Fixed origin biplane ultrasonic transducer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An ultrasonic transducer comprising:
- an elongated cylindrical probe;
a crossed shaped plate of piezo material mounted on the surface of the probe, the plate having first and second straight in line arms that extend along the length of the probe, third and fourth curved in line arms that extend around the probe, and an intersecting area between the arms the intersecting area being straight in the direction of the first and second arms and curved in the direction of the third and fourth arms;
a ground electrode plate disposed on one side of the piezo electric material;
a first plurality of signal electrodes disposed on the first and second arms of the opposite side of the piezo electric material; and
a second plurality of signal electrodes disposed on the third and fourth arms of the opposite side of the piezo electric material; and
a third plurality of signal electrodes disposed on the intersecting area of the opposite side of the piezo electric material;
the signal electrodes defining with the piezo electric material and the ground electrode a plurality of individual transducer elements.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasonic transducer has two intersecting linear arrays defining a cross shaped transducer assembly having four arms and an intersecting area. A plurality of transverse grooves form transducer elements in the arms. Coaxial transducer elements are formed in the intersecting area. Each transducer element has its signal electrode on a common side of the transducer. One or both of the intersecting linear arrays may be curved along its longitudinal axis thus allowing the transducer to be mounted on cylindrical or spherical surfaces.
107 Citations
40 Claims
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1. An ultrasonic transducer comprising:
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an elongated cylindrical probe; a crossed shaped plate of piezo material mounted on the surface of the probe, the plate having first and second straight in line arms that extend along the length of the probe, third and fourth curved in line arms that extend around the probe, and an intersecting area between the arms the intersecting area being straight in the direction of the first and second arms and curved in the direction of the third and fourth arms; a ground electrode plate disposed on one side of the piezo electric material; a first plurality of signal electrodes disposed on the first and second arms of the opposite side of the piezo electric material; and a second plurality of signal electrodes disposed on the third and fourth arms of the opposite side of the piezo electric material; and a third plurality of signal electrodes disposed on the intersecting area of the opposite side of the piezo electric material; the signal electrodes defining with the piezo electric material and the ground electrode a plurality of individual transducer elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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6. An ultrasonic transducer comprising:
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a cross shaped plate of piezo electric material having first and second in line arms, third and fourth in line arms, and an intersecting area between the arms; a ground electrode disposed on one side of the piezo electric material; a first plurality of signal electrodes disposed on the first and second arms of the opposite side of the piezo electric material; a second plurality of signal electrodes disposed on the third and fourth arms of the opposite side of the piezo electric material; and a third plurality of signal electrodes disposed on the intersecting area of the opposite side of the piezo electric material; the signal electrodes defining with the piezo electric material and the ground electrode a plurality of individual transducer elements, the impedance of the transducer elements on the intersecting area being different from that of the transducer elements on the arms; means for activating the transducer elements in sequential groups having approximately constant driving impedance.
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16. An ultrasonic fixed origin biplane transducer comprising:
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a cylindrical probe; a convexly curved transducer array mounted on the probe to substantially follow the curve of the cylinder; and a straight transducer array perpendicularly intersecting the curved transducer array and mounted on the probe in its longitudinal direction. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A ultrasonic transducer comprising:
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a first rectangular transducer plate; a second rectangular transducer plate coupled to the first rectangular transducer plate; a third rectangular transducer plate coupled to the first rectangular transducer plate; a first series of parallel grooves, each groove cut transversely at equal pitch in the first transducer plate; a second series of parallel grooves, each groove cut transversely at equal pitch in the second transducer plate; a third series of parallel grooves, each groove cut transversely at equal pitch in the third transducer plate; a forth series of parallel grooves in the first transducer plate, each groove cut in the longitudinal direction in the intersecting area between the second and third transducer plates at a pitch equal to the pitch of the second transducer plate forming a matrix of transducer subelements; a pair of diagonal grooves in the first transducer plate, each perpendicular groove extending diagonally between opposite corners of the area between the second and third transducer plates dividing the area into four quadrants; and a plurality of bus wires, each bus wire connecting a plurality of transducer subelements within each of the four quadrants. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 32, 40)
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22. An ultrasonic transducer comprising:
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an elongated probe; a cross shaped plate of piezo electric material mounted on the surface of the probe, the plate having first and second in line arms, third and fourth in line arms, and an intersecting area between the arms; a ground electrode disposed on one side of the piezo electric material; a first plurality of signal electrodes disposed on the first and second arms of the opposite side of the piezo electric material; a second plurality of signal electrodes disposed on the third and fourth arms of the opposite side of the piezo electric material; and a third plurality of signal electrodes disposed on the intersecting area of the opposite side of the piezo electric material; the signal electrodes defining with the piezo electric material and the ground electrode a plurality of individual transducer elements, the transducer elements in the arms having approximately constant impedance and at least some of the transducer elements in the intersecting area having different impedances. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. An ultrasonic transducer comprising:
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an elongated probe; a cross shaped plate of piezo electric material mounted on the surface of the probe, the plate having first and second in line arms, third and fourth in line arms, and an intersecting area between the arms; a ground electrode disposed on one side of the piezo electric material; a first plurality of signal electrodes disposed on the first and second arms of the opposite side of the piezo electric material; a second plurality of signal electrodes disposed on the third and fourth arms of the opposite side of the piezo electric material; and a third plurality of signal electrodes disposed on the intersecting area of the opposite side of the piezo electric material; the signal electrodes defining with the piezo electric material and the ground electrode a plurality of individual transducer elements, the transducer elements on the intersecting area being formed in concentric bands. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An ultrasonic transducer comprising:
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an elongated probe; a cross shaped plate of piezo electric material mounted on the surface of the probe, the plate having first and second in line arms, third and fourth in line arms, and an intersecting area between the arms; a ground electrode disposed on one side of the piezo electric material; a first plurality of signal electrodes disposed on the first and second arms of the opposite side of the piezo electric material; a second plurality of signal electrodes disposed on the third and fourth arms of the opposite side of the piezo electric material; and a third plurality of signal electrodes disposed on the intersecting area of the opposite side of the piezo electric material; the signal electrodes defining with the piezo electric material and the ground electrode a plurality of individual transducer elements, the transducer elements on the first and second arms have an equal pitch and in one or more of the transducer elements at the center of the intersecting area having unequal pitch.
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Specification