The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 17, 1992
Filed:
Mar. 21, 1991
Shiroh Saitoh, Yokohama, JP;
Mamoru Izumi, Tokyo, JP;
Syuzi Suzuki, Yokohama, JP;
Shinichi Hashimoto, Kawasaki, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Kawasaki, JP;
Abstract
An ultrasonic probe system is disclosed, which is designed to allow connection of a DC power supply capable of applying a voltage higher than the coercive electric field of each of a plurality of piezoelectric layers thereto, and includes a polarization turn over circuit means for, when the DC power supply is driven, turning over the polarity of the DC power supply so as to direct electric fields of every two adjacent layers constituting the piezoelectric layers in substantially opposite directions or electric fields of all the layers in the same direction. When the polarization turn over circuit means turns over the polarity of a voltage to be applied to direct electric fields of every two adjacent layers of the piezoelectric layers in substantially opposite directions or electric fields of all the layers in the same direction, the polarization turn over circuit means performs control to apply the voltage during a blanking time of an operating time of the system, thereby performing conversion of a resonance frequency, and selectively generating ultrasonic waves having a plurality of different frequencies.