A piezoelectric transducer and medical device

Abstract

The application discloses a piezoelectric transducer and a medical device. The piezoelectric transducer comprises a transducer shell, an inner surface of the transducer shell is provided with a plurality of mounting grooves for mounting piezoelectric ceramic crystals, a gap exists between the mounting grooves and the piezoelectric ceramic crystals, and a sealing insulation sheet is arranged in the gap to seal the gap. Liquid insulation is filled between the sealing insulation sheet and the mounting grooves, and insulation glue is filled in the inner wall of the transducer shell. The liquid insulation is filled between the positive and negative poles of the piezoelectric ceramic crystal, so that the piezoelectric ceramic crystal can work at a higher voltage and excite greater energy. The liquid insulation material also has a self-repairing function, greatly prolonging the service life of the piezoelectric transducer. Meanwhile, the sealing insulation sheet can also cooperate with the liquid insulation to reduce the insulation failure risk caused by the vibration of the piezoelectric ceramic crystal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of piezoelectric medical devices, specifically to a piezoelectric transducer and a medical device. Background Technology

[0002] In the medical field, the commonly used piezoelectric extracorporeal shock wave therapy device works on the principle of generating shock waves by utilizing the volume change of a piezoelectric ceramic crystal when subjected to a high-voltage pulse. When the high-voltage pulse passes through the piezoelectric ceramic crystal, its volume changes, and the movement of the ceramic crystal creates a pressure wave. When the ceramic crystal returns to its original position, it also creates a tension wave. When hundreds or thousands of piezoelectric ceramic crystals move together, a shock wave is formed. Under the action of a spherical device, the shock wave is focused at a single point, forming a high-energy shock wave. This shock wave, after passing through a focusing element, forms a focused shock wave that produces good therapeutic effects on human tissues where pain is widespread.

[0003] However, due to thickness limitations, the insulating gap between the positive and negative electrodes of piezoelectric ceramic crystals is limited, which restricts the applied operating voltage. Otherwise, breakdown can easily occur, leading to transducer malfunction and affecting its lifespan. Conversely, using thicker piezoelectric ceramic crystals can negatively impact the transducer's energy conversion efficiency. Furthermore, during operation, the piezoelectric ceramic crystal converts electrical energy into high-frequency mechanical energy, making it prone to cracking and reducing its insulation performance, thus affecting the transducer's lifespan.

[0004] In existing technologies, piezoelectric ceramic crystals in transducers are typically encapsulated with insulating adhesive to enhance insulation. However, because the electrical energy of the piezoelectric ceramic crystal is converted into high-frequency mechanical energy, the insulating adhesive tends to detach from the crystal over time. This limits the applied operating voltage, as excessive voltage can easily cause breakdown, leading to transducer malfunction and affecting its lifespan. Furthermore, the metal plating on the surface of the piezoelectric ceramic crystal, which converts electrical energy into high-frequency mechanical energy, falls off as powder around the crystal, damaging its insulation performance and further impacting its lifespan.

[0005] Therefore, how to provide a transducer that can achieve high-energy piezoelectric conversion is a problem that needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this application is to provide a piezoelectric transducer that can stably convert energy under high operating voltage.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides a piezoelectric transducer, comprising: a transducer housing, a plurality of mounting grooves provided on the inner wall of the transducer housing, a piezoelectric ceramic crystal installed inside the mounting grooves, and a sealing insulating sheet provided in the mounting gap between the mounting grooves and the piezoelectric ceramic crystals;

[0008] Liquid insulating material is filled between the sealing insulating sheet and the bottom of the mounting groove, and the inner wall of the transducer housing is potted with insulating glue.

[0009] In some embodiments, the mounting slots are interconnected to allow the flow of liquid insulating material.

[0010] In some embodiments, the outer wall of the transducer housing is provided with a liquid injection hole for injecting liquid insulating material, and the port of the liquid injection hole is provided with a one-way valve.

[0011] In some embodiments, the sealing insulating sheet is configured as an elastic element and is sleeved on the piezoelectric ceramic crystal.

[0012] In some embodiments, the insulating adhesive is an epoxy resin adhesive.

[0013] In some embodiments, the transducer housing is configured as a spherical body.

[0014] This application also provides a medical device, including any of the piezoelectric transducers described above, specifically a piezoelectric extracorporeal shock wave therapy device.

[0015] Compared to the aforementioned background technology, the piezoelectric transducer of this application is provided with a transducer housing, the inner surface of which is provided with several mounting grooves for mounting piezoelectric ceramic crystals. A gap exists between the mounting grooves and the piezoelectric ceramic crystals, and a sealing insulating sheet is placed within the gap to seal it. A liquid insulating material is filled between the sealing insulating sheet and the mounting grooves, and insulating adhesive is potted onto the inner wall of the transducer housing.

[0016] This piezoelectric transducer can operate at higher voltages, generating higher mechanical energy, which in turn converts into higher-energy shock waves for better therapeutic effects. Furthermore, the insulating medium can be replaced to remove impurities, significantly extending the transducer's lifespan. Simultaneously, the sealing insulating sheet, in conjunction with liquid insulation, can reduce the risk of insulation failure caused by the vibration of the piezoelectric ceramic crystal.

[0017] Through a special transducer housing and assembly method, liquid insulation is effectively filled between the positive and negative electrodes of the piezoelectric ceramic crystal. This allows the piezoelectric ceramic crystal to operate at higher voltages, generating greater energy and achieving better therapeutic effects. The liquid insulation also provides a self-healing function, and regular maintenance significantly extends the lifespan of the piezoelectric transducer.

[0018] The medical device with the aforementioned piezoelectric transducer provided in this application has the aforementioned beneficial effects, which will not be elaborated further in this paper. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the piezoelectric transducer provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0021] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a portion of the image;

[0022] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of a portion of the image;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a front view of the piezoelectric transducer provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the inner wall of the piezoelectric transducer provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0025] in:

[0026] 1-Transducer housing, 11-Connecting channel, 2-Piezoelectric ceramic crystal, 3-Sealing insulating sheet, 4-Liquid insulating material, 5-Insulating adhesive, 6-Injection hole, 7-Wire. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0028] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0029] Reference manual attached Figure 1-5 , attached Figure 1 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the piezoelectric transducer provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of a part Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of a part Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the inner wall of the transducer housing provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the inner wall of the piezoelectric transducer provided in this embodiment of the application. It includes: a metal transducer housing 1, the inner surface of which is provided with several mounting grooves for mounting piezoelectric ceramic crystals 2. In this embodiment, the mounting grooves are preferably shallow circular grooves used to accommodate the piezoelectric ceramic crystals 2. The diameter of the mounting groove is slightly larger than the diameter of the piezoelectric ceramic crystal 2, creating a gap between the mounting groove and the piezoelectric ceramic crystal 2. A sealing insulating sheet 3 is placed in this gap to seal it. The sealing insulating sheet 3 is pressed into place using a tool, ensuring it fits tightly against the inner surface of the mounting groove without damage or tearing. Subsequently, a liquid insulating material 4 is filled between the sealing insulating sheet 3 and the bottom of the mounting groove using a liquid filling tool. After filling, an insulating adhesive 5 is poured in using a potting tool and fixed in place, sealing the inner wall of the transducer housing 1. The insulating adhesive 5 will cover the surfaces of the piezoelectric ceramic crystal 2 and the sealing insulating sheet 3.

[0030] When the piezoelectric transducer is working, the piezoelectric ceramic crystals 2 are placed in the mounting groove through conductive adhesive. The transducer housing 1 serves as the negative electrode, and its other end is connected to the transducer housing 7 as the positive electrode. The lower the resistance of the wires 7, the better, so that the piezoelectric ceramic crystals 2 are connected in parallel. There are three insulating layers between the positive and negative electrodes: the first layer is the potting insulating adhesive 5, the second layer is the vacuum or air between the insulating adhesive 5 and the piezoelectric ceramic crystals 2, and the third layer is the liquid insulating material 4 between the sealing insulating sheet 3 and the shallow circular groove. Over time, the piezoelectric ceramic crystal 2 will detach from the insulating adhesive 5 due to its high-frequency vibration, creating a gap between them. This weakens or eliminates the insulation effect of the first layer. When operating at high energy levels, the second layer of vacuum or air has limited insulation capacity, leading to voltage breakdown. Subsequently, the third insulating layer is formed. The liquid insulating material 4 can be, but is not limited to, silicone oil. Its insulation effect is two to three times that of vacuum or air. Due to its liquid nature, it can promptly fill the gaps created after the first two insulating layers fail, achieving the self-repair function of the piezoelectric transducer's insulation. This prevents the conversion capacity from decreasing due to insulation problems, allowing the piezoelectric ceramic crystal 2 to operate at higher voltages and convert greater energy.

[0031] Meanwhile, the high-frequency vibration of the piezoelectric ceramic crystal 2 will cause the powdery conductive coating on its surface to peel off. If the coating powder falls directly into the second insulating layer, it will further reduce the insulation performance, harming the working performance and service life of the piezoelectric ceramic crystal 2. However, after installing the sealing insulating sheet 3, the coating powder can be effectively prevented from falling to the negative electrode of the piezoelectric ceramic crystal 2, blocking the formation of a conductive bridge. Even if the coating powder falls into the third layer of liquid insulation 4 through the sealing insulating sheet 3, it will be absorbed and contained by the liquid insulation 4, preventing the formation of a conductive bridge. Furthermore, from the perspective of piezoelectric transducer maintenance, users can regularly replace the liquid insulation 4 to remove the generated conductive impurities, thus maintaining the equipment and greatly extending the service life of the piezoelectric transducer.

