Ultrasonic transducer and ultrasonic sensor

Abstract

The invention discloses an ultrasonic transducer and an ultrasonic sensor, and relates to the field of ultrasonic sensors.The ultrasonic transducer comprises a probe assembly, a flexible sleeve and a rigid connecting piece, and the probe assembly is arranged in a barrel shape or a step barrel shape; the probe assembly is sleeved with the flexible sleeve, and at least part of the flexible sleeve extends in the circumferential direction of the probe assembly; the rigid connecting piece is fixed to the flexible sleeve and used for being fixed to an installation assembly of the ultrasonic sensor so that the ultrasonic transducer can be installed on the installation assembly. Wherein in the direction perpendicular to the ultrasonic transmitting / receiving surface, the size of the rigid connecting piece is smaller than that of the flexible sleeve / probe assembly; in the radial direction, the size of the rigid connecting piece is larger than the size of at least part of the flexible sleeve / probe assembly. Therefore, the vibration propagation efficiency is reduced through the flexible sleeve and the rigid connecting piece, ultrasonic waves are prevented from being transmitted to the rigid connecting piece, and resonance formed by the ultrasonic transducer and the mounting assembly is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of ultrasonic sensors, and in particular to an ultrasonic transducer and an ultrasonic sensor. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, ultrasonic sensors, with their advantages of non-contact measurement, no moving parts, no pressure loss, and extremely high metering accuracy, have attracted significant attention both domestically and internationally, becoming a hot topic for development in areas such as gas metering. The ultrasonic transducer is the key sensing element in ultrasonic sensors, and its installation accuracy and reliability are crucial to their metering performance and stability.

[0003] Currently, most ultrasonic transducers use the structure and installation method for ultrasonic gas meter sensors described in Chinese patent CN213688510U. In actual ultrasonic flowmeter applications, the applicant discovered that while this installation method meets the requirements for ultrasonic transducer positioning, stable installation, and sealing, resonance issues may arise in the following situations due to the direct contact between the ultrasonic transducer and the mounting hole via the rubber sleeve: First, at room temperature, the rubber sleeve has an interference fit with the mounting hole. When the rubber sleeve is over-compressed, its elastic deformation space is limited, potentially leading to uneven stress distribution, reducing energy absorption efficiency and susceptibility to resonance. Second, at temperatures of -25°C or lower, the rubber sleeve approaches the glass transition temperature of its material, gradually transforming from a highly elastic state to a glassy state, resulting in reduced deformation capacity and an inability to effectively absorb vibration energy through elastic deformation. At this time, the rubber sleeve contacts the mounting hole, making resonance more likely. Regarding resonance, specifically, when the ultrasonic sensor is working, the ultrasonic transducer needs to generate ultrasonic waves through mechanical vibration. This connection method will cause the mounting hole component to vibrate through the rubber sleeve, which is then transmitted to another receiving ultrasonic transducer on the mounting hole component. Noise is generated in the received ultrasonic signal, which in turn affects the accuracy of ultrasonic measurement. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic transducer and an ultrasonic sensor, aiming to reduce the adverse effects caused by the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention proposes an ultrasonic transducer, comprising: a probe assembly, which is cylindrical or stepped cylindrical, and one end face of which is an ultrasonic emitting / receiving surface; a flexible sleeve, which is sleeved on the probe assembly, at least a portion of which extends along the circumference of the probe assembly and is configured to expose at least a portion of the ultrasonic emitting / receiving surface; and a rigid connector, which is fixed to the flexible sleeve and is used to be fixed to the mounting assembly of the ultrasonic sensor so that the ultrasonic transducer is mounted on the mounting assembly; wherein, in a direction perpendicular to the ultrasonic emitting / receiving surface, the size of the rigid connector is smaller than the size of the flexible sleeve / the probe assembly; and in a radial direction, the size of the rigid connector is larger than the size of at least a portion of the flexible sleeve / probe assembly.

[0006] The present invention also provides an ultrasonic sensor, comprising: the above-mentioned ultrasonic transducer; and a mounting assembly, comprising a mounting seat, the mounting seat having a mounting hole therethrough for accommodating the ultrasonic transducer, a first gap being provided between the mounting seat and the flexible sleeve, and being fixedly connected to the rigid connecting piece of the ultrasonic transducer.

[0007] In the technical solution provided by the present invention, when the ultrasonic transducer transmits ultrasonic waves, electrical energy is converted into mechanical vibrations to generate ultrasonic waves, which are transmitted to the flexible sleeve. The flexible sleeve is an elastic material with elasticity. When subjected to force, it deforms and buffers impact and absorbs vibration energy through elastic restoring force. It can also reflect or block the transmission path of vibration waves on it, reduce the vibration propagation efficiency, and achieve sound absorption and shock reduction. The ultrasonic transducer is fixedly connected by the rigid connector to avoid direct contact between the probe assembly and the mounting assembly of the ultrasonic sensor through the flexible sleeve. The rigid connector (such as 304 stainless steel with an acoustic impedance of approximately 45×10 6 Pa·s / m) and flexible sleeve (such as rubber acoustic impedance 1.5×10 6 The large difference in acoustic impedance (Pa·s / m) between the flexible sleeve and the rigid connector results in a significant amount of acoustic energy (approximately 87% in the example above) being reflected at the interface. Furthermore, an air gap may exist between the flexible sleeve and the rigid connector (the acoustic impedance of air is approximately 400 Pa·s / m), thereby reducing the efficiency of vibration propagation. This minimizes the transmission of ultrasonic waves to the rigid connector and prevents resonance with the ultrasonic sensor's mounting assembly. Furthermore, the radial dimension of the mounting hole of the ultrasonic sensor's mounting assembly is larger than that of the flexible sleeve, providing space for expansion and deformation of the flexible sleeve due to heat or long-term use, thereby preventing direct contact between the flexible sleeve and the mounting assembly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0009] Figure 1 A partial structural cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an ultrasonic sensor provided by the present invention;

[0010] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the ultrasonic sensor;

[0011] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the mounting base and positioning column.

[0012] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0013] Label name Label name 1000 Ultrasonic sensors 104 Electrical connection wire 100 Ultrasonic transducer 200 Installing Components 101 Probe assembly 201 Mounting Block 1011 Fixed part 202 First gap 1012 Vibration Department 203 Gland 102 Flexible sleeve 204 Second gap 1021 Installation Department 205 sealing groove 1022 Probe fixing part 300 Positioning structure 103 Rigid connector 301 Positioning column 1031 Inner ring area 302 Positioning hole 1032 Outer Ring Area

[0014] The purpose, features and advantages of the present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and in conjunction with the embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0016] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indications are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the various components under a certain specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0017] In addition, if there are descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. in the embodiments of the present invention, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or suggesting their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In addition, the meaning of "and / or" appearing throughout the text includes three parallel schemes. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes scheme A, or scheme B, or a scheme in which A and B are satisfied at the same time. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the ability of ordinary technicians in this field to implement. When the combination of technical solutions is mutually contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0018] Currently, most ultrasonic transducers use the structure and installation method for ultrasonic gas meter sensors described in Chinese patent CN213688510U. In actual ultrasonic flowmeter applications, the applicant discovered that while this installation method meets the requirements for ultrasonic transducer positioning, stable installation, and sealing, resonance issues may arise in the following situations due to the direct contact between the ultrasonic transducer and the mounting hole via the rubber sleeve: First, at room temperature, the rubber sleeve has an interference fit with the mounting hole. When the rubber sleeve is over-compressed, its elastic deformation space is limited, potentially leading to uneven stress distribution, reducing energy absorption efficiency and susceptibility to resonance. Second, at temperatures of -25°C or lower, the rubber sleeve approaches the glass transition temperature of its material, gradually transforming from a highly elastic state to a glassy state, resulting in reduced deformation capacity and an inability to effectively absorb vibration energy through elastic deformation. At this time, the rubber sleeve contacts the mounting hole, making resonance more likely. Regarding resonance, specifically, when the ultrasonic sensor is working, the ultrasonic transducer needs to generate ultrasonic waves through mechanical vibration. This connection method will cause the mounting hole component to vibrate through the rubber sleeve, which is then transmitted to another receiving ultrasonic transducer on the mounting hole component. Noise is generated in the received ultrasonic signal, which in turn affects the accuracy of ultrasonic measurement.

[0019] In view of this, the present invention provides an ultrasonic transducer 100 and an ultrasonic sensor 1000 (in the accompanying drawings, the entire structure of the ultrasonic sensor 1000 is not shown). Figures 1 to 3 This is an embodiment of an ultrasonic sensor 1000 provided by the present invention, and the ultrasonic sensor 1000 includes an ultrasonic transducer 100 and a mounting assembly 200. The ultrasonic sensor 1000 can be an ultrasonic gas concentration meter, an ultrasonic flow meter, etc., which is not limited in this application.

[0020] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2The ultrasonic transducer 100 includes a probe assembly 101, a flexible sleeve 102, and a rigid connector 103. The probe assembly 101 is cylindrical or stepped cylindrical, with one end surface thereof being an ultrasonic emitting / receiving surface. The flexible sleeve 102 is sleeved on the probe assembly 101, with at least a portion of the flexible sleeve 102 extending along the circumference of the probe assembly 101 and configured to expose at least a portion of the ultrasonic emitting / receiving surface. The rigid connector 103 is fixed to the flexible sleeve 102 and is used to be fixed to the mounting assembly 200 of the ultrasonic sensor 1000 so that the ultrasonic transducer 100 is mounted on the mounting assembly 200. In a direction perpendicular to the ultrasonic emitting / receiving surface, the rigid connector 103 is smaller than the flexible sleeve 102 / the probe assembly 101. In a radial direction (radial direction of the probe assembly 101), the rigid connector 103 is larger than the flexible sleeve 102 and / or the probe assembly 101.

[0021] In the technical solution of the present invention, when the ultrasonic transducer 100 is transmitting, electrical energy is converted into mechanical vibration to generate ultrasonic waves, which are transmitted to the flexible sleeve 102. The flexible sleeve 102 has high elasticity and flexibility, and produces a large deformation when subjected to force. It buffers impact and absorbs vibration energy through elastic restoring force, and can also reflect or block the transmission path of vibration waves, reduce the vibration transmission efficiency, and achieve sound absorption and shock reduction. The ultrasonic transducer 100 is fixedly connected by the rigid connector 103 to prevent the probe assembly 101 from directly contacting the mounting assembly 200 of the ultrasonic sensor 1000 through the flexible sleeve 102. The large difference in acoustic impedance between the rigid connector 103 (e.g., 304 stainless steel having an acoustic impedance of approximately 45×10□Pa·s / m) and the flexible sleeve 102 (e.g., rubber having an acoustic impedance of 1.5×10□Pa·s / m) will result in a large amount of acoustic energy (approximately 87% in the aforementioned example) being reflected at the interface. In addition, an air gap may exist between the flexible sleeve 102 and the rigid connector 103 (the acoustic impedance of air is approximately 400Pa·s / m), which can reduce the vibration propagation efficiency, thereby blocking the ultrasonic wave from being transmitted to the rigid connector 103 and avoiding resonance with the mounting assembly 200 of the ultrasonic sensor 1000.

[0022] It should be noted that, in the present invention, the rigid connector 103 is rigid relative to the flexible sleeve 102, that is, the rigid connector 103 is more difficult to deform than the flexible sleeve 102; the rigid connector 103 can be a structural part with a certain rigidity such as a plastic part or a metal part, and the flexible sleeve 102 can be a structural part with a certain elasticity such as a silicone part.

[0023] It should also be noted that the probe assembly 101 is arranged in a cylindrical shape, that is, the diameter of the probe assembly 101 is fixed along its axial direction; while the probe assembly 101 is arranged in a stepped cylindrical shape, the diameter of the probe assembly 101 changes along its axial direction. More specifically, the probe assembly 101 is formed by multiple cylindrical parts connected in sequence along its axial direction, and the diameters of the multiple cylindrical parts gradually decrease or increase in sequence along the axial direction of the probe assembly 101.

[0024] More specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, the flexible sleeve 102 is a rubber sleeve, and the rigid connector 103 is a metal component, and the rubber sleeve and the metal component are integrally formed using a rubber encapsulation process. Metal materials have high molding precision, ensuring that the rigid connector 103 is free of eccentricity due to deformation during installation. Furthermore, most metal components have excellent temperature and corrosion resistance, maintaining long-term stability and reliability within the operating temperature range of the ultrasonic transducer 100 and under long-term operating conditions.

[0025] Furthermore, the material of the rigid connector 103 is corrosion-resistant metal. More specifically, the material of the rigid connector 103 is stainless steel or titanium alloy.

[0026] It should be noted that the material of the flexible sleeve 102 can also be flexibly selected from other elastic materials according to actual application scenarios. Correspondingly, the material of the rigid connector 103 can also be selected based on the material of the flexible sleeve 102 .

[0027] For details, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The rigid connector 103 is annular and sleeved on the flexible sleeve 102, and is used to fix to the mounting assembly 200 of the ultrasonic transducer 100. This can further facilitate the integral molding of the rubber sleeve and the metal component using a rubber encapsulation process, thereby facilitating the production of the ultrasonic transducer 100.

[0028] Furthermore, the outer wall of the flexible sleeve 102 is provided with a groove recessed along the axis (i.e., a groove recessed from the outer wall of the flexible sleeve 102 in the direction close to the inner wall of the flexible sleeve 102); the rigid connector 103 is divided into an inner ring area 1031 and an outer ring area 1032 connected along its radial direction, the inner ring area 1031 is embedded in the groove to be fixedly connected to the flexible sleeve 102, and the outer ring area 1032 is used to be fixedly connected to the mounting assembly 200 of the transducer.

[0029] It should be noted that the outer ring area 1032 is a portion of the rigid connector 103 that is arranged in a ring shape or a substantially ring shape, the inner ring area 1031 is another portion of the rigid connector 103 that is arranged in a ring shape or a substantially ring shape, and the outer ring area 1032 surrounds the outer periphery of the inner ring area 1031.

[0030] The roughly annular shape here may refer to a non-standard annular shape produced due to deviations in the production process, or may refer to a structure that has a certain deviation from the annular shape but is still roughly annular, formed based on other structural improvements on the annular shape.

[0031] Furthermore, the inner annular region 1031 and the groove are configured to prevent the rigid connector 103 from rotating circumferentially relative to the flexible sleeve 102. This means that the rigid connector and the flexible sleeve 102 do not rotate relative to each other after being secured. This facilitates the installation and securing of the ultrasonic transducer 100 and prevents the flexible sleeve 102 and the probe assembly 101 from rotating relative to the mounting assembly 200 after the ultrasonic transducer 100 is secured.

[0032] More specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, the inner ring area 1031 has different distances from the axis of the probe assembly 101 at at least two locations, that is, the inner ring area adopts an asymmetric design to achieve the above-mentioned non-relative rotation effect and facilitate processing.

[0033] Of course, in another embodiment of the present invention, the inner ring area 1031 and the groove of the flexible sleeve 102 are provided with matching concave-convex positioning protrusions and positioning grooves, one of the positioning protrusions and the positioning groove is provided on the inner ring area 1031, and the other is provided on the surface of the groove, so that the inner ring area 1031 and the groove are matched in concave-convex manner, thereby positioning the relative positions of the inner ring area 1031 and the groove to ensure that no relative rotation occurs.

[0034] For details, please refer to Figure 1 The flexible sleeve 102 includes a mounting portion 1021 and a probe fixing portion 1022 connected in sequence along its axial direction. The probe fixing portion 1022 is arranged close to the ultrasonic transmitting / receiving surface relative to the mounting portion 1021 and is adaptively sleeved outside the probe assembly 101; the rigid connector 103 is fixedly mounted on the mounting portion 1021.

[0035] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the mounting portion 1021 is a portion of the flexible sleeve 102 for fixedly connecting to the rigid connector 103 , and the probe fixing portion 1022 is a portion of the flexible sleeve 102 for fixing the probe in the probe assembly 101 .

[0036] The radial dimension of the mounting portion 1021 is larger than the radial dimension of the probe fixing portion 1022 , so that the rigid connector 103 can be stably fixed to the flexible sleeve 102 . In addition, a groove for fixing the rigid connector 103 can also be formed on the flexible sleeve 102 .

[0037] Further, see Figure 1 The probe assembly 101 is divided into a fixed part 1011 and a vibrating part 1012 along its axial direction. The end surface of the vibrating part 1012 away from the fixed part 1011 is the ultrasonic transmitting / receiving surface, and the radial dimension of the fixed part 1011 is larger than the radial dimension of the vibrating part 1012; a part of the inner circumferential wall of the probe fixing part 1022 is adapted to the outer circumferential wall of the fixed part 1011 of the probe assembly 101, and another part of the inner circumferential wall of the probe fixing part 1022 is adapted to the outer circumferential wall of the vibrating part 1012; in this way, the sound absorption and shock absorption effect is improved, and the vibration degree transmitted to the mounting assembly 200 of the ultrasonic sensor 1000 is greatly reduced, thereby avoiding resonance problems and noise generation.

[0038] Furthermore, part of the inner wall of the probe fixing portion 1022 is recessed to form a groove, which is sleeved on the fixing portion 1011 of the probe assembly 101 and can limit the probe assembly 101, thereby ensuring that the positions of the flexible sleeve 102 and the probe assembly 101 are fixed.

[0039] For details, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 An electrical connection line 104 is provided on the end of the probe assembly 101 facing away from the ultrasonic transmitting / receiving surface. This line passes through the mounting portion 1021 for electrical connection to an external power source. Sealant is filled between the mounting portion 1021 and the line 104. This ensures a stable electrical connection and prevents poor contact of the line 104.

[0040] Specifically, in a direction perpendicular to the ultrasonic transmitting / receiving surface, the ratio of the size of the rigid connector 103 to the size of the flexible sleeve 102 is 1:8-1:20, and the ratio of the size of the rigid connector 103 to the size of the probe assembly 101 is 1:8-1:20.

[0041] For details, please refer to Figure 1 The mounting assembly 200 includes a mounting seat 201, which is provided with a mounting hole for accommodating the ultrasonic transducer 100. There is a first gap 202 between the mounting seat 201 and the flexible sleeve 102, and the mounting seat 201 is fixedly connected to the rigid connector 103 of the ultrasonic transducer 100.

[0042] In this way, the first gap 202 provides deformation space for the flexible sleeve 102, which can prevent the flexible sleeve 102 from contacting the mounting seat 201 after thermal expansion and contraction, and aging and deformation due to long-term use, thereby avoiding increasing the vibration level of the ultrasonic wave transmitted to the mounting seat 201 through the flexible sleeve 102, causing resonance problems and generating noise.

[0043] Furthermore, the mounting hole is concentrically arranged with the probe assembly 101 of the ultrasonic transducer 100 .

[0044] Furthermore, the length of the first gap 202 is greater than or equal to 0.2 mm, which provides sufficient space for the deformation of the flexible sleeve 102 and prevents the flexible sleeve 102 from contacting the mounting seat 201 .

[0045] For details, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 A positioning structure 300 is provided between the mounting seat 201 and the rigid connector 103, and the positioning structure 300 includes at least one positioning column 301 and at least one positioning hole 302. One of the positioning column 301 and the positioning hole 302 is provided on the mounting seat 201, and the other is provided on the rigid connector 103, and the positioning column 301 and the positioning hole 302 are adapted and snap-fitted; in this way, the rigid connector 103 can be positioned by the mounting seat 201 to ensure the stability of the ultrasonic transducer 100 after assembly with the mounting seat 201.

[0046] For more details, see Figure 2 and Figure 3 In one embodiment of the present invention, the positioning column 301 is provided on the mounting seat 201 , and the positioning hole 302 is provided on the rigid connector 103 .

[0047] It should be noted that, in the present invention, the number of positioning posts 301 and the number of positioning holes 302 are not limited, and can be one, two, three, or more. Specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, two positioning posts 301 and two positioning holes 302 are provided, respectively, and are symmetrically distributed along the axis of the mounting base 201, so that the mounting base 201 and the rigid connector 103 are evenly stressed.

[0048] For details, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2The rigid connector 103 is annularly arranged and sleeved on the flexible sleeve 102 and pressed onto the first end of the mounting base 201. The mounting assembly 200 further includes a pressure cover 203, which covers the first end 11 of the mounting base 201 and presses and secures the rigid connector 103 to the first end 11. In this way, the rigid connector 103 is secured by the pressure cover 203.

[0049] It should be noted that the rigid connector 103 has high strength, and the pressure cover 203 can be designed to press the rigid connector 103 to zero gap without deformation, ensuring the reliability of the pressing, thereby ensuring the installation stability of the ultrasonic transducer 100.

[0050] Further, see Figure 1 , there is a second gap 204 between the pressure cover 203 and the flexible sleeve 102, so as to avoid the contact between the flexible sleeve 102 and the pressure cover 203, and further avoid the ultrasonic vibration being transmitted to the pressure cover 203 through the flexible sleeve 102 to form resonance; the second gap 204 provides an axial deformation space for the flexible sleeve 102, which can prevent the flexible sleeve 102 from expanding and contracting due to heat and expanding and deforming due to aging and long-term use, and then contacting the pressure cover 203, thereby avoiding increasing the vibration level of the ultrasonic wave transmitted to the mounting seat 201 through the flexible sleeve 102, causing resonance problems and generating noise.

[0051] More specifically, the length of the second gap 204 is greater than or equal to 0.2 mm.

[0052] Specifically, the pressure cover 203 is detachably connected to the mounting base 201 , so as to facilitate installation or removal of the ultrasonic transducer 100 .

[0053] It should be noted that, in the present invention, the detachable connection method between the pressure cover 203 and the mounting seat 201 is not limited, and can be a snap connection, or a threaded connection, etc.

