METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING ALTERNATING ULTRASONIC TRANSMISSIONS WITHOUT CAVITATION

Abstract

Ultrasound generation produces in general an acoustic field, characterized by both inertial and non-inertial acoustic cavitation, a process by which non-linear oscillation of a microbubble and its associated micro streaming and radiation force generated by ultrasound can lead to intense heating effects in a material, solution or biological cell which comes into contact with a conventional ultrasound transmission. Typically an ultrasound signal contains both an acoustic vibration effect, a resonance effect where a material receiving the ultrasound transmission resonates in response to the transmission, and unfortunately in many applications a damaging cavitation effect and a damaging thermal effect. This invention is both a method and an apparatus to reduce the damaging effects of ultrasound in both the thermal and mechanical effects and to provide a safer ultrasonic process which can be used in sonochemistry applications, material science and for biological or medical applications.

Claims

1. A method of providing cavitation free ultrasound in an ultrasonic device, whereby an ultrasonic signal employs a combination of two or more waveforms, and whereby the growth of the acoustic signal is interrupted from becoming cavitational.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a first waveform is a sawtooth waveform followed by a second, square waveform.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound is applied continuously.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound is applied pulsed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound has a frequency greater than 20 kHz.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein timing available to each waveform is kept below 400 milliseconds.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the timing that each waveform is present is varied from any combination of time under 400 milliseconds.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the ultrasound timing is varied from about 50 milliseconds to about 90 milliseconds for the first waveform and from about 10 milliseconds to about 50 milliseconds for the second waveform.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the timing available to each waveform is kept below 400 milliseconds, followed by a deactivation period for a sufficient period of time again to avoid the formation of cavitation, and then followed by re-cycling of alternating sonic transmission, in series.

10. A transducer which is capable of delivering mechanically a waveform fed to it electronically from a first waveform to any other second waveform, wherein the waveforms are any one of a sine waveform, a sawtooth waveform, a square waveform and a triangular waveform.

11. A transducer as claimed in claim 10, which is constructed using a piezoelectric or magneto restrictive crystal at the center, surround by an air gap above and below the crystal, encased in aluminum foil at its bottom and titanium foil at its top, attached to rubber gaskets which allow the sonic energy emanating from the crystal to propagate in one direction, toward a target, with reduced wasted ultrasonic signal, thereby enabling a greater sonic conversion efficiency from the mechanical sonic device and to enable the transducer to deliver a mechanical waveform matching the electrical waveform delivered to it by an electronic control circuit.

12. A transducer which is capable of delivering cavitation free ultrasound, which employs a reflector on a top face of the transducer to reflect ultrasonic signals back to a target.

13. A transducer which is capable of delivering cavitation free ultrasound, which employs one or more individual transducer discs or elements in an array, placed over a stainless steel face plate, and which cause the face plate to irradiate harmonic ultrasound in resonance to the ultrasound delivered from the transducer discs affixed to it, wherein the face plate and transducer disc array are covered by a block containing a flexible foam rubber layer between the stainless steel face plate and the block housing, whereby increasing overall intensity of the transducer and increasing the diameter of surface area to the overall sonic transmission.

14. A method of delivering cavitation free ultrasound, which produces a sonic pattern upon a target, which is spherical and which avoids troughs in the beam profile, thereby avoiding cavitation effects upon the target material subjected to the ultrasound transmission.

15. A method of delivering cavitation free ultrasound, which employs one or more alternating sonic waveforms where one waveform is a triangular wave front where the frequency and amplitude of the wave front is diminishing over time, thereby preventing the growth of a cavitation or thermal effect to the ultrasound transmission.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

[0054] In the drawings:

[0055] FIG. 1 is an illustration of the effects of conventional ultrasound in the formation of an implosion, shockwave and thermal effect which leads to cavitation.

[0056] FIG. 2 is an illustration of bubble formation and collapse as a result of cavitation ultrasound.

[0057] FIG. 3 is an illustration of drug degradation which can be effected via cavitation ultrasound.

[0058] FIG. 4 shows the compression and expansion effects of cavitation ultrasound.

[0059] FIG. 5 shows the cavitation drop off that can be effected through the use of an alternating waveform dynamic wherein a waveform A is followed by a different wave structure in the waveform B transmission.

[0060] FIG. 6 is a combination of sine to sawtooth waveform.

[0061] FIG. 7 is a combination of sine to square waveform.

[0062] FIG. 8 is a combination of sawtooth to square waveform.

[0063] FIG. 9 is an illustration of the use of a triangular waveform dynamic, where the waveform slides through a frequency range, leading to a drop in amplitude, to avoid the cavitation formation.

[0064] FIG. 10 is a combination of triangular to square waveform combination.

[0065] FIG. 11 illustrates a cavitation drop off by switching the ultrasonic waveform timing cycle.

[0066] FIG. 12 illustrates the use of a timing cycle to interrupt the formation of cavitation.

[0067] FIG. 13 shows that no matter the waveform of the electrical signal delivered to the transducer, the mechanical force emits as a sinusoidal waveform.

[0068] FIG. 14 shows the transducer of the new design which utilizes a special transducer construction which will provide a cavitation-free ultrasonic transmission, by allowing for a match between the electronic signal delivered to the transducers and the resultant mechanical waveform.

[0069] FIG. 15 is a modified transducer design utilizing a reflector design to focus the ultrasound toward the target.

[0070] FIG. 16 shows the reflective transducer which minimizes loose ultrasound transmission and focuses the ultrasonic signal in one direction.

[0071] FIG. 17 is a modified transducer design utilizing a reflector design to focus the ultrasound toward the target, and shows the placement pattern of transducer discs upon a face plate.

[0072] FIG. 18 shows binary or stacked transducer configurations.

[0073] FIG. 19 shows a C-type single element transducer disc.

[0074] FIG. 20 shows the transducer reflector casing.

[0075] FIG. 21 shows a 9-element transducer array.

[0076] FIG. 22 shows a 4-element transducer array.

[0077] FIG. 23 is an assembly diagram showing the formation of a transducer block, capable of delivering no-cavitation ultrasonic transmissions.

[0078] FIG. 24 illustrates the test apparatus used in Experiments 1A and 1B.

[0079] FIG. 25 illustrates the result of Experiment 2.

[0080] FIG. 26A illustrates the results of Experiment 3 upon insulin compared to regular insulin. FIG. 26A is an HPLC Spectra of Lispro Insulin, A control sample which has not been subject to ultrasound.

[0081] FIG. 26B is the HPLC Spectra of Lispro Insulin, which has been subject to the alternating ultrasound transmission of 50 milliseconds sawtooth, followed by 50 milliseconds square wave ultrasound, showing no damage occurred to the insulin sample.

[0082] FIG. 27 shows the damage caused by conventional low power ultrasound upon insulin.

[0083] FIG. 28 shows pore dilation effects upon the skin using sawtooth waveform ultrasound directed against the skin.

[0084] FIG. 29 is an acoustic pattern in water of a single element transducer producing an alternating waveform.

[0085] FIG. 30 is a beam profile comparison of alternating ultrasonic transmission at 25 kHz and 40 kHz.

[0086] FIG. 31 is a beam profile comparison of conventional sinusoidal cavitation ultrasonic transmission at 25 kHz and 40 KHz.

[0087] FIG. 32 is a beam profile comparison of conventional cavitation ultrasound transmission at 60 KHz.

[0088] FIG. 33 is a beam profile comparison of conventional cavitation ultrasound transmission at 80 kHz and 100 KHz.

[0089] FIG. 34 is a circuit diagram of the electronic alternating ultrasonic generator used to effect cavitation free ultrasound.

[0090] FIG. 35 shows a plane-wave sound source and its wavefront

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Transducer Design

[0091] In FIG. 13 the function of a conventional piezoelectric transducer, which is designed traditionally employing a piezoelectric crystal which converts an electronic signal into mechanical vibratory energy. No matter the electronic signal waveform delivered to the transducer, a sinusoidal ultrasonic waveform mechanical force is generated, creating the cavitation effect depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0092] FIG. 14 illustrates the function of a modified transducer, wherein the electronic signal delivered to the transducer is repeated purely as mechanical force upon the output of the transducer. A sinusoidal electronic transmission is delivered as an ultrasonic sinusoidal waveform mechanical force output. Similarly a sawtooth, triangular or square waveform electronic transmission is delivered as an ultrasonic sawtooth, triangular or square waveform mechanical force output, respectively. This type of transducer eliminates or minimizes the formation of micro-bubbles and cavitation and resultant heat, which could damage a drug or the skin.

[0093] FIG. 15 is a schematic design of a modified transducer which will create the alternating ultrasonic transmission as depicted in FIG. 14, wherein the mechanical sonic waveform follows the electronic waveform delivered to the piezoelectric crystal.

[0094] In particular the transducer consists of a piezoelectric crystal or a magnetorestrive crystal (1) in FIG. 15, which is sandwiched between two cover layers which control the vibratory direction of mechanical force emitted from the crystal (1). At the bottom of the transducer a sonic film layer (5) allows the sonic signal to pass through it undeterred. On top of the crystal (1) a reflective, non-sonic permeable material (2) reflects mechanical force back through an air gap (7) which is between both film coverings (2) and (5). The covers (2) and (5) encapsulate the crystal (1) and are connected by a flexible rubber connector, such as a sponge foam connector (3) which is placed between the top cover (5) and the bottom cover (2). A rubber stop or gasket (4) is placed on both sides and seals the entire transducer into place.

[0095] Electrical energy delivered to the crystal (1) causes it to vibrate mechanically and develop ultrasonic force. That mechanical force travels through the air gap to the top of the transducer where it is reflected back downwards by the material at the top cover (2), back through the top air gap (7) to the bottom of the transducer where the mechanical energy passes through the bottom cover (5) and exits the transducer as ultrasonic force (8). As the crystal (1) vibrates it flexes the rubber stop (4) and the sponge foam connector (3) allowing the entire cover, both (2) on top and the bottom cover (5) to vibrate harmonically with the vibration of the crystal (1). The result is an intense ultrasonic transmission, which delivers a waveform shape commensurate with the electrical waveform delivered to the transducer as seen in FIG. 26B.

[0096] The top cover (2) is designed to reflect ultrasonic energy back downward through the bottom of the transducer. Conventional transducers deliver ultrasound in all directions, lowering their overall intensity. The preferred material for the top cover (2) is a titanium foil. On the interior of the foil an insulating coating of epoxy resin is placed to enhance the ability of the titanium foil to remain rigid and non-harmonically reactive to the ultrasound emanated from the crystal (1). By re-focusing the sonic energy downward, the top cover enhances the intensity of the sonic transmission and avoids waste of the energy. The use of sponge foam connector (3), which is placed between the top cover (2) and the bottom cover (5) coupled with the rubber stop (4) allows the transducer to flex, much like a speaker, with the ultrasonic transmission (8), resulting again in a stronger more intense transmission. The slight air gap (7) between the covers (2) and (5) and the crystal (1) avoids complete rigidity for the transducer and enhances its flexing capacity. The result is a high intensity transducer which will require less energy to power it and which performs the function of delivering the mechanic ultrasonic waveform, matching the electrical waveform delivered to the transducer.

[0097] In FIG. 16 it can be seen that the transducer delivers null or very little ultrasound out the top or sides of the transducer while most of the energy is directed downward from the bottom of the transducer, forming a directional ultrasonic transmission.

[0098] In FIG. 17 the transducer discs are generally constructed on a single plane. FIG. 17 depicts two transducer discs affixed onto a stainless steel face plate all on one level making what is termed as a Standard Transducer Array.

[0099] FIG. 18 illustrates a stacked array which may consist of two transducers (a binary stacked array) or a stacked array, which is several transducers placed on top of one another. The stacked array can increase the intensity of the ultrasonic transmission. The use of stacked transducers, essentially transducers fitted on top of each other, increases ultrasonic intensities while maintaining a given frequency level. Used in this invention, the stacked transducer construction is intended to increase intensity while improving the power utilization of the transducer system.

[0100] FIG. 19 illustrates that the C type transducer disc enables a compact and minute size for the transducer element of the invention. The sizing of the transducers was obtained at just 0.5 inch in diameter. The small size transducer was used in the invention to enable the transducers to fit within the dimensions of transdermal patches for drug delivery applications but have many other uses, and can have other sizes. In addition, the small size enabled a lower weight potential for the transducers, again aiding in the portability of the invention.

[0101] The transducer disc is a C type construction attached to a power cable. The transducer disc is coated in a polymer housing, ideally composed of URALITE urethane resin and referred to an Echo-Seal resin, which is used to avoid short circuits between the two metallic caps (FIG. 15) and provides acoustic coupling for the sonic transmission.

