Auto switch biplane prostate probe
First Claim
1. A multiplane ultrasound probe (10) comprising:
- an outer casing (12) having a longitudinal axis and a unitary scanning position therein;
support means (14) mounted within said outer casing (12) for supporting more than one scanning means (16,18) aligned on said longitudinal axis;
a plurality of scanning means (16,18) mounted on said support means (14) along said longitudinal axis for respectively ultrasound scanning different orthogonal planes (23,25) of an adjacent object (20) when positioned at said scanning position;
shifting means for shifting said support means (14) axially within said outer casing (12) independently of said scanning position of said outer casing (12) and moving either of said scanning means (16,18) into said unitary scanning position; and
registry means for releasably setting any of said scanning means at said scanning position.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A biplane ultrasound probe (10) including an outer casing (12) having a longitudinal axis and an inner member (14) mounted within the outer casing (12). A pair of scanning transducers (16,18) are mounted on the inner member (14) for respectively ultrasound scanning different orthogonal planes (23,25) of an adjacent object (20). The assembly includes a shifting mechanism for shifting the inner member (14) axially within the outer casing (12) independently of the outer casing (12) to move either one of the scanning transducers (16,18) into a unitary scanning position. The shifting mechanism further includes an actuator for actuating the one of the scanning probes (16,18) shifted into the scanning position to scan the object (20).
49 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A multiplane ultrasound probe (10) comprising:
- an outer casing (12) having a longitudinal axis and a unitary scanning position therein;
support means (14) mounted within said outer casing (12) for supporting more than one scanning means (16,18) aligned on said longitudinal axis;
a plurality of scanning means (16,18) mounted on said support means (14) along said longitudinal axis for respectively ultrasound scanning different orthogonal planes (23,25) of an adjacent object (20) when positioned at said scanning position;
shifting means for shifting said support means (14) axially within said outer casing (12) independently of said scanning position of said outer casing (12) and moving either of said scanning means (16,18) into said unitary scanning position; and
registry means for releasably setting any of said scanning means at said scanning position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- an outer casing (12) having a longitudinal axis and a unitary scanning position therein;
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7. A multiplane ultrasound probe (10) comprising:
- an outer casing (12) having a longitudinal axis and a unitary scanning position therein;
support means (14) mounted within said outer casing (12) for supporting more than one scanning means (16,18) aligned on said longitudinal axis;
a plurality of scanning means (16,18) mounted on said support means (14) along said longitudinal axis for respectively ultrasound scanning different orthogonal planes (23,25) of an adjacent object (20) when positioned at said scanning position; and
characterized by shifting means for shifting said support means (14) axially within said outer casing (12) independently of said scanning position of said outer casing (12) and moving either of said scanning means (16,18) into said unitary scanning position, anti-rotation means (26) for preventing relative rotation between said support means (14) and said outer casing (12) and allowing axial movement between said support means (14) and said outer casing (12), said anti-rotation means including a key (26) projecting from said support means (14) and a slot (28) extending into said outer casing (12), said key (26) being in sliding relationship within said slot (28) along said longitudinal axis, stop means for engaging and stopping said key (26) to position any one of said scanning means (16,18) at said scanning position, said scanning means including a pair of ultrasound transducers (16,18) said stop means including a pair of notches (30,32) extending into said key (26) and spaced apart a distance D equal to said predetermined distance D between said central rays (22,24) of said scan planes (23,25), said stop means further including a cantilevered arm (34) for selectively engaging and releasing either one of said notches (30,32) to look either of said ultrasonic transducers (16,18) in said scanning position. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
- an outer casing (12) having a longitudinal axis and a unitary scanning position therein;
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15. An ultrasound probe (10) comprising:
- an outer casing (12) having a longitudinal axis and a unitary scanning position therein, support means (14) mounted within said outer casing (12) for supporting more than one scanning means (16,18) aligned on said longitudinal axis;
a plurality of scanning means (16,18) mounted on said support means (14) along said longitudinal axis for respectively ultrasound scanning different planes (23,25) of an adjacent object (20) when positioned at said unitary scanning position;
shifting means for shifting said support means (14) axially within said outer casing (12) independently of said unitary scanning position of said outer casing (12) and moving one of said scanning means (16,18) into said unitary scanning position; and
registry means for setting any of said scanning means at said scanning position.
- an outer casing (12) having a longitudinal axis and a unitary scanning position therein, support means (14) mounted within said outer casing (12) for supporting more than one scanning means (16,18) aligned on said longitudinal axis;
Specification