Compound lens for ultrasound transducer probe
First Claim
1. An ultrasound probe comprising:
- a planar array of piezoelectric transducer elements having a front face;
an inner lens part having a convex cylindrical front face and a planar rear face acoustically coupled to said front face of said planar array; and
an outer lens part having a concave cylindrical rear face acoustically coupled to said convex cylindrical front face of said inner lens part and having a convex cylindrical front face,wherein said outer lens part is made of a first acoustic medium having a first acoustic velocity greater than the acoustic velocity in human tissue and said inner lens part is made of a second acoustic medium having a second acoustic velocity less than the acoustic velocity in human tissue.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A compound lens for focusing ultrasound emitted from an ultrasound probe having an array of piezoelectric transducer elements. The compound lens has an inner lens part with a convex cylindrical front face and a rear face which is acoustically coupled to the front face of the transducer array, and an outer lens part with a concave cylindrical rear face which is acoustically coupled to the convex cylindrical front face of the inner lens part. The inner lens part may be in the form of a conventional silicone rubber focusing lens. The outer lens part is made of an acoustic medium having a higher acoustic velocity and greater durability than silicone rubber, e.g., polymethylpentene, nylon and high-density polyethylene. Also the outer lens part has greater chemical resistance than silicone rubber.
140 Citations
7 Claims
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1. An ultrasound probe comprising:
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a planar array of piezoelectric transducer elements having a front face; an inner lens part having a convex cylindrical front face and a planar rear face acoustically coupled to said front face of said planar array; and an outer lens part having a concave cylindrical rear face acoustically coupled to said convex cylindrical front face of said inner lens part and having a convex cylindrical front face, wherein said outer lens part is made of a first acoustic medium having a first acoustic velocity greater than the acoustic velocity in human tissue and said inner lens part is made of a second acoustic medium having a second acoustic velocity less than the acoustic velocity in human tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification