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:
Sep. 13, 2016
Filed:
Jul. 12, 2011
Mareike Klee, Straelen, DE;
Ruediger Mauczok, Erkelenz, DE;
Henri Marie Joseph Boots, Best, NL;
Nico Maris Adriaan DE Wild, Eindhoven, NL;
Biju Kumar Sreedharan Nair, Veldhoven, NL;
Olaf Wunnicke, Eindhoven, NL;
Willem Franke Pasveer, Dordrecht, NL;
Dirk Van DE Lagemaat, Hoevelaken, NL;
Peter Dirksen, Valkenswaard, NL;
Mareike Klee, Straelen, DE;
Ruediger Mauczok, Erkelenz, DE;
Henri Marie Joseph Boots, Best, NL;
Nico Maris Adriaan De Wild, Eindhoven, NL;
Biju Kumar Sreedharan Nair, Veldhoven, NL;
Olaf Wunnicke, Eindhoven, NL;
Willem Franke Pasveer, Dordrecht, NL;
Dirk Van De Lagemaat, Hoevelaken, NL;
Peter Dirksen, Valkenswaard, NL;
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V., Eindhoven, NL;
Abstract
The present invention relates to a transducer () comprising—a membrane () configured to change shape in response to a force, the membrane () having a first major surface () and a second major surface (), —a piezoelectric layer () formed over the first major surface () of the membrane (), the piezoelectric layer () having an active portion, —first and second electrodes () in contact with the piezoelectric layer (), wherein an electric field between the first and second electrodes () determines the mechanical movement of the piezoelectric layer (), —support structures () at the second major surface () of the membrane () on adjacent sides of the active portion of the piezoelectric layer (), at least part of the support structures () forming walls perpendicular, or at least not parallel, to the second major surface () of the membrane (), so as to form a trench () of any shape underlying the active portion, so that an ultrasound transducer is obtained with a high output pressure at the support side than at the opposite side. The invention also relates to a method of forming such a transducer, and an array comprising at least one transducer of the like.