JP7707960B2 - Ultrasound probe and ultrasound diagnostic device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ultrasound probe and an ultrasound diagnostic device.

Ultrasound probes are connected to ultrasound diagnostic equipment or configured to be able to communicate with ultrasound diagnostic equipment, and are used to obtain diagnostic images of the shape and movement of biological tissues by simply placing the probe against the body surface or inserting it into the body.

The diagnostic image can be obtained by irradiating a living body with ultrasound from an ultrasound probe and receiving the ultrasound reflected from the living body. Specifically, an ultrasound transducer included in the ultrasound probe converts an electrical signal from an ultrasound diagnostic device into ultrasound, irradiates the living body with the ultrasound, and converts the ultrasound reflected from the living body into an electrical signal. The converted electrical signal is then input to the ultrasound diagnostic device and processed to obtain the diagnostic image.

In ultrasonic probes used as described above, external shocks can be transmitted to the ultrasonic transducer and cables inside the housing, resulting in damage. To prevent these problems from occurring, it is known to fill the housing with a filler material.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an ultrasonic probe in which a piezoelectric vibration unit is housed in a housing, and the housing is filled with a foam material such as polyurethane resin as a filler.

However, when an ultrasonic transducer and an ultrasonic diagnostic device transmit and receive electrical signals, there is a problem in that noise occurs due to the effects of electromagnetic interference between the electrical signals or due to the effects of unwanted signals from outside.

Specifically, electromagnetic waves leaking from adjacent cables penetrate into the multiple cables that pass electrical signals between the ultrasonic transducer and the ultrasonic diagnostic device (or a communication element for wireless communication with the ultrasonic diagnostic device), disrupting the electrical signals and generating noise. Or, external electromagnetic waves penetrate into the cables, disrupting the electrical signals and generating noise. These problems result in reduced accuracy of diagnostic images.

In order to ensure the accuracy of diagnostic images, it is desirable to suppress the generation of the above-mentioned noise. For example, Patent Document 2 describes an ultrasound probe having a shield plate made of copper, aluminum, or the like to suppress the generation of noise. In Patent Document 2, epoxy resin or urethane foam resin mixed with a metal material to improve thermal conductivity is used as the molding material (filler) filled in the case. The metal material used is hollow in order to reduce density. The shield plate is also said to have the role of dissipating heat from the molding material to the shield wire of the cable.

JP 2016-123536 A JP 2006-204622 A

However, the ultrasonic probe described in Patent Document 2 uses a shield plate that is roughly the same shape as the flexible printed circuit board (FPC), making it difficult to reduce the probe diameter of the ultrasonic probe.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an ultrasound probe that can suppress noise generation with a simpler configuration that can be easily made smaller, and an ultrasound diagnostic device using the same.

To solve the above problem, an ultrasonic probe according to one embodiment of the present invention has an ultrasonic transducer for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, a housing for housing the ultrasonic transducer, and a filler material that is filled in the housing and is electrically grounded.

To solve the above problem, an ultrasound diagnostic device according to one embodiment of the present invention has the above ultrasound probe.

The present invention provides an ultrasound probe that can suppress noise generation, and an ultrasound diagnostic device that uses the same.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the overall structure of an ultrasonic probe according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the overall structure of an ultrasonic probe according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an ultrasonic transducer included in the ultrasonic probe. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the overall structure of an ultrasonic probe according to a first modified example of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the overall structure of an ultrasonic probe according to a first modified example of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the overall structure of an ultrasonic probe according to a second modification of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the overall structure of an ultrasonic probe according to a third modification of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The following describes in detail an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment.

1 and 2 are cross-sectional views showing an example of the overall structure of an ultrasonic probe 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ultrasound probe 100 has an ultrasound transducer 110, a housing 120, a filler 130, and a cable 140. In this embodiment, the ultrasound probe 100 may further have a communication board 150, and may be configured to enable wireless communication between the ultrasound diagnostic device and the ultrasound transducer.

