Ultrasound probe transducer assembly and production method
First Claim
1. A transducer assembly for an ultrasound probe comprising:
- a plurality of elements comprising piezoelectric material, said elements having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front; and
backing material adjacent to the back surface of the plurality of elements, wherein the piezoelectric material and said backing material define at least two side surface portions, wherein each of said at least two side surface portions have electrically conductive material disposed upon and in contact therewith, wherein the electrically conductive material forms at least two electrically isolated regions, and wherein each of said at least two electrically isolated regions is electrically connected to at least one of said plurality of elements.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved ultrasound transducer assembly, e.g. a thickness-mode transducer assembly includes a plurality of elements comprising piezoelectric material, and a backing material disposed adjacent to a back surface of the plurality of elements. The piezoelectric material and backing material define at least a portion of a side surface, wherein an electrically conductive material is disposed upon and in contact with at least a portion of the side surface. The elements may comprise one or a plurality of front electrodes, and one or a plurality of back electrodes, wherein the front electrode(s) is electrically interconnected to the electrically conductive material disposed on the side surface portion. In a mass processing method, a plurality of thickness-mode ultrasound probe transducer assemblies may be produced, wherein a plurality of interconnected transducer subassemblies comprising a mass backing are processed in tandem.
43 Citations
97 Claims
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1. A transducer assembly for an ultrasound probe comprising:
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a plurality of elements comprising piezoelectric material, said elements having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front; and
backing material adjacent to the back surface of the plurality of elements, wherein the piezoelectric material and said backing material define at least two side surface portions, wherein each of said at least two side surface portions have electrically conductive material disposed upon and in contact therewith, wherein the electrically conductive material forms at least two electrically isolated regions, and wherein each of said at least two electrically isolated regions is electrically connected to at least one of said plurality of elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 74, 75, 76)
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22. An ultrasound probe transducer assembly comprising:
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a backing material having a plurality of conductive portions extending through said backing material and separated by electrically insulating material, wherein the plurality of conductive portions include at least one ground path and a plurality of signal paths; and
a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements comprising piezoelectric material, said plurality of ultrasound transducer elements being electrically connected to said at least one electrically conductive ground path and electrically connected to different ones of said plurality of signal paths.
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23. A transducer assembly for an ultrasound probe comprising:
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a plurality of elements, said elements having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface and comprising piezoelectric material, wherein each of said elements has a front electrode defining the front surface and a back electrode defining the back surface;
backing material having a plurality of electrically conductive portions extending therethrough, the electrically conductive portions separated by electrically insulating portions, said backing material being adjacent to the back surfaces of said back electrodes, wherein said piezoelectric material and said backing material define at least one side surface, the side surface including both said piezoelectric material and said backing material; and
electrically conductive material disposed upon and in contact with the at least one side surface, wherein at least one of said front electrodes is electrically connected to said electrically conductive material and at least one of said back electrodes is electrically connected to at least one conductive portion of said backing material. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27-73. -73. (canceled)
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77. A transducer assembly for an ultrasound probe comprising:
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a plurality of elements comprising piezoelectric material, said elements having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front; and
backing material adjacent to the back surface of the plurality of elements, wherein the piezoelectric material and said backing material define at least a portion of a side surface, the side surface including both said piezoelectric material and backing material, wherein electrically conductive material is disposed upon and in contact with said portion of the side surface, and wherein the electrically conductive material comprises at least one of a curable conductive material and a metalized layer. - View Dependent Claims (78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
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92. A transducer assembly for an ultrasound probe comprising:
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a plurality of elements comprising piezoelectric material, said elements having a front surface and a back surface opposite the front; and
backing material adjacent to the back surface of the plurality of elements, wherein the piezoelectric material and said backing material define at least a portion of a side surface, the side surface including both said piezoelectric material and backing material, wherein electrically conductive material is disposed upon and in contact with said portion of the side surface and wherein the electrically conductive material is disposed upon and in contact with a front surface of said piezoelectric material to define a front electrode of said at least one of said plurality of elements. - View Dependent Claims (93, 94, 95, 96, 97)
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Specification