JP2010220791A - Ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic probe and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of preventing accumulation of heat and cooling the inside by ventilating the inside of a casing while preventing the intrusion of jelly and liquid, etc., in a simple structure. <P>SOLUTION: The ultrasonic probe for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is provided with a plurality of ultrasonic transducers for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and a circuit board for performing signal processing for transmitting and receiving the ultrasonic waves inside the casing, transmits the ultrasonic waves to a subject and receives ultrasonic echoes from the subject. A ventilation port which is formed at a part of the casing for ventilating the inside of the casing by distributing air inside and outside the casing and an opening/closing means for opening/closing the ventilation port are provided to the ultrasonic probe. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and in particular, prevents the accumulation of heat by ventilating the inside of the housing while preventing the intrusion of jelly and liquid with a simple structure, and cooling the inside. The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe that can be used.

  In the medical field, various imaging techniques have been developed in order to perform diagnosis by observing the inside of a subject. In particular, ultrasonic imaging that acquires internal information of a subject by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves can perform image observation in real time, and can also be used for other medical applications such as X-ray photographs and RI (radio isotopic) scintillation cameras. Unlike imaging technology, there is no radiation exposure. Therefore, ultrasonic imaging is used as a highly safe imaging technique in a wide range of fields including gynecological, circulatory, and digestive systems as well as fetal diagnosis in the obstetrics field.

  The principle of ultrasonic imaging is as follows. Ultrasound is reflected at the boundary between regions having different acoustic impedances, such as the boundary between structures in the subject. Therefore, an ultrasonic beam is transmitted into a subject such as a human body, an ultrasonic echo generated in the subject is received, and a reflection position and a reflection intensity at which the ultrasonic echo is generated are obtained. The contour of an existing structure (for example, a viscera or a diseased tissue) can be extracted.

  In general, in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, an ultrasonic probe (ultrasonic probe) including a plurality of ultrasonic transducers (vibrators) and having an ultrasonic transmission / reception function is used. The ultrasonic transducer transmits and receives ultrasonic waves by vibration during ultrasonic diagnosis. The ultrasonic vibration is accompanied by heat generation in the ultrasonic probe.

  Since the ultrasonic probe generally has a structure that seals the inside of the housing, heat generation is likely to be accumulated, and the ultrasonic probe may overheat. When the ultrasonic probe is overheated, the operator (examination technician) holding the probe and the subject (patient) in contact with the diagnosis site may feel uncomfortable due to the heat. In addition, the heat may cause various adverse effects on elements and components inside the probe.

  In order to reduce the adverse effects due to such heat generation, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a probe has a double structure of an inner shell and an outer shell, and air is circulated through the gap between the inner shell and the outer shell by a fan. A configuration for dissipating heat inside the probe is disclosed.

  On the other hand, Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration in which a signal is digitally processed in an ultrasonic probe and the digital signal is communicated with the apparatus main body via a connection cable or wireless communication. In this way, digital transmission and reception of signals between the ultrasonic probe and the main unit of the equipment enable high image quality of ultrasonic echo images, multi-functionality of data processing, and improved operability by reducing or eliminating the size of connection cables. Is possible.

  However, digital signal processing and signal transmission / reception generally involve a larger amount of heat than conventional signal transmission / reception using analog signals. Therefore, in such an ultrasonic probe, it is necessary to more efficiently perform heat radiation cooling inside the housing. Patent Document 2 proposes an ultrasonic probe having an image display and a speaker (see, for example, FIG. 4 of Patent Document 1). However, in such an ultrasonic probe, the problem of heat generation is further increased. It will be even more serious.

JP 2008-284003 A JP 2007-190066 A

  The one disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a structure for radiating the heat in the ultrasonic probe to the outside, but the probe needs to have a double structure, and the structure is complicated and expensive. There's a problem. In addition, the double structure reduces the component placement space in the ultrasonic probe and makes it difficult to place a circuit board for digital signal processing and signal transmission / reception.

  Further, in the device disclosed in Patent Document 1, an air inlet is disposed in the vicinity of the vibrator, and air sucked from the air inlet is discharged from the heat radiating port by a fan. However, in ultrasonic diagnosis, it is necessary to apply jelly to the vibrator. Further, when cleaning the ultrasonic probe, the vibrator portion may be immersed in the disinfectant. In such a case, there is a possibility that jelly or disinfectant may enter the inside from the intake port and damage the components inside the ultrasonic probe.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and while preventing the invasion of jelly, liquid, etc. with a simple structure, the inside of the housing is ventilated to prevent heat accumulation and cool the inside. It is an exemplary problem to provide an ultrasonic probe and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can be used.

  In order to solve the above problems, an ultrasonic probe as an exemplary aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers that transmit and receive ultrasonic waves, and a circuit board that performs signal processing for ultrasonic transmission and reception. An ultrasonic probe for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that has an inside and transmits ultrasonic waves to a subject and receives ultrasonic echoes from the subject. It has a ventilation port for ventilating the inside of the housing by circulating air inside and outside the body, and an opening / closing means for opening and closing the ventilation port.

  With a simple structure, the inside of the housing of the ultrasonic probe can be ventilated, and an internal temperature rise can be suppressed. In addition to preventing problems with the internal circuit of the ultrasonic probe, the vents can be opened and closed by opening and closing means based on the operation of the operator (inspection engineer). When not required (for example, when not in use, when cleaning, or when there is little heat generation), it is possible to close the ventilation port to prevent intrusion of jelly or liquid into the probe.

  The ventilation port may be formed at a height position of 10 mm or more from the contact surface to be brought into contact with the subject at the time of diagnosis. By setting the height position to 10 mm or more from the contact surface, it is possible to effectively reduce the risk that the jelly applied to the contact surface will enter the inside from the ventilation port. Further, when the contact surface is cleaned, the vicinity of the contact surface may be immersed in a liquid such as a disinfectant, but in this case also, there is little possibility that the liquid will enter the inside from the ventilation port.

  You may further have a drive source which opens and closes an opening-and-closing means. In that case, it may further include a use state detection unit that detects whether or not it is used, and the drive source may drive the opening and closing unit according to the detected use state. There may be further provided a temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature inside the casing, and the drive source may drive the opening and closing means according to the detected temperature inside the casing.

