Multi-plane electronic scan ultrasound probe
First Claim
1. A multi-plane electronic scan ultrasound probe having a manipulating head, an elongated catheter member extended out from said manipulating head on a front bide thereof, an ultrasound transducer rotatably mounted within a casing on a distal end section of said catheter member and having a row of a large number of ultrasound transducer elements on a rotary body, a rotation control knob provided on said manipulating head to control rotation of said rotary member through rotation transmission wire means extended between said rotation control means and said rotary member through said catheter member via a drive pulley mounted on said manipulation head:
- said multi-plane electronic ultrasound probe comprising a tilt control mechanism for tilting rotational axis of said rotary member thereby to turn an active face of said ultrasound transducer in a predetermined direction, said tilt control mechanism including a tilt control means provided on said manipulating head, a tiltable support for said rotary member, and a tilt signal transmission means connected between said tilt control means and said tiltable support to transmit a tilt signal to said latter.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-plane electronic scan ultrasound probe having a rotary member rotatably mounted on a distal end portion of an elongated catheter member of the probe and support thereon an ultrasound transducer consisting of a row of a large number of ultrasound elements. The rotary member is connected to a rotation control knob on a manipulating head of the probe by way of rotation transmission wires extended through the catheter member and via a drive pulley mounted on the manipulating head in association with the rotation control knob to turn the ultrasound transducer through an arbitrary angle in multi-plane electronic scanning by manipulation of the rotation control knob. In addition, for the purpose of tilting the ultrasound transducer through a desired angle, the ultrasound probe is provided with a tilting mechanism to tilt the rotational axis of the rotary member in a predetermined direction, including a tiltable support for the rotary member, a tilt control means provided on the manipulating head, and a tilt signal transmission means for transmitting a tilt control signal from the tilt control means to the tiltable support.
177 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A multi-plane electronic scan ultrasound probe having a manipulating head, an elongated catheter member extended out from said manipulating head on a front bide thereof, an ultrasound transducer rotatably mounted within a casing on a distal end section of said catheter member and having a row of a large number of ultrasound transducer elements on a rotary body, a rotation control knob provided on said manipulating head to control rotation of said rotary member through rotation transmission wire means extended between said rotation control means and said rotary member through said catheter member via a drive pulley mounted on said manipulation head:
- said multi-plane electronic ultrasound probe comprising a tilt control mechanism for tilting rotational axis of said rotary member thereby to turn an active face of said ultrasound transducer in a predetermined direction, said tilt control mechanism including a tilt control means provided on said manipulating head, a tiltable support for said rotary member, and a tilt signal transmission means connected between said tilt control means and said tiltable support to transmit a tilt signal to said latter.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
Specification