Design of Transducer Element or Disc

[0102] FIG. 15 illustrates the design of ultrasonic transducer, which is the preferred embodiment of the transducer element of this invention. From FIG. 15 it can be seen that a transducer 40 is based upon a piezoelectric disc (1), such as available as PZT4 (Piezokinetics Corp. Bellefonte, Pa.), connected between two metal caps (2) and (5) composed of titanium foil preferably, without limitation. A hollow air space (7) is between the piezoelectric disc (1) and the end caps (2) and (5). The end caps (2) and (5) are connected to the piezoelectric disc (1) by a non-electrically conductive adhesive (3) to form a bonded layered construction to the transducer (4). A polymer coating (6) is placed on the inside of the top and bottom end caps (2) and (5) and helps minimize harmonic reaction of the end caps to the ultrasound generated from the disc (1). End cap (2), with the help of the internal coating (6), acts a reflector directing the ultrasound in one direction, shown by the arrows (8), at the bottom side of the transducer.

[0103] The transducer offers a thin, compact structure more suitable for a portable ultrasonic drug delivery apparatus. Additionally, this transducer offers greater efficiency for the conversion of electric power to acoustically radiated power. This design of a transducer was also chosen because of its potential to be battery powered and its small, lightweight features.

[0104] FIG. 16 shows that the design illustrated in FIG. 15 has sonic energy emanating in one direction from the transducer and not at the top or at the sides.

[0105] FIG. 20 shows that the design illustrated in FIG. 15, through the use of the caps achieves a high efficiency of electrical to mechanical conversion of sonic energy, as high as 88% when traditional cavitation based sonic transducers generally have efficiency as low as 18%. The reflector end cap directs the vibration in one direction.

Fabrication of the C Type Transducer-Standard Construction as Illustrated in FIG. 15

Part List and Step By Step Manufacturing

PARTS LIST

[0106] 1. Piezoelectric ceramic Material: [0107] PZT4 disc 0.5-inch diameter, 1-mm thickness (PKI402) [0108] SD 0.500-0.000-0.040-402 [0109] Actual supplier: Piezo Kinetics Inc. [0110] Mill Road and Pine St. [0111] PO Box 756 [0112] Bellefontte Pa. 16823 [0113] 2. Titanium caps [0114] Material: Alfa Aesar, Titanium Foil, 0.25 mm thick, metal basis 5%, Item #10385 [0115] Actual supplier: Alfa Aesar, A Johnson Matthey Company 30 Bond Street Ward Hill, Mass. 01835-8099, USA [0116] 3. Bonding layer [0117] Material: Eccobond 45LV+catalyst 15LV [0118] Actual supplier: Emerson & Cuming [0119] 46 Manning Road [0120] Billerica, Mass. 01821 [0121] 4. Low temperature soldering [0122] Material: Indalloy Solder #1E, 0.30 dia x 3 ft long [0123] Actual supplier: The indium corporation of America 1676 Lincoln AVE UTICA N.Y. 13502 [0124] 5. Wires [0125] Material: Stranded wire, Gauge/AWG: 30 [0126] Catalog number (Digikey): A3047B-100-ND [0127] Note: Maximum Temperature: 80 C [0128] Conductor Strand: 7/38 [0129] Voltage Range: 300V [0130] Number of Conductors: 1 [0131] Actual supplier: Alpha Wire Corporation [0132] 6. Housing polymer [0133] Material: Uralite FH 3550 part AB [0134] Actual supplier: HB Fuller Company [0135] 7. Ethyl Alcohol [0136] Note: 200 proof (at least) [0137] 8. Sand paper

[0138] Manufacturing Procedure: Step-by-Step

[0139] Reference is made to FIG. 4B:

[0140] 1. Dye cut titanium foils into several disks. Materials: Titanium foil (2), circular saw 10.7 mm diameter.

[0141] 2. Sand rough edges. One side of the disks results with edges. Those edges should be removed with sand (fine scale) paper. Materials: Sand paper (8)

[0142] 3. Alcohol bath to remove dust generated by sanding the disks. Materials: alcohol (7)

[0143] 4. Put disk into a high pressure (12000 torr) shaping tool (polished side up). For this step should be designed a custom-made punch dye in order to shape the disks into the dimensions reported in FIG. 2.

[0144] 5. Sand rough edges again. Materials: sand paper (8)

[0145] 6. Immerse in alcohol to remove dust. Materials: alcohol (7)

[0146] 7. Wipe to remove alcohol and dust from disk

[0147] 8. Measure thickness of cap with special measuring pen

[0148] 9. Identify matching caps (by thickness). This step should be accurate because slight differences between the two caps generate spurious resonance into the C Type.