  The ventilation opening can be opened and closed automatically according to the usage state and the temperature inside the housing. There is no need to manually open and close the ventilation openings, and automatic opening and closing is performed appropriately according to conditions, so you can prevent forgetting to open or forget to close and realize more appropriate opening and closing operations, improving convenience Can be made.

  You may further have an operation member which operate | moves according to the presence or absence of own use, and opens and closes an opening-and-closing means based on operation | movement. This operation member is conceptually including a member that opens and closes the opening and closing member using a spring or a link, for example. When the operator holds the ultrasonic probe, a push-in switch is placed at the position where the finger comes into contact, and the opening / closing member opens and closes the ventilation port in conjunction with the pressing (when in use) / release (when not in use) of the switch. It can be configured to open and close. Also, a push switch is placed near the contact surface of the ultrasonic probe, and when the ultrasonic probe is placed with the contact surface down (when not in use), the ventilation port is closed and the ultrasonic probe is lifted (used) It can be configured so that the ventilation openings are open. Of course, the ventilation port may be closed when the ultrasonic probe is lifted when not in use and the ventilation port is opened when the contact surface is in contact with the subject.

  You may further have a fan for discharging | emitting air through a ventilation port. Ventilation is promoted, and the cooling effect and heat dissipation effect can be further improved.

  The circuit board may have a digital circuit for digitally converting the received ultrasonic echo.

  As described above, in the ultrasonic probe with digital signal processing, a large amount of heat is generated. However, by having the ventilation port and the opening / closing means according to the present invention, a high level of effective internal cooling and prevention of infiltration of liquid or the like. It can be made compatible.

  A signal cable for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the apparatus main body having a display unit and displaying an ultrasonic echo image on the display unit based on a signal from the ultrasonic probe protrudes from the housing, and the protruding direction and contact surface of the signal cable May be in a relationship of 0 ° ≦ θ ≦ 30 °. An apparatus main body having a display unit and displaying an ultrasonic echo image on the display unit based on a signal from the ultrasonic probe; a wireless communication unit for transmitting and receiving radio signals; and a battery for supplying power to at least the radio communication unit; , May be further provided inside the housing.

  Since signal transmission / reception by digital signals is performed with the apparatus main body side, the signal cable can be made to have a very small diameter, light weight, and low cost compared to the conventional one. In conventional ultrasonic probes, the signal cable has a large diameter and is heavy, so the signal cable can be moved backward from the rear side (opposite the contact surface) with less risk of contact with the subject to reduce the burden on the subject. It protruded toward. In addition, if the signal cable is protruded from the side of the ultrasonic probe, the weight balance of the ultrasonic probe is lost due to the weight of the signal cable itself, and it is easy to collapse even if placed on a table. there were.

  However, when a digital signal cable is used, since it is small in diameter and lightweight, it is not always necessary to project from the rear side to the rear side, and for example, it can be projected from the side surface side to the side. There is almost no adverse effect on the weight balance, and even if it contacts the subject, the burden on the subject is not great.

  Furthermore, by using a digital signal, applicability to a wireless communication system is improved. Therefore, it is easy to configure so as to perform signal transmission / reception by wireless communication without connecting the ultrasonic probe and the apparatus main body with a signal cable. Since there is no cable, there is no concern about weight balance or contact with the subject. In the wireless communication method, it is necessary to provide a battery in the ultrasonic probe, and there is a further concern about heat generation. However, according to the present invention, since the inside of the casing is effectively cooled, Concerns of adverse effects from the rise are reduced.

  An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus as another exemplary aspect of the present invention includes the above-described ultrasonic probe, an apparatus main body that has a display unit and displays an ultrasonic echo image on the display unit based on a signal from the ultrasonic probe, Have

  An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus as still another exemplary aspect of the present invention includes the above-described ultrasonic probe having a use state detection unit, a display unit, and an ultrasonic echo image on the display unit based on a signal from the ultrasonic probe. And a control unit that transmits a drive signal for opening and closing the opening / closing means toward the drive source based on a detection signal from the use state detection means. It is provided in either the acoustic probe or the apparatus main body.

  An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus as still another exemplary aspect of the present invention includes the above-described ultrasonic probe having a temperature detection unit, a display unit, and an ultrasonic echo image on the display unit based on a signal from the ultrasonic probe. An apparatus main body for displaying, and a control unit that transmits a drive signal for opening and closing the opening / closing means toward the drive source based on a detection signal from the temperature detection means, and the control unit includes an ultrasonic probe Or it is provided in either of the apparatus main bodies.

  Further objects and other features of the present invention will become apparent from the preferred embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  According to the present invention, the inside of the housing of the ultrasonic probe can be ventilated with a simple structure, and the temperature rise inside can be suppressed. It is possible to prevent problems with the circuit inside the ultrasonic probe and to open and close the ventilation port by opening and closing means. When necessary, open the ventilation port to ventilate and do not need it (for example, do not use it) When cleaning, or when there is little heat generation), the ventilation port can be closed to prevent the entry of jelly or liquid into the probe.

It is a block diagram which shows the outline of the whole structure of the ultrasound diagnosing device which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a block block diagram which shows the outline of the internal structure of the ultrasonic diagnosing device shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the 1st structural example of the transmission / reception part shown in FIG. It is a wave form diagram which shows the sampling by ADC shown in FIG. It is a wave form diagram which shows sampling by the sampling part shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the 2nd structural example of the transmission / reception part shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the 3rd structural example of the transmission / reception part shown in FIG. It is a wave form diagram for demonstrating operation | movement of the orthogonal sampling part shown in FIG. It is a block block diagram which shows the outline of the internal structure of the ultrasonic probe which concerns on the modification 1 in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a block block diagram which shows the outline of the internal structure of the ultrasonic probe which concerns on the modification 2 in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is an external view of the ultrasonic probe shown in FIG. 1, and is a four-view diagram showing a front view, a right side view, a left side view, and a plan view. It is an internal structure figure which shows the outline of the cooling structure of the ultrasonic probe which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the outline of the internal structure of the ultrasonic probe which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the outline of the internal structure of the ultrasonic probe which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention.

