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US 11,890,140 B2Granted
Ultrasound transducer assembly
AssigneeFujifilm Sonosite, Inc.
InventorsWei Li, Gregg Frey, Simon Hsu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Ultrasound transducer assemblies and associated systems and method are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an ultrasound transducer assembly includes at least one matching layer overlies a transducer layer. A plurality of kerfs extends at least into the matching layer. In some aspects, the kerfs are at least partially filled with a filler material that includes microballoons and/or microspheres.
Claims20
An ultrasound transducer assembly, comprising:
- a piezoelectric layer comprising a plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements configured emit ultrasound energy;
- a plurality of matching layers overlaying the piezoelectric layer, wherein a Z-axis extends through the plurality of matching layers and the piezoelectric layer;
- a plurality of first kerfs and a plurality of second kerfs extending into at least the plurality of matching layers, wherein the first kerfs have a first depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second kerfs have a second depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth, and wherein the kerfs are at least partially filled with a composite filler material comprising two or more materials, wherein the piezoelectric layer and the plurality of matching layers have a length extending along an azimuthal axis, and
- a groove formed into the composite filler material, wherein the first and second kerfs have a first width relative to the azimuthal axis, and wherein the groove has a second width relative to the azimuthal axis less than the first width.
1 more element
An ultrasound transducer assembly, comprising:
- a piezoelectric layer comprising a plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements configured emit ultrasound energy;
- a plurality of matching layers overlaying the piezoelectric layer, wherein a Z-axis extends through the plurality of matching layers and the piezoelectric layer;
- and
- a plurality of first kerfs and a plurality of second kerfs extending into at least the plurality of matching layers, wherein the first kerfs have a first depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second kerfs have a second depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth, wherein the kerfs are at least partially filled with a composite filler material comprising two or more materials, and wherein the composite filler material has an acoustic impedance within about 10% of the acoustic impedance of air.
1 more element
An ultrasound transducer assembly, comprising:
- a piezoelectric layer comprising a plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements configured emit ultrasound energy;
- a plurality of matching layers overlaying the piezoelectric layer, wherein a Z-axis extends through the plurality of matching layers and the piezoelectric layer;
- and
- a plurality of first kerfs and a plurality of second kerfs extending into at least the plurality of matching layers, wherein the first kerfs have a first depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second kerfs have a second depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth, and wherein the kerfs are at least partially filled with a composite filler material comprising two or more materials, wherein the piezoelectric layer and the plurality of matching layers have a length extending along an azimuthal axis, and wherein the first depths and the second depths of the composite filler materials in corresponding individual first and second kerfs vary relative to the azimuthal axis.
1 more element
An ultrasound transducer assembly, comprising:
- a piezoelectric layer comprising a plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements configured emit ultrasound energy;
- a plurality of matching layers overlaying the piezoelectric layer, wherein a Z-axis extends through the plurality of matching layers and the piezoelectric layer;
- and
- a plurality of first kerfs and a plurality of second kerfs extending into at least the plurality of matching layers, wherein the first kerfs have a first depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second kerfs have a second depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth, and wherein the kerfs are at least partially filled with a composite filler material comprising two or more materials, wherein the piezoelectric layer and the plurality of matching layers have a width extending along an elevation axis, wherein the first depths and the second depths of the composite filler materials in corresponding individual first and second kerfs vary relative to the elevation axis.
1 more element
An ultrasound transducer assembly, comprising:
- a piezoelectric layer comprising a plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements configured emit ultrasound energy;
- a plurality of matching layers overlaying the piezoelectric layer, wherein a Z-axis extends through the plurality of matching layers and the piezoelectric layer;
- and
- a plurality of first kerfs and a plurality of second kerfs extending into at least the plurality of matching layers, wherein the first kerfs have a first depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second kerfs have a second depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth, and wherein the kerfs are at least partially filled with a composite filler material comprising two or more materials, wherein the composite filler material has a graduated acoustical impedance with respect to the z-axis.
1 more element
A method to manufacture an ultrasound transducer assembly, comprising:
- forming a piezoelectric layer comprising a plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements configured emit ultrasound energy;
- forming a plurality of matching layers overlaying the piezoelectric layer, wherein a Z-axis extends through the plurality of matching layers and the piezoelectric layer;
- forming a plurality of first kerfs and a plurality of second kerfs extending into at least the plurality of matching layers, wherein the first kerfs have a first depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second kerfs have a second depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth, and wherein the kerfs are at least partially filled with a composite filler material comprising two or more materials, wherein the piezoelectric layer and the plurality of matching layers have a length extending along an azimuthal axis, and
- forming a groove into the composite filler material, wherein the first and second kerfs have a first width relative to the azimuthal axis, and wherein the groove has a second width relative to the azimuthal axis less than the first width.
1 more element
A method to manufacture an ultrasound transducer assembly, comprising:
- forming a piezoelectric layer comprising a plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements configured emit ultrasound energy;
- forming a plurality of matching layers overlaying the piezoelectric layer, wherein a Z-axis extends through the plurality of matching layers and the piezoelectric layer;
- and
- forming a plurality of first kerfs and a plurality of second kerfs extending into at least the plurality of matching layers, wherein the first kerfs have a first depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second kerfs have a second depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth, wherein the kerfs are at least partially filled with a composite filler material comprising two or more materials, and wherein the composite filler material has an acoustic impedance within about 10% of the acoustic impedance of air.
1 more element
A method to manufacture an ultrasound transducer assembly, comprising:
- forming a piezoelectric layer comprising a plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements configured emit ultrasound energy;
- forming a plurality of matching layers overlaying the piezoelectric layer, wherein a Z-axis extends through the plurality of matching layers and the piezoelectric layer;
- and
- forming a plurality of first kerfs and a plurality of second kerfs extending into at least the plurality of matching layers, wherein the first kerfs have a first depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second kerfs have a second depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth, and wherein the kerfs are at least partially filled with a composite filler material comprising two or more materials, wherein the piezoelectric layer and the plurality of matching layers have a length extending along an azimuthal axis, and wherein the first depths and the second depths of the composite filler materials in corresponding individual first and second kerfs vary relative to the azimuthal axis.
1 more element
A method to manufacture an ultrasound transducer assembly, comprising:
- forming a piezoelectric layer comprising a plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements configured emit ultrasound energy;
- forming a plurality of matching layers overlaying the piezoelectric layer, wherein a Z-axis extends through the plurality of matching layers and the piezoelectric layer;
- and
- forming a plurality of first kerfs and a plurality of second kerfs extending into at least the plurality of matching layers, wherein the first kerfs have a first depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second kerfs have a second depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth, and wherein the kerfs are at least partially filled with a composite filler material comprising two or more materials, wherein the piezoelectric layer and the plurality of matching layers have a width extending along an elevation axis, and wherein the first depths and the second depths of the composite filler materials in corresponding individual first and second kerfs vary relative to the elevation axis.
1 more element
A method to manufacture an ultrasound transducer assembly, comprising:
- forming a piezoelectric layer comprising a plurality of piezoelectric transducer elements configured emit ultrasound energy;
- forming a plurality of matching layers overlaying the piezoelectric layer, wherein a Z-axis extends through the plurality of matching layers and the piezoelectric layer;
- and
- forming a plurality of first kerfs and a plurality of second kerfs extending into at least the plurality of matching layers, wherein the first kerfs have a first depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second kerfs have a second depth with respect to the Z-axis, wherein the second depth is greater than the first depth, and wherein the kerfs are at least partially filled with a composite filler material comprising two or more materials, wherein the composite filler material has a graduated acoustical impedance with respect to the z-axis.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.