Acuson Corporation

Michael H Ikeda

John W Eaton

Thomas G Cooper

John Alexander Hossack

David Joseph Rosa

Randall L Schlesinger

John W Sliwa, Jr

Sevig Ayter

John P Mohr, Iii

Samuel M Howard

Ricardo G Espinosa

Champa G Sridhar

Robert Kevakian

Xavier L Pacheco

Charles W Brummer

An ultrasonic transducer assembly includes a conduit that defines a lumen, and the lumen carries a flexible circuit. The flexible circuit can take several forms. In one form the circuit is folded at first and second fold lines, and at least one of the folds is oriented obliquely to the longitudinal axis of conduit. In another form the flexible circuit includes an end portion that defines a plurality of substantially parallel grooves, each groove aligned with and exposing a respective one of the conductors of the circuit. Additional conductors are positioned in respective ones of the grooves and are electrically connected with the respective conductors of the flexible circuit.

Ultrasonic transducer assembly with extended flexible circuits

A phased array transducer for an ultrasonic imaging system includes a flexible support element which supports an array of piezoelectric transducer elements. Shape transducers such as strain gauges or capacitive transducers are coupled to the support element to generate a signal indicative of the instantaneously prevailing curvature of the array. A user-controlled actuator is coupled to the support element to flex the support element between at least first and second configurations, wherein the support element has separate curvatures along the axis of the transducer in each of the first and second configurations. In some applications the transducer elements are positioned for separate scan formats in the first and second configurations. The support element can be provided with first and second alternating regions which differ in flexibility, in order to concentrate flexing of the support element in the second regions. In some applications the support element may have a cross-sectional dimension of less than about ten millimeters to facilitate insertion of the transducer into a tortuous vessel of a living subject.

Flexible ultrasonic transducers and related systems

An ultrasound transducer comprising an array of individual piezoelectric transducer elements mounted upon an improved backing comprising rigid polymeric or polymer-coated particles fused into a macroscopically rigid structure having remnant tortuous permeability to provide high acoustic attenuation and to permit fluid passage into the backing structure during fabrication.

Ultrasound transducer with improved rigid backing

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Michael H Ikeda