Patents by Inventor Mitchell L. Thompson
Mitchell L. Thompson 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: 10486197Abstract: A multilayer backing absorber for use with an ultrasonic transducer comprises a plurality of absorber elements, each absorber element having at least one metal layer and at least one adhesive layer, wherein the backing absorber is adapted to be coupled to a vibrating layer of the ultrasonic transducer.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2017Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: Measurement Specialites Inc.Inventors: Minoru Toda, Mitchell L. Thompson
-
Patent number: 10483453Abstract: A method of forming an ultrasonic transducer comprises coupling a front polymer layer of uniform thickness to a piezoelectric element. A front metal layer is coupled to the polymer layer on a side of the front polymer layer opposite the piezoelectric element for transmitting acoustic energy between the front polymer layer and a propagation medium. The front polymer layer and the front metal layer define a front acoustic impedance converter, wherein the front polymer layer completely isolates the piezoelectric element from the front metal layer.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2015Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: Measurement Specialties, Inc.Inventors: Minoru Toda, Mitchell L. Thompson
-
Publication number: 20170320092Abstract: A multilayer backing absorber for use with an ultrasonic transducer comprises a plurality of absorber elements, each absorber element having at least one metal layer and at least one adhesive layer, wherein the backing absorber is adapted to be coupled to a vibrating layer of the ultrasonic transducer.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2017Publication date: November 9, 2017Inventors: Minoru Toda, Mitchell L. Thompson
-
Patent number: 9713825Abstract: A multilayer backing absorber for use with an ultrasonic transducer comprises a plurality of absorber elements, each absorber element having at least one metal layer and at least one adhesive layer, wherein the backing absorber is adapted to be coupled to a vibrating layer of the ultrasonic transducer.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2013Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignee: Measurement Specialties, Inc.Inventors: Minoru Toda, Mitchell L. Thompson
-
Publication number: 20160027994Abstract: An impedance conversion layer useful for medical imaging ultrasonic transducers comprises a low impedance polymer layer and a high impedance metal layer. These layers are combined with corresponding thicknesses adapted to provide a function of converting from a specific high impedance to specific low impedance, wherein the polymer layer is at the high impedance side and the metal layer is at the low impedance side. The effective acoustic impedance of the polymer and metal layer combination may be adapted to configure an impedance converter in the same way as a quarter wavelength impedance converter, converting from low impedance to high impedance (metal to polymer) or from a high impedance to low impedance (polymer to metal). This structure may be used for front matching with the propagation medium and back matching with an absorber for ultrasonic transducers.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2015Publication date: January 28, 2016Inventors: Minoru Toda, Mitchell L. Thompson
-
Patent number: 9149838Abstract: An impedance conversion layer useful for medical imaging ultrasonic transducers comprises a low impedance polymer layer and a high impedance metal layer. These layers are combined with corresponding thicknesses adapted to provide a function of converting from a specific high impedance to specific low impedance, wherein the polymer layer is at the high impedance side and the metal layer is at the low impedance side. The effective acoustic impedance of the polymer and metal layer combination may be adapted to configure an impedance converter in the same way as a quarter wavelength impedance converter, converting from low impedance to high impedance (metal to polymer) or from a high impedance to low impedance (polymer to metal). This structure may be used for front matching with the propagation medium and back matching with an absorber for ultrasonic transducers.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2013Date of Patent: October 6, 2015Assignee: Measurement Specialties, Inc.Inventors: Minoru Toda, Mitchell L. Thompson
-
Patent number: 8836203Abstract: A transducer useful for medical imaging ultrasonic transducers comprises a front impedance matching layer, a piezoelectric array, and a rear layer. The front impedance matching layer may include a return connection region electrically coupled to a distal end of the piezoelectric array and a front metal layer with a return signal portion for routing the return signal from the distal end of the transducer to a flex circuit of the rear layer at a proximal end of the transducer. In an embodiment, the rear layer may include a return connection region that is electrically coupled to the piezoelectric array at a distal end of the transducer and also electrically coupled to the signal return lines of a flex circuit at the distal end of the transducer.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2012Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Measurement Specialties, Inc.Inventors: Brent Michael Nobles, Minoru Toda, Mitchell L. Thompson, Edward P. Harhen
-
Publication number: 20140117814Abstract: An impedance conversion layer useful for medical imaging ultrasonic transducers comprises a low impedance polymer layer and a high impedance metal layer. These layers are combined with corresponding thicknesses adapted to provide a function of converting from a specific high impedance to specific low impedance, wherein the polymer layer is at the high impedance side and the metal layer is at the low impedance side. The effective acoustic impedance of the polymer and metal layer combination may be adapted to configure an impedance converter in the same way as a quarter wavelength impedance converter, converting from low impedance to high impedance (metal to polymer) or from a high impedance to low impedance (polymer to metal). This structure may be used for front matching with the propagation medium and back matching with an absorber for ultrasonic transducers.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2013Publication date: May 1, 2014Applicant: Measurement Specialties, Inc.Inventors: Minoru Toda, Mitchell L. Thompson
-
Publication number: 20140050054Abstract: A multilayer backing absorber for use with an ultrasonic transducer comprises a plurality of absorber elements, each absorber element having at least one metal layer and at least one adhesive layer, wherein the backing absorber is adapted to be coupled to a vibrating layer of the ultrasonic transducer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2013Publication date: February 20, 2014Applicant: MEASUREMENT SPECIALTIES, INC.Inventors: Minoru Toda, Mitchell L. Thompson
-
