Ultrasonic echographic probe having an acoustic lens and an echograph incorporating said probe
First Claim
1. An ultrasonic echographic probe having a deformable acoustic lens and comprising a main piezoelectric transducer associated with an acoustic lens constituted by a chamber filled with a liquid and having a first face delimited by the active face of the transducer and a second curved face constituted by a deformable diaphragm, wherein said probe comprises means for varying the pressure of the liquid on the diaphragm as a function of a control signal, an electroacoustic means for measuring the thickness of the lens by reflection of ultrasonic pulses, and means for comparing the thickness-measuring signal generated by said electroacoustic means with a signal which is representative of a reference value in order to generate a difference signal which constitutes said control signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A probe primarily applicable to medical echography for achieving a variable compromise between depth of field and lateral resolution incorporates a main piezoelectric transducer, a plano-convex lens having an elastic diaphragm, an auxiliary transducer for measuring the deflection of the lens and means for controlling the deflection in dependence on a reference value by modifying the pressure exerted on the diaphragm by the fluid contained within the lens.
34 Citations
7 Claims
- 1. An ultrasonic echographic probe having a deformable acoustic lens and comprising a main piezoelectric transducer associated with an acoustic lens constituted by a chamber filled with a liquid and having a first face delimited by the active face of the transducer and a second curved face constituted by a deformable diaphragm, wherein said probe comprises means for varying the pressure of the liquid on the diaphragm as a function of a control signal, an electroacoustic means for measuring the thickness of the lens by reflection of ultrasonic pulses, and means for comparing the thickness-measuring signal generated by said electroacoustic means with a signal which is representative of a reference value in order to generate a difference signal which constitutes said control signal.
Specification