US5680863A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Flexible ultrasonic transducers and related systems
Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Inc
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Filing: 1996-05-30
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Granted: 1997-10-28
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Expires: 2016-05-30
Abstract
Abstract A phased array transducer for an ultrasonic imaging system includes a flexible support element which supports an array of piezoelectric transducer elements. Shape transducers such as strain gauges or capacitive transducers are coupled to the support element to generate a signal indicative of the instantaneously prevailing curvature of the array. A user-controlled actuator is coupled to the support element to flex the support element between at least first and second configurations, wherein the support element has separate curvatures along the axis of the transducer in each of the first and second configurations. In some applications the transducer elements are positioned for separate scan formats in the first and second configurations. The support element can be provided with first and second alternating regions which differ in flexibility, in order to concentrate flexing of the support element in the second regions. In some applications the support element may have a cross-sectional dimension of less than about ten millimeters to facilitate insertion of the transducer into a tortuous vessel of a living subject.
Inventors
- 👤 John A. Hossack
- 👤 John W. Eaton
- 👤 Thomas G. Cooper
- 👤 Michael H. Ikeda
- 👤 David J. Rosa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 16:59
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B8/00; A61B8/42; A61B8/4272; A61B8/4281; A61B8/12; A61B8/44; A61B8/4483; A61B8/4494; G; G10; G10K; G10K11/00; G10K11/18; G10K11/26; G10K11/32; G10K11/34; G10K11/341; A61B8/4444; A61B8/445; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/88; G01S15/89; G01S15/8906; G01S15/8909; G01S15/8915; G01S15/892
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 42
Claim 1
Independent Claim
42 words
An ultrasonic transducer comprising: a flexible support element; a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements carried by the support element; and at least one shape transducer coupled to the support element and operative to generate a signal indicative of curvature of the array.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
42 words
An ultrasonic transducer comprising: a flexible support element; a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements carried by the support element; and at least one shape transducer coupled to the support element and operative to generate a signal indicative of curvature of the array.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein the shape transducer comprises a strain gauge.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein the shape transducer comprises a capacitive transducer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein the shape transducer comprises a semiconductor strain gauge.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein the shape transducer is carried by the support element, and wherein the shape transducer comprises a pre-amplifier positioned near the support element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein the ultrasonic transducer comprises an actuator coupled to the support element, and wherein the shape transducer comprises a position sensor coupled to the actuator.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention of claim 1 further comprising a display and a display generator responsive to the shape transducer to generate on the display indicia indicative of curvature of the transducer elements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
The invention of claim 1 further comprising a user-controlled actuator coupled to the support element to flex the support element between at least first and second configurations, said support element having separate, distinct curvatures in each of said first and second configurations.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
The invention of claim 8 further comprising an automatic curvature control system comprising: an input device receiving a user-selected desired curvature; a controller responsive to the signal and the desired curvature to control the actuator to cause the flexible support element to move to the desired curvature.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention of claim 1 further comprising a warning signal generator responsive to the shape transducer to generate a warning signal when a curvature limit of the array is approached.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
The invention of claim 1 further comprising: a sampling system responsive to the shape transducer to sample the signal; and a sampling system controller coupled to the sampling system to cause the sampling system to sample the signal between ultrasonic pulses generated by the transducer elements.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
68 words
An ultrasonic transducer comprising: a flexible support element; a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements carried by the support element and arrayed along an axis parallel to a scan plane; and a user-controlled actuator coupled to the support element to flex the support element between at least first and second configurations, said support element having separate, distinct curvatures along the axis in each of said first and second configurations.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
68 words
An ultrasonic transducer comprising: a flexible support element; a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements carried by the support element and arrayed along an axis parallel to a scan plane; and a user-controlled actuator coupled to the support element to flex the support element between at least first and second configurations, said support element having separate, distinct curvatures along the axis in each of said first and second configurations.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
The invention of claim 1 or 12 wherein the flexible support element is flexible in both azimuth and an elevation directions, and wherein the ultrasonic transducer elements are arrayed to provide multiple transducer elements along the azimuth direction and multiple transducer elements along the elevation direction.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The invention of claim 1 or 12 further comprising a surgical tool coupled to translate with the support element.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention of claim 12 wherein the transducer array comprises a plurality of blocks carried by the flexible support element, said blocks shaped to limit curvature of the flexible support element in at least said first configuration.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The invention of claim 15 wherein said blocks are shaped to limit curvature of the flexible support element in both said first and second configurations.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
The invention of claim 16 wherein said blocks are shaped to abut one another on one side of the flexible support element in said first configuration and to abut one another on the other side of the flexible support element in said second configuration.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention of claim 12 wherein the actuator comprises a shape memory metal actuator.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
