Ultrasonic probe for intra-cavity diagnosis and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

A diagnostic ultrasonic probe for use in body cavities has at its tip an ultrasonic transducer array, which has a layered structure wherein a flexible circuit board, an electric circuit, a backing material, a piezoelectric element array, an acoustic impedance matching layer and an acoustic lens are formed atop another on a supporting member. The electric circuit includes at least one of amplifiers for amplifying echo signals from ultrasonic transducers, switches for switching over between sending the echo signals from the ultrasonic transducers and receiving drive signals for exciting the ultrasonic transducers, a multiplexer for selective-switching between the echo signals as well as between the drive signals, an A/D converter for converting the echo signals from an analog form to a digital form, and a D/A converter for converting the drive signals from a digital form to an analog form.

1 . An ultrasonic probe for intra-cavity diagnosis comprising an ultrasonic transducer array disposed at a tip of said probe, said ultrasonic transducer array comprising a plurality of ultrasonic transducers arranged in an array, and an electric circuit including at least some of necessary electric elements for activating said ultrasonic transducers, said electric circuit being formed as a layer laid under said ultrasonic transducers. 
   
   
       2 . An ultrasonic probe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said ultrasonic transducers are piezoelectric elements. 
   
   
       3 . An ultrasonic probe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said ultrasonic transducers are capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers. 
   
   
       4 . An ultrasonic probe as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said ultrasonic transducer array has a layered structure having at least a flexible substrate, said electric circuit, a backing material, an array of said piezoelectric elements and an acoustic impedance matching layer, which are formed atop another on a rigid supporting member, and wherein said electric circuit and said piezoelectric elements are connected electrically through wires which are disposed in said backing material. 
   
   
       5 . An ultrasonic probe as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said flexible substrate is a circuit board having a circuit pattern formed thereon. 
   
   
       6 . An ultrasonic probe as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said ultrasonic transducer array has a layered structure having at least a flexible substrate, said electric circuit and an array of said capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers, which are formed atop another on a rigid supporting member. 
   
   
       7 . An ultrasonic probe as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein a backing material is provided between said supporting member and said flexible substrate. 
   
   
       8 . An ultrasonic probe as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said supporting member has an ultrasound absorbing function. 
   
   
       9 . An ultrasonic probe as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said flexible substrate is a circuit board having a circuit pattern formed thereon. 
   
   
       10 . An ultrasonic probe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said electric circuit comprises at least one of amplifiers for amplifying echo signals from said ultrasonic transducers, switches for switching over between sending said echo signals from said ultrasonic transducers and receiving drive signals for exciting said ultrasonic transducers, a multiplexer for selective-switching between said echo signals and/or between said drive signals, an A/D converter for analog-to-digital conversion of said echo signals, and a D/A converter for digital-to-analog conversion of said drive signals. 
   
   
       11 . An ultrasonic probe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said ultrasonic transducer array is of a radial electronic scanning type wherein said ultrasonic transducers are arranged radially in a concentric circle. 
   
   
       12 . An ultrasonic probe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said ultrasonic transducer array is of a convex electronic scanning type wherein said ultrasonic transducers are arranged semi-cylindrically. 
   
   
       13 . An ultrasonic probe as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising a wiring cable for connecting said electric circuit to an ultrasound observing device that generates drive signals for exiting said ultrasonic transducers and produces ultrasound images from echo signals received from said ultrasonic transducers, said wiring cable being connected to a terminal that is provided at an end portion of a flexible substrate that is electrically connected to said electric circuit. 
   
   
       14 . An ultrasonic probe as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising a wiring cable for connecting said electric circuit to an ultrasound observing device that generates drive signals for exiting said ultrasonic transducers and produces ultrasound images from echo signals received from said ultrasonic transducers, said wiring cable being connected to a terminal that is provided at an end portion of a flexible substrate that is electrically connected to said electric circuit. 
   
   
       15 - 16 . (canceled) 
   
   
       17 . An ultrasonic probe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said ultrasonic probe is mounted with an imaging device comprising an objective optical system for forming an optical image of an internal body part to investigate, and imaging elements for taking said optical image to output image signals. 
   
   
       18 - 20 . (canceled)