JP2003325526A - Ultrasound transducer and method for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an ultrasound transducer which has high sensitivity and high selection property to received ultrasonic waves and which has short rigidity length and excellent curving property. <P>SOLUTION: In the ultrasound transducer consisting of the ground electrodes 17 of each of a plurality of piezoelectric oscillators 11 and 12 and ultrasonic input and output electrodes 18 and 23 for inputting and outputting an ultrasonic transmission input signal or an ultrasonic reception output signal, external electrodes 21, 22 and 25 which are provided at the end of a common ground electrode 171 where the ground electrodes 17 of each of the piezoelectric oscillators 11 and 12 are commonly connected and extended and at the ends of the transmission/reception input/output electrodes 18 and 23 of the piezoelectric oscillators 11 and 12 and which are provided in a vertical direction to these electrodes 171, 18 and 23 are connected with a driving controller via a signal control cable. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic transducer used for ultrasonic imaging of harmonic imaging and a method for manufacturing the ultrasonic transducer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An ultrasonic transducer mounting portion is inserted through a forceps hole of an endoscope so that the ultrasonic transducer mounting portion projects from the distal end portion of the insertion portion and is brought into contact with a living tissue such as the stomach wall. Ultrasonic diagnostic technology that visualizes ultrasonic images of structures with high resolution is becoming more important.

For such ultrasonic diagnosis, a small-diameter probe having a center frequency of 30 MHz, which is composed of a strip-shaped piezoelectric vibrator, has been commercialized.

By transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves at the center frequency in this small-diameter probe, good resolution corresponding to the frequency is obtained, but on the other hand, the detectable depth (depth of penetration) is reduced, This leads to a narrowing of the diagnostic area, resulting in a decrease in the quality of diagnosis. Therefore, there is a demand for an improvement that improves the resolution without lowering the depth of penetration. Specifically, it has a spatial resolution corresponding to a frequency of 30 MHz or higher and is expected to achieve a depth of penetration equivalent to a fundamental wave corresponding to a frequency of 15 MHz or lower.

On the other hand, recently, as a new diagnostic modality in the field of extracorporeal ultrasonic diagnostics, the harmonic imaging diagnostic method is in the spotlight.

This harmonic imaging diagnostic method
(1) When an ultrasonic wave propagates in a living body, the harmonics that are influenced by the non-linearity of the living tissue and are superimposed on the fundamental ultrasonic wave are separated by various methods, and the separated harmonic signal is used for imaging. Tissue harmonic imaging method and
(2) Injecting a contrast agent bubble into the body, receiving the harmonics generated when the bubble bursts by the irradiation of transmitted ultrasonic waves, separating the harmonics superposed on the fundamental wave ultrasonic wave by various methods, and separating this It is classified as a contrast harmonic imaging method in which an image is generated using the generated harmonic signal.

It is understood that all of these methods can obtain a diagnostic image with a good S / N and a good resolution that cannot be obtained by a conventional B-mode tomographic image, and contributes to the improvement of diagnostic accuracy of medical diagnosis. is doing. The characteristic of this harmonic is S /
In addition to the effect of improving the contrast resolution by improving N, the frequency is increased by an integral multiple, that is, the resolution in the depth direction is improved, and the lateral resolution is improved by decreasing the beam width. It is possible to suppress the attenuation of to as low as the fundamental wave.

That is, for example, there is a great feature that the depth can be set to a distance corresponding to the fundamental wave frequency while the resolution is about 30 MHz.

The ultrasonic transducer used in the conventional external body harmonic imaging diagnostic apparatus is
The same piezoelectric element has been used for both fundamental wave transmission and harmonic wave reception. In this case, since the signal level of the harmonic signal is much smaller than that of the fundamental wave, it is necessary to efficiently remove the fundamental wave component related to the deterioration of the harmonic image. Therefore, special techniques such as pulse inversion, phase inversion, and use of Gaussian pulse are used.

On the other hand, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-25
Japanese Patent No. 8879 proposes a transmission / reception separated ultrasonic transducer for harmonic imaging that does not require these special methods.

This transmission / reception separated ultrasonic transducer for harmonic imaging is composed of a ring-shaped piezoelectric element dedicated to fundamental wave transmission and a disc-shaped piezoelectric element dedicated to reception arranged in an inner circular portion thereof. By selecting the optimum combination, the harmonic components can be extracted with high sensitivity and high selectivity.

Further, the present applicant has proposed a structure for applying the basic structure of the transmission / reception separated type ultrasonic transducer to a small diameter probe used for deep velocity diagnosis of early gastric cancer in the application of Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-18878. is doing.

[0013]

The small-diameter probe is
The outer diameter is limited so that it can be inserted into the forceps hole of the endoscope. For example, in order to insert it into a forceps hole of 2.8 mmφ, the maximum transducer length in the rotation direction is the sheath outer diameter of 2.4 mm.
φ, the width of the piezoelectric element arranged in the outer diameter of the sheath must be suppressed to about 1.5 mm.

In this case, if the transducer structure in which the ring-type transmitting piezoelectric element and the disc-shaped receiving piezoelectric element are arranged in the inner circular portion proposed in the above-mentioned publication is downsized, the harmonic receiving sensitivity is improved. Since the aperture area of the transmitting ultrasonic transducer, which has a large effect, cannot be made large, the small-diameter probe has to be a strip-shaped aperture.

In this case, in the conventional body type, as the aspect ratio of the rectangular opening for transmitting and receiving the fundamental wave deviates from 1, the final peak point of the central axis sound field, that is, the sound pressure at the acoustic focus greatly fluctuates, It is known that the sound pressure may be lower than the sound pressure at the peak point in the near field.

This is because the brightness of the ultrasonic diagnostic image at the final peak point, that is, in the vicinity of the acoustic focus cannot be obtained, and is affected by multiple reflections due to the balloon wall or the like existing in the near-field area, which is a good B mode. It means that the image cannot be obtained.

Therefore, it is necessary to make the final peak point of the central-axis sound field, that is, the sound pressure at the acoustic focus, larger than the peak sound pressure in the near-field sound field region as much as possible even though the opening is rectangular.

On the other hand, in the sound field when using harmonics, such a phenomenon is unlikely to occur, and even if the aspect ratio is about 3, the sound pressure peak point exists near the final peak point of the central axis sound field. .

Furthermore, since the high frequency is handled, the thickness of the piezoelectric element becomes thin, and it is premised on the application to a small diameter probe that the size of the main surface of the piezoelectric element becomes small.

As the piezoelectric element becomes thinner and smaller in size, it becomes significantly affected by the mass of the connection point of the signal input / output wire, and the symmetry of the ultrasonic sound field to be transmitted / received deteriorates. Or the sensitivity decreases. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the mass load in the vibration direction of the piezoelectric vibrator as much as possible.

