US 7,888,847 B2 · Apodizing ultrasonic lens

Abstract

An improved acoustic lens and an improved ultrasonic transducer system comprising an improved acoustic lens and related methods are provided. The improved acoustic lens may have a uniform loss along an elevation axis or may have a loss along the elevation axis that provides for an apodization of an acoustic signal. The improved acoustic lens may be a multi-component lens. In a two-component lens embodiment, the inner lens component, for interfacing with a transducer, may have a concave outer surface and the outer lens component may have a flat or convex outer surface. In a three-component lens embodiment, the inner lens component, for interfacing with a transducer, may have a concave outer surface, the middle lens component may have a concave outer surface and the outer lens component may have a flat or convex outer surface.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An ultrasonic transducer system comprising:

at least one ultrasonic transducer element having an acoustic face, said acoustic face having a first end, a second end, and a central point along an elevation axis, said central point being between said first end and said second end;
and
an acoustic lens acoustically coupled to said acoustic face, said acoustic lens comprising a first lens element and a second lens element, wherein said acoustic lens has an acoustic loss with respect to energy transmitted from each of said first end and said second end that is at least as great as an acoustic loss with respect to energy transmitted from said central point.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apodizing ultrasonic lens

Life of this patent

Apodizing ultrasonic lens

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14