JP2006006485A - Ultrasonic probe - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent an ultrasonic vibrator from being damaged in the case of being dropped on a floor or the like and to reduce the characteristic degradation of the ultrasonic vibrator. <P>SOLUTION: When a distal end part 3 collides with a ground surface or a floor surface at the time of being dropped, a swing mechanism base part 11 provided with the swing mechanism of the ultrasonic vibrator 4 is slid to the rear part of a case body inner part 18 by a slide part 15 by the impact, the displacement of the swing mechanism base part by the impact is absorbed by a spring material 16 and the impact on the ultrasonic vibrator is mitigated. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe that inserts an ultrasonic transducer into a body cavity, irradiates the living body with ultrasonic waves, and receives an echo signal thereof.

As shown in FIG. 9, the conventional ultrasonic probe is for swinging an ultrasonic transducer unit 4a having an ultrasonic transducer 4 disposed at the distal end portion 3 of the insertion portion 2 to be inserted into a body cavity. A bevel gear disposed on the tip 3 is disposed on the tip 3 by rotating the shaft 10 connected to the rotation shaft of the motor 5 by arranging the motor 5 whose rotation axis is orthogonal to the swing axis of the ultrasonic transducer 4. By transmitting to 101 and the link mechanism 100, the ultrasonic transducer 4 is swung in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis of the motor 5 (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below).
JP 2001-327501 A (pages 27-33, FIG. 1)

  However, in the conventional ultrasonic probe, when dropped on the floor or the like, an impact from the tip 3 is applied to the ultrasonic transducer 4, which may damage the ultrasonic transducer 4. There was a problem of deteriorating the characteristics of the child 4.

  In view of the problems of the conventional example described above, the present invention provides an ultrasonic probe capable of preventing damage to an ultrasonic transducer when dropped on a floor or the like and reducing characteristic deterioration of the ultrasonic transducer. With the goal.

In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic probe according to the present invention supports an ultrasonic transducer so as to be swingable within a distal end portion of an insertion portion inserted into a body cavity, and in the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion. A slidable base, and
Biasing means for biasing the base portion in the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion;
Position restricting means for restricting the longitudinal position of the insertion portion of the base portion urged by the urging means;
It was set as the structure which has.
With this configuration, the base portion slides when dropped and the impact is absorbed by the urging means, so that the ultrasonic vibrator can be prevented from being damaged and the characteristic deterioration of the ultrasonic vibrator can be reduced.

Further, the ultrasonic probe of the present invention has a configuration in which coupling liquid is filled on the ultrasonic transducer side and the opposite side of the base portion in the distal end portion of the insertion portion.
With this configuration, the displacement of the base portion due to the impact at the time of dropping can be absorbed by the coupling liquid, and the sliding operation of the base portion can be smoothed.

Further, the ultrasonic probe of the present invention is configured such that a hole penetrating the ultrasonic transducer side and the opposite side is formed in the base portion.
With this configuration, a damping effect can be obtained by allowing the coupling liquid to flow through the through hole when dropped.

In the ultrasonic probe of the present invention, a rail is formed on the base portion in the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion.
With this configuration, the base portion can be accurately slid at the time of dropping and can be accurately slid to the original position thereafter, so that the positional deviation of the ultrasonic transducer can be reduced.

  In the ultrasonic probe of the present invention, the base portion slides when dropped, and the impact is absorbed by the urging means, so that the ultrasonic vibrator can be prevented from being damaged and the characteristic deterioration of the ultrasonic vibrator can be reduced. .

<First Embodiment>
Hereinafter, an ultrasonic probe according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The ultrasonic probe according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, this probe is roughly constituted by an insertion portion 2 that is inserted into a body cavity and a grip portion 1 that is gripped by an operator outside the body cavity. FIG. 2 shows the distal end portion 3 of the insertion portion 2 in an enlarged manner. A swing mechanism base portion 11 is disposed in a housing interior 18 (18a, 18b) of the distal end portion 3, and the swing mechanism base portion 11 is searched. The slide part 15 is slidable in the longitudinal direction of the tentacle.

