JPH0894596A - Ultrasonic examination method of subject - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide an ultrasonic inspection method of an object capable of performing inspection in a wide range without changing the array probe, pulser, amplifier and the like. [Structure] Piezoelectric elements are arranged in a line in the X-axis direction on the array probe 5, and an ultrasonic beam generated by them is used for X-axis.
Axial scanning (electronic scanning) is performed. The array probe 5 (A) at the position A is mechanically continuously moved in the Y-axis direction,
Electronic scanning is performed at every predetermined pitch p in the middle of the movement, and when the position reaches the position B, the array probe 5 is displaced in the X axis direction by the sum of the scanning range L and the pitch p, and ΔY in the Y axis direction. Then, the same scanning is performed from the position C to the position D. The scanning range in the X-axis direction can be expanded, and sampling can be performed by matching the corresponding sampling points (P ₁₀ and P ₂₀ ) at the ends of electronic scanning.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic inspection method for an object which scans the object with an ultrasonic beam using an array probe having a large number of piezoelectric elements arranged in a line.

[0002]

Non-destructive inspection by ultrasonic inspection is used in many fields. In particular, ultrasonic inspection using an array probe configured by arranging a large number of these piezoelectric elements in a row using piezoelectric elements as vibrators electronically performs ultrasonic scanning in the array direction of the array probe. Therefore, quick inspection is possible. An ultrasonic inspection apparatus using such an array probe will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the scanner portion of the ultrasonic inspection apparatus. In this figure, X and Y indicate coordinate axes. Reference numeral 1 is a scanner base, 2 is a water tank placed on the scanner base 1, 3 is water poured into the water tank 2, and 4 is a subject placed on the bottom of the water tank 2. An array probe 5 is formed by arranging a large number of piezoelectric elements in one line, and is arranged to face the subject 4. 6
Is a holder that supports the array probe 5, 7 is an arm that supports the holder 6 and guides its movement in the X-axis direction, and 8 is a frame that supports the arm 7 and guides its movement in the Y-axis direction. The scanner 9 is composed of these. The array probe 5 is moved in the Z-axis (axis orthogonal to the X and Y axes) direction by an appropriate mechanism (not shown) in order to focus the ultrasonic beam on a desired position.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the array probe 5 shown in FIG. In this figure, reference numeral 50 designates a large number of piezoelectric elements arranged in a line. _{B 1, B 2, ............ B} N ultrasound beam, p is the ultrasonic beams B _1, B _2, a pitch between ............ B _N, x is direction scanning by the ultrasonic beams (e.g., In FIG. 8, the X-axis direction), L indicates the scanning range.

An outline of the operation of the array probe 5 will be described. First, in FIG.
Piezoelectric elements up to the 7th) are selected, and a pulse voltage is applied in order from the elements at both ends to the element at the center with a predetermined delay time to excite each piezoelectric element and generate ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic waves from these piezoelectric elements become an ultrasonic beam B ₁ focused on a point F (focal point). Next, by shifting the selection of the piezoelectric elements by one, the next plurality (seven from the second to the eighth) of the piezoelectric elements are selected, and when these are excited with the same delay time, the next ultrasonic beam B ₂ occurs. In this way, by shifting the selection of piezoelectric elements one by one,
Pitch p ultrasonic beams B _1, B _2, so that the scanning of ............ B _N is performed. Since the piezoelectric element is selected by the electronic switching means, high speed scanning (electronic scanning) is possible. The ultrasonic beam emitted from each piezoelectric element to the subject 4 returns to the corresponding piezoelectric element as an ultrasonic echo and is converted into an electric signal proportional to this.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an ultrasonic inspection apparatus using the array probe 5 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. In this figure, 10 is a drive device for driving the scanner 9. The drive device 10 includes a motor 10MX that drives the holder 6 shown in FIG. 8 in the X-axis direction, and an encoder 10E that controls the drive of the motor 10MX or outputs a pulse at every predetermined rotation angle.
X, motor 1 for driving arm 7 shown in FIG. 8 in the Y-axis direction
0 MY, an encoder 10 EY that controls the drive of the motor 10 MY or outputs a pulse at every predetermined rotation angle.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a pulsar for applying a pulse to each piezoelectric element 50 of the array probe 5 to excite them, and the same number of pulsers is provided corresponding to each piezoelectric element 50. 1
Reference numeral 2 denotes an amplifier which receives each electric signal proportional to each ultrasonic echo converted by each piezoelectric element selected to emit one ultrasonic beam and amplifies these electric signals. Corresponding to the piezoelectric element 50, the same number as these is provided. Reference numeral 13 is a waveform adder circuit for adding the respective electric signals. Reference numeral 14 denotes a delay time control circuit, which applies the above-mentioned predetermined delay to each pulser corresponding to each selected piezoelectric element 50, and also applies the same delay to the waveform adding circuit 13 to select each selected. The output signals of the amplifiers corresponding to the piezoelectric elements are added at appropriate timings. A peak detector 15 detects the peak value of the signal added by the waveform adding circuit 13.

