Scanning ultrasonic probe with locally-driven sweeping ultrasonic source
Patent 5647367 Issued on July 15, 1997. Estimated Expiration Date: May 31, 2016. 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.
An ultrasonic probe for imaging tissues from inside a patient's body cavity is disclosed. The ultrasonic probe includes a housing near to the probe's distal end, an ultrasonic beam emitting assembly having a pivotable part, and a driver for producing a pivotal motion on the pivotable part. The housing has a portion that is acoustically transparent. The pivotable part is movable and is operatively connected to the housing. The pivotable part can either have mounted on it a transducer for emitting ultrasound or a reflector for reflecting ultrasound. In either case, when the pivotable part pivots it sweeps ultrasonic energy over a selected angle. The driver is located near to the transducer such that all driving motions for driving the pivotal motion occur near the distal end of the ultrasonic probe.
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May 31, 2016. 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.