1-1. Ultrasonic transducer Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the ultrasonic transducer 110. In this embodiment, the ultrasonic transducer 110 shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5 to 9 includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, and the ultrasonic transducer 110 shown in Fig. 3 shows one of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers.

The ultrasonic transducer 110 is a component for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves. As shown in FIG. 3, the ultrasonic transducer 110 has a backing material 111, a flexible printed circuit board (FPC), a piezoelectric material 113, an acoustic matching layer 114, and an acoustic lens 115.

(Backing material)
The backing material 111 is a member for attenuating ultrasonic waves. The piezoelectric material 113, which will be described later, vibrates in volume to oscillate ultrasonic waves in the direction in which the ultrasonic waves are transmitted, and also oscillates a small amount of ultrasonic waves in the opposite direction to the direction in which the ultrasonic waves are transmitted. The backing material 111 is a member for attenuating ultrasonic waves emitted from the piezoelectric material 113 in the opposite direction.

In this specification, the "direction in which ultrasonic waves are transmitted" refers to the direction from the piezoelectric material 113 toward the acoustic lens 115 (the Z direction in FIG. 2).

In this embodiment, the backing material 111 is composed of a single layer, but the backing material 111 may be a laminate of multiple layers.

The material of the backing material 111 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, an epoxy resin or a urethane resin. The backing material 111 may contain organic particles such as silicone rubber particles to adjust the function of attenuating ultrasonic waves.

(Flexible Printed Circuit Board)
The flexible printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as FPC) 112 is a member for transmitting signals to a piezoelectric material 113 (described later) via signal electrodes 116a, 116b, and for receiving signals from the piezoelectric material 113 via the signal electrodes 116a, 116b. In this embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board 112 is disposed between the backing material 111 and the piezoelectric material 113, and is electrically connected to an external power source, an ultrasonic diagnostic device, or the like via a cable 140. Note that a rigid board may be used instead of the flexible printed circuit board.

(Piezoelectric material)
The piezoelectric material 113 is a member arranged to be electrically connected to the FPC 112, and is used for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves.

Examples of the piezoelectric material 113a include piezoelectric ceramics such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT)-based piezoelectric ceramics; piezoelectric single crystals such as lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate solid solution (PMN-PT) and lead zinc niobate-lead titanate solid solution (PZN-PT); and composite piezoelectric materials made by combining these materials with polymeric materials.

The signal electrodes 116a and 116b arranged on both sides of the piezoelectric material 113 are electrodes for applying a voltage to the piezoelectric material 113. There are no particular limitations on the signal electrodes 116a and 116b as long as they are electrically connected to the above-mentioned FPC 112 and can sufficiently transmit and receive signals between the piezoelectric material 113, and they can be layers made of gold, silver, copper, etc., for example.

(acoustic matching layer)
The acoustic matching layer 114 is a member for adjusting the acoustic impedance between the piezoelectric material 113 and the acoustic lens 115. In this embodiment, the acoustic matching layer 114 is disposed between the piezoelectric material 113 and the acoustic lens 115. The acoustic matching layer 114 may be composed of a single layer, or may be composed of multiple layers having different acoustic impedances.

The acoustic matching layer 114 preferably contains a resin. This makes it easier to adjust the density of the acoustic matching layer 114, and therefore the acoustic impedance. Examples of the resin contained in the acoustic matching layer 114 include epoxy resin, urethane resin, silicone resin, polystyrene resin, etc. The acoustic matching layer 114 may also contain a curing agent that hardens these resins.

The acoustic impedance of the acoustic matching layer 114 can be adjusted as appropriate by changing the types and amounts of components that make up each layer.

(Acoustic Lens)
The acoustic lens 115 is a member for focusing ultrasonic waves transmitted from the piezoelectric material 113. As shown in Fig. 3, in this embodiment, the acoustic lens 115 is a cylindrical acoustic lens that protrudes in the Z direction in Fig. 2. The acoustic lens 115 focuses ultrasonic waves oscillated by the piezoelectric material 113 in the Z direction and emits the ultrasonic waves to the outside of the ultrasonic transducer 110.

The acoustic lens 115 is made of a material having acoustic properties suitable for the object to be inspected, such as a living body. For example, it is preferable that the acoustic lens 115 is made of a material, such as silicone rubber, that has an acoustic impedance relatively close to that of the object to be inspected.

1-2. Housing The housing 120 is a member that houses the ultrasonic transducer 110 and the filler 130.

The housing 120 has an opening 121 at the end in the direction in which ultrasonic waves are transmitted, for exposing the acoustic lens 115 of the ultrasonic transducer 110. When the ultrasonic probe 100 has a cable 140, the housing 120 may have an insertion hole 122 at the end in the opposite direction to the above direction, for inserting the cable 140. In this embodiment, the housing 120 stores a portion of the cable 140 inserted into the insertion hole 122.

The shape of the housing 120 is not particularly limited as long as it can accommodate the ultrasonic transducer 110 and the filler 130. The size of the housing 120 is set appropriately according to the size of the ultrasonic probe.

The material of the housing 120 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, ABS resin, polycarbonate, polyphenylene ether, or polybutylene terephthalate. Of these, polyphenylene ether and polybutylene terephthalate are preferred from the standpoint of chemical resistance.

1-3. Filler The filler 130 fills the inside of the housing 120 and is electrically grounded.

As mentioned above, it was difficult to reduce the probe diameter of the ultrasonic probe described in Patent Document 2.

The inventor therefore investigated a method of suppressing noise generation without using a shield plate as in Patent Document 2, in order to accommodate the miniaturization of ultrasonic probes. The inventor also considered that in order to suppress noise generation, it would be necessary to remove electromagnetic waves that disrupt the electrical signals in the cable from around the cable.

After much investigation, the inventors came to the conclusion that by allowing the electromagnetic waves that disrupt the electrical signal to escape to the outside via the filler material that fills the housing, it would be easier to miniaturize the ultrasonic probe and also possible to suppress the generation of noise. The inventors then discovered that by electrically grounding the filler material, it would be possible to allow the electromagnetic waves to escape to the outside via the filler material and suppress the generation of noise.

By releasing the electromagnetic waves to the outside through the filler, it is possible to suppress noise generation without using a shield plate as in Patent Document 2. This allows noise generation to be suppressed simply by filling the housing with filler and electrically grounding the filler, which can accommodate miniaturization of ultrasonic probes and allows for a simpler configuration.

In addition, since the filler fills the housing and covers the cable, external electromagnetic waves can escape to the outside of the probe via the filler that surrounds the cable, preventing the electromagnetic waves from disrupting the electrical signals in the cable and suppressing noise generation.

The method of grounding is not particularly limited. For example, by providing a shielded wire that connects to an external ground wire and electrically connecting the filler and the shielded wire, the electromagnetic waves that disrupt the electrical signal can be allowed to escape from the filler to the ground wire. This makes it possible to suppress the generation of noise. Also, even in an ultrasonic probe that transmits and receives electrical signals by wireless communication without using a cable connecting the ultrasonic probe and the ultrasonic diagnostic device, the electromagnetic waves can be allowed to escape to the outside by electrically grounding the filler, thereby suppressing the generation of the noise.

From the viewpoint of further suppressing the generation of noise due to grounding, it is preferable that the filler 130 has electrical conductivity. In this specification, "having electrical conductivity" means that the electrical resistivity of the filler 130 is 1000 μΩ·m or less.

The electrical resistivity of the filler 130 is preferably 1000 μΩ·m or less, and more preferably 100 μΩ·m or less. If the electrical resistivity is 1000 μΩ·m or less, the conductivity of the filler 130 is increased, making it easier for electromagnetic waves that disturb the electrical signal to escape from around the cable to the outside of the ultrasonic probe 100, and the generation of noise can be further suppressed. The lower limit of the electrical resistivity is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.01 μΩ·m or more. The electrical resistivity can be measured, for example, by a method conforming to JIS R 7609:2007.

The compressive strength of the filler 130 is preferably 0.1 MPa or more, and more preferably 20 MPa or more. If the compressive strength is 0.1 MPa or more, the mechanical strength of the filler 130 can be further improved, and the impact resistance of the ultrasonic probe 100 against external impact can be further improved. The upper limit of the compressive strength is not particularly limited, but is preferably 200 MPa or less. The compressive strength can be measured by a method according to JIS K 7076:1991.

The density of the filler 130 is preferably 4.5 g/ ^cm3 or less, and more preferably 1.5 g/ ^cm3 or less. Furthermore, when the density is 4.5 g/ ^cm3 or less, the ultrasonic probe 100 can be made lighter, and the operability of the ultrasonic probe 100 can be improved. The lower limit of the density is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.1 g/ ^cm3 or more. The density can be measured according to JIS Z 8807:2012.

From the viewpoint of further suppressing the generation of noise, increasing the impact resistance of the ultrasonic probe 100, and making the ultrasonic probe 100 lighter, it is preferable that the filler 130 contains porous graphite or expanded carbon. Either of these may be contained alone in the filler 130, or a combination of these may be contained in the filler 130. From the viewpoint of further suppressing the generation of noise, it is more preferable that the filler 130 contains porous graphite.

The porous graphite is produced by activating solid graphite (carbon). Specifically, the solid graphite (carbon) reacts with carbon dioxide or water vapor, gasifying the solid carbon, and forming pores that eat away at the carbon surface.

On the other hand, foamed carbon is made by baking conductive foam made by foaming resin mixed with graphite, or foam made from phenolic resin or polyurethane resin, in an environment that is cut off from air (oxygen).

Examples of resins incorporating the above-mentioned graphite include polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer resin, urethane resin, etc.

When the filler 130 contains porous graphite, the porosity of the porous graphite is preferably 30% or more and 90% or less, and more preferably 70% or more and 90% or less. When the porosity is 30% or more, the density of the filler 130 can be lowered, and the ultrasonic probe 100 can be made lighter. When the porosity is 90% or less, the compressive strength of the filler 130 can be prevented from excessively decreasing, and the impact resistance of the ultrasonic probe 100 can be further improved. The porosity can be calculated, for example, by the following formula (1). In formula (1), ρ _bulk represents the density of the porous graphite, and ρ _particle represents the density of the same volume of graphite when it is assumed that the graphite does not have voids.
(1-ρ _bulk /ρ _particle )×100 (1)

The average pore diameter of the porous graphite is preferably 0.3 μm or more and 4.0 μm or less. If the average pore diameter is 0.3 μm or more, the porosity of the filler 130 can be increased, making it easier to reduce the weight of the ultrasonic probe 100. If the average pore diameter is 4.0 μm or less, the porosity is not too high, and the impact resistance of the ultrasonic probe 100 can be further improved. The average pore diameter can be determined by averaging the diameters of the pores present in an observation area of 100 μm x 100 μm by the number of pores using a microscope.

In this embodiment, the porous graphite may be filled in a particulate state, or in a bulk state molded to the shape of the area to be filled with the filler 130. From the viewpoint of further suppressing the generation of noise, it is preferable that the filler 130 be filled in a bulk state.

When the porous graphite is filled in the form of particles, the particle size is preferably 400 μm or less, and more preferably 30 μm or less. By having the particle size be 400 μm or less, more porous graphite can be filled into the housing 120, and the impact resistance of the ultrasonic probe 100 can be further improved. The preferred lower limit of the particle size is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 μm or more.

Examples of commercially available porous graphite products include Porous Carbon (low permeability) and Porous Carbon (high permeability) (both manufactured by Tanken Seal Seiko Co., Ltd.), and Porous Carbon (manufactured by Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.).

