JP2017164307A - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of increasing heat radiation performance in order to lower a surface temperature of a probe casing.SOLUTION: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprises: an ultrasonic probe which has a piezoelectric vibrator 120 transmitting/receiving ultrasonic waves to/from a subject and a probe casing 110 that houses a signal processing IC processing a signal from the piezoelectric vibrator and is provided with an intake port 114 and an exhaust port 115; an apparatus body which has signal processing part that acquires a signal from the signal processing IC and performs image processing, and a fan; a cable 302 which electrically connects the signal processing IC and the signal processing part of the apparatus body; and air-cooling pipes 303, 304 connecting the fan and the intake port or the exhaust port.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses that scan an inside of a subject with ultrasound and image an internal state in the subject based on a received signal that is a reflected wave from the inside of the subject are widely used. Such an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus transmits an ultrasonic wave from an ultrasonic probe into a subject, receives a reflected wave caused by an acoustic impedance mismatch within the subject, and receives the received signal by the ultrasonic probe. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  The ultrasonic probe includes a probe housing formed by a water-resistant resin and an assembling method. On the distal end side of the probe housing, processing is performed by inputting / outputting a signal between the piezoelectric vibrator that generates an ultrasonic wave and receives a reflected wave to generate a reception signal, and the piezoelectric vibrator. A signal processing IC (ASIC) is accommodated.

  The proximal end portion of the probe housing includes a cable for connecting to an apparatus main body including a signal processing unit that acquires a signal output from the signal processing IC and performs image processing.

JP 2009-165509 A

  In recent years, piezoelectric vibrators that generate heat by mechanical vibration are arranged two-dimensionally to improve image resolution, and the number of processing clocks has been increased to improve processing speed. The power is increasing. Therefore, the calorific values of the piezoelectric vibrator and the signal processing IC are increased, and the internal temperature of the probe housing is increased as a heat source. When the internal temperature of the probe casing rises, heat is transported to the probe casing, and the surface temperature of the probe casing increases. On the other hand, since the probe housing directly touches the subject and the operator, the surface temperature is regulated so that the surface temperature is not harmful to the skin from the viewpoint of safety. For this reason, in order to reduce the surface temperature of a probe housing | casing, improving heat dissipation performance is calculated | required.

  An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention accommodates a piezoelectric vibrator that transmits / receives ultrasonic waves to / from a subject and a signal processing IC that processes a signal from the piezoelectric vibrator, and an intake port and an exhaust port An ultrasonic probe including a probe housing, a signal processing unit that acquires a signal from the signal processing IC and performs image processing, and an apparatus main body including a fan; and the signal processing IC A cable that electrically connects the signal processing unit of the apparatus main body, and an air cooling pipe that connects the fan and the intake port or the exhaust port.

Explanatory drawing which shows the ultrasonic diagnosing device which concerns on 1st Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the principal part of the ultrasonic probe. The cross-sectional view which shows the cable integrated in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The cross-sectional view which shows the modification of the cable integrated in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. Explanatory drawing which shows the cooling principle of the ultrasonic probe. The perspective view which shows the cooling fin integrated in the ultrasonic probe. Explanatory drawing which shows typically the ultrasonic probe integrated in the ultrasonic diagnosing device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the ultrasonic probe with a part cut away. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the ultrasonic probe with a part cut away.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing the vicinity of a signal processing IC mounted on the distal end portion of the ultrasonic probe 100, and FIGS. 3A and 3B are FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the flow of air inside the ultrasonic probe 100, and FIG. 5 is a cooling fin 155 incorporated in the ultrasonic probe 100. FIG.

