Method for forming a composite structure of backing material for use in a transducer assembly

• US 7,694,406 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2006
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Haider, Bruno Hans, Baumgartner, Charles Edward, Wildes, Douglas Glenn, Moeleker, Petrus Joannes Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Paul D
• Application Number:
  US11/495,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20060261707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 29/253.5, 295/921, 295/94, 296/021, 296/09, 296/091, 298/56, 298/68, 310333-337, 310/357, 310/367
• US Class Current: 29/594
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/546 involving monitoring or regulation of device temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0685 on the back only of piezoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/002 Devices for damping, suppressing, obstructing or conducting sound in acoustic devices G10K1/06 - G10K1/10 take precedence; for electro-mechanical transducers for communication H04R3/002
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/004 Mounting transducers, e.g. provided with mechanical moving or orienting device mountings specially adapted to a particular sound-producing device, see the preceding groups G10K1/00 - G10K9/00, e.g. G10K1/26, G10K1/28, G10K9/22; arrangements of sonic watch equipment on submarines B63G8/39; buoys B63B22/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/42 Piezoelectric device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49005 Acoustic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4908 Acoustic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49172 by molding of insulating material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49194 Assembling elongated conductors, e.g., splicing, etc.

Abstract

A composite structure of a backing material with enhanced conductivity for use in a transducer is presented. The composite structure includes a plurality of layers of backing material alternatingly arranged with a plurality of thermal conductive elements, wherein the plurality of thermal conductive elements are configured to transfer heat from a center of the transducer to a plurality of points on the composite structure of backing material.

Claims

1. A method for forming a composite structure of backing material for use in a transducer assembly, the method comprising:

dicing a block of backing material to form a plurality of layers of backing material; and

alternatingly disposing the plurality of layers of backing material between a plurality of thermal conductive elements to form the composite structure of backing material,

wherein a volume of the thermal conductive elements comprises up to about 5 volume percent of a volume of the backing material.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising bonding the plurality of layers of backing material and the plurality of thermal conductive elements to form the composite structure.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising machining the composite structure of backing material to form a composite structure of backing material of a predetermined shape.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein alternatingly disposing the plurality of layers of backing material with the plurality of thermal conductive elements comprises arranging the plurality of thermal conductive elements in a direction parallel to the plurality of layers of backing material.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a thickness of each of the plurality of layers of backing material is in a range from about 0.2 mm to about 2.0 mm.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of thermal conductive elements comprises a metal foil.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the metal foil is selected from the group consisting of a copper foil, an aluminum foil, and alloys or combinations thereof

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a pitch between thermal conductive elements in the composite structure is in a range of about 0.2 mm to about 2.0 mm.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the plurality of thermal conductive elements is in a range from about 0.01 mm to about 0.04 mm.

10. A method for forming a composite structure of backing material for use in a transducer assembly, the method comprising:

dicing a block of backing material to form a plurality of layers of backing material; and

alternatingly disposing the plurality of layers of backing material between a plurality of thermal conductive elements to form the composite structure of backing material,

wherein the plurality of thermal conductive elements is more dense at a central area of the transducer than at a peripheral area of the transducer.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising bonding the plurality of layers of backing material and the plurality of thermal conductive elements to form the composite structure.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising machining the composite structure of backing material to form a composite structure of backing material of a predetermined shape.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein alternatingly disposing the plurality of layers of backing material with the plurality of thermal conductive elements comprises arranging the plurality of thermal conductive elements in a direction parallel to the plurality of layers of backing material.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein a thickness of each of the plurality of layers of backing material is in a range from about 0.2 mm to about 2.0 mm.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of thermal conductive elements comprises a metal foil.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the metal foil is selected from the group consisting of a copper foil, an aluminum foil, and alloys or combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein a pitch between thermal conductive elements in the composite structure is in a range of about 0.2 mm to about 2.0 mm.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein a thickness of the plurality of thermal conductive elements is in a range from about 0.01 mm to about 0.04 mm.