Patents by Inventor Jean-Pierre Malacrida

Jean-Pierre Malacrida has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11806752
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a single element ultrasound transducer. In one embodiment, a method for the transducer comprises laminating a comb structure and a conductive base package into an acoustic stack with a non-conductive glue, grinding the acoustic stack, and dicing the ground acoustic stack along a plane extending from the top surface of the second fin of the conductive base package to the bottom surface of the acoustic stack. The resulting transducer may have a flat front face with a non-conductive groove separating a ground pad formed by the conductive base package from a signal pad formed by a matching layer of the comb structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Flavien Daloz, Philippe Menage, Edouard Da Cruz, Jean Pierre Malacrida, Giandonato Stallone, Coraly Cuminatto
  • Patent number: 11751847
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a single element ultrasound transducer. In one embodiment, the ultrasound transducer comprises a front face, a back face parallel to the front face, a piezoelectric layer having a top surface electrically coupled to the signal pad and a bottom surface electrically coupled to the ground pad. In this way, the transducer can work robustly and may be automatically mounted to an imaging probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: GE PRECISION HEALTHCARE LLC
    Inventors: Flavien Daloz, Jason Barrett, Edouard Da Cruz, Jean Pierre Malacrida
  • Publication number: 20200171543
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a single element ultrasound transducer. In one embodiment, the ultrasound transducer comprises: a piezoelectric layer, a matching layer, one surface of the matching layer is electrically coupled to a top surface of the piezoelectric layer and another surface of the matching layer forms a signal pad within a front face of the ultrasound transducer, and a base package electrically coupled to a bottom surface of the piezoelectric layer, the base package extending horizontally and laterally to form a back face of the ultrasound transducer parallel to the front face of the ultrasound transducer, and extending vertically relative to the back face of the ultrasound transducer to form a ground pad within the front face of the ultrasound transducer. In this way, the transducer can work robustly and may be automatically mounted to a flat substrate with printed circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Flavien Daloz, Philippe Menage, Edouard Da Cruz, Jean Pierre Malacrida, Giandonato Stallone, Coraly Cuminatto
  • Publication number: 20200107814
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a single element ultrasound transducer. In one embodiment, the ultrasound transducer comprises a front face, a back face parallel to the front face, a piezoelectric layer having a top surface electrically coupled to the signal pad and a bottom surface electrically coupled to the ground pad. In this way, the transducer can work robustly and may be automatically mounted to an imaging probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Flavien Daloz, Jason Barrett, Edouard Da Cruz, Jean Pierre Malacrida
  • Patent number: 10596598
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a single element ultrasound transducer. In one embodiment, the ultrasound transducer comprises: a piezoelectric layer, a matching layer, one surface of the matching layer is electrically coupled to a top surface of the piezoelectric layer and another surface of the matching layer forms a signal pad within a front face of the ultrasound transducer, and a base package electrically coupled to a bottom surface of the piezoelectric layer, the base package extending horizontally and laterally to form a back face of the ultrasound transducer parallel to the front face of the ultrasound transducer, and extending vertically relative to the back face of the ultrasound transducer to form a ground pad within the front face of the ultrasound transducer. In this way, the transducer can work robustly and may be automatically mounted to a flat substrate with printed circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Flavien Daloz, Philippe Menage, Edouard Da Cruz, Jean Pierre Malacrida, Giandonato Stallone, Coraly Cuminatto
  • Patent number: 10561398
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a single element ultrasound transducer. In one embodiment, the ultrasound transducer comprises a front face, a back face parallel to the front face, a piezoelectric layer having a top surface electrically coupled to the signal pad and a bottom surface electrically coupled to the ground pad. In this way, the transducer can work robustly and may be automatically mounted to an imaging probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Flavien Daloz, Jason Barrett, Edouard Da Cruz, Jean Pierre Malacrida
  • Publication number: 20180175278
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a single element ultrasound transducer. In one embodiment, the ultrasound transducer comprises a front face, a back face parallel to the front face, a piezoelectric layer having a top surface electrically coupled to the signal pad and a bottom surface electrically coupled to the ground pad. In this way, the transducer can work robustly and may be automatically mounted to an imaging probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Flavien Daloz, Jason Barrett, Edouard Da Cruz, Jean Pierre Malacrida
  • Publication number: 20180169701
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a single element ultrasound transducer. In one embodiment, the ultrasound transducer comprises: a piezoelectric layer, a matching layer, one surface of the matching layer is electrically coupled to a top surface of the piezoelectric layer and another surface of the matching layer forms a signal pad within a front face of the ultrasound transducer, and a base package electrically coupled to a bottom surface of the piezoelectric layer, the base package extending horizontally and laterally to form a back face of the ultrasound transducer parallel to the front face of the ultrasound transducer, and extending vertically relative to the back face of the ultrasound transducer to form a ground pad within the front face of the ultrasound transducer. In this way, the transducer can work robustly and may be automatically mounted to a flat substrate with printed circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Flavien Daloz, Philippe Menage, Edouard Da Cruz, Jean Pierre Malacrida, Giandonato Stallone, Coraly Cuminatto
  • Patent number: 8450910
    Abstract: An ultrasound transducer element includes a piezoelectric layer, a front end body, and a backing layer assembly. The piezoelectric layer extends between opposite front and back sides and is configured to transmit acoustic waves from the front side. The front end is body disposed proximate to the front side of the piezoelectric layer and is configured to emit the acoustic waves out of a housing. The backing layer assembly is disposed proximate to the back side of the piezoelectric layer. The backing layer assembly includes a first thermally conductive mesh disposed in a matrix enclosure. The first thermally conductive mesh is positioned to conduct thermal energy away from the piezoelectric layer. In one aspect, the first thermally conductive mesh is a grid of elongated strands of a metal or metal alloy material oriented in at least one of transverse or oblique directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Gelly, Anne Cecile Dagonneau, Jean Pierre Malacrida
  • Publication number: 20120181902
    Abstract: An ultrasound transducer element includes a piezoelectric layer, a front end body, and a backing layer assembly. The piezoelectric layer extends between opposite front and back sides and is configured to transmit acoustic waves from the front side. The front end is body disposed proximate to the front side of the piezoelectric layer and is configured to emit the acoustic waves out of a housing. The backing layer assembly is disposed proximate to the back side of the piezoelectric layer. The backing layer assembly includes a first thermally conductive mesh disposed in a matrix enclosure. The first thermally conductive mesh is positioned to conduct thermal energy away from the piezoelectric layer. In one aspect, the first thermally conductive mesh is a grid of elongated strands of a metal or metal alloy material oriented in at least one of transverse or oblique directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Gelly, Anne Cecile Dagonneau, Jean Pierre Malacrida
  • Publication number: 20120153776
    Abstract: Ultrasound transducers and methods of forming ultrasound transducers are provided. An ultrasound transducer can include an acoustic stack including: a dematching layer and a flexible circuit including a nonconductive layer and a conductive material. The conductive material can include a plurality of substantially parallel strips. Adhesive can be provided between the dematching layer and the flexible circuit such that it contacts the strips of conductive material and portions of the nonconductive layer between the strips of conductive material. A plurality of substantially parallel cuts can extend through the dematching layer, through the adhesive and into the nonconductive layer without cutting into the strips of conductive material. The flexible circuit can include a ground area and the strips of conductive material and cuts can be located thereon. The adhesive can encapsulate each strip of conductive material on three surfaces, including a top surface and two sides of each strip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Richard Guéron, Jean-Pierre Malacrida