  The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 includes an ultrasonic probe 100 that is brought into contact with a subject by an operator and a connected apparatus that processes a signal from the ultrasonic probe 100 and displays a screen. A main body 200 and a cable 300 for connecting the ultrasonic probe 100 and the apparatus main body 200 are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the ultrasonic probe 100 includes a probe housing 110 made of a resin material. An acoustic lens 111 is fitted on the distal end side of the probe housing 110 and has a sealed structure as a whole. A member 110b having a high thermal conductivity such as a metal layer or a graphite sheet is provided on the inner wall surface 110a of the probe housing 110 in order to transfer heat generated by an ASIC 140 or the like to be described later to the probe housing 110. It may be provided. A joint 112 with the cable 300 is provided on the proximal end side of the probe housing 110. A hole 113 through which an electric signal cable 302, an intake air cooling tube 303, and an exhaust air cooling tube 304, which will be described later, is provided between the joint portion 112. The tip of the intake air cooling tube 303 forms an intake port 114, and the tip of the exhaust air cooling tube 304 forms an exhaust port 115. The intake port 114 is disposed in the vicinity of the heat sink 150, and the exhaust port 115 is disposed on the proximal end side of the probe housing 110.

  In the probe housing 110, from the acoustic lens 111 side, a piezoelectric vibrator 120 that transmits / receives ultrasonic waves to / from the subject, an interposer substrate 130 connected to each input / output terminal of the piezoelectric vibrator 120, and this An ASIC (signal processing IC) 140 connected to the piezoelectric vibrator 120 via the interposer substrate 130 and a heat sink 150 attached to the ASIC 140 are laminated. The piezoelectric vibrator 120 and the ASIC 140 are main heat sources in the ultrasonic probe 100. For the heat sink 150, a member having high thermal conductivity such as aluminum is used. Cooling fins 155 are attached to the heat sink 150.

  A flexible substrate 160 is connected to the interposer substrate 130. The flexible substrate 160 extends to the proximal end side along the inner wall surface 110 a of the probe housing 110. A signal cable 170 that is electrically connected to a signal processing unit 240 described later is attached to the flexible substrate 160. The signal cable 170 is bundled to form an electric signal cable 302 described later.

  A partition 180 that partitions the inside of the probe housing 110 into two spaces is provided. An intake port 114 is disposed in one space of the partition 180 and an exhaust port 115 is disposed in the other space.

  The apparatus main body 200 includes a housing 210. Inside the casing 210, a transmission unit 220 that supplies a transmission signal of an electrical signal via the cable 300 to generate an ultrasonic wave in the piezoelectric vibrator 120 of the ultrasonic probe 100, and the ultrasonic probe 100. A reception unit 230 that receives a reception signal of an electrical signal via the cable 300, a signal processing unit 240 that generates an image of an internal state in the subject based on the reception signal received by the reception unit 230, and a generated image , A control unit 250 that performs overall control of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10, and an operation input unit 270 that allows an operator to operate the control unit 250. An exhaust fan 280 is connected to an exhaust air cooling tube 304 of the cable 300 described later, and the outlet side of the exhaust fan 280 communicates with the outside of the housing 210.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the cable 300 includes an exterior cylinder 301 formed of a flexible material that is not easily crushed. An electric signal cable 302, an intake air cooling tube 303, and an exhaust air cooling tube 304 are disposed in the exterior cylinder 301.

  FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view showing a cable 300 </ b> A according to a modification of the cable 300. As shown in FIG. 3B, the electric signal cable 302 may be disposed in the entire interior of the exterior cylinder 301 excluding the intake air cooling tube 303 and the exhaust air cooling tube 304.

  The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 configured as described above operates as follows. First, image processing will be described. That is, the operator performs a necessary operation on the operation input unit 270 of the apparatus main body 200 and activates the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10. The ultrasonic probe 100 is applied to a predetermined part of the subject, and the subject is irradiated with ultrasonic waves from the piezoelectric vibrator 120 based on the electrical signal sent from the transmission unit 220. The ultrasonic wave irradiated to the subject becomes a reflected wave to vibrate the piezoelectric vibrator 120, and this vibration becomes an electric signal and is input to the ASIC 140. The ASIC 140 performs signal processing and inputs the signal to the receiving unit 230 via the interposer substrate 130 and the flexible substrate 160 and the electric signal cable 302.

