US 7,745,522 B2 · Acoustic waveguide plate with nonsolid cores

Abstract

An acoustic (sound or ultrasound) wave transmitter having a plurality of waveguides is described, and a method of making such a transmitter is described. Each waveguide may have a cladded core. The core may be a liquid such as water, alcohol or mineral oil. Alternatively, the core may be a colloidal gel, such as gelatin dissolved in at least one of water, vinyl plastisol or silicone gel. The cladded core is capable of transmitting acoustic wave energy from a first end surface to a second end surface of the cladded core. The waveguides may be substantially fixed relative to each other by a binder. The binder may be formed by fusing the claddings together, potting a material between the waveguides and/or mechanically holding the waveguides.

Claims28

Dependent claims

An acoustic wave transmitter, comprising:

a plurality of waveguides, each waveguide having a core and cladding, the cladding having (a) a first end surface, (b) a second end surface, and (c) a longitudinal surface extending between the first and second end surfaces, the longitudinal surface substantially surrounding the core to form a cladded core, wherein the core is a liquid material having a first shear-wave propagation velocity (“SWPV”) and the core is selected from the group consisting of water, alcohol and mineral oil, and the cladding is a material having a second shear-wave propagation velocity and the cladding is selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, polycarbonate and glass, and wherein the second SWPV is greater than the first SWPV;
and
a binder holding the waveguides so as to substantially fix each waveguide relative to the other waveguides.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Acoustic waveguide plate with nonsolid cores

Life of this patent

Acoustic waveguide plate with nonsolid cores

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28