Method of manufacturing an ultrasound system

• US 9,636,133 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2013
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Inventors: Hall, Timothy L., Maxwell, Adam, Cain, Charles A., Kim, Yohan, Xu, Zhen
• Primary Examiner(s): Tugbang, A. Dexter
• Application Number:
  US13/874,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20130289593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/225 for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy [ESWL], e.g. by using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0039 using microbubbles
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/006 Lenses
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0065 Concave transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0091 with moving parts, e.g. transducers, lenses, reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0095 by modifying an excitation signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0607 using multiple elements B06B1/064 and B06B1/0688 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/223 Supports, positioning or alignment in fixed situation mounting transducers per se G10K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/225 Supports, positioning or alignment in moving situation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/226 Handheld or portable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2437 Piezoelectric probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/245 Ceramic probes, e.g. lead zirconate titanate [PZT] probes
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/004 Mounting transducers, e.g. provided with mechanical moving or orienting device mountings specially adapted to a particular sound-producing device, see the preceding groups G10K1/00 - G10K9/00, e.g. G10K1/26, G10K1/28, G10K9/22; arrangements of sonic watch equipment on submarines B63G8/39; buoys B63B22/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/02 Forming enclosures or casings
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/03 Assembling devices that include piezoelectric or electrostrictive parts
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/80 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/8554 : Lead zirconium titanate based
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/88 : Mounts; Supports; Enclosures; Casings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/42 : Piezoelectric device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49005 : Acoustic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49007 : Indicating transducer

Abstract

An ultrasound therapy system is provided that can include any number of features. In some embodiments, the custom transducer housings can be manufactured using a rapid-prototyping method to arrange a plurality of single-element, substantially flat transducers to share a common focal point. The rapid-prototyping method can include, for example, fused-deposition modeling, 3D printing, and stereolithography. In some embodiments, the therapy system can include a plurality of transducer modules insertable into the openings of the transducer housing. Methods of manufacture are also described, including designing a transducer housing shell to a desired geometry and a plurality of acoustic focusing lenses integral to the transducer housing shell in a 3D computer aided design software, and constructing the transducer housing shell and the plurality of acoustic focusing lenses integral to the transducer housing shell using a rapid-prototyping method.

Claims

1. A method of designing and manufacturing an ultrasound system, comprising:

designing a transducer housing shell to a desired geometry and a plurality of acoustic focusing lenses integral to the transducer housing shell such that the transducer housing shell and the plurality of acoustic focusing lenses are each designed in a 3D computer aided design software; and

constructing the transducer housing shell and the plurality of acoustic focusing lenses integral to the transducer housing shell wherein the transducer housing shell and the plurality of acoustic focusing lenses are each formed using a rapid-prototyping method.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the designing step further comprises designing the transducer housing shell to a desired geometry so that a plurality of openings in the housing shell are aligned to converge upon a common focal point.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising constructing a plurality of transducer element modules with the rapid-prototyping method, and inserting the transducer element modules into the openings of the transducer housing shell.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

inserting a plurality of substantially flat, piezoelectric or piezoceramic elements, into the transducer housing shell so that ultrasound energy from the piezoelectric or piezoceramic elements converges upon a common focal point.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

inserting a plurality of curved, piezoelectric or piezoceramic elements, into the transducer housing shell so that ultrasound energy from the piezoelectric or piezoceramic elements converges upon a common focal point.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the rapid-prototyping method is selected from the group consisting of fused-deposition modeling, 3D printing, and stereolithography.