# US 10,441,248 B2 · Ultrasonic device, probe, electronic equipment, and ultrasonic image device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,441,248 B2 - Document ID: US10441248B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/525,623 - Filed: 2014-10-28 - Published: 2015-06-04 - Granted: 2019-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-29 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation - Inventors: Tomoaki Nakamura; Yasunori Onishi; Tomohide Onogi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10441248B2 ## CPC - A61B 8/4494: {characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements} - A61B 8/145: {characterised by scanning multiple planes} - A61B 8/4427: {Device being portable or laptop-like} - A61B 8/5207: {involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image} - B06B 1/0622: {on one surface} - G01S 15/8918: {the array being linear} - G10K 11/004: {Mounting transducers, e.g. provided with mechanical moving or orienting device (mountings specially adapted to a particular sound-producing device, see the preceding groups G10K1/00 - G10K9/00, e.g. G10K1/26, G10K1/28, G10K9/22; arrangements of sonic watch equipment on submarines B63G8/39; buoys B63B22/00)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - B06B: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OF INFRASONIC, SONIC, OR ULTRASONIC FREQUENCY, {e.g.} FOR PERFORMING MECHANICAL WORK IN GENERAL (for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. B07B1/40, B23Q17/12, B24B31/06; measurement of mechanical vibrations G01H; in direction finding, locating, distance or velocity measuring G01S; {generating seismic energy G01V1/02}; control of mechanical vibrations in general G05D; sound-producing devices, e.g. bells, sirens, whistles G10K, {e.g. methods or devices for transmitting, conducting, or directing sound in general G10K11/00}; generation of electrical oscillations H03B; electromechanical resonators in general H03H; electromechanical transducers {for communication techniques, e.g. microphones, speakers} H04R) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract An ultrasonic device includes a substrate and a support member. The substrate has an element array including a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements arranged in an array form. The support member has a surface adhered to the substrate in an area including the element array, and an opposite surface opposite from the surface adhered to the substrate, a distance from the surface adhered to the substrate to the opposite surface being different with respect to two adjacent ones of the ultrasonic transducer elements in the element array. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ultrasonic device comprising: a substrate having an element array including a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements arranged in an array form; an acoustic lens arranged on the substrate with a generatrix of the acoustic lens extending in a first direction; and a support member having a first surface facing and adhered to the substrate in an area including the element array, and a second surface facing an opposite direction from the first surface in a thickness direction of the substrate, the substrate defining a plurality of openings with each of the ultrasonic transducer elements being arranged in a corresponding one of the openings when viewed along the thickness direction of the substrate, each of the ultrasonic transducer elements including a vibration plate disposed between each of the ultrasonic transducer elements and each corresponding one of the openings, and a thickness of the support member between the first surface and the second surface being different at positions corresponding to centers of gravity of two adjacent ones of the ultrasonic transducer elements in the element array, the first surface of the support member being continuously flat, and the second surface of the support member defining a single, continuously inclined plane that forms an angle with respect to the first surface, the inclined plane being inclined in a second direction that is orthogonal to the generatrix of the acoustic lens, and the inclined plane corresponding to a plane connecting both ends of the second surface of the support member in the second direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein the inclined plane overlaps the openings of the two adjacent ones of the ultrasonic transducer elements when viewed along the thickness direction of the substrate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The ultrasonic device according to claim 2, wherein the inclined plane is parallel to the first direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The ultrasonic device according to claim 3, wherein the inclined plane overlaps the openings of the ultrasonic transducer elements included in a single row along the second direction when viewed along the thickness direction of the substrate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The ultrasonic device according to claim 3, wherein the inclined plane is inclined in the first direction of the element array. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The ultrasonic device according to claim 5, wherein the inclined plane overlaps the openings of the ultrasonic transducer elements that are arranged along the first direction and are configured and arranged to be simultaneously driven when viewed along the thickness direction of the substrate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The ultrasonic device according to claim 3, wherein a thickness of the support member between the first surface and the second surface being different at a position corresponding to a center of gravity in each of all ultrasonic transducer elements that are arranged along the second direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The ultrasonic device according to claim 2, wherein the second surface of the support member defines the single inclined plane covering an area of the element array when viewed along the thickness direction of the substrate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein the support member has a case coupling part, and a height of the case coupling part from the first surface is greater than a thickness of a thickest part of the support member in the thickness direction of the substrate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The ultrasonic device according to claim 9, wherein a through hole is formed on the case coupling part. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein an area of the support member is larger than an area of the substrate when viewed along the thickness direction of the substrate, and the support member has a bending rigidity larger than a bending rigidity of the substrate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein each of the ultrasonic transducer elements includes a piezoelectric element disposed on each of the vibration plates. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein a depression is formed on the support member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein the inclined plane continuously covers an area of all the plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements included in the ultrasonic device when viewed along the thickness direction of the substrate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A probe comprising: the ultrasonic device according to claim 1, and a case supporting the ultrasonic device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) An electronic equipment comprising: the ultrasonic device according to claim 1; and a processing unit connected to the ultrasonic device, and configured to process an output of the ultrasonic device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) An ultrasonic image device comprising: the ultrasonic device according to claim 1; a processing unit connected to the ultrasonic device, and configured to process an output of the ultrasonic device and to generate an image; and a display device configured and arranged to display the image.