[0149] 10. Clean piezo disk ceramic with alcohol. Materials: piezodisks (1) and alcohol (7).

[0150] 11. Screen printing on both sides with epoxy bond. Materials: bonding epoxy (3) and a tool for screen-printing (like T-shirt screen-printing). We should generate a ring of epoxy to glue the caps with the disks. This ring should be accurate and regular in order to avoid spurious resonance.

[0151] 12. Place C Types on ceramic disk

[0152] 13. Place into a press. This press should just keep the C Type made in place. It could be a custom-made tool where several C Types are kept in place.

[0153] 14. Place press into oven for at least 4 hours, 70 Celsius

[0154] 15. Solder at maximum 270 C. at 4 points per piece. Materials: wires (5) and low temperature solder (4).

[0155] The transducer produced by the above procedure is a standard construction. To form a stacked array construction transducer two or more transducers are placed directly atop one another as shown in FIG. 4C and fitted together. To form an array the transducers are generally connected in parallel electrically within the polymer or epoxy bonding material as shown in FIG. 6, in either single element form or in a stacked construction format.

[0156] FIG. 21 illustrates the original design of the transducer array with nine transducer discs encased in an epoxy block.

[0157] FIG. 22 shows the final design which is four transducer discs attached to a stainless steel face plate. In the design shown in FIG. 21, there are nine separate ultrasonic transmission form the block, over each transducer discs. In FIG. 22 the four transducer discs develop a harmonic between their individual transmissions and cause the face plate to deliver a uniform, single, larger transmission over a larger transmission area.

Transducer Block

[0158] FIG. 23 is a schematic design of a modified transducer which will create the alternating ultrasonic transmission as depicted in FIG. 5. FIG. 17 is a an array of two transducer discs affixed to a stainless steel face plate, and covered by a block material which assists in the direction of the ultrasound transmission through the face plate and toward the target. FIGS. 23 A, B and C show the assembly steps for this block transducer array.

Experiment1

[0159] Temperature Comparison Between a Sinusoidal Vs. The Alternating Ultrasonic Transmission in Tap Water

[0160] Refer to the configuration depicted in FIG. 24. A glass beaker (30), containing 1,000 mls of tap water (40) was placed atop a magnetic stirrer (31). Inside the beaker a magnetic stir bar (32) was made to slowly rotate within the water.

[0161] An ultrasonic probe (35) was placed into the water using an ultrasonic single transducer tip (34). The tip can be a sinusoidal ultrasonic tip or one practicing this invention, which generates an ultrasonic alternating waveform transmission (38). The ultrasonic generator (37) powered the ultrasonic probe (35) through a cable (36).

[0162] Using a Sonic Vibra Cell Model No VCX 130 pb, manufactured by Sonics and Materials Inc., Newtown, Conn., as an ultrasonic generator (37), which is a sinusoidal ultrasonic generator and probe, temperature comparison tests were made vs. a B2 Alternating Ultrasound generator made according to the present invention by Transdermal Specialties, Inc., Broomall, Pa. The alternating system employed the ultrasonic 4-element array depicted in FIG. 22, while the conventional probe only had one element at the tip.

[0163] After 5 minutes of ultrasound application to 1,000 ml of tap water, the Vibracell system exhibited a 5.5 C. rise, evidence of intense cavitation.

[0164] After 5 minutes of ultrasound application to 1,000 ml of tap water, the B2 Alternating Ultrasound generator produced a 0.9 C. change in temperature, a drop of 0.9 degrees. Essentially there was no change in the temperature of the water within the beaker, the slight downward temperature resulting from the water sitting out. If there had been any cavitation generated from the alternating system the temperature would have risen.

Experiment 2

Temperature Comparison Between a Sinusoidal Transducer Vs. Fluid Mobility Caused by the Alternating Ultrasonic Transducer

[0165] Referring to FIG. 25, this experiment placed one gram of tap water on the surface of a transducer and observed the effects.

[0166] In a first run, a Sonic Vibra Cell Model No VCX 130 pb, manufactured by

[0167] Sonics and Materials Inc., Newtown, Conn., the conventional probe only had one element at the tip, which is a sinusoidal ultrasonic generator and probe temperature comparison tests, was used, upside down, to determine what the visual effect would be on one gram of water. The observation indicated very fast conversion from a liquid state to steam, an indication of intense cavitation.

