JPH05212036A - Ultrasonic probe - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To joint a housing and flexible shaft in the proper coaxial degree and to improve the mechanical strength at joint part even though the outer diameter of the housing is thinned to thin the ultrasonic probe. CONSTITUTION:A notched section 11b in the longitudinal direction of the housing is provided on one part of the pipe wall of a housing 11. The width of the notched section 11b is set to just fit a strand 5a of a flexible shaft 5. In the process of coupling the housing 11 and the flexible shaft 5, the junction such as laser welding is performed with the notched section of the housing 11 and the strand 5a of the flexible shaft 5 under fitting state.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe,
Particularly, the present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe incorporated in a mechanical scan type medical ultrasonic probe.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The structure and operating principle of a medical ultrasonic probe will be described with reference to FIG. Flexible mantle tube 3
Is inserted up to the vicinity of the organ 2 to be observed in the human body 1, and an ultrasonic beam is transmitted and received by the ultrasonic transducer 4 from the vicinity of the organ 2. The ultrasonic oscillator 4 is rotatably supported inside the outer tube 3, and when the oscillator 4 is mechanically rotated while transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic beam, a mechanical radial scan of the ultrasonic beam is performed. Done. The vibrator 4 is coupled to a long flexible shaft 5, and the flexible shaft 5 extends rotatably inside the outer tube 3 and is connected to a motor 7 of a drive unit 6 outside the body. ing. The rotational force of the motor 7 is transmitted through the flexible shaft 5 inside the outer tube 3 to mechanically rotate the ultrasonic transducer 4.

Further, the ultrasonic echo signal from the organ 2 received by the ultrasonic transducer 4 is taken out by the slip ring 8 in the drive unit 6, and the ultrasonic observation device 9
After being transmitted to the ultrasonic observation apparatus 9, the ultrasonic observation apparatus 9 converts the image signal into an image signal, which is then sent to the monitor apparatus 10 to display an ultrasonic tomographic image of the organ 2 to be observed.

The present ultrasonic probe can transmit and receive an ultrasonic beam from a close range of the organ 2 to be observed, so that the organ 2 located in the deep part of the human body 1 can be accurately depicted as desired. Since the arrival distance of the ultrasonic beam may be short, there is an advantage that an ultrasonic tomographic image with high theoretical resolution can be drawn by using high-frequency ultrasonic waves with a large attenuation coefficient.

Next, the structure of a conventional ultrasonic probe housed in the outer tube 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a conventional ultrasonic probe disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2-184332.
Is a housing that houses the ultrasonic transducer 4, and 11a is a stepped portion for connecting the housing 11 and the flexible shaft 5. In manufacturing the ultrasonic probe shown in the figure, in the step of connecting the housing 11 and the flexible shaft 5, the flexible shaft 5 is fitted to the stepped portion 11a provided at the rear end of the housing 11, and Are joined by a known method such as laser welding. However, when the outer diameter of the housing 11 is reduced in order to reduce the diameter of the ultrasonic probe, the diameter of the shield cable 12 cannot be reduced and the wall thickness of the flexible shaft 5 cannot be changed. Part 1
1a cannot be formed. Therefore, when attempting to reduce the diameter of the ultrasonic probe, as shown in FIG. 5, the housing 11 without the stepped portion 11a and the end surface of the flexible shaft 5 must be abutted to each other and joined by laser welding or the like. No longer.

[0006]

However, as described above, if the end faces of the housing 11 having no step portion and the flexible shaft 5 are to be butted against each other, it becomes extremely difficult to position them at the time of joining. Since the coaxiality after joining cannot be ensured, there is a problem that the housing 11 or a part of the flexible shaft 5 comes into contact with the inner surface of the outer tube 3 and the ultrasonic probe cannot rotate smoothly. Further, when the end faces are joined, there is a problem that the mechanical strength is weak because the area of the joined portion is small and the end faces are easily damaged during use.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems of the prior art. Even when the outer diameter of the housing is reduced in order to reduce the diameter of the ultrasonic probe, the housing and the flexible shaft have good coaxiality. An object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic probe that is bonded at a high degree and has a large mechanical strength at the bonded portion.

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an ultrasonic probe having a housing accommodating an ultrasonic transducer and a flexible shaft connected to the housing. In which a groove or a notch is formed in the housing, a part of the strand of wire at the end of the flexible shaft is fitted into the groove or the notch of the housing, and the fitting portion is joined to form a housing. Combined with a flexible shaft.

