Ultrasound wave generating apparatus

摘要

In one embodiment, there is provided in an ultrasound wave generating apparatus a low output impedance transistor based driver circuit that has the ability to apply a drive signal at a frequency corresponding to an ultrasound transducer's resonant frequency. The low output impedance of the driver circuit allows for a substantial portion of the energy to be delivered to the ultrasound transducer and converted to ultrasound energy. The power transfer efficiency of the presented circuit allows ultrasound drivers to be powered by portable battery packs, while still delivering high ultrasound acoustic power. The ultrasound driver can provide energy in sufficient amounts making it suitable for a range of ultrasound driving application including but not limited to therapeutic low and high power clinical systems, high intensity focused ultrasound HIFU, acoustical welding, industrial inspection, and other various forms of low-to-high power acoustic devices.

主权项

1. An ultrasound wave generating apparatus comprising:
a power supply having a power source, a timing circuit, and a transistor based driver circuit for output of a drive signal for driving an ultrasound transducer, wherein the ultrasound transducer is an ultrasound transducer selected from the group consisting of (a) a single element ultrasound transducer having a single transducer element, (b) a multiple element ultrasound transducer having three or fewer transducer elements, and (c) a multiple element ultrasound transducer having a plurality of transducer elements arranged in layers, wherein the driver circuit includes a transistor pair including first and second transistors, and first and second clamping voltage terminals, the first and second transistors having respective first and second gates, wherein the timing circuit is operative to output a timing signal for controlling timing of the drive signal output by the driver circuit; the ultrasound transducer configured to emit ultrasound energy, the ultrasound transducer being coupled to the driver circuit so that the drive signal output by the driver circuit drives the ultrasound transducer, wherein a frequency at which the ultrasound transducer emits maximum power when driven by the output drive signal defines a resonant frequency of the ultrasound transducer; wherein the driver circuit is operative to output a drive signal having a frequency corresponding to the resonant frequency; and wherein the apparatus is configured so that the transducer has an associated load voltage when the driver circuit outputs the drive signal to drive the transducer at a frequency corresponding to the resonant frequency, wherein the apparatus is further configured so that the driver circuit has an associated source voltage when the driver circuit outputs the drive signal at a frequency corresponding to the resonant frequency, and wherein the apparatus is configured so that the amplitude of the load voltage is at least 90 percent of the amplitude of the source voltage when the driver circuit outputs a drive signal at a frequency corresponding to the resonant frequency.