JPH07106201B2 - Ultrasonic probe - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe, particularly to contact an object for observing a diseased part of the object and transmit and receive ultrasonic waves by a built-in transducer. It is also related to the improvement of the ultrasonic wave probe.

[Prior Art] In the medical field, an ultrasonic probe is widely used for observing a subject or a diagnostic part.

Particularly, in this type of ultrasonic probe, ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received by being brought into contact with an object to be inspected. That is,
When a probe is applied to the subject and a high-frequency voltage is supplied to the transducer provided inside the probe, ultrasonic waves are emitted and reflected by the affected part of the subject. This is received by the same oscillator, the reflected wave is displayed on a television monitor image, and the state inside the subject is observed.

In this way, generally, a single probe transmits and receives waves and converts an electric signal into an ultrasonic signal or an ultrasonic signal into an electric signal. It has become an important device that influences the performance of the diagnostic apparatus, and has been diversified into various types depending on the type of diagnostic apparatus and the diagnostic site of the subject.

Then, this kind of ultrasonic probe uses the piezoelectric effect of the vibrator to excite (transmit) ultrasonic waves (mechanical vibration waves) corresponding to the applied electric signal, and the piezoelectric inverse effect causes the living body to vibrate. Generates an electric signal for the ultrasonic waves returned from (received). FIG. 2 shows a cross section of the tip of a conventional ultrasonic probe.

In the figure, a vibrator 10 as a source of ultrasonic waves is bonded onto a backing material 12, and the backing material 12 is fixed by a base material 14. The vibrator 10 is mainly a linear type or a sector type.

Further, two acoustic matching layers for achieving acoustic matching with a living body, a first matching layer 16 and a second matching layer 18, are formed on the backing material 12.

Furthermore, in order to improve the directional characteristics of the radiated ultrasonic waves on the upper surface of the acoustic lens, a convex lens is attached to the front surface of the acoustic lens 20.
Is provided. The acoustic lens 20 is fitted to the tip of a case 24 having a shield plate 22 on the inner wall. The shield plate 22 is provided to prevent the influence of external noise or the like on the transmitted / received signal.

As described above, the ultrasonic probe has a laminated structure. The operation will be described below.

When a diagnosis is performed using an ultrasonic probe, the tip of the probe shown in the figure is brought into contact with the affected part of the living body as the subject.

The probe is connected to a high voltage switching circuit (not shown) from an ultrasonic diagnostic device (not shown) via a cable.

The high voltage switching circuit is connected to a signal line provided on the vibrator 10 to selectively switch ultrasonic transmission / reception signals.

In this way, the high-frequency voltage is supplied to the vibrator 10 through the signal line, and the piezoelectric effect of the vibrator 10 is used to excite ultrasonic waves corresponding to the supplied electric signal (mechanical Vibration wave).

Here, the backing material fixed to the rear surface of the vibrator 10
12 provides a sufficient acoustic attenuation to the ultrasonic wave radiated from the vibrator to the back surface.

The two acoustic matching layers, which are the first matching layer 18 and the first matching layer 16 fixed to the front surface of the vibrator 10, match the acoustic impedance of the vibrator 10 with the acoustic impedance of the living body, and The transfer characteristics of are improved. Further, the acoustic lens 20 is provided on the front surface of the second matching layer 18 and focuses the ultrasonic beam to improve the resolution.

As described above, ultrasonic waves (high-frequency mechanical vibration waves) are sent into the living body from the living body surface in contact with the affected area.

Then, according to the reaction of the living body to this vibration wave (reflection characteristic, attenuation characteristic, scattering characteristic, etc.), the ultrasonic wave returning from the inside of the living body is received by the transducer 10 via the second and first matching layers, and converted into an electric signal. To be converted.

In this way, the ultrasonic wave reception signal that is a reflected wave is transmitted to the diagnostic device via the high voltage switching circuit, and the ultrasonic image of the diagnostic unit can be displayed on the television monitor.

Then, the diagnostician can make an appropriate diagnosis based on this image.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As described above, when the probe is used and the diagnostic section is observed, the high frequency voltage is supplied to the transducer 10 as described above, thereby generating ultrasonic waves. is doing.

This ultrasonic wave is converted into mechanical vibration (mechanical energy) by the vibrator 10 into an electric signal (electrical energy) of high frequency and excited. However, during this conversion, heat is generated in the vibrator 10 as a loss. Therefore, the joint portion of the vibrator 10 inside the probe and its vicinity were heated.

Therefore, when used for a long time, there is a problem that heat is generated from the vibrator 10, and this heat is transmitted to the subject, which adversely affects the diagnosis.

