of acoustic sensor pads, the elongate strip having a length with opposing first and second end portions, the elongate strip comprising at least one discrete electrical transmission path thereon, the second end portion of the elongate strip adapted to connect to an output device, wherein a respective elongate strip is configured so that the at least one integrally attached acoustic sensor element pad extends outwardly away from the primary direction of the strip, the number of discrete electrical transmission paths on the strip corresponding to the number of acoustic sensor element pads held by the strip with a respective acoustic sensor element configured to be in electrical communication with a respective electrical transmission path.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A low profile acoustic array (10) is configured to selectively respond to shear waves while rejecting compression wave energy in the frequency range of interest. One sensor array is configured as a linear strip with a frame segment having at least one longitudinally extending rail and a plurality of sensor elements (20) extending therefrom. These sensor elements have a resilient core and opposing PDVF outer layers configured with opposing polarities onto the core. The linear strip array also includes a pair of separate electrical signal transmission paths. The transmission lines can include a series of undulations formed thereon to help minimize undesired mechanical crossover between sensors. A carrier member can be configured to be detachably releasable carries the discrete sensors to maintain the positional alignment until they are secured to a patient.
-
Citations
58 Claims
-
1. A low profile acoustic sensor array, comprising:
-
a plurality of discrete aligned spaced apart conformable acoustic sensor element pads, each including an active sensing element comprising piezoelectric material, wherein each sensor element pad is conformable to a shape of an underlying structure, and wherein, in operation, the sensor element pads are configured to generate a respective electrical signal in response to flexure induced by acoustic signals; and at least one longitudinally extending elongate strip integrally attached to at least one of the plurality of acoustic sensor pads, the elongate strip having a length with opposing first and second end portions, the elongate strip comprising at least one discrete electrical transmission path thereon, the second end portion of the elongate strip adapted to connect to an output device, wherein a respective elongate strip is configured so that the at least one integrally attached acoustic sensor element pad extends outwardly away from the primary direction of the strip, the number of discrete electrical transmission paths on the strip corresponding to the number of acoustic sensor element pads held by the strip with a respective acoustic sensor element configured to be in electrical communication with a respective electrical transmission path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. A low profile acoustic sensor away, comprising:
-
a plurality of longitudinally extending sensor strips, each of said strips having at least one sensor element included thereon, wherein said at least one sensor element is configured so as to respond to acoustic wavelengths in the frequency range of interest and to inhibit response to compressional wavelengths in the frequency range of interest so as to mechanically filter acoustic signals detected by the sensor array, wherein each of said plurality of longitudinally extending sensor strips comprise; a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart separate sensor elements included thereon; a sensor frame having a length and at least one longitudinally extending frame rail; wherein each of said plurality of acoustic sensor elements attached to said at least one frame rail, wherein each of said acoustic sensor elements is sized and configured to extend transversely from said frame rail, and wherein each of said sensor elements have a pliable configuration; and a plurality of separate electrical signal paths, at least one for each of said sensor elements, said electrical signal paths defining a signal path from a respective one of each of said sensor elements to a desired end electrical termination point. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. An acoustic strip sensor array, comprising:
-
a sensor frame having a frame length and including at least one longitudinally extending rail; a plurality of acoustic sensor elements attached to said rail, wherein said acoustic sensor element is sized and configured to extend a transverse distance away from said rail, said sensor element having a pliable configuration; and first and second opposing spatially separate electrical signal paths for each of said sensor elements, wherein in response to flexure of said sensor elements, said first and second electrical signal paths are configured to provide opposing polarities defining a differential signal output for a respective one of each of said sensor elements, wherein said sensor array has an operational frequency range which includes the frequency range of about 100 to 1000 hertz. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
-
30. An acoustic sensor array, comprising:
-
a plurality of unitary acoustic sensor elements; a plurality of transmission lines having opposing first and second ends and defining a length therebetween, a respective one transmission line for each of said plurality of unitary acoustic sensors, said transmission line first end individually attached to a respective one of said acoustic sensor elements; and wherein each of said transmission lines is configured with a series of undulations along its length. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
-
39. An acoustic sensor array, comprising:
-
