Method of exciting a piezoelectric crystal

• US 7,245,059 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2005
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schmitt Measurement Systems, Inc. (Schmitt Industries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xtero Datacom, Inc. (Schmitt Industries, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kazemir, Steven Scott, Lagergren, Peter John
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty; Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US11/131,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20050275308A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 310/317, 310/322, 31032301-32319, 310/334
• US Class Current: 310/317
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2968 Transducers specially adapted for acoustic level indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/802 Circuitry or processes for operating piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices not otherwise provided for, e.g. drive circuits

Abstract

The invention describes the use of an electrical pulse that is a single square wave to excite a piezoelectric crystal. This pulse is applied alternately to either side of the crystal at twice the nominal resonant frequency of the crystal. This method provides a significant increase in net drive power to the crystal without the need to provide a sine wave excitation of plus and minus voltage to the crystal.

Claims

1. A method of exciting a piezoelectrical crystal in an ultrasonic ranging device that generates an ultrasonic signal and receives an echo of the ultrasonic signal to determine a fuel level, comprising:

generating a drive voltage;

placing opposing sides of the piezoelectrical crystal in electrical communication with the drive voltage;

applying a first pulse of substantially the same voltage as the drive voltage to a first opposing side and simultaneously applying zero voltage to a second opposing side; and

applying a second pulse of substantially the same voltage as the drive voltage and substantially the same duration as the first pulse to the second opposing side and simultaneously applying zero voltage to the first opposing side to thereby alternatively pulse the opposing sides.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the drive voltage is a direct current voltage.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second pulses are approximately square waves.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second pulses are applied at twice a nominal resonant frequency of the piezoelectrical crystal.

5. A method of exciting a piezoelectrical crystal in an ultrasonic ranging device that generates an ultrasonic signal and receives an echo of the ultrasonic signal to determine a fuel level, comprising:

generating a drive voltage;

placing opposing sides of the piezoelectrical crystal in electrical communication with the drive voltage;

applying a first series of pulses of substantially the same voltage as the drive voltage to a first opposing side and simultaneously applying zero voltage to a second opposing side; and

applying a second series of pulses of substantially the same voltage as the drive voltage to the second opposing side and simultaneously applying zero voltage to the first opposing side, wherein the second series of pulses alternates with the first series of pulses.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the drive voltage is a direct current voltage.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein each pulse in the first and second series of pulses is approximately a square wave.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the first and second pulses are applied at twice a nominal resonant frequency of the piezoelectrical crystal.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein each pulse in the first and second series has substantially the same duration.

10. An ultrasonic ranging device to generate an ultrasonic signal and receive an echo of the ultrasonic signal to determine a fuel level, comprising:

a drive circuit to generate a drive voltage;

a switch in electrical communication with the drive circuit to receive the drive voltage;

a piezoelectric crystal having first and second opposing sides in electrical communication with the switch; and

wherein the switch is configured to apply a first pulse of substantially the same voltage as the drive voltage to the first opposing side and simultaneously applying zero voltage to a second opposing side, and configured to apply a second pulse of substantially the same voltage as the drive voltage and substantially the same duration as the first pulse to the second opposing side and simultaneously apply zero voltage to the first opposing side to thereby alternatively pulse the opposing sides.

11. The ultrasonic ranging device of claim 10, wherein the drive voltage is a direct current voltage.

12. The ultrasonic ranging device of claim 10, wherein the first and second pulses are approximately square waves.

13. The ultrasonic ranging device of claim 10, wherein the first and second pulses are applied at twice a nominal resonant frequency of the piezoelectrical crystal.

14. The ultrasonic ranging device of claim 10, wherein the switch is an analog switch.

15. An ultrasonic ranging device to generate an ultrasonic signal and receive an echo of the ultrasonic signal to determine a fuel level, comprising:

a drive circuit to generate a drive voltage;

a switch in electrical communication with the drive circuit to receive the drive voltage;

a piezoelectric crystal having first and second opposing sides in electrical communication with the switch; and

wherein the switch is configured to apply a first series of pulses of substantially the same voltage as the drive voltage to the first opposing side and simultaneously apply zero voltage to a second opposing side, and to apply a second series of pulses of substantially the same voltage as the drive voltage to the second opposing side and simultaneously apply zero voltage to the first opposing side, wherein the second series of pulses alternates with the first series of pulses.

16. The ultrasonic ranging device of claim 15, wherein the drive voltage is a direct current voltage.

17. The ultrasonic ranging device of claim 15, wherein each pulse of the first and second series is approximately a square wave.

18. The ultrasonic ranging device of claim 15, wherein the pulses of the first and second series are applied at twice a nominal resonant frequency of the piezoelectrical crystal.

19. The ultrasonic ranging device of claim 15, wherein the switch is an analog switch.

20. The ultrasonic ranging device of claim 15, wherein each pulse in the first and second series has substantially the same duration.