Mechanical type ultrasonic scanner

• US 4,807,634 A
• Filed: 02/03/1987
• Issued: 02/28/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Yushichi, Hara, Kiyoshi, Enjoji, Susumu
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaworski, Francis J.
• Application Number:
  US07/010,341
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 128/660, 128/661, 128/618-620, 128/629, 367/140
• US Class Current: 600/437
• 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: G10K 11/02 Mechanical acoustic impedances; Impedance matching, e.g. by horns; Acoustic resonators
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/355 Arcuate movement

Abstract

A mechanical type ultrasonic scanner has a housing which includes an insertion hole and a window member. The window member possesses ultrasonic transmission properties. The housing is filled with an acoustic liquid medium. A vibrator and a scanning mechanism are also accommodated in the housing. The vibrator generates ultrasonic waves. The scanning mechanism mechanically moves the vibrator, to scan the ultrasonic waves generated thereby. A rotating shaft is inserted in the housing, through the insertion hole. The rotating shaft transmits the driving force of a motor to a scanning mechanism. A seal member is inserted between the housing and the rotating shaft in the insertion hole. A partition wall is formed in the housing, to partition it into a first liquid medium chamber and an adjacent second liquid medium chamber. The first liquid medium chamber accommodates the vibrator and the scanning mechanism. The partition wall guides bubbles, undesirably inserted into the acoustic liquid medium, from the first liquid medium chamber to the second liquid medium chamber, and prevents the bubbles from returning to the first liquid medium chamber.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic scanner, comprising:

a housing having first and second chambers holding an acoustic liquid, said first and second chambers being connected through a hole, and said first chamber having a window passing ultrasonic pulses;

an ultrasonic transducer disposed in said first chamber;

rotating shaft means, extending from said second to said first chamber through said hole, for stirring said liquid near the hole so that bubbles inside of said first chamber move to said second chamber through a gap between the hole and said rotating shaft means; and

scanning means being connected with said rotating shaft means for giving said transducer scanning movement.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rotating shaft means proximate said hole has a spiral groove for forcibly introducing bubbles inside of said first chamber to said second chamber upon rotation of said rotation shaft.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said second chamber has a pass for allowing the liquid to return to said first chamber.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first chamber has a funnel-shaped wall tapered toward said second chamber to gather the bubbles inside of said first chamber into said hole.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second chamber has a funnel-shaped wall tapered into said second chamber to prevent the bubbles trapped by said second chamber from returning to said hole when said apparatus is upside down.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus further includes a elastic bag connected to said second chamber to pressurize the liquid.

7. An ultrasonic scanner, comprising:

a housing holding an acoustic liquid and having a window thereon;

a partition wall disposed inside of the housing to define first and second chambers, said partition wall having first and second holes;

a rotating shaft extending from said second chamber to said first chamber through the first hole, said rotating shaft having a spiral groove proximate the first hole so that the liquid containing bubbles enters from said first chamber into said second chamber through a gap between said first hole and said first hole and said rotating shaft;

ultrasonic transducer means, coupled to said rotating shaft, for transmitting ultrasonic pulses and receiving echoes of said pulses through the window; and

transducer driver means, coupled to said rotating shaft, for causing said transducer to scan.