Protective housing for ultrasonic transducer apparatus
DCFirst Claim
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1. A housing for an ultrasound transducer comprising:
- a base portion having an opening for receiving the ultrasound transducer; and
a cylindrical portion extending from said base portion for surrounding the ultrasound transducer;
said cylindrical portion comprising a plurality of slots disposed about said cylindrical portion for passing ultrasound radiation, said plurality of slots arranged in a predetermined fashion and spaced apart from one another such that the total area of said plurality of slots is about 55% of the area of said cylindrical portion, whereby said cylindrical portion operates as an impedance matching layer with the ultrasound radiation for increasing the sensitivity or output transmission of the transducer.
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Abstract
A protective cover or grid for an ultrasound transducer comprises a series of vertically spaced members separated from one another by a pre-determined distance, each member being of substantially uniform width and arranged in a cylindrical shape. The protection grid includes a cavity for receiving a cylindrical transducer. The protection grid operates as both a physical protection mechanism for protecting the cylindrical transducer housed therein as well as operating as an impedance matching device.
76 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A housing for an ultrasound transducer comprising:
a base portion having an opening for receiving the ultrasound transducer; and
a cylindrical portion extending from said base portion for surrounding the ultrasound transducer;
said cylindrical portion comprising a plurality of slots disposed about said cylindrical portion for passing ultrasound radiation, said plurality of slots arranged in a predetermined fashion and spaced apart from one another such that the total area of said plurality of slots is about 55% of the area of said cylindrical portion, whereby said cylindrical portion operates as an impedance matching layer with the ultrasound radiation for increasing the sensitivity or output transmission of the transducer.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A housing for an ultrasound transducer comprising:
a plurality of elongate members disposed in cylindrical fashion and interconnected to form a cylinder having an opening for receiving said ultrasound transducer, each elongate member separated from an adjacent one of said elongate members so as to define a slot therebetween, said plurality of slots arranged in predetermined fashion and spaced apart from one another such that said plurality of elongate members operate as an impedance matching layer for the ultrasound radiation for increasing the sensitivity or output transmission of the transducer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. In combination with an omnidirectional ultrasound transducer comprising a cylindrical piezoresponsive material operative for transmitting and/or receiving ultrasound signals in a direction normal to the piezoresponsive material at a predetermined resonance frequency, a housing surrounding said ultrasound transducer for providing environmental protection and enhancing signal transmission, said housing comprising a base portion having an opening for receiving the ultrasound transducer;
- and a cylindrical portion extending from said base portion for surrounding the ultrasound transducer cylindrical piezoresponsive material;
said cylindrical portion comprising a plurality of slots disposed about said cylindrical portion for passing ultrasound radiation, said plurality of slots arranged in a predetermined fashion and spaced apart from one another such that the total area of said plurality of slots is about 55% of the area of said cylindrical portion, whereby said cylindrical portion operates as an impedance matching layer with the ultrasound radiation for increasing the sensitivity or output transmission of the transducer. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
- and a cylindrical portion extending from said base portion for surrounding the ultrasound transducer cylindrical piezoresponsive material;
Specification