  Next, the reception unit 230 generates data by performing signal processing on the reception signal obtained from the piezoelectric vibrator 120, and the signal processing unit 240 generates image data and displays it on the monitor 260.

  Next, cooling of the ultrasonic probe 100 will be described. Heat is generated by the operation of the piezoelectric vibrator 120 and the signal processing of the ASIC 140, and the generated heat is transferred to the heat sink 150. Further, the air in the exhaust air cooling tube 304 is exhausted by the exhaust fan 280, and the inside of the probe housing 110 becomes negative pressure. On the other hand, the outside heat is taken into the probe housing 110 via the intake air cooling tube 303, whereby the heat sink 150 is cooled. Furthermore, the inside of the probe housing 110 whose temperature has been raised is exhausted, whereby the inside of the probe housing 110 is cooled.

  In addition, since the intake port 114 is provided in the vicinity of the ASIC 140 and the exhaust port 115 is provided on the proximal end side of the probe housing 110, the air taken in from the outside directly touches the heat sink 150 and efficiently. In addition to being able to cool, an air flow is formed in the probe housing 110 and high-temperature air can be efficiently discharged from the exhaust port 115. Furthermore, the heat radiation effect can be improved by providing the cooling fins 155 along the air flow on the upper surface of the heat sink 150. For this reason, the heat transferred to the heat sink 150 can be efficiently radiated to the outside of the probe housing 110, and the temperature rise of the electronic components such as the ASIC 150 and the local temperature rise of the probe housing 110 can be suppressed. .

  By performing such exhaust heat, an effect of reducing the temperature of the outer surface of the probe housing 110 can be obtained.

  Furthermore, the electrical signal cable 302, the intake air cooling tube 303, and the exhaust air cooling tube 304 are provided integrally inside the cable 300, so that operability can be ensured.

  As described above, the temperature rise on the surface of the probe housing 110 due to the heat generated by the piezoelectric vibrator 120 and the ASIC 140 in the probe housing 110 can be reduced. That is, since it is possible to improve the heat dissipation performance in order to reduce the surface temperature of the probe housing 110, more power can be input to the piezoelectric vibrator 120 and the ASIC 140, and highly sensitive image data can be obtained. Can be collected.

  Further, since the refrigerant is air, moisture does not enter the probe housing 110 as in the case where the refrigerant is a liquid. Therefore, the electronic components (piezoelectric vibrator 120, ASIC 140 etc.) can be prevented from poor contact, alteration, corrosion and the like. In addition, providing the exhaust fan 280, which is a heavy object, in the apparatus main body 200 makes it possible to reduce the weight of the probe as compared to the case where the ultrasonic probe 100 is provided.

  6 to 8 are explanatory views schematically showing an ultrasonic probe 400 incorporated in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment. 6 to 8, the same functional parts as those in FIGS. 1 to 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The ultrasonic probe 400 includes a probe housing 410 made of a resin material, a metal housing 420 that is coaxially disposed in the probe housing 410, for example, formed of an aluminum material, and a probe. A partition plate 430 that divides the boundary between the inner wall surface of the child housing 410 and the outer wall surface of the metal housing 420 in the vertical direction is provided.

  An acoustic lens 411 is fitted on the distal end side of the probe housing 410 and has a sealed structure as a whole. A joint portion 412 to the cable 300 is provided on the proximal end side of the probe housing 410. The joint portion 412 has a hole portion 413 through which the electric signal cable 302 passes and an air inlet port through which the intake air cooling tube 303 passes. 414, an exhaust port 415 through which the exhaust air cooling tube 304 passes is provided.

