Integrated impedance matching layer to acoustic boundary problems for clinical ultrasonic transducers
US5423319A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 15, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jun 13, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 15, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B8/445
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An ultrasonic probe for providing efficient and controlled acoustic coupling to a desired medium under examination by the probe. The ultrasonic probe of the present invention employs one or more ultrasonic transducers substantially surrounded by a fluid. The ultrasonic transducer is acoustically coupled to the fluid for transmitting the beam of acoustic signals therethrough. A housing that is acoustically coupled with the fluid substantially encloses the fluid and the transducer. The housing comprises a layer portion of a material contiguous with a bulk remainder portion of the material. Additionally, an impedance matching means is integral with the housing for controlling an acoustic impedance of the layer portion of the housing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.