When using expanded carbon as the filler 130, the porosity of the expanded carbon is preferably 30% or more and 90% or less, and more preferably 70% or more and 90% or less. If the porosity is 30% or more, the density of the filler 130 can be lowered, and the ultrasonic probe 100 can be made lighter. If the porosity is 90% or less, excessive reduction in the compressive strength of the filler 130 can be suppressed, and the impact resistance of the ultrasonic probe 100 can be further improved. The porosity can be determined in the same manner as the porosity of porous graphite.

Commercially available examples of foamed carbon include Grafoam FPA-30 (manufactured by Graphtec Corporation).

In this embodiment, the filler 130 is connected to the ground wire of the ultrasonic diagnostic device via a shield wire 143 included in a cable 140 described later, and is electrically grounded. When the ultrasonic probe 100 does not have a cable 140 and wireless communication is performed between the ultrasonic diagnostic device and a communication board 150 described later, the filler 130 can be electrically connected to a ground part (described later) of the communication board 150, and the ground part can be connected to a ground wire to be grounded.

The filler 130 may be electrically connected to the ground portion (not shown) of the ultrasonic transducer 110.

1-4. Cable In this embodiment, the ultrasound probe 100 may have a cable 140 for connecting the ultrasound transducer 110 to an external device (ultrasound diagnostic device).

The cable 140 is electrically connected to the ultrasonic transducer, and is a member for transmitting an electrical signal from the ultrasonic diagnostic device to the ultrasonic transducer, and transmitting a signal from the ultrasonic transducer to the ultrasonic diagnostic device. In this embodiment, the cable 140 is inserted into the insertion hole 122 of the housing 120, and a part of it is stored inside the housing 120. Also, in this embodiment, one end of the cable 140 is connected to the ultrasonic transducer 110, and the other end is connected to an external ultrasonic diagnostic device.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of line A-A in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 4, cable 140 has multiple signal wires 141, a resin material 142 that covers the periphery of signal wires 141, a shield wire 143 that covers the outer periphery of resin material 142, and a coating material 144.

The signal line 141 is wiring for transmitting and receiving electrical signals to the ultrasonic transducer 110. The resin material 142 is a member for electrically isolating each of the multiple signal lines 141.

The shield wire 143 is electrically connected to the conductive filler 130 and is also connected to the ground wire of the ultrasonic diagnostic device. This allows electromagnetic waves that disrupt the electrical signal to escape to the outside of the ultrasonic probe 100, suppressing the generation of noise. The material of the shield wire 143 is, for example, copper or aluminum.

It is known that shielded wires are used to protect signal lines from the above-mentioned electromagnetic waves, but according to the inventor's investigations, the use of shielded wires alone is not sufficient to suppress noise generation.

In this embodiment, the filler 130 is used to electrically connect to the shield wire 143 and ground it, making it easier for electromagnetic waves that disrupt electrical signals to escape outside the ultrasonic probe 100.

The covering material 144 is a member for protecting the shielded wire 143. The material of the covering material 144 is, for example, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, etc.

2, the ultrasound probe 100 may have a communication board 150 for wireless communication with an external ultrasound diagnostic device.

The communication board 150 includes a communication element (not shown) that receives electrical signals from an external ultrasound diagnostic device and transmits electrical signals from the ultrasound transducer to the external ultrasound diagnostic device.

In this embodiment, the communication board 150 is connected to the ultrasonic transducer 110 via a connection cable 151. This allows electrical signals received from the ultrasonic diagnostic device to be transmitted to the ultrasonic transducer 110, and electrical signals from the ultrasonic transducer 110 to be transmitted to the communication element. The configuration of the connection cable 151 can be similar to that of the cable 140.

The communication board 150 includes a ground section (not shown). The ground section is a portion that has a reference potential in a circuit through which current flows within the communication board 150, and is conductive.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 2, the filler 130 is electrically connected to the ground portion. The ground portion is then connected to a ground wire, so that the filler 130 is electrically grounded. This allows electromagnetic waves that disrupt electrical signals to escape to the outside, suppressing the generation of noise.