Patent number: 8604672Abstract: An impedance conversion layer useful for medical imaging ultrasonic transducers comprises a low impedance polymer layer and a high impedance metal layer. These layers are combined with corresponding thicknesses adapted to provide a function of converting from a specific high impedance to specific low impedance, wherein the polymer layer is at the high impedance side and the metal layer is at the low impedance side. The effective acoustic impedance of the polymer and metal layer combination may be adapted to configure an impedance converter in the same way as a quarter wavelength impedance converter, converting from low impedance to high impedance (metal to polymer) or from a high impedance to low impedance (polymer to metal). This structure may be used for front matching with the propagation medium and back matching with an absorber for ultrasonic transducers.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2012Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignee: Measurement Specialties, Inc.Inventors: Minoru Toda, Mitchell L. Thompson
-
Patent number: 8570837Abstract: A multilayer backing absorber for use with an ultrasonic transducer comprises an elemental multilayer having at least one metal layer and at least one adhesive layer, wherein the backing absorber is adapted to be coupled to a vibrating layer of the ultrasonic transducer.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2008Date of Patent: October 29, 2013Assignee: Measurement Specialties, Inc.Inventors: Minoru Toda, Mitchell L. Thompson
-
Publication number: 20130257226Abstract: A transducer useful for medical imaging ultrasonic transducers comprises a front impedance matching layer, a piezoelectric array, and a rear layer. The front impedance matching layer may include a return connection region electrically coupled to a distal end of the piezoelectric array and a front metal layer with a return signal portion for routing the return signal from the distal end of the transducer to a flex circuit of the rear layer at a proximal end of the transducer. In an embodiment, the rear layer may include a return connection region that is electrically coupled to the piezoelectric array at a distal end of the transducer and also electrically coupled to the signal return lines of a flex circuit at the distal end of the transducer.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2012Publication date: October 3, 2013Applicant: MEASUREMENT SPECIALTIES, INC.Inventors: Brent Michael Nobles, Minoru Toda, Mitchell L. Thompson, Edward P. Harhen
-
Publication number: 20130002094Abstract: An impedance conversion layer useful for medical imaging ultrasonic transducers comprises a low impedance polymer layer and a high impedance metal layer. These layers are combined with corresponding thicknesses adapted to provide a function of converting from a specific high impedance to specific low impedance, wherein the polymer layer is at the high impedance side and the metal layer is at the low impedance side. The effective acoustic impedance of the polymer and metal layer combination may be adapted to configure an impedance converter in the same way as a quarter wavelength impedance converter, converting from low impedance to high impedance (metal to polymer) or from a high impedance to low impedance (polymer to metal). This structure may be used for front matching with the propagation medium and back matching with an absorber for ultrasonic transducers.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2012Publication date: January 3, 2013Applicant: MEASUREMENT SPECIALTIES, INC.Inventors: Minoru Toda, Mitchell L. Thompson
-
Patent number: 8264126Abstract: An impedance conversion layer useful for medical imaging ultrasonic transducers comprises a low impedance polymer layer and a high impedance metal layer. These layers are combined with corresponding thicknesses adapted to provide a function of converting from a specific high impedance to specific low impedance, wherein the polymer layer is at the high impedance side and the metal layer is at the low impedance side. The effective acoustic impedance of the polymer and metal layer combination may be adapted to configure an impedance converter in the same way as a quarter wavelength impedance converter, converting from low impedance to high impedance (metal to polymer) or from a high impedance to low impedance (polymer to metal). This structure may be used for front matching with the propagation medium and back matching with an absorber for ultrasonic transducers.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2010Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Measurement Specialties, Inc.Inventors: Minoru Toda, Mitchell L. Thompson
-
Publication number: 20110050039Abstract: An impedance conversion layer useful for medical imaging ultrasonic transducers comprises a low impedance polymer layer and a high impedance metal layer. These layers are combined with corresponding thicknesses adapted to provide a function of converting from a specific high impedance to specific low impedance, wherein the polymer layer is at the high impedance side and the metal layer is at the low impedance side. The effective acoustic impedance of the polymer and metal layer combination may be adapted to configure an impedance converter in the same way as a quarter wavelength impedance converter, converting from low impedance to high impedance (metal to polymer) or from a high impedance to low impedance (polymer to metal). This structure may be used for front matching with the propagation medium and back matching with an absorber for ultrasonic transducers.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2010Publication date: March 3, 2011Applicant: MEASUREMENT SPECIALTIESInventors: Minoru Toda, Mitchell L. Thompson
-
Publication number: 20090147627Abstract: A multilayer backing absorber for use with an ultrasonic transducer comprises an elemental multilayer having at least one metal layer and at least one adhesive layer, wherein the backing absorber is adapted to be coupled to a vibrating layer of the ultrasonic transducer.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2008Publication date: June 11, 2009Applicant: Measurement Specialties, Inc.Inventors: Minoru Toda, Mitchell L. Thompson
-
Patent number: 5341062Abstract: A ballistic fuse, which converts mechanical energy derived from the initial firing to stored electrical energy used to energize a later detonation, having piezoelectric polymer film strip with oppositely polarized layers on opposite surfaces, is pre-folded end to end before pleating and stacking in order to place both halves of a surface layer of one polarity into mutually contacting relationship, thereby reducing the risk of short circuits, and furthermore to double the bend radius required for pleating, thereby decreasing the risk of hinge failure due to bending stress at the pleated folds, and the continuous pattern of circles joined side by side in each layer is printed with conductive silver ink on the polymer film to eliminate the necessity of joining surfaces of like polarity with individual leads.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 1993Date of Patent: August 23, 1994Assignee: The Whitaker CorporationInventors: Joseph T. Cero, Jr., Mitchell L. Thompson, Joseph K. Hann, II