# US 2021/0275151 A1 · Ultrasound probe with thermal and drop impact management

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- Number: US 2021/0275151 A1
- Document ID: US20210275151A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/318,046
- Filed: 2017-07-28
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-29
- Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Applicants: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
- Inventors: Dennis Dean Clark
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210275151A1

## CPC

- A61B 8/546: {involving monitoring or regulation of device temperature}
- 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 8/4494: {characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements}
- B06B 1/0622: {on one surface}
- B06B 1/0685: {on the back only of piezoelectric elements}
- G10K 11/002: {Devices for damping, suppressing, obstructing or conducting sound in acoustic devices (G10K1/06 - G10K1/10 take precedence; for electro-mechanical transducers for communication H04R3/002)}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- 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
- 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)

## Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for conducting heat from an ultrasound transducer and reducing drop impact forces are disclosed. A thermal management system including a thermally conductive compliant component in an ultrasound probe is disclosed. The thermal management system may include thermally conductive compliant component coupled to a transducer assembly. A printed circuit assembly (PCA) may be coupled to the compliant component. The thermally compliant component may conduct heat from the transducer assembly to the PCA. The PCA may be further coupled to a cable that may conduct heat from the PCA and away from the ultrasound probe.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An ultrasound probe, comprising:
a transducer assembly at a distal end of the probe, the transducer assembly comprising:
a lens;
a transducer stack coupled to the lens, and
a backing subassembly coupled to a side of the transducer stack opposite the lens,
a printed circuit assembly (PCA) spaced from and coupled to the transducer assembly;
a housing enclosing the PCA and at least a portion of the transducer assembly, wherein the housing defines an opening at the distal end of the probe to expose at least a portion of the lens through the opening; and
a thermally conductive compliant component disposed between the transducer assembly and the PCA and coupling the transducer assembly to the PCA, wherein the thermally conductive compliant component is configured to bias the transducer assembly away from the PCA towards the opening in the housing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive compliant component comprises a spring having a first end connected to a distal portion of the PCA and a second end connected to a proximal portion of the backing subassembly.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The ultrasound probe of claim 2, wherein the spring comprises a S-shaped strip of metal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The ultrasound probe of claim 3, wherein the first end of the S-shaped strip of metal comprises a pair of flanges, each disposed on an opposite side of the distal portion of the PCA.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive compliant component comprises a plurality of C-shaped springs each extending between the PCA and the backing subassembly.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the opening is coupled to a periphery of the lens by a sealant.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein the PCA includes a cladding on an exterior surface, wherein the cladding is coupled to the thermally conductive compliant component.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The ultrasound probe of claim 1, further comprising a heat spreader on an interior surface of the housing, wherein the heat spreader is thermally coupled to a side of the backing subassembly.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The ultrasound probe of claim 8, further comprising a compressible block between the housing and the heat spreader, wherein the compressible block is configured to bias the heat spreader against the side of the backing subassembly.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The ultrasound probe of claim 1, further comprising a cable coupled to a proximal end of the PCA, wherein the PCA is configured to conduct heat from the thermally conductive compliant component to the coaxial cable.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The ultrasound probe of claim 10, wherein the cable includes a metal braid coupled to the PCA.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein an interior surface of the housing includes ribs adjacent to the transducer assembly, and wherein the backing subassembly includes tabs configured to engage the ribs and align the lens with the opening in the housing.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The ultrasound probe of claim 12, wherein the interior surface of the housing includes posts adjacent to opposite sides of a distal end of the PCA, wherein the posts are configured to constrain the PCA and wherein the thermally conductive compliant component is compressed between the ribs and the posts of the housing.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein an interior surface of the housing includes a post adjacent to a proximal end of the PCA and the PCA is coupled to the housing by a screw that passes through the PCA and engages with the post.

### Claim 15

An ultrasound imaging system comprising:
an ultrasound probe comprising:
a transducer assembly at a distal end of the probe, the transducer assembly comprising:
a lens;
a transducer stack coupled to the lens; and
a backing subassembly coupled to a side of the transducer stack opposite the lens;
a printed circuit assembly (PCA) spaced from and coupled to the transducer assembly;
a housing enclosing the PCA and at least a portion of the transducer assembly, wherein the housing defines an opening at the distal end of the probe to expose at least a portion of the lens through the opening; and
a thermally conductive compliant component disposed between the transducer assembly and the PCA and coupling the transducer assembly to the PCA, wherein the thermally conductive compliant component is configured to bias the transducer assembly away from the PCA towards the opening in the housing;
an image processor configured to receive signals from the ultrasound probe and generate an image; and
a display configured to display the image received from the image processor.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The ultrasound imaging system of claim 15, wherein the thermally conductive compliant component comprises at least one spring having a first end connected to a distal portion of the PCA and a second end connected to a proximal portion of the backing subassembly.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The ultrasound imaging system of claim 16, wherein the at least one spring comprises a S-shaped or a C-shaped strip of metal

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The ultrasound imaging system of claim 16, wherein the opening is coupled to a periphery of the lens by a sealant.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The ultrasound imaging system of claim 16, wherein the PCA includes a cladding on an exterior surface, wherein the cladding is coupled to the thermally conductive compliant component.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The ultrasound imaging system of claim 16, further comprising a heat spreader on an interior surface of the housing, wherein the heat spreader is thermally coupled to a side of the backing subassembly.