Ultrasonic transducer assembly with extended flexible circuits
First Claim
1. In an ultrasonic transducer assembly of the type comprising:
- an elongated conduit comprising a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, and a lumen, said lumen defining an axis;
a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements carried by the conduit adjacent the distal end portion; and
a plurality of flexible circuits carried in the lumen, said plurality of flexible circuits comprising a set of flexible circuits, each flexible circuit in the set comprising a plurality of elongated conductors, at least some of said conductors electrically coupled to respective ones of the transducer elements;
the improvement comprising;
each flexible circuit in the set comprising first, second and third portions, said first and second portions meeting at a first fold, and said second and third portions meeting at a second fold, said first and third portions extending through respective, axially-spaced portions of the lumen, at least one of the folds oriented obliquely to the axis.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasonic transducer assembly includes a conduit that defines a lumen, and the lumen carries a flexible circuit. The flexible circuit can take several forms. In one form the circuit is folded at first and second fold lines, and at least one of the folds is oriented obliquely to the longitudinal axis of conduit. In another form the flexible circuit includes an end portion that defines a plurality of substantially parallel grooves, each groove aligned with and exposing a respective one of the conductors of the circuit. Additional conductors are positioned in respective ones of the grooves and are electrically connected with the respective conductors of the flexible circuit.
125 Citations
35 Claims
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1. In an ultrasonic transducer assembly of the type comprising:
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an elongated conduit comprising a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, and a lumen, said lumen defining an axis; a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements carried by the conduit adjacent the distal end portion; and a plurality of flexible circuits carried in the lumen, said plurality of flexible circuits comprising a set of flexible circuits, each flexible circuit in the set comprising a plurality of elongated conductors, at least some of said conductors electrically coupled to respective ones of the transducer elements; the improvement comprising; each flexible circuit in the set comprising first, second and third portions, said first and second portions meeting at a first fold, and said second and third portions meeting at a second fold, said first and third portions extending through respective, axially-spaced portions of the lumen, at least one of the folds oriented obliquely to the axis. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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2. In an ultrasonic transducer assembly of the type comprising:
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an elongated conduit comprising a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, and a lumen, said lumen defining an axis; a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements carried by the conduit adjacent the distal end portion; and a plurality of flexible circuits carried in the lumen, said plurality of flexible circuits comprising a set of flexible circuits, each flexible circuit in the set each comprising a plurality of elongated conductors, at least some of said conductors electrically coupled to respective ones of the transducer elements; the improvement comprising; each flexible circuit in the set comprising first, second and third portions, said first and second portions meeting at a first fold, said second and third portions meeting at a second fold, said conductors in the first portion extending generally parallel to the conductors in the third portion, said first and third portions extending through respective, axially spaced portions of the lumen, at least one of the folds oriented obliquely to the axis.
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9. In an ultrasonic transducer assembly of the type comprising:
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an elongated conduit comprising a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, and a lumen, said lumen defining an axis; a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements carried by the conduit adjacent the distal end portion, a plurality of flexible circuits carried in the lumen, said plurality of flexible circuits comprising a set of flexible circuits, each flexible circuit in the set comprising a plurality of elongated conductors, at least some of said conductors electrically coupled to respective ones of the transducer elements; each flexible circuit in the set comprising an end portion, each end portion comprising a plurality of substantially parallel grooves, each groove aligned with and exposing a respective one of the conductors; and a plurality of additional conductors, each of the additional conductors extending into a respective one of the grooves and electrically connected to the respective first-mentioned conductor. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. In an ultrasonic transducer assembly of the type comprising:
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an elongated conduit comprising a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, and a lumen, said lumen defining an axis; a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements carried by the conduit adjacent the distal end portion; and a set of flexible circuits carried in the lumen, each flexible circuit of the set comprising a plurality of elongated conductors, at least some of said conductors electrically coupled to respective ones of the transducer elements; the improvement comprising; each flexible circuit in the set comprising first, second and third portions, said first and second portions meting at a first fold, and said second and third portions meeting at a second fold, said first and third portions extending through respective, axially-spaced portions of the lumen; and first and second shielding layers carried in the lumen, said set of flexible circuits disposed between the shielding layers such that the shielding layers provide EMI shielding, said shielding layers each comprising a respective shielding flexible circuit. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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24. In an ultrasonic transducer assembly of the type comprising:
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an elongated conduit comprising a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, and a lumen, said lumen defining an axis; and a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements carried by the conduit adjacent the distal end portion; the improvement comprising; a plurality of flexible circuits carried in the lumen, said flexible circuits comprising a plurality of elongated conductors and each flexible circuit comprising a respective band, at least some of said conductors electrically coupled to respective ones of the transducer elements; said flexible circuits folded accordion-style near at least one end of the flexible circuits so that the separate bands of the flexible circuits lie on top of one another. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. In an ultrasonic transducer assembly of the type comprising:
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an elongated conduit comprising a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, and a lumen, said lumen defining an axis; a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements carried by the conduit adjacent the distal end portion; and a plurality of flexible circuits carried in the lumen, said plurality of flexible circuits comprising a set of flexible circuits, each flexible circuit in the set comprising a plurality of elongated conductors, at least some of said conductors electrically coupled to respective ones of the transducer elements; the improvement comprising; each flexible circuit in the set comprising first, second and third portions, said first and second portions meeting at a first fold, and said second and third portions meeting at a second fold, said first and third portions extending through respective, axially-spaced portions of the lumen, first and second folds of a flexible circuit of said plurality of flexible circuits being staggered with respect to first and second folds of an adjacent flexible circuit of said plurality of flexible circuits.
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29. In an ultrasonic transducer assembly of the type comprising:
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an elongated conduit comprising a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, and a lumen, said lumen defining an axis; a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements carried by the conduit adjacent the distal end portion; and a plurality of flexible circuits carried in the lumen, said plurality of flexible circuits comprising a set of flexible circuits, each flexible circuit in the set comprising a plurality of elongated conductors, at least some of said conductors electrically coupled to respective ones of the transducer elements; the improvement comprising; each flexible circuit in the set comprising first, second and third portions, said first and second portions meeting at a first fold, and said second and third portions meeting at a second fold, said first and third portions extending through respective, axially-spaced portions of the lumen, each flexible circuit being characterized by a thickness and said plurality of flexible circuits being characterized by a maximum thickness, said maximum thickness being about a sum of the thickness of each flexible circuit of said plurality of flexible circuits plus twice the thickness of one flexible circuit of said plurality of flexible circuits.
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Specification