Ultrasound probe and ultrasound endoscope

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12251265-B2
Application number	US-202318385584-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2023
Priority date	Oct 19, 2018
Publication date	Mar 18, 2025
Grant date	Mar 18, 2025

Abstract

An ultrasound probe includes: an ultrasound transducer including plural piezoelectric elements; an acoustic lens layer configured to radiate the ultrasound emitted from the plural piezoelectric elements to outside; a back layer that faces the acoustic lens layer with the ultrasound transducer interposed between the back layer and the acoustic lens layer; and a wiring member having at least a part that is arranged at a first position between the acoustic lens layer and the ultrasound transducer or at a second position that faces the ultrasound transducer with the back layer interposed between the second position and the ultrasound transducer. The wiring member includes: a resin layer having electrically insulating; and an electrically conducting layer that is provided on the resin layer and includes plural signal wirings.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ultrasound probe, comprising:
an ultrasound transducer including plural piezoelectric elements and extending in a longitudinal direction;
an acoustic lens layer located on the ultrasound transducer;
an electrically conductive back layer, the ultrasound transducer located on the back layer; and
a wiring member, the back layer located on the wiring member,
wherein the wiring member includes:
a fold on a distal end of the ultrasound transducer;
a first portion extending distally towards the fold, the first portion having a first length in the longitudinal direction; and
a second portion continuously extending proximally from the fold,

wherein the ultrasound transducer has a second length in the longitudinal direction,
wherein the first length is longer than the second length; and
wherein a proximal end of the first portion is fixed to a proximal end of the second portion.

2. The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 , wherein the wiring member includes:
an electrically insulating resin layer; and
an electrically conducting layer provided on the resin layer, the conducting layer including plural signal wirings through which the electric signals that respectively cause the plural piezoelectric elements to emit the ultrasound are supplied to the plural piezoelectric elements, the plural signal wirings being respectively connected electrically to the plural piezoelectric elements.

3. The ultrasound probe according to claim 2 , wherein the wiring member is folded so that the conducting layer is closer to the back layer than the resin layer.

4. The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion is further away from the ultrasound transducer than the second portion.

5. The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound transducer is located on the second portion.

6. The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 , further including an adhesive located between the first portion and the second portion.

7. The ultrasound probe according to claim 6 , wherein the adhesive is filled between the first portion and the second portion.

8. The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 , wherein the back layer is located between the ultrasound transducer and the second portion.

9. The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 , further comprising an acoustic matching layer located between the acoustic lens layer and the ultrasound transducer.

10. The ultrasound probe according to claim 9 , wherein the acoustic matching layer is electrically connected to the plural piezoelectric elements.

11. The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 , further comprising a holder holding the acoustic lens layer,
wherein the holder holds the ultrasound transducer, the electrically conductive back layer and the wiring member.

12. The ultrasound probe according to claim 11 , further comprising an adhesive filled between the first portion and the holder.

13. An ultrasound probe, comprising:
an insertion section extending in a longitudinal direction;
an acoustic lens layer inclined relative to the longitudinal direction;
an ultrasound transducer including plural piezoelectric elements and extending in the longitudinal direction;
an electrically conductive back layer located on the ultrasound transducer; and
a wiring member located on the electrically conductive back layer,
wherein the wiring member includes:
a fold located at a distal end of the wiring member;
a first portion extending from the fold, the first portion having a first length in the longitudinal direction; and
a second portion extending from the fold and located between the ultrasound transducer and the first portion,

wherein the ultrasound transducer has a second length in the longitudinal direction,
the first length is longer than the second length; and
a proximal end of the first portion is fixed to a proximal end of the second portion.

14. The ultrasound probe according to claim 13 , wherein the ultrasound transducer is inclined relative to the longitudinal direction along a surface of the acoustic lens layer.

15. An ultrasound probe, comprising:
an acoustic lens layer;
an ultrasound transducer including plural piezoelectric elements and extending in a longitudinal direction;
an electrically conductive back layer located on the ultrasound transducer; and
a wiring member located on the electrically conductive back layer,
wherein the wiring member includes:
a fold located at a distal end of the wiring member;
a first portion extending from the fold, the first portion having a first length in the longitudinal direction; and
a second portion extending from the fold and located between the ultrasound transducer and the first portion,

wherein the ultrasound transducer has a second length in the longitudinal direction,
the first length is longer than the second length, and
a proximal end of the first portion is fixed to a proximal end of the second portion.

16. The ultrasound probe according to claim 15 , wherein the wiring member includes:
an electrically insulating resin layer; and
an electrically conducting layer provided on the resin layer and including plural signal wirings, the plural signal wirings being respectively connected electrically to the plural piezoelectric elements,
wherein the wiring member is folded back so that the conducting layer is closer to the back layer than the resin layer.

17. The ultrasound probe according to claim 15 , wherein the back layer is located between the ultrasound transducer and the second portion.

Assignees

• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• Yoshida Satoshi

Classifications

• B06B1/064

  with multiple active layers · CPC title

• A61B8/4444

  related to the probe · CPC title

• A61B8/12

  in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters · CPC title

• A61B1/018

  for receiving instruments · CPC title

• B06B1/0633

  Cylindrical array · CPC title