Ultrasound probes with improved electrical isolation
US7544164B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 4, 2005 |
| Grant date | Jun 9, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 4, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG10K11/02
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Ultrasound probe (10) with improved electrical isolation including a housing (12), a sensor assembly (16) arranged in the housing (12) and including electrically conductive parts (22) which transmit, receive and process waves and an acoustic matching layer (34, 44) arranged in the housing (12) to electrically isolate the electrically conductive parts (22) from the housing (12). The matching layer (34, 44) serves as a barrier between the electrically conductive parts (22) and seams (30, 36, 40) formed between two parts (26, 28) of the housing (12) and/or between the housing (12) and another component connected thereto, e.g., an acoustic window (18) or a connection member (42) arranged at a rear of the housing (12). The invention thus increases the safety of the probe (10) in that it substantially reduces the risk to patients of an electrical shock. By using the matching layer (34, 44) to provide electrical isolation, the acoustics of the sensor assembly (16) are not interfered with, i.e., the waves being transmitted and received by the sensor assembly (16) are influenced in a desired manner.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.