Communications – electrical: acoustic wave systems and devices – Transmitter systems
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-10
2001-08-14
Pihulic, Daniel T. (Department: 3662)
Communications, electrical: acoustic wave systems and devices
Transmitter systems
Reexamination Certificate
active
06275447
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sound generating apparatus, a sound detection apparatus, an acoustic sensor, and an acoustic living body measuring apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An acoustic sensor for inducing a sound signal in a living body and receiving the sound signal transmitting through living body is known and an acoustic living body measuring apparatus for inducing a sound signal, receiving the sound signal transmitting through a living body, and analysing the received sound signal, and outputting the analyzed result is known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,649 discloses an apparatus and a method for measuring an induced perturbation to determine blood pressure. The apparatus includes an exciter positioned over a blood vessel of the patient, for inducing a transmitted exciter waveform into the patient, and a noninvasive sensor positioned over the blood vessel, the noninvasive sensor configured to sense a hemoparameter and to generate a noninvasive sensor signal representative of the hemoparameter containing a component of a received exciter waveform, wherein the exciter and noninvasive sensor are independently provided and the exciter exists in the air in an inflatable bag.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the present invention is to provide a superior sound generating apparatus, a superior sound detection apparatus, a superior acoustic sensor, and a superior acoustic living body measuring apparatus.
According to the present invention there is provided a first sound generating apparatus including: a flexible substrate; and a plurality of bimorph cells arranged on a surface of the flexible substrate in a direction at a predetermined interval, each of the bimorph cells having input/output terminals.
In the first sound generating apparatus, each of the bimorph cells has a substantially rectangular shape and a longitudinal direction of each of bimorph cells is perpendicular to the direction. In this case, the flexible substrate has a slit between successive two of the bimorph cells in the longitudinal direction. In this case, the slit may further extend in both directions of the longitudinal direction, a width the extended slit over the bimorph cells is larger than a width of the slit between the successive two of the bimorph cells.
The first sound generating apparatus may further include a buffering material covering surfaces of the flexible substrate with the bimorph cells exposed.
The first sound generating apparatus may further include a cover including a rim connected to the flexible substrate for covering the bimorph cells with a space. In this case, each of the bimorph cells has a substantially rectangular shape, the direction is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of each of bimorph cells and the cover includes slits in the cover extending in parallel to the longitudinal direction of each of the bimorph cells.
According to the present invention there is also provided a second sound generating apparatus including: a plurality of flexible substrates, each having a rectangular shape and arranged in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of each of the flexible substrates; first and second bars along the direction, the first bar connecting one side of tips of the flexible substrates, the second bar connecting the other side of tips of the flexible substrates; a plurality of bimorph cells arranged on the flexible substrates respectively, each of the bimorph cells having input/output terminals. In this case, each of the first and second bars may include a buffering material supporting the flexible substrates with both tips of the flexible substrates covered with the buffering material and the sound generating apparatus may further include a buffering cover extending from buffering material for covering the surface of the flexible substrates opposite to the bimorph cells.
According to the present invention there is also provided a third sound generating apparatus including: a flexible substrate having a comb shape; a plurality of bimorph cells arranged on teeth of the flexible substrates respectively, each of the bimorph cells having input/output terminals; and a flexible bar substrate connecting tips of the teeth each other.
According to the present invention there is also provided a sound detecting apparatus including: a flexible substrate; and a plurality of bimorph cells arranged on a surface of the flexible substrate in a direction, each of the bimorph cells having input/output terminals. In this case, each of the bimorph cells has a substantially rectangular shape and a longitudinal direction of each of bimorph cells being perpendicular to the direction.
According to the present invention there is also provided a first acoustic sensor including: first and second portions arranged in a first direction, each including: a flexible substrate and a plurality of bimorph cells arranged on a surface of the flexible substrate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, each of the bimorph cells having input/output terminals, and a connecting substrate extending in the first direction for connecting the first substrate to the second substrate to maintain a distance between the first and second portions. In this case, the connecting substrate may include a flexible cable including a connector and wires for connecting the connecter to each of bimorph cells of the first and second portions.
According to the present invention there is also provided a second acoustic sensor including: a sound generation and sound detection portions arranged in a first direction, the sound generation portion including: a flexible substrate; and a plurality of bimorph cells arranged on a surface of the flexible substrate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, each of the bimorph cells having input/output terminals, the sound detection portion including: a flexible piezoelectric plastic substrate including an island portion and a bar portion extending from the island portion in the second direction, a tip of the bar portion opposite to the island portion being connected to the flexible substrate; and electrodes on the island portion for detecting the sound from the sound generation portion via a living body and outputting a sound detection signal, a distance between the sound generation portion and the sound detection portion maintained by the bar portion.
According to the present invention there is also provided a living body measuring apparatus comprising:
an acoustic sensor including: a sound generating portion and a second receiving portion arranged in a first direction, each including: a flexible substrate; and a plurality of bimorph cells arranged on a surface of the flexible substrate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, each of the bimorph cells having input/output terminals, and a connecting substrate extending in the first direction for connecting the first substrate to the second substrate to maintain a distance between the sound generating portion and the sound receiving portions; a reference signal generating circuit for generating a reference signal; a driving circuit responsive to the reference signal generating circuit for generating and supplying a driving signal to at least one of the bimorph cells of the sound generating portion to induce a sound signal in a living body, at least one of the bimorph cells of the sound receiving portion receiving the sound signal transmitting through the living body and generating a sound detection signal; and a phase detecting circuit for detecting a phase difference between the reference signal and the sound detection signal and outputting the phase difference data.
In this case, one of the bimorph cells of the sound generating portion is arranged adjacent to the one of bimorph cells of the sound generating portion supplied with the drive signal as a level detecting bimorph cell to detect the sound signal transmitting through the living body and the controlling circuit for detecting a level of the sound signal from
Fukukita Hiroshi
Hagiwara Hisashi
Connolly Bove & Lodge & Hutz LLP
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Pihulic Daniel T.
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