[Embodiment 1]
Hereinafter, Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same referential mark is attached | subjected to the same component and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an outline of the overall configuration of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus S according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram illustrating an overview of an internal configuration of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus S. . As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus S is roughly configured to include an ultrasonic probe (ultrasonic probe) 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention and an apparatus body 2. The The electrical configuration of the ultrasonic probe 1 and the apparatus main body 2 and mutual signal transmission / reception will be described first, and the cooling structure of the ultrasonic probe 1 will be described later.

  The ultrasonic probe 1 may be an external probe such as a linear scan method, a convex scan method, or a sector scan method, or an ultrasonic endoscope probe such as a radial scan method. As shown in FIG. 2, the ultrasonic probe 1 includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 10 constituting a one-dimensional or two-dimensional transducer array, a plurality of channels of transmission / reception units 20, a serialization unit 30, and a transmission control unit 40. And a transmission circuit 50.

  The plurality of ultrasonic transducers 10 transmit ultrasonic waves according to a plurality of applied driving signals, receive propagating ultrasonic echoes, and output a plurality of reception signals. Each ultrasonic transducer is, for example, a piezoelectric ceramic represented by PZT (lead zirconate titanate: Pb (lead) zirconate titanate) or a polymer piezoelectric element represented by PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride). It is constituted by a vibrator in which electrodes are formed at both ends of a piezoelectric material (piezoelectric body).

  When a pulsed or continuous wave voltage is applied to the electrodes of such a vibrator, the piezoelectric body expands and contracts. By this expansion and contraction, pulsed or continuous wave ultrasonic waves are generated from the respective vibrators, and an ultrasonic beam is formed by synthesizing these ultrasonic waves. Each vibrator expands and contracts by receiving propagating ultrasonic waves and generates an electrical signal. These electrical signals are output as ultrasonic reception signals.

  The multi-channel transmission / reception unit 20 generates a plurality of drive signals under the control of the transmission control unit 40, supplies the drive signals to the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 10, and outputs them from the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 10. Sample data obtained by subjecting a plurality of received signals to orthogonal detection processing or the like is supplied to the serialization unit 30.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a first configuration example of the transmission / reception unit illustrated in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the transmission / reception unit 20 of each channel includes a transmission circuit 21, a preamplifier 22, a low-pass filter (LPF) 23, an analog / digital converter (ADC) 24, an orthogonal detection processing unit 25, Sampling units 26a and 26b and memories 27a and 27b are included. Here, the transmission circuit 21 to the quadrature detection processing unit 25 constitute signal processing means.

  The transmission circuit 21 is configured by, for example, a pulsar, generates a drive signal under the control of the transmission control unit 40, and supplies the generated drive signal to the ultrasonic transducer 10. The transmission control unit 40 illustrated in FIG. 2 controls the operation of the multiple-channel transmission circuit 21 based on the scanning control signal output from the transmission circuit 50. For example, the transmission control unit 40 selects one pattern from a plurality of delay patterns according to the transmission direction set by the scanning control signal, and based on the pattern, the drive signals for the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 10 are selected. The delay time given to each is set. Alternatively, the transmission control unit 40 may set the delay time so that the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 10 reach the entire imaging region of the subject.

  Based on the transmission delay pattern selected by the transmission control unit 40, the multi-channel transmission circuit 21 delays a plurality of drive signals so that the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 10 form an ultrasonic beam. A plurality of drive signals are supplied to a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 10 by adjusting the amount, or a plurality of drive signals are transmitted so that ultrasonic waves transmitted at a time from the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 10 reach the entire imaging region of the subject. Supplied to the sonic transducer 10.

  The preamplifier 22 amplifies the reception signal (RF signal) output from the ultrasonic transducer 10, and the LPF 23 limits the band of the reception signal output from the preamplifier 22, thereby preventing aliasing in A / D conversion. To do. The ADC 24 converts the analog reception signal output from the LPF 23 into a digital reception signal. For example, if the ultrasonic frequency is about 5 MHz, a sampling frequency of 40 MHz is used. In that case, if the sound speed in the living body is about 1530 m / sec, the in-vivo distance corresponding to one sample is about 0.038 mm. Therefore, in consideration of the round trip of ultrasonic waves, data up to a depth of about 15.7 cm can be obtained by acquiring 8192 samples.

If the number of ultrasonic transducers 10 in the reception aperture is 64, and 100 ultrasonic reception lines (sound rays) are required for one frame of the ultrasonic diagnostic image, the image of one frame is displayed. The necessary data amount is 8192 × 64 × 100≈52 × 10 ⁶ , and in order to display an image of 10 frames per second, data transfer of about 520 × 10 ⁶ / sec is required. Here, since the resolution required for the ultrasonic diagnostic image is usually about 12 bits for one piece of data, a transmission bit rate of about 6240 Mbps is required to transmit the above data.

  Thus, when data is serialized with an RF signal as it is, the transmission bit rate becomes extremely high, and the communication speed and the operation speed of the memory cannot keep up with it. On the other hand, if data is serialized after beam forming processing for combining RF signals from a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 10 and matching the phase of the beam, the transmission bit rate can be reduced. However, the circuit for reception focus processing is large in scale, and it is difficult to incorporate it into an ultrasonic probe. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the transmission bit rate is reduced by performing orthogonal detection processing or the like on the received signal to reduce the frequency band of the received signal to the baseband frequency band and then serializing the data. ing.

The quadrature detection processing unit 25 performs quadrature detection processing on the received signal to generate a complex baseband signal (I signal and Q signal). As shown in FIG. 3, the quadrature detection processing unit 25 includes mixers (multiplication circuits) 25a and 25b and low-pass filters (LPF) 25c and 25d. The mixer 25a multiplies the received signal converted into a digital signal by the ADC 24 with the local oscillation signal cosω ₀ t, and the LPF 25c applies a low-pass filter process to the signal output from the mixer 25a, thereby representing the real component. A signal is generated. On the other hand, the mixer 25b multiplies the received signal converted into the digital signal by the ADC 24 with the local oscillation signal sin ω ₀ t rotated in phase by π / 2, and the LPF 25d applies the low-pass filter to the signal output from the mixer 25b. By performing the processing, a Q signal representing an imaginary component is generated.

