JPS60158841A - Ultrasonic probe - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe attached to the tip of an endoscope to obtain an ultrasonic image through the wall of the gastrointestinal tract.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems] In recent years, an ultrasound probe has been attached to the tip of an endoscope, inserted into the gastrointestinal tract, and ultrasound images are obtained by transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves through the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. Attempts are being made.

In this type of attempt, in order to maintain the operability of the endoscope itself, it is necessary to arrange and house the vibrators in an array inside a small diameter cylindrical tube.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a conventional ultrasonic probe.

The ultrasonic probe shown in the figure has a plurality of transducers 2 arranged along one outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical tube 1, and a backing material 3 for absorbing ultrasonic waves is housed on the back of the transducers 2. , a storage section 5 for a cable group 4 for transmitting an excitation signal to the vibrator 2 and an electric signal from the vibrator 2 to a signal processing means (not shown), and an image guide for obtaining an endoscopic image.

A storage section 6 for a light guide, a supply/discharge pipe, a supply/exhaust pipe, etc. is provided within the cylindrical tube 1.

However, in such an ultrasonic probe, the inside of the small diameter cylindrical tube 1 is filled with the above-mentioned components,
Inside? J! It is not easy to reduce the diameter of the cylindrical tube 1 in order to ensure the operability of the mirror itself, and it is also difficult to reduce the diameter of the cylindrical tube 1 in order to improve the quality of ultrasound images, that is, to increase the scanning line density. It is not easy to increase the number of books.

Furthermore, such an ultrasonic probe is used not only as an endoscope probe but also as a prostate probe, but in the conventional configuration described above, an attempt was made to reduce the diameter of the cylindrical tube 1 and increase the number of cables. The problem was that it could not be dealt with.

[Objective of the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to improve operability by reducing the diameter of a cylindrical tube and to improve the operating line density to obtain high-quality ultrasound images. The purpose is to provide an ultrasonic probe that can

[Summary of the Invention] The present invention for achieving the above object is summarized as follows: an array of transducers, a cable group for transmitting electrical signals to each transducer in the transducer group, and a rear side of the first group of transducers. In an ultrasonic probe that includes a backing material for absorbing ultrasonic waves, an electrode group corresponding to each transducer is formed by a pair of printed circuit boards arranged along both ends of the transducer group,
It is characterized in that a group of cables connected to each electrode of the electrode group is buried between both printed circuit boards together with a backing material.

[Embodiments of the invention] Examples of the present invention will be described in detail below.

FIG. 2 shows a cross section of the ultrasonic probe. In the figure, a cylindrical tube 11 has an array of vibrator groups 12 along its length, and a pair of printed circuit boards 13 bonded along both sides of the vibrator group 12, which have a U-shaped cross section and vibrate. The child group 12 is housed along the outer circumferential side of the cylindrical tube 11.

Each vibrator 1 of the vibrator group 12 is mounted on the inner wall surface of the printed circuit board 13.
A large number of electrodes 13a are formed into a comb shape by etching or the like in correspondence to the pitch of the vibrators 12'a, and each electrode 13a is connected to an electrode portion formed on the surface of each vibrator 12'a. .

A land portion 13tl is formed on each electrode 13a so that a cable group 14, which will be described later, can be easily connected.

The end portions of the cables of the cable group 14 are respectively connected to each land portion 131), and the cable group 14 is connected to both the printed circuit boards 1 and 1 in order to prevent an influence on the acoustic characteristics.
They are arranged along 3.

A filling-type backing material (for example, epoxy resin with ferrite powder added) 15 is placed in the space with a U-shaped cross section formed between the transducer group 12 and both printed circuit boards 13.
The cable group 14 is buried in a molded manner.

Note that by forming the length of each electrode 13a of the printed circuit board 13 to change stepwise as shown in FIG.
The cable group 14 connected to each electrode 13a and drawn out laterally from the vibrator group 12 can be arranged in a good manner.

Furthermore, by bending and forming the rear end portions 13c of both printed circuit boards 13 so as to oppose each other as shown in FIG. can be made good.

A grounding electrode portion 12b is formed on the bottom surface of the vibrator group 12.

A grounding voltage ff1 is placed along one edge of this electrode portion 12b.
16 are provided. By extending the grounding electrode 16 to the rear side of the rear end portion 13c, connection of the grounding cable is facilitated.

The accommodation section 6 is provided within the cylindrical tube 11, as in the case of the conventional ultrasonic probe shown in FIG.

The ultrasonic probe having the above configuration transmits electrical signals to the transducer group 12 using the cable group 14, which is similar to the conventional ultrasonic probe, but the cable group 14 is embedded in the side of the backing material 15. Since it is integrated, there is no need to provide a storage section for the cable group 14 above the backing material 15.

Furthermore, when trying to increase the scanning line density in order to improve the image quality of ultrasound images, it is necessary to increase the number of cables, but in this case as well, the cables are buried in the sides of the backing material 15. Such requests can be easily met.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention detailed above, it is possible to increase the diameter of the cylindrical tube compared to conventional ultrasonic probes, thereby improving operability and coping with the increase in cables. It is possible to provide an ultrasonic probe capable of

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional ultrasonic probe, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the ultrasonic probe of the present invention, and Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the arrangement of a transducer group, a printed circuit board, and a cable group. It is an enlarged perspective view. 11... Cylindrical tube, 12... Vibrator group, 12a... Vibrator, 13... Printed board, 13a... Electrode, 14... Cable group, 15... Backing material.

Claims (1)

[Claims] An ultrasonic device comprising an array of single actuators, a cable group for transmitting electrical signals to each transducer of the transducer group, and a backing material for absorbing ultrasonic waves to the back side of the transducer group. In a sonic probe, a pair of printed circuit boards placed along both ends of the transducer group form an electrode group corresponding to each transducer, and cable groups connected to each electrode of the electrode group are printed on both sides together with a backing material. An ultrasonic probe characterized by being embedded between substrates.