12 words
The invention of claim 12 wherein the actuator comprises a bimetallic strip.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention of claim 12 wherein the actuator comprises: a curved form extending generally along the axis, said form rotatably mounted with respect to the ultrasonic transducer elements; and a user-controlled drive element coupled to rotate the curved form.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The invention of claim 12 wherein the actuator comprises: at least one tension member coupled to the flexible support; and a user-controlled tensioning device coupled to the tension member.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
The invention of claim 12 wherein the actuator comprises: a rotary drive shaft comprising threads; and at least one threaded follower coupled to the rotary drive shaft and to the support element.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The invention of claim 22 wherein the threads on the drive shaft vary in pitch along the drive shaft.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
51 words
The invention of claim 12 further comprising an apodization adjustment element providing a first set of apodization values for the transducer elements when the support element is in the first configuration and a second set of apodization values for the transducer elements when the support element is in the second configuration.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention of claim 24 wherein the apodization adjustment element comprises first and second memories, each storing a respective one of the sets of apodization values.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
63 words
The invention of claim 12 further comprising a power level adjustment element providing a first set of excitation power levels for the transducer elements when the support element is in the first configuration, and a second set of excitation power levels, different from the first set of excitation power levels, for the transducer elements when the support element is in the second configuration.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 26 wherein the power level adjustment element comprises first and second memories, each storing a respective one of the sets of excitation power levels.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention of claim 12 further comprising a delay value selection element providing a first set of delay values for the transducer elements when the support element is in the first configuration and a second set of delay values for the transducer elements when the support element is in the second configuration.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
27 words
The invention of claim 28 wherein the delay value selection element comprises first and second memories, each storing a respective one of the sets of delay values.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention of claim 12 wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements comprises more than two ultrasonic transducer elements that cooperate to form an imaging array.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention of claim 12 wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements comprises more than two ultrasonic transducer elements that cooperate to form a phased array.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention of claim 12 wherein the flexible support element remains inseparable in use.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
19 words
The invention of claim 12 further comprising a user-manipulated controller coupled to the user-controlled actuator and situated remotely therefrom.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
72 words
An ultrasonic transducer comprising: a flexible support element; a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements carried by the support element; and said support element having a length, and said support element and transducer elements having a maximum cross-sectional dimension transverse to the length, said maximum cross-sectional dimension being less than about 4 mm such that the transducer is configured to facilitate insertion of the transducer into a tortuous vessel of a living subject.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
72 words
An ultrasonic transducer comprising: a flexible support element; a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements carried by the support element; and said support element having a length, and said support element and transducer elements having a maximum cross-sectional dimension transverse to the length, said maximum cross-sectional dimension being less than about 4 mm such that the transducer is configured to facilitate insertion of the transducer into a tortuous vessel of a living subject.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
57 words
An ultrasonic transducer comprising: a flexible support element; a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements carried by the support element; and a user-controlled actuator coupled to the support element to flex the support element between at least first and second configurations, said transducer elements positioned for separate, distinct scan formats in each of said first and second configurations.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
57 words
An ultrasonic transducer comprising: a flexible support element; a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements carried by the support element; and a user-controlled actuator coupled to the support element to flex the support element between at least first and second configurations, said transducer elements positioned for separate, distinct scan formats in each of said first and second configurations.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
83 words
An ultrasonic transducer comprising: a flexible support element comprising a first plurality of spaced regions and a second plurality of spaced regions interposed between individual ones of the first plurality of spaced regions, said flexible support element being more flexible in the second regions than in the first regions; and a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements carried by the support element, said transducer elements comprising a plurality of sub-groups, each sub-group associated with a respective one of the first plurality of spaced regions.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
83 words
An ultrasonic transducer comprising: a flexible support element comprising a first plurality of spaced regions and a second plurality of spaced regions interposed between individual ones of the first plurality of spaced regions, said flexible support element being more flexible in the second regions than in the first regions; and a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements carried by the support element, said transducer elements comprising a plurality of sub-groups, each sub-group associated with a respective one of the first plurality of spaced regions.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention of claim 36 wherein each of the second plurality of spaced regions is aligned with a respective reduced thickness region of the support element.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-10-27 | 2001-04-28 | 2001-10-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-10-27 | 2005-04-28 | 2005-10-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-10-27 | 2009-04-28 | 2009-10-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |