Ultrasonic probe

Claim 2

An elongate ultrasonic probe shaped and sized for insertion into coeloms of a body, comprising: an ultrasonic transducer element; a rotatable member supporting the transducer element; a casing accommodating the transducer element and the supporting member and filled with ultrasonic wave propagation medium, wherein at least the forwardmost part of the casing is smoothly rounded and smoothly contiguous with the elongate portion of the casing to reduce discomfort to the person receiving the probe, this forwardmost part forming an ultrasonic wave transmission window; means for controllably rotating the supporting member about a first axis and also about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis; and means for detecting the positions of the supporting member with respect to both said first and second axes.

Claim 3

The ultrasonic probe of claim 1, wherein: the rotating means comprises a motor, and means for allowing the motor to controllably rotate the supporting member selectively about the first axis and about the second axis.

Claim 4

The ultrasonic probe of claim 1, wherein: the rotating means comprises a first motor, means for allowing the first motor to controllably rotate the supporting member about the first axis, a second motor, and means for allowing the second motor to controllably rotate the supporting member about the second axis.

Claim 5

An elongate ultrasonic probe with a smooth contiguous outer surface shaped and sized for easy insertion into coeloms of a body, comprising: an ultrasonic transducer element; a rotatable member supporting the transducer element; a casing having a first portion and a second portion, the first casing portion accommodating the transducer element and the supporting member and filled with ultrasonic wave propagation medium, wherein at least the forwardmost part of the first casing portion is smoothly rounded to reduce discomfort to the person receiving the probe and also forms an ultrasonic wave transmission window, the second casing portion extending rearwardly of the first casing portion and being of smaller cross-section than the first casing portion; and means for allowing the transducer element to emit and receive an ultrasonic wave to and from a region extending in front of the casing with respect to a direction of insertion of the casing into the body of the person to be examined with the probe, wherein said accommodation portion has an outside diameter of about 20 mm and a length of about 30 mm, and the second casing portion has an outside diameter of about 10 mm and a length of about 100 mm and all outside surfaces thereof are smoothly contiguous and rounded to be free of any sharp edges or corners at least over said lengths.

Claim 6

An elongate ultrasonic probe with a smooth contiguous outer surface shaped and sized for easy insertion into coeloms of a body, comprising: an ultrasonic transducer element; a rotatable member supporting the transducer element; a casing having a first portion and a second portion, the first casing portion accommodating the transducer element and the supporting member and filled with ultrasonic wave propagation medium, wherein at least the forwardmost part of the first casing portion is smoothly rounded to reduce discomfort to the person receiving the probe and also forms an ultrasonic wave transmission window, the second casing portion extending rearwardly of the first casing portion and being of smaller cross-section than the first casing portion; and means for allowing the transducer element to emit and receive an ultrasonic wave to and from a region extending in front of the casing with respect to a direction of insertion of the casing into the body of the person to be examined with the probe, wherein said accommodation portion has an outside diameter of about 20 mm and a length of about 30 mm, and the second casing portion has an outside diameter of about 10 mm and a length of about 100 mm and all outside surfaces thereof are smoothly contiguous and rounded to be free of any sharp edges or corners at least over said lengths.

Claim 7

The ultrasonic probe of claim 4, wherein: the second casing portion comprises an outer tube made of a synthetic resin that is electrically nonconductive and a rigid inner tube made of metal, the inner tube having an axial hole for accommodating electric leads connected to the transducer element.

Claim 8

The ultrasonic probe of claim 4, further comprising: means for detecting at least one condition related to operation of the driving means.

Claim 9

The ultrasonic probe of claim 6, wherein: the detecting means comprises means for sensing a load on the driving means, and means for sensing a temperature of the driving means during operation of the probe.

Claim 10

The ultrasonic probe of claim 5, wherein: the inner metal tube is electrically grounded.

Claim 11

The ultrasonic probe of claim 4, wherein: said accommodation portion has an outside diameter of about 20 mm and a length of about 30 mm; and the second casing portion has an outside diameter of about 10 mm and a length of about 100 mm and all outside surfaces thereof are smoothly contiguous and rounded to be free of any sharp edges or corners at least over said lengths.

Claim 12

An ultrasonic probe for use within a coelom of a patient's body, comprising: a movable support member provided with at least one ultrasonic oscillator; an ultrasonic oscillator accommodation portion shaped to be smoothly rounded at the forwardmost end of the probe body and contiguous therewith for accommodating the support member and filled with ultrasonic wave propagation medium, wherein at least the rounded part of the accommodation portion has an ultrasonic wave transmission window; a rigidly formed shaft-shaped portion, comprising an outer tube comprising synthetic resin and an inner tube made of metal, extending rearwardly of the accommodation portion and accommodating a drive shaft perpendicular to a rotation axis of the support member, the shaft-shaped portion being thinner than the accommodating portion and being filled with ultrasonic wave propagation medium, the ultrasonic oscillator being located at an offset portion with respect to the drive shaft to be rotatable with said movable support member thereat, whereby ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received via the ultrasonic oscillator over an angular field greater than 180 degrees, and a radially-shaped ultrasonic wave sectional image is obtained in a sectional plane parallel to a sectional plane including the drive shaft and frontwardly thereof.

Claim 13

An ultrasonic probe for use within a coelom of a patient's body, comprising: a movable support member provided with at least one ultrasonic oscillator; an ultrasonic oscillator accommodation portion shaped to be smoothly rounded at the forwardmost end of the probe body and contiguous therewith for accommodating the support member and filled with ultrasonic wave propagation medium, wherein at least the rounded part of the accommodation portion has an ultrasonic wave transmission window; a rigidly formed shaft-shaped portion, comprising an outer tube comprising synthetic resin and an inner tube made of metal, extending rearwardly of the accommodation portion and accommodating a drive shaft perpendicular to a rotation axis of the support member, the shaft-shaped portion being thinner than the accommodating portion and being filled with ultrasonic wave propagation medium, the ultrasonic oscillator being located at an offset portion with respect to the drive shaft to be rotatable with said movable support member thereat, whereby ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received via the ultrasonic oscillator over an angular field greater than 180 degrees, and a radially-shaped ultrasonic wave sectional image is obtained in a sectional plane parallel to a sectional plane including the drive shaft and frontwardly thereof.

Claim 14

The ultrasonic probe of claim 10, further comprising: a drive section rotatably driving the support member via the drive shaft, a drive section accommodation portion accommodating the drive section, and a sealing member provided in the drive section accommodation portion to provide sealing of the ultrasonic wave propagation medium.