System for connecting a transducer array to a coaxial cable in an ultrasound probe

A system for electrically connecting a multiplicity of electrodes on a transducer array to a corresponding multiplicity of wires of a coaxial cable, comprising:

• a first flexible circuit having one end electrically connected to said signal electrodes of said transducer array;
• and
• a second flexible circuit having one end electrically connected to said wires of said coaxial cable,
• wherein the other end of said first flexible circuit overlaps and is electrically connected to the other end of said second flexible circuit, said other end of said first flexible circuit having a first row of terminals spaced with a first linear pitch and said other end of said second flexible circuit having a second row of terminals spaced with said first linear pitch, each terminal of said first row of terminals overlapping a respective terminal of said second row of terminals, said overlapping terminals being bonded by a layer of cured adhesive sandwiched therebetween, said layer of cured adhesive comprising electrically conductive means.

An ultrasound probe comprising:

• a multiplicity of transducer elements made of piezoelectric ceramic, each of said transducer elements having a respective signal electrode and a respective ground electrode;
• a coaxial cable having a multiplicity of wires;
• a first flexible circuit having a first multiplicity of conductive paths, one end of each conductive path of said first multiplicity being electrically connected to a respective one of said signal electrodes of said transducer elements;
• and
• a second flexible circuit having a second multiplicity of conductive paths, one end of each conductive path of said second multiplicity being electrically connected to a respective one of said wires of said coaxial cable,
• wherein the other ends of said conductive paths of said first multiplicity are spaced at a first linear pitch and the other ends of said conductive paths of said second multiplicity are spaced at said first linear pitch, each other end of said conductive paths of said first multiplicity overlapping a respective other end of said conductive paths of said second multiplicity, said overlapping other ends of said conductive paths being bonded by a layer of cured adhesive sandwiched therebetween, said layer of cured adhesive comprising electrically conductive means.