Ultrasound transducer unit and planar ultrasound lens
AssigneeProRhythm, Inc.
InventorsTodd Fjield, Edward Paul Harhen, Patrick David Lopath
Life of this patent
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AssigneeProRhythm, Inc.
InventorsTodd Fjield, Edward Paul Harhen, Patrick David Lopath
Estimating the term…
A lens for focusing an ultrasound wave having a wavelength, includes a plurality of substantially concentric rings disposed about a central point, at least one of the rings having a substantially triangular cross-section defined by first, second, and third sections, the first section extending from a proximal end radially away from the central point to a distal end, the second section extending from the distal end of, and substantially perpendicular to, the first section and terminating at a peak, and the third section smoothly sloping from the proximal end of the first section to the peak of the second section, and wherein the first, second and third sections have lengths with respect to the wavelength of the ultrasound wave such that (i) phases of the ultrasound wave are substantially additive at a focal point located on an axis perpendicular to the lens that passes through the central point, and (ii) aggregate focused ultrasound energy would not be predicted at the focal point by Snell's law refraction.
A lens for focusing an ultrasound wave having a wavelength, comprising a plurality of substantially concentric rings disposed about a central point, at least one of the rings having a substantially triangular cross-section defined by first, second, and third sections, the first section extending from a proximal end radially away from the central point to a distal end, the second section extending from the distal end of, and substantially perpendicular to, the first section and terminating at a peak, and the third section smoothly sloping from the proximal end of the first section to the peak of the second section, wherein the lengths of first sections of respective ones of the substantially concentric rings are less than about five wavelengths of the ultrasound wave and wherein the first, second and third sections have lengths with respect to the wavelength of the ultrasound wave such that (i) phases of the ultrasound wave are substantially additive at a focal point located on an axis perpendicular to the lens that passes through the central point, and (ii) aggregate focused ultrasound energy would not be predicted at the focal point by Snell's law refraction.
A lens for focusing an ultrasound wave, comprising:
A lens for focusing an ultrasound wave having a frequency f and a wavelength λm in a medium having an acoustic velocity vm, the lens comprising a body formed from a material having acoustic velocity v1 different from vm, the body having an axis, front and rear surfaces transverse to the axis, and radial directions ri perpendicular to the axis, the body varying in thickness in the radial directions so as to define a plurality of rings concentric with the axis on at least one of the surfaces, each ring having an outer wall substantially parallel to the axis and a smoothly sloping active wall extending radially and axially so that the thickness of the lens varies progressively in the radial direction within each ring substantially according to the formula:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.