Ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic diagnosing system using ultrasonic probe

Patent 5327895 Issued on July 12, 1994. Estimated Expiration Date:

June 19, 2012. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Bi-plane phased array for ultrasound medical imaging
Patent #: 4640291
Issued on: 02/03/1987
Inventor: 't Hoen

Biplane phased array for ultrasonic medical imaging
Patent #: 4671293
Issued on: 06/09/1987
Inventor: Shaulov

Ultrasonic transducer arrays and methods for the fabrication thereof
Patent #: 4939826
Issued on: 07/10/1990
Inventor: Shoup

Ultrasonic imaging system
Patent #: 5097709
Issued on: 03/24/1992
Inventor: Masuzawa, et al.

Phased array ultrosonic transducer including different sized phezoelectric segments
Patent #: 5099459
Issued on: 03/24/1992
Inventor: Smith

Piezoelectric transducer
Patent #: 5122993
Issued on: 06/16/1992
Inventor: Hikita, et al.

Composite ultrasound transducer and method for manufacturing a structured component therefor of piezoelectric ceramic Patent #: 5164920
Issued on: 11/17/1992
Inventor: Bast, et al.

Inventors

Assignee

Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

Application

No. 901107 filed on 06/19/1992

US Classes:

600/459, Structure of transducer or probe assembly29/25.35, PIEZOELECTRIC DEVICE MAKING310/334Acoustic wave type generator or receiver

Examiners

Primary: Jaworski, Francis J.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner

Foreign Patent References

57-68999 JP. 04/13/1982
60-086999 JP. 05/13/1985
62-5337 JP. 01/13/1987

International Class

A61B 008/00

Foreign Application Priority Data

1991-07-10 JP

Abstract

An ultrasonic diagnosing system includes a probe having an vibrator made of a plurality of spaced piezoelectric; material elements arranged in a matrix, first electrodes arranged on one surface of the vibrator in an array of rows parallel to each other, and second electrodes arranged on another surface of the vibrator in an array of rows parallel to each other and orthogonally to the first electrodes.Particularly, the piezoelectric material elements are spaced by spacer segments arranged between the electrode rows and formed from a high molecular weight material with less acoustic impedance than the piezoelectric material, a Shore hardness D50 or more (JIS) and a thickness of about 1/10 to 1/2 of the piezoelectric elements. The ultrasonic diagnosing system uses a phased array technique to provide tomograms at mutually orthogonal and spatially close positions with sufficient sensitivity.