  The metal housing 420 has a cylindrical body 421 whose lower end is open and whose upper end is closed. The detection unit 440 is accommodated facing the acoustic lens 411. In the detection unit 440, a piezoelectric vibrator, an interposer substrate, and an ASIC (signal processing IC) are stacked. Of these, the piezoelectric vibrator and the ASIC are the main heat sources in the ultrasonic probe 400. The interposer substrate is connected to an electric signal cable 302 that is electrically connected to the signal processing unit 240.

  The inside of the probe housing 410 partitioned by the partition plate 430 is divided into an intake chamber 410a and an exhaust chamber 410b. At the lower end of the partition plate 430, a ventilation port 431 that communicates the intake chamber 410a and the exhaust chamber 410b is provided.

  In the ultrasonic probe 400 configured as described above, cooling is performed as follows. The image processing is the same as that of the ultrasonic probe 100 described above. Heat is generated by the operation of the piezoelectric vibrator in the detection unit 440 and the signal processing of the ASIC. The generated heat raises the temperature of the metal casing 420, heats the air inside and outside the metal casing 420, and raises the temperature of the entire ultrasonic probe 100. On the other hand, the air inside the exhaust air cooling pipe 304 is exhausted by the exhaust fan 280, and the inside of the exhaust chamber 410b and the intake chamber 410a becomes negative pressure. In order to bring the internal atmospheric pressure into an equilibrium state, external air is taken in via the intake air cooling tube 303 and is radiated from the surface of the heated metal housing 420 to the taken-in air by convective heat transfer. The heated air in the intake chamber 410a and the exhaust chamber 410b is exhausted, and the inside of the probe housing 410 is cooled.

  By performing such exhaust heat, the temperature of the outer surface of the probe housing 410 is maintained at a temperature that is not harmful to the skin.

  In addition, by providing the partition plate 430, an air flow (a two-dot chain arrow F in FIG. 6) can be created so that the sucked air reaches the surface of the metal housing 420, and efficient cooling is achieved. It becomes possible.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, 100 ... Ultrasonic probe, 110 ... Probe housing | casing, 110a ... Inner wall surface, 110b ... Member with high thermal conductivity, 111 ... Acoustic lens, 114 ... Inlet, 115 ... Exhaust Mouth, 120 ... piezoelectric vibrator, 130 ... interposer substrate, 140 ... ASIC (signal processing IC), 150 ... heat sink, 155 ... cooling fin, 160 ... flexible substrate, 200 ... device main body, 210 ... housing, 220 ... transmitting section , 230: receiving unit, 240 ... signal processing unit, 250 ... control unit, 260 ... monitor, 270 ... operation input unit, 280 ... exhaust fan, 300 ... cable, 302 ... electric signal cable, 303 ... intake air cooling tube, 304 ... Exhaust air cooling tube, 400 ... Ultrasonic probe, 410 ... Probe housing, 410a ... Intake chamber, 410b ... Exhaust chamber, 411 ... Acoustic lens, 414 ... Intake port 415 ... exhaust port, 420 ... metal housing, 430 ... partition plate, 431 ... vent hole, 440 ... detection section.

Claims (5)

A probe case that houses a piezoelectric vibrator that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves to and from a subject and a signal processing IC that processes a signal from the piezoelectric vibrator, and is provided with an intake port and an exhaust port; An ultrasound probe having:
An apparatus main body having a signal processing unit and a fan for acquiring a signal from the signal processing IC and performing image processing;
A cable for electrically connecting the signal processing IC and the signal processing unit of the apparatus body;
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: an air cooling pipe that connects the fan and the intake port or the exhaust port.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the intake port is provided in the vicinity of the signal processing IC, and the exhaust port is provided on a proximal end side of the probe housing.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cable and the air-cooled tube are integrally provided.   The partition which partitions the inside of the said probe housing into two spaces is provided, the said inlet is provided in one space, and the said exhaust port is provided in the other space, The any one of Claims 1-3 characterized by the above-mentioned. The device described in 1.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a cooling fin is provided in the vicinity of the signal processing IC, and the intake port is provided in the vicinity of the cooling fin.