1. A preservative composition for protecting ophthalmic solutions from microbial attack comprising a combination of benzalkonium ion and an oxy-chlorite moiety, wherein the combined concentrations of benzalkonium ion and said oxy-chlorite moiety, in said composition is sufficient to provide protection against microbial attack when said composition is added to an ophthalmic solution as compared to said ophthalmic solution having the same concentration of benzalkonium ion and an oxy-chlorite moiety, alone.
2. The solution of claim 1 wherein said benzalkonium ion is provided by benzalkonium chloride.
3. The solution of claim 2 comprising from 0.1 to 2000 ppm of an oxy-chlorite moiety and from 1 to 100 ppm of benzalkonium ion.
4. The solution of claim 3 comprising 50 ppm an oxy-chlorite moiety and 20 ppm benzalkonium ion.
5. The solution of claim 1 wherein said solution is a multidose presentation.
6. The solution of claim 5 wherein said solution is an artificial tear solution.
7. The solution of claim 1, wherein said oxy-chloro moiety is provided by sodium chlorite.
8. An ophthalmic solution comprising a combination of benzalkonium ion and an oxy-chlorite moiety, sufficient to protect said ophthalmic solution from microbial attack, wherein the same amount of benzalkonium ion and said oxy-chlorite moiety, alone, is insufficient to protect said ophthalmic solution from microbial attack.
9. The solution of claim 8 wherein said benzalkonium ion is provided by benzalkonium chloride.
10. The solution of claim 9 comprising from 0.1 to 2000 ppm of an oxy-chlorite moiety and from 1 to 100 ppm of benzalkonium ion.
11. The solution of claim 10 comprising 50 ppm an oxy-chlorite moiety and 20 ppm benzalkonium ion.
12. The solution of claim 8 wherein said solution is a multidose presentation.
13. The solution of claim 12 wherein said solution is an artificial tear solution.
14. The solution of claim 8, wherein said oxy-chloro moiety is provided by sodium chlorite.
15. A method of lowering the concentration of preservative required to protect an ophthalmic solution from microbial attack, which comprises providing a combination of preservatives, each in an amount insufficient to provide protection of said ophthalmic solution from microbial attack to obtain an ophthalmic solution that is not susceptible to microbial attack, wherein said combination of preservatives comprises benzalkonium ion and an oxy-chlorite moiety.
16. The solution of claim 15 wherein said benzalkonium ion is provided by benzalkonium chloride.
17. The solution of claim 16 comprising from 0.1 to 2000 ppm of an oxy-chlorite moiety and from 1 to 100 ppm of benzalkonium ion.
18. The solution of claim 17 comprising 50 ppm an oxy-chlorite moiety and 20 ppm benzalkonium ion.
19. The solution of claim 15 wherein said solution is a multidose presentation.
20. The solution of claim 19 wherein said solution is an artificial tear solution.
21. The solution of claim 15, wherein said oxy-chloro moiety is provided by sodium chlorite.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An ultrasound transducer system comprising:
an active layer with an acoustic face and a rear face, wherein said active layer comprises at least one ultrasonic transducer element, wherein said rear face is on an opposite side of said active layer from said acoustic face; and
an acoustic attenuation layer interconnected to said rear face, wherein said acoustic attenuation layer comprises:
(a) fibrous polymer having porosity; and
(b) reinforcing material.
2. (canceled)
3. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 1, wherein said acoustic attenuation layer comprises porous polymeric fibers
4. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 1, wherein said acoustic attenuation layer has an acoustic attenuation greater than 25 dBcm at 1 MHz.
5. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 1, wherein said polymer is selected from a group consisting of PTFE, urethane, polystyrene, fluoropolymer, silicone and polyolefin.
6. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 5, wherein said polymer is PTFE.
7. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 1, wherein said at least one ultrasonic transducer element is operable to perform at least one of transmitting an ultrasonic signal and receiving an ultrasonic signal.
8. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 7, wherein said at least one ultrasonic transducer element is operable to transmit and receive an ultrasonic signal.
9. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one ultrasonic transducer elements is planar.
10. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one ultrasonic transducer elements is curved.
11. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 1, wherein said reinforcing material is one or more of a thermoplastic material and a thermoset material.
12. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 11, wherein said reinforcing material is selected from a group consisting of THV, FEP, PTFE, PES, EFEP, PET, PEEK, PEI, PC and LCP.
13. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 11, wherein said porosity is partially filled with said reinforcing material.
14. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 1, further comprising a intermediate layer disposed between said rear face and said acoustic attenuation layer, wherein said intermediate layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of epoxy, silicon rubber, tungsten, aluminum oxide, mica, and microspheres.
15. An ultrasound transducer system comprising:
an active layer with an acoustic face and a rear face, wherein said active layer comprises at least one ultrasonic transducer element, wherein said rear face is on an opposite side of said active layer from said acoustic face; and
a backing interconnected to said rear face, said backing including a woven layer, wherein said woven layer is comprised of a plurality of fibers, said plurality of fibers comprised of a polymer, wherein said woven layer defines woven layer void space between said plurality of fibers, wherein at least a portion of said woven layer void space is filled with a reinforcing material.
16. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 15, wherein said plurality of fibers are comprised of PTFE, wherein said reinforcing material is comprised of THV.
17. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 15, further comprising:
a second woven layer, wherein said second woven layer is comprised of a second plurality of fibers, said second plurality of fibers comprised of said polymer, said second plurality of fibers having said fiber porosity; and
a layer of adhesive between said woven layer and said second woven layer, wherein said layer of adhesive binds said woven layer to said second woven layer.
18. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 15, wherein said backing further comprises an intermediate layer disposed between said rear face and said woven layer, wherein said intermediate layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of epoxy, silicon rubber, tungsten, aluminum oxide, mica, and microspheres.
19. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 18, wherein said intermediate layer comprises epoxy.
20. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 15, further comprising an electrical connection member, wherein said electrical connection member is comprised of an insulating material and a plurality of independent electrically conductive pathways, wherein each of said plurality of electrically conductive pathways is disposed transverse to and in electrical contact with a corresponding one of said at least one ultrasonic transducer element.
21. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of continuous pathways through said backing, wherein said plurality of continuous pathways are at least partially filled with an electrically conductive material, wherein each of said plurality of continuous pathways is operable to provide an electrically conductive path through said backing.
22. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 15, wherein said plurality of fibers comprise porous fibers.
23. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 22, wherein said porous fibers have a porosity of less than about 85 percent.
24. The ultrasound transducer system of claim 22, wherein said porous fibers have a porosity of at least about 5 percent.
25-70. (canceled)
71. Acoustic attenuation material operable to attenuate acoustic energy incident upon said material, said material comprising:
a woven layer,
wherein said woven layer is comprised of a plurality of fibers, said plurality of fibers having a fiber porosity,
wherein said woven layer is comprised of PTFE, and said woven layer defines woven layer void space between said plurality of fibers, and wherein at least a portion of said woven layer void space is filled with THV.
72. The acoustic attenuation material of claim 71, further comprising a second woven layer,
wherein said second woven layer is comprised of a second plurality of fibers, said second plurality of fibers having said fiber porosity, and wherein said second woven layer is comprised of PTFE.
73. The acoustic attenuation material of claim 71, wherein a frequency of said acoustic energy is between 100 kHz and 100 MHz.
74. The acoustic attenuation material of claim 71, wherein said acoustic attenuation material has an acoustic attenuation of at least 25 dBcm at 1 MHz. further comprising a plurality of continuous pathways through said acoustic attenuation material,
75. The acoustic attenuation material of claim 71, wherein said plurality of continuous pathways are at least partially filled with an electrically conductive material, wherein each of said plurality of continuous pathways is operable to provide an electrically conductive path through said acoustic attenuation material.