# US 2017/0281128 A1 · Ultrasound transducer for imaging systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0281128 A1 - Document ID: US20170281128A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/087,417 - Filed: 2016-03-31 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-31 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Reinhold Bruestle; Jean-Francois Gelly; Bruno Hans Haider - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170281128A1 ## CPC - A61B 8/4477: {using several separate ultrasound transducers or probes} - A61B 8/4494: {characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements} - A61B 8/4488: {the transducer being a phased array} - B06B 1/0662: {with an electrode on the sensitive surface} - A61B 2562/12: Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements - 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 transducer array for an ultrasound probe is provided. The transducer array includes a plurality of transducer elements. Each of the transducer elements have an acoustic stack configured to generate ultrasound signals. The transducer array includes a front layer having a base and a transmission surface. The front layer is mounted to the acoustic stacks of the plurality or transducer elements. The transmission surface includes a linear incline. The transmission surface is configured to emit the ultrasound signals. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A transducer array for an ultrasound probe comprising: a plurality of transducer elements, each transducer element having an acoustic stack configured to generate ultrasound signals; and a front layer having a base and a transmission surface, wherein the front layer is mounted to the acoustic stacks of the plurality of transducer elements, the transmission surface includes a linear incline, wherein the transmission surface is configured to emit the ultrasound signals. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The transducer array of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the transmission surface extends along a plane oriented at an angle with respect to a mounting face of the base, the transmission surface is configured to uniformly adjust a direction of the ultrasound signals based on the angle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The transducer array of claim 1, wherein the linear incline extends along a length of the transmission surface terminating at opposing edges of the front layer, wherein the opposing edges having different lengths to form the linear incline, the transmission surface is configured to refract the ultrasound signals such that emitted ultrasound signals by the transmission surface are in parallel with respect to each other ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The transducer array of claim 1, further comprising a transmit beamformer operatively coupled to the acoustic stack, wherein the transmit beamformer is configured to time delay a first ultrasound signal with respect to a second ultrasound signal generated by the acoustic stack, the time delay based on the relative positions of the first ultrasound signal and the second ultrasound signal within the front layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The transducer array of claim 1, wherein the transmission surface includes a second linear incline, wherein the second linear incline has a different slope with respect to the linear incline. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The transducer array of claim 1, wherein the front layer is configured to have reflected ultrasound signals emitted by the transmission surface at different times with respect each other, wherein the reflected ultrasound signals are generated from the ultrasound signals in contact with the transmission surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The transducer array of claim 1, wherein the font layer is configured to spatially separate reflected ultrasound signals generated from the ultrasound signals in contact with the transmission surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The transducer array of claim 7, wherein a first reflected ultrasound signal is spatially separated from a second reflected ultrasound signal based on the relative positions of the first reflected ultrasound signal and the second reflected ultrasound signal within the front layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The transducer array of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound signals define an imaging plane, the front layer is configured to detach reflected artifact signals from the imaging plane, the reflected artifact signals are based on echoes generated in response to the ultrasound signals emitted by the transmission surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The transducer array of claim 1, wherein the linear incline forms a wedge shape of the front layer. ### Claim 11 An ultrasound imaging system comprising: an ultrasound probe including a housing; and a transducer array formed by a plurality of transducer elements, each transducer element having an acoustic stack configured to generate ultrasound signals, wherein the transducer array includes a front layer enclosed within the housing, wherein the front layer is mounted to the acoustic stacks, the front layer includes a base and a transmission surface, the transmission surface includes a linear incline, wherein the transmission surface is configured to emit the ultrasound signals. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The ultrasound imaging system of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the transmission surface extends along a plane oriented at an angle with respect to a mounting face of the base, the transmission surface is configured to uniformly adjust a direction of the ultrasound signals based on the angle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The ultrasound imaging system of claim 11, wherein the linear incline extends along a length of the transmission surface terminating at opposing edges of the front layer, wherein the opposing edges having different length to form an angled plane of the transmission surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The ultrasound imaging system of claim 13, wherein the transmission surface is configured to refract the ultrasound signals such that emitted ultrasound signals by the transmission surface are in parallel with respect to each other. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The ultrasound imaging system of claim 11, further comprising a transmit beamformer operatively coupled to the acoustic stack, wherein the transmit beamformer is configured to time delay a first ultrasound signal with respect to a second ultrasound signal generated by the acoustic stack, the time delay based on the relative positions of the first ultrasound signal and the second ultrasound signal within the front layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The ultrasound imaging system of claim 11, wherein front layer is configured to have reflected ultrasound signals emitted by the transmission surface at different times with respect each other, wherein the reflected ultrasound signals are generated from the ultrasound signals in contact with the transmission surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The ultrasound imaging system of claim 11, wherein the transmission surface includes a second linear incline, wherein the second linear incline has a different slope with respect to the linear incline. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The ultrasound imaging system of claim 11, wherein the font face is configured to spatially separate reflected ultrasound signals generated from the ultrasound signals in contact with the transmission surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The ultrasound imaging system of claim 18, wherein a first reflected ultrasound signal is spatially separated from a second reflected ultrasound signal based on the relative positions of the first reflected ultrasound signal and the second reflected ultrasound signal within the front layer. ### Claim 20 A method for manufacturing a front layer for an ultrasound transducer array, the method comprising: providing a front layer, wherein the front layer includes a base and a transmission surface, the transmission surface includes a linear incline; mounting the front layer to a plurality of acoustic stacks, wherein the acoustic stacks are configured to generate ultrasound signals, the transmission surface is configured to emit the ultrasound signals; and enclosing the front layer and the acoustic stack within a housing of an ultrasound probe.