Moving electrode transducer for real time ultrasound imaging for use in medical applications
US5211168A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 20, 1991 |
| Grant date | May 18, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 20, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB06B1/0644
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An ultrasound scanning system includes an array of transducer elements and an electrode array, movable with respect to the array to transducer elements. The electrode array is in electrical contact with transducer elements from the array of transducer elements which are immediately adjacent to the electrode array. The piezoelectric ceramic material is situated between the two-dimensional array of electrodes and the common ground electrode. Each electrode in the two-dimensional array of electrodes is electrically isolated from the other electrodes in the two-dimensional array of electrodes. The piezoelectric ceramic material may be arranged to form pillars, each pillar extending from an electrode from the two-dimensional array of electrodes to the common ground electrode. The movable electrode array is mounted on, for example, a thin Mylar membrane. The movable electrode array may be arranged in a variety of patterns. For example, the movable electrode array may be a single electrode, a plurality of annuli, a linear array or in a Fresnel pattern. Alternately, the electrode array may be mounted on a plate rotated with respect to the array of transducer elements.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.