JPS629339B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a body cavity probe, and more particularly to a body cavity probe in which an ultrasonic transducer is housed in a cylindrical case, and a method for manufacturing the same.

Typically, intrabody probes, such as oral intrabody probes, have a diameter of 10 mm to facilitate oral swallowing and avoid pain for the patient.
mm or less, and the length of the intracavity probe is 6 mm or less.
There is a restriction that it must be ~7 cm or less.
Under such constraints, a conventional intrabody probe housing an ultrasound transducer emits an array of ultrasound waves within a window provided to emit ultrasound waves in a fixed direction, as shown in Figure 1. A transducer 1 in which transducers are lined up is arranged, an acoustic damper 2 for absorbing ultrasonic waves is arranged on the opposite side of the ultrasonic transducer from the window side, and each transducer of the ultrasonic transducer is connected to a lead. It is configured to be electrically connected to each terminal of the cable supported by a support plate 4 fitted inside the intracorporeal probe via wires 3, and the support plate 4 with a diameter of 10 mm or less
Since each end of the cable and the lead wire 3 are electrically connected to each other by soldering, for example, there are only about 16 connection points on the support plate 5. It can only accommodate about 16 ultrasonic transducers. In this case, since the conventional intrabody cavity probe has a small number of transducers in the ultrasound transducer, it is not possible to obtain a clear ultrasound image, making it difficult to make an accurate medical diagnosis. In addition, conventional intrabody cavity probes are manufactured by connecting a large number of ultrasound transducers and cables via lead wires, for example, by soldering, which has the problem of extremely poor workability. There is also.

The present invention was made based on the above-mentioned circumstances, and includes a large number of ultrasonic transducers so that clear ultrasonic images can be obtained even though the diameter of the intracorporeal probe is 10 mm or less. The object of the present invention is to provide an intracorporeal probe and a method for manufacturing the same.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an intracorporeal probe according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, the intrabody cavity probe 10 is coated with a soft synthetic resin on the outside and has a window portion 1 on the circumferential surface near the tip.
An ultrasonic transducer 13 consisting of an array of transducers whose surfaces are coated with a coating agent such as epoxy resin in the window portion 12 is fitted into a cylindrical container 11 provided with a transducer 2.
The back surface of the ultrasonic transducer 13 is filled with a packing material 14 such as rubber for absorbing and blocking ultrasonic waves, and each of the arrayed ultrasonic transducers forming the ultrasonic transducer 13 is filled with a packing material 14 for absorbing and blocking ultrasonic waves. The FPC is electrically connected to a conductive layer on a flexible printed circuit board 15 (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as FPC board) along the circumferential side of FPC 14, and is connected to each ultrasonic transducer. A partial end of each conductive layer on the plate 15 is connected via a lead wire 16 to
A disk-shaped support plate 1 fitted into a cylindrical container 11
The remaining ends of each conductive layer on the FPC board 15, which are electrically connected to each end of the cable 18 supported by 17 and the inner surface of the cylindrical container 11, the cable 2 is inserted through the lead wire 16' and supported by a ring plate-shaped support plate 19 fitted inside the cylindrical container 11.
The cable 1 is electrically connected to each terminal of the cable 1.
8 is configured to be inserted into a ring of a ring plate-shaped support plate 19 and connected together with a cable 20 to a power source section (not shown). The intracorporeal probe 10 is connected to a flexible tube (not shown) by a known method, and the flexible tube is connected to an operating section (not shown).

When the intrabody cavity probe 10 is configured as described above, the remaining conductive layer that cannot be connected to the cable 18 via the lead wire 16 on the support plate 17 is leaded on the support plate 19 located behind the support plate 17. Since it can be connected to the cable 20 via the wire 16', a large number of cables can be built into a flexible tube (not shown), and therefore, a large number of ultrasonic transducers can be housed in the intracorporeal probe 10. can do. Then, when the intracorporeal probe having the above configuration is used, clear ultrasound images can be obtained and accurate medical diagnosis can be performed.

It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the one embodiment described above, and includes various modifications as long as they do not change the gist of the present invention.

Modifications will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an intrabody cavity probe according to a modification of the present invention. The intrabody cavity probe 30 shown in this figure is configured such that, for example, an endoscope (not shown) or a pipe for inflating a contact balloon can be inserted into and removed from its tip, and one embodiment shown in FIG. The difference is that an opening 32 is provided at the tip of the cylindrical container 31 to allow the endoscope and pipe to enter and exit, and the volume of the backing material 34 filled into the back of the ultrasonic transducer 33 is halved. A space through which the endoscope and pipe are inserted is provided in the cylindrical container 31, and the disk-shaped support plate in the embodiment described above is replaced with a ring-shaped support plate 35, and the cables 36 and 37 are connected to the cylindrical container 31. A space is provided along the inner surface of the tube through which the endoscope and pipe are inserted.

When the intrabody cavity probe 30 is configured as in the above-mentioned modification, an endoscope, a pipe for inflating a contact balloon, or the like can be inserted into the body cavity probe. Various medical procedures can be performed by moving various medical instruments in and out of the tip of the intracorporeal probe while viewing the sonic images.

Next, a method for manufacturing an intracorporeal probe, which is an embodiment of the present invention, will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 is a schematic process diagram showing a method for manufacturing the intracorporeal probe shown in FIG. 2. First, a plate-shaped ultrasonic transducer material 40 whose longitudinal cross section is comb-shaped as shown in FIG. 4a and a large number of conductive layers 4 are prepared.
1 and the ultrasonic transducer material 40.
Each FPC board 42 is prepared with a portion for placing the ultrasonic transducer material 40 on the FPC board 42 as shown in FIG.
Each comb tooth part of the ultrasonic transducer material 40 and the FPC board 4
The respective conductive layers 41 on 2 are electrically connected, for example, by soldering. Then, as shown in Figure 4c,
After fixing the part of the FPC board 42 to which the ultrasonic transducer material 40 is fixed to a cylindrical backing material 43 that is approximately equal to the inner diameter of the cylindrical container forming the mantle of the intracorporeal probe, the conductive layer on the FPC board 42 is fixed. 41 is wrapped around the circumferential side of the cylindrical backing material 43 and pasted, and then the ultrasonic transducer material 40 is cut between the comb teeth to form a plate-shaped ultrasonic transducer material 40. The sonic transducer material 40 is divided into a large number of parallel ultrasonic transducers 40a in the form of strips. Then, as shown in FIG. 4d, the conductive layer 41 on the FPC board 42 is connected to the lead wire 4.
4, it is electrically connected to an end of a cable 46 supported by a disk-shaped support plate 45 having a diameter approximately equal to the inner diameter of the cylindrical container forming the mantle of the intracorporeal probe. After that, as shown in FIG. 4e, the cable 46 is inserted into the ring of a ring plate-shaped support plate 47 having an outer diameter approximately equal to that of the support plate 45, and the support plate 47 is attached to the support plate 45. The conductive layer 41 on the FPC board 42, which was located nearby and was not electrically connected to the end of the cable 46, is connected to the cable 48 supported by the ring plate-shaped support plate 47 via the lead wire 44a. electrically connect to the terminal. Finally, the ultrasonic transducer 40 formed in the above steps is placed in a cylindrical container (not shown) provided with a window portion that exposes the ultrasonic transducer.
a, an FPC board 42, a backing material 43, lead wires 44, 44a, and support plates 45, 47 are housed and fixed in position to construct an intracorporeal probe as shown in FIG.

According to the manufacturing method of the intrabody cavity probe as described above, an FPC board is used, and after connecting a conductive layer on the FPC board to a single rectangular ultrasound transducer material, the ultrasound transducer material is divided. Since a large number of rectangular ultrasonic transducers are formed using the conventional method, the complicated work of connecting lead wires to each of the plurality of rectangular ultrasonic transducers one by one is omitted, which improves work efficiency. be able to.

The configuration of the present invention has been described above in detail, but according to the present invention, the following effects can be achieved. In other words, even though the intrabody cavity probe of the present invention has an outer diameter of about 10 mm, by providing a large number of ring plate-shaped support plates, it is possible to electrically connect a large number of cable terminals and a large number of ultrasonic transducers. Because it can be connected, it is possible to obtain clear and fine-grained ultrasound images that were previously impossible to obtain. Therefore, when using the intrabody cavity probe of the present invention,
Be able to make accurate medical diagnoses. In addition, if the intrabody cavity probe of the present invention is configured so that an endoscope, cannula, or other medical instrument can be inserted by making all the support plates ring-shaped, it is possible to insert the probe into the body cavity while viewing an ultrasound image. Sample collection, etc. can be carried out. Furthermore, according to the method for manufacturing an intracorporeal probe of the present invention, workability in manufacturing an intracorporeal probe is very good, and
Since an FPC board is used, incorrect wiring during work can be prevented.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a conventional intrabody cavity probe, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a body cavity probe according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a modified version of the present invention. A partially cutaway perspective view showing an example of an intracorporeal probe and FIG. 4 are schematic process diagrams showing one manufacturing method of an intracorporeal probe that is an embodiment of the present invention. 10... Intrabody probe, 13... Ultrasonic transducer,
15...Printed circuit board, 17, 19...Support plate, 1
8, 20... Cable, 40... Ultrasonic transducer material, 4
1... Conductive layer, 42... Printed circuit board, 43... Backing material, 45, 47... Support plate, 46, 48...
cable.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. At least an intracorporeal probe housing a plurality of ultrasound transducers in a cylindrical container, including a flexible printed circuit board having a number of conductive layers corresponding to the number of ultrasound transducers. and a plurality of support plates supporting cable terminals, one end of each conductive layer on the flexible printed circuit board is connected to each of the ultrasonic transducers, and each other end of each conductive layer is connected to a plurality of blocks. An intrabody cavity probe characterized in that each divided block is connected to the other end of the conductive layer and a cable terminal supported by each support plate. 2. The support plate is composed of a first support plate and a second support plate, and the first support plate located closest to the ultrasonic transducer has a disk shape, and the second support plate has a ring plate shape. The intrabody cavity probe according to item 1. 3. The intrabody cavity probe according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of support plates has a ring plate shape. 4. At least, in the manufacturing method of an intracorporeal probe that stores multiple ultrasound transducers in a cylindrical container, a number of parallel cuts are made in a comb-like shape on one side so that the ultrasound transducers can be divided into multiple ultrasound transducers. After connecting one end of each conductive layer on a flexible printed circuit board to each of the comb-shaped end faces of the rectangular ultrasonic transducer material, the rectangular ultrasonic transducer material is fixed to the backing material. Then, the rectangular ultrasonic transducer material is divided into a large number of ultrasonic transducers by cutting each comb tooth, and the other end of each conductive layer on the printed circuit board is divided into blocks. 1. A method for manufacturing an intrabody cavity probe, characterized in that each probe is connected to an end of a cable supported by a plurality of support plates.