# US 2021/0241749 A1 · Ultrasonic transducers

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- Number: US 2021/0241749 A1
- Document ID: US20210241749A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/237,455
- Filed: 2021-04-22
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2015-09-24
- Inventors: Frank Joseph Pompei
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210241749A1

## CPC

- G10K 13/00: Cones, diaphragms, or the like, for emitting or receiving sound in general (for electromechanical transducers H04R7/00)
- B06B 1/0292: {Electrostatic transducers, e.g. electret-type}
- H04R 19/013: {for loudspeakers}
- H04R 7/24: Tensioning by means acting directly on free portions of diaphragm or cone
- H04R 2217/03: Parametric transducers where sound is generated or captured by the acoustic demodulation of amplitude modulated ultrasonic waves
- 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
- 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)
- H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K)

## Abstract

Ultrasonic transducers that include membrane films and perforated baseplates. An ultrasonic transducer includes a baseplate having a conductive surface with a plurality of apertures, openings, or perforations formed thereon or therethrough, and a membrane film having a conductive surface. The membrane film is positioned adjacent to the apertures, openings, or perforations formed on or through the baseplate. By applying a voltage between the conductive surface of the membrane film and the conductive surface of the baseplate, an electrical force of attraction can be created between the membrane film and the baseplate. Varying this applied voltage can cause the membrane film to undergo vibrational motion. The dimensions corresponding to the size and/or shape of the apertures, openings, or perforations formed on or through the baseplate can be varied so that different regions of the baseplate produce different frequency responses, allowing the net bandwidth of the ultrasonic transducer to be increased.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An ultrasonic transducer, comprising:
a baseplate; and
a vibrator layer adjacent to the baseplate,
wherein the baseplate has a plurality of perforations and a plurality of dimples adjacent to at least some of the plurality of perforations, and
wherein the plurality of dimples include sloping portions having substantially zero slopes near the vibrator layer and progressively increasing slopes toward each of the plurality of perforations.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 1 wherein the plurality of perforations are configured to have circular shapes, elongated shapes, slotted shapes, square shapes, and/or oval shapes.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 1 wherein the plurality of perforations are configured to have substantially the same size and/or substantially the same shape.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 1 wherein the plurality of perforations are configured to have different sizes and/or different shapes.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 1 wherein at least some of the plurality of perforations are configured as flared perforations.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 1 wherein the substantially zero slopes are configured to transition to the progressively increasing slopes with a radius of curvature of approximately 203.2 um (8 mil), 1270 um (50 mil), 2540 um (100 mil), or 5080 um (200 mil).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 1 wherein the plurality of perforations are configured as partial perforations on the baseplate.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 1 wherein the plurality of perforations are configured to pass through the baseplate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 1 wherein the vibrator layer has a conductive surface and a non-conductive surface opposite the conductive surface, and wherein the non-conductive surface of the vibrator layer is positioned directly against the substantially zero slopes of the sloping portions of the respective dimples.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 1 wherein the baseplate has insulating material coating at least the substantially zero slopes of the sloping portions of the respective dimples, and wherein the vibrator layer has a conductive surface positioned directly against the substantially zero slopes of the sloping portions coated with the insulating material.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 1 wherein the baseplate has an output-radiating side and a non-radiating side opposite the output-radiating side, wherein the ultrasonic transducer further comprises:
one or more chambers adjacent the non-radiating side of the baseplate, and
wherein the one or more chambers are configured to redirect energy from the non-radiating side of the baseplate back to the output-radiating side of the baseplate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 11 wherein each of the plurality of chambers is configured to align with at least one of the plurality of perforations of the baseplate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 1 wherein the plurality of perforations and the vibrator layer form a plurality of transducer elements, and wherein the plurality of transducer elements are segmented for use with a phased array.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The ultrasonic transducer of claim 13 further comprising:
driver circuitry configured to:
apply a relative phase shift or time delay to the plurality of transducer elements; and
send an ultrasonic carrier signal to the plurality of transducer elements to steer, focus, or adjust a geometry of one or more ultrasonic beams from the ultrasonic transducer.

### Claim 15

A method of manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer, comprising:
forming a plurality of perforations of a baseplate, a plurality of dimples of the baseplate being adjacent to at least some of the plurality of perforations; and
positioning a vibrator layer adjacent to the baseplate, the plurality of dimples including sloping portions having substantially zero slopes near the vibrator layer and progressively increasing slopes toward each of the plurality of perforations.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the forming of the plurality of perforations of the baseplate includes forming the plurality of perforations as partial perforations on the baseplate.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the forming of the plurality of perforations of the baseplate includes forming the plurality of perforations to pass through the baseplate.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the baseplate is configured as a conductive baseplate, wherein the vibrator layer has a conductive surface and a non-conductive surface opposite the conductive surface, and wherein the positioning of the vibrator layer adjacent to the baseplate includes positioning the non-conductive surface of the vibrator layer directly against the substantially zero slopes of the sloping portions of the respective dimples.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the baseplate is configured as a conductive baseplate, wherein the conductive baseplate has insulating material coating at least the substantially zero slopes of the sloping portions of the respective dimples, wherein the vibrator layer has a conductive surface, and wherein the positioning of the vibrator layer adjacent to the baseplate includes positioning the conductive surface of the vibrator layer directly against the substantially zero slopes of the sloping portions coated with the insulating material.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 further comprising:
applying tension to the vibrator layer to adjust a bending stiffness and/or a restoring force of the vibrator layer; and
configuring one or more dimensions of the respective perforations to obtain, in conjunction with the bending stiffness and the restoring force of the vibrator layer, a resonant motion of the vibrator layer in a frequency band of interest.