Compound lens for ultrasound transducer probe
US5577507A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 21, 1994 |
| Grant date | Nov 26, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 21, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B8/4281
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A compound lens for focusing ultrasound emitted from an ultrasound probe having an array of piezoelectric transducer elements. The compound lens has an inner lens part with a convex cylindrical front face and a rear face which is acoustically coupled to the front face of the transducer array, and an outer lens part with a concave cylindrical rear face which is acoustically coupled to the convex cylindrical front face of the inner lens part. The inner lens part may be in the form of a conventional silicone rubber focusing lens. The outer lens part is made of an acoustic medium having a higher acoustic velocity and greater durability than silicone rubber, e.g., polymethylpentene, nylon and high-density polyethylene. Also the outer lens part has greater chemical resistance than silicone rubber.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.