Method for manufacturing an intravascular ultrasound transducer assembly having a flexible substrate
First Claim
1. An ultrasound transducer assembly for facilitating providing images from within a cavity, the ultrasound transducer assembly comprising:
- integrated circuitry;
an ultrasound transducer array including a set of ultrasound transducer elements comprising a transducer material, a signal electrode and a ground electrode;
a flexible circuit to which the ultrasound transducer array and the integrated circuitry are attached during fabrication of the ultrasound transducer assembly, the flexible circuit comprising;
a flexible substrate, providing a re-shapable platform, to which the integrated circuitry and transducer elements are attached;
transducer signal lines on an inner surface of the flexible substrate, the transducer signal lines providing an electrical signal path between the integrated circuitry and the transducer element signal electrodes; and
a ground line on the inner surface of the flexible substrate; and
wherein a first contact on the signal electrode and a second contact on the ground electrode contact for each transducer element are arranged upon substantially a same physical plane as the inner surface of the flexible substrate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasound transducer assembly of the present invention includes a flexible circuit to which an ultrasound transducer array and integrated circuitry are attached during fabrication of the ultrasound transducer assembly. Integrated circuitry and transducer elements are attached to the flexible circuit while the flexible circuit is in a substantially flat shape. The contacts of the transducer elements are positioned on substantially the same plane such that electrical contact with signal and ground lines on the flexible circuit is established without the need for conductive bridges to physically remote electrodes. In an embodiment of the invention wherein the transducer elements are arranged in a cylindrical array, gaps are entirely filled with backing material having a relatively low acoustic impedance. Structure integrity is enhanced and a path to ground facilitated by electrically conductive disks attached to the ends of the transducer assembly.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An ultrasound transducer assembly for facilitating providing images from within a cavity, the ultrasound transducer assembly comprising:
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integrated circuitry;
an ultrasound transducer array including a set of ultrasound transducer elements comprising a transducer material, a signal electrode and a ground electrode;
a flexible circuit to which the ultrasound transducer array and the integrated circuitry are attached during fabrication of the ultrasound transducer assembly, the flexible circuit comprising;
a flexible substrate, providing a re-shapable platform, to which the integrated circuitry and transducer elements are attached;
transducer signal lines on an inner surface of the flexible substrate, the transducer signal lines providing an electrical signal path between the integrated circuitry and the transducer element signal electrodes; and
a ground line on the inner surface of the flexible substrate; and
wherein a first contact on the signal electrode and a second contact on the ground electrode contact for each transducer element are arranged upon substantially a same physical plane as the inner surface of the flexible substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for fabricating an ultrasound transducer assembly comprising a flexible circuit, integrated circuitry, and a set of transducer elements for facilitating providing images of a blood vessel from within a vasculature, the method comprising the steps:
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fabricating the flexible circuit comprising a flexible substrate and a set of electrically conductive lines formed on an inner surface of the flexible substrate;
fabricating a transducer sheet comprising a transducer material, a signal electrode and a ground electrode, wherein a first contact on the signal electrode and a second contact on the ground electrode contact for each transducer element are arranged upon substantially a same physical plane; and
attaching the transducer sheet to the flexible circuit while the flexible circuit is in a substantially flat shape such that the first contact and second contact for each transducer element abuts corresponding pads of the electrically conductive lines on the inner surface of the flexible circuit. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification