Modular transducer system
First Claim
1. A modular transducer system, comprising:
- an ultrasound transducer module including an ultrasound transducer and a transducer printed wiring board, the transducer board having a plurality of electrical contact pads disposed on a portion of one surface and connected for carrying electrical signals between the pads and the transducer;
a system printed wiring board, the system board having a plurality of electrical contact pads disposed on a portion of one surface in corresponding opposition to contact pads of the transducer board and defining opposed pairs of contact pads, the system board having wiring termination pads spaced apart from the contact pads, and predetermined contact pads being electrically connected with predetermined wiring termination pads;
a contact module located between the transducer board and the system board, the contact module having a system surface and an opposed transducer surface, and electrical conductors extending between the opposed surfaces and aligned with opposed pairs of contact pads; and
aligning and clamping means for supporting the system board, the contact module, and the transducer board, for aligning the opposed pairs of contact pads with corresponding contact module conductors, and for clamping the contact pad portion of the transducer board and the system board to the contact module,whereby an electrical connection is established between the system board and the ultrasound transducer, and the transducer module is supported by the aligning and clamping means.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A modular transducer system includes a small, hand held adapter which remains permanently attached to an ultrasound system console and permits the rapid connection and disconnection of individual, sterilizable ultrasound transducers. In a preferred embodiment, the hand held adapter is connected to the system by a retractable cable. In another preferred embodiment, the individual transducers are identifiable by the system using transducer generated binary codes. The individual transducers are submersible in a wide variety of liquids including cleaning solutions and disinfectants. The small transducers are easily stored at the site of the ultrasound examination. Bulky, awkward, time consuming cables and connectors are eliminated.
149 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A modular transducer system, comprising:
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an ultrasound transducer module including an ultrasound transducer and a transducer printed wiring board, the transducer board having a plurality of electrical contact pads disposed on a portion of one surface and connected for carrying electrical signals between the pads and the transducer; a system printed wiring board, the system board having a plurality of electrical contact pads disposed on a portion of one surface in corresponding opposition to contact pads of the transducer board and defining opposed pairs of contact pads, the system board having wiring termination pads spaced apart from the contact pads, and predetermined contact pads being electrically connected with predetermined wiring termination pads; a contact module located between the transducer board and the system board, the contact module having a system surface and an opposed transducer surface, and electrical conductors extending between the opposed surfaces and aligned with opposed pairs of contact pads; and aligning and clamping means for supporting the system board, the contact module, and the transducer board, for aligning the opposed pairs of contact pads with corresponding contact module conductors, and for clamping the contact pad portion of the transducer board and the system board to the contact module, whereby an electrical connection is established between the system board and the ultrasound transducer, and the transducer module is supported by the aligning and clamping means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A receptacle assembly for use in an ultrasound modular transducer system, comprising:
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a system printed wiring board having a plurality of electrical contact pads disposed on one surface and having wiring termination pads connected to the contact pads; a contact module having a plurality of compressible, electrically conductive elements aligned in opposition with the system board contact pads; and aligning and clamping means defining a receiving space for an ultrasound transducer module printed wiring board having electrical contact pads disposed in opposition to the aligned electrically conductive elements, for supporting the system board and the contact module, for providing support for a printed wiring board within the defined receiving space, and for clamping the two boards and the contact module, whereby an electrical connection is established between opposed contact pads and the received board is supported. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A receptacle assembly for use in an ultrasound modular transducer system, comprising:
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a system printed wiring board having a plurality of electrical pads disposed on one surface and having wiring termination pads connected to the electrical pads; a contact module having a plurality of compressible, electrically conductive elements aligned in opposition with the electrical pads of the system printed wiring board; aligning and clamping means defining a receiving space for an ultrasound transducer module printed wiring board having electrical contact pads disposed in opposition to the aligned, electrically conductive elements, for supporting the system board for providing support for a printed wiring board within the defined receiving space, and for clamping the two boards and the contact module; and the aligning and clamping means including means for unclamping and releasing the transducer module printed wiring board from the defined receiving space, and including an operating handle defining an unlocked position and a locked position such that in the unlocked position the transducer module printed wiring board is unclamped within the receiving space and in the locked position the transducer module printed wiring board is clamped within the receiving space. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An ultrasound transducer module, comprising:
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an ultrasound transducer formed of a linear array having a plurality of piezo-electric elements; a backing block for supporting the linear array; a printed wiring board providing support for the backing block and including a plurality of electrical contact pads connected by printed wiring to interconnect pads; and a flex circuit for connecting the interconnect pads to the piezo-electric elements, whereby an electrical connection is established between the printed wiring board contact pads and the piezo-electric elements. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A modular transducer assembly comprising:
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a transducer module having a piezo-electric transducer, a backing block for supporting the piezo-electric transducer, a printed wiring board having contact pads disposed on at least one surface, and means for electrically connecting the piezo-electric transducer to the contact pads; a cable assembly having means for electrically connecting one end of a cable to the contact pads; and means for mechanically and electrically engaging and releasing the transducer module from the cable assembly, whereby different transducer modules can be engaged by and released from the cable assembly. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification