EP 0689187 B1 20020102 - Ultrasonic diagnostic transducer array with elevation focus
Title (en)
Ultrasonic diagnostic transducer array with elevation focus
Title (de)
Diagnoseultraschallwandleranordnung mit Elevationsfokus
Title (fr)
Réseau de transducteur ultrasonores de diagnostic avec focalisation en élévation
Publication
Application
Priority
US 26516994 A 19940624
Abstract (en)
[origin: EP0689187A1] An ultrasonic diagnostic transducer array (16) is provided for providing electronic focusing in the longitudinal plane (L) and elevational (E) focusing. Elements (e1,e2...) of the array (16) are subdiced in the elevational direction (E) to provide subelements (1-2,2-2,3-2...) with aspect ratios varying in proportion to their distance to the central longitudinal axis of the array. Such variation affords varying electro-mechanical coupling coefficients to the subelements such that the intensity of the transmitted energy is centered about the central longitudinal axis. In a second embodiment (not represented) elements exhibit extensions in the elevational direction which vary in proportion to their displacement from the longitudinal center of the array. The extended elements are acoustically separated into subelements in the elevational direction to provide elevational focusing or spatial compounding of the transmitted acoustic energy. <IMAGE>
IPC 1-7
IPC 8 full level
G01N 29/24 (2006.01); A61B 8/00 (2006.01); B06B 1/06 (2006.01); G01S 7/523 (2006.01); G01S 15/89 (2006.01); G10K 11/32 (2006.01); H04R 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC (source: EP)
B06B 1/0622 (2013.01); G10K 11/32 (2013.01)
Designated contracting state (EPC)
AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
DOCDB simple family (publication)
EP 0689187 A1 19951227; EP 0689187 B1 20020102; AT E211571 T1 20020115; DE 69524817 D1 20020207; DE 69524817 T2 20020905; JP 3618406 B2 20050209; JP H0866395 A 19960312; US 5492134 A 19960220
DOCDB simple family (application)
EP 95304427 A 19950623; AT 95304427 T 19950623; DE 69524817 T 19950623; JP 17968295 A 19950623; US 26516994 A 19940624