An ultrasonic probe that solves the above-mentioned problems is proposed in the previous application of the applicant of the present invention.
The proposed ultrasonic probe improves the above-mentioned problems on average, but it has been found that there is a high probability that the above-mentioned problems cannot be completely solved and become defective due to a variation in the manufacturing process.

Further, since the damping formation is performed after the wiring of the signal input / output wires, the wiring work must be performed with great care so that the wiring is not deformed due to the formation of the damping and a short circuit is not caused. Has become.

Further, the conventional probe has a technical problem of shortening the rigid length. As described above, the small-diameter probe is inserted into the forceps hole of the endoscope. However, when the endoscope is a flexible endoscope, it is necessary to have a function of freely bending in multiple directions with a radius of curvature as small as possible. .

With respect to reducing the radius of curvature of this curvature, the rigid length of the members formed in the endoscope, and particularly the rigid length of the forceps or the small-diameter probe that is inserted through the forceps hole, is the hardness length of the forceps hole. Since the inner diameter is small, it directly affects the curved diameter. For this reason, it is required to make the rigid length of the small-diameter probe for an endoscope as short as possible.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is possible to detect a received ultrasonic wave with high sensitivity and high selectivity, and to make the acoustic focus come to a proper position in the living tissue, and to improve the manufacturing yield. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic transducer having a high hardness, a short hardness length, and an excellent bending property, and a method for manufacturing the ultrasonic transducer.

[0026]

An ultrasonic transducer of the present invention comprises a plurality of piezoelectric vibrators having electrodes formed on substantially the entire principal surfaces thereof, and grounding means for grounding one electrode of each of these piezoelectric vibrators. And an ultrasonic input / output unit for inputting and outputting an ultrasonic transmission input signal or an ultrasonic reception output signal to the other electrode of the plurality of piezoelectric vibrators, wherein each of the plurality of piezoelectric vibrators A common ground electrode that extends by joining one of the electrodes in common
The transmission / reception input / output electrodes joined to the other electrodes of the plurality of piezoelectric vibrators to extend, the common ground electrode, and the transmission / reception input / output electrodes are provided at respective ends of the electrodes, and And an external electrode provided in the vertical direction, the external electrode of the common ground electrode is connected to the grounding means, and the external electrode of the transmission / reception input / output electrode is connected to the ultrasonic input / output means. Is characterized by.

Further, the plurality of piezoelectric vibrators of the ultrasonic transducer of the present invention include a pair of transmitting piezoelectric vibrator elements for generating and transmitting a fundamental ultrasonic wave, and substantially the same plane as the pair of piezoelectric vibrator elements. In addition, the piezoelectric vibrator element for reception is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the pair of piezoelectric vibrator elements and receives the ultrasonic ultrasonic wave.

Further, in the method for manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer of the present invention, the resin material for an acoustic lens is cast-cured in a lens molding die on which an acoustic lens die base having a cylindrical convex portion is placed. An acoustic lens forming step of smoothing the surface of the hardened acoustic lens; a common electrode film forming step of forming a common electrode film on the surface of the acoustic lens that has been shaped and smoothed in the acoustic lens forming step; and the common electrode film On the common electrode film surface formed in the forming process, a pair of strip-shaped piezoelectric vibrators for fundamental wave transmission in which electrodes are formed on both main surfaces,
A piezoelectric vibrator joining step of joining a harmonic receiving piezoelectric vibrator having electrodes formed on both principal surfaces in a strip shape sandwiched between the fundamental wave transmitting piezoelectric vibrators, and the piezoelectric vibration. An input / output electrode film forming step of forming an input electrode film on the surface of the piezoelectric resonator for transmitting a fundamental wave and an output electrode film on the surface of the piezoelectric resonator for receiving a harmonic wave, and the piezoelectric vibrator bonding In the step, an adhesive injection applying step of injecting and applying an adhesive that corrects a gap and a dimensional error between the fundamental wave transmitting piezoelectric vibrator and the harmonic receiving piezoelectric vibrator bonded to the electrode film surface, A damping layer sheet bonding step of bonding a damping layer sheet to the surfaces of the fundamental wave transmitting piezoelectric resonator and the harmonic receiving piezoelectric resonator with the adhesive injected and applied in the agent injection coating step; and the damping layer sheet. Damping of joining process After the sheet is bonded and solidified, the common electrode formed in the cutting step of releasing from the lens forming mold and cutting into a predetermined shape and the common electrode film forming step exposed in the cutting surface cut in the cutting step A film, an external electrode forming step of forming an external electrode on a part of an end portion of the input / output electrode film formed in the input / output electrode film forming step, and an outside of the common electrode film formed in the external electrode forming step. A cable connecting step of connecting the shield wire and the signal line of the coaxial cable for driving the transmitting piezoelectric vibrator and the receiving piezoelectric vibrator to the electrode and the external electrode of the input / output electrode film, and the coaxial cable in the cable connecting step. After connecting the shield wire and the signal wire to the external electrode, the acoustic lens mold base is removed and housed in the housing, and the housing is loaded and fixed with a resin agent. It is.

The present invention has a transmission / reception separation type structure, which can detect harmonics of ultrasonic waves with high sensitivity and high selectivity, and can be set so that the acoustic focus comes to a proper position in the living tissue. Further, it is possible to obtain an ultrasonic transducer in which the depth of penetration of ultrasonic waves is large and, when it is inserted into the forceps hole of the flexible endoscope, the rigid length that affects the bending diameter can be shortened.

[0030]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. First, FIGS.
The ultrasonic transducer according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a small diameter probe using an ultrasonic transducer according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a basic configuration of an ultrasonic transducer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a detailed configuration of the ultrasonic transducer according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a state where the ultrasonic transducer according to the first embodiment of the present invention is housed in a housing. Is.

A state in which the ultrasonic transducer 1 which is the ultrasonic transducer of the present invention is incorporated in a small-diameter probe will be described with reference to FIG.

The ultrasonic transducer 1 is built in a housing 9 whose ultrasonic transmission / reception surface side is open. The housing 9 containing the ultrasonic transducer 1 is housed and fixed in a balloon 2 filled with an acoustic coupler liquid 3 and having excellent ultrasonic permeability. The ultrasonic transducer 1 is connected to the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 which is housed in the sheath 5 and also incorporated in the cable burying pipe 32. The end portion of the cable-embedded pipe 32 in which the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 is housed is fixed to the housing 9 and also fixed to the rotation supporting means 4, for example, the rotating portion of the ball bearing.
The balloon 2 and the end of the sheath 5 that covers the cable burying pipe 32 are tightly fixed to the outer peripheral side of the rotation support means 4 so that the acoustic coupler liquid 3 in the balloon 2 does not leak.

