Electrical generator or motor structure – Non-dynamoelectric – Piezoelectric elements and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-23
2001-10-23
Budd, Mark O. (Department: 2834)
Electrical generator or motor structure
Non-dynamoelectric
Piezoelectric elements and devices
C310S334000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06307303
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ultrasound transmitting configuration including at least one ultrasound generating device for exposing a medium which has an acoustic medium impedance and a medium speed of sound to ultrasonic waves. The ultrasound generating device has at least two ultrasound transducers which can be excited through actuating electrodes in order to emit ultrasound and which have an acoustic transducer impedance. The ultrasound transducers are separated from one another and disposed alongside one another. An ultrasound lens having an acoustic lens impedance and a lens speed of sound is disposed between the ultrasound generating device and the medium. The ultrasound generating device is acoustically coupled on a coupling side to the ultrasound lens.
Such an ultrasound transmitting configuration is disclosed in German Published, Prosecuted Patent Application 26 09 425.
German Published, Non-Prosecuted Patent Application DE 38 07 568 A1 discloses an ultrasound transmitting configuration for exposing a medium which has an acoustic medium impedance and a medium speed of sound to ultrasonic waves through the use of at least one ultrasound generating device. The ultrasound generating device has at least two ultrasound transducers which can be excited through common actuating electrodes in order to emit ultrasound and which have an acoustic transducer impedance. The ultrasound transducers are separated from one another and disposed alongside one another. An ultrasound lens having an acoustic lens impedance and a lens speed of sound is disposed between the ultrasound generating device and the medium. The ultrasound generating device is acoustically coupled on a coupling side to the ultrasound lens. The ultrasound transducers are associated with a common actuating element.
German Patent DE 195 07 478 C1 discloses an ultrasound transmitting configuration for exposing a medium which has an acoustic medium impedance and a medium speed of sound to ultrasonic waves through the use of at least one ultrasound generating device. The ultrasound generating device has at least two ultrasound transducers which can be excited through actuating electrodes in order to emit ultrasound and which have an acoustic transducer impedance. The ultrasound transducers are separated from one another. An ultrasound lens having an acoustic lens impedance and a lens speed of sound is disposed between the ultrasound generating device and the medium. The ultrasound generating device is acoustically coupled on a coupling side to the ultrasound lens.
A scientific paper entitled “Beam Steering of Shock Waves Using 30 cm Diameter Bidimensional Array”, in the 1994 IEEE Ultrasonics Symposium Proceedings, p. 1801-1804, by D. Cathignol and A. Birer, discloses an ultrasound transmitting configuration for exposing a medium which has an acoustic medium impedance and a medium speed of sound to ultrasonic waves through the use of an ultrasound generating device. The ultrasound generating device has at least two ultrasound transducers which can be excited through actuating electrodes in order to emit ultrasound and which have an acoustic transducer impedance. The ultrasound transducers are separated from one another.
The efficiency of the ultrasound transmitting configurations in the prior art is relatively low. Furthermore, the actuation of the ultrasound transmitting configuration is frequently very complex, due to the large number of ultrasound transducers to be actuated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an ultrasound transmitting configuration, which overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type, which has improved efficiency for conversion of electrical energy into ultrasound energy and which at the same time has simplified acoustic coupling.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, an ultrasound transmitting configuration, comprising at least one ultrasound generating device for exposing a medium having an acoustic medium impedance and a medium speed of sound to ultrasonic waves, the at least one ultrasound generating device having a coupling side, and the at least one ultrasound generating device including at least two mutually separated ultrasound transducers disposed alongside one another and having an acoustic transducer impedance; actuating electrodes for exciting the at least two ultrasound transducers to emit ultrasound; an ultrasound lens acoustically coupled to the coupling side of the at least one ultrasound generating device, the ultrasound lens disposed between the at least one ultrasound generating device and the medium, and the ultrasound lens having an acoustic lens impedance and a lens speed of sound; the ultrasound transducers extending over a transducer depth toward the medium, extending toward one another over a transducer width, and extending at right angles to the transducer depth as well as to the transducer width over a transducer length, the transducer width being at most as great as the transducer depth, and the transducer length being greater than the transducer depth; and a common actuating element associated with the ultrasound transducers, for actuating the ultrasound transducers jointly and in the same way.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the efficiency for conversion of electrical energy to ultrasound energy is particularly high if the ratio of the transducer width to the transducer depth is between 0.5 and 0.7.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, if the ratio of the transducer length to the transducer depth is at least 5.0, and is preferably at least 10.0, a relatively large-area ultrasound generating device can be produced with a small number of ultrasound transducers.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, if the ultrasound transducers are connected directly to the ultrasound lens, this results in particularly good and simple coupling of the ultrasound transducers to the ultrasound lens.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the mechanical construction of the ultrasound transmitting configuration is particularly simple if the ultrasound lens is constructed as a supporting element for the ultrasound transducers.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, a particularly large proportion of the ultrasound power emitted by the ultrasound transducers can be coupled into the ultrasound lens, if the lens impedance is between one third of the transducer impedance and the transducer impedance.
In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, the lens speed of sound is greater than the medium speed of sound.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the ultrasound lens is fitted on an emission side, which is opposite the coupling side, with at least one matching layer for matching the lens impedance to the medium impedance, in a similar way to a heat-treated optical lens. In this way, a particularly high proportion of the ultrasound can be coupled into the medium.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in an ultrasound transmitting configuration, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 35011 (1995-08-01), Wersing et al.
patent: 3971962 (1976-07-01), Green
patent: 4305014 (1981-12-01), Borburgh et al.
patent: 4385255 (1983-05-01), Ya
Bechtold Mario
Granz Bernd
Hammerbacher Hermann
Heindel Hans-Peter
Newerla Klaus
Budd Mark O.
Greenberg Laurence A.
Lerner Herbert L.
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Stemer Werner H.
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