Ultrasound probe for medical imaging system

• US 4,992,989 A
• Filed: 05/02/1989
• Issued: 02/12/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fukuda Denshi Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Namiki, Fumihiro, Watanabe, Kazuhiro, Iida, Atsuo, Kawabe, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pihulic, Daniel T.
• Application Number:
  US07/346,527
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 367/7, 367/105, 367/138, 367/157, 367/162, 128/662.03, 128/663.01, 73/625, 73/626
• US Class Current: 367/7
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0622 on one surface

Abstract

An ultrasound probe for a medical imaging system, comprising an ultrasound absorber and a piezoelectric vibrator mounted on the ultrasound absorber, cut in the direction from the surface of the piezoelectric vibrator to the ultrasound absorber into an array by a plurality of cutting grooves. The cutting depth d of each cutting groove in the ultrasound absorber is determined as an integer multiple of a quarter of a wave length λ corresponding to a center frequency f₀ of ultrasound waves radiated from the piezoelectric vibrator. Consequently, symmetrical electro-acoustic conversion characteristics of the ultrasound probe can be obtained in the frequency domain.

Claims

1. An ultrasound probe for a medical imaging system having an ultrasound absorber and a piezoelectric vibrator mounted on said ultrasound absorber, said ultrasound probe being cut by a plurality of cutting grooves, extending in the direction from the surface of said piezoelectric vibrator to said ultrasound absorber, into an array the cutting depth d of each said cutting groove in said ultrasound absorber being determined by the following equation:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">d=n·

(λ

/4)

where, reference λ

is the wave length corresponding to the center frequency f₀ of the ultrasound waves radiated from said piezoelectric vibrator, and the coefficient n is a natural number.

2. An ultrasound probe for a medical imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said coefficient n is determined to be an odd number.

3. An ultrasound probe for a medical imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said coefficient n is determined to be an even number.

4. An ultrasound probe for a medical imaging system comprises:

an ultrasound absorber for absorbing unnecessary ultrasound waves;

a first electrode, mounted on said ultrasound absorber;

a piezoelectric vibrator, mounted on said first electrode, for radiating an ultrasound wave;

a second electrode, mounted on said piezoelectric vibrator, for driving said piezoelectric vibrator together with said first electrode;

an acoustic matching layer, mounted on said second electrode, for matching the ultrasound wave; and

said ultrasound probe being cut by a plurality of cutting groves, extending in the direction from the surface of said acoustic matching layer to said ultrasound absorber, into an array, the cutting depth d of each said cutting groove in said ultrasound absorber being determined by the following equation;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">d=n·

(λ

/4)

where, reference λ

is the wave length corresponding to the center frequency f₀ of ultrasound waves radiated from said piezoelectric vibrator, and the coefficient n is a natural number.

5. An ultrasound probe for a medical imaging system according to claim 4, wherein said coefficient n is determined to be an even number.

6. An ultrasound probe for a medical imaging system according to claim 4, wherein said coefficient n is determined to be an odd number.