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US 10,369,386 B2Granted
Ultrasound transducer for selectively generating ultrasound waves and heat
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips N.V.
InventorsChristianus Martinus Van Heesch, Aleksey Kolesnychenko
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Abstract
An ultrasound transducer is configured to be driven at multiple frequencies including a main frequency for efficient production of ultrasound waves and at least one alternative frequency, at which little or no ultrasound is generated and rather heat is generated in the ultrasound transducer for heating a sample.
Claims20
A method of operating an ultrasound transducer for analysis of a sample, comprising acts of:
- providing the ultrasound transducer capable of being operated using at least two frequencies including a main frequency and at least one alternative frequency;
- and
- controlling the ultrasound transducer to operate
- at the main frequency for generating ultrasound waves to primarily couple ultrasound waves into the sample;
- and
- at one alternative frequency of the at least one alternative frequency to primarily generate heat in the ultrasound transducer for heating the ultrasound transducer for heating the sample by thermal conduction of the heat from the heated ultrasound transducer to the sample, wherein an impedance of the ultrasound transducer at the one alternative frequency is greater than the impedance at the main frequency to generate the heat in the ultrasound transducer based on the increased impedance of the ultrasound transducer at the one alternative frequency.
3 more elements
An ultrasound transducer comprising:
- a transducer element;
- and
- a controller configured to selectively drive the transducer element using a main frequency to primarily generate ultrasound waves for emission from the transducer element, and to selectively drive the transducer element using at least one alternative frequency different from the main frequency to primarily generate heat in the ultrasound transducer for heating the ultrasound transducer for transfer of the heat by thermal conduction from the heated ultrasound transducer to a sample, wherein an impedance of the ultrasound transducer at the at least one alternative frequency is greater than the impedance at the main frequency to generate the heat in the ultrasound transducer based on the increased impedance of the ultrasound transducer at the at least one alternative frequency.
A system for sample analysis, comprising:
- at least one sample holder;
- and
- at least one ultrasound transducer having a transducer element and a controller configured to selectively drive the transducer element using a main frequency to primarily generate ultrasound waves for emission from the transducer element, and to selectively drive the transducer element using at least one alternative frequency different from the main frequency to primarily generate heat in the ultrasound transducer for heating the ultrasound transducer,
- wherein the ultrasound transducer is heat-conductively coupled to a sample inserted in the at least one sample holder for transfer of the heat by thermal conduction from the heated ultrasound transducer to the sample, wherein an impedance of the ultrasound transducer at the at least one alternative frequency is greater than the impedance at the main frequency to generate the heat in the ultrasound transducer based on the increased impedance of the ultrasound transducer at the at least one alternative frequency.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.