Ultrasonic device, ultrasonic probe, electronic equipment, and ultrasonic imaging apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9409207-B2
Application number	US-201414164680-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2014
Priority date	Jan 28, 2013
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

Provided is an ultrasonic device including: an ultrasonic element array substrate having a plurality of ultrasonic elements that each include a piezoelectric body; an acoustic lens secured via an acoustic matching layer to a surface, formed with the ultrasonic elements, of the ultrasonic element array substrate; and a support member secured to a surface, opposite to the surface formed with the ultrasonic elements, of the ultrasonic element array substrate, wherein the support member is formed to have a larger area, in plan view in the thickness direction of the ultrasonic element array substrate, and a higher bending stiffness than the ultrasonic element array substrate, and the acoustic lens is formed to have a lower bending stiffness than the ultrasonic element array substrate. The above-described ultrasonic device further includes an acoustic matching layer filled between the ultrasonic element array substrate and the acoustic lens.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ultrasonic device comprising:
an ultrasonic element array substrate having a plurality of ultrasonic elements that each include a piezoelectric body and perform at least one of transmission and reception of ultrasound;
an acoustic lens secured via an acoustic matching layer to a surface, formed with the ultrasonic elements, of the ultrasonic element array substrate, the acoustic lens having a lens portion that focuses the ultrasound; and
a support member secured to a surface, opposite to the surface formed with the ultrasonic elements, of the ultrasonic element array substrate, wherein
the support member is formed to have a larger area, in plan view in the thickness direction of the ultrasonic element array substrate, and a higher bending stiffness than the ultrasonic element array substrate, and
the acoustic lens is formed to have a lower bending stiffness than the ultrasonic element array substrate.

2. The ultrasonic device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an acoustic matching layer filled between the ultrasonic element array substrate and the acoustic lens, wherein
the acoustic matching layer is formed of a resin secured to the ultrasonic element array substrate and the acoustic lens.

3. The ultrasonic device according to claim 1 , wherein
the acoustic lens has a plurality of first projections in contact with the ultrasonic element array substrate.

4. The ultrasonic device according to claim 3 , wherein
the first projections are provided in a peripheral portion of the acoustic lens in the plan view.

5. An ultrasonic probe comprising:
the ultrasonic device according to claim 3 ; and
a housing supporting the ultrasonic device.

6. Electronic equipment comprising:
the ultrasonic device according to claim 3 ; and
a processing circuit that is connected to the ultrasonic device and processes an output of the ultrasonic device.

7. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising:
the ultrasonic device according to claim 3 ;
a processing circuit that is connected to the ultrasonic device and processes an output of the ultrasonic device so as to generate an image; and
a display that displays the image.

8. The ultrasonic device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a flexible printed circuit board connected to the surface, formed with the ultrasonic elements, of the ultrasonic element array substrate, wherein
the flexible printed circuit board is electrically connected to the ultrasonic element array substrate, and
a part of the flexible printed circuit board is secured to the support member.

9. The ultrasonic device according to claim 8 , wherein
the support member includes an angled portion provided at a part of its outer edge, and
the flexible printed circuit board is secured to the angled portion.

10. The ultrasonic device according to claim 8 , wherein
the acoustic lens has a plurality of the second projections, in contact with the flexible printed circuit board, pressing the flexible printed circuit board against the ultrasonic element array substrate.

11. The ultrasonic device according to claim 10 , wherein
the flexible printed circuit board is electrically connected with the ultrasonic element array substrate at a position between the second projections of the acoustic lens and the ultrasonic elements, in plan view in the thickness direction of the ultrasonic element array substrate.

12. An ultrasonic probe comprising:
the ultrasonic device according to claim 10 ; and
a housing supporting the ultrasonic device.

13. Electronic equipment comprising:
the ultrasonic device according to claim 10 ; and
a processing circuit that is connected to the ultrasonic device and processes an output of the ultrasonic device.

14. An ultrasonic probe comprising:
the ultrasonic device according to claim 8 ; and
a housing supporting the ultrasonic device.

15. Electronic equipment comprising:
the ultrasonic device according to claim 8 ; and
a processing circuit that is connected to the ultrasonic device and processes an output of the ultrasonic device.

16. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising:
the ultrasonic device according to claim 8 ;
a processing circuit that is connected to the ultrasonic device and processes an output of the ultrasonic device so as to generate an image; and
a display that displays the image.

17. The ultrasonic device according to claim 1 , wherein
the ultrasonic element array substrate includes:
a base substrate provided with a plurality of openings arranged in an array;
a vibrating membrane formed to cover the openings, the vibrating membrane being displaceable in the film thickness direction; and
a piezoelectric body provided on the vibrating membrane, and

the piezoelectric body includes:
a first electrode provided on the vibrating membrane;
a piezoelectric layer provided to cover at least part of the first electrode; and
a second electrode provided to cover at least part of the piezoelectric layer.

18. An ultrasonic probe comprising:
the ultrasonic device according to claim 1 ; and
a housing supporting the ultrasonic device.

19. Electronic equipment comprising:
the ultrasonic device according to claim 1 ; and
a processing circuit that is connected to the ultrasonic device and processes an output of the ultrasonic device.

20. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising:
the ultrasonic device according to claim 1 ;
a processing circuit that is connected to the ultrasonic device and processes an output of the ultrasonic device so as to generate an image; and
a display that displays the image.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Onishi Yasunori

Classifications

• G01N29/0654

  Imaging · CPC title

• G10K11/30

  using refraction, e.g. acoustic lenses · CPC title

• B06B3/00

  Methods or apparatus specially adapted for transmitting mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic frequency · CPC title

• B06B1/0622 Primary

  on one surface · CPC title