Reference numeral 16 denotes an arithmetic processing unit, which is the peak detector 1
A / which converts the peak value detected in 5 into a digital value
The D converter 161, the interface 162, the image memory 163 for accumulating the values obtained by the peak detector 15 as image data, the monitor device 164 for displaying the data accumulated in the image memory 163 as an image, and the input of data such as commands. Keyboard 165, the delay time control circuit 14
It is composed of a microprocessor 166 for controlling the operation of the above, selecting and switching each piezoelectric element, controlling the operation of the scanner 9, controlling the image display on the monitor device 164.

Next, a scanning method of the ultrasonic inspection apparatus equipped with the array probe 5 will be described. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a scanning method of the ultrasonic inspection apparatus. In this figure, X and Y are the same coordinate axes as those shown in FIG. 5 (A) shows the array probe at a certain position A in the Y-axis direction.
(B) shows the array probe at a certain position B in the Y-axis direction. Each black dot in the drawing indicates a sampling point by the ultrasonic beam, and a solid line connecting each black dot indicates a scanning locus of the array probe 5. Of the two numbers in parentheses attached to each sampling point, the number on the left side indicates which sampling point in one electronic scan, and the number on the right side indicates the number of electronic scanning. is there. For example, (N-1, 1) means the (N-1) th sampling point in the first electronic scanning. In the figure, the number of sampling points in electronic scanning is N, and the number of electronic scans is M. p is a pitch, and in the figure, the pitch in the X-axis direction (electronic scanning) and the pitch in the Y-axis direction are the same pitch.

Scanning with ultrasonic waves is performed as follows. First, the array probe 5 is set at a predetermined position A with respect to the subject. Next, the motor 10MY is driven, and the array probe 5 is continuously scanned (mechanical scan) in the Y-axis direction at a predetermined speed. During this mechanical scanning, a pulse is output from the encoder 10EY at each predetermined rotation angle of the motor 10MY, and a trigger signal is output each time a predetermined number of pulses (the number of pulses corresponding to the pitch p) are counted by the arithmetic processing unit 16. Then, electronic scanning is performed once for each trigger signal. That is, when the array probe 5 moves from the position A by the first pitch p, electronic scanning is started.
The first sampling point is represented by (1,1). The starting position of the first electronic scanning can be set to any distance (pulse number) other than the pitch p.

Since the movement in the Y-axis direction is continued during this electronic scanning, the locus of electronic scanning is a straight line rising to the right as shown in the figure. In this case, the deviation between adjacent sampling points in the same electronic scan is extremely small, and discontinuity of sampling positions does not substantially occur, but the deviation between the first sampling point and the last sampling point in the Y-axis direction does not occur. growing.

As an example of the amount of this deviation, the number (N) of ultrasonic beams is 100, the repetition frequency of electronic scanning is 10 KHz (100 μsec / pulse), the pitch p is 0.5 mm, and the scanning speed in the Y-axis direction. 25 mm / sec
When set to (0.5 mm / 20 msec), 0.25 m
m. As described above, the above-mentioned amount of deviation is determined by the number of ultrasonic beams, the repetition frequency of electronic scanning, the pitch p, and Y.
It is a quantity that is determined when the axial scanning speed is determined.

