Probe for ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and method of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9414809-B2
Application number	US-91265610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2010
Priority date	Oct 29, 2009
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

A probe for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The probe includes a sound matching layer having a mounting groove, a piezoelectric member mounted on the mounting groove, a first connector interconnected to the sound matching layer, and a second connector interconnected to the piezoelectric member. The probe permits interconnection of the piezoelectric member to the first and second connectors to be performed rapidly and easily through a single bonding operation, thereby reducing manufacturing time while facilitating the manufacture of the probe.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A probe for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, comprising:
a sound matching layer having a mounting groove, a first electrode formed on the sound matching layer;
a piezoelectric member having an upper face and a lower face, the piezoelectric member mounted within the mounting groove such that the upper face is coupled to the sound matching layer, a second electrode formed on the piezoelectric member;
a first connector coupled to the sound matching layer; and
a second connector coupled to the first connector and to the lower face of the piezoelectric member,
wherein the mounting groove comprises:
a contact part formed parallel to the piezoelectric member and coupled to the upper face of the piezoelectric member; and
an extension part extending from the contact part towards the first connector,

wherein the first electrode is provided in a shape corresponding to the contact part and the extension part so as to contact the second electrode formed on one side of the piezoelectric member,
wherein the first electrode is provided to the entirety of the mounting groove including the contact part and the extension part,
wherein the first connector is coupled to the first electrode provided on the extension part, and
wherein the first connector is arranged between the extension part and the second connector.

2. The probe according to claim 1 , wherein the first connector comprises a right first connector and a left first connector.

3. The probe according to claim 2 , wherein the right first connector is coupled to the extension part and the second connector, and the right first connector and the second connector are adjacent one another.

4. The probe according to claim 2 , wherein the left first connector is coupled to the extension part and the second connector, and the left first connector and the second connector are adjacent one another.

5. The probe according to claim 1 , wherein the first connector comprises a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).

6. The probe according to claim 1 , wherein the second connector comprises a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).

7. The probe according to claim 1 , wherein the first connector is disposed on a portion of the first electrode that does not contact the piezoelectric member.

Assignees

• Lee Sung Jae
• Park Jung Lim
• Kim Jae Yk
• Samsung Medison Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Sung Jae
• Park Jung Lim
• Kim Jae Yk

Classifications

• G01N29/28

  providing acoustic coupling {, e.g. water (impedance matching G10K11/02)} · CPC title

• H10N30/80

  Constructional details · CPC title

• G01N29/2437 Primary

  Piezoelectric probes · CPC title

• G10K11/004

  Mounting transducers, e.g. provided with mechanical moving or orienting device (mountings specially adapted to a particular sound-producing device, see the preceding groups G10K1/00 - G10K9/00, e.g. G10K1/26, G10K1/28, G10K9/22; arrangements of sonic watch equipment on submarines B63G8/39; buoys B63B22/00) · CPC title

• A61B8/4281 Primary

  characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue · CPC title