The Technology Partnership, Plc.

Sensus Spectrum, LLC

Ultrahaptics IP Ltd

Ttp Plc

Sensus USA, Inc.

Ultraleap Limited

Sonovia Holdings LLC

Lex Diagnostics Ltd.

Ttp Ventus Limited

Lee Ventus Ltd.

The Technology Partnership Public Limited Company

Justin Rorke Buckland

Benjamin John Oliver Long

Brian Alan Kappus

James Edward McCrone

Amaru Daniel Araya-Williams

Adam John Robert Jackson

Andrew Robert Campbell

John Matthew Somerville

David Mark Blakey

Stuart Andrew Hatfield

Harry Bullivant

Robert Gordon Maurice Selby

Richard Wilhelm Janse Van Rensburg

David Martin Pooley

Neil Pollock

Paul Mark Galluzzo

Richard Janse Van Rensburg

Adam Jackson

Francoise Florence Dufour

David Pooley

Tom Jellicoe

Stephanie April Weichert

Andrew Baker-Campbell

Amaru Araya-Williams

Alex Stokoe

Seoirse Murray

Alex William Wilber

Benjamin Long

Stuard Andrew Hatfield

An acoustic matching structure is used to increase the power radiated from a transducing element with a higher impedance into a surrounding acoustic medium with a lower acoustic impedance. The acoustic matching structure consists of a thin, substantially planar cavity bounded by a two end walls and a side wall. The end walls of the cavity are formed by a blocking plate wall and a transducing element wall separated by a short distance (less than one quarter of the wavelength of acoustic waves in the surrounding medium at the operating frequency). The end walls and side wall bound a cavity with diameter approximately equal to half of the wavelength of acoustic waves in the surrounding medium. In operation, a transducing element generates acoustic oscillations in the fluid in the cavity. The transducing element may be an actuator which generates motion of an end wall in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the cavity to excite acoustic oscillations in the fluid in the cavity, and the cavity geometry and resonant amplification increase the amplitude of the resulting pressure oscillation. The cavity side wall or end walls contain at least one aperture positioned away from the center of the cavity to allow pressure waves to propagate into the surrounding acoustic medium.

Blocking plate structure for improved acoustic transmission efficiency

Ultrasonic devices include a transducer having a piezoelectric element therein that may operate as an acoustic signal receiving surface and/or an acoustic signal generating surface. At least one acoustic matching layer is provided on the piezoelectric element. This at least one acoustic matching layer may be configured as a composite of N acoustic matching layers, with a first of the N acoustic matching layers contacting the primary surface of the piezoelectric element. This first acoustic matching layer may have an acoustic impedance equivalent to Z, where N is a positive integer greater than zero. In some embodiments of the invention, the magnitude of Zmay be defined as: 0.75 ((Z)(Z))≤Z≤1.25 ((Z)(Z)), where Zis the acoustic impedance of the piezoelectric element (e.g., lead zirconate titanate (PZT)) and Zis the acoustic impedance of a compatible gas.

Ultrasonic devices including acoustically matched regions therein

There is described a variable-temperature reactor for hosting a predetermined reaction therein. The reactor comprises a reaction cell, a heater, and a heat sink. The reaction cell has a reaction volume with thickness Hand width Wwhere W&#x3e;4Hand is defined by faces with one of the larger area faces of the reaction volume being bounded by an outer wall with thickness H. The heater is in contact with the said outer wall. The heater comprises a heat-generating heater element located on the face closer to the reaction volume and a heater support on the opposite face. The heater support is in contact with a heat sink, such that the heater support provides a thermal resistance Rbetween the heater element and the heat sink. The reactor, when filled with reagents having thermal diffusion coefficient Dhas a diffusion time t, in the thickness direction, t=H/D. tis less than the reaction time constant t. The outer wall has a thermal diffusion coefficient Dand has a thermal diffusion time t=H|D&#x3c;t.

Variable temperature reactor, heater and control circuit for the same

Bending mode transducers are provided including a substrate made of a high density material, the substrate having a first surface and a second surface, opposite the first surface. A piezoelectric layer is provided on the first surface of the substrate and at least one patterned electrode is provided on the piezoelectric layer. A mounting block is on the at least one patterned electrode at least one electrical contact point is provided on the first surface of the substrate remote from the at least one patterned electrode. Related devices and methods are also provided.

Multi-element bending transducers and related methods and devices

An acoustic sensor, comprising: a side wall, closed by first and second end walls to form a substantially cylindrical cavity for containing a fluid, wherein a radius, a, of the cavity and an axial height, h, of the cavity satisfies the inequality a/h is greater than 1.2; a transmitter, operatively associated with one of the first and second end walls; a receiver, operatively associated with the other of the first and second end walls; and a first stiffener plate, comprising an outer peripheral edge and an aperture which defines an inner peripheral edge, and located on an outer face of the first end wall such that the aperture overlies the axis of the cavity; wherein: the first end wall comprises at least one through-hole, located radially of the axis of the cavity between the inner and outer peripheral edges of the first stiffener plate; the first stiffener plate comprises at least one duct, which connects the at least one through-hole, of the first end wall, to at least one of the inner and outer peripheral edges of the first stiffener plate, thereby to provide at least one fluid passageway between the cavity and the external surroundings of the acoustic sensor via the first end wall; and in use: the transmitter causes oscillatory motion, of the one of the first and second end walls with which the transmitter is associated, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of that end wall, such that axial oscillations of that end wall drive substantially radial oscillations of a fluid pressure in the cavity; and the substantially radial oscillations in the pressure of the fluid drive oscillatory motion of the other of the first and second end walls, with which the receiver is associated, generating an electrical signal.

Acoustic sensor

An acoustic sensor comprises a side wall closed at each end by an end wall to form a cavity which, in use, contains a fluid. At least one transmitter and at least one receiver are operatively associated with one of the end walls. A maximum half width, a, of the cavity and a height, h, of the cavity satisfies the following inequality: a/h is greater than 1.2. In use, the transmitter causes oscillatory motion of the region of the end wall operatively associated with the transmitter, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the end walls such that the perpendicular oscillations of the end walls drive substantially in-plane oscillations of the fluid pressure in the cavity. The substantially in-plane oscillations in the pressure of the fluid drive substantially perpendicular oscillatory motion of the region of the end wall operatively associated with the receiver, resulting in an electrical signal from the receiver.

A pump comprising a side wall closed at each end by an end wall forming a cavity for, in use, containing a fluid, one or more actuators each operatively associated with one or more of the end walls to cause an oscillatory motion of the associated end wall(s) whereby, in use, these axial oscillations of the end wall(s) drive substantially radial oscillations of the fluid pressure in the cavity, two or more apertures in the cavity, a valve disposed in at least one of the apertures, wherein the actuator(s) is arranged to be non-axisymmetric in use such that, in use, a pressure oscillation with at least one nodal diameter is generated within the cavity.

Fluid pump including a pressure oscillation with at least one nodal diameter

A nozzle plate () for use in a liquid droplet production apparatus and such apparatus, the nozzle plate comprising a flexible substrate having a linear array of nozzles that extend through said plate, said nozzles being arranged in at least one line, forming thereby a nozzle-bearing region, wherein the substrate is curved so as to impart an increased longitudinal stiffness to it. The apparatus comprises a piezo actuator (), which may have slots () separating fingers acting on the nozzle plate (). The nozzle plate may be separable form the actuator.

Linear droplet generating device

Ultrasonic devices include a transducer having a piezoelectric element therein that may operate as an acoustic signal receiving surface and/or an acoustic signal generating surface. At least one acoustic matching layer is provided on the piezoelectric element. This at least one acoustic matching layer may be configured as a composite of N acoustic matching layers, with a first of the N acoustic matching layers contacting the primary surface of the piezoelectric element. This first acoustic matching layer may have an acoustic impedance equivalent to Z, where N is a positive integer greater than zero. In some embodiments of the invention, the magnitude of Zmay be defined as: 0.75 ((Z)(Z))&#x2264;Z&#x2264;1.25 ((Z)(Z)), where Zis the acoustic impedance of the piezoelectric element (e.g., lead zirconate titanate (PZT)) and Zis the acoustic impedance of a compatible gas.

Ultrasonic device including acoustically matched regions therein

Transducers are provided including a piezoelectric block having first and second opposing surfaces; a first non-piezoelectric layer on the first surface of the piezoelectric block, the first layer including a low density material having a first thickness; and a second non-piezoelectric layer on the second surface of the piezoelectric block, the second layer including a high density material having a second thickness, the second thickness being different from the first thickness and being at least two times the first thickness. Related devices and methods are also provided.

Thickness mode transducers and related devices and methods

Transducers are provided including a piezoelectric block having first and second opposing surfaces; a first conductive flexible support layer on the first surface of the piezoelectric block, the first flexible support layer having a first thickness; and a second flexible support layer on the second surface of the piezoelectric block, the second flexible support layer having a second thickness. Related devices are also provided.

Thickness-planar mode transducers and related devices

A fluid pump comprising one or two cavities which, in use, contains a fluid to be pumped, the chamber or chambers having a substantially cylindrical shape bounded by first and second end walls and a side wall; an actuator which, in use, causes oscillatory motion of the first end wall(s) in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the first end wall(s); and whereby, in use, these axial oscillations of the end walls drive radial oscillations of the fluid pressure in the main cavity; and wherein an isolator forms at least a portion of the first end wall between the actuator and the side wall and includes conductive tracks, wherein electrical connection is made to the actuator via the conductive tracks included within the isolator.

Disc pump with advanced actuator

Growing community of inventors

Cambridge, United Kingdom

Justin Rorke Buckland