1-6. Size of Ultrasound Probe The probe diameter of the ultrasound probe 100 (arrow A in FIG. 1) is preferably 30 mm or less, and more preferably 20 mm or less, from the viewpoint of making the ultrasound probe more compact. A probe diameter of 30 mm or less makes it easier to insert the ultrasound probe 100 into the body. The lower limit of the probe diameter is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 mm or more. In this specification, the "probe diameter of the ultrasound probe" refers to the maximum width of the ultrasound probe at the surface on the most downstream side in the direction of transmitting ultrasound.

[Modification 1]
5 and 6 are cross-sectional views showing an example of the overall structure of an ultrasonic probe 100 according to a first modified example of the present embodiment.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, in this embodiment, the ultrasonic probe 100 may have a first reinforcing member 170 disposed between the filler 130 and the inner wall of the housing 120. This can further improve the mechanical strength of the ultrasonic probe and further increase its impact resistance.

The first reinforcing member 170 may be arranged so as to follow the entire inner surface of the housing 120 as shown in FIG. 5, or may be arranged so as to follow a portion of the inner wall surface as shown in FIG. 6. The first reinforcing member 170 may also be arranged so that there is further a filler 130 between the first reinforcing member 170 and the inner wall of the housing 120.

The material of the first reinforcing member 170 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a resin such as urethane resin or epoxy resin, or a metal such as copper or aluminum. Of these, from the viewpoint of further improving the mechanical strength of the ultrasonic probe 100, it is preferable that the material is a metal such as copper or aluminum.

Conventionally, when a reinforcing member made of a conductive material such as metal is placed inside the housing to improve the mechanical strength of an ultrasonic probe, the reinforcing member itself receives unwanted electromagnetic waves from the outside, generating noise. Therefore, it was necessary to either insulate the reinforcing member to suppress reception of the electromagnetic waves, or to electrically ground the reinforcing member to allow the electromagnetic waves to escape to the outside.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, even if the first reinforcing member 170 is a conductor, the first reinforcing member 170 can be electrically connected to the conductive filler 130. Furthermore, since the filler 130 is electrically grounded, electromagnetic waves from the outside can be released to the outside of the ultrasonic probe 100 via the filler 130, thereby suppressing the generation of noise.

The shape and size of the first reinforcing member 170 can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the shape and size of the ultrasound probe 100.

[Modification 2]
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the overall structure of an ultrasonic probe 100 according to a second modification of the present embodiment.

The ultrasonic probe 100 may have a second reinforcing member 180 disposed on a surface of the ultrasonic transducer 110 housed within the housing 120.

The second reinforcing member 180 is a member for improving the durability of the ultrasonic transducer 110.

The material of the second reinforcing member 180 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a resin such as urethane resin or epoxy resin, or a metal such as copper or aluminum. Of these, from the viewpoint of further improving the mechanical strength of the ultrasonic transducer 110, it is preferable that the material is a metal such as copper or aluminum.

As mentioned above, if a reinforcing member made of a conductive material such as metal is placed inside the housing, the reinforcing member itself will receive unwanted electromagnetic waves from the outside, so it is necessary to insulate the reinforcing member or electrically ground it.

In this embodiment, however, since the filler 130 is electrically grounded, even if the second reinforcing member 180 is a conductor, the filler 130 electrically connected to it allows the electromagnetic waves to escape outside the ultrasonic probe 100, thereby suppressing the generation of noise.

The second reinforcing member 180 is not particularly limited as long as it is placed on the surface of the ultrasonic transducer 110 housed within the housing 120. In this embodiment, the second reinforcing member 180 is placed on the surface of the ultrasonic transducer 110 on the side where the cable 140 is placed.

The shape and size of the second reinforcing member 180 can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the shape and size of the ultrasound probe 100.

[Modification 3]
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the overall structure of an ultrasonic probe 100 according to a third modification of the present embodiment.

The ultrasonic probe 100 may have a connection board 190 disposed between the ultrasonic transducer 110 and the cable 140 for electrically connecting the ultrasonic transducer 110 and the cable 140.

