JPH0730009Y2 - Ultrasonic probe - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe used in an ultrasonic endoscope or the like.

[Conventional technology]

An ultrasonic probe used for an ultrasonic endoscope or the like, like an ultrasonic probe used in various medical fields, generates ultrasonic waves by applying an electric signal to an electrode provided on a piezoelectric element. Generated, receives this ultrasonic wave and the ultrasonic wave reflected from the subject while receiving it, converts it to an electrical signal, extracts it from the electrode, and searches the structure in the subject from the electrical signal. is there.

For example, as the structure of the ultrasonic probe proposed so far, as described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 58-37561, a blade portion having a blade-shaped tip and an ultrasonic transmitting / receiving window are provided. An ultrasonic transducer is integrally provided on the hollow needle-shaped body. FIGS. 6A and 6B show this conventional example, in which a needle 32 is provided with a transducer 32, and an electric signal is applied by signal cables 33 and 34. Further, as described in JP-A-58-190756, a vibrating element in which an installation electrode is formed on a part of the outer surface of a polymer electret is provided so as to cover the outer circumference of a signal line. FIG. 7 shows this conventional example.
Is a signal line, 36 is a vibration element, and 37 is a connection line with a shield line.

[Problems to be solved by the device]

However, the ultrasonic probe of the above conventional example has various problems in terms of promoting miniaturization, ensuring performance, and the like. In the case of the first conventional example, when connecting a signal cable to an ultrasonic transducer, it is necessary to take measures such as soldering and the like. This leads to a decrease in efficiency.

Further, in the second conventional example, since the vibrating element is provided in a convex shape on the outer periphery of the signal line, the ultrasonic wave emitting surface has a wide angle and the emitted ultrasonic beam spreads to receive the reflected wave. Then, even if an ultrasonic image is obtained, the resolution will decrease. Furthermore, the surface shape of the vibration element is standardized, and it is difficult to change it depending on the application.

The present invention is proposed to solve the above problems,
It is an object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic probe which is small in size, has good productivity, and can obtain an appropriate ultrasonic image.

[Means and Actions for Solving the Problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an ultrasonic transducer having at least two electrodes on a surface obtained by cutting a signal line having at least two conductors so that the at least two conductors are exposed. Each electrode of the ultrasonic transducer is arranged so as to be electrically connected to each exposed conductor of the signal line.

With this configuration, it is possible to eliminate the difficult work of connecting to a signal line by using a lead wire, and to provide a small-sized ultrasonic probe capable of obtaining an appropriate ultrasonic image with high production efficiency.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a perspective view and FIG. B is a vertical sectional view. The coaxial cable 1 includes an inner conductor 2 as an axis, a dielectric 3 on the outer periphery thereof, an outer conductor 4 on the outer periphery thereof, and a protective coating 5 on the outer periphery thereof. A part of the coaxial cable 1 is cut so as to form a cross section along the axis from the end as shown in Fig. B at the tip of the coaxial cable 1 and to form a cross section perpendicular to this cross section at a required position. To do.

The ultrasonic vibrator 8 is placed and fixed on this cut portion. The ultrasonic vibrator 8 is made of aluminum,
It has a polymeric piezoelectric film 6 on which a conductive film is formed by vapor deposition of copper, silver, etc., and a 1 / 4λ copper plate 7 which also serves as one electrode of the polymeric piezoelectric film 6. The ultrasonic transducer 8 is fixed by interposing a conductive adhesive 9 on the joint surface, but the conductive adhesive 9 is positioned between the copper plate 7 and the inner conductor 2 of the coaxial cable 1 for electrical conduction. The insulating member 10 is interposed at the portion where the inner conductor 2 and the outer conductor 4 are joined together to insulate the inner conductor 2 from the outer conductor 4. In this case, the conductive adhesive 9 is applied to the place where the inner conductor 2 and the copper plate 7 are joined,
You may make it fix by interposing a non-conductive adhesive agent in other places.

In addition, a semi-circular insulating member 10 is provided so as to cover the exposed portion of the internal conductor 2 also at the vertical cross section of the cut portion to insulate the internal conductor 2 and the external conductor 4. The conductive film formed on the surface of the piezoelectric polymer film 6 and the outer conductor 4
And are connected by a conductive adhesive or soldering 11 or the like to establish continuity.