In addition, since the probe is in contact with the human body, the heat gives an uncomfortable feeling to the patient. In addition, if it is fixed at a diagnostic site and left for a long time, there is a problem that low-temperature burns occur.

As described above, in the related art, the generation of heat accompanying the driving of the high frequency voltage of the vibrator 10 cannot be avoided, and no measures have been taken.

As described above, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and an object thereof is to prevent heat from being propagated to a diagnostic site of a subject by heat generated from a vibrator during diagnosis. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved ultrasonic probe capable of radiating heat to the opposite side of the ultrasonic wave emitting surface of the probe to prevent discomfort given to a patient and performing appropriate diagnosis.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a matching layer end face,
In an ultrasonic probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from a subject, which is composed of a vibrator fixed by an end surface of a backing material and a case for fixing and holding the vibrator, provided on the outer peripheral part of the vibrator. A heat radiating plate made of a high thermal conductive material, one end of which is fixed to the intermediate connecting portion and the other end of which is fixed to the inner wall of the case. Is conducted from the intermediate connection portion to the heat radiating plate to radiate heat to the surface opposite to the ultrasonic wave emitting surface.

[Operation] According to the ultrasonic probe of the present invention, even if the vibrator heats up during diagnosis, the heat is transferred to the intermediate connection part made of a high thermal conductive material fixed to the vibrator, and the heat is further radiated. Transmitted to the board. By radiating heat to the side opposite to the ultrasonic wave emitting surface, it is possible to prevent the patient from feeling uncomfortable due to heat and surely prevent the influence on the diagnosis.

[Embodiment] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the probe tip portion according to the present invention.
In the figure, the same members as those of the conventional example of FIG.

In the figure, the difference from the conventional example shown in FIG. 2 is that the intermediate connection portion 26 provided on the outer peripheral portion of the vibrator 10 and one end is fixed to the inner wall of the case 24 via the intermediate connection portion 26 to radiate heat. Board 28
It has been established.

That is, in the embodiment, the intermediate connection portion 26 made of a resin having good heat conductivity for heat dissipation is adhered to the outer periphery of the side surface of the vibration plate 10, and the heat dissipation plate 28 having good heat conductivity is provided at one end thereof. It is fitted. The other end of the heat radiation plate 28 is fixed to the shield plate 22 provided on the inner wall of the case 24 as described above.

With the configuration as described above, according to the ultrasonic probe of the present invention, at the time of diagnosis in which the probe is brought into contact with the affected part of the living body as the subject, even if heat is generated from the transducer 10, The heat is transmitted to the intermediate connection portion 26, and further, this heat is transmitted to the heat dissipation plate 28 made of a high thermal conductive material. Since the other end of the heat radiating plate 28 is fixed to the shield plate 22 as described above, this heat is further transmitted from the shield plate 22 to the rear of the case to enhance the heat radiating effect by heat conduction.

In this way, the present invention provides the intermediate connection portion 26 and the heat dissipation plate 28.
By providing the and, it becomes possible to radiate the heat generated from the vibrator 10 to the side opposite to the ultrasonic wave emitting surface.

As described above, according to the probe of the present invention, it is possible to obtain an effective heat radiation effect against the heat generated from the vibrator 10 even in a long-time use state.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the ultrasonic probe of the present invention,
By having a heat dissipation structure that did not exist in the past,
Since an intermediate connecting portion made of a high thermal conductive material is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the vibrator which is a heat source, and a radiator plate made of a high thermal conductive material is provided on the inner wall of the case via the intermediate connecting portion, at the time of diagnosis, Even if the oscillator heats up due to transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves, heat can be transferred from the intermediate connection portion to the heat dissipation plate. Then, by this, heat is not conducted from the probe abutted by radiating heat to the side opposite to the ultrasonic wave emitting surface to the affected part of the subject, and it is possible to reliably prevent discomfort and low temperature burns due to the heat of the patient, In addition, it is possible to surely prevent the influence on the diagnosis.

[Brief description of drawings]

 FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a probe tip portion of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a conventional probe tip portion. 10 …… Vibrator 20 …… Acoustic lens 22 …… Shield plate 24 …… Case 26 …… Intermediate connection 28 …… Heat sink

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic probe comprising an oscillator fixed by an end face of a matching layer and an end face of a backing material, and a case for fixing and holding the oscillator, for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves to and from an object. In, in the outer peripheral portion of the vibrator, an intermediate connecting portion made of a high thermal conductive material, and a heat dissipation plate made of a high thermal conductive material having one end fixed to the intermediate connecting portion and the other end fixed to the inner wall of the case, An ultrasonic probe, characterized in that the heat generated from the vibrator is conducted to the heat dissipation plate from the intermediate connection part and radiated to the surface opposite to the ultrasonic wave emission surface.