The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 21, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 07, 1998
Randall L Schlesinger, San Mateo, CA (US);
Michael G Curley, Cambridge, MA (US);
John W Eaton, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Acuson Corporation, Mountain View, CA (US);
Abstract
The preferred embodiments include a method for manufacturing an end portion surrounding a catheter-mounted phased-array ultrasound transducer. The material used for the end portion can be altered to give the end portion focusing, defocusing, or non-focusing characteristics. In one preferred embodiment, a thermoplastic material is injection molded or insert molded around a phased-array ultrasound transducer carried at a distal end of a catheter. In another preferred embodiment, a thermoset material is used to form the end portion using a casting or transfer molding technique. In yet another preferred embodiment, the phased-array ultrasound transducer is placed into a pre-formed end portion. The pre-formed end portion can be adhesively-attached to the phased-array transducer and catheter. If the pre-formed end portion is made from a thermoplastic material, the end portion can be thermally melted to attach the end portion to the phased-array transducer and catheter.