JPH0453767Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a cap of a probe provided for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus as a transmitting/receiving section for ultrasonic beams.

[Prior Art] Fig. 5 shows a commonly used ultrasonic diagnostic probe, in which the ultrasonic transmitting/receiving section 18 is brought into close contact with the examination area of the subject, and the ultrasonic waves are detected by receiving reflected ultrasonic waves. The obtained image information is transmitted to the main body of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus via the cable 20.

The probe of a general ultrasonic diagnostic device houses an ultrasonic transducer, etc. that constitutes an ultrasonic transmitting/receiving section inside the probe, and the casing 16 protects this transducer, etc., and also prevents manual operation. It has a simple and functional appearance for ease of use.

[Problems that the invention aims to solve] As described above, conventional probes have an appearance that mainly takes into consideration functionality, which may cause psychological pressure or fear on the part of examinees, especially children, during diagnosis. It was often caused by

For this reason, children may be reluctant to receive a diagnosis;
There was a problem that it often interfered with the diagnosis of the person conducting the test.

An object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasound probe cap that can eliminate children's fear of ultrasound diagnostic equipment, particularly its probe.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the ultrasonic probe cap according to the present invention allows the ultrasonic probe cap of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus to be attached to the probe with the transducer of the probe exposed. The cap is removably attached to the distal end of the device, and is characterized in that its surface is shaped to eliminate fear in children toward the device.

[Function] As described above, the ultrasonic probe cap according to this invention has a surface shape that is familiar and familiar to children. Therefore, when a probe equipped with this cap is used on a child as a test subject during diagnosis, it is possible to particularly attract the child's interest and eliminate the child's psychological pressure or fear. This allows efficient diagnosis to be carried out in a quiet atmosphere.

Furthermore, since the transducer of the probe is mounted so as to be exposed from the cap, there is no risk of adverse effects on the transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves.

[Example] The ultrasonic probe cap according to this invention will be described below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a cylindrical probe cap in which the cap body is formed into a cylindrical shape.

1B is a front view of the cap shown in FIG. 1A.

As shown in the figure, the probe cap 10 has a cylindrical shape in this embodiment, and can be attached to and detached from the probe body by
Insert the tip of the probe from the insertion opening 12 side.

Further, the surface of the cylindrical probe cap 10 has the shape of an animal or character that children would be familiar with and would enjoy. In this embodiment, it is in the form of a panda.

The probe cap 10 may be made of any material as long as it is inexpensive and easy to mold, such as plastic resin.

FIG. 2 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1 in which an engaging portion 14, which is a ring-shaped protrusion, is formed on the inner surface of the probe cap 10. By engaging this engaging portion 14 with an uneven notch 22 (see FIG. 5) provided on the surface of the probe casing 16 to prevent slippage, the probe cap 1
0 and the probe body become more secure.

FIG. 3 shows the probe cap according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1A and the probe casing 16 shown in FIG.
An example is shown where it is attached to the tip. In this embodiment, the ultrasonic transmitter/receiver 18, which is a vibrator, is exposed from the panda's mouth.

FIG. 4 shows an overlapping probe cap 11 as another embodiment. In this embodiment, the bottom of the circumferential surface of the cylindrical probe cap 10 is removed to form an overlapping shape.

This design takes into account the ease of molding the probe cap, and can be implemented without impairing the effects of the present invention.

[Effects of the invention] As explained above, the ultrasound probe cap of this invention reduces the psychological pressure and fear that children experience when performing ultrasound diagnosis on children. It has the function of being able to be removed, and the diagnostician has the effect of being able to perform an efficient diagnosis.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1A is a perspective view of a cylindrical probe cap that is an embodiment of this invention, Fig. 1B is a front view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1A, and Fig. 2 is an implementation of Fig. 1. As an example, a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a device provided with an inner engaging portion, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the attached state of the ultrasonic probe cap according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cover-shaped probe cap. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a general probe for ultrasonic diagnostic equipment. 10... Cylindrical probe cap, 11... Cover-shaped probe cap, 12... Insertion opening, 14
. . . Ring-shaped projection engaging portion, 16 . . . Probe casing, 18 .

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] (1) A cap that is detachably attached to the tip of a probe of an ultrasonic diagnostic device with the transducer of the probe exposed; 1. A cap for an ultrasound probe, characterized in that the cap has a shape that eliminates children's fear of the device. (2) The ultrasonic probe cap according to claim 1, wherein the shape is an animal or a character.