Patent · US Expired

Piezoelectric cylindrical transducer for producing or detecting asymmetrical vibrations

US5081391A · kind A · utility

30Cited by
11References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 13, 1989
Grant dateJan 14, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 13, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S367/912
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A transducer is constructed of a cylindrical shell and at least one pair of piezoelectric sections. Each member of the pair of piezoelectric sections is rigidly bonded to the wall of the cylinder, in a position diametrically opposed from the other member of the pair. Operation as an acoustic source transducer is accomplished by electrically energizing each piezoelectric section in such a manner as to cause the piezelectric sections to elongate and contract, respectively out of phase with one another, along the cylinder length. This causes flexural bending of the cylinder, with the bending being asymmetrical with respect to the cylinder axis. When one pair of piezoelectric sections is used in this manner, the transducer approximates an acoustic dipole radiator, and if more than one pair is used, the transducer can be used to approximate higher order polarized acoustic radiators. Various embodiments of the invention are particularly useful as either an acoustical source or detector in liquid-filled boreholes for geophysical application.

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