EP1432530A1 - Device and method for producing high-pressure ultrasonic pulses - Google Patents
Device and method for producing high-pressure ultrasonic pulsesInfo
- Publication number
- EP1432530A1 EP1432530A1 EP02793156A EP02793156A EP1432530A1 EP 1432530 A1 EP1432530 A1 EP 1432530A1 EP 02793156 A EP02793156 A EP 02793156A EP 02793156 A EP02793156 A EP 02793156A EP 1432530 A1 EP1432530 A1 EP 1432530A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- application
- electric field
- polarization
- transducer
- ultrasonic
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B06—GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS IN GENERAL
- B06B—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OF INFRASONIC, SONIC, OR ULTRASONIC FREQUENCY, e.g. FOR PERFORMING MECHANICAL WORK IN GENERAL
- B06B1/00—Methods or apparatus for generating mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency
- B06B1/02—Methods or apparatus for generating mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency making use of electrical energy
- B06B1/0207—Driving circuits
- B06B1/0215—Driving circuits for generating pulses, e.g. bursts of oscillations, envelopes
Definitions
- the present invention relates to the technical field of generating very high intensity ultrasonic pulses, that is to say of the order of several hundred bars, or even of the thousand.
- the present invention relates to applications in particular in the field of non-destructive testing of a material or structure, or in the medical field.
- the ultrasonic pulses are produced in a coupling medium, using a source comprising a piezoelectric type transducer which, when an electric voltage is applied to it, produces an acoustic wave which is generally focused in order to reach high pressures.
- a source comprising a piezoelectric type transducer which, when an electric voltage is applied to it, produces an acoustic wave which is generally focused in order to reach high pressures.
- antenna gain the ratio which exists between the pressure at the focal point and the pressure at the surface of the transducer.
- Such antenna gain is a function of the frequency emitted, as well as of the aperture, that is to say of the ratio between the focal distance and the diameter of the transducer.
- the generation of a pressure wave of 1000 bars at the focus of a lithotripter can be obtained with a cup-shaped source, the diameter of which is approximately 45 cm and the pressure at the surface of which is 10 bars approximately, with a frequency of 400 kHz.
- a cup-shaped source the diameter of which is approximately 45 cm and the pressure at the surface of which is 10 bars approximately, with a frequency of 400 kHz.
- Reducing the size of such a source involves increasing the surface pressure at the level of the emission cup.
- the prior art has proposed using materials of composite types, called piezo-composites, making it possible to increase the surface pressure by a factor of 1.5 to 2 approximately, compared to conventional materials. piezoceramic.
- TOILPILZ type transducers (acoustic mushroom) are also known, designed mainly to generate a monochromatic wave, usable in particular for fishing or army sonars.
- the patents FR 2 640 455 and FR 2 728 755 describe various variant embodiments of a mechanical stress carried out on the piezoelectric material, in order to generate high pressures.
- the tightening of the piezoelectric material of the transducer drastically decreases the resonance frequency of the assembly.
- such a transducer operates only at a resonant frequency of a few tens of kHz at most, so that their application is limited to sonars.
- the transducer is formed by a stack of layers, such a source makes it possible to transmit only the frequency for which all of the layers come into resonance, which does not make it possible to transmit a pressure pulse having a broad frequency spectrum and therefore a short pulse.
- the production of a transducer using a stack of layers is not simple to carry out.
- an electrical preload on the piezoelectric transducer avoids the problems inherent in the application of mechanical preload. Furthermore, insofar as the transducer is compressed beforehand before being subjected to an extension to create an ultrasonic wave of high pressure, there does not appear any elongation capable of breaking it.
- the device for producing sound pulses described by this patent cannot be used in practice in an application, in particular lithotripsy. Indeed, the waveform produced by such a device does not respect the constraints associated with an acoustic shock wave.
- the preload applied to the transducer leads to the generation of an expansion wave of value substantially equal to that of the compression wave generated subsequently. This expansion wave causes cavitation, which affects the good propagation of the compression wave which follows.
- the prestress applied to the transducer inevitably leads to its depolarization.
- the object of the invention therefore aims to remedy the drawbacks of the state of the art by proposing a device suitable for producing ultrasonic pulses of high pressure, without creating a prior relaxation wave and designed to avoid depolarizing the piezo transducer -electric while being carried out in a simple manner.
- the device for producing high pressure ultrasonic pulses according to the invention comprises:
- An ultrasonic source comprising a piezoelectric type transducer provided with electrodes and having a direction of polarization in a given direction
- the means ensure the application of a progressive electric voltage with a rise time to create an electric field of direction opposite to the direction of polarization, for a duration of application shorter than that leading to depolarization of the transducer. piezoelectric ultrasound.
