JPS6311934Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe used in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

An ultrasonic probe (hereinafter simply referred to as a probe) is composed of an array of numerous ultrasonic vibration microelements (hereinafter simply referred to as vibration microelements), and in order to drive these vibration microelements, it is necessary to connect electrode leads to each vibration microelement. Conventionally, electrode leads have been attached to the fine vibration microelements by bonding or the like, but this method has the drawback of requiring a great deal of work time and producing many defective probes. In order to solve this problem, the applicant filed a patent application on November 2, 1979,
We have filed a patent application for a probe that uses a conductive adhesive instead of the conventional bonding method, and this invention relates to an improvement on this.

FIG. 1 is an external view showing the structure of the probe before it is improved according to the present invention.

In Fig. 1, 1 is a vibrating micro-element, and after gluing a plate of a large vibrator member to a backing material, the first
As shown in the figure, it is cut into thin strip-shaped vibrating microelements. 1a is a vibration material such as PZT
(Lead zirconate titanate)-based material,
1b and 1c are electrode surfaces provided on both sides of the vibrating material 1a. 2 is a backing material which has the effect of absorbing ultrasonic waves directed toward the back side of the array of vibrating micro elements. 3 is a printed board, on one side of the insulating substrate 3a, a plurality of conductive patterns 3b are provided, and the patterns 3b serve as electrode leads. 4 and 5 are conductive adhesives. The layer (containing conductive paint, etc.) is a printed board 6, and an electrode surface 6b made of copper, silver, etc. is provided on one surface of an insulating substrate 6a. 7 and 8 are the first holding members.
It is attached to the printed boards 3 and 6 along the area where the conductive adhesive layer is to be provided as shown in the figure.

The probe shown in FIG. 1 configured in this way is
The electrode surface 1b of each vibrating microelement 1 and the pattern 3b of the printed board 3 are connected through the conductive adhesive layers 4 and 5, and the electrode surface 1c and the pattern 6b of the printed board 6 are connected. Therefore, although the probe can be manufactured without requiring a large amount of work time due to conventional bonding, there is a problem with the adhesive effect of the conductive adhesive layer. That is, although the conductive adhesive layer is an adhesive material having conductivity, its adhesive effect is inferior to that of ordinary non-conductive adhesives. In particular, in the probe shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of adjacent vibrating microelements (for example, five) are defined as one group, and each pattern of the electrode surface 1b of the vibrating microelements and the printed board 3 constituting this one group is 3b
Since the conductive adhesive layer 4 is cut into each group as described above so that they are connected to each other, the adhesive effect is further weakened. That is, the conductive adhesive layer 4
As shown in FIG. 1, the bonding effect is weakened because the cut portion is formed at a pitch (for example, five) larger than the arrangement pitch of the vibrating microelements. As a result, when an impact is applied to the probe or when temperature changes are repeatedly applied, there is a risk that the electrode surface 1b of each vibrating microelement and the conductive adhesive layer 4 will peel off.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a probe showing an embodiment of the present invention. The difference between FIG. 2 and FIG. 1 is that side plates are provided along the conductive adhesive layers 4 and 5, and the non-conductive adhesive is composed of the side plates and the conductive adhesive layer. It was poured into the recess where it was poured. In addition, in Figure 2, the cutting grooves between each vibrating micro-element are enlarged compared to Figure 1 so that the bonded parts of the non-conductive adhesive according to the present invention can be clearly seen. be. That is, in the probe of FIG. 2, side plates 9 and 10 are fixed to holding members 7 and 8 along conductive adhesive layers 4 and 5, respectively. After that, a non-conductive adhesive 11 is applied to the recess formed by the side plate 9 and the conductive adhesive layer 4, and the recess formed by the side plate 10 and the conductive adhesive layer 5.
12 to obtain the probe shown in Figure 2. The rest of the configuration is exactly the same as that in FIG. 1, so the same element numbers are given and a redundant explanation thereof will be omitted.

In the probe shown in FIG. 2, a non-conductive adhesive is provided between the fixed side plates 9 and 10 and the conductive adhesive layers 4 and 5, and this non-conductive adhesive 11 and 12 have the effect of being a filler, thereby preventing the conductive adhesive layer from peeling off from the electrode surface of the vibrating microelement.

Also, in Fig. 2, an example is shown in which the side plates 9, 10 are fixed to the holding members 7, 8, but after pouring the non-conductive adhesive 11, 12 and solidifying it, the side plates 9, 10 are removed. Even if it is removed, the effectiveness of this invention will not be lost. That is, the non-conductive adhesive 11,
As shown in FIG. 2, the adhesive 12 flows into the cutting groove between each vibrating micro-element and solidifies in this portion as well, thereby preventing the conductive adhesive layer from peeling off from the electrode surface of the vibrating micro-element. It should be noted that the non-conductive adhesive flowing into the cutting grooves between the vibrating micro elements can sufficiently prevent peeling by simply flowing into the ends of the cutting grooves as shown in FIG.

As described above, according to the present invention, by simply applying a non-conductive adhesive having a strong adhesive effect to the surface of a conventional conductive adhesive layer, the electrode surface of the vibrating micro-element and the conductive It is possible to prevent peeling from the adhesive layer, and the effect is extremely large.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a conventional contactor, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a probe according to the present invention. 1... Vibration fine element, 1a... Vibration material, 1b,
1c... Electrode surface, 2... Backing material, 3, 6...
... Printed board, 4, 5 ... Conductive adhesive layer, 7,
8... Pressing member, 9, 10... Side plate, 11, 12
...Non-conductive adhesive.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] a bucking material, a vibrating fine element having two electrode surfaces and arranged in an array on one surface of the bucking material, a side surface of the bucking material facing near one end of the vibrating fine element; a printed board having a plurality of electrode lead patterns mounted in a manner such that the vibrating fine elements are arranged so that some of the vibrating fine elements that are adjacent to each other are electrically connected to the electrode lead patterns as one group; a conductive adhesive layer having a cut portion formed with a pitch larger than the pitch and provided at a portion where one electrode surface of the vibrating microelement and the printed board face each other; and a surface of the conductive adhesive layer. Ultrasonic transducer with non-conductive adhesive, covering.