  An ultrasonic transducer unit 4 a is attached to the tip of the swing mechanism base portion 11. The ultrasonic transducer unit 4a includes an oscillation rotary shaft 9 that can rotate with respect to the oscillation mechanism base 11, an ultrasonic transducer 4 that is attached to the oscillation rotation shaft 9 so as to be capable of reciprocating oscillation, A swing pulley 7 that rotates integrally with the vibrator 4 is attached. A motor 5 whose rotation axis is orthogonal to the swing rotation axis 9 of the ultrasonic transducer 4 is disposed in the grip portion 1, and a shaft 10 that extends to the distal end portion 3 of the insertion portion 2 is disposed on the rotation axis of the motor 5. It is connected. The motor 5 and the shaft 10 are disposed outside the center of the probe.

  The swing mechanism base portion 11 is urged toward the distal end portion 3 by a spring material 16 disposed in the housing interior 18b on the grip portion 1 side, and the position on the distal end portion 3 side is the housing on the distal end portion 3 side. It is regulated by the protrusion 14 provided in the interior 18a. In the swing mechanism base portion 11, there are a drive pulley 6 connected to the tip of the shaft 10 via a joint portion 17, and two intermediate pulleys 13 that can rotate around or together with the rotary shaft 12 (see FIG. 1, the intermediate pulley 13 is disposed so that the rotation shaft 12 is orthogonal to the rotation shafts of the drive pulley 6 and the swing pulley 7. A wire 8 is wound around the drive pulley 6, the intermediate pulley 13 and the swing pulley 7. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the bearings for each shaft are not shown.

  Each pulley 6, 7, 13 may have a circumferential groove around which the wire 8 is laid. The casing interior 18a may be filled with a liquid coupling liquid that propagates ultrasonic waves and echoes. In that case, a ring-shaped oil seal 19 is installed on the slide portion 15. The joint part 17 is a flexible joint made of an elastic body or the like. There may be a plurality of spring members 16.

  The operation of the ultrasonic probe configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. An operator can hold the grip portion 1 shown in FIG. 1 outside the body cavity and insert the insertion portion 2 into the body cavity. The drive pulley 6 attached to the tip of the shaft 10 is rotated by the motor 5, and the rotation motion of the drive pulley 6 is transmitted to the swing pulley 7 by the wire 8 through the intermediate pulley 13, so that the ultrasonic transducer The ultrasonic transducer unit 4 a to which 4 is attached can be swung around the rocking rotation shaft 9.

  FIG. 3 shows a state in which the probe has fallen on the ground or floor. When the tip portion 3 collides with the ground or floor surface when dropped, the swing mechanism base portion 11 is slid by the slide portion 15 to the rear of the housing interior 18, that is, in the direction of arrow B. The spring member 16 absorbs the displacement of the oscillating mechanism base portion 11 due to the impact, and the impact on the ultrasonic transducer 4 is reduced. Thereby, damage to the ultrasonic transducer 4 can be prevented, and characteristic deterioration of the ultrasonic transducer 4 can be reduced. Further, even after dropping, the swinging mechanism base 11 that has been slid to the rear of the housing interior 18 at the moment of dropping is urged again toward the protruding portion 14 by the elastic force of the spring material 16, so Return to position. According to the first embodiment of the present invention as described above, when the swing mechanism base portion 11 slides backward by the slide portion 15 and absorbs the impact by the spring material 16 when dropped, the ultrasonic transducer 4 Can be prevented, and the deterioration of the characteristics of the ultrasonic transducer 4 can be reduced.

<Second Embodiment>
Next, an ultrasonic probe according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, similarly to the case inside 18 a on the ultrasonic transducer side in the case inside 18, the inside of the case 18 b on the spring material 16 side is also a liquid coupling liquid that propagates ultrasonic waves and echoes. be satisfied.

  The operation of the ultrasonic probe configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 5, the tip 3 collides with the ground or floor surface when dropped, and the displacement of the swing mechanism base 11 due to the impact is caused by the spring effect due to the compression of the coupling liquid inside the housing 18 b. The displacement of the swing mechanism base portion 11 due to the impact is absorbed, and the impact on the ultrasonic transducer 4 is reduced. As a result, damage to the ultrasonic transducer 4 can be prevented, and characteristic deterioration of the ultrasonic transducer 4 can be reduced. In addition, since the coupling liquid is also present on the slide surface of the slide portion 15, the slide motion of the swing mechanism base portion 11 by the slide portion 15 can be made smooth. According to the second embodiment of the present invention as described above, the impact due to the drop can be absorbed by the coupling liquid filled in the housing interior 18b on the spring material 16 side, and the slide portion 15 The movement of the swing mechanism base portion 11 can be made smooth.

