JPS5990554A - Ultrasonic probe - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention detects the presence or absence of disease within a living body using ultrasonic pulses.
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe used in an ultrasonic diagnostic device for observing shapes.

Configuration of conventional examples and their problems Ultrasonic probes (hereinafter referred to as "probes") are responsible for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, and generally consist of a vibrator made of piezoelectric material and an acoustic matching device installed in front of it. It consists of a material, an acoustic lens, or a back load material, a casing that encloses these materials, and a couple that connects to a transceiver. The ultrasonic waves excited by the transducer pass through an acoustic matching layer and an acoustic lens provided in front of the transducer to the surface that contacts the subject (this is called "
Ultrasonic echoes from the subject reach the transducer via the opposite path.

Depending on the purpose of use, there are two types of probes: an array type probe in which a large number of microscopic vibrators are arranged, and a single type probe in which a single disk-shaped piezoelectric plate is used. Array type probes are used for linear electronic scanning type ultrasound diagnostic equipment or sector type electronic scanning type ultrasound diagnostic equipment, and single type probes are used for single manual scanning or mechanical scanning type ultrasound diagnostic equipment. It is being

Most of these types of probes are held in the hand and applied to the area to be examined for diagnosis, but they may be accidentally dropped on the floor or hit a hard, sharp object in the surrounding area. At that time,
In particular, impact applied to the transducer surface that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves can lead to damage to the transducer surface, and a falling accident can be fatal for the probe. To solve this problem, attempts have been made to improve the shape of the probe, attach a belt to the probe to prevent it from falling, and support the cable with an arm. If it was dropped, it would inevitably be damaged.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention was made to solve one or more of the problems, and involves exposing the transducer surface of a probe only when the probe is held in the hand.

An object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic probe that has good operability and can protect the transducer surface from impact even if the probe is dropped.

Structure of the Invention In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a protection jig that protects the transducer surface of the probe, and an opening/closing mechanism that controls opening and closing of the protection part by this protection jig. The opening/closing mechanism operates only when the probe is in hand, and the protective jig retreats to expose the transducer surface.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Below, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to drawings. FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b) are configuration diagrams for explaining the operation of an embodiment of the probe of the present invention. The opening and opening states of the protection mechanism are shown respectively. The probe 1 includes a housing 2, a transducer surface 3 provided in a part of the housing 2, a protection jig 4 for protecting the transducer surface 3, and an opening/closing mechanism for opening and closing the protection jig 4. The operation of the protection mechanism is such that when the probe 1 is grasped, the button 6 to which finger force is applied pulls up the cam 6, and the stopper 8 is cut by the protrusion 7 and the protrusion 9 of the stopper 8. Removed from 1o. The stopper 8 and the notch 1o are for stopping the protective jig 4 when the protective jig 4 is pushed by an external force.
is pulled up after the stop 8 has disengaged from the notch 10 due to the loose connection point 11.

Next, FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are block diagrams illustrating the operation of another embodiment of the present invention, each showing the open/opened state of the protection mechanism. The basic configuration and operation are exactly the same as the above embodiments. However, in this embodiment, instead of the above embodiment which directly utilizes the force of the fingers.

The button 5 is replaced with a switch 12, and an electric power source 13 such as an electromagnetic lens or a motor is used as the power source, and the switch 12 opens and closes an electric circuit to operate the device.

In the embodiments described above, it is desirable to arrange the button 5 or switch 12 at the part where the fingers touch when gripping the device.

- Also, the mounting method and shape of the protective jig 4 are as shown in Fig. 3(a) in the case of a linear electron scanning type ultrasonic diagnostic probe.
(G)) to Figure 6 (B)) and (b) are considered, and the probes for fan-shaped electronic scanning type ultrasound diagnostic equipment and the probes for manual scanning type ultrasound diagnostic equipment are considered. In this case, Fig. 6 (
iL), (b) to Figure 8 (a), (b) OJ:
Unamo Oka thought, t. Each figure (a) and (b) shows a perspective view of the protection mechanism in an open/open state.

The protective jig 4 shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) is a frame-shaped piece installed around the transducer surface 3 of the probe 1. When not in use, the protective jig 4 is attached to the transducer surface. It is lowered below the surface 3, and when in use, the protective jig 4 is pulled up to make the vibrator surface 3 protrude. The protective jig 4 shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) is provided on the front surface of the vibrator surface 3 so as to cover it, and is flipped up to the side when in use. (b)
Similarly, the protection jig 4 is flipped up to both sides to expose the vibrator surface 3. Figure 6 (a), (b
3(a) and (b), a protective jig 4 is provided around the vibrator surface 3, and when in use, this is pulled up to make the vibrator surface 3 protrude. Figure 7e), (
b) is similar to FIGS. 4(a) and (b), the transducer surface 3
A protective jig 4 is provided on the front surface of the vibrator, and when in use, this jig is flipped up to expose the vibrator surface 3. Figure 8(a)
, (b) covers the vibrator surface 3 with a protective jig 4 divided into four parts, which is opened during use.

As described in detail, the probe according to the present invention includes a protective jig for protecting the transducer surface of the probe, an opening/closing mechanism section, and a driving section. Since the protective jig can only be opened when the user picks up the transducer, there is no loss of operability, and even if the probe is dropped due to carelessness, the transducer surface will not be damaged. Accidents can be prevented.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIGS. 1(a) and (b) are front views showing one embodiment of the probe of the present invention, and FIGS. 2(a) and (b) are front views showing another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 (a), Monkey) to Figure 6 (
a) and (b) are perspective views showing respective embodiments in which a protection jig is provided on a probe for a linear electronic scanning ultrasound diagnostic device, and FIGS. 6(a), (b) to 8(a) ) and (b) are perspective views showing respective embodiments in which a protection jig is provided on a fan-shaped probe for an electronic scanning ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. 1...Probe, 2...-Housing, 3...
... vibrator surface. 4...Protective jig, 5...Push button,
6...Cam, 7.9...Protrusion, 8...
... Stopper 1o ... Notch, 11.
...Connection point, 12...Switch, 13.
...Electrical power source (renoid). Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person
Figure 1 (α) Figure 2 (α) I ←- (b) Figure 3 (0L) c'b) Figure 4 (α) tb
) Figure 5 (α) ('b) J
j Figure 6 (a,)
/bノ(α)
(b) Figure 8 (α) (b) 2F

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A vibrator whose surface forms part of the surface of a housing, and a protection jig that protects the surface of the vibrator. An opening/closing mechanism part housed in the casing and controlling opening/closing of the protection part by the protection jig, and a drive part provided in a part of the casing and driving the opening/closing mechanism part. Ultrasonic probe. (2) The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the opening/closing mechanism section controls opening/closing of the protection section by means of a pressing force applied to the drive section. (3) The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the opening/closing mechanism section has an electric circuit that controls opening and closing of the protection section, and the drive section is a switch that opens and closes the electric circuit.