Ultrasonic probe

Abstract

The shapes of reflecting parts in a hermetically sealed container are inclined to prevent generation of an unnecessary echo. In a short-axis oscillating ultrasonic probe, a piezoelectric element group arranged along a long-axis direction and having an acoustic lens on an ultrasonic wave transmitting/receiving surface, is provided on a rotary holding table housed in a hermetically sealed container. An ultrasonic wave transmitted and received to/from the ultrasonic wave transmitting/receiving surface of the piezoelectric element group is mechanically scanned in the short-axis direction of the piezoelectric element group by rotating and oscillating the rotary holding table in the short-axis direction, and a liquid serving as an acoustic medium is filled in the hermetically sealed container. The surface shapes of the reflecting parts in the hermetically sealed container are inclined so that, when an unnecessary ultrasonic wave travelling in the hermetically sealed container and exceeding a range of the acoustic lens after propagating in the long-axis direction or the short-axis direction between the surface of the acoustic lens and the inner periphery of the hermetically sealed container, is reflected on any of the reflecting parts, the unnecessary ultrasonic wave after being reflected does not return to between a surface of the acoustic lens and an inner periphery of the hermetically sealed container.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.