JPH11290322A - Ultrasonic probe - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the rotation center of oscillating motions at any arbitrary position in the frame of an ultrasonic probe without necessity to provide any mechanical construction such as a rotary shaft at the rotation center of oscillating motions and without disturbing the scanning area of an ultrasonic element. SOLUTION: A rail (such as a rail 5 having a curvature, for example,) is provided at a holding part 4 of an ultrasonic probe 1 for scanning ultrasonic waves and a mechanism is provided for holding the rail 5 on a frame 7 of the ultrasonic prove so as to move it. Thus, since the rotation center of oscillation motions can be provided at any arbitrary position in the frame of the ultrasonic probe without necessity to provide any mechanical construction such as the rotary shaft at the rotation center of oscillating motions and without disturbing the scanning area of an ultrasonic element, the scanning plane required for ultrasonic diagnosis can be freely provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe mounted on an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for electrically or mechanically scanning ultrasonic waves and rendering an ultrasonic diagnostic image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a swing mechanism of a mechanical scanning ultrasonic probe, one described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 59-42970 is known.

FIG. 5A shows a schematic structure of a conventional rocking mechanism, and FIG. 5B shows a side view thereof, in which a shaft is provided at the center of rotation of the rocking motion. Oscillating motion is held with respect to the frame of the ultrasonic probe, and rotational motion from a drive source such as a motor (not shown) is converted into oscillating motion, and ultrasonic waves are generated by the oscillating motion of the ultrasonic element. Beam scanning.

In the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 59-42970, a single ultrasonic element is mechanically swung to scan an ultrasonic beam. By providing an array type ultrasonic element for scanning in place of a single element, it is possible to easily realize an ultrasonic probe in which the scanning surface of the beam by the array element is tilted by the swing mechanism. .

[0005] Further, by combining a mechanical scanning type ultrasonic probe for scanning a single ultrasonic element by mechanical rotational movement with the above-mentioned swinging mechanism, a mechanical scanning type ultrasonic probe is also provided. A probe capable of changing the scanning plane can be realized.

FIG. 5 is a simplified illustration of a mechanical scanning probe that scans an ultrasonic beam by mechanically rotating a single ultrasonic element, and a combination of a conventional rocking mechanism. In this case, a mechanism for realizing the oscillating motion for converting the rotational motion of the motor or the like into the oscillating motion is omitted.

In FIG. 5, the ultrasonic element 101 is held by a rotor 102, a rotating shaft 103 and a rotating shaft holding portion 104 so as to be capable of rotating. The rotating shaft holding unit 104 and the probe frame 106 are connected by a swing shaft 105, and the element 101, the rotor 102, and the rotating shaft 1 are connected to the probe frame 106.
03, the rotating shaft holding portion 104 is integrally held so as to be able to swing.

Next, the operation of the above conventional example will be described.
In FIG. 5, the rotor 102 having the element 101 mounted thereon is
3 is rotated by a motor (not shown) incorporated in the rotor 102, and a signal is transmitted / received to / from the element 101 via a signal transmission means such as a slip ring (not shown). Scanning is being performed.

The element 101, the rotor 102, the rotating shaft 103, and the rotating shaft holding portion 104 perform a oscillating motion with respect to the frame 106 of the probe using the oscillating shaft 105 as a center axis of the oscillating motion. By tilting the scanning plane due to the rotation of 102, an ultrasonic image of a scanning cross section tilted with respect to the frame 106 of the probe can be drawn.

FIG. 5B shows a state where the scanning surface is inclined with respect to the frame of the ultrasonic probe. As described above, even when the conventional swing mechanism is used, it is possible to realize the rendering of the ultrasonic tomographic image in which the scanning surface is inclined with respect to the frame of the ultrasonic probe.

[0011]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional rocking mechanism, a rocking shaft is provided at the center of rocking.
For the frame of the ultrasound probe, since it is held so as to be able to swing, a frame that holds the swing axis in the frame of the ultrasound probe is required, the scanning area of the ultrasound beam, There was a problem that it was obstructed by the frame holding the axis, and it was not possible to render a wide scanning area. Further, in the application of the above-described conventional example, the swinging motion about the axis can be realized, but there is a problem that the ultrasonic scanning surface cannot be moved in a parallel or elliptical shape.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and realizes a wide scanning area without obstructing a scanning area of an ultrasonic beam and freely obtains a scanning surface required for ultrasonic diagnosis. It is an object of the present invention to provide an excellent ultrasonic probe having a function capable of performing the operation.

