Ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic imaging apparatus including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11911114-B2
Application number	US-201917441536-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2019
Priority date	Apr 11, 2019
Publication date	Feb 27, 2024
Grant date	Feb 27, 2024

Abstract

An ultrasonic probe that acquires an ultrasonic image to diagnose or treat an object, and an ultrasonic imaging apparatus including the same, wherein the ultrasonic probe includes a case, a transducer disposed inside the case to generate ultrasonic waves, a biopsy needle inserted into an object in the vicinity of the case, and a sensor unit including a sensor provided to measure a position of the biopsy needle and disposed inside the transducer, wherein the transducer includes a piezoelectric layer configured to generate ultrasonic waves, a sound absorbing layer disposed on one side of the piezoelectric layer to absorb the ultrasonic waves generated from the piezoelectric layer, and a sound absorbing member disposed on one side of the sound absorbing layer, and the sensor unit is disposed inside the sound absorbing member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An ultrasonic probe comprising:
a case;
a transducer disposed inside the case;
a biopsy needle configured to be inserted into an object at a position adjacent to the case; and
a sensor unit comprising a sensor configured to measure the position of the biopsy needle and disposed inside the transducer,
wherein the transducer comprises a piezoelectric layer configured to generate ultrasonic waves, a sound absorbing layer disposed on one side of the piezoelectric layer to absorb the ultrasonic waves generated from the piezoelectric layer, and a sound absorbing member disposed on one side of the sound absorbing layer,
the sensor unit is disposed inside of the sound absorbing member,
the transducer further comprises a ground substrate disposed on one side of the piezoelectric layer, and a signal substrate disposed on the other side of the piezoelectric layer to be disposed at an inner side of the ground substrate, and
the sensor unit is disposed at an inner side of the signal substrate.

2. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1 , wherein
the biopsy needle is magnetized, and
the sensor is configured to measure the position of the magnetized biopsy needle through a magnetic field generated by the magnetized biopsy needle.

3. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 2 , wherein
the transducer further comprises an acoustic layer having a non-magnetic material to prevent interference with the reception of the magnetic field of the sensor unit.

4. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1 , wherein
the sensor unit further comprises a sensor substrate disposed at the inner side of the signal substrate to mount the sensor.

5. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 4 , wherein
the sensor substrate comprises a first sensor substrate provided on one side of the inside of the sound absorbing member, and a second sensor substrate provided on the other side of the inside of the sound absorbing member to be spaced apart from the first sensor substrate.

6. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 5 , wherein
the sensor comprises a first sensor mounted on the first sensor substrate and a second sensor mounted on the second sensor substrate, and
the first sensor and the second sensor face each other.

7. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 5 , wherein
the sensor comprises a first sensor mounted on the first sensor substrate and a second sensor mounted on the second sensor substrate, and
the first sensor and the second sensor are disposed adjacent to an inner surface of the sound absorbing member to face the signal substrate.

8. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 7 , wherein
the sensor unit further comprises a heat radiation sheet disposed on an inner surface of the sensor substrate.

9. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 8 , wherein
the sensor unit further comprises a stabilizer connected to the heat radiation sheet so that the heat radiation sheet radiates heat from the sensor and disposed at one end of the sound absorbing member.

10. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 5 , wherein
a distance by which the first sensor substrate and the second sensor substrate are spaced apart from each other is 10 to 60 times an acoustic wavelength of the transducer.

11. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1 , wherein
the sensor is mounted on an inner surface of the signal substrate.

12. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1 , wherein
the sensor is mounted on an inner surface of the ground substrate.

13. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1 , wherein
the sensor unit is disposed inside a cover member provided to cover the outside of the transducer to prevent a disinfectant from penetrating into the sensor unit.

14. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1 , further comprising
a lens provided to transmit an ultrasonic signal generated from the transducer to the outside of the case,
wherein the lens and the case are combined by a molding process.

Assignees

• Samsung Medison Co Ltd

Inventors

• HWANG Won-Soon
• Seo Min Seon
• Jang Won Seok

Classifications

• A61B34/20 Primary

  Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis · CPC title

• A61B8/0841 Primary

  for locating instruments · CPC title

• A61B8/4483

  characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer · CPC title

• B06B1/0644

  using a single piezoelectric element (B06B1/0688 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B2034/2051

  Electromagnetic tracking systems · CPC title