KR101053286B1 - Ultrasonic probes and ultrasonic diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a piezoelectric transducer comprising: a plurality of piezoelectric elements having a piezoelectric arrangement arranged to be scanned in a fixed direction of a sound wave; and a linear array transducer in which the piezoelectric elements are formed on the first backing material; And a phased array transducer in which a plurality of piezoelectric elements each having a piezoelectric arrangement in which sound waves are steerably scanned in accordance with a traveling direction and a depth, and a phased array transducer in which the piezoelectric elements are formed on a second backing material, The transducer and the phased array transducer may be formed by adhering to each other.

Description

[0001] Ultrasonic Probes and Ultrasonic Diagnostic Apparatus [0002]

The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe used for transmitting an ultrasonic wave to a subject such as a living body or receiving ultrasonic waves from a subject's chest, and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus to which the ultrasonic probe is applied.

Generally, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus irradiates an ultrasonic wave into a subject of a living body such as a person or an animal, detects an echo signal reflected in the living body, displays a tomographic image of the in vivo tissue on a monitor, Provide the necessary information.

At this time, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe for transmitting ultrasonic waves into the subject and receiving an echo signal from the inside of the subject.

In addition, the ultrasonic probe includes a transducer mounted internally and converting an ultrasonic signal into an electric signal. In general, the transducer includes a plurality of ultrasonic oscillators.

Accordingly, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having such a configuration radiates an ultrasonic wave to a subject, converts the reflected ultrasonic signal into an electric signal, transmits the electric signal to the image processing apparatus, and then transmits the image through the signal received from the image processing apparatus .

The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus using the ultrasonic probe is useful for medical purposes such as the detection of foreign substances in the living body, the measurement of the degree of injury, the observation of the tumor, and the observation of the fetus.

However, in ultrasonic diagnosis, ultrasonic waves having a high frequency tend to be attenuated, but it is easy to obtain a good orientation resolving ability, and ultrasonic waves having a relatively low frequency tend to reach the deep portion, but have a property of easily degrading the orientation resolving ability.

Therefore, the user must use a probe suitable for the desired test, so that it is cumbersome to use a different probe depending on the application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic probe and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in which an examiner can use a probe having a desired function without replacing the probe.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a piezoelectric transducer comprising a plurality of piezoelectric elements having a piezoelectric arrangement arranged to be scanned in a direction in which sound waves are fixed, and a linear array transducer in which the piezoelectric elements are formed on the first backing material. ; And a phased array transducer in which a plurality of piezoelectric elements each having a piezoelectric arrangement in which sound waves are steerably scanned in accordance with a direction and a depth, and a phased array transducer in which the piezoelectric elements are formed on a second backing material, And the phased array transducer are formed by adhering to each other.

Further, in the ultrasonic probe according to the present invention, the linear array transducer and the phased array transducer may divide each of the piezoelectric bodies on the first and second backing materials so that a plurality of piezoelectric elements are provided.

Further, in the ultrasonic probe according to the present invention, the first backing material at the rear end of the piezoelectric element of the linearly arrayed transducer and the second backing material at the rear end of the piezoelectric element of the phased array transducer may be configured to increase the attenuation at the center frequency.

Further, the ultrasonic probe according to the present invention may further include a matching unit formed on the surface of the linear array transducer and the phased array transducer.

Further, the ultrasonic probe according to the present invention may further include a switch unit for controlling the linear array transducer and the phased array transducer.

The ultrasonic probe according to the present invention may further comprise a system body having a linear array transducer of the ultrasonic probe and a switch unit for controlling the phased array transducer.

In the ultrasonic probe according to the present invention, the switch unit may operate at least one of the linear array transducer and the phased array transducer.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: a linear array transducer having a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged on a first backing material and having a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged in a direction in which sound waves are fixed; And a phased array transducer in which the piezoelectric elements are formed on the second backing material, wherein the linear array transducer and the phased array transducer are formed by adhering to each other Ultrasonic probe; A driving unit for receiving and transmitting a sound wave provided from the ultrasonic probe; And an image processor for generating an image corresponding to the sound wave signal.

In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, the linear array transducer and the phased array transducer divide each of the piezoelectric bodies on the first backing member and the second backing member such that a plurality of piezoelectric elements are provided can do.

Further, in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, the first backing material positioned below the linearly arraying piezoelectric element and the second backing material positioned below the phase arraying piezoelectric material attenuate sound waves generated from the plurality of piezoelectric elements can do.

Further, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention may further comprise a matching unit formed on the surface of the linear array transducer and the phased array transducer.

Further, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention may further include a switch unit for controlling the linear array transducer and the phased array transducer.

Further, the switch unit of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention may be configured to operate at least one of the linear array transducer and the phased array transducer.

The ultrasonic probe according to the present invention includes a linear array transducer and a phased array transducer so that a user can selectively use a desired function, thereby providing convenience in diagnosis.

For example, a linear array transducer is used to implement a high resolution image in a fixed depth direction, and a phased array transducer changes the direction and depth of a sound wave, so a linear array transducer It is possible to inspect an area which can not be inspected with the inspection.

In addition, the ultrasonic probe and the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention divide one piezoelectric body into a plurality of piezoelectric elements, and attach a plurality of piezoelectric elements to one backing material, so that the workability is improved compared to the conventional one.

The ultrasonic probe and the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. FIG. Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventive concept. Other embodiments falling within the scope of the inventive concept may readily be suggested, but are also considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram for explaining driving of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view for explaining an ultrasonic transducer accommodated in the ultrasonic probe of FIG. 2; FIG.

1 and 2, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 10 according to the present invention includes an ultrasonic probe 100, a control unit 103, a driving unit 101, an image processing unit 102, and a display device 104 .

The control unit 103 may output a command signal to the driving unit 101 to cause the ultrasonic probe 100 to transmit ultrasonic waves for imaging.

In addition, the control unit 103 may include various storage devices such as a semiconductor memory and a hard disk drive. Therefore, the image data transmitted from the image processing unit 102 can be stored.

At this time, the control unit 103 can also store various parameters such as a program for operating the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, a sound line used in the program, and a distance to the object to be imaged.

The driving unit 101 can be realized by using an electric / electronic circuit. The driving unit 101 generates and transmits a driving signal for driving the ultrasonic probe 100 so that a sound line is formed in response to a command signal from the control unit 103.

The driving unit 101 serves to output an echo signal relating to the information of the inspected object generated by the ultrasonic probe 100 to the image processing unit 102. [

The image processing unit 102 generates an image of the subject on the basis of the transmitted echo signal and instructs the display device 104 to display the generated image in response to an instruction from the control unit 103. [ At this time, the display device 104 can be applied to a CRT, a liquid crystal display panel, or the like.

Therefore, the ultrasonic probe 100 according to the present embodiment is mounted on the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having such a structure to realize an image of the object to be imaged, and the ultrasonic probe 100 according to the present embodiment has an effect of excellent signal sensitivity have.

3 and 4, the ultrasonic probe 100 includes a body 110, a phased array transducer 120, a linear array transducer 130, and a switch unit 140.

The body 110 is configured to receive the phased array transducer 120 and the linearly arrayed transducer 130 therein and is preferably constructed in a shape that is convenient for the general user to hold and operate. However, the shape of the body 110 can be variously designed according to the designer's intention.

At this time, the front surface of the body 110 may be formed in a partially opened shape to generate ultrasonic waves in the phased array transducer 120 and the linearly arranged transducer 130, and a phased array transducer The external device and the cable 112 can be connected to each other so that signals provided from the linear array transducer 120 and the linear array transducer 130 can be transmitted to the outside.

The phased array transducer 120 is attached side by side with the linear array transducer 130 and applies an adhesive such as an adhesive epoxy to the linear array transducer 130 to attach them to each other. However, the material of the adhesive is not limited thereto.

The phased array transducer 120 includes a piezoelectric body 122 for causing the pulses generated in each piezoelectric element to proceed with a phase difference and the piezoelectric element 122 for phase alignment is divided into a plurality of piezoelectric elements 124 . ≪ / RTI >

Specifically, the phased array transducer 120 generates ultrasound waves with all of the piezoelectric elements 122 arranged in phase, and can acquire images by steering the traveling direction of the ultrasound waves. Thus, the phased array transducer 120 may be desirable for examining organs such as the heart located between the ribs through a scan.

The linear array transducer 130 is attached in parallel with the phased array transducer 120, and generally has a piezoelectric body 132 that allows the sound waves to travel in a fixed direction. The piezoelectric body 132 may be divided into a plurality of linear piezoelectric elements 134.

