Ultrasound probe with thermal management
AssigneeFujifilm Sonosite, Inc.
InventorSAEED ALIAKBARI
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ultrasound probe with thermal management and methods for using and manufacturing the same are described. In some embodiments, an ultrasound probe includes electronics configured to control transmission and reception of ultrasound signals and a battery configured to provide power to the electronics. The ultrasound probe also includes a battery holder configured to house the battery and transfer heat away from the electronics and an enclosure configured to establish a seal that isolates the electronics from the battery and an environment external to the ultrasound probe.
Claims20
An ultrasound probe comprising:
- electronics configured to control transmission and reception of ultrasound signals;
- a battery configured to provide power to the electronics;
- a battery holder configured to house the battery and transfer heat away from the electronics;
- an enclosure configured to establish a seal that isolates the electronics from the battery and an environment external to the ultrasound probe;
- and
- an end cap removably coupled to the battery holder to implement service of the battery, wherein the end cap includes at least one connector implemented to receive at least one of the additional power and the charging current from an additional battery.
An ultrasound system comprising:
- a display device configured to display ultrasound images based on ultrasound data;
- and
- an ultrasound probe communicatively coupled to the display device and configured to generate the ultrasound data, the ultrasound probe including:
- electronics housed in a first compartment of the ultrasound probe and configured to control the generation of the ultrasound data;
- a battery housed in a second compartment of the ultrasound probe and configured to provide power to the electronics;
- a probe cover;
- a battery holder that when attached to the probe cover forms a seal that isolates the first compartment from the second compartment;
- and
- an end cap removably coupled to the battery holder to implement the service of the battery, wherein the end cap includes at least one connector implemented to receive at least one of additional power and charging current from an additional battery.
A method of manufacturing an ultrasound probe, the method comprising:
- forming a battery holder configured to house a battery in a first compartment of the battery holder;
- mounting electronics to the battery holder outside of the first compartment, the electronics configured to control transmission and reception of ultrasound signals;
- sealing a probe cover to the battery holder, the sealing creating a second compartment inside the ultrasound probe that houses the electronics and that is isolated from the first compartment and an environment external to the ultrasound probe;
- and
- receiving to receive at least one of additional power and charging current from an additional battery via at least one connector of an end cap removably coupled to the battery holder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.