# US 2013/0158453 A1 · Mechanical wave generator and method thereof

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- Number: US 2013/0158453 A1
- Document ID: US20130158453A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/819,575
- Filed: 2011-08-29
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2010-08-27
- Assignees: Socpra Sciences Et Genie S.E.C.
- Inventors: Martin Brouillette; Steven Dion; Louis-Philippe Riel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130158453A1

## CPC

- A61H 1/00: Apparatus for passive exercising (A61H5/00 takes precedence); Vibrating apparatus; Chiropractic devices, e.g. body impacting devices, external devices for briefly extending or aligning unbroken bones
- A61B 17/225: for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy [ESWL], e.g. by using ultrasonic waves
- B06B 3/00: Methods or apparatus specially adapted for transmitting mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency
- G10K 15/02: Synthesis of acoustic waves (synthesis of speech G10L13/00)
- G10K 15/043: {producing shock waves (G10K15/046, G10K15/06 take precedence; generating seismic energy G01V1/02)}
- A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N)
- 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)
- G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A wave generator has a wave emitter including an elongated dispersive waveguide and a source operatively connected to a first end of the waveguide. The source covers at least partially a surface area thereof. A signal generator is in operative connection with the transducer to create electrical signals. A computer is in operative connection with the signal generator to cause it to generate the electrical signals. A mechanical input wave is created by the source at the first end of the waveguide. The mechanical input wave is constructed independently of data related to a mechanical wave received from a source in the medium and taking into account the different predetermined propagation velocities of at least two component waves of the mechanical input wave so that they combine with each other at a second end of the waveguide to form the desired mechanical output wave in the medium.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A wave generator for emitting a desired mechanical output wave into a medium, the wave generator comprising:
a wave emitter including:
an elongated dispersive waveguide having a first end and a second end, when in operation the second end being at least partially in contact with the medium; and
a source operatively connected to the first end of the dispersive waveguide covering at least partially a surface area of the first end, the source being operative to generate a mechanical input wave in the dispersive waveguide based on electrical signals input to the source;
a signal generator in operative connection with the source, the signal generator being operative to create the electrical signals convertible by the source into the mechanical input wave in the dispersive waveguide; and
a computer in operative connection with the signal generator, the computer having a processor and a machine-readable storage medium, the machine-readable storage medium containing instructions that when executed by the processor causes the signal generator to create electrical signals convertible by the source into the mechanical input wave,
the mechanical input wave having at least two component waves, each of at least two of the component waves having a unique predetermined propagation velocity through the dispersive waveguide,
at least two of the component waves having different predetermined propagation velocities through the dispersive waveguide, the mechanical input wave being constructed (i) independently of data related to a mechanical wave received from a source in the medium and (ii) taking into account the different predetermined propagation velocities of the at least two component waves so that the at least two component waves combine at least partially with each other at the second end of the dispersive waveguide to form the desired mechanical output wave emitted into the medium.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The wave generator of claim 1, wherein the mechanical input wave has a first duration in time, the desired mechanical output wave has a second duration in time, and the first duration in time is longer than the second duration in time.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The wave generator of claim 1, wherein the mechanical input wave has a first amplitude, the desired mechanical output wave has a second amplitude, and the second amplitude is greater than the first amplitude.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The wave generator of claim 1, wherein the at least two component waves have an associated frequency and an associated mode of the waveguide, the at least two component waves have different associated frequencies, and the at least two component waves have a same associated mode.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The wave generator of claim 4, wherein the same associated mode is a single mode of the waveguide.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The wave generator of claim 5, wherein the single mode is a fundamental longitudinal mode of the waveguide.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The wave generator of claim 1, wherein the at least two component waves have each an associated frequency and an associated mode of the waveguide, the at least two component waves have different associated modes, and the at least two component waves have a same associated frequency.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The wave generator of claim 1, wherein the source is a transducer.

### Claim 9

(canceled)

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The wave generator of claim 1, wherein the source covers at least an entirety of the surface area of the first end of the dispersive waveguide.

### Claim 11

(canceled)

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The wave generator of claim 1, further comprising at least one of an acoustic impedance coupler and an acoustic lens operatively connected to the second end of the dispersive waveguide.

### Claim at position 13

-18. (canceled)

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The wave generator of claim 1, wherein the desired mechanical output wave is focused.

### Claim at position 15

-23. (canceled)

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The wave generator of claim 1, wherein the source is a bi-directional source, and is further operative to generate output electrical signals from a reverse direction mechanical wave, the reverse direction mechanical wave propagating through the dispersive waveguide from the second end to the first end of the dispersive waveguide; and
the wave generator further comprising:
a switch in operative connection with the bi-directional source, the switch being operative to separate input electric signals to be input to the bidirectional source from output electric signals out from the bi-directional source; and
a digitizer in operative connection with the switch and with the computer, the digitizer being operative to digitize the output electrical signals for use by the computer.