[0032] The specific structure of the mounting groove can be adapted to the shape of the piezoelectric ceramic crystal 2, which will not be elaborated on in this article.

[0033] The conductive adhesive and wire 7 connecting the positive and negative electrodes of the piezoelectric ceramic crystal 2 in the above-mentioned piezoelectric transducer can be replaced with reference to the prior art. This is not the focus of protection of this application and will not be elaborated further.

[0034] Furthermore, all the aforementioned mounting slots are connected by a connecting channel 11 to allow the liquid insulating material 4 to circulate. In actual use, the injected liquid insulating material 4 should fill the internal space of the connecting channel 11 and the mounting slot, and the volume of the injected liquid insulating material 4 should be greater than or equal to the theoretical calculation value, so as to ensure that the liquid insulating material 4 can timely fill the gap between the piezoelectric ceramic crystal 2 and the insulating adhesive 5 and maintain its insulation performance.

[0035] Furthermore, a liquid injection hole 6 is provided through the outer wall of the transducer housing 1. The liquid injection hole 6 connects to the mounting groove or connecting channel 11. With the help of a liquid filling fixture, the internal air is expelled, and then the liquid insulating material 4 is injected into the device. A one-way valve is installed at the outer port of the liquid injection hole 6 to ensure that the liquid insulating material 4 does not leak during operation. Furthermore, when replacing the liquid insulating material 4 for equipment maintenance, the one-way valve can be disassembled to drain the liquid insulating material 4.

[0036] The specific configuration of the injection hole 6 can be adjusted according to actual needs, and is not limited to the above. This article will not elaborate further.

[0037] Furthermore, the aforementioned sealing and insulating sheet 3 is configured as an elastic element, specifically a silicone sheet, and the silicone sheet is configured as a concave circular ring with a diameter slightly smaller than that of the piezoelectric ceramic crystal 2. Because the silicone sheet has a certain elasticity, it can be fitted and tightly wrapped around the piezoelectric ceramic crystal 2. This configuration can reduce the vibration of the piezoelectric ceramic crystal 2 to a certain extent, thereby reducing the shedding of metal coating powder and lowering the possibility of insulation failure.

[0038] Of course, the sealing insulating sheet 3 is not limited to the structure of the aforementioned silicone sheet, which will not be discussed further here.

[0039] Furthermore, the insulating adhesive 5 mentioned above can be, but is not limited to, epoxy resin adhesive for insulating potting. Epoxy resin adhesive is readily available, reducing equipment manufacturing costs.

[0040] Furthermore, the transducer housing 1 is configured as a spherical body to concentrate the energy output of the piezoelectric ceramic crystal 2 and enhance the output effect of the shock wave. Of course, the structure of the transducer housing 1 can be modified according to specific needs, and is not limited to the above, which will not be elaborated on here.

[0041] This application also provides a medical device, including the aforementioned piezoelectric transducer. The setup and usage of the medical device can be found in existing technology and will not be elaborated upon here. In one specific embodiment, the medical device may be a piezoelectric extracorporeal shock wave therapy device.

[0042] It should be noted that in this specification, relational terms such as first and second are used only to distinguish one entity from several other entities, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities.

[0043] The piezoelectric transducer and medical device provided in this application have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The descriptions of the embodiments above are only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several improvements and modifications to this application without departing from the principles of this application, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A piezoelectric transducer, characterized in that, include: The transducer housing (1) has several mounting grooves on its inner wall. A piezoelectric ceramic crystal (2) is installed inside the mounting groove. A sealing insulating sheet (3) is provided in the mounting gap between the mounting groove and the piezoelectric ceramic crystal (2). The sealing insulating sheet (3) is filled with liquid insulating material (4) between itself and the bottom surface of the mounting groove, and the inner wall of the transducer housing (1) is filled with insulating glue (5). The mounting slots are interconnected to allow the liquid insulating material (4) to flow; The outer wall of the transducer housing (1) is provided with a liquid injection hole (6) for injecting the liquid insulating material (4), and the port of the liquid injection hole (6) is provided with a one-way valve. The sealing insulating sheet (3) is configured as an elastic element and is sleeved on the piezoelectric ceramic crystal (2).

2. The piezoelectric transducer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The insulating adhesive (5) is an epoxy resin adhesive.

3. The piezoelectric transducer according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The transducer housing (1) is configured as a spherical body.

4. A medical device, characterized in that, The medical device includes the piezoelectric transducer described in any one of claims 1-3, and is specifically a piezoelectric extracorporeal shock wave therapy device.

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