[0168] Repeating the experiment using a B2 Alternating Ultrasound generator according to the present invention made by Transdermal Specialties, Inc., Broomall, Pa., the alternating system employing the Ultrasonic 4-element array depicted in FIG. 22, resulted in a fountain that actually pushed the water from the surface of the transducer. No appreciable heat was detected and no steaming was observed.

[0169] These tests showed that the alternating ultrasonic transmission again demonstrated no cavitation force, but also demonstrated a vibratory force which moved the liquid vertically from the transducer array.

Experiment 3

A Series of HPLC Spectrographs were Taken of Lispro Insulin Subjected to Either Sinusoidal Ultrasound or to the Alternating Ultrasonic Waveform Transmission

[0170] In graph of FIG. 26A, it can be seen that 1 gram of Lispro insulin has an HPLC spectra shown as control, in that insulin is not subjected to ultrasound.

In the FIG. 26B graph, 1 gram of Lispro insulin was subjected to the alternating ultrasound transmission, over 8 hours of continuous exposure, at 50 msecs sawtooth followed by 50 msecs square wave. This experiment produced an HPLC spectra identical to the control, indicating no degradation of the insulin.

[0171] FIG. 27 shows damage to the insulin caused by a sinusoidal ultrasound transmission as effected to 1 gram of Lispro insulin, using a Sonic Vibra Cell Model No VCX 130 pb, described in the previous experiments, using a conventional sonic tip, which is a sinusoidal ultrasonic generator. The exposure was just 1 minute. In this case the insulin HPLC spectra showed severe degradation of the drug. This is due to cavitation. The temperature of the drug rose by 4.3 C. over a 1 minute exposure.

Experiment 4

Use of Alternating Ultrasonic Transmission to Effect Pore Dilation in the Skin to all the Delivery of Large Molecule Substances

[0172] FIG. 28 shows pore dilation of human skin as effected by the use of the alternating ultrasonic waveform. It is believed the sawtooth component exerts a horizontal force upon the skin which acts to dilate the skin pores and expand the opening from 5 to 10 microns, using cadaver facial skin.

Experiment 5

Beam Analysis and Comparison Between Cavitation Ultrasound Vs. The Alternating Ultrasound Transmission

[0173] FIG. 29 illustrates the beam transmission of a single element transducer configured according to the four-element transducer design according to the present invention depicted in FIG. 22, which propagates a 50 msec sawtooth followed by a 50 msec squarewave alternating transmission according to the design depicted in FIG. 5.

[0174] As depicted in FIGS. 15 and 16, the ultrasonic transmission in colored water (FIG. 29) shows the transmission was emanated in one direction from the transducer.

[0175] Looking at the beam profile of the ultrasonic transmission upon contact with paper, the alternating transmission at 25 kHz and 40 kHz frequency shown in FIG. 30 shows a nearly uniform spherical transmission pattern in two separate experiment runs.

[0176] FIG. 31 illustrates a beam profile at 24 and 40 kHz using a sinusoidal ultrasonic transmission. The beam profile is odd shaped and intense heating effects are apparent at the intersection point on the patterns. The cavitation was more intense at 25 kHz and less at 40 kHz.

[0177] FIG. 32 and FIG. 33 illustrate the sinusoidal beam pattern with multiple cavitation spike points at 60, 80 and 100 kHz.

[0178] The beam analysis indicates that sinusoidal ultrasound, even at low frequencies, produces an irregular pattern upon a target, and in the troughs of the sonic transmission intense cavitation and thermal effects were observed.

Apparatus Design

[0179] FIG. 34 is the circuit diagram of the ultrasonic generator capable of delivering a cavitation free ultrasonic generator to a transducer, Model No. BKR-1011-27, according to the present invention.

The following parts lists are for the cavitation free circuit capable of powering the special transducers at 50 msec sawtooth/50 msec square wave, at 125 mW/sq. cm intensity per transducer element in a 4-element array for a total power output of 500 mW/sq. cm, at 23-30 kHz frequency, shown in FIG. 34, according to the present invention.

[0180] The following is a parts list for the alternating ultrasound driver board for the cavitation free ultrasonic generator to a transducer shown in FIG. 34:

TABLE-US-00001 CIRCUIT ID DESCRIPTION U1- CD74HC14M, Hex CMOS Schmidt Trigger IC-296- 9179-5-ND U2 Quasi LDO Voltage Regulator 1C- LM34801M3- 5.0CT-ND D1 5.6 Volt Zener Diode- MMBZ5232B- FDICT-ND D3 Schottky Diode, SOT-23-BAT54- FDICT-ND Q1 Transistor PNP- MMBT3906- FDICT-ND Q2 Pre Biased transistor NPN 22k- DDTC124TCA- FDICT-ND Q3 Pre Biased transistor NPN 22k- DDTC124TCA- FDICT-ND Q4 Power MOSFET NCHAN- IRFRO24PBFCT- ND Q5 Pre Biased transistor NPN 47k- DDTC144TCA- FDICT-ND Q6 Power MOSFET PCHAN- IRFR9O24PBFCT- ND Q7 Pre Biased transistor NPN 22k- DDTC124TCA- FDICT-ND Q8 Pre Biased Digi-Key 0.384 transistor NPN Corp 1-800- 22k- 344-4549 DDTC124TCA- FDICT-ND Q9 Pre Biased Digi-Key 0.96 transistor Corp 1-800- PNP 47k 344-4549 DDTA144TCA- FDICT-ND C1 0.47 UT 25 v Digi-Key 0.0955 Tantalum A Corp 1-800- Electrolytic 344-4549 Capacitor-399- 3695-1-ND C2 47 uf 10 v Digi-Key 1.3875 Tantalum B Corp 1-800- Electrolytic 344-4549 Capacitor-399- 3726-1-ND C3 47 uf 10 v Digi-Key 1.3875 Tantalum B Corp 1-800- Electrolytic 344-4549 Capacitor-399- 3726-1-ND C4 47 uf 10 v Digi-Key 1.3875 Tantalum B Corp 1-800- Electrolytic 344-4549 Capacitor-399- 3726-1-ND C5 C6 22 uf 16 v Digi-Key 0.26725 Tantalum B Corp 1-800- Electrolytic 344-4549 Capacitor-399- 3717-1-ND C7 47 pf 50 V 0805 Digi-Key 0.03424 Ceramic Corp 1-800- Capacitor NPO- 344-4549 PCC470CGCT- ND C8 47 pf 50 V 0805 Digi-Key 0.03424 Ceramic Corp 1-800- Capacitor NPO- 344-4549 PCC470CGCT- ND C9 1000 pf 50 V Digi-Key 0.2640 0805 Ceramic Corp 1-800- Capacitor NPO- 344-4549 PCC102CGCT- ND C10 0.1 uf 25 V 0805 Digi-Key 0.2295 Ceramic Corp 1-800- Capacitor X7R- 344-4549 PCC1828CT- ND C11 0.1 uf 50 V 0805 Digi-Key 0.01280 Ceramic Corp 1-800- Capacitor X7R- 344-4549 PCC223BGCT- ND R1 5.6 Ohm 5% Digi-Key 0.1595 0805- Corp 1-800- RHM5.6kACT- 344-4549 ND R2 3.9 Ohm 5% Request 0.03879 0805- Inventory RHM3.9kACT- verification ND* for ROHS compatibility R3 910k Ohm 5% Request 0.1595 0805- Inventory RHM910kACT- verification ND* for ROHS compatibility R4 3.9 Ohm 5% Request 0.03879 0805- Inventory RHM3.9kACT- verification ND* for ROHS compatibility R5 1.5k Ohm 5% Request 0.1595 0805- Inventory RHM1.5kACT- verification ND* for ROHS compatibility R6 10k Ohm 5% Request 0.1595 0805- Inventory RHM10kACT- verification ND* for ROHS compatibility R7 20k Ohm Trim Request 0.348 Pot SMD- Inventory P3V203CT- verification ND* for ROHS compatibility R8 10k Ohm 5% Request 0.03858 1206- Inventory RHM10kECT- verification ND* for ROHS compatibility R9 10k Ohm 5% Request 0.03858 1206- Inventory RHM10kECT- verification ND* for ROHS compatibility R-10 R-11 510k Ohm 5% Request 0.01595 0805- Inventory RHM510kACT- verification ND* for ROHS compatibility R-12 150k Ohm 5% Request 0.01595 0805- Inventory RHM150kACT- verification ND* for ROHS compatibility R13 2.0k Ohm 5% Request 0.03849 0805- Inventory RHM2.0kACT- verification ND* for ROHS compatibility R14 2.0k Ohm 5% Request 0.03849 0805- Inventory RHM2.0kACT- verification ND* for ROHS compatibility R15 43.0k Ohm 1% Request 0.01827 0805- Inventory RHM43.0kCCT- verification ND* for ROHS compatibility R16 180k Ohm 1% Request 0.03654 0805- Inventory RHM180kCCT- verification ND* for ROHS compatibility R17 180k Ohm 1% Request 0.03654 0805- Inventory RHM180kCCT- verification ND* for ROHS compatibility PCB Driver, Bare Digi-Key 1.43 Corp 1-800- 344-4549 Sub-Total 6.49641