That is, when the cable-embedded pipe 32 containing the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 is rotated, the housing 2 in the balloon 2 and the ultrasonic transducer 1 are rotated via the rotation supporting means 4. It is like this.

As shown in FIG. 2, the ultrasonic oscillator 1 is a fundamental wave transmitting piezoelectric oscillator (hereinafter referred to as transmitting piezoelectric oscillator) 11a, 1 having electrodes formed on a pair of principal surfaces.
1b and the piezoelectric vibrators 11a and 11b for transmitting the fundamental wave, which are arranged substantially on the same plane and sandwiched between the piezoelectric vibrators 1a and 11b. A piezoelectric vibrator 12 is used for transmitting ultrasonic waves 7 (FIG. 1) formed by the fundamental wave transmitting piezoelectric vibrators 11a and 11b.
The center axis of the sound field according to the reference) and the center axis of the sound field due to the received ultrasonic wave 8 formed by the piezoelectric resonator 12 for receiving harmonics are arranged so as to coincide with each other.

Further, the transmitting piezoelectric vibrators 11a, 11
On the back surface of b, the resonance sharpness Q as a transmission ultrasonic transducer
The damping layer 13 for the transmitter vibrator, in which a powder of alumina or the like is dispersed in a flexible epoxy resin of about 2 to 4, is provided on the back surface of the piezoelectric vibrator 12 for reception as a receiver ultrasonic vibrator. A damping layer 14 for a receiving oscillator having a resonance sharpness Q of about 4 to 8 is provided. The material of the damping layer 14 for the reception oscillator is a powder of alumina or the like dispersed in an epoxy resin having a composition different from that of the damping layer 13 for the transmission oscillator.

The acoustic lens 1 is provided on the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving surfaces of the transmitting piezoelectric vibrators 11a and 11b and the receiving piezoelectric vibrator 12.
5 are joined.

Piezoelectric vibrator 1 for transmitting the acoustic lens 15
On the surface contacting the piezoelectric vibrator 12 for reception with 1a and 11b,
A conductive layer (not shown) is provided so that the electrodes on the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving surface side of the transmitting piezoelectric vibrators 11a and 11b and the receiving piezoelectric vibrator 12 are in a common ground state, and the other surface has a radius of curvature R16. The concave surface is formed.

The cross-sectional view of the ultrasonic transducer 1 shown in FIG. 2 is obtained by dicing a layered structure extending cylindrically in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing.

Piezoelectric vibrator 1 for transmission of this ultrasonic vibrator 1
Each of the electrodes 1a and 11b, the receiving piezoelectric vibrator 12, and the external wiring electrodes will be described with reference to FIG. Note that FIG.
(A) is a layered plan view seen from the side surface of the ultrasonic transducer 1,
From the direction of arrow A in the figure, the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6
Are connected. FIG. 3B is a layered plan view of the side to which the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 of the ultrasonic transducer 1 is connected.
FIG. 3C is a layered plan view of the ultrasonic transducer 1 shown in FIG.

On the ultrasonic wave transmitting surface side of the transmitting piezoelectric vibrators 11a and 11b, the transmitting vibrator ground electrodes 17a and 17 are provided.
b is provided, and the ground electrodes 17a, 17 for the transmitter are provided.
On the side opposite to the ultrasonic wave transmission surface side where b is provided, input electrodes 18a, 18a for transmission oscillators are provided.

A grounding electrode 24 is provided on the ultrasonic wave receiving surface side of the piezoelectric receiving vibrator 12, and an output for the receiving vibrator is provided on the surface opposite to the ultrasonic wave receiving surface side provided with the ground electrode 24. A side electrode 23 is provided.

Piezoelectric vibrator 1 for transmission of the acoustic lens 15
A common ground electrode 171 is provided on the surface in contact with the ultrasonic wave transmitting / receiving surface sides of the receiving piezoelectric vibrators 1 a and 11 b.

A common ground electrode 171 of the acoustic lens 15
Is bonded to the ground electrodes 17a and 17b for the transmitter vibrator of the piezoelectric vibrators 11a and 11b for transmission and the ground electrode 24 of the piezoelectric vibrator 12 for reception, and is exposed on the tomographic plane. At one end of the acoustic lens 15 exposed on the tomographic plane of the common electrode 171, as shown in FIG. 3B, a ground wiring is provided at a substantially central portion on the side to which the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 is connected. An electrode 22 is provided.

An input lead wire 20 for the transmission vibrator is connected and arranged at an electrode layer portion where the transmission vibrator input side electrodes 18a, 18b of the transmission piezoelectric vibrators 11a, 11b are exposed. The input side lead wire 20 for the transmitter is
While the transmission vibrator input electrodes 18a and 18b of the transmission piezoelectric vibrators 11a and 11b are set to the same potential, as shown in FIG. 3B, a diagram of a side to which the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 is connected. It is extendedly connected to the input side wiring electrode 21 for the transmission oscillator provided on the middle left side.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), the receiving oscillator of the receiving piezoelectric oscillator 12 is provided on the electrode slice portion exposed on the side surface opposite to the transmitting oscillator input side lead wiring 20. The output lead-out wiring 241 for the receiving oscillator connected to the output electrode 23 for wiring is wired, and as shown in FIG. 3B, it is provided on the right side in the figure on the side to which the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 is connected. It is extendedly connected to the output wiring electrode 25 for the reception oscillator.

That is, the input side electrode 18a for the transmission oscillator,
18b, output electrode 23 for reception vibration, and common ground electrode 1
71, a transmission oscillator input-side lead-out wiring 20, a transmission oscillator input-side wiring electrode 21, on a tomographic plane in a substantially vertical direction,
An output side lead wire 241 for the reception oscillator, an output side wiring electrode 25 for the reception oscillator, and a common ground electrode 171 are provided.

The housing of the ultrasonic transducer 1 having such a configuration in the housing 9 and the connection with the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4A shows an input side wiring electrode 21 for the transmission oscillator, a ground wiring electrode 22, and an output side wiring electrode 25 for the reception oscillator, which are connected to the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 of the ultrasonic oscillator. FIG. 4B is a plan view seen from the side where it is provided. In FIG. 4B, the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 has an input wiring electrode 21, a ground wiring electrode 22, and an output wiring electrode for the reception oscillator for the transmission oscillator. 25
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the ultrasonic transducer connected to the side view of the ultrasonic transducer.

The input wire electrode 21, the ground wire electrode 22, and the output wire electrode 25 for the receiver vibrator for the transmitter vibrator.
The ultrasonic transducer 1 provided with is housed inside a housing 26 formed of a metal member having a substantially semi-cylindrical cross section,
It is fixedly embedded in the sealing resin 27. At this time, the concave surface of the acoustic lens 15 of the ultrasonic vibrator 1, that is, the ultrasonic transmitting / receiving surfaces of the transmitting piezoelectric vibrators 11 a and 11 b and the receiving piezoelectric vibrator 12 are housed and arranged so as to be the opening side of the housing 26. .

As shown in FIG. 4B, the housing 26 includes an input side wiring electrode 21, a ground wiring electrode 22, and a reception oscillator output side wiring electrode 25 of the ultrasonic oscillator 1. A cable embedding pipe 32 through which the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 is inserted is provided on the outer side of the position where the signal controlling two-core coaxial cable 6 is inserted, and a ground portion 31 is provided on the inside of the housing 26 in which the cable embedding pipe 32 is provided. Has been. The cable buried pipe 32 and the ground portion 31 are electrically at the same potential.

The shielded wire 2 for grounding the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 inserted through the cable burying pipe 32.
Reference numeral 8 is connected to the ground portion 31 and the ground wiring electrode 22 of the ultrasonic oscillator 1. In addition, the cable buried pipe 32
The receiving oscillator output signal cable 29, which is one of the cores of the signal controlling two-core coaxial cable 6 inserted in the above, is connected to the receiving oscillator output side wiring electrode 25 of the ultrasonic oscillator 1 and the other. The transmission oscillator input signal cable 30, which is the core wire of the above, is connected to the transmission oscillator input side wiring electrode 21 of the ultrasonic transducer 1.

That is, the shield wire 28 of the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 through which the cable burying pipe 32 is fed is connected to the ground portion 31 of the housing 26 and the ground wiring electrode 22 of the ultrasonic transducer 1, and 2-core coaxial cable 6 for signal control
Output signal cable 29 for receiving transducer which is one core wire
The output side wiring electrode 2 for the receiving oscillator of the ultrasonic oscillator 1
5 and after connecting the transmission oscillator input signal cable 30 which is the other core wire to the transmission oscillator input side wiring electrode 21 of the ultrasonic oscillator 1, the ultrasonic oscillator 1 is inserted into the housing 26. Is sealed and fixed with a sealing resin 27. As a result, the signal cables 29, 30 and the shield wire 28, which are the core wires of the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6, are connected to the housing 2
6 is hermetically fixed.

In this way, the ultrasonic transducer 1 connected to the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 and sealed and fixed to the housing 26, as shown in FIG. The ultrasonic vibration 1 and the housing 26 are fixed to the inner diameter of the rotating portion of the ball bearing which is the supporting means 4.
Is stored in the balloon 2 filled with the acoustic coupler liquid 3,
Moreover, an ultrasonic probe can be formed by covering the connecting portion between the balloon 2 and the rotation supporting means 4 with the sheath 5.

The ultrasonic probe having the ultrasonic transducer 1 as described above is provided with an impulse or a burst supplied between the transmission oscillator input signal cable 30 and the shield wire 28 of the signal control twin core coaxial cable 6. The wave drive signal is input from the ground wiring electrode 22 and the transmission oscillator input side wiring electrode 21 between the ground electrodes 17a and 17b of the transmission piezoelectric oscillators 11a and 11b and the transmission oscillator input electrodes 18a and 18b. .

As a result, the pair of transmitting piezoelectric vibrators 11
The ultrasonic waves a and 11b vibrate in the vicinity of the resonance frequency of the transmitting piezoelectric vibrator, and the transmitting ultrasonic wave 7 which is the fundamental wave focused ultrasonic wave depending on the radius of curvature R16 of the acoustic lens 15 is transmitted to the living body object.

The reception ultrasonic wave 8 which is an echo signal containing a harmonic generated when the transmission ultrasonic wave 7 propagates or when the contrast agent bubble ruptures or resonates has a resonance frequency near the harmonic frequency. It is received by the piezoelectric vibrator 12. In the receiving piezoelectric vibrator 12, the harmonic component is selectively piezoelectric-converted due to the resonance characteristic with the received reception ultrasonic wave 8, and the harmonic generated between the reception vibrator output electrode 23 and the ground electrode 24. The wave signal is output to the reception vibration output signal cable 29 and the shielded wire 28 of the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 connected to the reception oscillator output side wiring electrode 25 and the ground wiring electrode 22.

In the operation of such an ultrasonic transducer,
In the ultrasonic vibration near the resonance frequency of the transmitting piezoelectric vibrators 11a and 11b, when a mechanical load is applied in the vibration direction, the resonance frequency and the resonance resistance change due to the mass load effect.

On the other hand, the receiving piezoelectric vibrator 12 is designed so that its resonance frequency matches a harmonic frequency that is an integral multiple of the fundamental wave frequency, but if there is a mechanical load in the vibration direction. , Deviates from an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency, and the harmonic signal resonates efficiently.

However, in the ultrasonic vibrator of the present invention, the acoustic lens 15 is provided on the front surface of the transmission piezoelectric vibrators 11a and 11b and the reception piezoelectric vibrator 12, and the damping layer 13 is provided on the back surface.
Only the basic structural member as the ultrasonic transducer of 14 can be arranged, and the ultrasonic driving input and output signal wiring and the conductive member such as solder for connecting the wiring to the electrode do not exist at all. Obtainable.

Therefore, the resonance frequency of the receiving piezoelectric vibrator 12 can be easily adjusted to a harmonic frequency that is an integral multiple of the fundamental wave frequency, and good transmission / reception sensitivity can always be obtained.

Further, conventionally, even if lightweight wiring is performed by wire bonding for the purpose of reducing the effect of mass loading, a relay portion for the wiring is additionally required, and the length of the small diameter probe in the major axis direction becomes long. Although the above-mentioned hardness length will be increased, the ultrasonic oscillator of the present invention is configured such that the transmission oscillator input-side extraction wiring 20 and the reception oscillator output-side extraction wiring 241 are band-shaped thin films. The hardness length can be shortened.

Furthermore, the present invention facilitates the formation of the damping layer. Since there are no irregularities such as solder points on the surface of the piezoelectric vibrator, a sheet-shaped damping layer can be easily joined by a method such as bonding, which facilitates processing and assembly, and can generate an ultrasonic small-diameter probe with little variation. .