At this time, the image displayed on the screen is a rectangle having a size proportional to the length of the probe, and can be usefully used for the superficial organs such as breast, thyroid, and skeletal system.

The switch unit 140 is electrically connected to the linear array transducer 130 and the phased array transducer 120 and is capable of selectively controlling the operation of the linear array transducer 130 and the phased array transducer 120 have.

At this time, the switch unit 140 may be designed to operate at least one of the linear array transducer 130 or the phased array transducer 120 according to the angle at which the ultrasonic probe 100 contacts the body. However, the switch unit 140 is not limited to such a function.

In addition, the present embodiment further includes a matching portion 129 formed on the upper surface of the linear array piezoelectric element 132 and the phased array piezoelectric element 122.

The matching unit 129 is provided to transmit and receive the efficiency of the ultrasonic waves generated from the piezoelectric body to the body, and more specifically, to gradually bring the acoustic impedance of the piezoelectric body closer to the acoustic impedance of the subject.

In addition, an acoustic lens (not shown) may be formed on the front surface of the matching unit 129, and an acoustic lens (not shown) may be disposed on the front surface of the matching unit 129, To a specific point.

5 is a schematic perspective view for explaining division of a piezoelectric body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5, each of the piezoelectric elements 134 can be manufactured by dicing according to a specific design in the piezoelectric element 132 for linear array. (A) The linear array piezoelectric element 132 manufactured by this method The first backing material 136 may be adhered to one transducer.

However, dividing and manufacturing a plurality of piezoelectric elements is not limited to this method, and it is also possible to manufacture them by various methods other than dividing the piezoelectric body by forming a gap between the piezoelectric elements by pressing the piezoelectric body with a metal mold.

The linear array piezoelectric element 132 may be formed of a piezoelectric substance or the like represented by a piezoelectric ceramic such as a piezoelectric element (PZT) system, a single crystal, a complex piezoelectric body obtained by combining the above material and a polymer, or the like.

Therefore, the linear array piezoelectric transformer 132 converts a voltage into an ultrasonic wave and transmits the ultrasonic wave to the subject, or converts an echo reflected in the subject into an electric signal and receives the electric signal.

Similarly, as shown in FIG. 4, the phase alignment piezoelectric member 122 may be formed in the same manner as the linear alignment piezoelectric member 132, and thus a detailed description thereof may be omitted.

The second backing member 126 for phase alignment and the first backing member 136 for linear arrangement are arranged such that noises are generated by the beams generated from the phase alignment piezoelectric member 122 and the linear alignment piezoelectric member 132 The beam is absorbed.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view for illustrating bonding of a linear array transducer and a phased array transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention to each other, and FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing a linear array transducer and a phased array transducer In the AA direction.

6, a linear array transducer 130 and a phased array transducer 120 are adjacent to each other to be adhered to each other (b), and between the linear array piezoelectric element 132 and the first backing material 136 And a switch unit that is electrically connected to the first electrode unit 138 located at the first backing member 126 and electrically connects the second electrode unit 128 located between the phase arrangement piezoelectric member 122 and the second backing member 126 do.

At this time, the switch unit for controlling the linear array transducer 130 and the phased array transducer 120 may be formed not only in the ultrasonic probe but also in the external system body.

The first electrode portion 138 located below the piezoelectric array 132 for linear array and the second electrode portion 128 located below the phase array piezoelectric array 122 can apply a driving voltage to the piezoelectric body, In order to fulfill this role, it may be formed of a metal foil such as copper foil. However, the first electrode portion 138 and the second electrode portion 128 are not limited to these materials.

7, the ultrasonic waves B 'generated in the linear array transducer 130 go straight and the ultrasonic waves B' generated in the phased array transducer 120 bonded to the linear array transducer 130 go straight ) Steers the direction of propagation of the sound wave by the phase difference of the pulses generated in each piezoelectric element in the phased array transducer.

At this time, the linear array transducer 130 is used for realizing a high-resolution image in a fixed depth direction, and the phased array transducer 120 changes the direction and depth of the sound wave to scan from the linear array transducer 130 It is possible to inspect an area which is impossible.

