Ultrasonic probe

An ultrasonic probe for connection to a transmitter/receiver which transmits driving signals to said probe and receives echo signals from said probe, said probe comprising:

• an ultrasonic transducer element structure including a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements which are electrically isolated from each other and arranged adjacent to each other in a row, each transducer element for generating an ultrasonic wave toward an examined object at times when the driving signals are applied to the element, and for receiving an echo ultrasonic wave from the examined object for generating the echo signal, wherein each transducer element has first and second opposite sides;
• a plurality of signal electrodes arranged adjacent to each other and corresponding to the ultrasonic transducer elements, each signal electrode provided on the first side of a corresponding ultrasonic transducer element for applying the driving signals to the element and receiving the echo signals from the element;
• an earth electrode having an inner surface provided on the second side opposite to the first side of at least one of the ultrasonic transducer elements and having an outer flat surface which opposes the inner surface and faces the echo wave;
• a plurality of signal conductive members for conducting the driving signals from the transmitter/receiver to the signal electrode and the echo signals to the transmitter/receiver, said plurality of signal conductive members being substantially disposed in a planar relationship with adjacent signal conductive members being electrically connected to adjacent signal electrodes;
• a backing member adhered to said plurality of signal electrodes for absorbing unnecessary ultrasonic waves generated by said plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements;
• and
• an earth conductive member for earthing said earth electrode, electrically connected to said earth electrode and electrically isolated from said signal conductive members, said earth conductive member including a first planar member electrically connected to said earth electrode at a first end and substantially adjacent to said backing member, a second planar member connected to a second end of said first planar member, and a third planar member, substantially adjacent to said backing member, connected to said second planar member and extending proximally along at least one of said signal conductive members to limit a mutual inductance between at least two said signal conductive members.

An ultrasonic probe for connection to a transmitter/receiver which transmits driving signals to said probe and receives echo signals from said probe, said probe comprising:

• an ultrasonic transducer element structure including a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements which are electrically isolated from each other and arranged adjacent to each other in a row, each transducer element for generating an ultrasonic wave toward an examined object at times when the driving signals are applied to the element, and for receiving an echo ultrasonic wave from the examined object for generating the echo signal, wherein each ultrasonic transducer element has first and second opposite sides;
• a plurality of signal electrodes arranged adjacent to each other and corresponding to the transducer elements, each signal electrode provided on the first side of a corresponding ultrasonic transducer element for applying the driving signals to the element and receiving the echo signals from the ultrasonic transducer element;
• an earth electrode having an inner surface provided on the second side opposite to the first side of at least one of the ultrasonic transducer elements and having an outer flat surface which opposes the inner surface and faces the echo wave;
• a plurality of signal conductive members for conducting the driving signals from the transmitter/receiver to the signal electrode and the echo signals to the transmitter/receiver, said plurality of signal conductive members being substantially disposed in a planar relationship with adjacent signal conductive members being electrically connected to adjacent signal electrodes;
• a backing member adhered to said plurality of signal electrodes for absorbing unnecessary ultrasonic waves generated by said plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements;
• and
• an earth conductive member for earthing said earth electrode, electrically connected to said earth electrode and electrically isolated from said signal conductive members, said earth conductive member including a first planar member electrically connected to said earth electrode at a first end, a portion of said first planar member being adjacent to said backing member, a second planar member connected to an intermediate portion of said first planar member, and a third planar member, substantially adjacent to said backing member, connected to said second planar member and extending proximally along at least one of said signal conductive members to limit a mutual inductance between at least two said signal conductive members.

An ultrasonic probe for connection to a transmitter/receiver which transmits driving signals to said probe and receives echo signals from said probe, said probe comprising:

• an ultrasonic transducer element structure including a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements which are electrically isolated from each other and arranged adjacent to each other in a row, each ultrasonic transducer element for generating an ultrasonic wave toward an examined object at times when the driving signals are applied to the element, and for receiving an echo ultrasonic wave from the examined object for generating the echo signal, wherein each ultrasonic transducer element has first and second opposite sides;
• a plurality of signal electrodes arranged adjacent to each other and corresponding to the ultrasonic transducer elements, each signal electrode provided on the first side of a corresponding ultrasonic transducer element for applying the driving signals to the element and receiving the echo signals from the element;
• an earth electrode having an inner surface provided on the second side opposite to the first side of at least one of the ultrasonic transducer elements and having an outer flat surface which opposes the inner surface and faces the echo wave;
• a plurality of signal conductive members for conducting the driving signals from the transmitter/receiver to the signal electrode and the echo signals to the transmitter/receiver, said plurality of signal conductive members being substantially disposed in a planar relationship with adjacent signal conductive members being electrically connected to adjacent signal electrodes;
• a backing member adhered to said plurality of signal electrodes for absorbing unnecessary ultrasonic waves generated by said plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements;
• and
• an earth conductive member for earthing said earth electrode, electrically connected to said earth electrode and electrically isolated from said signal conductive members, said earth conductive member including a first planar member electrically connected to said earth electrode at a first end, a portion of said first planar member being adjacent to said backing member, a second planar member connected to a second end of said first planar member, and a third planar member connected to said second planar member and extending proximally along at least one of said signal conductive members to limit a mutual inductance between at least two said signal conductive members, a portion of said third planar member being adjacent to said backing member.