Ultrasonic probe having dual-motion transducer
First Claim
1. An ultrasonic probe comprising:
- an elongated housing having an acoustic window at one end thereof;
an ultrasonic transducer located in said housing for emitting an acoustic beam through said acoustic window;
a dual motion drive means located at the other end of said housing for providing dual motions having a reciprocating motion and a swing motion transverse to the reciprocating motion; and
means for coupling said drive means to said transducer to transmit thereto said dual motions so that said beam is steerable in orthogonal directions, wherein said coupling means comprises;
a drive shaft connected at one end to said dual motion drive means to transmit said reciprocating and swing motions to the other end thereof; and
means for movably mounting said transducer at the other end of said drive shaft so that said transducer is swingable in a first plane in response to said reciprocating motion and in a second plane normal to said first plane in response to said swing motion, wherein said transducer is formed with an opening extending in the transverse direction of the housing, said mounting means comprising;
a pivot member extending through said transducer and said drive shaft in said transverse direction; and
an arcuate guide member spaced from said pivot member, the guide member extending through said opening so that said transducer is swingable about said guide member in response to said reciprocating motion and further swingable about the axis of said drive shaft in response to said swing motion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a mechanically scanned ultrasonic probe, an ultrasonic transducer is swingably mounted on a drive shaft which is given a swinging transversal movement and a reciprocating longitudinal movement. The transducer emits an acoustic beam which is steered in a raster format in response to the swing and reciprocating motions. Echos returning from objects contain diagnostic data of a three-dimensional space. All the components are encased in a toothbrush-like housing having a head portion, an intermediate portion and a hand-grip portion. The dual motions are provided by a drive mechanism accommodated in the hand-grip portion and the transducer is accommodated in the head portion. The drive shaft extends through the intermediate portion.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. An ultrasonic probe comprising:
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an elongated housing having an acoustic window at one end thereof; an ultrasonic transducer located in said housing for emitting an acoustic beam through said acoustic window; a dual motion drive means located at the other end of said housing for providing dual motions having a reciprocating motion and a swing motion transverse to the reciprocating motion; and means for coupling said drive means to said transducer to transmit thereto said dual motions so that said beam is steerable in orthogonal directions, wherein said coupling means comprises; a drive shaft connected at one end to said dual motion drive means to transmit said reciprocating and swing motions to the other end thereof; and means for movably mounting said transducer at the other end of said drive shaft so that said transducer is swingable in a first plane in response to said reciprocating motion and in a second plane normal to said first plane in response to said swing motion, wherein said transducer is formed with an opening extending in the transverse direction of the housing, said mounting means comprising; a pivot member extending through said transducer and said drive shaft in said transverse direction; and an arcuate guide member spaced from said pivot member, the guide member extending through said opening so that said transducer is swingable about said guide member in response to said reciprocating motion and further swingable about the axis of said drive shaft in response to said swing motion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An ultrasonic probe for dental diagnosis comprising:
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a housing including a head portion having an acoustic window, a hand-grip portion and an arm portion connecting the head portion to the hand-grip portion, said head portion being at least partially filled with acoustic-energy transmitting liquid; dual motion drive means in said hand-grip portion for providing dual motions having a first motion component in a longitudinal direction of said housing and a second motion component about said longitudinal direction; an electroacoustic transducer in said head portion for emitting an acoustic beam through said acoustic window; and coupling means in said arm portion for coupling said dual motion drive means to said transducer for steering said beam in orthogonal directions in response to the first and second motion components, wherein said dual motion drive means comprises a rotary motor and a cam having an inclined cam face, said cam being connected to be driven by said motor, said couplind means comprising a shaft having one end thereof being in camming contact with said cam face, the other end of said shaft being pivotally connected to said transducer. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification