Apparatus for generating acoustic wave having a liquid lens with an adjustable focal length
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorGerhard Buchholtz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A generator for acoustic waves has a source of acoustic waves with which acoustic waves can be introduced into an acoustic propagation medium and a liquid lens having a variable focal length which is arranged in the acoustic propagation medium, the liquid lens having two lens walls and a lens liquid situated therebetween. At least one of the lens walls is deformable for the purpose of varying the focal length. The liquid lens has a central opening, so that the lens walls have an outer and an inner edge, and the outer edge of the deformable lens wall is fixed and the inner edge is displaceable in the direction of the center axis of the liquid lens for the purpose of varying the focal length.
Claims11
An acoustic wave generator comprising:
- a housing containing an acoustic propagation medium;
- means for generating acoustic waves propagating in a propagation direction in said acoustic propagation medium;
- a liquid lens for focusing said acoustic waves, said liquid lens being disposed in said acoustic propagation medium and having two spaced lens walls disposed at least substantially transversely to said propagation direction and lens liquid between said two lens walls, said two lens walls and said lens liquid, in combination, defining a focal length of said liquid lens;
- said liquid lens having a central opening extending in said propagation direction formed by an inner wall, with said two lens walls each having an inner edge proximate said inner wall and an outer edge remote from said inner wall;
- the inner edge of at least one of said lens walls being movable along said inner wall and the outer edge of said at least one lens wall being fixed;
- and
- means for deforming said at least one lens wall by moving said inner edge thereof along said inner wall for varying the focal length of said liquid lens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.