JPS6148951B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a scanning device for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

[Technical background of the invention]

In a conventional device of this type, an ultrasonic probe 1 is housed and supported in a case 2, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. The ultrasonic probe 1 and the case 2 can be rotated about the central axis 3, and can assume positions such as the ultrasonic probe 1a and the case 2a, respectively. Between the ultrasonic wave emitting surface side 4 of the ultrasound probe 1 and the subject 5, there is a viscous material applied to the imaging area of the subject 5, for example, the area where the heart 7 is imaged through between the ribs 6. An ultrasonic transmission medium 8 is interposed. A groove is provided in the portion of the case 2 on the ultrasonic emission surface side, and a thick packing 10 formed at one end of the flexible member 9 is fitted into this groove. Also, a thick packing 11 is formed on the other end of the flexible member 9. A ring 12 having a groove into which the packing 11 is fitted is threaded, and the housing 13 and the ring 12 are engaged. The flexible member 9 and the packings 10 and 11 formed thickly at both ends of the flexible member prevent the ultrasonic transmission medium 8 from entering the housing 13 and are connected to the internal space of the housing. Since the space in which ultrasonic waves are emitted is separated, the ultrasonic transmission medium 8
does not adhere to various parts inside the housing 13.

[Problems with background technology]

In such a conventional device, the ultrasonic transmission medium 8 flows out due to the vibration of the ultrasonic wave emitting surface side 4, so that air to which ultrasonic waves are not transmitted intervenes on the emitting surface side 4. Therefore, there is a problem that long-time scanning cannot be performed.

[Purpose of the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic scanning device that can perform long-time scanning while preventing the ultrasonic transmission medium from flowing out.

[Summary of the invention]

To achieve this object, the present invention provides an ultrasonic probe that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves, a housing that surrounds at least the side of the ultrasonic probe, and an internal space of the housing that allows the ultrasonic waves to be emitted. a flexible member having one end joined to the peripheral edge of the ultrasonic probe and the other end joined to the side surface of the housing so as to separate the space from which the ultrasound is emitted; The device is characterized by comprising a lid member attached to a side surface of the housing so as to form a closed space into which an ultrasonic transmission medium is placed.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing one embodiment of the present invention. Note that the same parts as in FIG. 2 are given the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations are omitted.

In the figure, a lid member 21 is engaged with a screw 14 cut in the housing 13. An opening 22 is provided in the center of the lid member 21 to transmit ultrasonic pulses. In addition, the lid member 2
A thin film 23 made of, for example, nitrile rubber and having good ultrasonic transmittance is baked onto the surface of 1 so as to cover the opening 22 . The inside of the lid member 21 is filled with a low-viscosity ultrasonic transmission medium 24 such as water, castor oil, liquid paraffin, or the like.
This ultrasonic transmission medium 24 is inserted into a packing 2 inserted near the engagement portion between the housing 13 and the lid member 21.
5 and thick packing 1 on both ends
The housing is sealed by a flexible member 9 having a diameter of 0 and 11 so as not to leak inside or outside the housing. Therefore, the ultrasonic transmission medium 24 does not adhere to the inside of the housing. Further, even if the ultrasonic scanning device is strongly pressed against the surface of the subject 5, the ultrasonic probe 1 will not hit the subject 5, and the rotational scanning of the ultrasonic probe 1 will be easy. In addition, the lid member 2
1 is also easy to install because it uses a screw mechanism.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the ultrasonic transmission medium is sealed by the flexible member and the lid member, so that it does not leak out. Therefore, it is possible to provide an ultrasonic scanning device that can scan for a long time because air does not intervene between the ultrasonic emission surface and the patient.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, ultrasonic transmission media with low viscosity such as water, castor oil, and liquid paraffin can also be used.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a conventional ultrasonic scanning device. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1a... Ultrasonic probe, 2, 2a... Case, 9... Flexible member, 10, 11, 25... Packing, 12... Ring, 13... Housing, 21... Lid member , 23...Thin film.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic probe that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves; a housing that surrounds at least the side surface of the ultrasonic probe;
A flexible tube having one end joined to the peripheral edge of the ultrasonic probe and the other end joined to the side surface of the housing so as to separate the internal space of the housing from the space in which the ultrasonic waves are emitted. 1. An ultrasonic scanning device comprising: a flexible member; and a lid member attached to a side surface of the housing so as to form an enclosed space in which an ultrasonic transmission medium is placed in a space from which the ultrasonic waves are emitted.