WO2016126040A1

WO2016126040A1 - Drive mechanism of medical ultrasonic transducer

Info

Publication number: WO2016126040A1
Application number: PCT/KR2016/000848
Authority: WO
Inventors: 노용래; 이형근
Original assignee: 경북대학교 산학협력단
Priority date: 2015-02-06
Filing date: 2016-01-27
Publication date: 2016-08-11
Also published as: KR101726997B1; KR20160096952A

Abstract

A drive mechanism of a medical ultrasonic transducer comprises: a motor which provides rotation-driving force; an arm which is connected to the drive shaft of the motor and undergoes a turning motion by means of the rotation-driving force; an ultrasonic array which undergoes a first linear reciprocating motion according to the turning motion of the arm; and a link member which connects the arm and the ultrasonic array and transfers, to the ultrasonic array, the rotation-driving force transferred by the arm.

Description

Driving Mechanism of Medical Ultrasound Transducer

The present invention relates to a driving mechanism of a medical ultrasonic transducer, and more particularly, to a driving mechanism of a medical ultrasonic transducer having a link member between an arm transmitting a rotational force of a motor and an ultrasonic array for imaging an image.

The most representative of the ultrasonic equipment used for medical purposes is the ultrasonic imaging device mainly used to image the organs and the fetus inside the human body. Unlike other medical devices for internal imaging, such as X-rays, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), an ultrasound imager can steer the radiant angle of the ultrasound at any time It is possible to image a specific point inside the human body, and there is no damage such as radiation to the human body, and there is an advantage in that an image can be acquired in a relatively quick time than other medical equipment for internal imaging.

On the other hand, in order to implement an image with an ultrasound image diagnostic device is necessary to convert the ultrasonic signal and the electrical signal mutually, such a device is an ultrasonic probe or ultrasonic transducer.

Ultrasonic transducers measure the difference in acoustic impedance between the piezoelectric layer and the human body so that the piezoelectric material vibrates and converts electrical and acoustic signals to each other. Ultrasonic module consisting of a matching layer to reduce, a lens layer for focusing the ultrasonic waves traveling forward of the piezoelectric layer to a specific point, and a sound absorbing layer to block the progress of the ultrasonic waves behind the piezoelectric layer to prevent image distortion Is common.

The ultrasonic transducer is moved to acquire an image of a specific part of the human body, and the ultrasonic array of the ultrasonic transducer is moved by using a driving mechanism for the ultrasonic transducer. In this regard, the conventional driving mechanism (Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0055400) uses a plurality of gears or belts and pulleys, and since these belts and pulleys or gears are used, the parts are arranged correctly. There have been difficulties in making such as.

In order to solve this problem, there is a need for a new type of medical ultrasonic transducer drive mechanism without using multiple belts and pulleys or gears.

The problem to be solved by the present invention, the alignment of the components constituting the drive mechanism is easy to manufacture, the drive mechanism of the medical ultrasonic transducer that can efficiently and accurately drive the ultrasonic array by transmitting the power of the motor effectively To provide.

Problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

The drive mechanism of the medical ultrasonic transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention for solving the above problems is a motor for providing a rotational drive force, an arm connected to the drive shaft of the motor to pivot by the rotational drive force, the arm And a link member connecting the first ultrasonic reciprocating motion array and the arm and the ultrasonic array according to the pivoting motion of the beam, and transmitting the rotational driving force transmitted by the arm to the ultrasonic array.

According to the present invention, it is easy to align the components constituting the drive mechanism is easy to manufacture, and to provide a drive mechanism of the medical ultrasonic transducer that can efficiently and accurately drive the ultrasonic array by transferring the power of the motor effectively. Can be.

1 is a perspective view of a driving mechanism of a medical ultrasonic transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2a to 4c is a view showing the operation of the drive mechanism of the medical ultrasound transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

10: motor 20: arm

30: arm shaft 40: link bush

50: link rail 60: rail mounting membrane

70: ultrasonic array 80: array rail

90: array bush

Advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will be apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be implemented in various forms. It is provided to fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art, the invention being defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. In this specification, the singular also includes the plural unless specifically stated otherwise in the phrase. As used herein, the words "comprises" and / or "comprising" do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components, steps, and actions.

