Portable ultrasonic probe

• US 9,675,324 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2014
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Young Il, Cho, Kyung Il, Kim, Bae Hyung, Song, Jong Keun, Lee, Seung Heun
• Primary Examiner(s): KWOK, HELEN C
• Application Number:
  US14/301,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20140360274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 73644, 73632, 73618, 73626, 600459, 600457, 600443
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4427 Device being portable or laptop-like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/546 involving monitoring or regulation of device temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/0654 Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2431 using other means for acoustic excitation, e.g. heat, microwaves, electron beams sound producing devices not otherwise provided for G10K15/04

Abstract

A portable ultrasonic probe includes a main body including a transducer to generate an ultrasonic wave and a folder portion including a display portion and pivotally coupled to an end portion of the main body, the main body includes a first heat radiation module configured to absorb and emit heat generated by the transducer, and the folder portion includes a second heat radiation module thermally coupled to the first heat radiation module when the folder portion is in a first position and configured to emit heat transmitted from the first heat radiation module.

Claims

1. A portable ultrasonic probe comprising:

a main body comprising a transducer to generate an ultrasonic wave; and

a folder portion comprising a display portion and pivotally coupled to an end portion of the main body,

wherein the main body comprises a first heat radiation module configured to absorb and emit heat generated by the transducer,

wherein the folder portion comprises a second heat radiation module thermally coupled to the first heat radiation module when the folder portion is in a first position and configured to emit heat transmitted from the first heat radiation module,

wherein the folder portion further comprises a coupling portion provided at an end portion thereof such that the folder portion is pivotally coupled to an end portion of the main body by the coupling portion; and

the coupling portion comprises at least one rotation shaft such that the folder portion is rotated around at least one rotation shaft axis of the at least one rotation shaft.

2. The portable ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the first heat radiation module comprises:

a heat spreader provided on a first surface of the transducer to absorb the heat generated by the transducer;

a heat pipe provided to the heat spreader to transfer the heat absorbed by the heat spreader in a direction opposite to a direction in which the ultrasonic wave is projected; and

a first connection portion provided to the heat pipe and thermally coupled to the second heat radiation module when the folder portion is in the first position to transfer heat transferred through the heat pipe to the second heat radiation module.

3. The portable ultrasonic probe according to claim 2, wherein the first heat radiation module further comprises at least one heat radiation plate provided to the heat spreader to emit the heat absorbed by the heat spreader.

4. The portable ultrasonic probe according to claim 2, wherein the first connection portion comprises a metal.

5. The portable ultrasonic probe according to claim 2, wherein the display portion is provided on a first surface opposite to a second surface of the folder portion which comes into contact with the main body when the folder portion is folded.

6. The portable ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the second heat radiation module comprises:

a connection portion thermally coupled to the first heat radiation module when the folder portion is in the first position; and

a heat radiation plate connected to the connection portion to emit heat transferred from the connection portion.

7. The portable ultrasonic probe according to claim 6, wherein the second heat radiation module further comprises a heat pipe configured to transfer heat absorbed by the connection portion to the heat radiation plate.

8. The portable ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the main body from which the ultrasonic wave is projected has a predetermined angle with respect to an opposite surface of the main body.

9. A portable ultrasonic probe comprising:

a main body comprising a transducer to generate an ultrasonic wave and a first heat radiation module to absorb and emit heat generated by the transducer; and

a folder portion comprising a display portion and a second heat radiation module thermally coupled to the first heat radiation module when the folder portion is in a first position and configured to emit heat from the first heat radiation module,

wherein the main body is provided such that a surface of the main body from which the ultrasonic wave is projected is slanted with respect to an opposite surface of the main body,

wherein the folder portion further comprises a coupling portion provided at an end portion thereof such that the folder portion is pivotally coupled to an end portion of the main body by the coupling portion; and

the coupling portion comprises at least one rotation shaft such that the folder portion is rotated around at least one rotation shaft axis of the at least one rotation shaft.

10. The portable ultrasonic probe according to claim 9, wherein the first heat radiation module comprises:

a heat spreader provided on a first surface of the transducer to absorb the heat generated by the transducer;

a heat pipe provided to the heat spreader to transfer the heat absorbed by the heat spreader in a direction opposite to a direction in which the ultrasonic wave is projected; and

a first connection portion provided to the heat pipe and thermally coupled to the second heat radiation module when the folder portion is in the first position to transfer heat transferred through the heat pipe to the second heat radiation module.

11. The portable ultrasonic probe according to claim 10, wherein the first heat radiation module further comprises at least one heat radiation plate provided to the heat spreader to emit the heat absorbed by the heat spreader.

12. The portable ultrasonic probe according to claim 10, wherein the first connection portion comprises a metal.

13. The portable ultrasonic probe according to claim 10, wherein the display portion is provided on a first surface opposite to a second surface of the folder portion which comes into contact with the main body when the folder portion is folded.

14. The portable ultrasonic probe according to claim 9, wherein the second heat radiation module comprises:

a connection portion thermally coupled to the first heat radiation module when the folder portion is in the first position; and

a heat radiation plate connected to the connection portion to emit heat transferred from the connection portion.

15. The portable ultrasonic probe according to claim 14, wherein the second heat radiation module further comprises a heat pipe configured to transfer heat absorbed by the connection portion to the heat radiation plate.

16. A portable ultrasonic probe comprising:

a main body comprising at least one ultrasonic element configured to generate an ultrasonic wave;

a foldable part movable between a first position and a second position relative to the main body; and

a hinge part configured to operatively connect the foldable part to the main body, wherein the hinge part is thermally coupled to the at least one ultrasonic element of the main body,

wherein the hinge part comprises at least one rotation shaft such that the foldable part is rotated around at least one rotation shaft axis of the at least one rotation shaft.

17. The portable ultrasonic probe according to claim 16, wherein at least one from among the main body and the foldable part comprises a heat radiation plate thermally coupled to the hinge part.

18. The portable ultrasonic probe according to claim 16, wherein at least one from among the main body and the foldable part comprises a heat pipe thermally coupled to the hinge part and configured to transfer heat along a longitudinal direction thereof.