[0054] For details, please refer to Figure 1 The mounting base 201 is provided with a sealing groove 205 on one side facing the rigid connector 103. A sealing adhesive or a sealing ring is provided in the sealing groove 205 to improve the sealing performance. In the embodiment in which the gland 203 is provided, the gland 203 can be used to further improve the sealing performance.

[0055] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made by using the contents of the present invention description and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect application in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic transducer, characterized in that: The ultrasonic transducer comprises: The probe assembly is arranged in a cylindrical or stepped cylindrical shape, and one end surface of the probe assembly is an ultrasonic transmitting / receiving surface; a flexible sleeve, sleeved on the probe assembly, at least a portion of the flexible sleeve extending along the circumference of the probe assembly and configured to expose at least a portion of the ultrasonic transmitting / receiving surface; and a rigid connector, fixed to the flexible sleeve, for fixing to the mounting assembly of the ultrasonic sensor so that the ultrasonic transducer is mounted on the mounting assembly; Wherein, in the direction perpendicular to the ultrasonic transmitting / receiving surface, the size of the rigid connector is smaller than the size of the flexible sleeve / the probe assembly; in the radial direction, the size of the rigid connector is larger than the size of at least part of the flexible sleeve / probe assembly.

2. The ultrasonic transducer according to claim 1, wherein The rigid connecting piece is arranged in a ring shape and is sleeved on the flexible sleeve and is used to be fixed to the mounting assembly of the ultrasonic transducer.

3. The ultrasonic transducer according to claim 2, wherein: The outer peripheral wall of the flexible sleeve is provided with a groove sunken along the axis; The rigid connector is divided into an inner ring area and an outer ring area along its radial direction. The inner ring area is embedded in the groove to be fixedly connected to the flexible sleeve, and the outer ring area is used to be fixedly connected to the mounting assembly of the transducer.

4. The ultrasonic transducer according to claim 3, wherein: The inner annular region and the groove are configured together to prevent the rigid connector from rotating relative to the flexible sleeve along the circumferential direction of the flexible sleeve.

5. The ultrasonic transducer according to claim 4, wherein: The distances between the inner ring area and the axis of the probe assembly are different at at least two locations.

6. The ultrasonic transducer according to claim 1, wherein The flexible sleeve includes a mounting portion and a probe fixing portion connected in sequence along its axial direction, the probe fixing portion is arranged relative to the mounting portion and close to the ultrasonic transmitting / receiving surface, and is adaptively sleeved outside the probe assembly, and the radial dimension of the mounting portion is larger than the radial dimension of the probe fixing portion; The rigid connecting member is fixedly mounted on the mounting portion.

7. The ultrasonic transducer according to claim 1, wherein In a direction perpendicular to the ultrasonic transmitting / receiving surface, the ratio of the size of the rigid connector to the size of the flexible sleeve is 1:8-1:20, and the ratio of the size of the rigid connector to the size of the probe assembly is 1:8-1:

20.

8. An ultrasonic sensor, characterized in that: The ultrasonic sensor comprises: The ultrasonic transducer according to any one of claims 1 to 7; and The mounting assembly includes a mounting seat, which is penetrated by a mounting hole for accommodating the ultrasonic transducer. A first gap is defined between the mounting seat and the flexible sleeve, and the mounting seat is fixedly connected to the rigid connector of the ultrasonic transducer.

9. The ultrasonic sensor according to claim 8, wherein The size of the first gap is greater than or equal to 0.2 mm.

10. The ultrasonic sensor according to claim 8, wherein A positioning structure is provided between the mounting seat and the rigid connector, and the positioning structure includes at least one positioning column and at least one positioning hole. One of the positioning column and the positioning hole is provided on the mounting seat, and the other is provided on the rigid connector, and the positioning column and the positioning hole are adapted to be snap-fitted.

11. The ultrasonic sensor according to claim 8, wherein The rigid connecting member is annularly arranged, sleeved on the flexible sleeve, and pressed on the first end of the mounting seat; The mounting assembly further includes a pressure cover, which is disposed on the first end of the mounting seat and presses and fixes the rigid connector on the first end.

12. The ultrasonic sensor according to claim 11, wherein A second gap is defined between the gland and the flexible sleeve.

13. The ultrasonic sensor according to claim 8, wherein A sealing groove is provided on one side of the mounting seat facing the rigid connector, and a sealing glue or a sealing ring is provided in the sealing groove.

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