Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.V.

Alan Hornberger

Jeffrey Scott Hart

David Becker

Kevin Wickline

Barry Carl Scheirer

Charles Clark Cruikshank

Mark Harpster

An ultrasound probe has a transducer array which is moved to scan a patient with ultrasonic energy. The array is located in a fluid chamber () which is enclosed by an acoustic window end cap (). The acoustic window cap is coated with a thin conductive layer () which shields the transducer and its motive mechanism from EFI/RFI emissions. The conductive layer is coupled to a reference potential.

Intracavity probe with continuous shielding of acoustic window

An ultrasound probe includes a transducer which is pivotally mounted inside a fluid chamber for scanning a region outside the probe as the transducer is oscillated. A volume compensation balloon is attached to the fluid chamber and is partially filled with acoustic fluid at nominal (room) temperatures. The balloon is made of a high performance thermoplastic which enables the balloon to have a very thin wall. The thin wall is highly compliant as the volume of the fluid inside the balloon changes, and remains so at low temperatures of transport and use. The thin wall exhibits a low permeability to the acoustic fluid. The balloon is formed of a non elastic material and exhibits good thermal stability and high burst strength.

Ultrasonic probe volume compensation system

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McAlisterville, PA, United States of America

Alan Hornberger