Omnidirectional ultrasonic probe
First Claim
1. An apparatus to be removably placed in an esophagus at an end of a hollow catheter for use in detecting, by means of the Dopper effect, the velocity of an acoustic reflector target, said apparatus comprising:
- a support member, including;
hub means for connecting with the hollow catheter; and
a shaft extending axially from said hub means;
a first piezoelectric transducer mounted on the end of said shaft adjacent said hub means;
a first acoustic reflector member including a first end and a second end, said first acoustic reflector member mounted on said shaft with said first end of said first acoustic reflector member near said first piezoelectric transducer;
a second piezoelectric transducer mounted on said shaft near said second end of said first acoustic reflector member;
a second acoustic reflector member mounted on said shaft with said second piezoelectric transducer in between said first acoustic reflector member and said second acoustic reflector member; and
wherein;
each of said first and second acoustic reflector members includes;
a cylindrical neck portion having an inner cylindrical surface defining an axial opening; and
a conical frustum portion having an inner cylindrical surface defining an axial opening extending in axial alignment with said axial opening through said cylindrical neck portion, and said conical frustum portion further having an outer oblique surface; and
said first and second acoustic reflector members are coaxially mounted on said shaft ot said support member so that said shaft extends through said axial openings of said reflector members and so that said outer oblique surfaces of said conical frustum portions of said reflector members are parallel.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An omnidirectional ultrasonic probe, having specific application for connection to the distal end of an esophageal catheter, includes a support member upon which are coaxially mounted a transmitter member, a receiver member, and one or more acoustic reflector members. The acoustic reflector member or members reflect transmissions and receptions of ultrasonic signals along substantially parallel paths. The reflector members also provide omnidirectional reflection. Separate transmitter and receiver members are used in the preferred embodiments to facilitate continuous wave operation.
196 Citations
14 Claims
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1. An apparatus to be removably placed in an esophagus at an end of a hollow catheter for use in detecting, by means of the Dopper effect, the velocity of an acoustic reflector target, said apparatus comprising:
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a support member, including; hub means for connecting with the hollow catheter; and a shaft extending axially from said hub means; a first piezoelectric transducer mounted on the end of said shaft adjacent said hub means; a first acoustic reflector member including a first end and a second end, said first acoustic reflector member mounted on said shaft with said first end of said first acoustic reflector member near said first piezoelectric transducer; a second piezoelectric transducer mounted on said shaft near said second end of said first acoustic reflector member; a second acoustic reflector member mounted on said shaft with said second piezoelectric transducer in between said first acoustic reflector member and said second acoustic reflector member; and wherein; each of said first and second acoustic reflector members includes; a cylindrical neck portion having an inner cylindrical surface defining an axial opening; and a conical frustum portion having an inner cylindrical surface defining an axial opening extending in axial alignment with said axial opening through said cylindrical neck portion, and said conical frustum portion further having an outer oblique surface; and said first and second acoustic reflector members are coaxially mounted on said shaft ot said support member so that said shaft extends through said axial openings of said reflector members and so that said outer oblique surfaces of said conical frustum portions of said reflector members are parallel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An ultrasonic probe for use inside the body of an animal, comprising:
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transmitter means for transmitting within the body an ultrasonic signal; receiver means for receiving reflections of said ultrasonic signal reflected from an acoustic reflector of the body; a first acoustic reflector member connected to said transmitter means and including first surface means for reflecting into the body said ultrasonic signal from said transmitter means; and a second acoustic reflector member connected to said receiver means and including second surface means for reflecting to said receiver means said reflections of said ultrasonic signal reflected from an acoustic reflector of the body, said second acoustic reflector member disposed relative to said first acoustic reflector member so that said first surface means and said second surface means are substantially parallel. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An ultrasonic probe for use inside the body of an animal, comprising:
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an elongated support member having a longitudinal center axis; an annular first transducer having a hole through which said support member extends; a first acoustic reflector member including a first conical frustum portion through which said support member extends, said first conical frustum portion of said first acoustic reflector member having an exterior defined by an outer oblique surface disposed at a first angle, by which a nominal steering angle θ
°
different from said first angle is defined, relative to said longitudinal center axis;an annular second transducer having a hole through which said support member extends so that said second transducer is mounted on said support member with a distance of d millimeters between corresponding locations of said first and second transducers; a second acoustic reflector member including a second conical frustum portion through which said support member extends, said second conical frustum portion of said second acoustic reflector member having an exterior defined by an outer oblique surface disposed at a second angle relative to said longitudinal center axis, wherein the difference between said first and second angles is not greater than (1/2)(φ
)°
where ##EQU3## and where z=the distance in millimeter that an acoustic reflector target of the body is spaced from the midpoint of the distance d between said first and second transducers. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. An ultrasonic probe for use inside the body of an animal, comprising:
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an elongated support member having a longitudinal center axis; a single pair of concentric transducers, including; an annular first transducer mounted around said support member so that said first transducer is coaxial with said longitudinal center axis; and an annular second transducer mounted around said first transducer so that said second transducer is coaxial with said longitudinal center axis and said first transducer is concentric within said second transducer; and a single acoustic reflector member mounted on said support member coaxial with said longitudinal center axis, said single acoustic reflector member including a single exterior oblique surface extending around said support member and extending obliquely relative to said longitudinal center axis. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification