The present disclosure related generally to ultrasound imaging, such as intravascular ultrasound imaging. For example, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide an ultrasound imaging system with improved acoustic impedance matching between an ultrasonic transducer and a vessel of interest. For example, in some implementations, an ultrasound imaging device includes a flexible elongate member and an ultrasound scanner assembly disposed at a distal portion of the flexible elongate member. The ultrasound scanner assembly includes a plurality of ultrasound transducers arranged circumferentially, and an impedance matching structure is coupled to the plurality of ultrasound transducers. In some such embodiments, the impedance matching structure is disposed radially outward from the plurality of ultrasound transducers, and in some embodiments, the impedance matching structure is disposed radially inward from the plurality of ultrasound transducers.

Disclosed is a broadband underwater acoustic transceiver device. The device can be used in particular for positioning, detection, range finding or underwater acoustic communication. The device coaxially combines, within a transceiver device, a Tonpilz transducer and a FFR transducer, the FFR being arranged in front of the transmission face/horn of the Tonpilz transducer. In such a configuration, the Tonpilz horn also acts as reflective tape for the FFR transducer, forming a common tape-horn element. Furthermore, an annular baffle surrounding the Tonpilz pillar creates a Helmholtz cavity for broadening the emission band towards the low frequencies.

An apparatus for disrupting solid materials suspended in a fluid medium includes a plurality of hammer elements that transfer acoustic energy from an acoustic transducer into a concentration zone between heads of the hammer elements and inner walls of a fluid duct which act as an anvil, thereby causing cavitations to form within the concentration zone. The transducer may be a cylindrical transducer compression fit into an acoustic projector from which the hammer elements extend towards a distal end, and mass balance elements extend towards a proximal end. The apparatus can be used to efficiently extract juice from fruit pulp, separate oils from plant matter, and process various organic and inorganic materials.

Sold-state intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging devices, systems, and methods are provided. Some embodiments of the present disclosure are particularly directed to compact and efficient circuit architectures and electrical interfaces for an ultrasound transducer array used in a solid-state IVUS system. In one embodiment, an intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) device includes: a flexible elongate member; an ultrasound scanner assembly disposed at a distal portion of the flexible elongate member, the ultrasound scanner assembly including an ultrasound transducer array; an interface coupler disposed at a proximal portion of the flexible elongate member; and a cable disposed within and extending along a length of the flexible elongate member between the ultrasound scanner assembly and the interface coupler. The cable includes four conductors electrically coupling the ultrasound scanner assembly and the interface coupler.

Methods and devices for imaging wells using phased array ultrasound imaging devices is described. The devices enable high resolution real-time imaging of a well during various operations in the well, including during completions, fracturing, milling, fishing and drilling operations. The phased array ultrasound imaging devices may be integrated with other well tools, such as a bottom hole assembly (BHA), fishing tools, milling tools, fracturing tools, and drilling tools, in order to integrate imaging capabilities into such tools.

Devices, systems, and methods relating to intraluminal imaging are disclosed. In an embodiment, an intraluminal imaging device is disclosed. One embodiment of the intraluminal imaging device comprises a flexible elongate member configured to be inserted into a body lumen of a patient, the flexible elongate member comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion. The intraluminal imaging device further comprises an ultrasound imaging assembly disposed at the distal portion of the flexible elongate member. The imaging assembly comprises a support member, a flexible substrate positioned around the support member, a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements integrated in the flexible substrate, and a plurality of control circuits disposed on the flexible substrate at a position proximal to the plurality of transducer elements. The plurality of control circuits has an outer profile that does not extend beyond an outer profile of the plurality of transducer elements.

A system includes a sensor window, a sensor having a field of view through the sensor window, a piezoelectric vibrator positioned to impart vibrations to the sensor window, and a computer communicatively coupled to the sensor and the piezoelectric vibrator. The computer is programmed to identify a type for an obstruction of the sensor window based on data from the sensor, and instruct the piezoelectric vibrator to vibrate the sensor window with vibrations having a vibration profile. The vibration profile has at least one of frequency or phase velocity chosen according to the identified type of obstruction.

Devices, systems, and methods relating to intraluminal imaging are disclosed. In an embodiment, an intraluminal imaging device is disclosed. One embodiment of the intraluminal imaging device comprises a flexible elongate member configured to be inserted into a body lumen of a patient, the flexible elongate member comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion. The intraluminal imaging device further comprises an ultrasound imaging assembly disposed at the distal portion of the flexible elongate member. The ultrasound imaging assembly comprises a support member, a flexible substrate positioned around the support member and including a proximal region and a distal region, the proximal region comprising a plurality of cutouts defining a plurality of substrate ribbons, a plurality of transducer elements integrated in the distal region of the flexible substrate, and a plurality of control circuits disposed on the proximal region of the flexible substrate.

An hourglass transducer including a longitudinal driver, a shell, and a pair of endcaps is provided. The driver drives the transducer. The pair of endcaps is attached to ends of the driver and cap the shell enclosing the transducer. The shell includes a first shell end, a second shell end, and a pleated geometry. The first shell end and second shell end are structured with circular cross sections. The pleated geometry is between the first shell end and the second shell end. A perimeter of the pleated geometry is the same as perimeters of the circular cross sections of the first shell end and the second shell end.

A method of assembling an intravascular imaging device (102) is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes obtaining a support member having a body portion including a plurality of recesses longitudinally spaced from one another (405); positioning a flex circuit around the support member such that the flex circuit is radially spaced from the body portion of the support member (410); and filling a space between the flex circuit and the support member with a backing material through the plurality of recesses of the body portion (420). In one embodiment, an intravascular imaging device includes a flexible elongate member; an imaging assembly including: a flex circuit; and a support member (330) around which the flex circuit is disposed, the support member having a body portion including plurality of recesses (339), wherein the support member defines lumen in fluid communication with a space between the flex circuit and the support member via the plurality of recesses.