Next, a modified example of the connection between the ultrasonic transducer which is the ultrasonic transducer of the present invention and the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 5 (a) is a plan view of the ultrasonic transducer as viewed from the long axis direction, and FIG. 5 (b) shows the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 with the transmitting transducer input side electrode 18 and the common ground. Electrode 17
2 is a plan view of the ultrasonic transducer connected to the output electrode 23 for the receiving transducer 1 and the transducer, as viewed from the side. FIG. The same parts as those in FIGS. 1 to 4 described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

On one side surface in the long axis direction of the ultrasonic oscillator, the transmission oscillator input side lead-out wiring connected to the transmission oscillator input electrodes 18a and 18b of the transmission piezoelectric elements 11a and 11b is formed. In place of 20, an input electrode pad 35 for the transmission oscillator is provided. The transmission vibrator input electrode pad 35 is provided so as to straddle the transmission vibrator input electrodes 18a and 18b exposed on the tomographic plane of the ultrasonic vibrator. Further, the ground wiring electrode 2 connected to the common ground electrode 171 exposed on the slice plane of the ultrasonic transducer.
Instead of 2, the common ground electrode pad 34 is provided.

On the other side surface of the ultrasonic transducer in the long axis direction, the output wiring for the reception transducer 241 connected to the output electrode for the reception transducer 23 exposed on the tomographic plane of the ultrasonic transducer. In place of the output electrode pad 33 for the reception oscillator
Is provided.

When the ultrasonic vibrator having such a structure is housed in the housing 26, the common ground electrode pad 34 is connected to the housing 26 through the ground wiring 37, and the output electrode pad 36 for the transmitter vibrator is connected. The transmission oscillator input signal line 40 of the transmission oscillator input cable 30 is connected by soldering 39, and the transmission oscillator input cable 33 is also connected.
Is connected to the housing 26, and a reception vibration output signal line (not shown) of the reception vibrator output cable 31 is solder-connected to the reception vibrator output electrode pad 33. A shield wire 36 that shields the output cable 31 for the reception oscillator is connected to the housing 26.

The transmission oscillator input cable 30 and the reception oscillator output cable 31 are bundled from a position led out of the housing 26 and embedded in a cable embedding pipe 32. The cable-embedded pipe 32 is sealed and fixed, and is fixedly supported by the rotating portion of the ball bearing which is the rotation supporting means 4.

That is, the common ground electrode 171, the transmission oscillator input side electrodes 18a and 18b, and the reception oscillator output side electrode 23 are connected to the common ground electrode pad 34, the transmission oscillator input electrode pad 35, and the reception oscillator 23, respectively. A vibrator output electrode pad 33 is provided. The transmission vibrator input electrode pad 35 has a transmission vibrator input signal line 40 of the transmission vibrator input cable 30, and the reception vibrator output electrode pad 33 has a reception vibrator output cable 31 of the reception vibrator output signal line. , And the common ground electrode pad 33, the shield oscillator input cables 30 and the shield cables 36, 37, 38 of the receiver oscillator output cables 31 are connected to the housing 26.

Incidentally, the input cable 30 for the transmitter is provided.
The signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 may be used instead of the reception oscillator output cable 31. However, when the signal control two-core coaxial cable 6 is used, the input signal line for the transmission oscillator is the cable-embedded pipe 32 of the housing 26.
It is obvious that it is necessary to consider the shield for preventing the noise from entering from the position of the above to the input electrode pad 35 for the transmission oscillator.

According to this modification of the ultrasonic transducer, the signal control coaxial cable is exposed on the cross-sectional surface on the side surface of the ultrasonic transducer, and the input electrode 18 for the transmitter and the output 2 for the receiver are provided.
3 and the common ground electrode 171 are directly connected to the electrode pads 33, 34, and 35, respectively, so that the relay wiring of the signal control coaxial cable is not necessary, so that the rigidity length can be further shortened.

Also, in the structure of this modified example, since no wire is used on the surface of the piezoelectric vibrator, the mass load can be reduced as in the first embodiment described above, and piezoelectric vibration free of unnecessary vibration can be achieved. Vibration can be realized.

That is, the resonance frequency of the receiving piezoelectric vibrator 12 can be easily multiplied by an integer multiple of the resonance frequency of the transmitting piezoelectric vibrator,
That is, it can be adjusted to the frequency of the harmonic wave, and a large transmission / reception sensitivity can be obtained.

Next, a method of manufacturing the ultrasonic vibrator of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, a cylindrical acoustic lens mold base 41 having a cylindrical convex surface 42 and a smooth surface 43 on a part of its surface is prepared. FIG. 6A shows a cylindrical acoustic lens type base 41.
6 (b) is a plan view of the cylindrical acoustic lens mold base 41 as seen from the major axis direction thereof.

This cylindrical acoustic lens mold base 41 is arranged at the bottom of a box-shaped lens material forming mold 44, as shown in FIGS. FIG. 6C is a plan view of the cylindrical acoustic lens mold base 41 when the cylindrical acoustic lens mold base 41 is arranged on the lens material forming mold 44, as seen from the side surface in the major axis direction, and FIG.
FIG. 6 is a plan view seen from the long axis direction when the cylindrical acoustic lens mold base 41 is arranged on the lens material forming mold 44.

After the release agent is applied to the surfaces of the convex surface 22 and the smooth surface 43 of the cylindrical acoustic lens mold base 41 arranged on the lens material forming mold 44, and the inner wall surface of the lens material forming mold 44, FIG. As shown in, the resin 45 that finally becomes the acoustic lens 15 is injected to the open end of the lens material forming mold 44, and after the lens resin 45 is cured, the surface is ground smoothly.

On the ground surface of the lens resin 45,
As shown in FIG. 6F, the electrode film 46 is formed by means of sputtering, electroless plating, vapor deposition, or the like.

On the surface of the electrode film 46, a pair of strip-shaped piezoelectric vibrators 47a, 4a for transmission having electrodes formed on both principal surfaces thereof.
7b and the receiving piezoelectric vibrator 48 are arranged and adhered in the long axis direction with an epoxy adhesive having a low viscosity as shown in FIG. 6 (g). The transmitting piezoelectric vibrators 47a and 47b are arranged on the electrode film 46 at a predetermined interval around the apex of the convex surface 42, and the receiving piezoelectric vibrator 48 is provided between the transmitting piezoelectric vibrators 47a and 47b. Will be placed.

Next, the transmitting piezoelectric vibrators 47a, 47
Electrode foils 51a, 51b, and 52 are bonded to the surfaces of b and the piezoelectric vibrator for reception 48, as shown in FIG. 6 (h, i).
In FIG. 6H, the cylindrical acoustic lens mold base 41 is arranged on the lens material forming mold 44, and the transmitting / receiving piezoelectric element 47 is arranged.
6 is a plan view seen from the side surface in the long axis direction when the electrode foils 51a, 51b and 52 are joined to a, 47b and 48, respectively.
(D) shows that the cylindrical acoustic lens mold base 41 is arranged on the lens material forming mold 44, and the transmitting / receiving piezoelectric element 47a,
It is the top view seen from the long axis direction when electrode foil 51a, 51b, 52 is joined to 47b, 48.

