Ultrasonic guided needle

Claim 2

Ultrasonic needle guiding apparatus, comprising: needle coupling means for coupling a hypodermic needle to a syringe; said needle coupling means having an interior and a needle connection port means for holding said hypodermic needle in fluid connection with said interior; single crystal ultrasonic transducer means mounted in said interior of said needle coupling means said ultrasonic transducer means mounted so as to transmit ultrasonic waves toward said needle connection port means and thence through said hypodermic needle and so as to receive ultrasonic waves reflected back through said hypodermic needle toward said ultrasonic transducer means; wherein said ultrasonic transducer means converts said reflected ultrasonic waves into corresponding electrical signals; a transmitter, coupled to said ultrasonic transducer means, which continuously transmits an excitation signal to said ultrasonic transducer means so that said ultrasonic transducer means will continuously generate ultrasonic waves; and a receiver coupled to said ultrasonic transducer means which receives said electrical signals corresponding to said reflected ultrasonic waves, and which filters said received electrical signals to reject non-Doppler shifted signals therein and then amplifies said filtered received electrical signals so as to detect continuous wave Doppler shifted signals therein.

Claim 3

Ultrasonic needle guiding apparatus comprising: needle coupling means for coupling a hypodermic needle to a syringe; said needle coupling means having an interior and a needle connection port means for holding said hypodermic needle in fluid connection with said interior; single crystal ultrasonic transducer means mounted in said interior of said needle coupling means, said ultrasonic transducer means mounted so as to transmit ultrasonic waves toward said needle connection port means and thence through said hypodermic needle and so as to receive ultrasonic waves reflected back through said hypodermic needle toward said ultrasonic transducer means; wherein said ultrasonic transducer means converts said reflected ultrasonic waves into corresponding electrical signals; a transmitter, coupled to said ultrasonic transducer means, which continuously transmits an excitation signal to said ultrasonic transducer means so that said ultrasonic transducer means will continuously generate ultrasonic waves; and a receiver coupled to said ultrasonic transducer means which receives said electrical signals corresponding to said reflected ultrasonic waves, and which filters said received electrical signals to reject non-Doppler shifted signals therein and then amplifies said filtered received electrical signals so as to detect continuous wave Doppler shifted signals therein; wherein said ultrasonic transducer means has a resonant frequency, said transmitter comprising a programmable transmitter which transmits a multiplicity of ultrasonic frequency excitation signals, each having a distinct ultrasonic frequency; and said receiver including frequency selection means, coupled to said ultrasonic transducer means and said programmable transmitter for determining which of said excitation signals is closest in frequency to said resonant frequency of said ultrasonic transducer means, and for then programming said programmable transmitter to thereafter transmit excitation signals at said closest frequency.

Claim 4

Ultrasonic needle guiding apparatus comprising: needle coupling means for coupling a hypodermic needle to a syringe; said needle coupling means having an interior and a needle connection port means for holding said hypodermic needle in fluid connection with said interior; single crystal ultrasonic transducer means mounted in said interior of said needle coupling means, said ultrasonic transducer means mounted so as to transmit ultrasonic waves toward said needle connection port means and thence through said hypodermic needle and so as to receive ultrasonic waves reflected back through said hypodermic needle toward said ultrasonic transducer means; wherein said ultrasonic transducer means converts said reflected ultrasonic waves into corresponding electrical signals; a transmitter, coupled to said ultrasonic transducer means, which continuously transmits an excitation signal to said ultrasonic transducer means so that said ultrasonic transducer means will continuously generate ultrasonic waves; and a receiver coupled to said ultrasonic transducer means which receives said electrical signals corresponding to said reflected ultrasonic waves, and which filters said received electrical signals to reject non-Doppler shifted signals therein and then amplifies said filtered received electrical signals so as to detect continuous wave Doppler shifted signals therein; wherein said ultrasonic transducer means has a resonant frequency, said transmitter comprising a programmable transmitter which transmits a multiplicity of ultrasonic frequency excitation signals, each having a distinct ultrasonic frequency; and said receiver including frequency selection means, coupled to said ultrasonic transducer means and said programmable transmitter for determining which of said excitation signals is closest in frequency to said resonant frequency of said ultrasonic transducer means, and for then programming said programmable transmitter to thereafter transmit excitation signals at said closest frequency.

Claim 7

The method of guiding a hypodermic needle set forth in claim 3, said ultrasonic transducer having a resonant frequency, said method including the steps of transmitting a multiplicity of ultrasonic frequency excitation signals, each having a distinct ultrasonic frequency, to said ultrasonic transducer via an electrical connection; and determining which of said excitation signals is closest in frequency to said resonant frequency of said ultrasonic transducer, and thereafter transmitting excitation signals at said closest frequency.