[0013]

In order to solve the above problems, a first invention of the present invention is to attach a rail to a holding portion of an ultrasonic element for scanning an ultrasonic wave, and to attach a rail to a frame of the ultrasonic probe. Since the rail holding the ultrasonic element unit is held movably, there is no need to provide a mechanical structure such as a rotating shaft at the center of rotation of the oscillating motion. Since the rotation center of the oscillating motion can be provided at an arbitrary position with respect to the frame of the ultrasonic probe without any hindrance, it is possible to freely obtain a scanning plane required for ultrasonic diagnosis. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mechanism for holding an ultrasonic element for scanning an ultrasonic wave by two levers and tilting the element by the operation of the two levers. By having, like the first invention,
It is possible to realize an ultrasonic probe having a scanning plane variable mechanism that does not require a rotation center axis of the oscillating motion and a holding frame of the axis, and obtain a wide scanning area as in the first invention. In addition, by operating the two levers, it is possible to freely obtain a scanning plane required for ultrasonic diagnosis.

[0015]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a rail is attached to a holding portion of an ultrasonic element for scanning an ultrasonic wave, and the rail is held movably with respect to the frame of the ultrasonic probe. This has an effect that the scanning surface can be changed by moving the rails of the ultrasonic element that scans the ultrasonic probe with respect to the frame of the ultrasonic probe.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a rail having a curvature is attached to a holding portion of an ultrasonic element that scans an ultrasonic wave, and is held rotatably with respect to a frame of an ultrasonic probe. This has a mechanism, and has an effect that the oscillating motion of the ultrasonic element can be realized with the virtual rotation center set by the curvature of the rail as the center of the oscillating motion.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a rail parallel to a frame of an ultrasonic probe is mounted on a holding portion of an ultrasonic element for scanning an ultrasonic wave, and the frame of the ultrasonic probe is attached to the frame. An ultrasonic probe having a mechanism that is held so as to be movable in parallel with the ultrasonic probe, and has an effect that the scanning surface of the ultrasonic element can be changed in parallel with the frame of the ultrasonic probe. Have.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the rail to which the ultrasonic element is fixed is fixed to the frame of the ultrasonic probe by at least three rollers fixed to the frame of the ultrasonic probe. By holding it movably, it has the effect of reducing the mechanical load of rocking or translation movement.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the ultrasonic element portion for scanning the ultrasonic wave is held by two levers,
By providing a mechanism for tilting the element part by the operation of the lever, it is possible to obtain a wide scanning area by the ultrasonic element without providing a frame at the center of rotation of the swinging motion and a probe holding the axis And that the scanning surface of the ultrasonic element can be changed.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mechanism in which a support portion for two levers is provided on one side of an ultrasonic element portion for scanning an ultrasonic wave, and the element portion is tilted by the operation of the two levers. By eliminating the need for a probe frame and swing axis,
It has the effect that scanning over 360 degrees can be realized.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an ultrasonic probe according to a first embodiment of the first invention.
In FIG. 1A, an ultrasonic probe includes an element 1 for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves fixed to a rotor 2, a rotor 2 rotatably held by a rotating shaft 3 and a rotating shaft holding unit 4, and a rotating shaft. An arc-shaped rail 5 attached to the holding portion 4 and held rotatably with respect to the probe frame 7 by rollers 6
And rollers 6.

A motor (not shown) and signal transmission means such as a slip ring are provided inside the rotor 2 so that the rotation of the rotor 2 and the transmission and reception of signals to and from the element 1 can be performed. It has become.

FIG. 1B shows a state in which the scanning surface is tilted by the rotation of the rail 5. FIG. 1C shows a side view of FIG. 1A, and it can be understood that a wider scanning area is realized as compared with the configuration of the conventional example.

As is clear from the comparison between the scanning areas shown in FIGS. 1C and 5C, the scanning area of the ultrasonic probe having the variable scanning plane mechanism according to the present invention is shown in FIG. Since the support mechanism for the swing shaft 105 of the conventional configuration is not required, the area for the rotational scanning of the element 1 can be made wider than in the conventional method.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 2 shows the configuration of an ultrasonic probe according to a second embodiment of the first invention.
2A, the mechanism for rotating and scanning the ultrasonic element 11 is the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. FIG. 2 (A)
In, the frame of the ultrasonic probe is
The rails 15 provided in parallel to 17 are configured to be able to move in parallel by rollers 16.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, the ultrasonic element 11 fixed to the rotor 12 is a motor incorporated in the rotor 12.
(Not shown), and rotates about the rotation shaft 13 as a center axis. The rotating element 11 transmits an ultrasonic signal in accordance with a transmission signal from the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body via a signal transmission means such as a slip ring (not shown), and furthermore, a reflected signal from the human body is converted into an electric signal. Then, an ultrasonic tomographic image is drawn on the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body via the signal transmission means.

The above operation is the same as that of a conventional mechanical scanning type ultrasonic probe. The rotating shaft 13 is held by a rotating shaft holding unit 14, and a rail 15 is attached to the rotating shaft holding unit 14, and is movably held by three rollers 16 fixed to a probe frame 17. Moving the rail parallel to the probe frame 17 and
The element 11 can be rotated around the central axis 13.

In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the rail 5 is formed in an arc shape waiting for a curvature, but in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 11
It is possible to draw a tomographic image in which the cross section of the scanning by the rotation of the image is moved in parallel.

FIG. 2B shows a state where the scanning surface is moved in parallel with the frame 17 of the ultrasonic probe by the parallel movement of the rail 15. As can be seen from the second embodiment, by using the rails 15 as straight rails in parallel with the probe frame 17, a scanning section in which the scanning surface 18 is moved in parallel can be drawn. .

(Third Embodiment) FIG. 3 shows the configuration of an ultrasonic probe according to a first embodiment of the second invention.
In the first embodiment of the second invention, the mechanism and system for rotating and scanning the ultrasonic element are basically the same as those of the first invention, but in the second invention, FIG. The two fulcrums 25 provided on the rotating shaft holding part 24 shown in FIG. FIG. 3 (B)
Shows a state in which the scanning surface 27 is tilted by operating two levers.

Next, a first embodiment of the second invention will be described. In the first embodiment of the second invention shown in FIG.
By operating the two levers 26, it is possible to incline the rotation axis holding unit 24, and as a result, it is possible to incline the cross section 27 of the scan by the rotation of the ultrasonic element.

As described above, similarly to the first aspect of the present invention, the scanning surface can be changed without the need for the support mechanism of the swing shaft 105 having the conventional configuration shown in FIG. 21 rotation scan areas can be widened.

(Fourth Embodiment) FIG. 4 shows the configuration of an ultrasonic probe according to a second embodiment of the second invention.
The rotating shaft holding portion 34 is provided only on one of the rotating shafts 33, and holds the rotating shaft 33 by cantilever. The rotating shaft holding portion 34 is provided with fulcrums 35 at two places, and a lever 36 is connected.
FIG. 4B shows a state in which the scanning surface 37 is tilted by operating the two levers 36.

In the case of the second embodiment of the second invention, the rotation shaft 33 is held on one side, and there is no obstruction of the scanning region by the rotation shaft holding portion 34. Can be realized.

[0036]

As is clear from the description of the above embodiment, the first aspect of the present invention is to mount a rail on the rotating shaft holding portion and swingably hold the rail to the probe frame.
This has an important effect on ultrasonic diagnosis that a wide scanning area can be obtained.

Further, by forming the rail shape linearly, the ultrasonic tomographic plane can be moved in parallel with the probe frame, and the rail shape is required for ultrasonic diagnosis. By setting the shape according to the movement of the scanning plane, various movements of the scanning plane can be realized.

As a second aspect of the present invention, the rotary shaft holding portion is supported by two levers, and by operating the two levers,
By using a mechanism for tilting the scanning surface, it is possible to obtain a wide scanning area as in the first invention.

Further, in another embodiment of the second invention, when the rotating shaft holding portion for supporting the rotating shaft is of a cantilever type, the scanning region is not obstructed by the rotating shaft holding portion and the 360 ° scanning region is not obstructed. Can be realized.

The first and second aspects of the present invention are particularly applicable to a probe in which it is impossible to freely tilt the probe with respect to the human body in the case of an ultrasonic probe for scanning in a body cavity. As compared with the conventional method, the present embodiment has the effects of reducing the burden on the patient, shortening the diagnosis time, and improving the simplicity of the operation, in that a wide scanning area can be realized in the device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ultrasonic probe according to a first embodiment of the first invention,

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ultrasonic probe according to a second embodiment of the first invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ultrasonic probe according to the first embodiment of the second invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ultrasonic probe according to a second embodiment of the second invention,

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of an ultrasonic probe in a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 11, 21, 31, 101 element 2, 12, 22, 32, 102 rotor 3, 13, 23, 33, 103 rotating shaft 4, 14, 24, 34, 104 rotating shaft holding unit 5, 15 rail 6, 16 Roller 7, 17, 106 Frame 8, 18, 27, 37, 107 Scanning surface 25, 35 Support 26, 36 Lever 105 Swing axis

Claims (6)

[Claims] The present invention is characterized in that a rail is attached to a holding portion of an ultrasonic element that scans an ultrasonic wave, and has a mechanism for movably holding the rail with respect to a frame of an ultrasonic probe. Ultrasonic probe. 2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising: attaching a rail having a curvature to a holding portion of the ultrasonic element for scanning the ultrasonic wave, and having a mechanism rotatably held with respect to a frame of the ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein: 3. A rail parallel to a frame of an ultrasonic probe is attached to a holding portion of an ultrasonic element for scanning an ultrasonic wave, and the rail is held so as to be movable parallel to the frame of the ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic probe has a mechanism. 4. A rail to which an ultrasonic element is fixed is held movably with respect to the frame of the ultrasonic probe by at least three rollers fixed to the frame of the ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1. 5. An ultrasonic probe characterized in that an ultrasonic element section for scanning an ultrasonic wave is held by two levers and has a mechanism for tilting the element section by operation of the two levers. . 6. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 5, wherein a support portion for two levers is provided on one side surface of the ultrasonic element portion for scanning the ultrasonic wave.