- Another object of the invention is to provide a device for producing high pressure ultrasonic pulses adapted to avoid depolarization of the transducer which, in particular, has a polarization of high amplitude capable of gradually causing its depolarization.
- the device for producing ultrasonic pulses comprises means for applying an electric voltage ensuring the application of a transient electric field for a longer application time or equal to the duration of application of the electric field of direction opposite to the direction of polarization to allow possible repolarization of the ultrasonic transducer.
- the fîg. 1 to 3 are various schematic views of a device for producing ultrasonic pulses according to the invention, according to different characteristic operating positions.
- Fig. 4 is a timing diagram illustrating the operating principle of the device according to the invention.
- the device for producing high pressure ultrasonic pulses comprises an ultrasonic transducer 2, of piezoelectric type, forming a source for producing an acoustic wave in a coupling medium.
- This transducer 2 comprises electrodes 3, which are parallel to each other and connected to means 4 for applying an electrical voltage.
- the transducer 2 is not described more precisely because its constitution is well known to those skilled in the art.
- the ultrasonic transducer 2 can comprise, as active element for generating an acoustic wave, any type of piezoelectric material, such as piezo-ceramic, piezo-composite, piezoelectric polymer.
- the transducer 2 has a polarization, the direction of which is represented by the arrow fi, in a direction which is perpendicular to the electrodes 3.
- the transducer 2 thus operates in compression / extension mode, insofar as the direction of polarization, specific to the piezoelectric material, is parallel to the electric field created by the electrodes 3 during the application of an electric voltage across its terminals.
- the piezoelectric material of the transducer is deformed essentially in a direction parallel to the electric field.
- the means 4 ensure the application of an electric preload to the transducer 2, prior to the production of an ultrasonic wave of high pressure.
- the means 4 are controlled to apply a progressive electric voltage to the electrodes 3 of the transducer 2, so as to create, in the piezoelectric material, an electric field represented by an arrow f 2 , in a direction opposite to the direction of polarization fi, in order to gradually compress the transducer 2.
- the progressive electric voltage applied to the electrodes 3 is such that the transducer 2 is subjected to an electric field of direction f 2 opposite to the polarization, so that the transducer 2 is progressively compressed.
- the transducer 2 is compressed progressively because it is recalled that the pressure generated is proportional to the speed of variation (derivative) of the voltage.
- the control voltage V 2 of duration T leads to the application to the electrodes 3 of the transducer, of a progressive electric voltage with a rise time t2 m , represented by the corresponding part of the voltage V.
- the means 4 ensure the application of an electric voltage V 3 making it possible to create, in the piezoelectric material, a transient electric field in the same direction as that of the polarization.
- V 3 an electric voltage
- the transducer 2 is subjected to an electric field, shown by the arrow f 3 , in the same direction as that of polarization.
- the transducer 2 undergoes, from the previous state, an extension, so that it emits a compression wave 5 in the coupling medium.
- the object of the invention is a simple method for ensuring the emission of an ultrasonic wave 5 by progressively compressing the transducer 2 by applying thereto, via a voltage progressive electric, an electric field of opposite direction to the direction of polarization of the transducer, then an electric field of the same direction as that of polarization which leads to its extension.
- the transducer 2 was initially compressed before being extended, it can be considered that the transducer 2 does not stray far from its initial state, as illustrated in FIG. 1.
- the transducer 2 undergoes a sufficiently low elongation so as not to break.
- the means 4 ensure the application of an electric voltage allowing the application of an electric field of direction f 2 opposite to the direction of polarization fi for an application time T less than that leading depolarization of the piezoelectric transducer 2 (fig. 4).
- the duration of application T of this progressive electric voltage ensuring the application of an electric field of direction opposite to the direction of polarization is greater than 10 ⁇ s and is preferably of the order of 100 ⁇ s.
- the means 4 ensure the application of an electric voltage V 3 to create the transient electric field in the same direction f 3 as that fi of the polarization, during an application time t 3 between 1 ⁇ s and 1 s and preferably around 100 ms.
- the application time t 3 of the transient electric field is greater than or equal to the duration of application T of the electric field of opposite direction f 2 to the polarization direction fi to allow repolarization of the piezo ultrasonic transducer -electric 2, in the eventuality where a minimal depolarization would have appeared, in particular in the particular case of polarization of the transducer 2 with a high amplitude.
- the electric voltage V 3 generating the compression wave gradually returns to its initial value (0 Volt) in order to allow the transducer to be repolarized.
- the means 4 ensure the application of an electric voltage V 3 ensuring the application of a transient electric field of the same direction f 3 as that fi of the polarization, during a rise time t 3m between 0.1 and 20 ⁇ s and, preferably, between 1 and 10 ⁇ s in the case of lithotripsy.
