Non-invasive dry coupled disposable/reusable ultrasonic sensor

• US 7,694,570 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Measurement Specialties Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: Cosense, Inc. (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Granin, Andre, Melder, Glen, Dam, Naim
• Primary Examiner(s): SAINT SURIN, JACQUES M
• Application Number:
  US11/731,212
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 736/44, 736/45, 736/49, 737/76, 737/78, 737/21, 738/612.7, 738/612.8
• US Class Current: 73/644
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/662 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/296 Acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2968 Transducers specially adapted for acoustic level indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02836 Flow rate, liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/044 Internal reflections (echoes), e.g. on walls or defects
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2634 cylindrical from outside
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/02 Analysing fluids using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14 ; constructional or flow details for analysing fluids G01N29/222; optoacoustic fluid cells G01N29/2425
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/28 providing acoustic coupling , e.g. water impedance matching G10K11/02
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/00 Piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N39/00

Abstract

A non-invasive dry coupled disposable/reusable ultrasonic sensor has a housing and a piezoelectric element at one end of the housing to which connected signal leads are connected that extend out from the housing. A piece of double-sided adhesive tape has one adhesive side secured directly to the face at the one end of the housing with the other adhesive side to be secured directly to the outer surface of a pipe or vessel. The tape can cover the entire face of the one end of the housing or only that part that the piezoelectric element faces.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic transducer for detecting liquid in a pipe or vessel comprising:

a housing;

a piezoelectric element within said housing facing one end of said housing and having connected signal leads that extend out from said housing to be connected to an electronic circuit that is to at least one of supply electrical energy to be transmitted by said piezoelectric element as ultrasonic energy and/or receive ultrasonic energy to be supplied to the electronic circuit as electrical signals;

and a piece of double sided adhesive tape having one adhesive side secured directly to the outer face of said one end of said housing with the other adhesive side to be secured directly to the outer surface of the wall of a pipe or vessel and being of a material and thickness to effectively couple the ultrasonic energy in at least one of transmitting and receiving directions between said piezoelectric element, the pipe or vessel wall on which the transducer is mounted and a liquid in the pipe or vessel.

2. The ultrasonic transducer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tape is continuous.

3. The ultrasonic transducer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tape has a cutout portion that corresponds to the shape of an opposing face of said piezoelectric element.

4. The ultrasonic transducer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the adhesive of said tape is one of acrylic, silicone and rubber adhesive.

5. The ultrasonic transducer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the thickness of the tape is from 1.0 to 20.0 mil thick.

6. The ultrasonic transducer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transducer housing face has length and width or a diameter of from 0.5 inches to 1.5 inches.

7. The ultrasonic transducer as claimed in claim 6 wherein said transducer has a weight of not greater than 2 ounces.

8. The ultrasonic transducer as claimed in claim 7 wherein said tape is of polypropylene material and the adhesive of said tape is one of acrylic, silicone and rubber adhesive.

9. The ultrasonic transducer as claimed in claim 8 wherein the thickness of the tape is from 1.0 to 20.0 mil thick.

10. The ultrasonic transducer as claimed in claim 8 wherein said piezoelectric element is to operate at a frequency in the range of 500 Khz to 5 MHZ.

11. The ultrasonic transducer as claimed in claim 10 wherein the thickness of the tape is from 1.0 to 20.0 mil thick.

12. The ultrasonic transducer as claimed in claim 8 wherein the thickness of the tape is from 1.0 to 20.0 mil thick.

13. The ultrasonic transducer as claimed in claim 12 wherein the adhesive of said tape is one of acrylic, silicone and rubber adhesive.

14. The ultrasonic transducer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tape covers substantially the entirety of said outer face of said one end of said housing.

15. The ultrasonic transducer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the thickness of the tape is from 1.0 to 20.0 mil thick.

16. The ultrasonic transducer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tape is of polyethylene material.

17. An ultrasonic transducer comprising:

an ultrasonic transducer for detecting liquid in a vessel or tube;

said transducer comprising

a housing,

a piezoelectric element within said housing facing one end of said housing, and

signal leads connected to said piezoelectric element that extend out from said housing;

an electronic circuit to which said signal leads are connected to at least one of supply electrical energy to be transmitted by said transducer piezoelectric element as ultrasonic energy and/or receive electrical signals corresponding to ultrasonic energy received by said transducer piezoelectric element; and

a piece of double sided adhesive tape having one adhesive side secured directly to the outer face of said one end of said housing with the other adhesive side to be secured directly to the outer surface of the wall of a pipe or vessel and being of a material and thickness to effectively couple the ultrasonic energy in at least one of transmitting and receiving directions between said piezoelectric element, the pipe or vessel wall on which the transducer is mounted and a liquid in the pipe or vessel.