The above-described operation is repeated, and finally the array probe 5 reaches the predetermined position B as shown in the figure and stops moving in the Y-axis direction. The amount of movement of the array probe 5 in the Y-axis direction is (M + 1) × p.

[0014]

By the way, when there are various objects as the object and the object to be scanned has a small area, the above-described scanning method does not cause any inconvenience. However, if the subject is large and the area to be scanned is also large, inspection cannot be performed by the above scanning method. Even in this case, it is relatively easy to scan the adjacent area in the Y-axis direction by increasing the movement distance by the motor 10MY, but it is not easy to expand the scanning range to the adjacent area in the X-axis direction. Absent. That is, in order to expand the scanning range in the X-axis direction, the number of piezoelectric elements arranged in a line must be increased,
Along with this, the number of pulsers and amplifiers also increases, and the cost of the array probe 5, the pulser 11, and the amplifier 12 increases dramatically, and their volumes also increase. Depending on the increase in the weight of 5, the capacity of the motor used may also have to be taken into consideration.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems in the prior art and to perform an ultrasonic inspection method for an object capable of inspecting a wider area without changing an array probe, a pulser, an amplifier or the like. To provide.

[0016]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention uses an array probe constituted by arranging a large number of piezoelectric elements in a line,
The array probe is continuously moved relative to the subject in a direction other than the array direction of the piezoelectric elements.
In the ultrasonic inspection method for a subject, which performs a second scan for ultrasonically scanning the surface of the subject at a predetermined pitch in the arrangement direction of the piezoelectric elements at predetermined pitches in the relative movement during the scanning of With the array probe, the second scanning region adjacent to the first scanning region obtained by the first scanning and the second scanning is set to the final of the second scanning of the first scanning region. With respect to the sampling point adjacent to the second scanning area in the scanning, the sampling point adjacent to the first scanning area in the first scanning of the second scanning of the second scanning area is the first sampling point. The scanning is performed so that the positional relationship is substantially equal in the scanning direction.

According to a second aspect of the invention, in the ultrasonic inspection method of the subject according to the first aspect, after the array probe reaches the final position of the relative movement of the first scan,
The array probe is relatively moved in the array direction by a distance obtained by adding the scan range of the second scan and the pitch in the second scan, and the array probe is moved in the first scan direction. Is relatively moved by the distance in the first scanning direction between the first sampling position and the final sampling position in the second scan to position the array probe, and from this position the array probe is positioned. It is characterized in that the first scanning and the second scanning in which the first scanning is relatively moved in a direction opposite to the scanning direction of the previous first scanning are performed.

Furthermore, the invention according to claim 3 is the same as claim 1.
In the ultrasonic inspection method for a subject described, after the final position of the relative movement of the first scan is reached, the array probe is moved in the array direction to the scanning range of the second scan and the second range. The array probe is positioned by moving the array probe by a distance that is the sum of the pitches in the above scanning, and the array probe is moved from this position in a direction opposite to the scanning direction of the previous first scanning. One scan and the second scan are performed, and in the first scan and the second scan again, the first scan of the second scan is started at a predetermined timing. And

Furthermore, the invention according to claim 4 is the ultrasonic inspection method for an object according to claim 1, wherein after the final scan of the second scan in the relative movement of the first scan is started, the array is concerned. The probe is relatively moved in the first scanning direction by the distance in the first scanning direction between the first sampling position and the final sampling position in the second scanning, and stopped, and from this position The array probe is moved in the arrangement direction to the scanning range of the second scanning and
Positioning is performed by relatively moving the array probe by a distance obtained by adding the pitch in the scanning of the first scanning, and the array probe is relatively moved from this position in a direction opposite to the scanning direction of the previous first scanning. The second scanning is performed.

Further, the invention according to claim 5 is the ultrasonic inspection method for an object according to claim 1, wherein the relative movement in the first scanning is stopped at each pitch of the relative movement. Scanning is performed, and after reaching the final position of the relative movement of the first scanning, the array probe is set to the scanning range of the second scanning and the pitch in the second scanning in the arrangement direction. The array probe is positioned by relative movement by the added distance, and the array probe is relatively moved from this position in a direction opposite to the scanning direction of the previous first scan. 2 scanning is performed.

[0021]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the first scanning region is scanned along the first scanning direction, and then the second scanning region adjacent to the first scanning region is scanned with the first scanning region. First of the area
The scanning is performed in the direction opposite to the scanning direction of. In this reverse scan, the first or last sampling point in the last second scan of the first scan area and the last or first sampling point in the first second scan of the second scan area Scanning is performed so as to have substantially the same positional relationship with each other in the first scanning direction. As a result, the displacement of the sampling position does not occur between the scanning of the first region and the scanning of the next new region that is performed again, and the ultrasonic inspection of a wide range can be performed using the conventional device. Can be done.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, as in the second aspect of the invention, after the array probe reaches the final position of the relative movement of the first scan (mechanical scan), the array probe is turned on. , In the array direction of the piezoelectric elements, a relative distance is moved by a distance obtained by adding the scan range of the second scan (electronic scan) and the pitch in the electronic scan, and between the start point and the end point of the electronic scan in the mechanical scan direction. This is achieved by moving the distance relatively and then from that position by repeating the mechanical scan and the electronic scan again for a new adjacent area.

According to the invention described in claim 1, as in the invention described in claim 3, after the array probe reaches the final position of the relative movement of the mechanical scanning, the array probe is moved to the piezoelectric element. In the arrangement direction, only the relative movement of the distance obtained by adding the scanning range of the electronic scanning and the pitch in the electronic scanning is performed, and from this position, the mechanical scanning and the electronic scanning are performed again for a new adjacent area, and In scanning, the first scan of the electronic scan is achieved by starting at a defined timing.

Further, the invention according to claim 1 is the invention according to claim 4
As described in the invention, after the final scanning of the electronic scanning in the relative movement of the mechanical scanning is started, the array probe is electronically scanned in the mechanical scanning direction between the first sampling position and the final sampling position in the electronic scanning. Direction relative distance is stopped by relative movement, the array probe is positioned relative to the array direction of the piezoelectric element by relative movement by a distance obtained by adding the scanning range of electronic scanning and the pitch in the electronic scanning from this position, This is achieved by performing mechanical scanning and electronic scanning in which the array probe is relatively moved from the position in a direction opposite to the scanning direction of the previous mechanical scanning.

Further, in the invention described in claim 1, as in the invention described in claim 5, during relative movement in mechanical scanning, the relative movement is stopped at each pitch of the relative movement, and the electronic scanning is performed in this stopped state. After reaching the final position of the relative movement of the mechanical scanning, the array probe is moved relative to the array direction of the piezoelectric elements by a distance obtained by adding the scanning range of the electronic scanning and the pitch in the electronic scanning. This is achieved by positioning the probe and performing mechanical and electronic scans again from this position on a new adjacent area.

[0026]

The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an ultrasonic inspection method for a subject according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, 5 (A),
5 (B) is the same as 5 (A) and 5 (B) shown in FIG.
The array probe 5 at positions A and B is shown as 5 (C),
5 (D) is the array probe 5 at position C and position D
Indicates. The X-axis direction scanning (electronic scanning) and the Y-axis direction scanning (mechanical scanning) between the position A and the position B are performed in the same manner as the scanning shown in FIG. This embodiment provides a scanning range expanding method for scanning adjacent areas in the electronic scanning direction (X-axis direction).

