JPH08154932A - Grip part detachable type ultrasonic probe - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an ultrasonic probe which enables multiple combination of a vibrator section and grip sections without increasing the number of the vibrator sections to allow adaptation to various purposes of diagnosis without requiring a large amount of cost. CONSTITUTION: A vibrator section 10 has a joint part 20 with a grip section formed thereon and the grip section 12 has a joint part 22 with the vibrator section. The joint part 22 with the vibrator section is so arranged to be connectable to the joint part 20 with the grip section free to load or unload. This enables the connection of multiple kinds of grip parts 12 to one vibrator section 10 by replacing, thereby allowing the providing of multiple kinds of combinations according to the purposes of ultrasonic diagnosis.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe, and more particularly to an ultrasonic probe having a detachable grip for operating the ultrasonic probe.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Ultrasonic probes are used for various examinations and diagnoses performed on various parts of the human body. Therefore, a large number of types are required for the shape of the grip for operating the ultrasonic probe, the scanning method of the ultrasonic transducer, the frequency, and the like, depending on each application.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a conventional ultrasonic probe. In FIG. 4, one end of the grip portion 12 is fixed to the transducer unit 10 that houses the ultrasonic transducer. At the time of performing ultrasonic diagnosis, an operator grips the grip portion 12 and thereby performs the diagnostic operation by disposing the transducer unit 10 at a predetermined diagnosis site.

A cable 14 is led out from the other end of the grip portion 12, and the cable 14 is connected to a connector box 16 for controlling the operation of the ultrasonic probe.

[0005]

However, as described above, in the ultrasonic probe, the grip portion 1 is used depending on the diagnostic application.
It is necessary to prepare various kinds of shapes such as the shape of No. 2, the scanning method of the ultrasonic transducer, and the frequency. In the above-mentioned conventional ultrasonic probe, since the grip portion 12 is fixed to the transducer portion 10 at one end thereof, the grip portion 12 and the transducer portion 10 should be combined in order to cope with various diagnostic applications. It is necessary to prepare many types of combinations. That is,
It was necessary to prepare a large number of ultrasonic probes in which the grip portion 12 was fixed to the transducer unit 10.

Therefore, when it is desired to use a plurality of types of gripping portions 12 according to the operation during operation, a different ultrasonic probe must be used each time, which is inconvenient. there were.

Further, since the price of the vibrator portion 10 is high, there is a problem that a large amount of cost is required when preparing a large number of kinds together with the grip portion 12 as described above.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object thereof is to realize a large number of combinations of the vibrator portion and the gripping portion without increasing the number of the vibrator portions, resulting in a large cost. An object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic probe that can be used for various diagnostic applications without straining.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a grip part detachable ultrasonic probe according to the present invention is connected to a vibrator part accommodating an ultrasonic vibrator and the vibrator part. Is
A gripper for an operator to grip and operate the vibrator unit to perform a predetermined diagnosis, and the gripper and the vibrator unit are configured to be detachable.

Further, a plurality of types of vibrators and grips are prepared, and each of them can be replaced according to the purpose of diagnosis and use.

[0011]

According to the above structure, since the grip portion is detachably attached to the vibrator portion, a plurality of kinds of grip portions can be exchanged and used for one vibrator portion.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the structure of an ultrasonic probe with a detachable grip portion according to the present invention. The same members as those in the conventional example shown in FIG. 4 are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. .

In FIG. 1, a vibrator portion 10 is provided with a joint portion 20 with a grip portion. Further, the grip portion 12 is provided with a joint portion 22 with the vibrator portion. By the joint portion 20 with the grip portion and the joint portion 22 with the vibrator portion,
The joint portion 22 with which the grip portion 12 is connected to the vibrator portion 10 can be detachably attached to the joint portion 20 with the grip portion of the vibrator portion 10.

With the above configuration, if a plurality of types of gripping portions 12, such as rod-shaped, crank-shaped, and bent-shaped portions are prepared as shown in FIG. It can be used while exchanging different kinds of grips. As a result, the expensive oscillator unit 1
Various combinations with the grip portion 12 can be realized without preparing many 0s.

Further, the shape of the vibrator portion 10 is not limited to one. For example, although the linear vibrator section 10 is shown in FIG. 1, it may be a convex vibrator section 10 as shown in FIG. 2, for example. At that time, the joint portion 20 with the gripping portion is
The optimum position can be set according to the shape of 0, the application, and the like. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the joint portion 20 with the grip portion is provided on the side surface of the vibrator portion 10.

In the above example, the cable 14 connecting the connector box 16 and the vibrator portion 10 is directly led out from the vibrator portion 10 and not from the tip of the grip portion 12.

This makes it easier to manufacture the grip portion 12.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the vibrator portion 10. In FIG. 3, the transducer unit 10 includes an ultrasonic transducer 2
4 is stored and the cable 14 is an ultrasonic transducer 24.
It is connected to the.

In this embodiment, the grip portion 12 has the screw 2
It is configured to be fixed to the vibrator unit 10 by 6.
That is, a threaded hole 28 is formed in the vibrator portion 10, and the screw 26 of the grip portion 12 is screwed and fixed therein. The screw hole 28 is the joint portion 2 with the grip portion in FIG.
0, and the screw 26 constitutes the joint portion 22 with the vibrator portion in FIG.

After the screw 26 is screwed into the screw hole 28 and fixed, the cable 14 is fixed to the grip portion 12 by the cable fixing clip 30. As a result, it is possible to prevent the cable 14 from moving during the ultrasonic diagnosis so as to hinder the diagnosis, and the diagnostic operation can be performed more reliably. The cable fixing clip 30 may be of any type as long as it can move the cable 14 integrally with the grip portion 12, and the type thereof is not limited.

The joint portion 20 with the grip portion and the joint portion 22 with the vibrator portion are not limited to those of the screw type as shown in FIG. The gripping part 12 and the vibrator part 10 can be firmly fixed so as not to come off during ultrasonic diagnosis, and the gripping part 12 can be easily fixed as necessary.
The type is not limited as long as it can be removed from 0. That is, it is sufficient that the grip portion 12 can be detachably connected to the vibrator portion 10.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the gripping part and the vibrator part are configured to be detachably connected, it is possible to connect and use a plurality of types of gripping parts for one vibrator part while exchanging them. As a result, it is possible to provide a gripping part detachable ultrasonic probe that can realize many kinds of combinations of the vibrator part and the gripping part without preparing a large number of vibrator parts.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a gripper detachable ultrasonic probe according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing another example of a vibrator unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a vibrator portion according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional ultrasonic probe.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 transducer part, 12 gripping part, 14 cable, 16
Connector box, 20 Joint with gripping part, 22
Bonding part with the vibrator part, 24 ultrasonic vibrator, 26 screws, 28 screw holes.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A transducer unit accommodating an ultrasonic transducer, and a gripping unit connected to the transducer unit for gripping by an operator to operate the transducer unit to perform a predetermined diagnosis. An ultrasonic probe having a detachable grip portion, wherein the grip portion and the transducer portion are configured to be detachable. 2. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of types of the transducer unit and the grip unit are prepared, and the ultrasonic unit and the grip unit are replaceable according to a diagnostic purpose and an application. An ultrasonic probe with a detachable gripping part.