Claim 8

Ultrasonic needle guiding apparatus, for use in conjunction with a hollow needle having a first end that is coupled to a syringe apparatus and a distal end used to penetrate blood carrying vessels, comprising: a transmitter which continuously transmits an excitation signal; a single crystal ultrasonic transducer, coupled to said transmitter, which generates continuous ultrasonic waves in response to said continuously transmitted excitation signal; wherein said single crystal ultrasonic transducer converts reflected ultrasonic waves that impact on said single crystal ultrasonic transducer into corresponding electrical signals; mounting means, coupled to said single crystal ultrasonic transducer, for positioning said single crystal ultrasonic transducer relative to a hollow needle that is coupled to a syringe apparatus so that the continuous ultrasonic waves generated by said single crystal ultrasonic transducer are transmitted in a direction corresponding to the distal end of the hollow needle; and a receiver, coupled to said single crystal ultrasonic transducer, which receives said electrical signals corresponding to said reflected ultrasonic waves, and which filters and amplifies said received electrical signals so as to detect Doppler shifted signals therein; said single crystal ultrasonic transducer having a resonant frequency, said transmitter comprising a programmable transmitter which transmits a multiplicity of ultrasonic frequency excitation signals, each having a distinct ultrasonic frequency; and said receiver including frequency selection means, coupled to said single crystal ultrasonic transducer and said programmable transmitter for determining which of said excitation signals is closest in frequency to said resonant frequency of said single crystal ultrasonic transducer, and for then programming said programmable transmitter to thereafter transmit excitation signals at sad closest frequency.

Claim 9

Ultrasonic needle guiding apparatus, for use in conjunction with a hollow needle having a first end that is coupled to a syringe apparatus and a distal end used to penetrate blood carrying vessels, comprising: a transmitter which continuously transmits an excitation signal; a single crystal ultrasonic transducer, coupled to said transmitter, which generates continuous ultrasonic waves in response to said continuously transmitted excitation signal; wherein said single crystal ultrasonic transducer converts reflected ultrasonic waves that impact on said single crystal ultrasonic transducer into corresponding electrical signals; mounting means, coupled to said single crystal ultrasonic transducer, for positioning said single crystal ultrasonic transducer relative to a hollow needle that is coupled to a syringe apparatus so that the continuous ultrasonic waves generated by said single crystal ultrasonic transducer are transmitted in a direction corresponding to the distal end of the hollow needle; and a receiver, coupled to said single crystal ultrasonic transducer, which receives said electrical signals corresponding to said reflected ultrasonic waves, and which filters and amplifies said received electrical signals so as to detect Doppler shifted signals therein; said single crystal ultrasonic transducer having a resonant frequency, said transmitter comprising a programmable transmitter which transmits a multiplicity of ultrasonic frequency excitation signals, each having a distinct ultrasonic frequency; and said receiver including frequency selection means, coupled to said single crystal ultrasonic transducer and said programmable transmitter for determining which of said excitation signals is closest in frequency to said resonant frequency of said single crystal ultrasonic transducer, and for then programming said programmable transmitter to thereafter transmit excitation signals at sad closest frequency.

Claim 10

Ultrasonic needle guiding apparatus, for use in conjunction with a hollow needle having a first end that is coupled to a syringe apparatus and a distal end used to penetrate blood carrying vessels, comprising: a transmitter which continuously transmits an excitation signal; a single crystal ultrasonic transducer, coupled to said transmitter, which generates continuous ultrasonic waves in response to said continuously transmitted excitation signal; wherein said single crystal ultrasonic transducer converts reflected ultrasonic waves that impact on said single crystal ultrasonic transducer into corresponding electrical signals; mounting means, coupled to said single crystal ultrasonic transducer, for positioning said single crystal ultrasonic transducer relative to a hollow needle that is coupled to a syringe apparatus so that the continuous ultrasonic waves generated by said single crystal ultrasonic transducer are transmitted in a direction corresponding to the distal end of the hollow needle; and a receiver, coupled to said single crystal ultrasonic transducer, which (A) receives said electrical signals corresponding to said reflected ultrasonic waves, (B) filters said received electrical signals to reject non-Doppler shifted signals therein, said rejected non-Doppler shifted signals corresponding generally to said generated continuous ultrasonic waves, and then (C) amplifies said filtered received electrical signals so as to detect Doppler shifted signals therein.

Claim 11

Ultrasonic needle guiding apparatus, for use in conjunction with a hollow needle having a first end that is coupled to a syringe apparatus and a distal end used to penetrate blood carrying vessels, comprising: a transmitter which continuously transmits an excitation signal; a single crystal ultrasonic transducer, coupled to said transmitter, which generates continuous ultrasonic waves in response to said continuously transmitted excitation signal; wherein said single crystal ultrasonic transducer converts reflected ultrasonic waves that impact on said single crystal ultrasonic transducer into corresponding electrical signals; mounting means, coupled to said single crystal ultrasonic transducer, for positioning said single crystal ultrasonic transducer relative to a hollow needle that is coupled to a syringe apparatus so that the continuous ultrasonic waves generated by said single crystal ultrasonic transducer are transmitted in a direction corresponding to the distal end of the hollow needle; and a receiver, coupled to said single crystal ultrasonic transducer, which (A) receives said electrical signals corresponding to said reflected ultrasonic waves, (B) filters said received electrical signals to reject non-Doppler shifted signals therein, said rejected non-Doppler shifted signals corresponding generally to said generated continuous ultrasonic waves, and then (C) amplifies said filtered received electrical signals so as to detect Doppler shifted signals therein.