Accordingly, the ultrasonic probe according to the present embodiment includes the linear array transducer 130 and the phased array transducer 120 together, so that the user can selectively use a desired function, thereby providing convenience in diagnosis.

8 is a schematic perspective view illustrating ultrasonic transducers for explaining an ultrasonic probe according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8, a first phased array transducer 220 is attached side by side with a linear array transducer 230 and applies an adhesive, such as an adhesive epoxy, between the arrayed transducer 230 and the linear array transducer 230, . However, the material of the adhesive is not limited thereto.

The first phased array transducer 220 may also be attached to the outside of the second phased array transducer 250 in contact with the first phased array transducer 220 and the second phased array transducer 250 ) With different frequencies.

The switch unit 240 may selectively control the first and second phased array transducers 220 and 250 and the linear array transducer 230. Specifically, the switch unit 240 may control the first and second phased array transducers 220 and 250 and the linearly arranged transducer 230, One of the first and second phased array transducers 220 and 250 and the linear array transducer 230 may be designed to operate. However, the operation of the switch unit 240 is not limited thereto.

Accordingly, the ultrasonic probe according to the present embodiment includes a linear array transducer 230, a first phased array transducer 220 and a second phased array transducer 250, so that the user can selectively use a desired function Therefore, convenience can be provided at the time of diagnosis.

1 is a perspective view of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a schematic block diagram for explaining driving of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of FIG.

3 is a perspective view for explaining an appearance of an ultrasonic probe in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an ultrasonic transducer accommodated in the ultrasonic probe of FIG. 2. FIG.

5 is a schematic perspective view for explaining division of a piezoelectric body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view for illustrating bonding of a linear array transducer and a phased array transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention to each other. FIG.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the linear array transducer and phased array transducer taken along the line A-A in FIG. 6. FIG.

8 is a schematic perspective view illustrating ultrasonic transducers for explaining an ultrasonic probe according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the Related Art [0002]

100: Ultrasonic probe 120: Phased array transducer

130: Linear array transducer 140: Switch part

Claims (13)

A linear array transducer having a plurality of piezoelectric elements formed on a first backing material, the plurality of piezoelectric elements having a piezoelectric arrangement in which sound waves are scanned in a fixed direction; And And a phased array transducer in which a plurality of piezoelectric elements having a piezoelectric arrangement in which sound waves are scanned along the direction and depth are formed on the second backing material, Wherein the linear array transducer and the phased array transducer are formed by adhering to each other. The method according to claim 1, At least one of the linear array transducer or the phased array transducer, Wherein each of the piezoelectric bodies on the first backing member and the second backing member is dividedly formed so as to have a plurality of piezoelectric elements. The method according to claim 1, Wherein the first backing material and the second backing material attenuate sound waves of the piezoelectric elements. The method according to claim 1, And a matching unit formed on a surface of the linear array transducer and the phased array transducer. The method according to claim 1, Further comprising a switch for controlling the linear array transducer and the phased array transducer. 6. The method of claim 5, Wherein, Wherein at least one of the linear array transducer and the phased array transducer is operated. A linear array transducer in which a plurality of piezoelectric elements having a piezoelectric arrangement arranged to be scanned in a fixed direction are formed on a first backing material and a plurality of piezoelectric elements each having a piezoelectric arrangement in which sound waves are steerably scanned along the direction and depth, An ultrasonic probe including a phased array transducer in which an element is formed on a second backing material, the linear array transducer and the phased array transducer being formed by adhering to each other; A driving unit for receiving and transmitting an ultrasonic wave signal provided from the ultrasonic probe; And An image processing unit for generating an image corresponding to the sound wave signal; And an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. 8. The method of claim 7, At least one of the linear array transducer or the phased array transducer, Wherein each of the piezoelectric bodies on the first backing member and the second backing member is divided so as to have a plurality of piezoelectric elements. 8. The method of claim 7, Wherein the first backing material and the second backing material attenuate sound waves of the piezoelectric elements. 8. The method of claim 7, And a matching unit formed on a surface of the linear array transducer and the phased array transducer. 8. The method of claim 7, Further comprising a switch for controlling the linear array transducer and the phased array transducer. 12. The method of claim 11, Wherein, Wherein at least one of the linear array transducer and the phased array transducer is operated. 8. The method of claim 7, Further comprising a system body having a linear array transducer and a switch for controlling the array phased array transducer.

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