JPH0611259B2 - Ultrasonic probe and method of manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe capable of transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and a method for manufacturing the same.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems] Conventionally, an electrode extraction in an ultrasonic probe, for example, a linear probe, which is curved, for example, in a convex shape or a concave shape with a predetermined radius of curvature is an oscillator curved with a predetermined radius of curvature. From the direct wiring or wire bonding.

However, in the above electrode extraction, the electrodes have to be extracted corresponding to the vibrators that are cut in an array shape at a fine pitch, which is extremely difficult in terms of manufacturing technology and is time-consuming and costly to manufacture. I had a problem with.

Further, the lead wire and the like drawn out by the above electrode drawing is usually processed as a bundled wire, and thus lacks flexibility,
It was difficult to pull it around in the desired direction. As a result,
Due to the limited space when attaching the ultrasonic probe, there has been a problem in that an excessive force is applied to the electrode drawing portion.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic probe that can be easily attached regardless of a space limitation. Furthermore, such an ultrasonic probe can be reliably and easily provided. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing an ultrasonic probe that can be manufactured, and can improve productivity and reduce manufacturing cost.

[Summary of the Invention] A first invention for achieving the above object is a backing material curved in a predetermined shape, a vibrator array in which vibrators are arranged in an array on the surface of the backing material, and the vibration. It is composed of a plurality of flexible electrode plates for drawing electrode lines from a child, and the flexible electrode plate draws electrode lines for each of a plurality of vibrators adjacent to the vibrator array. The second invention is a sonic probe, and the second invention is, in manufacturing an ultrasonic probe capable of transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, a first step of adhering a vibrator to a thin backing material, and a plurality of electrode lines. A second step of connecting the end of a flexible electrode plate separably molded into the vibrator to the vibrator, and cutting the vibrator into an array corresponding to each electrode line pitch of the flexible electrode plate. The third step, and A fourth step of separating the flexible electrode plate into a plurality of electrode lines, and a step of curving the thin backing material into a predetermined shape and polymerizing the flexible electrode plates separated in the fourth step. The method for manufacturing an ultrasonic probe is characterized in that the ultrasonic probe is manufactured through the step 5).

[Examples of the Invention] Hereinafter, an ultrasonic probe and a method for manufacturing the same, which are examples of the present invention, will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an ultrasonic probe which is an embodiment of the first invention. FIG. 1 shows a thin backing material curved at a predetermined radius of curvature, 2 transducers arranged in an array on the surface of the thin backing material 1, 3 shaped like a half moon, and The thick backing material 5 fixed to the back surface of the backing material 1 is separated from the end portions 5a to 5f having a plurality of electrode lines L, and the end portions 5a 'to 5'.
A flexible electrode plate 5f 'is connected to the vibrator 2 along the curved shape of the thin backing material 1, for example, FPC.
(Flexible printed circuit board). A plurality of electrode lines L of the flexible electrode plate 5 are connected to each element of the vibrator 2. Further, connector portions 6a to 6f are provided at the end portions 5a to 5f of the flexible electrode plate 5, respectively, and ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received by the respective elements of the vibrator 2 via the connector portions 6a to 6f. It will be electrically connected to the section. Further, the flexible electrode plate 5 is partially polymerized on the thick backing material 3 and fixed to the thick backing material.

In addition, 4 is a matching layer fixed on the surface of the vibrator 2. Further, it is desirable that the thin backing material 1 and the thick backing material 3 have the same acoustic impedance. The reason is that if the acoustic impedances of both are the same, the general attenuation is performed without any problem and the ultrasonic wave is absorbed, and the ultrasonic wave radiated to the backing material is reflected on the back surface of the backing material and goes out. Because there is nothing.

When the electrode of the ultrasonic probe is pulled out by the flexible electrode plate 5, the flexible plate electrode 5 can be pulled out in any direction when the ultrasonic probe is attached, and the vibrator 2 Also, no unreasonable force is applied to the electrode routing portions, that is, the end portions 5a 'to 5f'.

Next, a method of manufacturing the ultrasonic probe according to the second invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 (a), (b) and (c).