- the third timing diagram in fig. 4 shows the shape of the electric voltage V at the terminals of the transducer 2.
- the progressive electric voltage ensuring the application of an electric field of direction f 2 opposite to the direction of polarization fj has a time of rise 2m greater than the rise time t 3m of the transient electric field, so as to minimize the influence of a parasitic wave, namely of relaxation.
- this rise time t 2m is greater than at least ten times the rise time t 3m of the transient electric field.
- the object of the invention thus makes it possible to have a device for producing an ultrasonic wave of high pressure.
- a maximum pressure of 35 bar (before deterioration) was obtained for a transducer not implementing the object of the invention.
- a maximum pressure of 60 bars could be obtained.
- the means 4 for applying electrical voltages to the terminals of the electrodes can be produced in any suitable manner by one or two generators for example.
- the transducer can receive any shape, such as a cup-shaped embodiment.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Transducers For Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
- Apparatuses For Generation Of Mechanical Vibrations (AREA)
- Surgical Instruments (AREA)
- Investigating Or Analyzing Materials By The Use Of Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
- Measurement Of Mechanical Vibrations Or Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
- Electrophonic Musical Instruments (AREA)
- Ultra Sonic Daignosis Equipment (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
FR0112774A FR2830468B1 (en) | 2001-10-04 | 2001-10-04 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING HIGH PRESSURE ULTRASONIC PULSES |
FR0112774 | 2001-10-04 | ||
PCT/FR2002/003390 WO2003028904A1 (en) | 2001-10-04 | 2002-10-04 | Device and method for producing high-pressure ultrasonic pulses |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP1432530A1 true EP1432530A1 (en) | 2004-06-30 |
EP1432530B1 EP1432530B1 (en) | 2005-04-27 |
Family
ID=8867919
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP02793156A Expired - Lifetime EP1432530B1 (en) | 2001-10-04 | 2002-10-04 | Device and method for producing high-pressure ultrasonic pulses |
Country Status (9)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US7264597B2 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1432530B1 (en) |
JP (2) | JP2005503921A (en) |
CN (1) | CN1326634C (en) |
AT (1) | ATE294028T1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE60203922T2 (en) |
FR (1) | FR2830468B1 (en) |
IL (2) | IL161254A0 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2003028904A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (28)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US6618620B1 (en) | 2000-11-28 | 2003-09-09 | Txsonics Ltd. | Apparatus for controlling thermal dosing in an thermal treatment system |
ATE319378T1 (en) | 2001-12-03 | 2006-03-15 | Ekos Corp | CATHETER WITH MULTIPLE ULTRASONIC EMITTING PARTS |
US8226629B1 (en) | 2002-04-01 | 2012-07-24 | Ekos Corporation | Ultrasonic catheter power control |
US8088067B2 (en) | 2002-12-23 | 2012-01-03 | Insightec Ltd. | Tissue aberration corrections in ultrasound therapy |
US7611462B2 (en) | 2003-05-22 | 2009-11-03 | Insightec-Image Guided Treatment Ltd. | Acoustic beam forming in phased arrays including large numbers of transducer elements |
US8409099B2 (en) | 2004-08-26 | 2013-04-02 | Insightec Ltd. | Focused ultrasound system for surrounding a body tissue mass and treatment method |
US20080229749A1 (en) * | 2005-03-04 | 2008-09-25 | Michel Gamil Rabbat | Plug in rabbat engine |
US20070016039A1 (en) | 2005-06-21 | 2007-01-18 | Insightec-Image Guided Treatment Ltd. | Controlled, non-linear focused ultrasound treatment |
EP1960993B1 (en) | 2005-11-23 | 2016-11-02 | Insightec-Image Guided Treatment, Ltd. | Hierarchical switching in ultra-high density ultrasound array |
US8235901B2 (en) * | 2006-04-26 | 2012-08-07 | Insightec, Ltd. | Focused ultrasound system with far field tail suppression |
PL2111261T3 (en) | 2007-01-08 | 2015-08-31 | Ekos Corp | Power parameters for ultrasonic catheter |
US10182833B2 (en) | 2007-01-08 | 2019-01-22 | Ekos Corporation | Power parameters for ultrasonic catheter |
EP2494932B1 (en) | 2007-06-22 | 2020-05-20 | Ekos Corporation | Apparatus for treatment of intracranial hemorrhages |
