Protective housing for ultrasonic transducer apparatus

Claim 2

A housing for an ultrasound transducer comprising: a base portion having an opening for receiving the ultrasound transducer; and a cylindrical portion extending from said base portion for surrounding the ultrasound transducer; said cylindrical portion comprising a plurality of slots disposed about said cylindrical portion for passing ultrasound radiation, said plurality of slots arranged in a predetermined fashion and spaced apart from one another such that the total area of said plurality of slots is about 55% of the area of said cylindrical portion, whereby said cylindrical portion operates as an impedance matching layer with the ultrasound radiation for increasing the sensitivity or output transmission of the transducer.

Claim 3

The housing according to claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical portion comprises a plurality of elongate members extending vertically from the base portion and uniformly disposed about the base portion in cylindrical fashion, each said elongate member separated from one another by a corresponding one of said plurality of slots.

Claim 4

The housing according to claim 2 , further comprising a top portion opposite said base portion and coupled to ends of said plurality of elongate members.

Claim 5

The housing according to claim 3 , wherein said top portion comprises a disc shaped member having an aperture formed therein and a circumferentially extending side surface to which said plurality of elongate members are coupled.

Claim 6

The housing according to claim 2 , wherein the width of each elongated member is about 1.5 mm.

Claim 7

The housing according to claim 2 , wherein the housing comprises a flexible plastic material.

Claim 8

The housing according to claim 1 , wherein the slots comprise holes formed on a wall surface defining said cylindrical portion.

Claim 9

The housing according to claim 7 , wherein the holes are of uniform size and uniformly disposed about the wall surface.

Claim 10

The housing according to claim 8 , wherein the thickness of the wall surface is about 1 mm and wherein an inner diameter of the cylindrical portion is about 12.9 mm.

Claim 11

A housing for an ultrasound transducer comprising: a plurality of elongate members disposed in cylindrical fashion and interconnected to form a cylinder having an opening for receiving said ultrasound transducer, each elongate member separated from an adjacent one of said elongate members so as to define a slot therebetween, said plurality of slots arranged in predetermined fashion and spaced apart from one another such that said plurality of elongate members operate as an impedance matching layer for the ultrasound radiation for increasing the sensitivity or output transmission of the transducer.

Claim 12

A housing for an ultrasound transducer comprising: a plurality of elongate members disposed in cylindrical fashion and interconnected to form a cylinder having an opening for receiving said ultrasound transducer, each elongate member separated from an adjacent one of said elongate members so as to define a slot therebetween, said plurality of slots arranged in predetermined fashion and spaced apart from one another such that said plurality of elongate members operate as an impedance matching layer for the ultrasound radiation for increasing the sensitivity or output transmission of the transducer.

Claim 13

The housing according to claim 10 , wherein said plurality of slots are of uniform width.

Claim 14

The housing according to claim 10 , wherein the housing is monolithic and comprises a flexible plastic material.

Claim 15

The housing of claim 10 , wherein said plurality of elongate members comprises at least 12 said members.

Claim 16

In combination with an omnidirectional ultrasound transducer comprising a cylindrical piezoresponsive material operative for transmitting and/or receiving ultrasound signals in a direction normal to the piezoresponsive material at a predetermined resonance frequency, a housing surrounding said ultrasound transducer for providing environmental protection and enhancing signal transmission, said housing comprising a base portion having an opening for receiving the ultrasound transducer; and a cylindrical portion extending from said base portion for surrounding the ultrasound transducer cylindrical piezoresponsive material; said cylindrical portion comprising a plurality of slots disposed about said cylindrical portion for passing ultrasound radiation, said plurality of slots arranged in a predetermined fashion and spaced apart from one another such that the total area of said plurality of slots is about 55% of the area of said cylindrical portion, whereby said cylindrical portion operates as an impedance matching layer with the ultrasound radiation for increasing the sensitivity or output transmission of the transducer.

Claim 17

In combination with an omnidirectional ultrasound transducer comprising a cylindrical piezoresponsive material operative for transmitting and/or receiving ultrasound signals in a direction normal to the piezoresponsive material at a predetermined resonance frequency, a housing surrounding said ultrasound transducer for providing environmental protection and enhancing signal transmission, said housing comprising a base portion having an opening for receiving the ultrasound transducer; and a cylindrical portion extending from said base portion for surrounding the ultrasound transducer cylindrical piezoresponsive material; said cylindrical portion comprising a plurality of slots disposed about said cylindrical portion for passing ultrasound radiation, said plurality of slots arranged in a predetermined fashion and spaced apart from one another such that the total area of said plurality of slots is about 55% of the area of said cylindrical portion, whereby said cylindrical portion operates as an impedance matching layer with the ultrasound radiation for increasing the sensitivity or output transmission of the transducer.

Claim 18

The combination according to claim 14 , wherein said transducer includes a base portion supporting said cylindrically shaped piezoresponsive material, said transducer base portion engageable with said housing base portion for releasably securing said transducer within said housing.

Claim 19

The combination according to claim 14 , wherein said housing is monolithic and comprises a flexible plastic material.

Claim 20

The combination according to claim 15 , wherein said cylindrical portion comprises a plurality of elongate members extending vertically from the base portion and uniformly disposed about the base portion in cylindrical fashion, each said elongate member separated from one another by a corresponding one of said plurality of slots.

Claim 21

The combination according to claim 17 , said housing base portion further comprising a securing member for snap in mounting of said transducer to a printed circuit board.