Array of electroacoustic transducers and electronic probe for diagnostic images with high focusing depth
First Claim
1. An electroacoustic transducer assembly for emitting and receiving acoustic radiation beams, the assembly comprising:
- an array of electroacoustic transducers comprising,a plurality of transducer elements each one composed of an electroacoustic element, the transducers are arranged side by side and are spaced apart along a row, the transducer array having an aperture dimension corresponding the length of the row of transducers, each transducer of the plurality of transducers having an equal pitch corresponding the transducer width in the length-wise direction of the row;
a first layer into which the transducer elements are embedded, the layer is made of an electrically insulating material; and
a connection line is constructed and arranged to alternately electrically connect each one of the transducers to a unit generating a signal exciting the individual transducer element to emit an acoustic radiation and to a unit processing an electric reception signal generated by the transducer element having received an acoustic signal,wherein for the aperture dimension, there is provided a rational multiple number of transducers each having a pitch corresponding to the inverse of the rational multiple, each pair of directly adjacent transducer elements are constructed and arranged to create an electroacoustic pair, one transducer element of the electroacoustic pair is constructed and arranged to only transmit acoustic pulses and the other transducer element of the electroacoustic pair is constructed and arranged to only receive acoustic pulses, each electroacoustic pair share the same connection line which branches off by means of a buffer into a transmit branch and a receive branch for each one of the transducer elements within the electroacoustic pair respectively, a preamplifier is located within the receive branch connected to the transducer element of the electroacoustic pair constructed and arranged to receive acoustic pulses.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electroacoustic transducer assembly and probe for emitting and receiving acoustic radiation beams. The transducer assembly comprising a plurality of transducer elements, each one composed of an electroacoustic element, arranged side by side and spaced apart along a row having a first end. Starting from transducer element proximate to the first end, adjacent transducer elements are constructed and arranged create an electroacoustic pair. A first element of the electroacoustic pair is constructed and arranged to only transmit acoustic pulses and a second element of the electroacoustic pair is constructed and arranged to only receive acoustic pulses. Each electroacoustic pair share a common connection line which branches off into a transmit branch connected to the first element and a receive branch connected to the second element.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An electroacoustic transducer assembly for emitting and receiving acoustic radiation beams, the assembly comprising:
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an array of electroacoustic transducers comprising, a plurality of transducer elements each one composed of an electroacoustic element, the transducers are arranged side by side and are spaced apart along a row, the transducer array having an aperture dimension corresponding the length of the row of transducers, each transducer of the plurality of transducers having an equal pitch corresponding the transducer width in the length-wise direction of the row; a first layer into which the transducer elements are embedded, the layer is made of an electrically insulating material; and a connection line is constructed and arranged to alternately electrically connect each one of the transducers to a unit generating a signal exciting the individual transducer element to emit an acoustic radiation and to a unit processing an electric reception signal generated by the transducer element having received an acoustic signal, wherein for the aperture dimension, there is provided a rational multiple number of transducers each having a pitch corresponding to the inverse of the rational multiple, each pair of directly adjacent transducer elements are constructed and arranged to create an electroacoustic pair, one transducer element of the electroacoustic pair is constructed and arranged to only transmit acoustic pulses and the other transducer element of the electroacoustic pair is constructed and arranged to only receive acoustic pulses, each electroacoustic pair share the same connection line which branches off by means of a buffer into a transmit branch and a receive branch for each one of the transducer elements within the electroacoustic pair respectively, a preamplifier is located within the receive branch connected to the transducer element of the electroacoustic pair constructed and arranged to receive acoustic pulses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An ultrasound probe comprising:
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a casing enclosing a head constructed and arranged for transmitting/receiving acoustic radiation beams or pulses, the head comprising an array of electroacoustic transducers comprising, a plurality of transducer elements each one composed of an electroacoustic element, the transducers are arranged side by side and are spaced apart along a row, the transducer array having an aperture dimension corresponding the length of the row of transducers, each transducer of the plurality of transducers having a pitch corresponding the transducer width in the length-wise direction of the row; a first layer into which the transducer elements are embedded, the layer is made of an electrically insulating material; and a connection line is constructed and arranged to alternately electrically connect each one of the transducers to a unit generating a signal exciting the individual transducer element to emit an acoustic radiation and to a unit processing an electric reception signal generated by the transducer element having received an acoustic signal, wherein for the aperture dimension, there is provided a rational multiple number of transducers each having a pitch corresponding to the inverse of the rational multiple, each pair of directly adjacent transducer elements are constructed and arranged to create an electroacoustic pair, one transducer element of the electroacoustic pair is constructed and arranged to only transmit acoustic pulses and the other transducer element of the electroacoustic pair is constructed and arranged to only receive acoustic pulses, each electroacoustic pair share the same connection line which branches off by means of a buffer into a transmit branch and a receive branch for each one of the transducer elements within the electro acoustic pair respectively, a preamplifier is located within the receive branch connected to the transducer element of the electroacoustic pair constructed and arranged to receive acoustic pulses. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An electroacoustic transducer assembly for emitting and receiving acoustic radiation beams, the assembly comprising:
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a plurality of transducer elements each one composed of an electroacoustic element, the transducers are arranged side by side and are spaced apart along a row having a first end, a first layer into which the transducer elements are embedded, the layer is made of an electrically insulating material; and a connection line is constructed and arranged to alternately electrically connect each one of the transducers to a unit generating a signal exciting the individual transducer element to emit an acoustic radiation and to a unit processing an electric reception signal generated by the transducer element having received an acoustic signal, wherein, starting from transducer element proximate to the first end, adjacent transducer elements are constructed and arranged to create an electroacoustic pair, a first element of the electroacoustic pair is constructed and arranged to only transmit acoustic pulses and a second element of the electroacoustic pair is constructed and arranged to only receive acoustic pulses, each electroacoustic pair share the same connection line which branches off into a transmit branch connected to the first element and a receive branch connected to the second element, a buffer is located between the transmit branch and the receive branch, a preamplifier is located within the receive branch. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method of making a design modification to an existing electroacoustic array, the transducer array being composed of a plurality of transducer elements made of an electroacoustic element, the transducers are arranged side by side and are spaced apart along a row, the method comprising the steps of:
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evaluating an aperture dimension of the transducer array, the aperture corresponding to the length of the row of transducers; evaluating a first pitch dimension of each transducer of the plurality of transducer elements, the first pitch dimension corresponding the transducer width in the length-wise direction of the row; dividing each of said transducer elements into a group of smaller transducer elements, the number of transducer elements in the group being an even number, the cumulative pitch of the transducer elements of the group is substantially equal to the first pitch dimension, a first element of the group is constructed and arranged to only transmit acoustic pulses and a second element of the group is constructed and arranged to only receive acoustic pulses; electrically coupling each transducer element of the group to a common connection line, the connection line is constructed and arranged to alternately electrically connect the first element to a unit constructed and arranged to generate a signal capable of exciting the first element to emit an acoustic radiation and connect the second element to a unit processing an electric reception signal generated by the second element having received an acoustic signal, the connection line branches off into a transmit branch connected to the first element and a receive branch connected to the second element; providing a buffer electrically connected between the transmit branch and the receive branch; and
,providing a preamplifier electrically connected on the receive branch.
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Specification