Ultrasonic attenuation materials
First Claim
1. An ultrasound transducer system comprising:
- an active layer with an acoustic face and a rear face, wherein said active layer comprises at least one ultrasonic transducer element, wherein said rear face is on an opposite side of said active layer from said acoustic face; and
an acoustic attenuation layer interconnected to said rear face, wherein said acoustic attenuation layer comprises;
(a) fibrous polymer having porosity; and
(b) reinforcing material.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Improved acoustic attenuation materials and applications are provided. An improved acoustic attenuation material may include a woven layer of fibers made of porous polymers, such as porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), that include interstitial space. An improved acoustic attenuation material may include sheets of porous polymers interleaved with layers of epoxy. The sheets of porous polymers may include through holes. An embodiment of an ultrasonic transducer that includes a backing with woven layers of porous PTFE fibers is provided. The ultrasonic transducer that includes a backing with woven layers of porous PTFE fibers may be used in a three-dimensional ultrasound imaging apparatus. An embodiment of an ultrasonic transducer that includes a plurality of sheets of porous PTFE interleaved with layers of epoxy is provided. The ultrasonic transducer that includes a plurality of sheets of porous PTFE may be used in an ultrasonic imaging catheter.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. An ultrasound transducer system comprising:
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an active layer with an acoustic face and a rear face, wherein said active layer comprises at least one ultrasonic transducer element, wherein said rear face is on an opposite side of said active layer from said acoustic face; and an acoustic attenuation layer interconnected to said rear face, wherein said acoustic attenuation layer comprises; (a) fibrous polymer having porosity; and (b) reinforcing material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An ultrasound transducer system comprising:
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an active layer with an acoustic face and a rear face, wherein said active layer comprises at least one ultrasonic transducer element, wherein said rear face is on an opposite side of said active layer from said acoustic face; and a backing interconnected to said rear face, said backing including a woven layer, wherein said woven layer is comprised of a plurality of fibers, said plurality of fibers comprised of a polymer, wherein said woven layer defines woven layer void space between said plurality of fibers, wherein at least a portion of said woven layer void space is filled with a reinforcing material. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. Acoustic attenuation material operable to attenuate acoustic energy incident upon said material, said material comprising:
a woven layer, wherein said woven layer is comprised of a plurality of fibers, said plurality of fibers having a fiber porosity, wherein said woven layer is comprised of PTFE, and said woven layer defines woven layer void space between said plurality of fibers, and wherein at least a portion of said woven layer void space is filled with THV. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of reducing acoustic energy incident on a back face of an ultrasound transducer, said method comprising:
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providing a layer of material comprising a porous polymer, wherein said layer of material has a front surface and a rear surface; locating said layer of material adjacent to said back face of said ultrasound transducer, wherein said front surface is in face to face contact with said back face, wherein said back surface is in contact with a fluid; absorbing acoustic energy emanating from said back face within said layer of material; and absorbing acoustic energy incident upon said rear surface within said layer of material. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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- 35. Acoustic attenuation material operable to attenuate acoustic energy incident upon said material, said material comprising a woven layer, wherein said woven layer is comprised of a plurality of fibers, said plurality of fibers having a fiber porosity, wherein said woven layer is comprised of PTFE, wherein said woven layer defines woven layer void space between said plurality of fibers, wherein at least a portion of said woven layer void space is filled with THV.
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44. Acoustic attenuation material comprising:
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a first woven layer adapted for use in an ultrasonic transducer apparatus, wherein said first woven layer is operable to attenuate acoustic energy incident upon said first woven layer, wherein said first woven layer is comprised of a first plurality of PTFE fibers, said first plurality of fibers having a first fiber porosity, wherein said first woven layer defines first layer void space between said first plurality of fibers; and reinforcing material, wherein said first layer void space is at least partially filled with said reinforcing material. - View Dependent Claims (45)
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46. An acoustic attenuation device comprising:
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acoustic attenuation material operable to attenuate acoustic energy incident upon said material; and a support structure interconnected to said acoustic attenuation material, wherein said acoustic attenuation material includes a first component comprised of a polymer selected from a group consisting of PTFE, urethane, polystyrene, fluoropolymer, silicone and polyolefin, the polymer having a porosity and a second component comprised of a support material.
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47. Acoustic attenuation material operable to attenuate acoustic energy incident upon said material, said material comprising:
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a first component comprised of a first polymer selected from a group consisting of PTFE, urethane, polystyrene, fluoropolymer, silicone and polyolefin, said first component having a porosity; and a second component comprised of a second polymer, wherein said porosity is partially filled with said second component, wherein said first component has a first flexural modulus when said porosity is free from said second component, wherein said first component has a second flexural modulus when said second component is partially disposed within said porosity, wherein said first flexural modulus is lower than said second flexural modulus. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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Specification