Hitachi Medical Corporation

Shuzo Sano

Akifumi Sako

Mikio Izumi

Takashi Kobayashi

Ryuichi Shinomura

Yutaka Sato

Makoto Fukada

Yukio Ito

Hiroshi Kanda

Yuichi Miwa

Satoshi Tamano

Toshio Kondo

Hiroshi Masuzawa

Jun Kubota

Koichi Yokosawa

Shinji Kishimoto

Shizuo Ishikawa

Takaya Osawa

An ultrasonic probe is disclosed which includes a cMUT chip having a plurality of vibration elements whose electromechanical coupling coefficient or sensitivity is changed according to a bias voltage and transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, an acoustic lens arranged above the cMUT chip, and a backing layer arranged below the cMUT chip. An electric leakage preventing unit is provided at the ultrasonic wave transmission/reception surface side of the acoustic lens or between the acoustic lens and the cMUT chip. The electric leakage preventing unit can be, for example, an insulating layer such as a ground layer. Such a structure makes it is possible to provide an ultrasonic probe capable of preventing electric leakage from the ultrasonic probe to an object to be examined so as to improve the electric safety and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus using the probe.

Ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus using the same

An ultrasonic probe and an ultrasonic diagnosis device which can improve electrical safety for an operator are provided. The ultrasonic probehas an insulating portionbetween a mounting boardand a case. Since electrical leakage from the internal device of the ultrasonic probecan be prevented, electrical safety of the ultrasonic probefor the operator can be improved. A conductive filmis provided on the ultrasonic wave radiation side of a cMUT chip, and a conductive memberis provided along the insulating member. A conductive filmand a conductive memberare connected by a conductive member. A closed space having a ground potential is formed by the conductive film, the conductive memberand a coaxial cableconnected to ground. Main components or the body circuits of the ultrasonic probeare contained in the closed space having the ground potential and shielded electrically from the outside.

Ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic diagnosis device

An ultrasonic probe () comprises a cMUT chip (), which has a plurality of vibration elements whose electromechanical coupling coefficient or the sensitivity changes depending on a bias voltage, and transmits/receives an ultrasonic wave; an acoustic lens () provided on the ultrasonic wave radiation side of the cMUT chip (); a backing layer () provided on the back side of the cMUT chip () for absorbing propagation of the ultrasonic wave; an electric wiring portion (flexible substrate ()), which is provided from the peripheral portion of the cMUT chip () to the side face of the backing layer () and has a signal pattern connected with the electrode of the cMUT chip () arranged thereon; and a housing (ultrasonic probe cover ()) for containing the cMUT chip (), the acoustic lens (), the backing layer () and the electric wiring portion (flexible substrate ()). A ground layer (conductive film ()) of ground potential is provided on the ultrasonic wave radiation side of the cMUT chip ().

Ultrasonic probe and method for manufacturing the same and ultrasonic diagnostic device

An ultrasonic probe including a cMUT chip that has plural oscillation elements whose electromechanical coupling coefficient or sensitivity varies in accordance with a bias voltage and transmits/receives an ultrasonic wave, an acoustic lens provided at an ultrasonic wave transmission/reception side of the cMUT chip, a backing layer provided to the opposite surface of the cMUT chip to the acoustic lens, and a substrate provided between the backing layer and the cMUT chip. The ultrasonic probe further includes thermal stress suppressing means for suppressing thermal stress occurring due to the difference in linear expansion coefficient caused by temperature variation between the substrate and the backing layer.

Ultrasonic probe, and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus using the same

An ultrasonic probe in which two-dimensional array transducer elements are arrayed convexly both in one direction of the two-dimensional array and in the direction perpendicular to the former direction relative to the direction where an ultrasonic wave is transmitted. By switching a transducer element selecting switch circuit provided near the transducer elements, the shape of the diameter of the probe for transmitting and receiving of ultrasound and the position of the diameter are arbitrarily determined. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in which a fresnel ring is formed as an diameter by a control signal to a transducer element selecting switch circuit, the number of cables for connection between the probe and the main body is decreased by bundling the transducer elements in one ring and effecting the connection, the fresnel ring is moved every ultrasonic transmission/reception cycle by the control signal to the transducer element selection switching circuit, and an object is three-dimensionally scanned with an ultrasonic beam.

Ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic diagnostic device comprising the same

In an ultrasonic probe, an acoustic matching layer, which is fixed on the front side of a transducer for transmitting an ultrasonic wave and receiving a reflected wave thereof and matches in acoustic impedance the transducer to a living tissue in an object to be examined, is formed in such a structure that the acoustic impedance thereof is varied continuously in the thickness direction from the transducer to the object to be examined.

Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and ultrasonic probe with acoustic

A needle-like ultrasonic probe includes an inner needle received in a hollow, tubular outer needle for rotation about an axis thereof. The inner needle has a pointed distal end, and a notch is formed in an outer peripheral surface of that portion of the inner needle which is located adjacent to the distal end thereof. At least one ultrasonic transducer, as well as an acoustic lens for converging an ultrasonic wave, produced by the ultrasonic transducer, onto a point near to the outer peripheral surface of the inner needle, is provided in the notch. A filler, having an outer surface conforming to the outer peripheral surface of the inner needle, is fitted in the notch. With this construction, after the inner needle is smoothly stuck into a living tissue, even if it is rotated and axially moved, the living tissue is less affected or damaged by the inner needle.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Shuzo Sano