Since this embodiment is configured as described above, when the ultrasonic transducer 8 is mounted and fixed on the cut portion of the coaxial cable 1,
The electrical connection, which is difficult to work, can be easily performed. One of the electrodes of the ultrasonic transducer 8 is 1 /
The copper plate 7 is connected to the inner conductor 2 of the coaxial cable 1, and the conductive film formed on the polymer piezoelectric film 6, which is the other electrode, is connected to the outer conductor 4. Therefore, when the ultrasonic transducer 8 is excited by the supply of the excitation signal from the transmission / reception circuit provided in the signal line extending direction (not shown), the ultrasonic beam is emitted. Then, the ultrasonic transducer 8 receives the reflected signal from the subject and converts it into an electric signal, which is then processed by the transmission / reception circuit.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In the case where the ultrasonic transducer 8 is mounted and fixed on the cut portion of the coaxial cable 1, the 1 / 4λ copper plate 7 is joined to the inner conductor 2. A conductive wedge body 13 having a wedge 12 as shown in FIGS. A (front view) and B view (side view) is fixed to the inner conductor 2, and the wedge body 13 is fixed to the inner conductor 2. Is fixed via a non-conductive adhesive. FIG. C shows a state in which the ultrasonic transducer 8 configured in this way is fixed to the coaxial cable 1.

On the other hand, the inner conductor 2 at the vertical cross section of the coaxial cable 1 is insulated from the outer conductor 4 by providing an insulating material 14. Other configurations are similar to those of the first embodiment.

With this structure, the 1 / 4λ copper plate 7 which is one of the electrodes of the ultrasonic oscillator 8 and the internal conductor 2 of the coaxial cable 1 via the wedge 13 and the polymer piezoelectric which is the other electrode. The conductive film formed on the film 6 is connected to the outer conductor 4 via a conductive adhesive (not shown) or soldering.

FIG. 3 shows a modification of the present embodiment, in which the ultrasonic transducer 8 is formed in a concave shape as a whole.
In order to form in this way, the wedge body 13 needs to have the same shape, and the gap between the wedge body 13 and the internal conductor 2 needs to be filled with a conductive member. The other structure is the same as that of the above embodiment.

According to the present invention, the shape of the ultrasonic transducer 8 can be easily modified in this way according to the application. In the case of this modification, the ultrasonic beam can be converged and irradiated at a required location.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the present invention in which the same cut portion as in the first embodiment is formed in the coaxial cable 1, but the ultrasonic transducer 8 to be mounted and fixed has a structure. different.
That is, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG.
A single or multiple acoustic matching layer 17 is provided on the upper surface of 15, and a conductive backing material 18 formed by mixing tungsten powder in epoxy resin or containing epoxy resin in metal sponge is provided on the lower surface. . The ultrasonic transducer 8 configured in this manner is fixed to the cut portion of the coaxial cable 1 with the conductive adhesive 9 interposed on the joint surface. In this case, the backing material 18 and the inner conductor 2 of the coaxial cable 1
As in the first embodiment, the conductive adhesive 9 is interposed only between and, and the insulating member is interposed at other portions. The side electrode 16 is electrically connected to the outer conductor 4 of the coaxial cable 1 by the conductive adhesive 11.

The semicircular insulating member 10 is provided at the vertical cross section of the cut portion to insulate the inner conductor 2 from the outer conductor 4 in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

FIG. C shows a modified example of the ultrasonic transducer 8 in which an acoustic lens 19 is attached to the acoustic matching layer 17 and has a function of converging the ultrasonic beam.

FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention in which the cut portion at the tip of the coaxial cable 1 is a slope having a predetermined angle with respect to the axial direction. The ultrasonic transducer 8 provided with the conductive wedge body 13 is fixed to the diagonally cut portion. Then, the manner of conducting each of the exposed inner conductor 2 and outer conductor 4 is the same as in the second embodiment.

[Effect of device]

As described above, according to the present invention, the coaxial cable for driving the ultrasonic vibrator is provided with the cut portion so that the ultrasonic vibrator can be directly fixed while electrically conducting through the electrode. It is possible to eliminate the work of electrically connecting the ultrasonic transducer via the. Therefore, even in the miniaturized ultrasonic probe, the connection with the signal line can be easily performed, and the productivity can be improved. Further, it is possible to easily change the design of the surface shape of the ultrasonic transducer.

[Brief description of drawings]

1A and 1B are perspective views and sectional views of a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2A to 2C are partial front views, side views and ultrasonic probes of a second embodiment of the present invention. Sectional drawing, FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a modification of the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 4A to 4C are perspective views, partial sectional views and FIG. 5 of the third embodiment of the present invention. A cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the invention, FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 7 show a conventional example. 1 ... Coaxial cable 2 ... Inner conductor 4 ... Outer conductor 8 ... Ultrasonic transducer

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An ultrasonic transducer having at least two electrodes on a surface obtained by cutting a signal line having at least two conductors so as to expose the at least two conductors, and each electrode of the ultrasonic transducer. Is arranged so as to establish continuity with each exposed conductor of the signal line.