The connection board 190 has a terminal (not shown) for connecting the signal line 141 of the cable 140 (or the connection cable 151) and wiring (not shown) for connecting to the flexible printed circuit board (FPC) 112. This allows the ultrasonic transducer 110 and the cable 140 to be electrically connected.

The connection board 190 also has a ground portion (GND) (not shown). The ground portion is a portion that has a reference potential in a circuit through which current flows, and is conductive. This allows the ground portion (GND) to be electrically connected to the filling material 130, which is electrically grounded, and allows electromagnetic waves that disrupt the electrical signals in the cable to escape to the outside of the ultrasonic probe 100, further suppressing the generation of noise.

The shape and size of the connection board 190 can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the shape and size of the ultrasound probe 100.

2. Ultrasound Diagnostic Apparatus Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 200 according to this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 9, the ultrasound diagnostic device 200 includes an ultrasound probe 100, a main body 210, a connector 220, and a display 230, and the ultrasound probe 100 and the main body 210 are connected via a cable 140 and the connector 220. For ease of explanation, the ultrasound probe 100 in FIG. 8 is shown at a different scale from the ultrasound probe 100 in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5 to 8.

The ultrasound diagnostic device 200 may include an ultrasound probe 100, and may be configured to be capable of wireless communication with the ultrasound transducer 110 of the ultrasound probe 100 without being connected to the ultrasound probe 100 via a cable 140.

An electrical signal (transmission signal) from the main body 210 is transmitted to the piezoelectric material of the ultrasound probe 100 via the cable 140. This transmission signal is converted into ultrasonic waves by the piezoelectric material and transmitted into the object being inspected. The transmitted ultrasonic waves are reflected within the object being inspected. A portion of the reflected waves is then received by the piezoelectric material, converted into an electrical signal (received signal), and transmitted to the main body 210. The received signal is converted into image data in the main body 210 of the ultrasound diagnostic device 200 and displayed on the display 230.

In this embodiment, the ultrasonic diagnostic device 200 has a ground wire (not shown), and the ground wire is electrically connected to the filler 130 of the ultrasonic probe 100 via the shield wire 143 of the cable 140. This allows electromagnetic waves that disturb the electrical signal to escape to the outside of the ultrasonic probe 100, suppressing the generation of noise, making it possible to perform a more accurate diagnosis using the ultrasonic diagnostic device 200.

The ultrasound probe according to the present invention can be made smaller and has a simpler configuration, making it possible to suppress noise generation. Therefore, it is useful in fields such as ultrasound diagnosis, for more diverse and accurate diagnoses.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Ultrasonic probe 110 Ultrasonic transducer 111 Backing material 112 Flexible printed circuit board 113 Piezoelectric material 114 Acoustic matching layer 114a First acoustic matching layer 114b Second acoustic matching layer 114c Third acoustic matching layer 114d Fourth acoustic matching layer 115 Acoustic lens 116a, 116b Signal electrode 120 Housing 130 Filler 140 Cable 200 Ultrasonic diagnostic device 210 Main body 220 Connector 230 Display

Claims (9)

an ultrasonic transducer for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves;
a housing for housing the ultrasonic transducer;
A filler material filled in the housing and electrically grounded;
An ultrasonic probe having: The ultrasonic probe of claim 1, wherein the filler material includes porous graphite. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the filler material includes expanded carbon. The ultrasonic probe according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a first reinforcing member disposed between the filling material and the inner wall of the housing. The ultrasonic probe of claim 4, wherein the first reinforcing member is an electrical conductor and is electrically connected to the filling material. The ultrasonic probe according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a second reinforcing member disposed on a surface of the ultrasonic transducer housed within the housing. Further comprising a cable for connecting the ultrasonic transducer to an external device.
The ultrasonic probe according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 7, further comprising a connection board disposed between the ultrasonic transducer and the cable for electrically connecting the ultrasonic transducer and the cable. An ultrasonic diagnostic device comprising the ultrasonic probe according to any one of claims 1 to 8.