Piezoelectric transducer device with lens structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9789515-B2
Application number	US-201414292445-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2014
Priority date	May 30, 2014
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

In an embodiment, a probe device includes a portion having a curved surface and a plurality of tiles variously coupled to the curved surface. The tiles each include a plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements and a base adjoining and supporting the plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements. The probe device further comprises curved lens portions each coupled to a respective one of the plurality of tiles, wherein for each of the tiles, the plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements of the tile are to propagate a wave toward the respective curved lens portion. In another embodiment, the probe device further comprises a sheath material surrounding the curved lens portions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A probe device comprising:
a main body portion including a convex surface formed in a cross-sectional plane which extends through the probe device;
a plurality of tiles each coupled to the main body portion via the convex surface, wherein, in the cross-sectional plane, the plurality of tiles are distributed around the main body portion, the plurality of tiles each including:
a plurality of microelectromechanical piezoelectric transducer elements; and
a base including a first flat side adjoining and supporting the plurality of microelectromechanical piezoelectric transducer elements, wherein the first flat side faces away from the convex surface; and

a lens structure which extends around the main body portion in the cross-sectional plane, the lens structure including curved lens portions each coupled to a respective one of the plurality of tiles, wherein, in the cross-sectional plane, the curved lens portions are distributed around the main body portion and each of the curved lens portions adjoins a respective other of the curved lens portions, wherein, for each tile of the plurality of tiles, the plurality of microelectromechanical piezoelectric transducer elements of the tile are to propagate a wave away from the convex surface and toward the respective curved lens portion;

wherein, for each of the curved lens portions, a concavity of the lens portion or a convexity of the lens portion ends in a region between the respective tile and a corresponding other tile closest to the respective tile.

2. The probe device of claim 1 , wherein the curved lens portions include multiple distinct concave lens portions.

3. The probe device of claim 2 , wherein the multiple distinct concave lens portions comprise a room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) silicone rubber.

4. The probe device of claim 1 , wherein the curved lens portions include multiple distinct convex lens portions.

5. The probe device of claim 4 , wherein the multiple distinct convex lens portions comprise an epoxy encapsulant material.

6. The probe device of claim 1 , further comprising a sheath material surrounding the curved lens portions.

7. The probe device of claim 1 , wherein for one of the curved lens portions, a cross-sectional profile of the lens portion conforms to one of a circular shape, an elliptical shape and a parabolic shape.

8. The probe device of claim 1 , wherein the curved lens portions are contiguous with one another.

9. The probe device of claim 1 , further comprising a frame coupling the lens portions to one another and to a shaft of the probe.

10. The probe device of claim 1 , further comprising a flexible substrate extending around a periphery of the main body portion, wherein the plurality of tiles are coupled to the main body portion via the flexible substrate.

11. A system comprising:
a probe device of any of claims 1 through 10 ;
receiving means coupled to the probe device to receive electrical response signals from the probe device; and

signal processing means coupled to the receiving means to process the electrical response signals received from the probe device.

Assignees

• Hajati Arman
• Fujifilm Dimatix Inc

Inventors

• Hajati Arman

Classifications

• G01N29/34

  Generating the ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves {, e.g. electronic circuits specially adapted therefor} · CPC title

• G10K11/30

  using refraction, e.g. acoustic lenses · CPC title

• B06B1/0633

  Cylindrical array · CPC title

• G01N2291/106

  one or more transducer arrays · CPC title

• B06B1/0622 Primary

  on one surface · CPC title