ULTRASONIC SENSOR, MEASURING DEVICE, AND MEASUREMENT SYSTEM

• US 20140180115A1
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: TSURUNO, Jiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,398,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/459
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/04 Measuring blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4227 characterised by straps, belts, cuffs or braces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4461 Features of the scanning mechanism, e.g. for moving the transducer within the housing of the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4477 using several separate ultrasound transducers or probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer

Abstract

An ultrasonic sensor includes a substrate, three or more ultrasonic arrays and a control unit. The three or more ultrasonic arrays are disposed on a surface of the substrate. The control unit is configured to control ultrasonic waves transmitted from the ultrasonic arrays. Each of the three or more ultrasonic arrays includes a linear array structure has a plurality of ultrasonic elements arranged in a corresponding one of three or more straight lines, with the three or more straight lines collectively enclosing a closed area on a plane that contains the surface of the substrate. The control unit is configured to control the ultrasonic waves transmitted from each of the three or more ultrasonic arrays so that the ultrasonic waves are transmitted within a scanning plane that contains the corresponding one of the three or more straight line and that is perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic sensor comprising:

a substrate;

three or more ultrasonic arrays disposed on a surface of the substrate; and

a control unit configured to control ultrasonic waves transmitted from the ultrasonic arrays, wherein

each of the three or more ultrasonic arrays includes a linear array structure has a plurality of ultrasonic elements arranged in a corresponding one of three or more straight lines, with the three or more straight lines collectively enclosing a closed area on a plane that contains the surface of the substrate

the control unit is configured to control the ultrasonic waves transmitted from each of the three or more ultrasonic arrays so that the ultrasonic waves are transmitted within a scanning plane that contains the corresponding one of the three or more straight line and that is perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.

2. The ultrasonic sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit is configured to control a transmission angle of the ultrasonic waves transmitted from each of the three or more ultrasonic arrays by controlling a timing for transmitting the ultrasonic waves from each of the ultrasonic elements.

3. The ultrasonic sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the substrate is formed in a polygonal shape,

each of the three or more straight lines is arranged along a corresponding one of sides of the polygonal shape near a periphery portion spaced apart from a center position of the polygonal shape.

4. The ultrasonic sensor according to claim 3, wherein

at least two of the three or more ultrasonic arrays are arranged apart from each other with respect to each of the sides of the probe surface.

5. The ultrasonic sensor according to claim 1, wherein

each of the three or more ultrasonic arrays includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers arranged in a perpendicular direction that is perpendicular to a corresponding one of the three or more straight lines.

6. The ultrasonic sensor according to claim 5, wherein

the control unit is configured to delay the timings at which the ultrasonic waves are transmitted from the ultrasonic transducers arranged at both ends with respect to the perpendicular direction towards the ultrasonic transducer arranged in the center among the ultrasonic transducers arranged along the perpendicular direction.

7. A measuring device comprising the ultrasonic sensor according to claim 1.

8. The measuring device according to claim 7, further comprising

a drive array switching unit configured to switch the ultrasonic arrays among the ultrasonic arrays into which and from which ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received,

a reflection position calculating unit configured to calculate a reflection position at which the ultrasonic waves are reflected based on reflected ultrasonic waves detected by the ultrasonic arrays, and

a position calculating unit configured to calculate the position of an object to be detected from the reflection position detected by the reflection position calculating unit.

14. A measurement system comprising the ultrasonic sensor according to claim 1.

15. The measurement system according to claim 14, further comprising

a control device connected to the ultrasonic sensor to communicate with the ultrasonic sensor, wherein

the ultrasonic sensor is configured and arranged to transmit to the control device reception signals based on reflected ultrasonic waves detected by the three or more ultrasonic arrays, and to drive the three or more ultrasonic arrays based on drive signals inputted from the control device, and

the control device includes a reflection position calculating unit configured to calculate a reflection position at which the ultrasonic waves are reflected based on the reception signals transmitted from the ultrasonic sensor, and a position calculating unit configured to calculate a position of an object to be detected from the reflection position detected by the reflection position calculating unit.

21. The ultrasonic sensor according to claim 3, wherein

each of the three or more straight lines is arranged parallel to the corresponding one of the sides of the polygonal shape.

9-13. -13. (canceled)

16-20. -20. (canceled)

22. A probe comprising:

a substrate; and

three or more ultrasonic arrays disposed on a surface of the substrate, wherein

each of the ultrasonic arrays includes a linear array structure has a plurality of ultrasonic elements arranged in a corresponding one of three or more straight lines, with the three or more straight lines collectively enclosing a closed area on a plane that contains the surface of the substrate.

23. The probe according to claim 22, wherein

the substrate is formed in a polygonal shape,

each of the three or more straight lines is arranged along a corresponding one of sides of the polygonal shape near a periphery portion spaced apart from a center position of the polygonal shape.

24. The probe according to claim 22, wherein

each of the three or more straight lines is arranged parallel to the corresponding one of the sides of the polygonal shape.

25. The probe according to claim 22, wherein

at least two of the three or more ultrasonic arrays are arranged apart from each other with respect to each of the sides of the probe surface.

26. The probe according to claim 22, wherein

each of the three or more ultrasonic arrays includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers arranged in a perpendicular direction that is perpendicular to a corresponding one of the three or more straight lines.