1 to 4c, a driving mechanism of a medical ultrasound transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. 1 is a perspective view of a driving mechanism of a medical ultrasonic transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2a to 4c is a view showing the operation of the drive mechanism of the medical ultrasound transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 to 4C, a driving mechanism of a medical ultrasound transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a motor 10, an arm 20, a link member, and an ultrasonic array 70. It includes.

The motor 10 provides a rotational driving force, and ultimately provides a force for moving the ultrasonic array 70, in detail the drive shaft connected to the motor 10 as the motor 10 rotates And the arm 20 connected to the drive shaft makes a pivoting movement, which causes the movement of the link member and the ultrasonic array 70.

As such a motor 10, a stepper motor capable of controlling the rotational angle of the drive shaft may be used. Alternatively, a magnetic motor, a hydraulic motor, an electric motor, or other motor generating a rotational movement may be used. Can be used.

The arm 20 transmits the rotational driving force of the motor 10 to the link member, and transmits the rotational driving force of the motor 10 to the ultrasonic array 70 through the link member, specifically, the driving of the motor 10. By inserting the shaft into the arm 20, the arm 20 can be connected to the drive shaft of the motor 10, so that the rotational driving force of the motor 10 can pivot the arm 20.

In addition, the arm 20 is integrally formed with the arm shaft 30 or connected to the link member via the arm shaft 30 inserted into the arm 20 in a separate configuration from the arm 20. The pivoting movement of the bar 20 and the arm 20 can cause the link bush 40 of the link member to make a second linear reciprocating motion along the link rail 50, and by this pivoting movement, the linking bush ( The array bush 90 formed in the ultrasonic array 70 together with the movement of 40 can make a first linear reciprocating motion along the array rail 80.

The link member connects the arm 20 and the ultrasonic array 70, and transmits the rotational driving force of the motor 10 transmitted by the arm 20 to the ultrasonic array 70, for which the link member is a link bush. 40 and link rail 50.

The link bush 40 may be directly connected to the arm shaft 30 of the arm 20, or may be connected to the arm shaft 30 through the housing of the link bush 40, which is the link bush 40. May be, but is not limited to, a linear bush. In addition, the link rail 50 may be installed outside the ultrasonic array 70, and the link bush 40 is reciprocated by the second linear reciprocation by the pivoting movement of the arm 20 about the arm shaft 30. It can serve as a guide to exercise.

Looking at the coupling relationship between the elements constituting the link member in more detail, the arm shaft 30 is integrally formed at the end of the arm 20, the end of the drive shaft of the motor 10 is not inserted, or the number of configurations And the arm shaft 30 can be inserted and fixed in the link bush 40 or the housing of the link bush 40.

In addition, the link rail 50 may be installed along the upper longitudinal direction of the ultrasonic array 70, and for this installation, the rail mounting membrane 60 is formed between both longitudinal ends of the ultrasonic array 70. The link rail 50 may be mounted on the rail mounting membrane 60, and the link bush 40 may linearly reciprocate along the link rail 50. Therefore, the moving distance of the link bush 40 is determined by the length of the link rail 50 adjusted according to the formation position of the rail mounting film 60.

Under this engagement relationship, the pivoting motion of the arm 20 can cause the link bush 40, which is connected to the arm shaft 30, to make a linear reciprocating motion along the link rail 50.

The ultrasound array 70 photographs an image inside the human body for diagnosis, and includes an ultrasound sensor for this purpose, and the ultrasound array 70 moves to photograph a specific part of the human body. Array bushes 90 may be provided at both ends of the ultrasonic array 70 to enable such movement, and the array bush 90 may be perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the ultrasonic array 70 in the housing of the ultrasonic transducer. The first linear reciprocating motion can be performed along the array rail 80 provided in one direction.

That is, the arm 20 makes a pivotal movement, so that the link bush 40 makes a second linear reciprocating motion along the link rail 50, and at the same time the pivoting movement of the arm 20 results in an ultrasonic array 70. The array bush 90 is capable of pushing or pulling the array bush 90 so that the array bush 90 can make a first linear reciprocating motion along the array rail 80. The direction of the first linear reciprocating motion and the direction of the second linear reciprocating motion may be perpendicular to each other. On the other hand, the array bush 90 may be a linear bush or a stroke bush, but is not limited thereto.

2A through 4C, the moving process of the ultrasonic array 70 will be described in more detail. FIGS. 2A through 4C correspond to a front view, a bottom view, and an exploded perspective view, respectively, illustrating an operation process of the driving mechanism. , 3a and 4a, Figs. 2b, 3b and 4b and Figs. 2c, 3c and 4c respectively show the same driving steps viewed from different directions.

2B, 3B and 4B, the ultrasonic array 70 is located at the center of the array rail 80, the link bush 40 is located at the rear of the link rail 50, and the arm 20 is placed at the ultrasonic array ( 70) arranged side by side.

2A, 3A and 4A, the motor 10 is then rotated counterclockwise, so that the arm 20 connected to the drive shaft of the motor 10 is also rotated counterclockwise, so that the arm 20 Is pivoted about an arm shaft 30 inserted at an end opposite the end at which the drive shaft is inserted. On the other hand, since the arm shaft 30 is fixedly connected to the link bush 40 or the link bush housing housing the link bush 40, the pivoting motion of the arm 20 is transmitted through the link shaft 30 through the arm shaft 30. The link bush 40 is pulled while applying force to the 40, so that the link bush 40 is linearly moved forward along the link rail 50.

Simultaneously with the linear movement of the link bush 40, the pivoting motion of the arm 20 pushes the link member by applying a force to the link member, and as a result, the ultrasonic array 70 on which the link member is installed also moves to the left. It will move in a straight line.

Alternatively, after the steps shown in FIGS. 2B, 3B and 4B, the motor 10 rotates clockwise so that the arm 20 connected to the drive shaft of the motor 10 also rotates clockwise, ie The arm 20 is pivoted about the arm shaft 30. On the other hand, since the arm shaft 30 is fixedly connected to the link bush 40 or the housing of the link bush 40 containing the link bush 40, the pivoting motion of the arm 20 causes the arm shaft 30 to move. The link bush 40 is pulled while applying a force to the link bush 40, so that the link bush 40 linearly moves forward along the link rail 50.

Simultaneously with the linear movement of the link bush 40, the pivoting motion of the arm 20 pushes the link member by applying a force to the link member, and as a result, the ultrasonic array 70 on which the link member is installed also moves to the right. It will move in a straight line.

Thus, as the motor 10 rotates clockwise or counterclockwise, and as a result the arm 20 is pivoting, the link bush 40 makes a second linear reciprocating motion along the link rail 50 and At the same time, the array bush 90 is subjected to a first linear reciprocating motion having a direction perpendicular to the direction of the second linear reciprocating motion along the array rail 80, so that the ultrasonic array 70 is subjected to the first linear reciprocating motion. While doing the ultrasound imaging for each part of the human body.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may implement the present invention in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features thereof. I can understand that. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are exemplary in all respects and not restrictive.

Claims

As a driving mechanism of the medical ultrasonic transducer,

A motor providing a rotational driving force;

An arm connected to a drive shaft of the motor and pivoting by the rotational driving force;

An ultrasonic array for performing a first linear reciprocating motion according to the pivoting motion of the arm; And

And a link member that connects the arm and the ultrasonic array and transmits the rotational driving force transmitted by the arm to the ultrasonic array.
The method of claim 1,

The link member is a drive mechanism of a medical ultrasonic transducer provided on the ultrasonic array.
The method of claim 2,

The link member includes a link bush connected to the arm shaft of the arm, and a link rail provided on the ultrasonic array and guiding the link bush to a second linear reciprocating motion by the pivoting motion of the arm. Drive mechanism of ultrasonic transducer.
The method of claim 3, wherein

A drive mechanism of the medical ultrasound transducer, wherein a rail mounting membrane is formed between both ends of the ultrasound array so that the link rail is installed on the ultrasound array.
The method according to claim 1 or 3,

And the ultrasonic array includes an array bush for performing the first linear reciprocating motion along the array rail by the pivoting motion of the arm.
The method of claim 5, wherein

The array bush is a drive mechanism of the medical ultrasonic transducer, which is respectively installed at both ends of the ultrasonic array.
The method of claim 3, wherein

And a direction of the first linear reciprocating motion and a direction of the second linear reciprocating motion are perpendicular to each other.
The method of claim 1,

The motor is a drive mechanism of the medical ultrasonic transducer is a stepper motor.