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:
Jul. 13, 2010
Filed:
Nov. 03, 2006
Koichi Shibamoto, Tochigi-ken, JP;
Minoru Aoki, Tochigi-ken, JP;
Yasuhisa Makita, Tochigi-ken, JP;
Takashi Takeuchi, Tochigi-ken, JP;
Hiroyuki Shikata, Tochigi-ken, JP;
Koichi Shibamoto, Tochigi-ken, JP;
Minoru Aoki, Tochigi-ken, JP;
Yasuhisa Makita, Tochigi-ken, JP;
Takashi Takeuchi, Tochigi-ken, JP;
Hiroyuki Shikata, Tochigi-ken, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An ultrasonic probe including a piezoelectric vibrator configured to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves, an acoustic lens configured to focus the ultrasonic waves and an acoustic matching layer arranged between the piezoelectric vibrator and the acoustic lens and configured to modify acoustic impedance from the piezoelectric vibrator to the acoustic lens. The acoustic matching layer includes a first region arranged at center areas along a direction of transmitting and receiving of the ultrasonic waves, a second region arranged between the first region and the piezoelectric vibrator and having a rate of change of acoustic impedance which is less than rate of change of acoustic impedance of the first region and a third region arranged between the first region and the acoustic lens, and having a rate of change of acoustic impedance which is less than a rate of change of acoustic impedance of the first region.