Ultrasonic Receiver Waveguide Refraction Convergence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ultrasonic transducers face challenges in detecting ultrasonic waves with high sensitivity due to significant reflection at interfaces between media with different acoustic impedances, leading to reduced reception efficiency and energy density.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasonic receiver design featuring a waveguide and propagation medium with a transmissive interface, where the ultrasonic wave is refracted and converged towards a predetermined point, minimizing reflection and maximizing energy density through careful arrangement of the waveguide and propagation medium with specific acoustic velocities and densities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an ultrasonic vibrator is used to detect ultrasonic waves propagating through gas, then the ultrasonic wave can be detected, but most of the ultrasonic wave is reflected from the surface of the ultrasonic vibrator due to significant acoustic impedance difference, resulting in low detection sensitivity
Solution Approach 1:
A propagation medium (such as a dry gel material with silica skeleton) is introduced as an intermediary substance between the gas and the ultrasonic vibrator. This propagation medium has acoustic impedance values intermediate between gas and solid, serving as a bridge that gradually transitions the acoustic impedance mismatch. The propagation medium includes a porous structure with pore diameters of 0.01 to 10 μm and porosity of 10 to 90%, allowing ultrasonic waves to propagate through it with minimal reflection while enabling efficient coupling to the ultrasonic vibrator.
Solution Approach 2:
The acoustic impedance parameters of the interface between gas and solid are modified by introducing a propagation medium with controllable acoustic properties. By adjusting the density and pore structure of the propagation medium, its acoustic impedance can be tuned to match intermediate values between gas and solid, thereby reducing reflection. The propagation medium's acoustic velocity and density are specifically selected to optimize ultrasonic wave transmission efficiency.
2Loss of energy
If a propagation medium with specific acoustic velocity and density is used to reduce reflection, then ultrasonic wave transmission efficiency is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex with additional components and interface arrangements
Solution Approach 1:
The propagation medium utilizes a porous material structure (such as dry gel with silica skeleton) where the pore diameters range from 0.01 to 10 μm and porosity is between 10 to 90%. This porous structure allows the material to have controllable acoustic impedance values that bridge the gap between gas and solid. The porous structure also enables the propagation medium to be formed as a thin layer directly on the ultrasonic vibrator surface, integrating the reflection-reducing function into the existing device structure without significant complexity increase.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design enables high-efficiency transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves with minimized reflection, resulting in increased sound pressure and sensitivity of detection.
Implementation Method 1
the ultrasonic wave that has propagated through the environmental fluid 4 is transmitted into the propagation medium 203 with refraction
Implementation Method 2
the ultrasonic wave that has propagated through the environmental fluid 4 is transmitted into the propagation medium 203 and is converged toward a predetermined point
Implementation Method 3
an ultrasonic vibrator 202 and a propagation medium 203, which is arranged on a first surface area 231 that is the transmitting, and receiving surface of the ultrasonic vibrator 202
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasonic receiver according to the present invention includes: a wave propagating portion 6, which defines a first opening 63 and a waveguide 60 that makes an ultrasonic wave, coming through the first opening 63, propagate in a predetermined direction; and a propagation medium portion 3, which has a transmissive interface 61 and which is arranged with respect to the waveguide 60 such that the transmissive interface 61 defines one surface of the waveguide 60 in the direction in which the ultrasonic wave propagates. The interface 61 is designed and arranged with respect to the waveguide 60 such that as the ultrasonic wave propagates along the waveguide 60, each portion of the ultrasonic wave is transmitted into the propagation medium portion 3 through the interface 61 and then converged toward a predetermined convergence point. The receiver further includes a sensor portion 2, which is arranged at the convergence point 33 to detect the ultrasonic wave converged. The propagation medium portion includes a propagation medium that fills a space between the interface and the convergence point. The waveguide is filled with an environmental fluid and acoustic velocities Cn and Ca of the ultrasonic wave propagating through the propagation medium portion 3 and the environmental fluid 4, respectively, satisfy Cn/Ca<1. If a distance from the first opening of the waveguide to a point P, which is set at an arbitrary location on the transmissive interface, is La as measured in the ultrasonic wave propagating direction and if a distance from the point P to the convergence point is Ln, then La/Ca+Ln/Cn is always constant irrespective of where the point P is located.