# US 10,441,247 B2 · High volume manufacture of single element ultrasound transducers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,441,247 B2 - Document ID: US10441247B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/031,755 - Filed: 2014-10-29 - Published: 2016-09-15 - Granted: 2019-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-04 - Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V. - Applicants: Koninklijke Philips N.V. - Inventors: Dennis Dean Clark; Barry Carl Scheirer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10441247B2 ## CPC - A61B 8/4483: {characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer} - A61B 8/4272: {involving the acoustic interface between the transducer and the tissue} - B06B 1/0644: {using a single piezoelectric element (B06B1/0688 takes precedence)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - B06B: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OF INFRASONIC, SONIC, OR ULTRASONIC FREQUENCY, {e.g.} FOR PERFORMING MECHANICAL WORK IN GENERAL (for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. B07B1/40, B23Q17/12, B24B31/06; measurement of mechanical vibrations G01H; in direction finding, locating, distance or velocity measuring G01S; {generating seismic energy G01V1/02}; control of mechanical vibrations in general G05D; sound-producing devices, e.g. bells, sirens, whistles G10K, {e.g. methods or devices for transmitting, conducting, or directing sound in general G10K11/00}; generation of electrical oscillations H03B; electromechanical resonators in general H03H; electromechanical transducers {for communication techniques, e.g. microphones, speakers} H04R) ## Abstract A single element ultrasound transducer is fabricated from a laminate plate which produces multiple transducer elements simultaneously. The laminate plate includes the piezo ceramic, matching layer, and backing layer with rear electrode. The laminate plate is diced while mounted on nitto tape to retain the individual elements in position after dicing. The sides of the elements are covered with an insulating coating, which permits the transducer elements to be surface mounted on flex circuit by bonding the rear electrode to a signal conductor of the flex circuit and the matching layer to a return conductor by metallically coating the mounted transducer element and return conductor on the flex circuit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A single element ultrasonic transducer assembly comprising: a piezo ceramic element having a front surface, a rear surface and sides and comprising a piezo ceramic layer, a front matching layer, and a rear backing layer; an insulating coating formed over the sides of the piezo ceramic element and extending from the front surface to the rear backing layer; and a flex circuit on which the piezo ceramic element is surface mounted by electrical bonding of the rear backing layer to a flex circuit signal conductor and electrical bonding of the front matching layer to a flex circuit return conductor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The single element ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 1, wherein the rear backing layer comprises a signal electrode located on the rear surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The single element ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 2, wherein the front matching layer comprises an electrically conductive matching layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The single element ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 1, wherein the insulating coating comprises a parylene coating. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The single element ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 4, wherein the insulating coating further comprises a window for electrically accessing the rear backing layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The single element ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 1, wherein the insulating coating comprises a coating of non conductive epoxy. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The single element ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 1, wherein the piezo ceramic element is one of a plurality of piezo ceramic elements diced from a piezo ceramic laminate plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The single element ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 1, further comprising three additional piezo ceramic elements surface mounted on the flex circuit and arranged so that one piezo ceramic element is positioned as an end-fired single element transducer and the other three piezo ceramic elements are positioned as radially fired single element transducers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The single element ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 1, further comprising three additional flex circuits on which three additional piezo ceramic elements are mounted, the flex circuits with mounted piezo ceramic elements being positioned so that one is an end-fired single element transducer and the other three piezo ceramic elements are positioned as radially fired single element transducers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The single element ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 9, wherein the flex circuits with mounted piezo ceramic elements are mounted on a distal insert. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The single element ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 10, wherein the flex circuits and piezo ceramic elements are further covered with an acoustic window. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The single element ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 11 wherein the acoustic window is further covered with a catheter tip enclosure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A catheter comprising the single element ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 1. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The single element ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 1, further comprising a metallized electrode material on the front matching layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The single element ultrasonic transducer assembly of claim 1, wherein the piezo ceramic element is connected to a coax line.