Ultrasound diagnosis apparatus and probe therefor
First Claim
1. An ultrasound probe for insertion into a body cavity of a patient to obtain ultrasound images of the patient, comprising:
- an insertion portion having a flexible tubular body;
a hollow housing provided at one end of the insertion portion;
a transducer mounted in said housing, said transducer having a flat surface and being rotatable about an axis perpendicular to said flat surface; and
a mark visible from the exterior of the housing for indicating a direction of the transducer provided on a surface of the rotation portion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and a probe therefor for a body cavity of a patient are disclosed. The probe comprises a transducer which rotates to obtain sectional ultrasound images along various angles. The apparatus comprises a means for indicating the rotation angle of the transducer. A mark for indicating the angle is provided on a surface of the transducer. The rotation angle is detected electrically to be displayed on a CRT screen. For more precise detection, slack removers for removing slacks of rotation wires are provided. A rotation angle indicator for indicating the rotation angle of a rotation knob which represents the rotation angle of the transducer is provided on the operation portion.
93 Citations
55 Claims
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1. An ultrasound probe for insertion into a body cavity of a patient to obtain ultrasound images of the patient, comprising:
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an insertion portion having a flexible tubular body; a hollow housing provided at one end of the insertion portion; a transducer mounted in said housing, said transducer having a flat surface and being rotatable about an axis perpendicular to said flat surface; and a mark visible from the exterior of the housing for indicating a direction of the transducer provided on a surface of the rotation portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18)
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15. An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus for obtaining ultrasound images of a patient, having a probe to be inserted into a body cavity of the patient and display means for displaying the ultrasound images, the probe comprising:
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an insertion portion having a flexible tubular body; a hollow housing provided at one end of the insertion portion; a transducer mounted in said housing, said transducer having a flat surface and being rotatable about an axis perpendicular to said flat surface; and a mark visible from the exterior of the housing for indicating a direction of the transducer provided on a surface of the rotation portion. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An ultrasound probe for insertion into a body cavity of a patient to obtain ultrasound images of the patient, comprising:
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an insertion portion having a flexible tubular body; a hollow housing provided at one end of the insertion portion; and an array of transducer elements, said array having a flat surface, for transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves in a plane perpendicular to the surface, wherein said array is provided in the housing and is rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the surface; and detection means for electrically detecting a rotation angle of the plane, being connected to the transducer in the housing. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus for obtaining ultrasound images of a patient, having a probe to be inserted into a body cavity of the patient and display means for displaying the ultrasound images, the probe comprising:
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an insertion portion having a flexible tubular body; a hollow housing provided at one end of the insertion portion; an array of transducer elements, said array having a flat surface, for transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves in a plane perpendicular to the surface, wherein said array is provided in the housing, and is rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the surface; and detection means for electrically detecting a rotation angle of the plane, being connected to the transducer in the housing. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. An ultrasound probe for insertion into a body cavity of a patient to obtain ultrasound images of the patient, comprising:
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an insertion portion having a flexible tubular body; a hollow housing provided at one end of the insertion portion; a transducer rotatably provided in the housing; a pulley coaxially connected to the transducer, being rotatable in connection with the transducer; rotating means for rotating the pulley, having a string-like body; operating means for operating the rotating means such that the transducer is rotated in a desired direction provided at the other end of the insertion portion; and slack removing means, provided to said rotating means, for removing a slack of the rotating means. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus for obtaining ultrasound images of a patient, having a probe to be inserted into a body cavity of the patient and display means for displaying the ultrasound images, the probe comprising:
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an insertion portion having a flexible tubular body; a hollow housing provided at one end of the insertion portion; a transducer rotatably provided in the housing; a pulley coaxially connected to the transducer, being rotatable in connection with the transducer; rotating means for rotating the pulley, having a string-like body; operating means for operating the rotating means such that the transducer is rotated in a desired direction provided at the other end of the insertion portion; and slack removing means, provided to said rotating means, for removing a slack of the rotating means. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
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47. An ultrasound probe for insertion into a body cavity of a patient to obtain ultrasound images of the patient, comprising:
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an insertion portion having a flexible tubular body; a hollow housing provided at one end of the insertion portion; an array of transducer elements, said array having a flat surface, for transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves in a plane perpendicular to the surface, wherein said array is provided in the housing, and is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the surface; a pulley coaxially connected to the transducer, being rotatable in connection with the transducer; rotating means for rotating the pulley, having a string-like body; operating means, provided at the other end of said insertion portion, for operating said rotating means such that said array is rotated in a desired direction; and indication means for indicating a rotation angle of the transducer. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus for obtaining ultrasound images of a patient, having a probe to be inserted into a body cavity of the patient and display means for displaying the ultrasound images, the probe comprising:
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an insertion portion having a flexible tubular body; a hollow housing provided at one end of the insertion portion; a transducer elements rotatably provided in the housing; an array of transducer elements, said array having a flat surface, for transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves in a plane perpendicular to the surface, wherein said array is provided in the housing and is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the surface; a pulley coaxially connected to the transducer, being rotatable in connection with the transducer; rotating means for rotating the pulley, having a string-like body; operating means, provided at the other end of said insertion portion, for operating said rotating means such that said array is rotated in a desired direction; and indication means for indicating a rotation angle of the transducer.
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Specification