Patent · US Expired

Conformal composite acoustic transducer panel and method of fabrication thereof

US5691960A · kind A · utility

24Cited by
3References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 2, 1995
Grant dateNov 25, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 2, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/49005
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A conformable composite acoustic transducer panel including a conformable composite body having upper and lower planar faces and upper and lower thin, flexible electrodes bonded to the upper and lower faces, respectively. The composite body includes an array of individual piezoelectric or electrostrictive ceramic elements extending normal to the upper and lower faces and through the composite body from the upper face to the lower face to electrically contact the electrodes. Stiff integral face plates are bonded to the side surfaces of the elements at their upper and lower ends. Alternatively, a conformable, stiff, voided polymer matrix is bonded to the element sides over their entire length. Flexible circuit boards may be bonded to the electrodes to provide electrical contact thereto. Methods for fabricating the transducer panel are also disclosed.

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