<Third Embodiment>
An ultrasonic probe according to a third embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the swing mechanism base 11 has a hole 20 that penetrates from the housing interior 18 a on the ultrasonic transducer 4 side to the housing interior 18 b on the spring material 16 side.

  The operation of the ultrasonic probe configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 7, the tip 3 collides with the ground or floor surface when dropped, and the coupling liquid compressed in the housing 18 b flows through the through hole 20 due to the displacement of the swing mechanism base 11 due to the impact. It moves to the inside 18a. When the liquid flows through the through hole 20, a damping effect is produced, and the energy of impact can be converted into the movement of the liquid or heat energy. Thereby, the damping effect which can disperse | distribute and absorb the energy of an impact effectively can be given. There may be a plurality of through holes 20. The cross-sectional shape of the through hole 20 may be other than a circle. According to the third embodiment of the present invention as described above, a damping effect can be obtained by allowing the coupling liquid to flow through the through-hole 20 when dropped.

<Fourth embodiment>
FIG. 8 shows an ultrasonic probe according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 8, the slide portion 15 has a recess portion formed in one of the housing of the tip portion 3 and the swing mechanism base portion 11, and a rail portion 21 in which a protrusion portion formed in the other is fitted.

The operation of the ultrasonic probe configured as described above will be described. When dropped, the tip 3 collides with the ground or floor surface, and the impact causes the swing mechanism base 11 to slide rearward (to the right in FIG. 8) inside the housing 18 according to the rail 21 of the slide 15. . Thereafter, the swing mechanism base portion 11 can accurately return to the original position by following the rail portion 21 of the slide portion 15. Thereby, the position shift of the ultrasonic transducer | vibrator 4 can be reduced.
A plurality of rail portions 21 may be provided.
According to the fourth embodiment of the present invention as described above, the swing mechanism base portion 11 can be accurately slid when dropped, and can be accurately slid to the original position thereafter. Thus, the positional deviation of the ultrasonic transducer 4 can be reduced.

  As described above, the ultrasonic probe according to the present invention slides the base portion when dropped and absorbs the impact by the urging means, thereby preventing the ultrasonic vibrator from being damaged and degrading the characteristics of the ultrasonic vibrator. This is useful as an ultrasonic probe that inserts an ultrasonic transducer into a body cavity, irradiates the living body with ultrasonic waves, and receives an echo signal thereof.

Front sectional view showing the ultrasonic probe according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an enlarged front sectional view of the tip of the ultrasonic probe of FIG. Front sectional view showing an enlarged tip of the ultrasonic probe of FIG. 1 when dropped Front sectional view showing an ultrasonic probe according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an enlarged front cross-sectional view of the tip of the ultrasonic probe of FIG. 4 when dropped. Front sectional view showing an ultrasonic probe according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Front sectional view showing an enlarged tip of the ultrasonic probe of FIG. Front sectional drawing which shows the principal part of the ultrasonic probe in the 4th Embodiment of this invention Top sectional view of a conventional ultrasonic probe

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Grip part 2 Insertion part 3 Tip part 4 Ultrasonic transducer 4a Ultrasonic transducer unit 5 Motor 6 Drive pulley 7 Oscillation pulley 8 Wire 9 Oscillation rotation shaft 10 Shaft 11 Oscillation mechanism base portion 12 Rotation shaft 13 Intermediate pulley 14 Protruding part 15 Slide part 16 Spring material 17 Joint part 18 Inside of housing (whole)
18a Inside the housing (on the ultrasonic transducer side)
18b Inside the housing (spring material side)
19 Oil seal 20 Through hole 21 Rail part

Claims (4)

A base portion slidable in the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion, while supporting the ultrasonic transducer in a distal end portion of the insertion portion inserted into the body cavity so as to be swingable;
Biasing means for biasing the base portion in the longitudinal direction of the insertion portion;
Position restricting means for restricting the longitudinal position of the insertion portion of the base portion urged by the urging means;
An ultrasonic probe having.   The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein a coupling liquid is filled on the ultrasonic transducer side and the opposite side of the base portion in the distal end portion of the insertion portion.   The ultrasonic probe according to claim 2, wherein a hole penetrating the ultrasonic transducer side and the opposite side is formed in the base portion. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein a rail is formed on the base portion in a longitudinal direction of the insertion portion.