# US 2025/0169366 A1 · Ultrasound probes and ultrasound imaging devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0169366 A1 - Document ID: US20250169366A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/949,958 - Filed: 2024-11-15 - Published: 2025-05-22 - Earliest claimed: 2023-11-20 - Assignees: Wuhan United Imaging Healthcare Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Wuhan United Imaging Healthcare Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Kang SI; Zhihao ZHU; Lei ZHANG - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250169366A1 ## CPC - H10N 30/875: {Further connection or lead arrangements, e.g. flexible wiring boards, terminal pins} - B06B 1/0622: {on one surface} - G01N 29/2437: {Piezoelectric probes} - H10N 30/872: {Interconnections, e.g. connection electrodes of multilayer piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices} - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES 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) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an ultrasound probe. The ultrasound probe includes a piezoelectric layer, a backing layer, a first connector, and a second connector. The backing layer is provided in a laminated arrangement with the piezoelectric layer. The first connector is disposed between the piezoelectric layer and the backing layer. The first connector is electrically connected to the piezoelectric layer. The first connector is configured as a flexible circuit board. One end of the second connector is connected to the first connector and the other end is connected to a host. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ultrasound probe, comprising: a piezoelectric layer (100); a backing layer (200) provided in a laminated arrangement with the piezoelectric layer (100); a first connector (300′), wherein the first connector (300′) is disposed between the piezoelectric layer (100) and the backing layer (200); the first connector (300′) is electrically connected to the piezoelectric layer (100); and the first connector (300′) is configured as a flexible circuit board; and a second connector (400′), wherein one end of the second connector (400′) is connected to the first connector (300′) and the other end is connected to a host. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein: the first connector (300′) includes a sound head flexible circuit board (300), the sound head flexible circuit board (300) including a sound head circuit board body (310) and one or more connecting portions (320) disposed on at least a portion of a periphery of the sound head circuit board body (310); the sound head circuit board body (310) is disposed between the piezoelectric layer (100) and the backing layer (200); and the one or more connecting portions (320) are connected to the second connector (400′). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The ultrasound probe of claim 2, wherein: the one or more connecting portions (320) include a first connecting segment (321), the first connecting segment (321) being disposed on the periphery of the sound head circuit board body (310) and bending away from the piezoelectric layer (100). ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The ultrasound probe of claim 3, wherein: the one or more connecting portions (320) further include a second connecting segment (322), the second connecting segment (322) being connected to the first connecting segment (321) and extending over a backside of the backing layer (200) away from the piezoelectric layer (100). ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The ultrasound probe of claim 4, wherein: the one or more connecting portions (320) further include a third connecting segment (323) provided at one end of the second connecting segment (322) along a length direction of the second connecting segment (322), and the second connector (400′) is connected to the third connecting segment (323). ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The ultrasound probe of claim 2, wherein: the one or more connecting portions (320) include a plurality of connecting portions (320); the sound head circuit board body (310) is provided with the plurality of connecting portions (320) at at least one end of the sound head circuit board body (310) along a width direction of the sound head circuit board body (310); and the plurality of connecting portions (320) are sequentially arranged in at least one row, each row of the at least one row being along a length direction of the piezoelectric layer (100). ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The ultrasound probe of claim 6, wherein: two adjacent connecting portions (320) among the plurality of connecting portions (320) at a same end of the sound head circuit board body (310) along the width direction of the sound head circuit board body (310) are disconnected. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The ultrasound probe of claim 6, wherein: the plurality of connecting portions (320) are provided in pairs, and two connecting portions (320) in a same pair of connecting portions (320) are disposed at two end of the sound head circuit board body (310) along the width direction of the sound head circuit board body (310). ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The ultrasound probe of claim 2, further comprising an integrated circuit (510) and one or more electronic components (520), wherein: the integrated circuit (510) is provided between the piezoelectric layer (100) and the sound head flexible circuit board (300) and is electrically connected to the piezoelectric layer (100) and the sound head flexible circuit board (300), the integrated circuit (510) extends outside the piezoelectric layer (100) from one end of the piezoelectric layer (100) along a length direction of the piezoelectric layer (100), and the one or more electronic components (520) are disposed on an end of the integrated circuit (510) extending outside of the piezoelectric layer (100). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The ultrasound probe of claim 1, wherein: the second connector (400′) includes at least one catheter flexible circuit board (400); and the at least one catheter flexible circuit board (400) is electrically connected to the first connector (300′). ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The ultrasound probe of claim 10, wherein: the first connector (300′) includes a sound head flexible circuit board (300), the sound head flexible circuit board (300) including a sound head circuit board body (310) and one or more connecting portions (320) disposed on at least a portion of a periphery of the sound head circuit board body (310), the sound head circuit board body (310) is disposed between the piezoelectric layer (100) and the backing layer (200), the one or more connecting portions (320) are connected to the at least one catheter flexible circuit board (400), and for each of the at least one catheter flexible circuit board (400), the catheter flexible circuit board (400) includes a catheter circuit board body (410) and one or more lead-out segments (420), the one or more lead-out segments (420) being located at at least one end of the catheter circuit board body (410) in a width direction of the catheter circuit board body (410), and the one or more lead-out segments (420) being electrically connected to the one or more connecting portions (320). ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The ultrasound probe of claim 11, wherein: the at least one catheter flexible circuit board (400) includes a plurality of catheter flexible circuit boards (400), each of a plurality of catheter circuit board bodies (410) of the plurality of catheter flexible circuit boards (400) is provided with the one or more lead-out segments (420) at two ends of the catheter circuit board body (410) along the width direction of the catheter circuit board body (410), and two lead-out segments (420) among the one or more lead-out segments (420) on a same catheter flexible circuit board (400) are connected to a pair of connecting portions (320) among the one or more connecting portions (320) in a one-to-one correspondence, respectively. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The ultrasound probe of claim 11, wherein: the at least one catheter flexible circuit board (400) includes a plurality of catheter flexible circuit boards (400), each of a plurality of catheter circuit board bodies (410) of the plurality of catheter flexible circuit boards (400) is provided with the one or more lead-out segments (420) at one end of the catheter circuit board body (410) along the width direction of the catheter circuit board body (410), and a pair of connecting portions (320) among the one or more connecting portions (320) are connected to two lead-out segments (420) respectively disposed on two catheter flexible circuit boards (400) among the plurality of catheter flexible circuit boards (400). ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The ultrasound probe of claim 11, wherein the one or more connecting portions (320) are welded, bonded, bound together or integrally molded with the one or more lead-out segments (420). ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The ultrasound probe of claim 10, wherein: for each of the at least one catheter flexible circuit board (400), the catheter flexible circuit board (400) includes a first flexible circuit board (430) and a second flexible circuit board (440) connected to each other, an end of the first flexible circuit board (430) away from the second flexible circuit board (440) is connected to the first connector (300′), and an end of the second flexible circuit board (440) away from the first flexible circuit board (430) is connected to the host. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The ultrasound probe of claim 15, wherein: the first flexible circuit board (430) includes a first transmission end (431), the second flexible circuit board (440) includes a plurality of second transmission ends (441), the plurality of second transmission ends (441) are spaced sequentially along an extension direction of the second flexible circuit board (440), and the first transmission end (431) is selectively connected to one of the plurality of second transmission ends (441). ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The ultrasound probe of claim 15, wherein: the ultrasound probe includes a first portion and a second portion connected in sequence, the first connector (300′) and the first flexible circuit board (430) are located within the first portion, the second flexible circuit board (440) is located within the second portion, and the second flexible circuit board (440) is configured in a helical structure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The ultrasound probe of claim 10, wherein: the at least one catheter flexible circuit board (400) includes at least one flexible circuit board in a catheter. ### Claim 19 An ultrasound imaging device including a host, a coupler, and an ultrasound probe connected in sequence, one end of the ultrasound probe being connected to the host through the coupler, wherein the ultrasound probe includes: a piezoelectric layer (100); a backing layer (200) provided in a laminated arrangement with the piezoelectric layer (100); a first connector (300′), wherein the first connector (300′) is disposed between the piezoelectric layer (100) and the backing layer (200); the first connector (300′) is electrically connected to the piezoelectric layer (100); and the first connector (300′) is configured as a flexible circuit board; and a second connector (400′), wherein one end of the second connector (400′) is connected to the first connector (300′) and the other end is connected to a host. ### Claim 20 An ultrasound probe, comprising: a piezoelectric layer (100); a backing layer (200) provided in a laminated arrangement with the piezoelectric layer (100); a first connector (300′) electrically connected to the piezoelectric layer (100); and a second connector (400′), wherein one end of the second connector (400′) is connected to the first connector (300′) and the other end is connected to a host; the second connector (400′) is configured as at least one flexible circuit board; and the at least one flexible circuit board is in a catheter.