In this embodiment, when the scanning of the area between the position A and the position B is completed, the array probe 5 is moved by the motor 10MX by the distance (L + p) obtained by adding the scanning range L and the pitch p. Only in the electronic scanning direction and by the motor 10MY in the Y-axis direction by a distance ΔY. This moving position is the position C indicated by the broken line.
The movement of the distance ΔY will be described later. Next, this position C
From the position A to the position B in the opposite direction to the scanning of the region from the position C to the position D (the position moved by L + p from the position A in the electronic scanning direction) in the same manner as the scanning. Do. As is clear from the figure, this area is a new area adjacent to the previous area in the X-axis direction. Here, when moving from the position B to the position C, Y
The reason for moving the distance ΔY in the axial direction will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of scanning when the array probe is moved only in the electronic scanning direction and the distance ΔY shown in FIG. 1 is not moved. The array probe 5 is moved from the position B in the electronic scanning direction by the sum (L + p) of the scanning range L and the pitch p (position E). From the position E to the position D, the array probe 5 is mechanically scanned in the Y-axis direction in the direction opposite to the Y-axis direction scanning, and the mechanical scanning pitch p is set.
When the electronic scanning is performed in the same direction as the previous electronic scanning, the locus of the electronic scanning is downward rightward as illustrated. It should be noted that if the direction of electronic scanning is changed, the circuit and its control become complicated, so that the defined electronic scanning direction is normally maintained.

Here, attention is paid to one scanning locus O ₁₀ in the scanning of the area from the position A to the position B (in the figure, the scanning locus immediately before the final locus). The data of each sampling point on the scanning locus O ₁₀ is displayed on the display screen of the monitor device 164 as the data of each point on the dashed line in the figure. This also applies to the other scanning loci. Therefore, only the data of the first sampling point (electronic scanning start point) of the locus O ₁₀ coincides with the data of the position on the display screen, and from the second sampling point, the position of each sampling point is changed from the position on the display screen. The data collected at the final sampling point P ₁₀ gradually deviates from the sampling point P ₁₀ by a distance ΔY.
It is displayed as the data of the point P _D10 on the separated one-dot chain line.

On the other hand, in scanning a new area from the position E to the position D, the scanning locus O corresponding to the above scanning locus O _10.
For each sampling point on the _20, only the first sampling point P ₂₀ matches the position of the data on the display screen, 2
Similar to the case of the scanning locus O ₁₀ , the position gradually deviates from the second sampling point little by little. The deviation direction in this case is opposite to the deviation direction in the scanning of the first area. Therefore, the final sampling point P ₁₀ of the scanning locus O ₁₀ of the scanning of the first area and the scanning locus O of the scanning of the new area
Comparing the first sampling point P ₂₀ on _20, it will deviate by a distance ΔY in the Y-axis direction as shown. This distance ΔY is equal to the difference in the Y-axis direction between the first sampling point and the final sampling point P ₁₀ of the scanning locus O ₁₀ , and is 0.25 mm in the above-mentioned numerical example, which is a known value.

As described above, the actual sampling point is Y even though the position in the X-axis direction on the object is adjacent to the same axis and is also adjacent to the same axis on the display screen. The inconvenience arises of being displaced by the distance ΔY in the axial direction. The deviation of the distance ΔY occurs in each electronic scan.

The above description is for the deviation seen from the actual sampling point, but a more detailed description will be as shown in FIG. FIG. 3 shows the scanning loci O ₁₀ , O shown in FIG.
It is the figure which took out and showed ₂₀ . In FIG. 3, D ₁₀ and D ₂₀ indicate lines on the X axis on the display screen. As shown in FIG. 3, the data of the sampling points of the scanning loci O ₁₀ and O ₂₀ are displayed on the lines D ₁₀ and D _{20 as} shown by arrows in the figure. As described above, the deviation amount of the actual deviation of the sampling points on the joining surface of the above two areas is ΔY, and the maximum distance on the scanning loci O ₁₀ and O ₂₀ is indicated by 2 · ΔY. .

Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the position of the array probe 5 is set in the X-axis direction (electronic scanning direction).
When the next new area is scanned while shifting the position, move by the distance (L + p) in the X-axis direction (electronic scanning direction) and also move by the distance ΔY in the Y-axis direction (machine scanning direction). This eliminates the above-mentioned inconvenience. Here, the distance ΔY is known as described above, and the distance ΔY is moved by setting the number of pulses corresponding to the distance ΔY in the arithmetic processing unit 16.

