Method and apparatus for acoustical power transfer and communication using steel wedges

A method of transmitting at least one of power and signals along a substrate using shear waves, the method comprising:

• providing a transmitting arrangement and a receiving arrangement spaced apart on a substrate;
• wherein the transmitting arrangement comprises a transmitting wedge and a transmitting transducer coupled to the transmitting wedge, and wherein the receiving arrangement comprises a receiving wedge and a receiving transducer coupled to the receiving wedge;
• wherein the transmitting transducer comprises a flat transmitting face for emitting shear waves, the transmitting face of the transmitting transducer being coupled to an angled face of the transmitting wedge;
• wherein the transmitting face of the transmitting transducer is normal to an angle Θ with respect to the surface of the substrate which the transmitting wedge is coupled to;
• wherein the angle Θ is an angle of at least 65 degrees and not more than 89 degrees;
• producing tangential shear waves via the transmit transducer at angle Θ, with said shear waves propagating through the transmitting wedge and into the receiving wedge, with said shear waves being received by the receiving transducer;
• and
• wherein said shear waves substantially remain shear waves as they pass through the transmitting wedge.

An arrangement for transmitting at least one of power and signals along a pipe using shear waves, the arrangement comprising:

• a transmitting arrangement and a receiving arrangement spaced apart on the pipe;
• wherein the transmitting arrangement comprises a transmitting wedge and a transmitting transducer coupled to the transmitting wedge, and wherein the receiving arrangement comprises a receiving wedge and a receiving transducer coupled to the receiving wedge;
• wherein the transmitting transducer is a shear wave transducer, and is positioned on the transmitting wedge so that, in operation, the transmitting transducer will send shear wave vibrations into the transmitting wedge;
• wherein the transmitting transducer comprises a flat transmitting face for emitting shear waves, the transmitting face of the transmitting transducer being coupled to an angled face of the transmitting wedge;
• wherein the transmitting face of the transmitting transducer is normal to an angle Θ with respect to the surface of the pipe which the transmitting wedge is coupled to;
• wherein the angle Θ is an angle of at least 65 degrees and not more than 89 degrees;
• and
• wherein the transmitting wedge, the pipe, and the receiving wedge collectively form an acoustic channel, the channel being capable of carrying shear wave vibrations between the transmitting transducer and the receiving transducer.