The electrode foils 51a, 51b, 52 serve as electrode tomographic portions exposed on a tomographic surface, which will be described later, and are intended to reliably bond the external electrodes.
External electrodes 58, 5 which will be described later only by the electrodes 7b, 48 themselves
It is not always necessary as long as 9 and 60 can be surely conductively connected.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7 (j, k), the transmitting piezoelectric vibrators 47a and 47b and the receiving piezoelectric vibrator 48.
The elastic adhesive layer 53 is formed by using a dispenser to cast an epoxy adhesive having appropriate elasticity into the groove-shaped depression formed by the difference in thickness between the adhesive and the groove so as to slightly protrude.
In FIG. 7 (j), the cylindrical acoustic lens mold base 41 is arranged on a lens material forming mold 44, and a transmitting / receiving piezoelectric element 47 is arranged.
7 (k) is a plan view of the electrode foils 51a, 51b, 52 joined to a, 47b, 48, and the elastic adhesive layer 53 is formed. The cylindrical acoustic lens type base 41 is arranged at 44, and the electrode foil 5 is provided on the transmitting / receiving piezoelectric elements 47a, 47b, 48.
1a, 51b, 52 are joined together, and further an elastic adhesive layer 53
It is the top view seen from the long axis direction at the time of forming.

Immediately after the elastic adhesive layer 53 is formed, a sheet-like damping layer 54 in which, for example, ferrite powder is dispersed in neoprene rubber is formed on the transmitting piezoelectric element 47a as shown in FIG. 7 (l, m). , 47b electrode foil 51
The elastic adhesive layer 5 so as to be laminated on a and 51b.
Bond with the protruding elastic adhesive of 3. In FIG. 7 (l), the cylindrical acoustic lens mold base 41 is arranged on the lens material forming mold 44 on which the on-sheet damping layer 54 is formed, and the electrode foil 5 is arranged on the transmitting / receiving piezoelectric elements 47a, 47b, 48.
FIG. 6D is a plan view seen from the side surface in the major axis direction when the 1a, 51b, and 52 are joined, and FIG. 6D shows the transmission / reception piezoelectric element in which the cylindrical acoustic lens type base 41 is arranged on the lens material forming die 44. 47a, 47b, 48 with electrode foils 51a, 5
It is the top view seen from the long axis direction when 1b and 52 are joined.

In this way, the lens resin 45 is injected and cured on the upper surface of the cylindrical acoustic lens mold base 41 placed on the lens material forming mold 44, and the lens resin 45 is then cured.
After forming the electrode film 46 on the surface of the, the transmission piezoelectric vibrators 47a and 47b and the reception piezoelectric vibrator 48 are provided in the major axis direction, and further, the transmission piezoelectric vibrators 47a and 47b.
The electrode films 51a and 51b and the receiving piezoelectric vibrator 4 are provided on the upper surface of b.
8 has an electrode film 52 formed on the upper surface thereof, and a sheet-like damping layer 54 is provided on the upper surfaces of the electrode films 51a, 51b, 52 on the upper surfaces of the transmission piezoelectric vibrators 47a, 47b and the reception piezoelectric vibrators 48. A long ultrasonic vibration forming member is generated. This long ultrasonic vibration forming member is taken out from the lens material forming die 44.

As shown in FIG. 7 (n), the long ultrasonic vibration forming member taken out of the lens material forming die 44 has dicing lines 551 and 55 at predetermined intervals in the long axis direction.
Dicing is performed at 2,553,55n. The dicing surface diced by the dicing lines 551 to 55n is, as shown in FIG. 7 (o), a cylindrical acoustic lens type base 41, a lens resin 45, an electrode film 46, piezoelectric vibrators 47a and 47b for transmission, and piezoelectric transducers for reception. Transducer 48, electrode film 5
The tomographic planes of 1a, 51b, 52, the elastic adhesive layer 53, and the damping layer 54 are obtained.

After dicing with these dicing lines 551 to 55n, dicing is performed in the major axis direction with dicing lines 56 and 57 shown in FIG. 7 (o). That is, the transmission piezoelectric vibrator 4
Dicing from both sides of 7a and 47b in the long axis direction,
An ultrasonic transducer chip is formed. On the dicing surface in the long-axis direction, the cylindrical acoustic lens mold base 41, the lens resin 45, the electrode film 46, the transmitting piezoelectric vibrator 47a,
47b, electrode films 51a and 51b, and damping layer 54
The fault plane of is obtained.

That is, after the dicing explained in FIG. 7 (n, o), the ultrasonic transducer chip shown in FIG. 7 (p) is produced.

In this ultrasonic transducer chip, as shown in FIG. 7 (q), the receiving piezoelectric film is formed on the electrode film 52 of the receiving piezoelectric transducer 48 exposed on the dicing surface in the direction orthogonal to the major axis direction. An external electrode 58 for conducting the vibrator electrode, an external electrode 59 for conducting the piezoelectric vibrator electrode for transmission are formed on the electrode films 51a and 51b of the piezoelectric vibrators for transmission 47a, 47b, and an external electrode 60 for common ground electrode is formed on the electrode film 46. To do. Note that FIG. 7 (q)
In the figure, a state in which the transmission piezoelectric vibrator electrode conductive external electrode 59 is connected only to the electrode film 51b of the transmission piezoelectric vibrator 47b is shown, but the electrode film 51a of the transmission piezoelectric vibrator 47a is It is obvious that the electrode film 51b of the transmitting piezoelectric vibrator 47b is electrically connected and has the same potential.

By removing the cylindrical acoustic lens mold base 41 from the ultrasonic transducer chip, each electrode film 51a, 5
External electrodes 58, 59, 6 connected to the electrodes 1b, 52, 46
As shown in FIG. 7 (r), the ultrasonic transducer chip provided with 0 has a drive signal cable 62 for driving the receiving piezoelectric transducer 48 to the receiving piezoelectric transducer electrode conductive external electrode 58,
The transmission signal cable 61 is connected to the transmission piezoelectric vibrator electrode conduction external electrode 59, and the ground wiring 63 is connected to the common ground electrode external electrode 60. Further, after connecting the signal cable to the ultrasonic transducer chip in this manner, as shown in FIG.
The received signal cable 61 is loaded in the housing 66.
The ultrasonic transducer can be generated by sealingly connecting the shielded wire 64, the shielded wire 65 of the drive signal cable 62, and the installation wiring 63 to the housing 66 and then sealing with the sealing resin 67.

