Patent · US Expired

Control circuits for piezo electric transducers

US3989963A · kind A · utility

14Cited by
5References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 28, 1975
Grant dateNov 2, 1976
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 28, 1995

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S367/903
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A control circuit for cyclically operating one or more piezoelectric transducers to transmit and receive ultrasonic signals is disclosed. The circuit comprises a power transistor in series with an induction coil and controlled by a timing circuit to conduct for a short time during each cycle. As the power transistor cuts off a high voltage pulse is generated by the induction coil and this is fed via a zener diode as the transmission signal to the or each piezoelectric transducer across which is connected a switching circuit comprising a potential divider and a pair of opposite polarity diodes which automatically feed off the high voltage transmission signal to earth and pass low strength received signals to an amplifier.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.