公开(公告)号：US12220727B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-11

申请号：US17438705

申请日：2020-03-12

Applicant: IMEC VZW ,  KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN

Inventor： David Cheyns ,  Yongbin Jeong ,  Xavier Rottenberg

IPC: B06B1/06 ,  B06B1/02 ,  A61B8/00

Abstract: The present invention provides a flexible ultrasound transducer (1) for an ultrasound monitoring system for examining a curved object. The ultrasound transducer (1) comprises an integrated circuit structure (7) and a multi-layered structure (2), said multi-layered structure (2) comprising an array (3) of ultrasound transducing elements (3a) arranged in a first layer structure (4) and configured for generating ultrasonic energy propagating along a main transducer axis Z and an array (5) of control circuits (5a) arranged in a second layer structure (6), and wherein the array (5) of control circuits and the integrated circuit structure (7) are configured for operating the array (3) of ultrasound transducing elements in said first layer structure (4), Further, the multi-layered structure (2) comprises at least one flexible layer (8, 9) arranged so that the bending flexibility of the multi-layered structure (2) permits the ultrasound transducer (1) to form a continuous contact with said curved object during operation.

公开(公告)号：US12194497B2

公开(公告)日：2025-01-14

申请号：US18589696

申请日：2024-02-28

Applicant: IMEC VZW ,  Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

Inventor： David Cheyns ,  Yongbin Jeong ,  Xavier Rottenberg

IPC: B06B1/06 ,  B06B1/02 ,  A61B8/00

Abstract: The present invention provides a flexible ultrasound transducer for an ultrasound monitoring system for examining a curved object. The ultrasound transducer comprises an integrated circuit structure and a multi-layered structure, said multi-layered structure comprising an array of ultrasound transducing elements arranged in a first layer structure and configured for generating ultrasonic energy propagating along a main transducer axis Z and an array of control circuits arranged in a second layer structure, and wherein the array of control circuits and the integrated circuit structure are configured for operating the array of ultrasound transducing elements in said first layer structure, Further, the multi-layered structure comprises at least one flexible layer arranged so that the bending flexibility of the multi-layered structure permits the ultrasound transducer to form a continuous contact with said curved object during operation.

公开(公告)号：US20240139774A1

公开(公告)日：2024-05-02

申请号：US18488772

申请日：2023-10-17

Applicant: IMEC VZW

Inventor： David Cheyns ,  Yongbin Jeong

IPC: B06B1/06 ,  H10N39/00

CPC classification number: B06B1/0622 ,  H10N39/00 ,  A61B8/4483

Abstract: A method is provided for producing an ultrasound transducer for an ultrasound system. The method includes: 1) forming a first layer structure, comprising: (a) forming a frontplane flexible layer above a first substrate; (b) forming an array of ultrasound transducer elements; and 2) providing a second layer structure comprising at least a backplane layer; wherein 1) and/or 2) comprises: 1) (c) forming a first cavity defining layer above the array of ultrasound transducer elements and/or 2) (a) forming a second cavity defining layer above the backplane layer; and defining an array of cavities in the first and/or second cavity defining layer; 3) attaching by adhesive bonding the first layer structure to the second layer structure with the array of ultrasound transducer elements between the frontplane flexible layer and the backplane layer; and 4) removing the first substrate.