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:
Jun. 10, 2014
Filed:
Jul. 31, 2007
Takeshi Matsumura, Tokyo, JP;
Tsuyoshi Mitake, Tokyo, JP;
Takeshi Matsumura, Tokyo, JP;
Tsuyoshi Mitake, Tokyo, JP;
Hitachi Medical Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A pressing device for smoothly performing pressing operation, an ultrasonic probe, and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus are provided. The pressing device has a balloon installed on an ultrasonic transmission/reception surface of an ultrasonic probe and presses an object to be examined by the balloon. The balloon has a hollow pressing unit made of an elastic material, a tube for charging/discharging liquid to/from the pressing unit, and an attachment part contiguous to the peripheral edge of the pressing unit and attaching the pressing unit to the ultrasonic transmission/reception unit of the ultrasonic probe. The inner diameter of the attachment part or the pressing unit is set smaller than the outer diameter of the part of the ultrasonic probe on which the attachment part is attached. Because tension is applied to the pressing unit, pressing operation can be started with a less amount of initial injection, and this makes the pressing operation smooth.