EP 0031614 A1 19810708 - Curved array of sequenced ultrasound transducers.
Title (en)
Curved array of sequenced ultrasound transducers.
Title (de)
Bogenförmige Anordnung mehrerer Ultraschallwandler.
Title (fr)
Réseau courbe de transducteurs ultrasoniques.
Publication
Application
Priority
US 10451679 A 19791217
Abstract (en)
An array of ultrasound transducers for pulsed sector-scan operation includes a plurality of transducer elements disposed on an arc of a circle and oriented to emit and receive ultrasound radiation in the direction of the center of the arc. A group of adjacent transducers within the array is active for each ultrasound pulse. The position of the group in the array is incrementally shifted along the arc, one transducer at a time, to effect scanning. The inherent focussing affect of a curved group of transducers is compensated with time delays or a negative lens to provide a parallel, sector-scanned radiation beam. The array may be manufactured by cutting grooves (620) in a solid bar of piezoelectric ceramic (600), casting flexible matching windows (615) on the front surface of the grooved bar, bending the grooved bar around a mandrel (650) to separate individual transducer elements (630) from each other and casting a foam air cell (660) over the back of the elements to retain them in place.
IPC 1-7
IPC 8 full level
A61B 8/00 (2006.01); G10K 11/02 (2006.01); G10K 11/34 (2006.01); H04R 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC (source: EP)
G10K 11/02 (2013.01); G10K 11/345 (2013.01)
Citation (search report)
- GB 1553933 A 19791017 - TOKYO SHIBAURA ELECTRIC CO
- ULTRASONICS, Vol. 16, No. 5, September 1978 GUILDFORD (GB) Industrial News" "Transducers for Control Applications" pages 197-198 * the whole article *
- ULTRASONICS, Vol. 14, No. 1, January 1976 GUILDFORD (GB) WHITTINGHAM: "A hand-held electronically switched array for rapid ultrasonic scanning" pages 29-33 * page 29, right-hand column, chapter: "Probe design and construction" to page 30, right-hand column, paragraph 3; figures 1-3 *
Designated contracting state (EPC)
DE FR GB IT SE
DOCDB simple family (publication)
EP 0031614 A1 19810708; EP 0031614 B1 19841024; EP 0031614 B2 19900718; CA 1152729 A 19830830; DE 3069525 D1 19841129; ES 497752 A0 19810916; ES 8107014 A1 19810916; JP H0452040 B2 19920820; JP S56103598 A 19810818
DOCDB simple family (application)
EP 80201181 A 19801209; CA 366878 A 19801216; DE 3069525 T 19801209; ES 497752 A 19801215; JP 17527380 A 19801213