The ultrasonic transducer produced by such a manufacturing method is basically used as an ultrasonic transducer having an acoustic lens on the front surface of the transmitting piezoelectric transducer and the receiving piezoelectric transducer and a damping layer only on the rear surface. Only structural members can be placed,
It is possible to obtain a state in which there is no conductive member such as ultrasonic drive input and output signal wiring or solder for connecting the wiring to the electrode, and the resonance frequency of the receiving piezoelectric vibrator can be easily changed to the fundamental frequency. It is possible to tune to a harmonic frequency that is an integral multiple, and good transmission and reception sensitivity can be obtained.

Also, by providing the piezoelectric vibrator electrode conductive external electrode on the electrode film exposed on the tomographic plane, it is possible to shorten the hardness length.

In the above description, the acoustic lens is in direct contact with the piezoelectric vibrator, but it may have a structure in which one or more flat plate-like acoustic matching layers are disposed between the two. However, in this case, it is necessary to form a conductive film on the surface of the acoustic matching member that is in contact with the piezoelectric vibrator and that is in contact with the piezoelectric vibrator, or to make the material of the acoustic matching layer itself a highly conductive material such as carbon glass. is there.

The strip-shaped external electrode does not necessarily have to be linear, and may be a curved strip-shaped electrode depending on the situation. Further, it is obvious that the two-core coaxial cable may be covered with the shield wire so as to bundle the two cores, or each of the two cores may have the shield wire.

[Additional Notes] According to the embodiment of the present invention described in detail above, the following configuration can be obtained.

(Supplementary Note 1) A plurality of piezoelectric vibrators in which electrodes are formed on substantially the entire surfaces of both principal surfaces, a grounding means for grounding one electrode of each of these piezoelectric vibrators, and the other of the plurality of piezoelectric vibrators. An ultrasonic wave input / output means for inputting / outputting an ultrasonic wave transmission input signal or an ultrasonic wave reception output signal to an electrode of the ultrasonic transducer, wherein one electrode of each of the plurality of piezoelectric vibrators is jointed and extended. Provided on the respective ends of the common ground electrode, the common ground electrode, and the transmission / reception input / output electrodes, which are joined to the other electrodes of the plurality of piezoelectric vibrators to extend. And an external electrode provided in the vertical direction with respect to these electrodes, the grounding means is connected to the external electrode of the common ground electrode, and the ultrasonic wave is connected to the external electrode of the transmission / reception input / output electrode. Entering Ultrasonic transducers were characterized by connecting the power unit.

(Supplementary Note 2) The plurality of piezoelectric vibrators include a pair of transmitting piezoelectric vibrator elements for generating and transmitting a fundamental wave ultrasonic wave, substantially the same plane as the pair of piezoelectric vibrator elements, and 2. The ultrasonic transducer according to appendix 1, comprising a piezoelectric transducer element for reception which is arranged so as to be sandwiched between a pair of piezoelectric transducer elements and which receives a harmonic ultrasonic wave.

(Supplementary Note 3) The supplementary note 1 is characterized in that the common ground electrode is an electrode film formed on a surface of a member arranged so as to contact one electrode of each of the plurality of piezoelectric vibrators. Ultrasonic transducer.

(Supplementary Note 5) The common ground electrode is a bulk conductive member arranged so as to be in contact with one electrode of each of the plurality of piezoelectric vibrators.
The ultrasonic transducer described in.

(Supplementary Note 6) In the common ground electrode, a member arranged so as to contact one electrode of each of the plurality of piezoelectric vibrators is an acoustic lens.
The ultrasonic transducer described in.

(Supplementary Note 7) In the common ground electrode, a member arranged so as to be in contact with one electrode of each of the plurality of piezoelectric vibrators is an acoustic matching layer.
The ultrasonic transducer described in.

(Supplementary Note 8) In Supplementary Note 5, the bulk conductive member, which is a member arranged so as to contact one electrode of each of the plurality of piezoelectric vibrators of the common ground electrode, is glassy carbon. Ultrasonic transducer described.

(Supplementary Note 9) An external electrode that is perpendicular to the drive signal input side electrodes and has the same electric potential is provided at the ends of the drive signal input side electrodes of the pair of piezoelectric vibrator elements. The ultrasonic transducer described in Appendix 2.

(Supplementary Note 10) The ultrasonic transducer according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the external electrode is bent from the surface on which the external electrode is formed to another surface and drawn around in a strip shape.

(Supplementary note 11) The ultrasonic transducer according to Supplementary note 1 or Supplementary note 10, wherein a drive control device is directly connected to the external electrode via a coaxial cable.

(Supplementary Note 12) A resin material for an acoustic lens is cast-cured on a lens molding die on which an acoustic lens mold base having a cylindrical convex portion is placed, and the surface of the cured acoustic lens is fixed. An acoustic lens forming step of smoothing, a common electrode film forming step of forming a common electrode film on the acoustic lens surface formed and smoothed in the acoustic lens forming step, and a common electrode film formed in the common electrode film forming step On the surface, a pair of strip-shaped fundamental wave transmitting piezoelectric vibrators with electrodes formed on both principal surfaces, and a strip of strip-shaped piezoelectric resonators arranged on both principal surfaces A piezoelectric vibrator bonding step of bonding a piezoelectric vibrator for harmonic reception having electrodes formed thereon, and an input electrode film on the surface of the piezoelectric vibrator for transmitting a fundamental wave bonded in the piezoelectric vibrator bonding step, and a harmonic reception Electrode on the surface of the piezoelectric vibrator for In the step of forming the input / output electrode film and the step of bonding the piezoelectric vibrator, the gaps and dimensional errors between the fundamental wave transmitting piezoelectric vibrator and the harmonic receiving piezoelectric vibrator bonded to the electrode film surface are buried and corrected. Adhesive injection injection applying step and damping with the adhesive injected in the adhesive injection applying step on the surfaces of the fundamental wave transmitting piezoelectric oscillator and the harmonic receiving piezoelectric oscillator A damping layer sheet joining step of joining the layer sheets, a cutting step of releasing the lens forming mold after the joining and solidification of the damping layer sheet in the damping layer sheet joining step, and cutting into a predetermined shape dimension, and the cutting step. The common electrode film formed in the common electrode film forming process exposed on the cut surface cut in the process and a part of the end portion of the input / output electrode film formed in the input / output electrode film forming process are externally charged with an external electrode. A step of forming an external electrode, an external electrode of the common electrode film formed in the external electrode forming step, and an external electrode of an input / output electrode film that are coaxial to drive the piezoelectric vibrator for transmission and the piezoelectric vibrator for reception. A cable connecting step of connecting the shield wire and the signal wire of the cable, and after connecting the shield wire and the signal wire of the coaxial cable in the cable connecting step to the external electrode, remove the acoustic lens mold base and store it in the housing. And a housing loading step of sealing and fixing with a resin agent, the method of manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer.

