Device for ultrasonic scanning
First Claim
1. A device for ultrasonic scanning, comprising a reflector having a parabolic surface which intersects each plane perpendicular to an image plane according to a curved line which is symmetrical with respect to the image plane, said reflector serving to reflect ultrasonic beams which are emitted from the point of focus of the reflector by at least one emitter/receiver composed of discrete elements, and means for rotating the emitter/receiver about an axis which extends through the point of focus and which is perpendicular to the image plane, said device being characterized in that it comprises two reflectors defining an image field and forming a continuous line having a symmetry axis which coincides with the axis of the image field, the points of focus of the reflectors being separated from each other over a distance which amounts to at least the width of the image field and for each reflector an emitter/receiver having at least one flat mosaic of transducers co-operating therewith, each mosaic comprising a central transducer which can be switched over so as to function as a source for emitting ultrasonic beams, said mosaics being capable of rotation in the same direction and at the same speed such that the mosaics are continuously mutually parallel in planes perpendicular to the image plane.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasonic examination device comprising two curved converging mirrors, the points of focus of which differ and are separated from each other over a distance equalling the width of the image plane. The device furthermore comprises two pairs of mosaics, formed by transducers, which are mounted back-to-back and which rotate about axes which pass through the points of focus of the said mirrors and which are perpendicular to the image plane.
The four mosaics, the central transducer of which can be connected as an emitter by pulses, are successively actuated, i.e. once per revolution. The device and the circuits used make it possible to register each surface having a given continuity, even if this surface exhibits given inclinations.
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Citations
7 Claims
- 1. A device for ultrasonic scanning, comprising a reflector having a parabolic surface which intersects each plane perpendicular to an image plane according to a curved line which is symmetrical with respect to the image plane, said reflector serving to reflect ultrasonic beams which are emitted from the point of focus of the reflector by at least one emitter/receiver composed of discrete elements, and means for rotating the emitter/receiver about an axis which extends through the point of focus and which is perpendicular to the image plane, said device being characterized in that it comprises two reflectors defining an image field and forming a continuous line having a symmetry axis which coincides with the axis of the image field, the points of focus of the reflectors being separated from each other over a distance which amounts to at least the width of the image field and for each reflector an emitter/receiver having at least one flat mosaic of transducers co-operating therewith, each mosaic comprising a central transducer which can be switched over so as to function as a source for emitting ultrasonic beams, said mosaics being capable of rotation in the same direction and at the same speed such that the mosaics are continuously mutually parallel in planes perpendicular to the image plane.
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7. Apparatus for ultrasonic scanning of a body, comprising:
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a flat mosaic of discrete ultrasonic transducers, a central transducer of which may function as a source of ultrasonic waves; means for rotating said mosaic about an axis parallel to the plane of said mosaic, said axis defining an image plane which is perpendicular thereto, said image plane symmetrically intercepting said mosaic; a reflector for reflecting ultrasonic waves from said central transducer to a body intercepted by said image plane and for reflecting ultrasonic echo waves from said body back to said mosaic, said reflector being symmetrically intercepted by said image plane and having a surface in the shape of a portion of a paraboloid, the focus point of which coincides with the intercept of said axis and image plane.
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Specification