Sensing apparatus for sensing an object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9662170-B2
Application number	US-201113885474-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2011
Priority date	Nov 18, 2010
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a sensing apparatus for sensing an object. The sensing apparatus comprises an ultrasound unit ( 11 ) for ultrasonically sensing the object ( 4 ), an electrical energy application unit ( 9 ) for applying electrical energy to the object ( 4 ), and an ultrasound unit shielding element ( 16 ) for electrically shielding the ultrasound unit ( 11 ), wherein the ultrasound unit shielding element ( 16 ) is electrically connected to the electrical energy application unit ( 9 ). Since the ultrasound unit shielding element electrically shields the ultrasound unit, the ultrasound sensing of the object is less influenced by a capacitive coupling of the application of electrical energy, in particular, of an RF signal which may be used for applying the electrical energy, into the ultrasound sensing. A further reduction of this influence is achieved by electrically connecting the ultrasound unit shielding element to the electrical energy application unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sensing apparatus for sensing an object, the sensing apparatus ( 1 ) comprising:
an ultrasound unit ( 11 ) for ultrasonically sensing the object ( 4 ),
an electrical energy application unit ( 9 ) for applying electrical energy to the object ( 4 ),
an ultrasound unit shielding element ( 16 ) for electrically shielding the ultrasound unit ( 11 ) from the electrical energy applied to the object, wherein the ultrasound unit shielding element ( 16 ) is electrically connected to the electrical energy application unit ( 9 ).

2. The sensing apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the sensing apparatus ( 1 ) comprises a catheter ( 12 ), wherein the ultrasound unit ( 11 ), the electrical energy application unit ( 9 ) and the ultrasound unit shielding element ( 16 ) are integrated in the catheter ( 12 ).

3. The sensing apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the electrical energy application unit ( 9 ) is an electrode for applying electrical energy to the object ( 4 ) and wherein the electrode ( 9 ) is electrically connected to the ultrasound unit shielding element ( 16 ).

4. The sensing apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound unit ( 11 ) comprises at least two connection electrodes ( 14 , 15 ), wherein a first connection electrode ( 14 ) is electrically connected to a control electrical connection ( 40 ) for connecting the ultrasound unit ( 11 ) with an ultrasound control unit ( 5 ) for controlling the ultrasound unit ( 11 ) and a second electrode ( 15 ) of the ultrasound unit ( 11 ) is electrically connected to an electrical connection shielding element ( 42 ) for shielding the control electrical connection ( 40 ).

5. The sensing apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the electrical connection shielding element ( 42 ) has a resistance being smaller than 5Ω.

6. The sensing apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound unit ( 11 ) comprises at least two connection electrodes ( 14 , 15 ), wherein a first connection electrode ( 14 ) is electrically connected to a control electrical connection ( 40 ) for connecting the ultrasound unit ( 11 ) with an ultrasound control unit ( 5 ) for controlling the ultrasound unit ( 11 ) and a second electrode ( 15 ) of the ultrasound unit ( 11 ) is electrically connected to the ultrasound unit shielding element ( 16 ).

7. The sensing apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound unit shielding element ( 16 ) is a housing enclosing the ultrasound unit ( 11 ) for electrically shielding the ultrasound unit ( 11 ).

8. The sensing apparatus as defined in claim 7 , wherein the ultrasound unit ( 11 ) and the housing ( 16 ) are arranged such that ultrasound waves are emittable and/or receivable through an ultrasound region ( 50 ) of the housing ( 16 ).

9. The sensing apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the ultrasound unit ( 11 ) is operable at an ultrasound frequency defining an ultrasound wavelength in the ultrasound region ( 50 ) of the housing ( 16 ) and wherein at least in the ultrasound region ( 50 ) the housing ( 16 ) has wall with a thickness being smaller than a quarter of the ultrasound wavelength.

10. The sensing apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the ultrasound region ( 50 ) is mechanically connected with the ultrasound unit ( 11 ).

11. The sensing apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the sensing apparatus ( 1 ) further comprises an object influence determination unit ( 103 ) for determining the influence of the energy application on the object ( 4 ) depending on the ultrasound sensing of the object ( 4 ).

12. The sensing apparatus as defined in claim 11 , wherein the energy application unit ( 9 ) is adapted to ablate the object ( 4 ) and wherein the object influence determination unit ( 103 ) is adapted to determine an ablation depth depending on the ultrasound sensing of the object ( 4 ).

Assignees

• Budzelaar Franciscus Paulus Maria
• Mihajlovic Nenad
• Rademakers Antonius Johannes Josephus
• Van Der Vleuten Cornelius Antonius Nicholaas Maria
• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Budzelaar Franciscus Paulus Maria
• Mihajlovic Nenad
• Rademakers Antonius Johannes Josephus
• Van Der Vleuten Cornelius Antonius Nicholaas Maria

Classifications

• A61B8/486

  involving arbitrary m-mode · CPC title

• A61B18/1492 Primary

  having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation (A61B18/1477 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B2018/00357

  Endocardium · CPC title

• A61B8/445

  Details of catheter construction · CPC title

• A61B8/0883

  for diagnosis of the heart · CPC title