# US 10,869,651 B2 · Ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,869,651 B2 - Document ID: US10869651B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/292,557 - Filed: 2016-10-13 - Published: 2017-04-13 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-13 - Assignees: Canon Medical Systems Corporation - Applicants: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation - Inventors: Kengo Okada; Hiroyuki Shikata; Takahiro Sogou - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10869651B2 ## CPC - A61B 8/445: {Details of catheter construction} - A61B 1/00006: {of control signals} - A61B 1/0055: {Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements} - A61B 1/0057: {Constructional details of force transmission elements, e.g. control wires} - A61B 8/12: in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters - A61B 8/56: {Details of data transmission or power supply} - A61B 1/128: {provided with means for regulating temperature} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract An ultrasonic probe according to an embodiment includes a tip part, an operation part, a bending part, and a heat conducting part. The tip part includes transducer elements configured to transmit and receive ultrasound waves, electronic circuitry electrically connected to the transducer elements, and a frame having the electronic circuitry provided thereon. The operation part receives operations from an operator. The bending part includes a cable electrically connected to the electronic circuitry, and changes the orientation of the tip part by bending in accordance with operations performed on the operation part. The heat conducting part includes a unitary component extending from the tip part at least to the bending part, and is in contact with the frame in the tip part and in the close vicinity of the cable in the bending part. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ultrasonic probe comprising: a tip part including transducer elements configured to transmit and receive ultrasound waves, electronic circuitry electrically connected to the transducer elements, and a frame having the electronic circuitry provided thereon; an operation part configured to receive operations from an operator; a bending part including a cable electrically connected to the electronic circuitry, the bending part being configured to change an orientation of the tip part by bending in accordance with operations performed on the operation part; and a heat conducting part including a unitary component extending from the tip part to a position which is located on an opposite side to the tip part side of the bending part with respect to an end of the tip part side of the bending part, the heat conducting part being in contact with the frame in the tip part and in the close vicinity of the cable in the bending part. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the heat conducting part is wrapped around the cable in the bending part. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The ultrasonic probe according to claim 2, wherein the heat conducting part is spirally wrapped around the cable in the bending part. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the tip part includes flexible printed circuits (FPC) serving as an intermediate for electronic connection between the electronic circuitry and the cable and provided in such a manner that the FPC do not impede thermal contact between the frame and the heat conducting part. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the transducer elements are located on a front surface side of the frame, and the heat conducting part is in contact with a back surface side of the frame in the tip part. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The ultrasonic probe according to claim 5, wherein the electronic circuitry is located on the front surface side of the frame, and the tip part includes a flexible printed circuit (FPC) serving as an intermediate for electronic connection between the electronic circuitry and the cable and passing along the back surface side of the frame. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the heat conducting part is constructed of at least one thermally conductive sheet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The ultrasonic probe according to claim 7, wherein the thermally conductive sheet has thermal conductivity of at least 1 W/m·k in a thickness direction thereof and has thermal conductivity of at least 300 W/m·k in a direction along a plane perpendicular to the thickness direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the electronic circuitry includes at least one of drive signal generating circuitry, delay circuitry, adder circuitry, and transmission/reception channel controlling circuitry. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the bending part includes angle rings configured to deform in accordance with operations on the operation part, and the heat conducting part is located to the inner side of the angle rings in the bending part. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the unitary component is a sheet-like heat conducting component, and the heat conducting part includes the heat conducting component in a folded state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the unitary component is constructed of a component that contains carbon graphite. ### Claim 13 An ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus comprising image generation circuitry configured to generate an ultrasonic image based on output from an ultrasonic probe comprising: a tip part including transducer elements configured to transmit and receive ultrasound waves, electronic circuitry electrically connected to the transducer elements, and a frame having the electronic circuitry provided thereon; an operation part configured to receive operations from an operator; a bending part including a cable electrically connected to the electronic circuitry, the bending part being configured to change an orientation of the tip part by bending in accordance with operations performed on the operation part; and a heat conducting part including a unitary component extending from the tip part to a position which is located on an opposite side to the tip part side of the bending part with respect to an end of the tip part side of the bending part, the heat conducting part being in contact with the frame in the tip part and in the close vicinity of the cable in the bending part. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the heat conducting part is wrapped around the cable in the bending part. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the heat conducting part is spirally wrapped around the cable in the bending part. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the tip part includes flexible printed circuits (FPC) serving as an intermediate for electronic connection between the electronic circuitry and the cable and provided in such a manner that the FPC do not impede thermal contact between the frame and the heat conducting part. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the transducer elements are located on a front surface side of the frame, and the heat conducting part is in contact with a back surface side of the frame in the tip part. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the bending part includes angle rings configured to deform in accordance with operations on the operation part, and the heat conducting part is located to the inner side of the angle rings in the bending part. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the unitary component is a sheet-like heat conducting component, and the heat conducting part includes the heat conducting component in a folded state.