  The sampling units 26 a and 26 b sample (resample) the complex baseband signals (I signal and Q signal) generated by the quadrature detection processing unit 25 to generate 2-channel sample data, respectively. The generated 2-channel sample data is stored in the memories 27a and 27b, respectively.

  Here, if the baseband signal is sampled at a frequency twice the baseband frequency band, the signal information is retained. Therefore, a sampling frequency of 5 MHz is sufficient. As a result, the sampling frequency is reduced from 40 MHz to 5 MHz as compared with the case of serializing data with an RF signal as it is, so the data amount becomes 1/8 and the number of samples up to a depth of about 15.7 cm is reduced. There will be 1024 pieces. However, in order to maintain signal information by envelope detection, it is necessary to maintain phase information. Therefore, it is necessary to generate complex baseband signals (I signal and Q signal) by quadrature detection processing, etc. The number of channels is doubled.

Therefore, the amount of data necessary to display an image of one frame is 1024 × 64 × 100 × 2≈about 13.1 × 10 ^{6. In} order to display an image of 10 frames per second, the resolution is 12 As a bit, a transmission bit rate of about 1572 Mbps is required. If the sampling frequency is 2.5 MHz, the number of samples up to a depth of about 15.7 cm is 512, and the amount of data can be further reduced by half, so that the transmission bit rate can be reduced to about 786 Mbps. it can.

  4A and 4B are waveform diagrams showing a comparison between sampling by the ADC shown in FIG. 3 and sampling by the sampling unit. FIG. 4A shows three channels Ch. 1-Ch. 3 shows sampling by the ADC 24, and FIG. 4B shows three channels Ch. 1-Ch. 3, sampling by the sampling unit 26a is shown. Compared with the case where the sample data is transmitted by sampling the RF signal as shown in FIG. 4A, the transmission bit rate is greatly increased by sampling the baseband signal and transmitting the sample data as shown in FIG. 4B. Can be reduced.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a second configuration example of the transmission / reception unit illustrated in FIG. 2. In the second configuration example shown in FIG. 5, a time-division sampling unit 26c is provided in place of the sampling units 26a and 26b in the first configuration example shown in FIG. 3, and the memory 27c is used instead of the memories 27a and 27b. Is provided.

The time division sampling unit 26c generates two series of sample data by alternately sampling (resampling) the I signal and the Q signal generated by the quadrature detection processing unit 25 in a time division manner. For example, time-division sampling unit 26c performs sampling in synchronization with the I signal to the phase of the cos .omega ₀ t, sampled synchronously with the Q signal to the phase of sin .omega ₀ t. The generated two series of sample data is stored in the memory 27c. Thereby, a memory circuit can be made into one system.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a third configuration example of the transmission / reception unit illustrated in FIG. 2. In the third configuration example shown in FIG. 6, an orthogonal sampling unit 25e is provided instead of the mixers 25a and 25b in the second configuration example shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a waveform diagram for explaining the operation of the orthogonal sampling unit shown in FIG. Quadrature sampling unit 25e is a received signal converted to a digital signal in synchronization with the phase of the cos .omega _{0 t} to generate a first signal sequence by sampling by ADC 24, synchronizes the received signal to the phase of sin .omega _{0 t} To generate a second signal sequence.

  Further, the LPF 25c performs low-pass filter processing on the first signal sequence output from the orthogonal sampling unit 25e, thereby generating an I signal representing a real component, and the LPF 25d is output from the orthogonal sampling unit 25e. A Q signal representing an imaginary component is generated by performing low-pass filter processing on the signal series. Thereby, the mixers 25a and 25b shown in FIG. 5 can be omitted.

  Referring to FIG. 2 again, the serialization unit 30 converts the parallel sample data generated by the plurality of channels of the transmission / reception unit 20 into serial sample data. For example, the serialization unit 30 converts 128-channel parallel sample data into 1-4 channel serial sample data. Thereby, compared with the number of the ultrasonic transducers 10, the number of transmission channels is significantly reduced.

  The transmission circuit 50 receives the scanning control signal from the apparatus main body 2, outputs the received scanning control signal to the plurality of transmission / reception units 20, and transmits the serial sample data converted by the serialization unit 30 to the apparatus main body 2. Send. Signal transmission between the ultrasonic probe 1 and the apparatus main body 2 is, for example, ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying), PSK (Phase Shift Keying), QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying), and 16QAM (16 Qut Mod Qua quat It is performed by wire or wireless using the method. When using ASK or PSK, it is possible to transmit one channel of serial data with one system. When using QPSK, it is possible to transmit two channels of serial data with one system. When 16QAM is used, four channels of serial data can be transmitted in one system.

  The power supply voltage of the ultrasonic probe 1 is supplied from the apparatus main body 2 when signal transmission between the ultrasonic probe 1 and the apparatus main body 2 is performed in a wired manner, and between the ultrasonic probe 1 and the apparatus main body 2. When signal transmission is performed wirelessly, it is supplied by a battery or the like. When the power supply voltage of the ultrasonic probe 1 is supplied from the apparatus main body 2, phantom power supply may be performed using a signal line connected between the ultrasonic probe 1 and the apparatus main body 2.

  In the above, the quadrature detection processing unit 25 (FIG. 3), the sampling units 26a and 26b (FIG. 3), the time division sampling unit 26c (FIG. 5), the quadrature sampling unit 25e (FIG. 6), the LPFs 25c and 25d (FIG. 6), And the serialization part 30 may be comprised by digital circuits, such as FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array: The field programmable gate array), and performs various processing to a central processing unit (CPU) and CPU You may comprise by the software (program) for making it.

  When an FPGA, which is a general-purpose circuit, is used, even if the circuit scale is reduced, the number of built-in electronic components is not significantly affected. However, if the circuit scale is reduced, the capacity of the FPGA can be reduced, so that smaller electronic components can be used, which greatly affects the mounting area. Alternatively, the ADC 24 may be omitted by configuring the quadrature detection processing unit 25 with an analog circuit. In that case, A / D conversion of the complex baseband signal is performed by the sampling units 26a and 26b or the time division sampling unit 26c.

  2 includes a transmission circuit 60, a scanning control unit 70, a reception focus processing unit 80, a B-mode image signal generation unit 90, a display unit 100, an operation unit 110, and a control unit. 120 and a storage unit 130.

  The scanning control unit 70 sequentially sets the transmission direction of the ultrasonic beam and generates a scanning control signal. The transmission circuit 60 transmits the scanning control signal generated by the scanning control unit 70 to the ultrasonic probe 1 and receives serial sample data from the ultrasonic probe 1. The scanning control unit 70 sequentially sets the reception direction of the ultrasonic echoes and controls the reception focus processing unit 80.

  The reception focus processing unit 80 performs a reception focus process on the sample data received from the ultrasonic probe 1 to generate a sound ray signal along the ultrasonic reception direction. The reception focus processing unit 80 includes a memory 81 and a phasing addition unit 82. The memory 81 sequentially stores serial sample data received from the ultrasonic probe 1. The phasing addition unit 82 selects one pattern from a plurality of reception delay patterns based on the reception direction set in the scanning control unit 70, and is represented by sample data based on the reception delay pattern. A reception focus process is performed by adding a delay to the complex baseband signal. By this reception focus processing, a baseband signal (sound ray signal) in which the focus of the ultrasonic echo is narrowed is generated.

  The B-mode image signal generation unit 90 generates a B-mode image signal that is tomographic image information regarding the tissue in the subject based on the sound ray signal formed by the reception focus processing unit 80. The B-mode image signal generation unit 90 includes an STC (sensitivity time control) unit 91 and a DSC (digital scan converter) 92. The STC unit 91 corrects attenuation with respect to the sound ray signal formed by the reception focus processing unit 80 according to the depth of the reflection position of the ultrasonic wave. The DSC 92 converts the sound ray signal corrected by the STC unit 91 into an image signal in accordance with a normal television signal scanning method (raster conversion), and performs necessary image processing such as gradation processing to obtain a B-mode image. Generate a signal. The display unit 100 includes a display device such as an LCD, for example, and displays an ultrasound diagnostic image based on the B-mode image signal generated by the B-mode image signal generation unit 90.

  The control unit 120 controls the scanning control unit 70 and the like according to the operation of the operator using the operation unit 110. In the first embodiment, the scanning control unit 70, the phasing addition unit 82, the B-mode image signal generation unit 90, and the control unit 120 cause the central processing unit (CPU) and the CPU to perform various processes. However, they may be composed of a digital circuit or an analog circuit. The software (program) is stored in the storage unit 130. As a recording medium in the storage unit 130, a flexible disk, MO, MT, RAM, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or the like can be used in addition to the built-in hard disk.

  FIG. 8 is a block configuration diagram showing an outline of the internal configuration of the ultrasonic probe according to the first modification of the first embodiment of the present invention. In the ultrasonic probe 1a shown in FIG. 8, a switching circuit for switching the connection relationship between the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 10 provided in the ultrasonic probe and the transmitting / receiving unit 20 with respect to the ultrasonic probe 1 shown in FIG. 11 has been added.

  In general, in an ultrasonic probe of a linear scan method or a convex scan method, a subject is scanned while the apertures in transmission and reception are sequentially switched. When the number of ultrasonic transducers provided in the ultrasonic probe 1a is N and the number of ultrasonic transducers used at the same time is M (M <N), the switching circuit 11 includes N ultrasonic transducers. M ultrasonic transducers are selected, and the selected M ultrasonic transducers are connected to the M transmitting / receiving units 20, respectively. Thereby, compared with the ultrasonic probe 1 shown in FIG. 2, the number of the transmission / reception parts 20 can be reduced.

  FIG. 9 is a block configuration diagram showing an outline of the internal configuration of the ultrasonic probe according to the second modification of the first embodiment of the present invention. In the ultrasonic probe 1b shown in FIG. 9, an addition circuit 12 that adds reception signals output from the two ultrasonic transducers 10 at the time of ultrasonic reception is added to the ultrasonic probe 1a shown in FIG. Yes. At the time of ultrasonic transmission, the addition circuit 12 supplies the drive signal supplied from the transmission / reception unit 20 to the two ultrasonic transducers 10 in parallel.

In general, in a linear scan type or convex scan type ultrasonic probe, the transmission / reception direction is perpendicular to the arrangement plane of the ultrasonic transducers, and therefore the delay in transmission / reception is symmetric with respect to the ultrasonic beam. Therefore, in the transmission / reception aperture formed by the M ultrasonic transducers, the delay amount is the same for the first ultrasonic transducer and the Mth ultrasonic transducer, so that the reception signal R ₁ and the reception signal R _M Can be added. Similarly, since the delay amount is the same for the second ultrasonic transducer and the (M−1) th ultrasonic transducer, it is possible to add the received signal R ₂ and the received signal R _(M−1). it can. Thereby, compared with the ultrasonic probe 1a shown in FIG. 7, the number of transmission / reception units 20 can be halved, and the transmission bit rate between the ultrasonic probe 1b and the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus body 2 can be reduced. Can be halved.

<Description of Cooling Structure of Ultrasonic Probe According to Embodiment 1>
Next, the cooling structure of the ultrasonic probe 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, in the signal processing circuit inside the ultrasonic probe 1, the one shown in FIG. 2, the one according to the first modification shown in FIG. 8, or the second modification shown in FIG. It is also possible to apply things.

  FIG. 10 is an external view of the ultrasonic probe 1 and is a four-view diagram showing a front view, a right side view, a left side view, and a plan view. The housing 1c of the ultrasonic probe 1 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped box shape as a whole as shown in the figure, and its bottom surface is a contact surface 3 for contacting a subject (for example, a patient's abdomen). It is said that. A plurality of ultrasonic transducers 10 are arranged in the vicinity of the inside of the contact surface 3, emits ultrasonic waves from the bottom surface 3 toward the subject, and transmits ultrasonic echoes from the subject via the contact surface 3. It can be received.

  The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus S can generate and display a high-quality echo image (ultrasound diagnostic image) by digitally processing the ultrasound echo signal. Therefore, the ultrasonic probe 1 has at least 48 ultrasonic transducers 10 (for example, 64 as described above), and provides high-definition echo images. In addition, a matching layer (not shown) disposed on the end face of the ultrasonic transducer 10 may constitute the contact surface 3, and an acoustic lens 3 a disposed further outside the matching layer constitutes the contact surface 3. In some cases. As described in the first embodiment, the contact surface 3 may have a planar shape or a convex shape.

  A housing 1 c of the ultrasonic probe 1 has an upper surface 4 that faces the contact surface 3, and side surfaces 5 to 8 that connect the contact surface 3 and the upper surface 4. Then, as indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 10, the operator is in the right hand and the palm is in contact with the upper surface 4, so that the thumb is on the right side 5 side and the middle to little fingers are on the left side 6 side. The ultrasonic probe 1 is shaped to be gripped. On the upper surface 4, switches (push-in switches) 4a and 4b that are respectively interlocked with opening and closing shutters (opening and closing means) 7b and 8b, which will be described later, are arranged. When the operator holds the ultrasonic probe 1 by hand (during use) ), When the switches 4a and 4b are pushed in and released (when not in use), the switches 4a and 4b return.

  For example, the height direction dimension (distance between the contact surface 3 and the upper surface 4) H, the thickness direction dimension (distance between the right side surface 5 and the left side surface 6) D, and the width direction dimension (front surface 7 to the rear surface 8) of the ultrasonic probe 1. It is more preferable that the distance (W) W is in a relationship of D ≦ H ≦ W because the ultrasonic probe 1 is easy to hold and feels stable (during operation and placement).

  A ventilation port 7 a and a ventilation port 8 a are formed on the front surface 7 and the rear surface 8 of the ultrasonic probe 1. The ventilation openings 7a and 8a are for ventilating the inside of the housing 1c by circulating air inside and outside the housing 1c. More specifically, the ventilation openings 7a and 8a are configured by a plurality of slits extending along the lateral direction (thickness direction), for example.

  FIG. 11 is an internal structure diagram showing an outline of a cooling structure of the ultrasonic probe 1. In this ultrasonic probe 1, ventilation ports 7a, 8a, open / close shutters 7b, 8b, switches 4a, 4b, interlocking members (operation members) 9a, 9b for interlocking the switches 4a, 4b and open / close shutters 7b, 8b, and The cooling structure is generally configured with the fan 16. Since the structure related to the ventilation port 7a on the front surface 7 side and the structure related to the ventilation port 8a on the rear surface 8 side are substantially the same, only the front surface 7 side will be described below.

  The open / close shutter 7b is disposed on the back surface (inside the housing) side of the front surface 7 and is slidable up and down behind the ventilation port 7a. In the opening / closing shutter 7b, a plurality of slits similar to the ventilation port 7a are formed along the thickness direction of the ultrasonic probe 1. The interlocking member 9a is made of, for example, a thin resin plate or the like, and interlocks the switch 4a and the open / close shutter 7b.

  An inclined surface that contacts the tip of the switch 4a is formed on one end side of the interlocking member 9a on the switch 4a side, and the other end side is connected to the opening / closing shutter 7b side. When the operator depresses the switch 4a, the open / close shutter 7b is pushed down. When the operator releases the switch 4a, the open / close shutter 7b is returned upward by a spring or the like (not shown).

  When the open / close shutter 7b is pushed down, the slit becomes the same height as the slit of the ventilation port 7a, and the ventilation port 7a is substantially opened so that the casing 1c can be ventilated. In the state where the opening / closing shutter 7b is moved upward, the slits and the slits of the ventilation port 7a are alternately positioned, so that the ventilation port 7a is substantially closed and liquid or the like from the outside to the inside of the housing 1c. Intrusion is prevented.

  As described above, the switch 4a and the interlocking member 9a operate according to use or non-use of the ultrasonic probe 1 to open and close the open / close shutter 7b. Therefore, effective ventilation during use, reliable liquid when not in use, etc. Both intrusion prevention. The slit height ΔH of the ventilation ports 7a and 8a is set to 10 mm or more from the contact surface 3 (that is, 10 mm or more in the direction of the upper surface 4). Therefore, there is a possibility that the jelly applied to the contact surface 3 may inadvertently enter the housing 1c through the ventilation ports 7a and 8a, and to the inside of the housing 1c through the ventilation ports 7a and 8a when cleaning the contact surface 3. The risk of inadvertent infiltration of disinfectant and the like is reduced.

  The fan 16 is disposed inside the housing 1c and in the vicinity of the ventilation port 7a or the ventilation port 8a, and discharges the air inside the housing 1c to the outside through the ventilation ports 7a and 8a. For example, when the fan 16 is disposed in the vicinity of the ventilation port 7a and the air inside the housing 1c is discharged from the ventilation port 7a to the outside, the outside air (cold air) is taken into the housing 1c from the ventilation port 8a. Can do. Of course, the fan 16 may be configured to take air outside the housing 1c from the ventilation port 7a, or the fan 16 may be disposed in the vicinity of the ventilation port 8a. In the ultrasonic probe 1 that does not include the fan 16, only one of the ventilation port 7a and the ventilation port 8a can be formed in the housing 1c.

  Inside the casing 1c of the ultrasonic probe 1, an analog board (first circuit board) 14 on which an analog circuit for analog processing of ultrasonic echoes received by the ultrasonic transducer 10 is mounted, and the received analog signal And a digital board (second circuit board) 15 for digitally transmitting the digital signal to the apparatus main body 2.

  From the viewpoint of preventing noise contamination, it is desirable that the circuit for analog processing and the circuit for digital processing are separate substrates. Therefore, the ultrasonic probe 1 includes at least two circuit boards 14 and 15 inside. Have. For example, the transmission / reception unit 20 shown in FIG. 2 is mounted on the analog board 14, and the serialization unit 30 and the transmission circuit 50 shown in FIG. 2 are mounted on the digital board 15, for example.

  When the analog board 14 and the digital board 15 generate heat, the temperature inside the casing 1c of the ultrasonic probe 1 rises. However, since the cooling structure including the ventilation openings 7a and 8a is provided, the inside of the housing 1c is effectively cooled and high temperature is prevented. Therefore, the temperature rise of the ultrasonic probe 1 is suppressed, and the discomfort of the operator and the subject is reduced. Damage to the circuit boards 14 and 15 and other internal components due to heat generation can be minimized.

  Further, a connection cable (signal cable) 13 protrudes from the rear surface 8 of the ultrasonic probe 1 at a protrusion angle θ. This connection cable 13 connects the ultrasonic probe 1 and the apparatus main body 2 so that signals can be transmitted and received. Since the echo image data as a serialized digital signal is transmitted to the apparatus main body 2 side, the connection cable 13 does not require a large number of core wires. Therefore, for example, a cable having a diameter φ ≦ 5 mm or less can be used as the connection cable 13. Compared to the prior art, the diameter of the connection cable 13 is significantly reduced, and the cable is lightened accordingly. Therefore, even if the connection cable 13 protrudes from the rear surface 8, the weight balance is hardly deteriorated and the operability and stability are hardly deteriorated. Further, even if the connection cable 13 comes into contact with the operator's hand or subject, there is almost no uncomfortable feeling.

  As shown in the right side view of FIG. 10, the protrusion angle θ is defined by an angle substantially formed by the contact surface 3 and the protruding direction of the connection cable 13, and the protrusion angle θ is 0 ° ≦ θ ≦ 30. It is desirable to set within the range of °. In order to achieve both the prevention of contact of the connection cable 13 with the subject and the prevention of contact with the right wrist and right arm of the operator holding the probe as much as possible, the angle range as described above is preferable. is there. Of course, the connection cable 13 may be arranged on the upper surface 4 or the other side surfaces 5 to 7 as long as it does not interfere with the right hand 31 of the operator in the gripping state.

  In addition, it is preferable that the thickness direction dimension D is 20 mm <= D <= 40mm. This is because a general adult can grasp with the thumb and middle finger of the right hand with a light load, and at least two circuit boards 14 and 15 can be arranged inside the casing 1c of the ultrasonic probe 1. Is a numerical range selected from the viewpoint of.

  Of course, each of the transmission circuits 50 and 60 may function as a wireless communication unit, and an antenna (not shown) may be connected to each of the transmission circuits 50 and 60 so that the ultrasonic probe 1 and the apparatus main body 2 can perform wireless communication. . By enabling wireless communication between the ultrasonic probe 1 and the apparatus main body 2, the connection cable 13 itself can be eliminated. In this case, a battery (not shown) for supplying power to the circuit boards 14 and 15 needs to be further disposed in the housing 1c. However, if the thickness direction dimension D of the ultrasonic probe 1 is set to 20 mm ≦ D ≦ 40 mm, the height direction dimension H is set to 50 mm ≦ H ≦ 80 mm, and the width direction dimension W is set to 80 mm ≦ W ≦ 120 mm, it is determined by the operator. A sufficient component arrangement space can be secured inside the housing 1c without impairing handling (operability, ease of gripping, etc.). Therefore, a battery for wireless communication can be arranged inside the housing 1c without any problem.

[Embodiment 2]
FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of the internal configuration of the ultrasonic probe 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The ultrasonic probe 1 according to the second embodiment includes motors M1 and M2 for driving the open / close shutters 7b and 8b, respectively. The open / close shutters 7b and 8b can be slid up and down by the motors M1 and M2. Yes. Each motor M1, M2 is connected to the control unit 120 on the apparatus body 2 side via the connection cable 13, and the control unit 120 is connected to the switch (usage state detection means) 4b on the ultrasonic probe 1 side via the connection cable 13. Connected with.

  The control unit 120 transmits a control signal to the motors M1 and M2 according to the detection signal receiving unit 120a that receives an ON signal (when used) / OFF signal (when not used) of the switch 4b, and the ON / OFF signal. And a drive signal sending unit 120c that sends drive signals to the motors M1 and M2 based on the control command.

  When the ultrasonic probe 1 is held by the operator and the switch 4b is pressed (during use), the detection signal receiving unit 120a receives the ON signal. In response to the ON signal, the control command transmission unit 120b transmits a control command for moving the open / close shutters 7b and 8b downward. Then, based on the control command, the drive signal sending unit 120c sends a drive signal to the motors M1, M2, and the open / close shutters 7b, 8b move downward accordingly. As a result, the ventilation openings 7a and 8a are opened.

  On the other hand, when the operator removes his / her hand from the ultrasonic probe 1, the switch 4b returns (when not in use), and the detection signal receiving unit 120a receives the OFF signal. In response to the OFF signal, the control command transmission unit 120b transmits a control command for moving the open / close shutters 7b and 8b upward. Based on the control command, the drive signal sending unit 120c sends a drive signal to the motors M1 and M2, and the open / close shutters 7b and 8b are moved upward accordingly. As a result, the ventilation openings 7a and 8a are closed.

  There is no need to manually open and close the vents 7a, 8a, and the use / non-use of the ultrasonic probe 1 is determined by the operator's grip / non-hold, and the vents 7a, 8a are automatically opened / closed appropriately. Is called. Note that, instead of the switch 4b, a touch sensor that performs touch detection based on, for example, electrostatic capacitance may be provided in the housing 1c, and the touch sensor may be used as a use state detection unit.

[Embodiment 3]
FIG. 13 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of the internal configuration of the ultrasonic probe 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The ultrasonic probe 1 according to the third embodiment includes motors M1 and M2 for driving the open / close shutters 7b and 8b, respectively. The open / close shutters 7b and 8b can be slid up and down by the motors M1 and M2. Yes. The motors M1 and M2 are connected to the control unit 120 on the apparatus body 2 side via the connection cable 13, and the control unit 120 is disposed inside the housing 1c of the ultrasonic probe 1 via the connection cable 13. A temperature sensor (temperature detection means) 31 is connected. The temperature sensor 31 is preset with a temperature reference value, and outputs an off signal when the temperature in the housing 1c is equal to or lower than the temperature reference value, and outputs an on signal when the temperature reference value is exceeded. It is supposed to be.

  The control unit 120 transmits an ON signal (at high temperature) / OFF signal (at low temperature) of the temperature sensor 31 and transmits a control command to the motors M1 and M2 according to the ON / OFF signal. And a drive signal sending unit 120c that sends drive signals to the motors M1 and M2 based on the control command.

