Patent · US Expired

Method of manufacture of multiple-element piezoelectric transducer

US5359760A · kind A · utility

47Cited by
11References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 16, 1993
Grant dateNov 1, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 16, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/42
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An improved method for fabrication of a multiple-element piezoelectric transducer and the transducer produced thereby. A green precursor tape is produced by doctor-blade tape-casting of a slurry containing lead zirconate-titanate (PZT) powder. After drying, individual strips of the tape are stacked between flat plates of previously sintered PZT, and sintered to form PZT strips; Pb from the previously sintered PZT plates makes up any Pb lost from the surfaces of the tape strips during sintering. The PZT strips are stacked interposed by layers of a thermoplastic polymer, and heated to a temperature above the melting point of the polymer, forming a laminate block. This block is then sliced perpendicular to the plane of the layers, forming slabs of alternate PZT and polymer layers; the slabs are then sliced perpendicular to the first slicing planes, forming strips of alternating PZT and polymer material. Electrodes are then added to complete the transducer assembly.

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