US8251908B2 (en) | 2007-10-01 | 2012-08-28 | Insightec Ltd. | Motion compensated image-guided focused ultrasound therapy system |
US8425424B2 (en) | 2008-11-19 | 2013-04-23 | Inightee Ltd. | Closed-loop clot lysis |
US8617073B2 (en) | 2009-04-17 | 2013-12-31 | Insightec Ltd. | Focusing ultrasound into the brain through the skull by utilizing both longitudinal and shear waves |
EP2448636B1 (en) | 2009-07-03 | 2014-06-18 | Ekos Corporation | Power parameters for ultrasonic catheter |
US9623266B2 (en) | 2009-08-04 | 2017-04-18 | Insightec Ltd. | Estimation of alignment parameters in magnetic-resonance-guided ultrasound focusing |
US9289154B2 (en) | 2009-08-19 | 2016-03-22 | Insightec Ltd. | Techniques for temperature measurement and corrections in long-term magnetic resonance thermometry |
WO2011024074A2 (en) | 2009-08-26 | 2011-03-03 | Insightec Ltd. | Asymmetric phased-array ultrasound transducer |
US8661873B2 (en) | 2009-10-14 | 2014-03-04 | Insightec Ltd. | Mapping ultrasound transducers |
US8368401B2 (en) | 2009-11-10 | 2013-02-05 | Insightec Ltd. | Techniques for correcting measurement artifacts in magnetic resonance thermometry |
US8932237B2 (en) | 2010-04-28 | 2015-01-13 | Insightec, Ltd. | Efficient ultrasound focusing |
US9852727B2 (en) | 2010-04-28 | 2017-12-26 | Insightec, Ltd. | Multi-segment ultrasound transducers |
WO2012025833A2 (en) | 2010-08-27 | 2012-03-01 | Socpra- Sciences Et Génie, S.E.C. | Mechanical wave generator and method thereof |
US9981148B2 (en) | 2010-10-22 | 2018-05-29 | Insightec, Ltd. | Adaptive active cooling during focused ultrasound treatment |
WO2016201136A1 (en) | 2015-06-10 | 2016-12-15 | Ekos Corporation | Ultrasound catheter |
US11435461B2 (en) * | 2019-07-19 | 2022-09-06 | GE Precision Healthcare LLC | Method and system to prevent depoling of ultrasound transducer |
Family Cites Families (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN85205186U (en) * | 1985-11-18 | 1986-11-19 | 周勤 | Efficient low-frequency vibrating source |
JPH0759235B2 (en) * | 1988-01-20 | 1995-06-28 | 株式会社東芝 | Drive circuit for ultrasonic calculus breaking |
DE4307669C2 (en) * | 1993-03-11 | 1995-06-29 | Wolf Gmbh Richard | Device for generating sound pulses for medical applications |
WO1997003438A1 (en) * | 1995-07-13 | 1997-01-30 | Societe Pour Les Applications Du Retournement Temporel | Acoustic wave focusing method and device |
US5582578A (en) * | 1995-08-01 | 1996-12-10 | Duke University | Method for the comminution of concretions |
US5800365A (en) * | 1995-12-14 | 1998-09-01 | Duke University | Microsecond tandem-pulse electrohydraulic shock wave generator with confocal reflectors |
DE19733233C1 (en) | 1997-08-01 | 1998-09-17 | Wolf Gmbh Richard | Electroacoustic transducer |
-
2001
- 2001-10-04 FR FR0112774A patent/FR2830468B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2002
- 2002-10-04 CN CNB028197135A patent/CN1326634C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2002-10-04 EP EP02793156A patent/EP1432530B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2002-10-04 JP JP2003532216A patent/JP2005503921A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2002-10-04 AT AT02793156T patent/ATE294028T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2002-10-04 WO PCT/FR2002/003390 patent/WO2003028904A1/en active IP Right Grant
- 2002-10-04 IL IL16125402A patent/IL161254A0/en active IP Right Grant
- 2002-10-04 US US10/491,480 patent/US7264597B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2002-10-04 DE DE60203922T patent/DE60203922T2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
2004
- 2004-04-01 IL IL161254A patent/IL161254A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
2008
- 2008-07-15 JP JP2008183834A patent/JP5280761B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
See references of WO03028904A1 * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DE60203922T2 (en) | 2006-02-16 |
US7264597B2 (en) | 2007-09-04 |
FR2830468B1 (en) | 2004-02-20 |
JP2005503921A (en) | 2005-02-10 |
FR2830468A1 (en) | 2003-04-11 |
WO2003028904A1 (en) | 2003-04-10 |
JP5280761B2 (en) | 2013-09-04 |
ATE294028T1 (en) | 2005-05-15 |
EP1432530B1 (en) | 2005-04-27 |
JP2009022012A (en) | 2009-01-29 |
CN1326634C (en) | 2007-07-18 |
IL161254A0 (en) | 2004-09-27 |
IL161254A (en) | 2007-12-03 |
US20040254506A1 (en) | 2004-12-16 |
CN1564717A (en) | 2005-01-12 |
DE60203922D1 (en) | 2005-06-02 |
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