Patent US2648037A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4936307A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4936307A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ultrasonic observation system and an ultrasonic endoscope system
Assignee: Olympus Corp
•
Filing: 1988-04-14
•
Granted: 1990-06-26
•
Expires: 2008-04-14
Abstract
Abstract In a probe for observing an ultrasonic image, which obtains the ultrasonic image of an object to be observed such as a body cavity by means of an ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means, a mechanical scanning operation of the ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means is performed by an ultrasonic driving means, and thus it is possible to obtain a good diagnosis image with no distortion and no flicker because noises of the driving means can be reduced. Therefore, an ultrasonic endoscope system and an ultrasonic video endoscope system etc. which utilize the probe mentioned above can display a good ultrasonic image and a good optical image.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshitake Saito
- 👤 Tatsuo Nagasaki
- 👤 Takashi Tsukaya
- 👤 Tsuguhisa Sasai
- 👤 Akira Hasegawa
- 👤 Takeaki Nakamura
- 👤 Koichi Matsui
- 👤 Akira Murata
- 👤 Hiroki Hibino
- 👤 Yutaka Ohshima
- 👤 Koji Yamaya
- 👤 Michio Sato
- 👤 Akira Suzuki
- 👤 Koji Kambara
- 👤 Masaaki Hayashi
- 👤 Hideo Adachi
- 👤 Hideo Tomabechi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 13:59
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B8/00; A61B8/12; A61B8/44; A61B8/4444; A61B8/445; A61B8/4461; G; G10; G10K; G10K11/00; G10K11/18; G10K11/26; G10K11/35
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A probe for observing an ultrasonic image, comprising: an insertion section for being inserted into an object to be observed, an ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means provided in a distal end portion of said insertion section for transmitting an ultrasonic wave to the object and for receiving the ultrasonic wave reflected on the object, in which the received ultrasonic wave is converted into an electric signal, and an ultrasonic driving motor for rotating said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means to effect a mechanical scanning operation using the ultrasonic wave with respect to the object to be observed, said ultrasonic motor comprising a rotor connected to said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means and a stator secured to one of said insertion section and a member fixed relative to said insertion section, said rotor being in contact with said stator.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
A probe for observing an ultrasonic image, comprising: an insertion section for being inserted into an object to be observed, an ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means provided in a distal end portion of said insertion section for transmitting an ultrasonic wave to the object and for receiving the ultrasonic wave reflected on the object, in which the received ultrasonic wave is converted into an electric signal, and an ultrasonic driving motor for rotating said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means to effect a mechanical scanning operation using the ultrasonic wave with respect to the object to be observed, said ultrasonic motor comprising a rotor connected to said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means and a stator secured to one of said insertion section and a member fixed relative to said insertion section, said rotor being in contact with said stator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A probe according to claim 1, wherein said ultrasonic driving motor is arranged in the distal end portion of said insertion section.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A probe according to claim 2, wherein said stator is fixed to a hard tip part of the distal end portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A probe according to claim 3, wherein an ultrasonic vibrating element provided in said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means is rotatably secured to the hard tip part, and the rotor of the ultrasonic driving motor is connected to the ultrasonic vibrating element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A probe according to claim 4, wherein an ultrasonic linear motor is provided in the distal end portion, and the ultrasonic vibrating element and the ultrasonic driving motor are moved integrally along a rotation shaft of the ultrasonic vibrating element by means of the ultrasonic linear motor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
A probe according to claim 4, wherein a rotation shaft connected to a holder in which the ultrasonic vibrating element is fixed is rotatably secured to the hard tip part via a bearing, and one of the rotation shaft and the bearing is used for the rotor while the other of them is used for the stator.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
A probe according to claim 3, wherein said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means comprises an ultrasonic vibrating element fixed to the hard tip part and an ultrasonic reflection mirror secured rotatably to the hard tip part, and the rotor of the ultrasonic driving motor is connected to the ultrasonic reflection mirror of said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A probe according to claim 7, wherein the rotor is constructed as a part of the reflection mirror.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A probe according to claim 3, wherein the rotor is coaxially arranged with respect to the stator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
A probe according to claim 1, wherein an operation section is arranged in a proximal end of said insertion section, and said ultrasonic driving motor is arranged in the operation section.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