  When the internal temperature of the housing 1c exceeds the temperature reference value due to long-time use of the ultrasonic probe 1 and the temperature sensor 31 outputs an on signal (at a high temperature), the detection signal receiving unit 120a receives the on signal. . In response to the ON signal, the control command transmission unit 120b transmits a control command for moving the open / close shutters 7b and 8b downward. Then, based on the control command, the drive signal sending unit 120c sends a drive signal to the motors M1 and M2, and the open / close shutters 7b and 8b move downward accordingly. As a result, the ventilation openings 7a and 8a are opened.

  On the other hand, when the temperature inside the housing 1c becomes equal to or lower than the temperature reference value due to the end of use or the like, and the temperature sensor 31 outputs an off signal (at a low temperature), the detection signal receiving unit 120a receives the off signal. In response to the OFF signal, the control command transmission unit 120b transmits a control command for moving the open / close shutters 7b and 8b upward. Based on the control command, the drive signal sending unit 120c sends a drive signal to the motors M1 and M2, and the open / close shutters 7b and 8b are moved upward accordingly. As a result, the ventilation openings 7a and 8a are closed.

  As mentioned above, although preferable embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to these, A various deformation | transformation and change are possible within the range of the summary. For example, in the second and third embodiments, the case where the detection signal reception unit 120a, the control command transmission unit 120b, and the drive signal transmission unit 120c are included in the control unit 120 on the apparatus main body 2 side is described. However, it may be arranged on the ultrasonic probe 1 side. Processing from detection of the use state and temperature to transmission and drive of the control command can be realized in the ultrasonic probe 1 without using the connection cable 13.

  In each of the above embodiments, the separation type in which the ultrasonic probe 1 and the apparatus main body 2 are separated has been described. However, the scope of application of the present invention is not limited to the separation type. The present invention can also be applied to the ultrasonic probe 1 in which the control unit 120 and the display unit 100 are integrated.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that performs imaging of an organ or the like in a living body by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and generates an ultrasonic diagnostic image used for diagnosis.

θ: protrusion angle S: ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus D: thickness direction dimension H: height direction dimension ΔH: slit height W: width direction dimension 1: ultrasonic probe (ultrasonic probe)
1c: Housing 2: Device body 3: Contact surface 3a: Acoustic lens 4: Upper surface 4a: Switch (push-in switch)
4b: Switch (push-in switch, use state detection means)
5: Right side 6: Left side 7: Front (side)
7a, 8a: Ventilation openings 7b, 8b: Open / close shutter (open / close means)
8: Rear (side)
9a, 9b: interlocking member (operation member)
10: Ultrasonic transducer 11: Switching circuit 12: Adder circuit 13: Connection cable (signal cable)
14: Analog board (first circuit board)
15: Digital board (second circuit board)
16: Fan 20: Transmission / reception unit 21: Transmission circuit 22: Preamplifier 23: LPF
24: ADC
25: Quadrature detection processing unit 25a, 25b: Mixer 25c, 25d: LPF
25e: orthogonal sampling units 26a, 26b: sampling unit 26c: time-division sampling units 27a-27c: memory 30: serialization unit 31: temperature sensor (temperature detection means)
40: transmission control unit 50: transmission circuit 70: scanning control unit 80: reception focus processing unit 81: memory 82: phasing addition unit 90: B-mode image signal generation unit 91: STC
92: DSC
100: Display unit 110: Operation unit 120: Control unit 120a: Detection signal reception unit 120b: Control command transmission unit 120c: Drive signal transmission unit 130: Storage unit

Claims (13)

A plurality of ultrasonic transducers for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves;
A circuit board that performs signal processing for transmitting and receiving the ultrasonic wave, and a housing,
An ultrasonic probe for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that transmits ultrasonic waves to a subject and receives ultrasonic echoes from the subject,
A ventilation port formed in a part of the housing for ventilating the inside of the housing by circulating air inside and outside the housing,
An ultrasonic probe comprising: opening and closing means for opening and closing the ventilation port. The vent is
The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic probe is formed at a height position of 10 mm or more from a contact surface to be brought into contact with the subject at the time of diagnosis.   The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, further comprising a drive source for opening and closing the opening / closing means. It further has a use state detection means for detecting the presence or absence of its own use,
The ultrasonic probe according to claim 3, wherein the driving source drives the opening / closing means to open / close in accordance with the detected use state. A temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature inside the housing;
The ultrasonic probe according to claim 3, wherein the driving source opens and closes the opening / closing means according to the detected temperature inside the casing.   The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, further comprising an operation member that operates according to whether or not it is used, and that opens and closes the opening / closing means based on the operation.   The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, further comprising a fan for discharging air through the ventilation port. The circuit board is
The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, further comprising a digital circuit for digitally converting the received ultrasonic echo. A signal cable for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the apparatus main body for displaying an ultrasonic echo image on the display unit based on a signal from the ultrasonic probe and having a display unit protrudes from the housing.
The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein a protruding angle θ substantially formed by the protruding direction of the signal cable and the contact surface is in a relationship of 0 ° ≦ θ ≦ 30 °. A wireless communication unit for transmitting and receiving a radio signal to and from the apparatus main body having a display unit and displaying an ultrasonic echo image on the display unit based on a signal from the ultrasonic probe;
The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, further comprising at least a battery that supplies power to the wireless communication unit. The ultrasonic probe according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a display unit and an apparatus main body that displays an ultrasonic echo image on the display unit based on a signal from the ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 4,
An apparatus main body having a display unit and displaying an ultrasonic echo image on the display unit based on a signal from the ultrasonic probe;
A control unit that transmits a driving signal for opening and closing the opening and closing means toward the driving source based on a detection signal from the use state detecting means;
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in which the control unit is provided in either the ultrasonic probe or the apparatus main body. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 5;
An apparatus main body having a display unit and displaying an ultrasonic echo image on the display unit based on a signal from the ultrasonic probe;
A control unit that transmits a drive signal for opening and closing the opening and closing means toward the drive source based on a detection signal from the temperature detection means;
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in which the control unit is provided in either the ultrasonic probe or the apparatus main body.

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