[0009]

In the ultrasonic probe of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, a part of the strand of wire at the end of the flexible shaft is fitted in the groove or notch of the housing, and the fitted portion is subjected to laser welding or the like. By joining with each other, in the step of joining the housing and the flexible shaft, the both are accurately positioned, and the area of the joining portion between the two is large.

[0010]

First Embodiment [Structure] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a notch 11b is provided in a part of the tube wall of the housing 11 along the longitudinal direction of the housing. In addition, the notch 11b
The width of is set such that one strand 5a of the flexible shaft 5 fits exactly. In addition, at the stump of the flexible shaft 5, one of the strands 5 a is erected so as to extend along the longitudinal direction of the flexible shaft 5.

[Operation] In the step of connecting the housing 11 and the flexible shaft 5, laser welding or the like is performed with the notch 11b of the housing 11 and the wire 5a of the flexible shaft 5 fitted together.

[Effect] According to the construction of this embodiment, the positional relationship between the housing 11 and the flexible shaft 5 is strictly fixed when the housing 11 and the flexible shaft 5 are joined, and laser welding or the like can be performed while maintaining good coaxiality. There is an effect. Also,
Laser welding or the like is applied not only to the end faces of the housing 11 and the flexible shaft 5 but also to the fitting portion between the notch 11b and the wire 5a, so that the area of the joining portion is increased and the mechanical strength is improved. effective.

[0013]

Second Embodiment [Structure] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a spiral groove 11c is formed in a part of the tube wall of the housing 11. The groove 11c has a round bottom and is set to have a width such that one of the strands 5a of the flexible shaft 5 fits exactly. At the stump of the flexible shaft 5,
One of the strands 5a is deformed so as to be stretched in the longitudinal direction of the flexible shaft 5, and the pitch of the coil of the deformed portion is made substantially equal to the pitch of the spiral groove 11c.

[Operation] In the step of connecting the housing 11 and the flexible shaft 5, the groove 11c of the housing is formed.
Laser welding or the like is performed in a state where the wire and the wire 5a of the flexible shaft 5 are screwed together.

[Effect] According to the structure of this embodiment, when the housing 11 and the flexible shaft 5 are joined, the positional relationship between the housing 11 and the flexible shaft 5 is strictly fixed, and the housing 11 and the flexible shaft 5 can be joined together while maintaining good coaxiality. The strength can be ensured as in the first embodiment. However, in the present embodiment, the strand 5a of the flexible shaft 5 more strictly regulates the positional relationship between the housing 11 and the flexible shaft 5, so that the coaxiality can be more strictly maintained. In addition, since the area of the fitting portion between the groove 11c and the wire 5a is extremely large, joining it by a method such as laser welding has the effect of further improving the mechanical strength of the joining portion.

[0016]

As described above, according to the ultrasonic probe of the present invention, even if the housing for accommodating the ultrasonic transducer is not provided with the stepped portion, the housing and the flexible shaft can be made excellent. Coupling can be performed while maintaining coaxiality, and practically sufficient coupling strength can be obtained. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the diameter of the ultrasonic probe to such an extent that a stepped portion cannot be provided in the housing, and thus it is possible to easily reduce the diameter of a medical ultrasonic probe incorporating the ultrasonic probe. There is.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an ultrasonic probe according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an ultrasonic probe according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining the principle of a medical ultrasonic probe.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional ultrasonic probe incorporated in a medical ultrasonic probe.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a mode of joining the housing and the flexible shaft when the stepped portion is not provided in the housing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Human Body 2 Organ 3 Mantle Tube 4 Ultrasonic Transducer 5 Flexible Shaft 5a Element Wire 6 Drive Unit 7 Motor 8 Slip Ring 9 Ultrasonic Observation Device 10 Monitor Device 11 Housing 11b Cutout 11c Groove 12 Shielded Cable

Front page continuation (72) Inventor Katsuhiro Wakabayashi 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic probe having a housing containing an ultrasonic transducer and a flexible shaft coupled to the housing, wherein the housing has a groove or a notch, An ultrasonic wave characterized in that the housing and the flexible shaft are joined by fitting a part of the strand of the stump of the wire into a groove or notch of the housing and joining the fitting part. Probe.