JPS6182160A - Ultrasonic flaw detector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To diagnose objects of detection in various shapes by arraying plural ultrasonic probes which each has a matching layer on one surface of a piezoelectric plate across an electrode and an ultrasonic probe provided with a reverse surface load on the other surface across an electrode, and providing a curvature in the array direction on the whole. CONSTITUTION:An ultrasonic probe 62 is provided with the matching layer 33 on one surface of the piezoelectric plate 13 across the electrode and the reverse-surface load 43 on the other surface across the electrode 23. Then, a plane is formed at right angles to the array direction of ultrasonic probes 62, which have curvature in the array direction on the whole. Consequently, sufficient contact with the object of detection is obtained and an ultrasonic diagnosis of objects of inspection in various shapes is taken.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an improvement in the shape of an ultrasonic probe such as a non-destructive testing device or an ultrasonic diagnostic device using ultrasonic waves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Ultrasonic probes are used in non-destructive testing equipment that utilizes ultrasonic waves. A typical conventional ultrasonic probe is shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, 1 is a piezoelectric plate, 2 is an electrode, 3 is a matching layer such as a wave plate, 4 is a back load generally called a damper, and 5 is a lead wire. Examples of the piezoelectric plate 1 include piezoelectric ceramics such as PZT, crystal, and LiNbO3.
Piezoelectric crystals such as The matching layer 3 and damper 4 are typically made of a resin such as epoxy mixed with an appropriate amount of tungsten powder. When a high frequency electric pulse is applied to the electrodes 2 provided on both sides of the piezoelectric plate 1 via the lead wire 6, the high frequency electric pulse is converted into an ultrasonic wave and becomes an ultrasonic pulse. The above-mentioned ultrasonic pulse travels through the subject and hits the subject to produce a reflected pulse. This reflected pulse is again converted into an ultrasonic electric pulse by the piezoelectric plate 1 and detected.

As representative electronic scanning ultrasound tomographic image display methods using the ultrasound probes described above, the fan-shaped electronic scanning method and the linear electronic scanning method are known. First, in the fan-shaped electronic scanning method, multiple ultrasound probes are lined up on one plane, and a signal is given to each ultrasound probe with a delay amount so that the direction of travel of the ultrasound beam changes to a fan shape at a sufficiently far distance. When receiving reflected ultrasound from an object to be reflected, which is the driving method, the same amount of delay as the transmission delay is applied to the output of each ultrasound probe, and these are combined.

Furthermore, in the linear (translational) single-child scanning method, a plurality of, for example, N, ultrasonic probes are arranged to form an ultrasonic probe. Of these N pieces, n pieces are set as one set, and the first to n pieces are operated at first, and the reflected sound is received by the same ultrasonic probe. Next, n units from the second to (n+1) are operated to receive the reflected sound. In this way, a set of n ultrasonic probes is shifted one by one to emit ultrasonic waves and perform scanning.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a conventional linear electronic scanning ultrasonic probe, and 6 is the ultrasonic probe shown in FIG. 11
21 is a piezoelectric plate, 21 is an electrode, 31 is a matching layer, and 41 is a backside load. As shown in the figure, a plurality of ultrasonic probes 6 are arranged to form an ultrasonic/wave probe. ing.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention When the linear electronic scanning type ultrasound probe shown in Fig. 3 is used for ultrasound diagnosis, for example, when examining a region with elasticity such as the abdomen, it is necessary to Although it is possible to obtain close contact with the probe, in the case of the chest, it is difficult to obtain close contact between the subject and the ultrasound probe because it has relatively poor elasticity.

Furthermore, when obtaining a tomographic image of the heart or the like by bringing an ultrasonic probe into contact between the ribs along the ribs, the ribs get in the way, making it impossible to obtain a tomographic image with a wide field of view.

If the object to be examined and the ultrasonic probe are not in close contact with each other, it will be difficult to send the ultrasonic pulses from the ultrasonic probe into the object with a constant intensity, and therefore a stable output signal will not be obtained. There were no problems.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and aims to achieve complete contact with the subject and obtain stable output signals and wide-field tomographic images for subjects of various shapes. It is something to do.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention achieves the above object, and its technical means is to provide an ultrasonic wave generator having a matching layer on the front side of a piezoelectric plate sandwiched between electrodes on both sides and a rear side load on the back side. Provided is an ultrasonic probe in which a plurality of probes are arranged, a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the ultrasound probes is a plane, and the entire arrangement direction has a curvature. .

Function The present invention has a configuration in which the direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the plurality of ultrasound probes is a plane and has a curvature in the arrangement direction, which improves the adhesion with the subject and allows a wide field of view from a narrow area. can be seen.

Example Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an ultrasonic probe according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a is a perspective view and b is a cross-sectional view in the A-person' direction. In the figure, 62 is an ultrasonic probe, 13 is a piezoelectric plate, 23 is an electrode, 33 is a matching layer, and 43 is a backside load.

The ultrasound probe of this embodiment has a configuration in which the direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the ultrasound probes 62 is a flat surface, and the entire ultrasound probe has a curvature in the arrangement direction. This is effective when the shape of the contact area with the probe is not flat but curved. If the contact area of the test object with the probe is uneven and the probe does not come into close contact with the test object even if the probe is crimped to the test object, the probe should be adjusted according to the unevenness of the test object surface. The contact surface of the contactor with the test object has a curvature.

In particular, in this embodiment, the ultrasonic probe 62 has a curvature that matches the irregularities of the subject, and the piezoelectric plate 13 also has a curvature that matches the irregularities of the subject.

With this configuration, sufficient close contact with the subject can be obtained, and stable output signals can be obtained for subjects of various shapes.

In this case, the drawing shows a case in which the entire ultrasound probe has a concave curvature, but it goes without saying that the entire ultrasound probe may have a convex curvature. This improves the adhesion of the image, making it possible to obtain tomographic images with a wide field of view from a narrow area, and making it possible to perform ultrasonic diagnosis of objects of various shapes.

Effects of the Invention In short, the present invention arranges a plurality of ultrasonic probes each having a matching layer on one side of a piezoelectric plate via an electrode and a backside load via an electrode on the other side of the piezoelectric plate. The ultrasonic probe is flat in the direction perpendicular to the array direction and has a curvature in the entire array direction, which allows for sufficient close contact with the object and allows for ultrasonic waves from objects of various shapes. It has the advantage of being able to perform diagnosis.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1a is a perspective view of an ultrasonic probe according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG.
The figure is a sectional view of a typical conventional ultrasonic probe constituting an ultrasonic probe, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the conventional ultrasonic probe. 13... Piezoelectric plate, 23... Electrode, 33
...Matching layer, 43...Back side load.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A plurality of ultrasonic probes having a matching layer on the front side of a piezoelectric plate sandwiched between electrodes on both sides and a backside load on the back side are arranged, and a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the ultrasonic probes is a flat surface. , an ultrasonic probe characterized in that the entire arrangement direction has a curvature.