Ultrasound transducer assembly

• US 10,716,542 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2016
• Issued: 07/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Li, Wei, Frey, Gregg, Hsu, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty, Thomas M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Addison, Karen B
• Application Number:
  US15/256,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20170065253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4494 characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements devices for short-range imaging using particular transducer elements arrangements under G01S15/8909; arrangements of transducers in generation of mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic frequency B06B1/0607
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0622 on one surface
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0644 using a single piezoelectric element B06B1/0688 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/067 which is used as, or combined with, an impedance matching layer
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0231 Composite or layered materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2406 Electrostatic or capacitive probes, e.g. electret or cMUT-probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2437 Piezoelectric probes
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/072 by laminating or bonding of piezoelectric or electrostrictive bodies
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/088 by cutting or dicing
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/206 using only longitudinal or thickness displacement, e.g. d33 or d31 type devices

Abstract

Ultrasound transducer assemblies and associated systems and method are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an ultrasound transducer assembly includes at least one matching layer overlies a transducer layer. A plurality of kerfs extends at least into the matching layer. In some aspects, the kerfs are at least partially filled with a filler material that includes microballoons and/or microspheres.

Claims

1. An ultrasound transducer assembly comprising:

a transducer layer configured emit ultrasound energy in an axial direction;

a plurality of matching layers overlaying the transducer layer in the axial direction;

a lens over the plurality of matching layers; and

a plurality of kerfs extending from the lens into the plurality of matching layers, wherein each kerf of the plurality of kerfs is at least partially filled with a first filler material comprising microballoons or microspheres and contains a groove in the first filler material in said each kerf at a portion of the plurality of matching layers adjacent to the lens, the groove having a width less than a width of said each kerf in which the groove is contained and is filled with a second filler material different than the first filler material.

2. The ultrasound transducer assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of kerfs include a plurality of first kerfs and a plurality of second kerfs, wherein the first kerfs have a first depth in the axial direction, wherein the second kerfs have a second depth in the axial direction greater than the first depth.

3. The ultrasound transducer assembly of claim 2, further comprising a backing layer underlying the transducer layer.

4. The ultrasound transducer assembly of claim 2, further comprising a dematching layer between the transducer layer and the backing layer, wherein the second kerfs extend into the backing layer through the plurality of matching layers, the transducer layer and the dematching layer.

5. The ultrasound transducer assembly of claim 4 wherein the acoustical impedance of the dematching layer is less than the acoustical impedance of tungsten carbide.

6. The ultrasound transducer assembly of claim 1, wherein the kerfs have a first width in an azimuthal direction, and wherein the groove has a second width in the azimuthal direction less than the firstwidth.

7. The ultrasound transducer assembly of claim 6 wherein the second width is greater than one half of the first width.

8. The ultrasound transducer assembly of claim 6 wherein the second width is less than one quarter of the first width.

9. The ultrasound transducer assembly of claim 6 wherein the groove has a depth in the axial direction less than a thickness of the matching layer.

10. The ultrasound transducer assembly of claim 6 wherein the groove has a depth in the axial direction greater than a thickness of the matching layer.

11. The ultrasound transducer assembly of claim 1 wherein the depths of the first filler material in individual kerfs in an axial direction varies in an azimuthal direction.

12. The ultrasound transducer assembly of claim 1 wherein the depths of the first filler material in individual kerfs in an axial direction varies in an elevation direction.

13. The ultrasound transducer assembly of claim 1 wherein the first filler material includes an acoustical impedance that is graduated in an axial direction.