Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Detecting nuclear – electromagnetic – or ultrasonic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-23
2001-12-04
Lateef, Marvin M. (Department: 3737)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Detecting nuclear, electromagnetic, or ultrasonic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325760
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotator for ultrasound probes, for detachably storing and rotatably driving two-dimensional image ultrasound probes containing a transducer for transmitting ultrasound beams in a fan-shaped form by the sector scanning in order to obtain three-dimensional cross-sectional images of an area to be diagnosed in an organism.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-19431 discloses a rotation ultrasound probe wherein a cap provided to a tip surface of the transducer is placed against the area to be diagnosed, ultrasound jelly is introduced in the gap therebetween, and rotating a two-dimensional image transducer with a motor. Thus there is no need to directly place the transducer against the skin of the patient, thereby avoiding increasing the torque necessary for rotation, and also circumventing the problem of the measurement precision deteriorating due to the ease of central axis disorientation owing to relative action between the probe tip surface and the skin.
However, this rotational ultrasound probe has been configured exclusively for the rotational type, meaning that even in the event that the rotation is stopped for displaying a two-dimensional cross-section image of the area to be diagnosed on the ultrasound diagnostic equipment, extra components remain attached thereto. On the other hand, ultrasound diagnosis normally involves a process of first displaying a two-dimensional image and making a diagnosis therefrom, with three-dimensional images being displayed in this process as necessary. Also, in the event that a three-dimensional image apparatus is introduced anew, there is the need to also provide a rotational ultrasound probe such as described above anew, as well.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a detachable rotator for an ultrasound probe wherein various types of two-dimensional image ultrasound probes including already existing ones can be converted for three-dimensional image use with a simple operation.
The present invention is a rotator for an ultrasound probe, the rotator comprising: an inner cylinder with a circular inner circumference surface, which is stored within a handy-type outer cylinder and rotatably driven by a motor; and a probe holder which holds an ultrasound probe for providing two-dimensional image signals of body portions to be diagnosed by means of transmitting ultrasound beams in a stationary state, and detachably inserted into the inner cylinder; wherein the tip portion of the inner cylinder is formed as a tapered portion having an inner circumference surface which gradually decreases in inner diameter toward the rear side; and wherein the probe holder comprises: a cylindrical holder main unit which is formed as a tapered portion at the tip portion thereof having an inner circumference surface gradually increasing in inner diameter toward the rear side, and arranged such that a cable extending from the rear end of the ultrasound probe is stored from the side of the holder; and a main unit fixing portion for fixing the holder main unit inserted into the inner cylinder to the inner cylinder, by holding the ultrasound probe in the state of the tip portion outer circumference and the rear end portion outer circumference of the ultrasound probe being brought into contact with the tapered portion of the inner cylinder and the tapered portion of the holder main unit, respectively; with a gap formed between a cap which is attached to the tip portion of the outer cylinder and the tip plate of the ultrasound probe.
The ultrasound probe is inserted into the holder main unit from the front thereof in the state of the cable thereof being stored in the hollow interior of the cylindrical probe holder from the side. The outer circumference surface of the holder main unit corresponds with the inner diameter of the inner cylinder, so that the center axes in the state of being inserted into the rotator each match and are concentric. The holder main unit being pressed forward causes the outer circumference of the tip portion of the ultrasound probe, i.e., partway along the outer circumference surface thereof or the end thereof to come into contact with the tapered portion of the inner cylinder, and the tapered portion of the holder main unit comes into contact with the outer circumference of the rear end portion. Accordingly, as long as the outer circumference of the front and rear end portions have a circular portion at least partially over a range of 180° or more, a concentric state is achieved with the rotator by the contact at the tapered portion. The holder main unit which holds the ultrasound probe with the state of contact with the front and rear tapered potions is fixed to the inner cylinder by the main unit fixing portion, and rotates together with the inner cylinder. Ultrasound jelly is filled in the gap between the tip surface of the ultrasound probe and the cap.
Accordingly, two-dimensional image ultrasound probes of various shapes can be detachably mounted to the rotator and converted for use as three-dimensional image probes. The ultrasound probe is hold in a concentric state with the rotator even in the event that the length thereof or the form at the front and rear ends differ, by means of concentric insertion of the holder main unit into the rotator, and by the circular outer circumference at the front and rear of the ultrasound probe coming into contact with the tapered portions in the inner cylinder and the holder main unit. Operation of the holder main unit is a simple insertion and removal process.
The main unit fixing portion may be slidably inserted into the holder main unit from the rear so as to follow the center axis, in an arrangement wherein the rotator further comprises: a cylindrical holder base portion into which the cable is stored from the side; and lock buttons which are slidably guided along guide grooves formed to the holder main unit in the radial direction thereof as to the center axis, so as to come into contact with the inner circumference surface of the inner cylinder at the front-most outwards position; wherein a slave portion, driven outwards in the state of being in contact with the driving portion in accordance with the progression of the driving portion formed to the tip portion of the holder base portion, is formed the base portion of the lock buttons; whereby fixing of the holder main unit to the inner cylinder can be easily performed by an inserting and removing operation of the holder base portion, which drives the lock buttons in a friction-retained state, and also the configuration is simple.
The outer circumference surface of the tip portion of the holder base portion may be formed as a tapered portion gradually inclined backwards toward the outside, so as to form a driving surface as a driving portion, and also have an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the holder main unit at the rear area of the tapered portion at the holder base portion, with a sliding portion formed retained at a retaining flange at the rear end of the holder main unit; this arrangement involving lock buttons being erected at a plurality of positions of outer circumference surface of an arc spring, and the inner circumference surface of the arc spring being formed as an inclined plate gradually inclining outwards toward the rear direction so as to form a slave surface as a slave portion; wherein the lock buttons are easily configured of a single ring-shaped part exhibiting spring force, and a driving surface is easily formed to the holder base portion by tapering. Removal from the holder main unit is restricted, and the locking operation can be easily performed with sliding of high positional precision.
An opening for storing the cable from the side to the hollow interior may be formed to the holder main unit and the holder base portion, so the configuration can be easily achieved by simply notching out the probe holder, taking advantage of t
Hiroshi Nagai
Norio Tomita
Takanori Satou
Hoffmann & Baron , LLP
Imam Ali M.
Lateef Marvin M.
Nihon Kohden Corporation
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