# US 10,499,877 B2 · Mechanically rotating intravascular ultrasound probe > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,499,877 B2 - Document ID: US10499877B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/689,785 - Filed: 2015-04-17 - Published: 2015-10-22 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2014-04-17 - Assignees: Shenzhen University - Applicants: Shenzhen University - Inventors: Jue Peng; Siping Chen; Tianfu Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10499877B2 ## CPC - A61B 8/4461: {Features of the scanning mechanism, e.g. for moving the transducer within the housing of the probe} - A61B 8/12: in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters - A61B 8/4281: {characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue} - A61B 8/445: {Details of catheter construction} - A61B 8/56: {Details of data transmission or power supply} - G01S 15/894: {by rotation about a single axis} - A61B 8/4494: {characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - 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 ## Abstract A mechanically rotating intravascular ultrasound probe relates to the technical field of medical devices, and aims to provide a forward-looking mechanically rotating intravascular ultrasound probe having a small volume, a high image resolution and good imaging stability. The intravascular ultrasound probe includes a catheter, an ultrasonic transducer disposed at a front end of a cavity of the catheter and a driving apparatus that drives the ultrasonic transducer to rotate mechanically. The driving apparatus is a micro motor disposed in the cavity of the catheter, including a rotor and a stator. The ultrasonic transducer is installed on top of the rotor and electrically connected to the rotor, and the rotor is also electrically connected to the stator; the catheter is a magnetic metal tube, and a front end thereof is enclosed by an acoustic window which has a spherical tip and allows ultrasonic waves of the ultrasonic transducer to pass through; the acoustic window is filled with an ionic liquid having a function of a ultrasonic coupling agent. The ultrasound probe solves a problem of rotation torsion of an image when the catheter passes through a lesion with high-grade stenosis or a curved blood vessel section, and achieves forward scanning imaging and side scanning imaging for a blood vessel wall. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mechanically rotating intravascular ultrasound probe, comprising a catheter, an ultrasonic transducer disposed at a front end of a cavity of the catheter and a driving apparatus that drives the ultrasonic transducer to rotate mechanically, wherein: the driving apparatus is a micro motor disposed in the cavity of the catheter, the micro motor comprising a rotor and a stator, and the ultrasonic transducer is fixedly installed on top of the rotor and is driven to rotate by the rotor; the ultrasonic transducer is electrically connected to the rotor, and the rotor is also electrically connected to the stator, and electrical connections among the ultrasonic transducer, the rotor and the stator form a first electrical channel for transmitting electrical pulse signals generated by the ultrasonic transducer; the catheter is a magnetic metal tube, and the front end thereof is enclosed by an acoustic window which has a spherical tip, and allows ultrasonic waves of the ultrasonic transducer to pass through; and the acoustic window is filled with ionic liquid having ultrasonic coupling, a second electrical channel includes an electrode of the ultrasonic transducer, the ionic liquid and the catheter that is grounded, the second electrical channel is configured to ground the electrode of the ultrasonic transducer to obtain an electrical shielding effect for the transducer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The mechanically rotating intravascular ultrasound probe according to claim 1, wherein the rotor is a cylinder structure having a bevel on top thereof; the ultrasonic transducer is fixedly installed on the bevel and electrically connected to the rotor; the cylinder structure has a spherical recess at a bottom center thereof; the stator has a spherical protrusion that matches the spherical recess; the rotor is installed on the stator and makes the spherical protrusion a fulcrum of spinning; the rotor is electrically connected to the stator through the spherical protrusion; and exterior of the micro motor is treated to achieve insulation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The mechanically rotating intravascular ultrasound probe according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of the catheter is 1.5-2 mm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The mechanically rotating intravascular ultrasound probe according to claim 1, wherein the ionic liquid is 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethyl sulfonyl)imide or 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The mechanically rotating intravascular ultrasound probe according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is connected to the rotor in a manner that an emitting surface of the ultrasonic waves of the ultrasonic transducer and a rotation axis of the rotor form an angle in a range from 0 degree to 90 degree. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The mechanically rotating intravascular ultrasound probe according to claim 1, wherein the intravascular ultrasound probe is further provided with a rotational speed sensor for measuring a rotational position and a rotational speed of the rotor in real time. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The mechanically rotating intravascular ultrasound probe according to claim 1, wherein exterior of the ultrasonic transducer is also provided with a metal shield at a position other than a front emitting surface of the ultrasonic waves. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The mechanically rotating intravascular ultrasound probe according to claim 1, wherein an exterior wall of the catheter is coated with a biologically compatible material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The mechanically rotating intravascular ultrasound probe according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is fixedly installed directly on top of the rotor and is driven to rotate by the rotor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The mechanically rotating intravascular ultrasound probe according to claim 1, wherein the ionic liquid is 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide or 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The mechanically rotating intravascular ultrasound probe according to claim 6, further comprising a closed-loop control system for achieving an accurate control of rotational speed of the rotor and for scanning synchronization with the ultrasonic transducer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The mechanically rotating intravascular ultrasound probe according to claim 6, the rotational speed sensor is embedded below the rotor.