a plurality of unitary acoustic sensor elements; a plurality of transmission lines having opposing first and second ends an defining a length therebetween, a respective one transmission line for each of said plurality of unitary acoustic sensors, said transmission line first end individually attached to a respective one of said acoustic sensor elements; and wherein each of said transmission lines is configured with a series of undulations along its length wherein said sensor element comprises; a resilient core layer comprising a low permittivity material having a core thickness; a first pliable material layer sized and configured to sandwich and overlay said core layer, said first material layer comprising a piezoelectrically active material having opposing first and second major surfaces; first and second electrical traces disposed on said first major surface of said first pliable material layer, said first and second electrical traces defining a spatially separate first and second electrode, wherein in position over said core, said first electrode has an opposite polarity relative to said second electrode; and an exterior conductive shield layer sized and configured to overlay said second major surface of said first material layer; and wherein said transmission line defines a linear transmission line attached to said sensor element, said linear transmission line including first and second ends and extending a linear length therebetween, comprising; a first pliable material layer extending from said first end to said second end of said linear transmission line having opposing first and second major surfaces, said first pliable material layer comprising a piezoelectrically active material; first, second, and third electrical traces disposed on said first pliable material layer in electrical communication with said sensor element first material layer electrical traces, said first and second electrical traces disposed on said first major surface and said third electrical trace disposed on said second major surface; first and second layers of a non-conducting film configured and sized to respectively overlay a major portion of said first and second major surfaces of said first pliable material layer; a first linear outer layer conductive strip configured and sized to overlay a major portion of first non-conducting film layer opposite said first major surface of said first pliable material layer; and a second linear outer layer conductive strip configured and sized to overlay a major portion of said second non-conducting film layer opposite said second major surface of said first pliable material layer; wherein said first pliable material layer of said transmission line and said first pliable material layer of said sensor element is a unitary layer, and wherein said third electrical trace of said first pliable material layer provides an electrical ground operably associated with said first and second conductive outer layers of said sensor. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
-
-
42. An acoustic sensor array, comprising:
-
a plurality of compliant sensor elements having first and second outer surfaces, said first outer surface configured to attach to a subject such that it is substantially conformal to the subject; and a carrier member releasably attached to said second outer surface of each of said plurality of sensor elements to hold said plurality of sensors in alignment during positioning on a subject; wherein said carrier member is disengaged from said sensor elements after said sensor elements are attached to a desired location on the subject without causing said sensor elements to move from the desired location. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
-
-
51. A method of forming an acoustic sensor said acoustic sensor having a sensor pad region and a transmission line, comprising the steps of:
-
configuring a first unitary layer of PVDF film having first and second opposing major surfaces with a laterally extending region having a first width and a longitudinally extending region having a second width; forming sensor element electrical traces onto the first major surfaces of the PVDF layer, the sensor electrical traces are arranged as a rectangular shape onto the lateral region of the PVDF layer such that the lateral region defines first and second separate electrode regions with opposing polarity; forming electrical traces onto the longitudinally extending region of the first and second major surfaces of the PVDF layer to define three electrical paths, wherein the first and second paths are formed on one major surface to provide the electrical signal path for the first and second electrode regions, and wherein the third path is formed on the opposing major surface of the PVDF layer and is configured with a primary finger portion; inserting a resilient core onto a surface of one of the electrode regions; positioning non-conducting film to overlay substantially the entire length of the longitudinally extending region of the PVDF layer; positioning a first electric shield material to overlay the non-conducting film on the side opposing the first major surface of the PVDF film, wherein the first electrical shield includes a conductive secondary finger portion; providing a second electric shield layer configured and sized to mirror the PVDF film shape, to overlay the second major surface of the PVDF film in the laterally extending electrode region and to overlay and contact the non-conducting film in the longitudinally extending region; folding the laterally extending region of the PVDF film over the core such that the first and second electrode regions are positioned opposing the other with the core is positioned intermediate thereof; and folding the primary finger of the ground strip to overlay the first major surface, wherein electrical contact between the first and second conductive shield material at the termination end thereby provides a substantially continuous electric shield for the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (52)
-
-
53. A low profile acoustic sensor array, comprising:
-
a plurality of longitudinally extending sensor strips, each of said strips having at least one sensor element included thereon, wherein said at least one sensor element is configured so as to respond to acoustic wavelengths in the frequency range of interest and to inhibit response to compressional wavelengths in the frequency range of interest so as to mechanically filter acoustic signals detected by the at least one sensor element, wherein said at least one sensor element comprises; a resilient core layer comprising a low permittivity material having a core thickness; a first pliable material layer overlaying and contacting said core layer, said first material layer comprising a piezoelectrically active material, said first pliable layer having opposing internal and external surfaces; a second pliable material layer overlaying and contacting said core layer opposing said first pliable material layer, said second pliable layer comprising a piezoelectrically active material and having opposing internal and external surfaces; a first electrical trace disposed on said first pliable material layer inner surface; and a second electrical trace disposed on said second pliable material layer inner surface such that said first and second electrical traces face each other across said core layer, wherein during operation and in response to flexure of said sensor element, said first and second electrical traces generate respective first and second voltages, and wherein said first and second voltages have opposing polarity. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
-
Specification