Ultrasonic probe, ultrasonic endoscope, and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus
AssigneeFUJIFILM Corporation
InventorHiroaki HYUGA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an ultrasonic probe to be used in an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for medical use, the temperature rise due to heat generated from ultrasonic transducers can be suppressed. The ultrasonic probe includes: an ultrasonic transducer array in which plural ultrasonic transducers are arranged with gaps in between; a casing for accommodating at least the ultrasonic transducer array; and channels for circulation of a liquid heat transfer material in the gaps between the plural ultrasonic transducers.
Claims17
An ultrasonic probe comprising:
- an ultrasonic transducer array in which plural ultrasonic transducers are arranged with gaps in between;
- a casing for accommodating at least said ultrasonic transducer array;
- and
- channels for circulation of a liquid heat transfer material in the gaps between said plural ultrasonic transducers.
An ultrasonic endoscope comprising:
- an ultrasonic transducer array provided in an insertion part formed of a material having flexibility to be inserted into a body cavity of an object to be inspected, in which plural ultrasonic transducers are arranged with gaps in between;
- and
- channels for circulation of a liquid heat transfer material in the gaps between said plural ultrasonic transducers.
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising:
- an ultrasonic probe including an ultrasonic transducer array in which plural ultrasonic transducers are arranged with gaps in between, a casing for accommodating at least said ultrasonic transducer array, and channels for circulation of a liquid heat transfer material in the gaps between said plural ultrasonic transducers;
- drive signal supply means for supplying drive signals to said plural ultrasonic transducers, respectively;
- signal processing means for generating image data representing an ultrasonic image by processing reception signals outputted from said plural ultrasonic transducers, respectively;
- and
- heat transfer material circulating means connected to the channels of said ultrasonic probe, for collecting the heat transfer material from said ultrasonic probe, cooling the collected heat transfer material, and supplying the cooled heat transfer material to said ultrasonic probe.
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising:
- an ultrasonic endoscope including an ultrasonic transducer array provided in an insertion part formed of a material having flexibility to be inserted into a body cavity of an object to be inspected, in which plural ultrasonic transducers are arranged with gaps in between, and channels for circulation of a liquid heat transfer material in the gaps between said plural ultrasonic transducers;
- drive signal supply means for supplying drive signals to said plural ultrasonic transducers, respectively;
- signal processing means for generating image data representing an ultrasonic image by processing reception signals outputted from said plural ultrasonic transducers, respectively;
- and
- heat transfer material circulating means connected to the channels of said ultrasonic endoscope, for collecting the heat transfer material from said ultrasonic endoscope, cooling the collected heat transfer material, and supplying the cooled heat transfer material to said ultrasonic endoscope.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.