Hewlett-packard Company

Gregory G Vogel

Wojtek Sudol

George Anthony Brock-Fisher

Rodney J Solomon

Martin K Mason

Robert W King

James N Chen

Susan Williams

Stephen M Grenon

Paul Cartier

The focal length of an acoustic ultrasound transducer is made variable by shaping the focusing element positioned over the transducer. The focusing means consists of a non-uniform focusing element whereby the transducer can be manipulated either electronically or mechanically to optimize the depth of focus for the area of interest.

Multi-focus ultrasound lens

A low cost shielded transducer cable provides electrical connection between an ultrasound transducer and a display processor. A wound transducer cable is constructed in a first embodiment using two layers of stripline assemblies helically wound in opposite directions around a flexible core. The layers of stripline assemblies are covered with a single metal braid and then coated with insulation. In a second embodiment a stripline transducer cable is formed from a stack of parallel stripline assemblies that may be coextruded with an insulating jacket. In a third embodiment a ribbon transducer cable is formed from a stacked arrangement of parallel ribbon cables and conducting shields that may be extruded in an insulating material.

Multiconductor shielded transducer cable

An ultrasound transducer assembly includes an ultrasound transducer for transmitting and receiving ultrasound energy and one or more interface elements for conducting transmitted ultrasound energy from the transducer to a patient's body and for conducting received ultrasound energy from the patient's body to the transducer. At least one ultrasound-transmissive interface element is fabricated of a polymeric material. The material preferably has a sound speed that approximately matches the speed of sound in human tissue. The material comprises at least one primary rigid component material and at least one secondary component material, and has a Shore D durometer hardness value of greater than about 60D, and a sound speed of between about 1,450 meters/second and about 1,700 meters/second. The ultrasound-transmissive element fabricated of a polymeric material can be a protective lens cover, an ultrasound lens or lens element, an ultrasound-transmissive window or a sound pipe.

Interface element for medical ultrasound transducer

A phased array ultrasound imaging system includes a transducer with multiple transducer elements disposed along a lateral axis. The transducer has an aperture with an elevation dimension parallel to an elevation axis that increases between the midpoint of the aperture along the lateral axis and the ends of the aperture along the lateral axis. The elevation dimension can increase continuously and/or in steps between the midpoint and each end of the aperture. Portions of the aperture can have a constant elevation dimension. When the transducer is used in an ultrasound imaging system, an active receive aperture dynamically increases in size during reception of ultrasound energy from progressively increasing depths, thereby providing dynamic elevation focusing. The transmit aperture size can be selected to optimize both lateral and elevation focii. Electronic compensation can be used to control the transmit and receive beam patterns.

Phased array ultrasound imaging system with dynamic elevation focusing

An ultrasound transducer for imaging a target features a piezoelectric transducer element for emitting an ultrasonic wave toward the target and an apodizer fashioned from a thin sheet acoustic blocking layer. The ultrasound acoustic blocking layer is placed between the front surface of the transducer and the target for substantially blocking the ultrasonic wave emission from a portion of the front surface area defining an inactive area. The blocking layer allows transmission of the ultrasonic emission from another portion of the front surface area defining an active area, and includes a thin sheet of polymer blocking material patterned for covering the inactive area of the front surface. The blocking material is attached to the front surface of the transducer element, embedded within an acoustic lens, or incorporated into an adapter which attaches to the body of the transducer. The thin sheet of blocking material is patterned as sawteeth aligned in opposite rows and pointing toward a midline of the transducer. The sawteeth are uniformly shaped and spaced, and positioned anti-symmetric, or the sawteeth are pseudo-randomly shaped and spaced. Alternatively, the thin sheet of blocking material is patterned as a grid of pseudo-randomly selected blocking areas.

Ultrasonic transducer apodization using acoustic blocking layer

A modular connector including mating male and female components providing electrical and pressure connection between the two components. The electrical connections comprise a telephone-type connector retained within molded apertures which also provide for a fluid flow between the mating components. The connector housing includes redundant molded sealing elements, disposed on surfaces of the male component of differing dimensions. The connector also features an overlapping member of one of the connector components providing an umbrella-like shield of the confronting surfaces to provide an environmentally resistant, reliable pressure tight seal.

Sealed housing system for modular type connectors

A cartridge latching mechanism is provided in which a few simple elements function to position and latch a tape cartridge into a housing containing driving elements for the tape cartridge and magnetic heads for reading and writing on the tape. Manual insertion of the cartridge rotates the latching mechanism about a pivot point whereupon a spring force engages to create a torque which positively engages the cartridge and latches it into position. Depression of an eject button disengages the latching mechanism and rotates it in an opposite direction, whereupon the same spring generates an oppositely directed torque to positively eject the cartridge.

Growing community of inventors

Londonderry, NH, United States of America

Gregory G Vogel