Thus, the position C moved by the distance ΔY
In the scanning of a new area from the position D to the position D, focusing on the second scanning locus O ₂₀ as in the case shown in FIG. 2, the first sampling point P _{20 on the} scanning locus O ₂₀ is displaced by the distance ΔY due to the deviation of the distance ΔY. By the same amount as the final sampling point P _{10 of} the corresponding scanning locus O ₁₀
Since they are adjacent to each other on the axis, the inconvenience is eliminated. In this case, the final sampling point of the scanning locus O ₂₀ coincides with the position on the display screen.

In the above description of the embodiment, the array probe 5 is stopped at the position B and moved to the position C, but the array probe 5 is not stopped at the position B (position It is also possible to move to (B + ΔY) and stop, and then move a distance (L + p) in the electronic scanning direction. Furthermore, the array probe 5 is moved to the position shown in FIG.
After moving to the position E shown in, the timing of the start point of the electronic scanning may be changed so as to coincide with each final sampling point in the scanning of the area from the position A to the position B.

As described above, in this embodiment, the array probe is moved to the position where the scanning of the first region is completed and the position of the final sampling point of the electronic scanning in the scanning of the first region and the position adjacent to the next region. Since the position of the first sampling point of the electronic scanning in the scanning of the area can be opposed in each electronic scanning, the array probe is moved to the next new area to scan the area. Pulsa,
A wide range of inspections can be performed without changing the amplifier and the like, and there is no inconvenience that a large deviation occurs in the sampling points in both areas and a deviation occurs in the data display image.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an ultrasonic inspection method according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, the same parts as those shown in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals. 5 (F) shows the array probe 5 at the position F, and 5 (G) shows the position G.
The array probe 5 in FIG. O ₁₁ is the locus of the final electronic scan of the first scanning area, P ₁₁ is the first sampling point of the locus O ₁₁ , and P ₁₁₀ is the last sampling point. or,
O ₂₁ represents the locus of the first electronic scan in the next scanning area, and P ₂₁₀ represents the first sampling point of the locus O ₂₁ .

In this embodiment, when the array probe 5 at the position A starts mechanical scanning, electronic scanning also starts at the same time. After that, as in the previous embodiment, after repeating the mechanical scanning and the electronic scanning, the arithmetic processing unit 16 judges this at the time of the final electronic scanning (trajectory O ₁₁ ), and the mechanical scanning direction after that time. Is moved by a distance ΔY from the start position of the last electronic scan (the position corresponding to the sampling point P ₁₁ ). The moving distance from the position A to the position F may be set and given in advance before the mechanical scanning is started. in this way,
The position F is a position where the electronic device has moved by the distance ΔY and stopped since the last electronic operation was performed.

Next, the array probe 5 is moved in the electronic scanning direction by a distance (L + p) obtained by adding the scanning range L and the pitch p. This position is the position G. From this position G, mechanical scanning is started in the direction opposite to the mechanical scanning direction in the first scanning area, but electronic scanning is also started at the same time as the start of this mechanical scanning. This first electronic scan is shown by trajectory O ₂₁ . The first sampling point P at this time
_{The fact that 210} coincides with the final sampling point P ₁₁₀ of the first scan area at the position in the machine scan direction is clear from the fact that the position F and the position G are at the same position in the machine scan direction.

Thereafter, the mechanical scanning and the electronic scanning are repeated to scan the next scanning area adjacent to the first scanning area. Then, at the time when the last electronic scanning is started, the arithmetic processing unit 16 judges this, as in the case of the first scanning area, and the movement in the mechanical scanning direction after that time is the start position of the last electronic scanning (sampling point P ₍ Position corresponding to ₂₁₀₀ ) only distance ΔY. In this way, the position D is the position that has moved by the distance ΔY and stopped.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another specific example of the ultrasonic inspection method shown in FIG. In FIG. 5, the same or equivalent parts as those shown in FIG. 4 are designated by the same reference numerals. In the case shown in FIG. 5, compared with the case shown in FIG. 4, the movement in the electronic scanning direction from the first scanning area to the next scanning area is only in the opposite direction to the case shown in FIG. The inspection method itself is the same. As can be seen from FIG. 5, in the case shown in FIG. 4, the final sampling point of electronic scanning in the first scanning region and the first sampling point of electronic scanning in the next scanning region are opposed to each other.
In the case shown in (1), the first sampling point of electronic scanning in the first scanning area and the final sampling point of electronic scanning in the next scanning area are opposed to each other. Thus, in the present embodiment, in the first scanning area, , The electronic scanning is started at the same time as the mechanical scanning, the array probe is stopped by moving the distance ΔY from the final electronic scanning start position, and the scanning is performed in the same manner in the next scanning area. The same effect as the embodiment is achieved.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an ultrasonic inspection method for a subject according to the third embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment also provides a method of expanding the scanning range to the adjacent area in the electronic scanning direction (X-axis direction). In FIG. 6, 5 (A),
5 (B) shows the array probe 5 at the positions A and B, like 5 (A) and 5 (B) shown in FIG.
(D) shows the array probe 5 at the positions C and D. Electronic scanning and mechanical scanning of the area from the position A to the position B are performed as follows. When the array probe 5 moves by the pitch p in the Y-axis direction, it temporarily stops, and electronic scanning is performed in this stopped state. After the end of the electronic scanning, the array probe 5 again moves by the pitch p in the Y-axis direction and stops,
Electronic scanning is performed. During this movement, the data collected previously is transferred to the image memory 163. This operation is repeated, and finally the array probe 5 reaches the position B. In such scanning, each scanning locus of electronic scanning is parallel to the X axis. Next, the array probe 5 has a motor 10M.
X moves in the electronic scanning direction by a distance (L + p) obtained by adding the scanning range L and the pitch p (position C), and this time, in the Y-axis direction reverse direction, scanning of the area from position A to position B is performed. The area up to the position D is scanned by the same method.

In this embodiment, the scanning time is longer than that of the previous embodiment, but the same effect as that of the previous embodiment is obtained, and moreover, the actual sampling position and the position on the display image are made to coincide with each other. You can

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the enlargement of the scanning area using the inspection method of each of the above embodiments. In this figure, 5
(A) and (H) show the array probe 5 at the position A and the position H, respectively. A thick line i indicates a locus of mechanical scanning at the center of the array probe 5, and a thin line j indicates a locus of one line of electronic scanning. In each of the embodiments described above, only the scanning method of two scanning areas has been described, but the number of scanning areas is not limited to two.
It can be expanded by any number. In the figure, four scanning areas S ₁ , S ₂ , S ₃ and S ₄ are shown.

It should be noted that it is not necessary to completely set the deviation between the sampling points facing each other in the adjacent portions of the adjacent scanning areas to zero, and for example, the deviation in the mechanical scanning direction between the adjacent sampling points in the electronic scanning is small. Therefore, it is acceptable, and no problem occurs on the image display. Furthermore, in the description of each of the above-described embodiments, an example has been described in which scanning in the X-axis direction is performed by electronic scanning and scanning in the Y-axis direction is performed by mechanical scanning, but the reverse is also possible, and X-axis or Y-axis scanning is also possible. Obviously, it is also applicable to the scanning of the axes and the Z-axis orthogonal to each of these axes.

For a cylindrical object, the cylinder axis direction is the electronic scanning direction (X axis direction), the cylinder is rotated about the X axis, and the rotational tangential direction of the cylinder surface is the mechanical scanning direction ( It is obvious that the present invention can be applied to the (Y-axis direction). Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the array probe 5 is used.
Although the example of moving the subject has been described, the subject side can also be moved.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention, the array probe is set at the position where the scanning of the first region is completed and the position of the final or first sampling point of the electronic scanning in the scanning of the first region. The scanning is performed on the next new area so that the position of the first or last sampling point of the electronic scanning in the scanning of the next new area adjacent to the area can be opposed to each other in the electronic scanning. As a result, a wide range of inspections can be performed without changing the array probe, pulser, amplifier, etc. Also, a large deviation occurs at the sampling points in both areas, and the data display image also deviates. There is no inconvenience.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an ultrasonic inspection method for a subject according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the reason for adopting the method shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the reason for adopting the method shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an ultrasonic inspection method for a subject according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another specific example of the ultrasonic inspection method shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an ultrasonic inspection method for a subject according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating enlargement of a scanning area using the inspection method of each example.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a scanner.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the array probe.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an ultrasonic inspection apparatus.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a conventional ultrasonic inspection method for a subject.

[Explanation of symbols]

5 (A), 5 (B), 5 (C), 5 (D) Array probe position O ₁₀ , O ₂₀ scanning locus P ₁₀ , P ₂₀ sampling point L scanning range p pitch

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An array probe comprising a large number of piezoelectric elements arranged in a line is used, and the array probe is continuously connected to a subject in a direction other than the array direction of the piezoelectric elements. Of the object to be subjected to the second scanning of ultrasonically scanning the surface of the object at a predetermined pitch in a predetermined pitch in the relative movement during the first scanning of the relative movement. In the ultrasonic inspection method, a second scanning area adjacent to the first scanning area obtained by the first scanning and the second scanning by the array probe,
The sampling point adjacent to the second scan area in the final scan of the second scan of the first scan area is the first scan of the second scan of the second scan area. An ultrasonic inspection method for an object, wherein scanning is performed so that sampling points adjacent to one scanning region have substantially the same positional relationship in the scanning direction of the first scanning. 2. The ultrasonic inspection method for a subject according to claim 1, wherein after the array probe reaches a final position of relative movement of the first scan, the array probe is arranged in the array. In the first scanning direction, the array probe is moved relative to the first scanning direction in the first scanning direction while the scanning range of the second scanning and the pitch in the second scanning are relatively moved in the first scanning direction. The array probe is positioned by relatively moving the sampling position and the final sampling position by the distance in the first scanning direction, and the array probe is positioned from this position in the scanning direction of the previous first scanning. An ultrasonic inspection method for a subject, comprising performing the first scanning and the second scanning in which the relative movement is performed in the opposite direction. 3. The ultrasonic inspection method for an object according to claim 1, wherein after the final position of the relative movement of the first scan is reached, the array probe is moved to the second direction in the arrangement direction.
Position of the array probe by relatively moving the scanning range of the scan and the pitch in the second scan and positioning the array probe from this position to the scanning direction of the previous first scan. Performs the first scan and the second scan in which they are relatively moved in opposite directions, and in the first scan and the second scan again, the first scan of the second scan is An ultrasonic inspection method for a subject, which is started at a predetermined timing. 4. The ultrasonic inspection method for a subject according to claim 1, wherein after the final scan of the second scan in the relative movement of the first scan is started, the array probe is moved to the first scan. In the first scanning direction and a final sampling position in the second scanning, the array probe is relatively moved by the distance in the first scanning direction and stopped, and the array probe is stopped from this position in the array direction. Is positioned by relatively moving it by a distance obtained by adding the scanning range of the second scan and the pitch in the second scan, and from this position the array probe is the scanning direction of the previous first scan. An ultrasonic inspection method for a subject, comprising performing the first scan and the second scan in which the relative movement is performed in opposite directions. 5. The ultrasonic inspection method for a subject according to claim 1, wherein the relative movement in the first scanning is stopped at each pitch of the relative movement to perform the second scanning, and the first scanning is performed. After reaching the final position of the relative movement of the scanning, the array probe is relatively moved in the arrangement direction by a distance obtained by adding the scanning range of the second scanning and the pitch in the second scanning. Positioning the array probe and performing the first scan and the second scan in which the array probe is relatively moved in a direction opposite to the scanning direction of the previous first scan. A characteristic ultrasonic inspection method of an object.