[0104]

The ultrasonic transducer of the present invention comprises:
Without using any wires for wiring, piezoelectric vibrator, acoustic lens,
Piezoelectric vibrators are provided with external electrodes and common ground electrodes so as to make vertical contact with the electrode edge section exposed on the section when all layers of a structure in which acoustic matching layers and damping layers are laminated are cut Since there is no mass load in the vibration direction of the piezoelectric vibrator, the resonance frequency of the piezoelectric vibrator does not shift, and the piezoelectric vibrator for receiving harmonics having a frequency two or three times that of the piezoelectric vibrator for transmitting basic ultrasonic waves. It is possible to generate a resonance frequency for use in the application, and it has the effect of improving the harmonic reception sensitivity.

Further, the damping layer is easy to form, and there is no risk of accidents due to short-circuiting between wirings. Furthermore, since no wiring board is used, a relay substrate is not required, so that the hardness length can be shortened and the curvature diameter can be reduced. It became possible to realize the request to

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a small-diameter probe using an ultrasonic transducer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a basic configuration of an ultrasonic transducer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a detailed configuration of an ultrasonic transducer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a state where the ultrasonic transducer according to the first embodiment of the present invention is housed in a housing.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a state in which an ultrasonic transducer according to another embodiment of the present invention is housed in a housing.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view illustrating a method for manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a housing housed state of the ultrasonic transducer according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Ultrasonic transducer 2 ... Balloon 3 ... Acoustic coupler liquid 4 ... Rotation support means 5 ... Sheath 6 ... 2-core coaxial cable for signal control 7 ... Transmit ultrasonic waves 8 ... Received ultrasonic wave 9 ... Housing 11 ... Piezoelectric vibrator for transmission 12 ... Receiving piezoelectric vibrator 13 ... Damping layer for transmitting oscillator 14 ... Damping layer for receiving oscillator 15 ... Acoustic lens 16 ... Acoustic lens radius of curvature 17 ... Ground electrode for transmitter 18 ... Input electrode for transmitter 20 ... Input side wiring for transmitter 21 ... Input side wiring electrode for transmitting oscillator 22 ... Ground wiring electrode 23 ... Output electrode for receiving oscillator 24 ... Ground electrode 25 ... Output side wiring electrode for receiving oscillator 32 ... Cable buried pipe

Front page continuation (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ identification code FI theme code (reference) H04R 17/00 330 H01L 41/08 J 41/22 Z (72) Inventor Takeshi Yokoi 2-43 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo No. 2 Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yuji Tosaka 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo F-Term (reference) 4C301 AA03 BB28 BB30 EE06 EE13 EE17 FF04 FF15 GA01 GA02 GA15 GB14 GB18 GB19 GB20 GB29 GB33 GB37 GC01 GC17 HH47 HH48 JA17 5D019 HH03 5D107 AA12 AA14 BB07 CC05 CC10 CC11 CC13 DD11

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of piezoelectric vibrators in which electrodes are formed on substantially all of both main surfaces, grounding means for grounding one electrode of each of these piezoelectric vibrators, and the other electrode of the plurality of piezoelectric vibrators. In an ultrasonic transducer consisting of an ultrasonic input / output means for inputting / outputting an ultrasonic transmission input signal or an ultrasonic reception output signal, one electrode of each of the plurality of piezoelectric vibrators is jointed and extended. A common ground electrode, a transmission / reception input / output electrode that is joined to and extends on the other electrode of each of the plurality of piezoelectric vibrators, the common ground electrode, and is provided at each end of the transmission / reception input / output electrode, And an external electrode provided in a vertical direction with respect to these electrodes, wherein the ground means is connected to the external electrode of the common ground electrode, and the ultrasonic input / output is connected to the external electrode of the transmission / reception input / output electrode. means An ultrasonic transducer characterized by connecting to. 2. The plurality of piezoelectric vibrators include a pair of transmitting piezoelectric vibrator elements for generating and transmitting a fundamental ultrasonic wave, and substantially the same plane as the pair of piezoelectric vibrator elements, and the pair of piezoelectric vibrator elements. 2. The ultrasonic transducer according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transducer comprises a receiving piezoelectric vibrator element that is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the piezoelectric vibrator elements and that receives a harmonic ultrasonic wave. 3. A resin molding material for an acoustic lens is cast-cured on a lens molding die on which an acoustic lens mold base having a cylindrical convex portion is placed, and the surface of the cured acoustic lens is smoothed. An acoustic lens forming step, a common electrode film forming step of forming a common electrode film on the acoustic lens surface that has been molded and smoothed in the acoustic lens forming step, and a common electrode film surface formed in the common electrode film forming step. ,
A fundamental wave transmission piezoelectric vibrator in which electrodes are formed on both principal surfaces in a pair of strips, and an electrode is formed on both principal surfaces in a strip shape sandwiched between the fundamental wave transmission piezoelectric transducers Piezoelectric vibrator joining step of joining the piezoelectric resonator for harmonic reception, and an input electrode film on the surface of the piezoelectric vibrator for transmitting fundamental wave joined in the piezoelectric vibrator joining step, and piezoelectric vibration for receiving harmonics An input / output electrode film forming step of forming an output electrode film on the surface of the child, and a piezoelectric vibrator for fundamental wave transmission and a piezoelectric vibrator for harmonic reception, which are bonded to the electrode film surface in the piezoelectric vibrator bonding step. With an adhesive injection coating step of injecting and applying an adhesive to correct gaps and dimensional errors, the adhesive injected and applied in the adhesive injection coating step,
A step of joining a damping layer sheet to the surfaces of the fundamental wave transmitting piezoelectric oscillator and the harmonic receiving piezoelectric oscillator; and a step of joining and solidifying the damping layer sheet in the damping layer sheet joining step, and then forming the lens. While releasing from the mold,
A cutting step of cutting into a predetermined shape dimension, a common electrode film formed in the common electrode film forming step exposed on the cut surface cut in the cutting step, and an input / output electrode formed in the input / output electrode film forming step The external electrode forming step of forming an external electrode on a part of the end of the film, the external electrode of the common electrode film formed in the external electrode forming step, and the external electrode of the input / output electrode film, the piezoelectric vibration for transmission. After connecting the shield cable and signal line of the coaxial cable that drives the child and the piezoelectric transducer for reception to the shield electrode and the signal line, after connecting the shield cable and the signal line of the coaxial cable in the cable connecting step to the external electrode, the acoustic lens type A method of manufacturing an ultrasonic transducer, comprising: a housing loading step of removing a base and housing the housing in a housing; and sealing and fixing with a resin agent.