### Claim 25

A wave generator for emitting a desired mechanical output wave into a medium, the wave generator comprising:
a wave emitter including:
an elongated dispersive waveguide having a first end and a second end, when in operation the second end being at least partially in contact with the medium; and
a source operatively connected to the first end of the dispersive waveguide covering at least partially a surface area of the first end, the source being operative to generate a mechanical input wave in the dispersive waveguide based on electrical signals input to the source;
a signal generator in operative connection with the source, the signal generator being operative to create the electrical signals convertible by the source into the mechanical input wave in the dispersive waveguide; and
a computer in operative connection with the signal generator, the computer having a processor and a machine-readable storage medium, the machine-readable storage medium containing instructions that when executed by the processor causes the signal generator to create electrical signals convertible by the source into the mechanical input wave,
the mechanical input wave having at least two component waves, each of the at least two component waves having a unique associated predetermined propagation velocity through the dispersive waveguide, the at least two component waves having a first relative phase shift, the first relative phase shift being determined so as to be become, at the second end of the dispersive waveguide, a second relative phase shift different from the first relative phase shift owing to the predetermined propagation velocities through the dispersive waveguide of the at least two component waves.

### Claim at position 18

-28. (canceled)

### Claim 29

A method of emitting a desired mechanical output wave into a medium, the method comprising:
providing an elongated dispersive waveguide having a first end and a second end, the second end being at least partially in contact with the medium;
determining the desired mechanical output wave;
determining a mechanical input wave, the mechanical input wave having at least two component waves, each of at least two of the component waves having a unique predetermined propagation velocity through the dispersive waveguide, the mechanical input wave when inputted at the first end of the dispersive waveguide and once having propagated through the dispersive waveguide combining at least partially at the second end of the dispersive waveguide to form the desired mechanical output wave, the mechanical input wave being constructed (i) independently of data related to a mechanical wave received from a source in the medium and (ii) taking into account the different predetermined propagation velocities of the at least two component waves;
generating the mechanical input wave at the first end of the dispersive waveguide;
allowing the mechanical input wave to propagate through the dispersive waveguide toward the second end;
combining the mechanical input wave to form the desired mechanical output wave at the second end of the dispersive waveguide owing to differences in the predetermined propagation velocities of the at least two component waves; and
emitting the desired mechanical output wave into the medium at the second end of the dispersive waveguide.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, wherein combining the mechanical input wave having a first duration in time to form the desired mechanical output wave having a second duration in time includes shortening the first duration in time into the second duration in time.

### Claim 31

(canceled)

### Claim 32 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, wherein the at least two component waves have an associated frequency and an associated mode of the waveguide, the at least two component waves have different associated frequencies, and the at least two component waves have a same associated mode.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32, wherein the same associated mode is a single mode of the waveguide.

### Claim 34

(canceled)

### Claim 35 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, wherein the at least two component waves have each an associated frequency and an associated mode of the waveguide, the at least two component waves have different associated modes, and the at least two component waves have a same associated frequency.

### Claim at position 26

-50. (canceled)

### Claim 51 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, further comprising:
determining a cut-off amplitude;
saturating the input electrical signal to the cut-off amplitude to become a saturated signal; and
amplifying at least a portion of the saturated signal,
before inputting the input electrical signal to the source.

### Claim 52 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, wherein generating the mechanical input wave at the first end of the dispersive waveguide includes:
generating an input electrical signal corresponding to the mechanical input wave; and
inputting the input electrical signal to a source disposed at the first end of the dispersive waveguide, the source transforming the input signal into the mechanical input wave.

### Claim 53

A method of emitting a desired mechanical output wave into a medium, the method comprising:
providing an elongated dispersive waveguide having a first end and a second end, the second end being at least partially in contact with the medium;
determining the desired mechanical output wave;
determining a mechanical input wave, the mechanical input wave having at least two component waves, each of the at least two component waves having a unique associated predetermined propagation velocity through the dispersive waveguide, the at least two component waves having a first relative phase shift, the first relative phase shift being determined so as to be become, at the second end of the dispersive waveguide, a second relative phase shift different from the first relative phase shift owing to the predetermined propagation velocities through the dispersive waveguide of the at least two component waves;
generating the mechanical input wave at the first end of the dispersive waveguide;
allowing the mechanical input wave to propagate through the dispersive waveguide toward the second end;
combining the mechanical input wave to form the desired mechanical output wave at the second end of the dispersive waveguide owing to differences in the predetermined propagation velocities of the at least two component waves; and
emitting the desired mechanical output wave into the medium at the second end of the dispersive waveguide.