Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.

Kazuhiko Komiyama

Yasunobu Hasegawa

Yoji Naka

Isao Saeki

An outer case for an ultrasonic probe that houses a module of the ultrasonic probe is provided. The outer case includes a grip case gripped by a user and a head case that engages with the grip case. The grip case has a first engaging portion where one or a plurality of convex portions are disposed. The head case has a second engaging portion where one or a plurality of depressed portions are disposed at positions where the one or plurality of depressed portions engage with the one or plurality of convex portions. The convex portion and the depressed portion are engaged to be locked.

Outer case for ultrasonic probe

An ultrasonic transducer includes a piezoelectric element in round shape, an acoustic lens, and an acoustic matching layer. The piezoelectric element generates an ultrasonic sound wave. The acoustic matching layer decreases a reflection of the ultrasonic sound wave from a subject. The piezoelectric element has a center having a hole through which an optical fiber that guides a light of a light source passes. The ultrasonic transducer transmits and receives the ultrasonic sound wave while emitting the light. The acoustic lens has a material using a resin with a withstand voltage, mainly polymethylpentene. The acoustic matching layer has a thickness set to &#x3bb;/4 by not applying a polyparaxylylene coating for ensuring the withstand voltage on the acoustic matching layer. The optical fiber has a distal end configured not to pass through the acoustic lens. The piezoelectric element and the acoustic matching layer have shapes in a planar surface.

Growing community of inventors

Saitama, Japan

Kazuhiko Komiyama