2 (a), (b) and (c) are explanatory views for explaining a method of manufacturing an ultrasonic probe which is an embodiment of the present invention.

First, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), the vibrator 2 which is not yet cut is bonded to the thin backing material 1 (first
Process).

Next, on the surface (front surface) indicated by the arrow 7 of the vibrator 2 bonded to the thin backing material 2 in the first step, the second
The ends 5a 'to 5f' of the flexible electrode plate 5 formed as shown in FIG. 3B are connected (second step). Here, the end portions 5a to 5f of the flexible electrode plate 5 respectively have angles of θ ₁ to
It is separated in advance with θ ₆ , and the portion shown by the broken line 8 has perforations, for example. The end 5
Conductive patterns are uniformly provided on a'to 5f 'and are not yet separated in the second step.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2C, the transducers 2 are cut in an array corresponding to the pitch of the electrode lines L (third step). Here, the ends 5a 'to 5f' of the flexible electrode plate 5 are simultaneously cut by the cutting.

Next, in the vicinity of the end portions 5a 'to 5f', the flexible electrode plate 5 is
Is bent at a right angle, and then the flexible electrode plate 5 is separated into a plurality of electrode lines L at the perforations 8 (fourth step).

Next, the thin backing material 1 having the vibrators 2 arranged in an array is curved with a predetermined radius of curvature, and the flexible electrode plate 5 separated in the fourth step is polymerized (fifth step). Process).

Then, as shown in FIG. 1, a matching layer 4 is fixed on the surface of the vibrator 2, and a thick backing material 3 is fixed on the back surface of the thin backing material 1.

In addition, in FIG. 1, the end portions 5a to 5f of the flexible electrode plate 5 are shown.
In order to arrange them in parallel, considering the radius of curvature of the thin backing material 1 etc., the angle θ ₁ in FIG.
It is desirable to determine ~ ₆ .

When the ultrasonic probe shown in FIG. 1 is manufactured through the steps described above, it is possible to reliably and easily pull out the electrodes from the vibrator, so that the cost of the ultrasonic probe can be reduced.

Needless to say, the first and second inventions are not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made.

For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, an ultrasonic probe curved in a convex shape and a method for manufacturing the same have been described, but in the case of an ultrasonic probe curved in a concave shape, the first probe is used in the same manner as in each embodiment. The second invention can be applied.

Further, in each of the embodiments described above, the number of separations of the flexible electrode plate 5 is 6
Although the case of the number of sheets has been described, it may be more or less than six.

In particular, the ultrasonic probe according to the first invention is not limited to the one manufactured by the manufacturing method according to the second invention, and can be manufactured by another method.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, in the ultrasonic probe of the present invention, the electrodes are drawn out by the plurality of flexible electrode plates, so that the vibrator 2 can be easily electrically connected, and The effect of improving the space efficiency is obtained by polymerizing the plurality of flexible electrode plates.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing the configuration of an ultrasonic probe according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 (a), (b) and (c) are illustrations for explaining a method of manufacturing the ultrasonic probe of the present invention. FIG. 1 ... Thin backing material, 2 ... Transducer, 5 ... Flexible electrode plate, L ... Electrode line.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A backing material curved in a predetermined shape,
The backing material includes a vibrator array in which vibrators are arranged in an array on the surface of the backing material, and a plurality of flexible electrode plates that draw out electrode lines from the vibrators. An ultrasonic probe characterized in that an electrode wire is drawn out for each of a plurality of adjacent transducers. 2. In manufacturing an ultrasonic probe capable of transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, a first step of adhering a vibrator to a thin backing material, and a flexible member formed so as to be separable for each of a plurality of electrode lines. A second step of connecting the ends of the flexible electrode plate to the vibrator, a third step of cutting the vibrator into an array corresponding to each electrode line pitch of the flexible electrode plate, and the flexible step. A fourth step of separating the flexible electrode plate into a plurality of electrode lines, and a fifth step of bending the thin backing material into a predetermined shape and polymerizing the flexible electrode plates separated in the fourth step. The method for manufacturing an ultrasonic probe, wherein the ultrasonic probe is manufactured through the steps of.