Transducer for electronic focal scanning in an ultrasound imaging device
AssigneeSiemens Gammasonics, Inc.
InventorGeorge K. Lewis
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Abstract
The ultrasonic transducer contains a plurality of adjacently positioned piezoelectric segments which are arranged concentrically. Each of the segments contains a number of linear parallel grooves, whereby these grooves define spaced surface areas therebetween. Each of the surface areas comprises respectively a piezoelectric element. The individual grooves are approximately annular when the segments are assembled. They decouple the piezoelectric elements acoustically from each other. Preferably, the segments each have a triangular shape.
Claims14
An ultrasound transducer for electronic focal scanning comprising:
- (a) a plurality of adjacently positioned piezoelectric segments arranged concentrically,
- (b) each of said segments containing a plurality of individual, linear parallel grooves,
- (c) said individual grooves in each segment defining spaced surface areas therebetween, and each of said surface areas comprising respectively a piezoelectric element, and
- (d) said individual grooves in the concentric arrangement of said segments form concentric polyhedral grooves which are approximately annular and acoustically decouple said piezoelectric elements from each other, which piezoelectric elements thereby forming polygons which approximate a ring form.
An ultrasound transducer for electronic focal scanning comprising:
- (a) a plurality of adjacently positioned piezoelectric segments arranged concentrically,
- (b) each of said segments containing a plurality of linear parallel grooves, said grooves defining spaced surface areas therebetween, and each of said surface areas comprising respectively a piezoelectric element, whereby said grooves are approximately annular and acoustically decouple said piezoelectric elements from each other;
- and
- (c) said surface areas of each segment have the same size, wherein the distance d.sub.n of the n.sup.th surface area from said central axis is determined according to ##EQU2## wherein d.sub.1 is the distance of the outer perimeter of the innermost element from said central axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.