[0181] The following is a parts list for the electronics used in the alternating ultrasound power board for the cavitation free ultrasonic generator to a transducer shown in FIG. 34:

TABLE-US-00002 EST PRICING* at CIRCUIT ID DESCRIPTION SOURCE 1,000 pcs Power PCB Bare Digi-Key Corp 1- 0.95 800-344-4549 BZ2 4.1 KHz Piezo-electric Digi-Key Corp 1- 1.392 Buzzer, Digi Key 102- 800-344-4549 1115-ND L1 Custom 6800 uh CET Technologies 1.01 Inductor CT-6341 1-603-894-6100 T2 Custom Transformer CET Technologies 2.82 CT-6299-1 1-603-894-6100 Test Points Yellow, 5004K-ND Digi-Key Corp 1- 0.10895 800-344-4549 Test Points Black, 5001K-ND Digi-Key Corp 1- 0.10895 800-344-4549 Sub-Total 12.88631

[0182] The following is a parts list for the alternating ultrasound chassis for the cavitation free ultrasonic generator to a transducer shown in FIG. 34:

TABLE-US-00003 EST PRICING* at 1,000 CIRCUIT ID DESCRIPTION SOURCE pcs S1 Momentary normally Mouser Electronics 1- 0.99 Open Push Button, 800-344-4539 Mouser 10PA019 CN1 Battery Connector, Digi-Key Corp 1-800- 0.23385 Keystone, Digi-Key 344-4549 2242K-ND D2 Red Light emitting Digi-Key Corp 1-800- 0.058 Diode, Digi-Key 160- 344-4549 1139-ND BZ1, BZ2, BZ3 mounted Ultrasonic Transducer Encapsulation Systems in array configuration on Transducers Bldg, 109, 1489 S.S. Plate Baltimore Pike, Springfield, PA. 19064 USA Phone: 610-543-0800 Misc-Cable 2 inch, flat, 7 conductor, Digi-Key Corp 1-800- 0.25373 Digi-Key WM07A-02- 344-4549 ND Misc. Washers Lock, #2, 5 required, McMaster Carr ph: 732- 0.05 91102A710 329-3200 Misc screws 2-56 plastic, 5 McMaster Carr ph: 732- 1.00 required, 90380A005 329-3200 Sub-Total 15.47189

[0183] The device of this invention is intended to provide certain key functions: [0184] a) Using a new transducer design and array of transducers which produce one or more differing ultrasonic waveforms can reduce or eliminate the tendency for ultrasound to generate cavitation and intense heating effects in a target material subjected to the ultrasound. [0185] b) Using a new transducer design and array of transducers which produce one or more differing ultrasonic waveforms can provide higher power utilization efficiencies and helps to avoid the damaging effects of excessive cavitation upon the target material. [0186] c) By varying the timing of the time present on any one waveform, when using one or more differing alternating sonic waveforms in an ultrasonic transmission cavitation formation and growth can be interrupted. [0187] d) Further by installing a deactivation period in the timing cycle between differing alternating sonic waveforms in an ultrasonic transmission cavitation formation and growth can be interrupted. [0188] e) A transducer design, capable of providing cavitation free ultrasound has been disclosed, in both a single element transducer and through an array of transducers, along with means or fabricating same, and making the transducer develop a mechanical waveform similar to the electronic signal delivered to the device has been disclosed. [0189] f) The damaging effects of cavitation ultrasound have been demonstrated in drug interactions whereupon Lispro insulin was found to degrade with conventional single waveform sonic energy, sinusoidal ultrasound. Beam profiles of conventional ultrasound exhibit irregular shaped transmission energy, with intense thermal effects within the sonic patter, but not with a patterns discovered through the use of alternating ultrasonic waveform transmissions.

[0190] Having described the invention in the above detail, those skilled in the art will recognize that there are a number of variations to the design and functionality for the device, but such variations of the design and functionality are intended to fall within the present disclosure.

[0191] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.