A probe according to claim 10, further comprising a rotation shaft extended in said insertion section, one end of said rotation shaft being connected to said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means, and wherein said rotor is connected to a proximal end of the rotation shaft and said member to which said stator is fixed is a housing of said operation section.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
58 words
A probe according to claim 11, wherein an ultrasonic vibrating element provided in said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means is rotatably secured to a hard tip part of the distal end portion, and the rotor of the ultrasonic driving motor is connected to the ultrasonic vibrating element of said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means through the rotation shaft.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
A probe according to claim 11, wherein the rotation shaft is integrally formed with the rotor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
74 words
A probe according to claim 11, wherein said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means comprises an ultrasonic vibrating element of said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means, fixed to a hard tip part of the distal end portion and an ultrasonic reflection mirror secured rotatably to the hard tip part, and the rotor of the ultrasonic driving motor is connected to the ultrasonic reflection mirror of said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means through the rotation shaft.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A probe according to claim 11, wherein the rotor and the stator are arranged coaxially with respect to the rotation shaft.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
A probe according to claim 11, wherein center axes of the rotor and the stator are shifted with respect to an axis of the rotation shaft, and a rotation power transmitting means is arranged between the rotor and the rotation shaft.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
A probe according to claim 1, wherein a drive section is arranged between said insertion section and an operation section provided in a proximal end of said insertion section, and said ultrasonic driving motor is arranged in the drive section.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
61 words
A probe according to claim 17, further comprising a rotation shaft extended in said insertion section, one end of said rotation shaft being connected to said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means, and wherein said rotor is connected to a proximal end of the rotation shaft and said member to which said stator is fixed is a housing of said drive section.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
58 words
A probe according to claim 18, wherein an ultrasonic vibrating element provided in said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means is rotatably secured to a hard tip part of the distal end portion, and the rotor of the ultrasonic driving motor is connected to the ultrasonic vibrating element of said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means through the rotation shaft.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
A probe according to claim 18, wherein the rotation shaft is integrally formed with the rotor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
74 words
A probe according to claim 18, wherein said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means comprises an ultrasonic vibrating element of said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means, fixed to a hard tip part of the distal end portion and an ultrasonic reflection mirror secured rotatably to the hard tip part, and the rotor of the ultrasonic driving motor is connected to the ultrasonic reflection mirror of said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means through the rotation shaft.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
A probe according to claim 18, wherein the rotor and the stator are arranged coaxially with respect to the rotation shaft.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
41 words
A probe according to claim 18, wherein center axes of the rotor and the stator are shifted with respect to an axis of the rotation shaft, and a rotation power transmitting means is arranged between the rotor and the rotation shaft.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
A probe according to claim 4 or 7, further comprising an observation means for obtaining an optical image of the object to be observed.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
A probe according to claim 24, wherein a through hole is arranged in the ultrasonic vibrating element, and said observation means is extended in the through hole.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
36 words
A probe according to claim 24, wherein a second ultrasonic motor is arranged in the distal end portion spaced apart from the ultrasonic driving motor and said observation means is rotated by the second ultrasonic motor.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
37 words
A probe according to claim 24, wherein said observation means comprises a light guide extended in said insertion section, an objective lens provided in the distal end portion, and an image guide extended in said insertion section.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
A probe according to claim 1, wherein said ultrasonic transmitting and receiving means has a plurality of ultrasonic vibrating elements having different focal distances with each other.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4375818A
Cited
EP0046987A2
Cited
US4545441A
Cited
US4494549A
Cited
WO1983003749A1
Cited
US4479388A
Cited
US4504760A
Cited
DE3619195A1
Cited
US4732156A
Cited
US4756313A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-06-25 | 1993-12-25 | 1994-06-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-06-25 | 1997-12-25 | 1998-06-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-06-25 | 2001-12-25 | 2002-06-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |