摘要:
An array ultrasonic transducer precursor includes a body of piezoelectric material with a dielectric substrate bonded to a surface of the body. Circuit elements supported on the dielectric substrate include, in an active region, physically parallel signal conductors arranged in a pattern with spaces between adjacent ones of the conductors. Dicing saw cuts made in these spaces define individual circuit elements within the piezoelectric body. The circuit elements outside the active region include a set of resistive alignment elements in predetermined positions with reference to the pattern of signal conductors. The transducer precursor is mounted in a dicing saw fixture, and initial cuts made with the dicing saw remove portions of the resistive alignment elements. Locations of the initial cuts with reference to the resistive alignment elements are determined by measuring resistances of the resistive alignment elements after the initial cuts.
摘要:
An array ultrasonic transducer precursor includes a body of piezoelectric material with a dielectric substrate bonded to a surface of the body. Circuit elements supported on the dielectric substrate include, in an active region, physically parallel signal conductors arranged in a pattern with spaces between adjacent ones of the conductors. Dicing saw cuts made in these spaces define individual circuit elements within the piezoelectric body. The circuit elements outside the active region include a set of resistive alignment elements in predetermined positions with reference to the pattern of signal conductors. The transducer precursor is mounted in a dicing saw fixture, and initial cuts made with the dicing saw remove portions of the resistive alignment elements. Locations of the initial cuts with reference to the resistive alignment elements are determined by measuring resistances of the resistive alignment elements after the initial cuts.
摘要:
A high-density cable of a type suitable for transmitting ultrasound signals from an ultrasonic probe to multiplexing circuitry during a medical ultrasound procedure is provided. The cable includes one or more flexible circuits arranged within a flexible sheath that surrounds and confines the flexible circuits. Each flexible circuit includes an elongate flexible substrate with oppositely-disposed surfaces and multiple conductors on at least one of these surfaces. The opposing longitudinal ends of the substrate define integral connectors for connecting with respective output connectors and/or electronic devices, such as an ultrasonic probe or multiplexing circuitry.
摘要:
An ultrasound catheter housing with electromagnetic shielding properties and methods of manufacturing is provided. The ultrasound catheter housing comprises a an inner thin wall polymer tube extruded using an ultrasonically transparent polymer, a thin metalized layer deposited on the outer surface of the inner tube, and an outer thin wall polymer tube, which may be the same or a different ultrasonically transparent material. In another embodiment an ultrasound catheter comprising the ultrasound catheter housing is provided.
摘要:
An cable connector system is provided. A receptacle for the connector system includes a pair of opposing compression plates and at least one rotatable member configured to move the opposing compression plates as the rotatable member rotates. The compression plates cause contact with a portion of the plug inserted therebetween.
摘要:
A composite structure of a z-axis interconnect is presented. The composite structure includes a plurality of layers of backing material alternatingly arranged between a plurality of interconnect layers, where the plurality of interconnect layers is configured to facilitate coupling the composite structure of the z-axis interconnect to a transducer array, where the composite structure of z-axis interconnect is configured for use in an invasive probe.
摘要:
In an ultrasound imaging system, a multiplexer connects a beamformer to a multi-row transducer array, where the array has more electrically independent transducer elements than the beamformer has channels, so as to provide dynamic selection and beamforming control of multi-row apertures. The multiplexer allows the active aperture to be scanned along at least one axis of the array and allows the shape of the active aperture to be varied electronically. The multiplexer, which supports transmit and receive apertures appropriate for synthetic aperture beamforming, is of modular construction, enabling multiplexers appropriate for transducer arrays with various numbers of rows and columns of elements to be easily assembled from a standard set of parts. The multiplexer is physically designed as a passive backplane into which various switch cards can be plugged. The card connectors are arranged in two parallel columns. Traces from system channels are distributed on the backplane; coaxial leads from transducer elements are connected to the switch cards.
摘要:
A multi-row ultrasound transducer array having a central row of transducer elements and a pair of outermost rows of transducer elements on opposing sides of the central row. The corresponding elements of the outermost rows are connected in parallel to a respective signal lead. The area of each element in the central row is less than the combined area of each pair of elements of the outermost rows. The greater total area of the combined elements of the outermost rows as compared to the area of each element of the central row provides improved elevation performance (thinner and more uniform image slice, greater contrast resolution), especially in the very near field, as compared to conventional transducers. The array may further include one or more pairs of rows of elements intermediate the central row and the respective outermost rows. The corresponding elements of the intermediate rows are connected in parallel to respective signal leads. The combined area of each pair of elements of the intermediate rows is less than the combined area of each pair of elements of the outermost rows, but greater than the area of a central row element.
摘要:
A method for fabricating "1.5D" and "2D" multilayer ultrasonic transducer arrays employs dicing saw kerfs, which provide acoustic isolation between rows. The kerfs are metallized to provide electrical connection between surface electrode layers and buried internal electrode layers. A multilayer piezoceramic transducer element for a "1.5D" or "2D" array produced by this method has higher capacitance, and accordingly provides better transducer sensitivity, in comparison to a single layer element.
摘要:
A catheter tip (50, 170, 750) is provided that is adapted for mating attachment to a catheter body (90, 300, 790). In an embodiment, the catheter tip (50, 170, 750) comprises a transducer array (32, 60, 110, 210, 710) in electrical communication with an interconnect (120, 220, 720) and in a mechanical driven relationship with an actuator (80, 730), also in the catheter tip (50, 170, 750), via a drive shaft (38, 82, 732). The transducer array (710) is encapsulated in a potting material body 711 providing a desired ultrasound acoustical transmission, A defined annular space 761 exists between an outer capsule 752 of the catheter tip 750 and the potting material body 711. Oscillating back and forth motion of the transducer array (32, 60, 110, 210, 710) provides ultrasonic imaging functionality that may include real time three-dimensional imaging. Other embodiments of the catheter tip (50, 170, 750) and methods of fabrication also are provided.