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:
Dec. 12, 2006
Filed:
Jul. 15, 2003
Shohei Sato, Mitaka, JP;
Shohei Sato, Mitaka, JP;
Aloka Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An ultrasonic probe for use in an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus for a living body comprises an array transducer made up of a plurality of layered transducer elements. A specified structure (face-to-face structure) is created across two adjacent transducer elements. In each transducer element, a first vertical electrode layer for ground is connected with a top electrode layer and an inner electrode layer, and a second vertical electrode layer for signal is connected with a bottom electrode layer and an inner electrode layer. When creating the specified structure, steps including formation of slits in a layered assembly and filling of the slits or the like are repeated. By finally forming a plurality of separating slits, the layered assembly is divided into a plurality of transducer elements. On the other hand, each transducer element is compounded in the horizontal direction. The compounding is performed at any stage of before, during or after formation of the specified structure.