Claims
- 1. In a method for providing a micro-miniature high efficiency ultrasonic transducer assembly which has a diameter of 0.018 inches or less, forming a transducer from a selected transducer material to provide a cylindrical transducer having front and back sides a thickness which is one-half of the diameter of the transducer.+-.5%, ascertaining the frequency constant of the material, ascertaining the frequency of operation of the transducer by dividing the frequency constant by the thickness of the transducer in mils, mounting the transducer in a housing and securing leads to the front and back sides of the transducer.
- 2. A method as in claim 1 together with the step of providing an air space in the housing on the back side of the transducer.
- 3. A method as in claim 1 together with the step of applying a matching layer to the front side of the transducer.
Parent Case Info
This is a division, of application Ser. No. 07/579,074 filed Sep. 6, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,851.
This invention relates to an ultrasonic transducer assembly, a guidewire using the same and method and more particularly to a micro-miniature ultrasound high efficiency transducer assembly.
Heretofore guidewires have been provided with ultrasonic transducers mounted on the distal extremities of the same. However, it has been found that when the diameters of such ultrasonic transducers have been reduced in size, particularly in diameter, there is an unacceptable degradation of the performance of the transducers which is substantially greater than the proportional reduction in size of the emitting area of the transducer. There is therefore a need for an ultrasonic transducer which has a high efficiency even though it has been reduced to a micro miniature size.
In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide a miniature ultrasound high efficiency transducer assembly, a guide wire for using the same and method.
Another object of the invention is to provide a transducer assembly of the above character in which the transducer material has a high electro-mechanical coupling coefficient and a high dielectric constant.
Another object of the invention is to provide a transducer assembly of the above character in which the transducer has an aspect ratio of 2:1.
Another object of the invention is to provide a transducer assembly of the above character in which the transducer is air-backed.
Another object of the invention is to provide a transducer assembly of the above character in which a matching layer is provided.
Another object of the invention is to provide a transducer assembly of the above character in which the transducer has a diameter ranging of 0.018 inches or less.
Another object of the invention is to provide a transducer assembly of the above character in which the aspect ratio for the transducer is selected to suppress interaction between the desired thickness mode of vibration and the undesired lateral mode of vibration.
Another object of the invention is to provide a transducer assembly of the above character which is in the form of an annulus.
Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiments are set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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579074 |
Sep 1990 |
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Patent Grant
5125137
