US Patent 7285897 - Micromachined sensors on curved surface

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7285897.html

Micromachined ultrasonic transducer arrays are a recently developed component of some medical imaging devices. This patent from General Electric proposes a construction of such arrays on curved surfaces to improve field of view. Claim 1 reads:

1. A sensor device comprising: a support structure comprising a spine having a profile that is generally curved and a multiplicity of teeth extending from one side of said curved spine; and a multiplicity of micromachined sensors supported by said support structure in positions whereby a curved aperture is provided.